Aerospace, an industry under pressure - The 8 planning challenges frequently encountered
25/09/2023
Reading time: 4min
The aerospace industry is facing a series of major pressures that challenge the way production planning is traditionally managed. These pressures manifest across three key areas: customers, production resources, and internal organization.
Here are the three types of pressures encountered and the main issues that many industry players must face.
I. Pressure on the interface with clients
Increased capacity audits: Clients are conducting capacity audits more frequently, requiring companies to demonstrate their ability to meet production demands.
Customer follow-up requests: Customers now demand closer monitoring of their orders, putting additional pressure on Sales Administration (ADV) services.
II. Pressure on production resources
The availability of production resources has become a major challenge, accompanied by several issues:
Ramp-up and rare skills: Strengthening production teams is complex, particularly when it comes to catching up on production delays, and specialized skills are becoming increasingly rare.
Reduction of work-in-progress and lead times: Companies are forced to reduce work-in-progress levels and production times to optimize their efficiency.
Uncertainties about energy costs and supply times: Fluctuations in energy prices and uncertain supply times make planning even more complex.
III. Temporal pressure and the need for agility
The changing nature of the aerospace industry imposes increasing time pressure and requires more agile production. This leads to the following issues:
Demand volatility and operator autonomy: Demand volatility requires operators to have more autonomy to adapt to production variations.
Small batches and extended setup times: The production of smaller batches and longer setup times necessitate better planning and more precise management of manufacturing orders (MO) to optimize the use of production resources.
Priority changes and production range variance: Frequent priority changes and increasing variance from production ranges further complicate planning.
IV. Oplit a solution for the aerospace industry
Faced with these problems, the aerospace industry is actively seeking innovative solutions. With Oplit, we are trying to provide them with the solutions that allow them to overcome these challenges and to get a step ahead by providing
A common language, transparency, and responsiveness in production simulation Oplit enables the creation of simple and effective production simulations. This allows teams to better understand the impact of planning decisions on the overall production process. Furthermore, Oplit encourages the adoption of a common language among different teams, which facilitates communication and coordination, two essential aspects in an environment as complex as aerospace.
AI algorithms for accurate forecasts Oplit uses advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze large amounts of data. These algorithms enable accurate predictions of demand trends, production timelines, and resource needs. This ability to anticipate future challenges is crucial for effective planning, especially in an industry where volatility is the norm.
Transparent client interface Oplit offers a user-friendly interface to communicate with your clients. Companies can present the capacity load of their workshop in real-time or provide estimated production end dates directly to their clients. This transparency strengthens customer trust and keeps them informed throughout the production process, much like Amazon.
Performance optimization
By using Oplit for planning, aerospace companies can achieve significant gains. This translates into an improvement in service rates to customers, a notable reduction in production lead times, and a decrease in the time required to organize production. These gains not only improve operational efficiency but also enhance the overall competitiveness of the company. By adopting tools like Oplit, the aerospace industry can tackle current challenges and pave the way for a more agile and competitive future.
