CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
3 June 2008
Implementation Investments
Cirrus Design Soars with PTC® Product Development System
PTC announced that Cirrus Design Corporation, a world leading innovator of single-engine, piston-powered aircraft, has standardized on the PTC Product Development System (PDS) to optimize their product development process. Renowned for innovation in the general aviation industry, the Cirrus Engineering Team has led the marketplace by consistently delivering safety, advanced technology, performance, and comfort. The PTC PDS supports Cirrus’ rapid growth and focus on improving operational efficiencies across multiple facilities.
The industry’s best selling aircraft, the SR20 and SR22, as well as “The Jet,” Cirrus’ highly anticipated owner-flown jet, have all been designed with Pro/ENGINEER. In addition to Pro/ENGINEER and its advanced capabilities including Pro/ENGINEER Mechanica® and Pro/ENGINEER Piping and Cabling, Cirrus uses Windchill for content and process management, Arbortext for technical illustrations and Mathcad for engineering calculations. The company plans to extend its Windchill deployment for collaboration and is evaluating broader use of PTC’s Arbortext to create and manage technical publications.
Cirrus revolutionized the general aviation marketplace in the late 90’s by delivering advanced technology such as durable composite airframes, electronic flight displays, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPSTM), and an ice protection system, all at industry affordable prices. Others soon followed, resulting in a highly competitive environment and compelling Cirrus to reduce time to market for the design, development, and offering of new features and technology. The PTC PDS supports Cirrus’ initiative to increase customer value through innovative and efficient product development practices. Cirrus depends on the PDS’s exceptional surfacing technology capabilities to manage large assembly models, and integral data management system supporting electronic design access by its integrated development teams and other manufacturing operations personnel. The Jet, with 18,000 components in its bill of materials, illustrates the complexity of Cirrus aircraft and highlights the need for an integral product development system to manage and control the flow of information, ensure visibility into product changes and support quality and compliance with FAA regulations.
“Cirrus is committed to leading the general aviation industry with safe, high customer value and thoroughly engineered, personal aircraft,” said Patrick Waddick, senior vice president, Cirrus Design Corporation. “The PTC Product Development System provides a single, integral platform that delivers the capabilities needed to successfully meet the challenges of an increasingly complex product development environment and achieve our business objectives. We look forward to further leveraging the system capability, especially for external design collaboration, as we continue our rapid growth.”
“PTC is proud to play a part in the Cirrus Design story. Cirrus Design is an excellent example of why small and medium businesses need to make technology decisions that support their strategic business objectives,” said James Heppelmann, executive vice president and chief product officer, PTC. “An aircraft is a complex product with an equally complex development process. PTC is committed to providing the PDS capabilities to help companies like Cirrus Design optimize its product development process to help achieve its high standards for quality, safety and innovation.”
Pro/ENGINEER and Windchill software were purchased through EAC Product Development Solutions, a PTC a Platinum Partner and Authorized Reseller since 2001. For more information on EAC, please visit http://www.eacpds.com. EAC and Fishbowl Solutions, an EAC partner and PTC Enterprise Software Partner since 1999, jointly provided the services for Cirrus’ Pro/ENGINEER and Windchill implementation. For more information on Fishbowl Solutions, please visit http://www.fishbowlsolutions.com.
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