VISION, EXPERIENCE, ANSWERS FOR INDUSTRY
ARC VIEW
MAY 27, 2021
Neural Ecosystem with Tata Consultancy Services
Enables Next-Generation Aerospace Manufacturing
By Marianne D’Aquila and Dick Slansky
Keywords
Aerospace & Defense Industry, Neural Manufacturing, Digital Transfor-
mation, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Augmented Reality, Ecosystems
Summary
Recently, Dr. Sandeep Muju, Head of Aerospace and Defense Global Prac-
tice, and Anand Pradhan, Head of Strategy & Business Development,
Aerospace and Process Manufacturing at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
briefed ARC on their thought leadership framework for next generation aer-
ospace manufacturing. TCS is transforming the aerospace and defense
(A&D) industry with neural ecosystems providing
information exchange and interoperability. The
IT/OT systems in A&D firms have historically been
fragmented and the company believes a neural aer-
ospace enterprise brings the next generation of
manufacturing capabilities and connectivity.
TCS has previously defined a set of imperatives in the context of Business 4.0
in the New Normal (post COVID) and aligns with the Industry 4.0 initiative.
Business 4.0TM is a TCS thought leadership framework augmented with a
new business lifecycle predicated on purpose-driven, adaptable, and resili-
ent business transformation. Extending this thinking to the manufacturing
customer, TCS articulates the future to be Neural. It defines “neural manu-
facturing” as an intensely networked set of partners aligned to a common
purpose, where the value chains are responsive, adaptive, and personalized
with intelligence built on the edge of the networks. The aerospace and de-
fense industry is positioned well to benefit from the neural manufacturing
ecosystem of the future.
Digital transformation will replace
fragmented systems with intelligent
connected end-to-end interoperability,
enabling next generation manufacturing
among aerospace and defense companies.
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TCS Is Entrenched Across the Aerospace Value Chain
TCS has had a strong industry presence in aerospace for over 30 years. The
company has provided integrated engineering, manufacturing, enterprise, IT
innovation, digital transformation, IT and Business process services to sev-
eral civil & defense aircraft and rotorcraft companies with a large number of
dedicated global delivery centers.
The aerospace manufacturing ecosystem is an integrated mix of industry
players spread across airlines, aircraft manufacturers, airports, air traffic
management, regulators, ground support, and an extended network of tiered
suppliers. Legacy operational technologies were not designed to be con-
nected, and therefore work mostly in their own silos. Conversely, a neural
aerospace enterprise is a highly networked ecosystem boasting the following
attributes:
• Connected: Integrated representation of assets with digital thread to-
wards a networked, connected, secure, and interoperable format.
• Automated: Robots, cobots (collaborative robots), and automated assem-
bly and parts manufacturing; parts traceability and genealogy –
autonomous track and trace.
• Adaptive: Managing parts supply/demand disruptions with supply
chain digital thread and 3D printing to create an intelligent factory – con-
nected and adaptive assets and platforms.
• Personalized: Additive manufacturing for in-demand and personalized
fulfillment of printable spares and materials; immersive aircraft simula-
tion and modeling.
• Cognitive: Cognitive data visualization for critical aircraft decision-mak-
ing; Cognitive production control systems; machine vision applications
in safety and aircraft inspection.
• Resilient: Prognostic fault prediction and maintenance; blockchain for re-
silient supply network and counterfeit detection.
• Intelligent: Prescriptive and prognostic insight generation from assets
network; Intelligent planning and scheduling; AI-based generative de-
sign and engineering of aircraft parts.
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Interconnected Neural Manufacturing in the Aerospace Industry - Source: TCS
TCS Is a Driver of the Smart Neural Factory
The smart factory self-optimizes performance across a broader network to
achieve efficiency, precision, and agility. At the center, a cognitive command
center receives demand and supply data from external and internal sources.
The system combines inputs from various enterprise systems including ERP,
CRM, SCM, MES, PLM along with internet of things, augmented and virtual
reality and artificial intelligence data.
Data from engine manufacturing, fuselage wings, avionics, and other prod-
uct subsystems along with specific supply chain and worker data is
aggregated into the central control systems where artificial intelligence is de-
ployed for visualization and decision-making purposes. Prescriptive
decisions for health monitoring, fault prediction and prevention, and pro-
duction performance results in resource optimization.
Neural Dimensions Drive the Future Aerospace Ecosystem
The neural aerospace ecosystem of the future can be represented by three
interconnected dimensions building on Industry 4.0 foundational technolo-
gies:
1) Internal Dimension: A connected internal ecosystem with cognitive com-
puting architecture – this dimension intelligently connects a company’s
internal smart assets and platforms powered by IoT and automated pro-
duction and processes with human-machine interaction.
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2) Network dimension: A cognitive supply network -- the application of
cognitive technologies such as artificial intelligence, natural language
processing, computer vision, and robotics in supply chain allows the en-
tire network to think and interact over the cloud. End-
to-end visibility of the supply network can be achieved
by coupling connected networks with IoT for increased
automated communication and digital twin technolo-
gies, simulating multiple scenarios and failure
prediction including the extended supply network.
3) External Dimension: A connected external ecosystem – efficient and
seamless integration of the internal network and external dimension. Ex-
ternal Dimension includes the digital aftermarket and MRO network,
neural unified air traffic management, flight safety, smart governance,
and connected sustainable environments across the A&D industry eco-
system.
Conclusion
TCS has successfully demonstrated the benefits of neural ecosystems in aer-
ospace through multiple case studies. Aerospace companies have
implemented IoT, cloud, analytics, and augmented reality to achieve end to
end visibility, quality, and productivity improvements during the manufac-
turing process. Additionally, TCS is actively participating in developing data
monetization approaches for aerospace companies.
Aerospace and defense manufacturers across the value chain can now use
this architecture to develop and implement digital strategies by migrating to
a neural aerospace ecosystem. These organizations will be well equipped to
build a resilient ecosystem of value chain partners and suppliers.
* Business 4.0 is a registered trademark of Tata Consultancy Services.
For further information or to provide feedback on this article, please contact your
account manager or the author at
mdaquila@arcweb.com. ARC Views are published
and copyrighted by ARC Advisory Group. The information is proprietary to ARC
and no part of it may be reproduced without prior permission from ARC.
Aerospace and defense companies can
now adopt emerging technologies to
benefit from technology led business
innovation and competitiveness.
P.S. Wish i could post a PDF but quite frankly not smart enough lol. There was a good diagram there that wouldn't copy. Someone might google title that is better at this shit than me
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