Original Date: 02/19/2007
Revision Date: / /

Raytheon’s Network Centric Systems Manufacturing Center in Largo, Florida, implemented an Integrated Product Development System concurrent engineering approach that is a shift from the previous design-centric system to one where the design and manufacturability of a newly developed product are taken into consideration throughout the entire product life cycle. By continually focusing on the design, manufacturability, and testability of a new product, Raytheon mitigates the risk of encountering problems when a new product is ready for production.

Raytheon’s Network Centric Systems (NCS) Manufacturing Center in Largo, Florida, has implemented a new system for internally reviewing new business opportunities that benefits both the contractor and the customer. By establishing a thoroughly developed Gate-10 Review process, Raytheon ensures an improved decision-making capability that captures variables from the proposal development phase through program shutdown. The improved product development concurrent engineering approach also employs the use of standardized tools such as DFSS, factory simulation, and the Process Capability Analysis Toolset that quantifies the impact of key design features and characteristics of manufacturing processes, enabling trade-offs early in the design process. The goal of the Integrated Product Development System (IPDS) concurrent engineering approach is to mitigate risks so that transition to production is smooth and predictable, resulting in fewer (if any) surprises for the contractor and the customer.

Prior to using the new approach, Raytheon’s product development was generally heavily design-focused, while the manufacturing elements of the new design were frequently an afterthought. As a result, certain programs transitioned from design to production with risks that impacted cost and schedule and contained a high volume of engineering change orders. The actual assembly, inspection, and test labor hours could exceed those Raytheon bid in its proposals. The assessment of any new product design was being performed too late at what is now considered the Gate-10 Review.

Raytheon now utilizes the IPDS Concurrent Engineering process on all development projects such as the Common Cabinet Design. In early 2007, Raytheon Largo held a six-week workshop with the goal of reducing common cabinet unit costs by 15% from its proposal baseline by improving and using common hardware, investigating common interconnect methods, and investigating common lowest-replaceable unit mountings. After brainstorming from a design and manufacturing approach and utilizing the IPDS design approach and common toolsets, Raytheon was able to significantly reduce the number of screws for electromagnetic interference cabinets at a cost savings of $504 per unit (or $7,500 per system).

The new IPDS Concurrent Engineering process is highly systems-engineering-focused, which is the direction Raytheon is taking to stand out as a systems integrator. From contract pre-award to production, this new product development system provides Raytheon management an internal review processes that gives equal and combined emphasis to product design and manufacturing.

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