Smart story
A smarter future for aerospace, driven by collaboration
A conversation with Lindsey Berckman, Deloitte Consulting principal
The process of implementing smart manufacturing solutions is like opening a combination lock—countless possibilities, yet the right set can unlock a world of untapped potential. That’s what Lindsey Berckman, principal with Deloitte Consulting and a Smart Manufacturing leader, discovered when working with an aerospace and defense manufacturing company.
To help crack the code to smart manufacturing excellence, we introduced the aerospace manufacturer to Deloitte’s Smart Manufacturing ecosystem—including other Deloitte clients and our alliance ecosystem—during a visit to The Smart Factory by Deloitte @ Wichita. The goal was to show that anything is possible.
Building the platform, versus deploying the point solution,
is so important because the second you’re able to solve for one problem and expose the data, you’re able
to see what you can solve for next.
— Lindsey Berckman
Principal, Deloitte Consulting
Lining up for takeoff
The aerospace company came to Deloitte to monitor and action statistical process control (SPC) on machining processes to maintain product quality. And quality is of the utmost importance for an aerospace manufacturer, as the smallest incorrect machine settings can result in quality escapes.
The slightest deviation in product specifications is enough to scrap the part, which can result in upward of a $500,000 loss. There’s no room for error.
While the initial ask centered around understanding their SPC and operational efficiency, that target quickly expanded—a common occurrence with smart manufacturing endeavors. As Berckman explains, “We reframed [the end goal] multiple times over, and that’s how smart manufacturing projects should work. It’s a snowball effect—the second you solve one problem and expose the data, you’re able to see what you can solve for next.”
Transformation fueled by collaboration
To help bring the strategy to life, we tapped into a resource that elevates the value we deliver at The Smart Factory by Deloitte @ Wichita: our client ecosystem. By comparing the challenges that the company was experiencing, we were able to identify a commercial aerospace company that faced similar obstacles. “They’re both regulated by the same agencies, and they know the same problems. There’s a lot of goodness that can happen with that kind of collaboration,” says Berckman.
By building this connection among aerospace leaders, we made strategic connections to help inform the transformation road map. The aerospace manufacturer was able to see firsthand, tangible results driven by smart manufacturing solutions directly related to their industry. With this newfound knowledge, the aerospace company fully embraced a smart manufacturing-fueled future.
Approaching a smarter future together
With a defined strategy, Deloitte teamed with the client to bring the plan to action. In addition to implementing the initial SPC solution, Berckman helped ignite a full-scale smart manufacturing transformation. This digital network enabled greater connectivity across the shop floor, machining processes, and production.
And with greater connectivity comes more quality data. Upon launch, the aerospace company experienced a 10–15% uptick in overall equipment effectiveness and a tenfold decrease in indirect labor—results that show the immediate impact of being able to see your asset performance.
Smart manufacturing is about turning today’s small wins into tomorrow’s large-scale victories—and that’s happening as we speak. The solutions that The Smart Factory by Deloitte @ Wichita brought to life for the aerospace company are now informing a blueprint for an enterprise-wide smart manufacturing initiative to be deployed across the parent company.
As we continue to ideate and create with the aerospace company, we are positioning their leaders to become tech-driven trailblazers in their field.
The digital innovations of smart manufacturing are not mere flights of fancy. They are cutting-edge solutions that are propelling the digital future of tomorrow. As the combinations of these solutions continue to reveal the aerospace company’s full potential, The Smart Factory by Deloitte @ Wichita is helping them unlock the possible.
