Giant Europe-based aerospace group Airbus and France-based three-dimensional (3D) design, modelling and engineering company Dassault Systèmes have established a strategic partnership which will allow Airbus to significantly advance its digital transformation and, in the words of the Airbus press release, “lay the foundation for a new European industrial ecosystem in aviation”. The partnership is in the form of a five-year memorandum of agreement (MoA).

Under the MoA, Airbus will adopt Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform. The two companies will work together to introduce collaborative 3D applications covering design, engineering, simulation, manufacturing and intelligence. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform will provide “digital continuity” covering the entire spectrum from design to operations. It does this in a single data model, providing a unified experience for the user. It will ensure that digital design, manufacturing and services (DDMS) will become a reality across every division and product line in Airbus.

“DDMS paves the way for breakthroughs in new product design, operational performance, support and maintenance, customer satisfaction and new business models, as it represents a move from sequential to parallel development processes,” stated Airbus. “Instead of first focusing on product performance, Airbus will be able to co-design and develop the next generation of aircraft with the manufacturing facilities that produce them, reducing costs and time-to-market.”

Airbus Commercial Aircraft president Guillaume Faury observed that the group was rethinking the approach to the design and operation of aircraft. “DDMS is a catalyst for change and, with it, we are building a new model for the European aerospace industry with state-of-the-art technology. Our target is a robust production setup that offers a reduction in product development lead time.”

“Nothing exemplifies the intersection of technology, science and art more than aviation,” affirmed Dassault Systèmes Vice Chairman and CEO Bernard Charlès. “When we reflect on how the industry has evolved to where it is today, it’s a blend of technical prowess, digital precision and inspiration. The aerospace industry has a proven track record of fast transformation, faster than in most industries. It delivers high-quality innovation and new services for operations in highly complex and regulated enironments. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform will accelerate the digital transformation of Airbus. Airbus can capture insights and expertise from across its ecosystem to deliver new experiences that only the digital world makes possible.”

Dassault Systèmes was spun off from French aerospace enterprise Dassault (now Dassault Aviation) in 1981. It is now a totally separate company, although the Dassault family remains the biggest single shareholder in Dassault Systèmes, with a 40.8% stake. It describes itself as providing “business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations”.

Airbus employs some 129 000 people around the world and had revenues of €59-billion in 2017. It produces commercial airliners, military aircraft, and civil and military helicopters, and is a leading global space company.