OL4.OCT–RP
Component database addresses problem of shrinking MIL parts sources
A new version of a component information system (CIS) from Aspect
Development, Inc.promises to address the problem of diminishing sources
for aerospace/defense parts. The enhanced CIS, which is offered as helping
defense contractors identify potential supply and functional problems with
electronic components, includes special modules developed by Hughes
Aircraft Company. According to Dr. Romesh Wadhwani, Aspect's chairman and
CEO, “Military and aerospace equipment has a long lifetime and parts are
needed to maintain some systems for 20 years or more. As the
aerospace/defense industry changes, more electronic component
manufacturers are no longer making certain types of military parts.” To
meet this challenge, the new CIS provides the information that is critical
for making such product design and support decisions. The enhanced Aspect
CIS integrates the Aspect CIS version 1.1 and the Hughes diminishing
manufacturing source management tool, which provides key information
concerning part availability. The CIS includes three primary functions:
diminishing manufacturing source management; warning reports; and part
approval, part exclusion, and tracking. The diminishing manufacturing
source management function allows users who need part availability
information to query the system and produce a number of reports. These
include an “availability hazard” document that forecasts the date beyond
which the part will become unavailable. The system also automatically
generates warning reports that are sent via electronic mail to notify
designated managers when a part is approaching obsolescence or when a
supplier will no longer be manufacturing a part. Once notified, managers
may decide to stockpile the part or choose a substitute. The part
approval, part exclusion, and tracking function enables users to determine
part approval status and to track part approval requests in addition to
maintaining and tracking the status of a part that is in the approval
cycle. This function makes it easier to maintain approved parts lists and
allows the user to request that a component be added to the approved list.
An “excluded parts” report lists those components that have been excluded
for some reason. By recording part exclusion, repeated analysis of the
part is avoided. Aspect's CIS consists of two families of products that
can be used separately or together. The CIS Management Software includes
all the software for the creation and management of an enterprise-wide or
departmental repository of component, supplier, and EDA library data. The
CIS Reference Database is a database of information on over one million
ICs and discrete semiconductors. The system runs on Unix-based system
servers, including those from Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, Digital
Equipment, and Sequent Computer Systems, and is accessible across local-
and wide-area networks. The enhanced system will be available in the
fourth quarter and will be priced starting at $100,000. For more
information, contact David Burwen at Aspect at 415-917-2200 or .
–Richard Pell Jr.
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