While the use of a diversified, specialized supplier base provides cost benefit to primes and OEMs — avoiding the burdens of a monolithic enterprise — one benefit it does not easily provide is uniform, secure sharing of detailed production data. Emerging digital thread practices derived from model-based definition (MBD) and standard data formats promise to help deliver that value — but thus far, only to the top of the supply chain.

Seeking a massive jump in engineering/manufacturing efficiency, the US DOD has been recently pushing prime vendors to use MBD across their enterprises. Responding to opportunity is a core ethos of the independent supplier; what practical means can be provided for the supplier base to bear the financial risk inherent in the significant leap in digital transformation required for MBD adoption? Are further changes are needed in product data packages and/or systems to fully support MBD success across the supply chain?

In this presentation, insights gained over decades of serving the technology needs of independent suppliers will be set against the backdrop of the current state of market demands and established production.