Digital Manufacturing

Digital Process Technologies define how the product will be built. Examples: Manufacturing process planning software, Digital work instructions, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). Example In practice: Assembly steps are defined digitally, Operators receive tablet-based instructions, Changes are instantly propagated. The process itself becomes software-controlled. Product digitalization focuses on how products are designed, defined, and managed digitally throughout their lifecycle. In complex products such as aircraft, this includes:

+ Model-Based Engineering (MBE) to replace drawing-based design: MBE replaces drawings with a living digital model that all engineering, manufacturing, and automation activities depend on. Model-Based Engineering is an engineering approach where a single digital product model, containing geometry, tolerances, and functional data, serves as the authoritative source for design, manufacturing, automation, quality, and lifecycle management. Model-Based Engineering (MBE) is an approach where: A single, authoritative digital model is used to define, analyze, manufacture, and maintain a product across its entire lifecycle. Instead of relying on multiple disconnected documents (drawings, spreadsheets, PDFs), the model becomes the system of record. Traditional (Document-Based Engineering): 2D drawings define the product, Manufacturing interprets drawings, Quality checks drawings, Changes require updating many documents. Problems: Ambiguity, Interpretation errors, Slow change management, Rework and scrap. Model-Based Engineering: 3D digital model defines the product, Geometry, tolerances, materials, and rules are embedded, All downstream users reference the same model. No interpretation — only execution. What Is Inside an MBE Model? An MBE model is much more than a 3D shape. It includes: Exact geometry, Dimensions and tolerances (PMI), Materials and specifications, Functional and structural relationships, Configuration and variants. Manufacturing and inspection intent. This is often called Model-Based Definition (MBD) — a core part of MBE.

+ Digital Product Definition (DPD) as the authoritative source of product data: Digital Product Definition (DPD) means: The complete and authoritative definition of a product is contained in a digital 3D model, not in 2D drawings. That 3D model includes all information required to manufacture, assemble, inspect, and maintain the product. In short: The model is new drawing now. DPD is the “what” and MBE is the “how”. Digital Product Definition is the practice of defining a product entirely through a 3D digital model that embeds geometry, tolerances, materials, and manufacturing intent, enabling downstream manufacturing, automation, and inspection without 2D drawings. For example, at Boeing, DPD allows aircraft structures to be designed once digitally and built, inspected, and maintained directly from that same model across global production sites. “DPD is the single source of truth for the physical aircraft”.

+ Embedded sensors and data for in-service monitoring: Embedded sensors are sensors built into the product itself that continuously measure its condition, performance, and environment during operation. Examples include: Strain sensors, Temperature sensors, Pressure sensors, Vibration sensors, Load and fatigue sensors, Embedded data is the continuous stream of data these sensors generate throughout the product’s life. Why Embedded Sensors Matter for Product Digitalization: Traditional product (non-digitalized): Product is designed digitally, Built physically, Once delivered, no feedback. Engineering learns only after failures. Digital stops at delivery. Digitalized product (with embedded sensors): Product is designed digitally. Built physically. Operates while continuously generating data. Data feeds back to engineering, manufacturing, and operations. The product becomes a data-producing system. Boeing Example: Aircraft Wing Structure: 1. Embedded Sensors in the Aircraft: At Boeing, sensors may be embedded in: Wings (strain and fatigue), Fuselage joints, Engines, Landing gear, Control surfaces. These sensors measure: Stress during flight, Temperature variations, Vibration patterns, Structural fatigue, 2. Data Generated During Operation: Every flight generates: Load cycles, Environmental exposure data, Usage profiles (short-haul vs long-haul), Stress concentrations. This data is: Time-stamped, Configuration-aware, Linked to the specific aircraft. How This Enables Digitalization of Products: 1. Creates a Living Digital Twin: Sensor data updates the digital twin of the aircraft: As-designed → as-built → as-operated. Engineers see real behavior, not assumptions. The digital product continues to evolve after delivery. 2. Enables Predictive Maintenance: Instead of: Fixed maintenance intervals, Boeing (and airlines) can: Predict fatigue cracks, Schedule maintenance based on actual usage, Reduce aircraft downtime. Maintenance becomes data-driven, not calendar-driven. 3. Improves Future Product Design: Sensor data shows: Which areas are over-designed, Which areas see unexpected loads. How materials behave over time: Next aircraft designs are better informed by real-world data. 4. Supports Certification & Compliance: Regulators require: Proof of structural integrity, Evidence-based maintenance programs. Embedded sensor data provides: Traceable, auditable evidence. Faster certification of changes. 5. Differentiates the Product: A digitalized aircraft is not just a machine: It is a connected product, It delivers operational intelligence, It provides lifecycle services. Product value extends beyond sale.

+ Configuration management to control product variants and changes: Configuration Management is the discipline of: Systematically controlling product variants, versions, and changes so that the correct product is built, delivered, operated, and maintained. In digital manufacturing, CM ensures: The right configuration, At the right time, For the right aircraft, Using the right data. Why Configuration Management Is Critical for Product Digitalization: Digitalization makes change faster and easier — which also makes errors easier. Without CM: Digital models drift. Variants get mixed. Automation builds the wrong version. CM is what keeps digitalization safe.  Why CM Is Non-Negotiable. For example, at Boeing: Aircraft have thousands of configurable options. No two aircraft are exactly the same. Changes occur even after production starts. Aircraft operate for 30–50 years.  CM ensures traceability across decades. Two Boeing aircraft of the same model may differ in: Engine type, Winglets, Avionics packages, Cabin layout, Structural reinforcements. These are product variants. CM ensures each variant has: Correct digital product definition,  Correct manufacturing instructions, Correct inspection criteria. When a change is needed: Engineering creates a change request, Impact is analyzed digitally, Manufacturing, automation, and quality are notified, New baseline is released. Digital thread ensures everyone updates together. Without Configuration Management: DPD models become inconsistent. Simulation uses wrong geometry. Robots drill holes in wrong locations. Inspection checks wrong tolerances. With Configuration Management: Each aircraft has a digital identity. Robots, MES, and quality systems pull the correct variant. Digital twins stay accurate. Compliance is maintained. Boeing-Style Example: Late Customer Change Request. An airline requests: Additional antenna. After production has started: CM ensures: Change applies only to Aircraft #2031 onward. Updated DPD is released. Robot programs are regenerated offline. Inspection plans update automatically. Maintenance documentation reflects change. No ambiguity, no manual patching. Think of CM as: The traffic control system for digital manufacturing. It coordinates: Design, Manufacturing, Automation, Quality &Operations.

This approach ensures accuracy, traceability, and seamless collaboration across engineering and manufacturing teams. Digital Product Technologies create a digital definition of the product before anything is built. Examples: 3D CAD models, Model-Based Engineering (MBE), Digital Product Definition (DPD). Example In practice: Engineers design the aircraft fully in 3D, No 2D drawings on the shop floor, Manufacturing, quality, and suppliers use the same digital model. Physical aircraft is built from a digital model