Original Date: 06/05/2006
Revision Date: / /

Rockwell Collins has developed the enhanced Integrated Master Parts Application Tool that enables engineering to conduct preferred-component search and selection and automatically updates drawing and resource planning tools when completed.

Prior to October 2004 Rockwell Collins used the C++ Integrated Master Parts Application Tool (IMPACT) to provide engineering personnel all the information necessary to select the components for system designs and applications. This tool proved to be ineffective because of multiple data entry points, limited search and selection capabilities, and the lack of tool interfaces with existing material resource planning and drawing package tools. Rockwell Collins has since developed the Web-based IMPACT tool that enables preference search engines, interfaces with existing resource planning tools, and provides easy access to various data elements for selection of the “best” component for use in design and manufacturing applications.

IMPACT is now a comprehensive component selection and management tool that enables users to manage and maintain parts lists for visibility across engineering and support organizations. Life cycle value stream capabilities allow users to quickly analyze bills of materials (BOMs) for current and future obsolescence issues, engineering component derating considerations, lead-finish requirements for pure tin, and pending intellectual property and license agreements. Newly designed interfaces provide easy access to existing product documentation and component drawings; material resource planning for cost, lead-time, quantity information; and component qualification and analysis reports that are important for part selection. Packaging data for use in drafting and computer-integrated manufacturing applications have been simplified. Single-point data entry distributes component information to existing systems, eliminating duplicate entries and manual data loading by engineering.

Component searches are conducted using a drop-down menu that offers users options to search on part number, package type, part description, and various supplier information. “Best” component preference is automatically selected by IMPACT using four fundamental weight factors – technical, business, life cycle, and supplier. Technical performance is weighted 20%, business is weighted 20%, life cycle is weighted 30%, and supplier is weighted 30%. However, preferences can be adjusted using look-up tables based on various weight factors. Overall component scores are calculated and preferences are presented to the user in order of preferred, acceptable, not acceptable, and unacceptable. The user selects the preferred component for the particular design application, then appropriate information is automatically loaded to the Product Documentation Management system for drawing addition and to the Material Resource Planning system for BOM and purchasing action.

Since the inception of the IMPACT tool in 2004, Rockwell Collins has experienced an 18%-20% savings in component selection times and significant increases in preferred-part content on circuit card assemblies.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.