Application of an engineering and management approach to the incorporation of an information management system at a manufacturing company

Abstract

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a helicopter manufacturing company, is in the process of implementing a new enterprise product data management (PDM) system. This PDM system is a commercial product that will affect Sikorsky in both the system design and management behaviors of the company's current business processes. As PDM systems do not simply unwrap themselves within a company, potential implementation issues will be examined and evaluated. Principles, processes, and tools for system design and management of large, complex systems learned in the SDM program will be used to assist in this effort. This thesis will examine the system architecture and engineering of key interfaces between the PDM system and other mission critical systems and processes at Sikorsky.