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Original Date: 08/07/1995
Revision Date: 01/18/2007
Information : Product Definition and Design Business System
Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems (LMTAS) is evolving its organizational structure to support a product definition and design (PD&D) business system supplying proven build-to packages to a product delivery system. This effort will streamline the procurement, fabrication, assembly, and delivery of tactical aircraft and related systems. Concepts under consideration address structuring the organization around product design teams that would continue the focus on development of build-to packages that encompass tool designs, work instructions, and Bills of Material.
The current organization features business area managers who are responsible for core business units. These business units are matrixed with traditional functional units to support individual programs. A horizontal slice through this three-dimensional matrix structure would produce an Integrated Product Team (IPT) for a specific program. A study examining the interfaces in the current core business systems approach determined that a key interface point existed in translating product descriptions into product support and product delivery operations. The study also highlighted the value of integrating manufacturing engineering into the engineering organization. This integration began in August 1994 and is projected to be completed by January 1996.
One conceptual model under consideration would establish product departments that could draw from a process- technology-tools organization and be supported by a services and laboratory organization. The laboratory organization provides infrastructure support. For example, a typical product department might be airframes or avionics. These departments could be broken down into sections supporting specific programs. The sections would be further divided into product teams.
Other organizational concepts being considered would have a product-oriented structure focusing on build-to package responsibilities. These concepts have been studied by comparing existing program schedules against revised schedules based on the proposed approach. These studies have shown schedule improvements of as much as eight months on some critical path components.
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