With one month to go, you may think it seems like a long way away, but as it is with most things in life, getting the most out of SAPPHIRE is all about good preparation and having a plan. I'll actually go out on a limb here and say that arriving at SAPPHIRE without preparation is somewhat like jumping out of an airplane, and trying to knit your parachute on the way down! So - to help you get the most out of your upcoming SAPPHIRE experience, I've exhaustively interviewed thousands of seasoned veterans (ok, maybe just a handful) to give you the benefit of how they maximize the value of their annual trek to the event.

1.  If you haven't already done so - register now!!  Not only will you gain access to some of the tools I mention later, getting your name on the registration list puts you on the radar of your SAP account team, which will also help in later steps.  Make sure you keep your registration and login information handy.

2.  Create a list... of the things you want to learn or accomplish at the event.  Take twenty minutes and list out the "Top 10" list of things you need to learn more about while at the event.  Be specific too... don't just write down "S/4 HANA" if you really want to learn about moving from ECC 6 to S/4 1511, or specific roadmap items slated for the 1610 release.

3. Prioritize the list...  There are so many choices, and only 3 days, so make sure you plan around the most important things on your list first.  Save the last 4 or 5 items on the list for after you set your agenda for your most important priorities.

4. Use the online Agenda Builder... on the event website.  Using your prioritized list, leverage the search utilities to find the presentations and microforums related to your priority items, and add them to your agenda.  Another great tool to help you discover things is the A&D Sample Agenda (attached below) which lists all of the A&D specific sessions.

5. Engage with your SAP Account team... and share your prioritized list.  Ask them to set up meetings with people from the A&D IBU, Industry Value Engineering,  SAP Consulting, Product and Solution Owners, SAP executives and other customers that can help you accomplish your goals.  One of the great things about SAPPHIRE is that most of the "movers and shakers" who know the most about what you want to learn, are onsite and want to talk with you!  Additionally, your account teams may be able to get you included in some special "invite only" events and "invite-only" round tables with customers diving deep on topics you may care about.

6.  Hit the show floor - virtually...  Once your top priorities are covered with sessions and meetings, now take a look at who will be on the show floor.  Identify the partners and solution providers that are related to your priority areas.  Put a placeholder on your agenda builder to go make a visit to their booth.  It also helps to reach out prior to the event and let them know you intend to stop by at a certain time.  You will have a better chance of talking with the right person from that organization if you give them a heads up when you intend to stop by.  Also - ask them about any networking opportunities that they may be hosting in the evenings.  Don't forget to include a stop or two at the Aerospace & Defense expert table in the Industry Campus.

7.  Lather, Rinse, Repeat...  Congratulations!  You should now have about 50 to 70% of your time accounted for at SAPPHIRE!  Don't stop now...  Go back to your list, and hit steps 4 through 6 for your lower priority items.  Fill in any gaps you have in the schedule with sessions, meetings, and show floor visits that can fit in.

8.  Download the mobile app...  Go to to your mobile app store, and search on "SAPPHIRE NOW".    The mobile app update hasn't yet been posted when I wrote this, but shortly before you head to the event, download the app, sign-in using your registration information, and confirm that your agenda is accessible from your mobile phone or tablet.

9.  Establish a "Home Base"...  with your coworkers where you can go when you don't have a specific activity scheduled.  My suggestion for you would be the Aerospace & Defense expert table in the Industry Campus.  If everyone uses the A&D table as a "home base" - this will provide opportunities to casually network and meet others from the industry, both from SAP and other customers.

So - what are you waiting for??  Go build that value packed agenda for yourself like a pro!

See you at SAPPHIRE!

Using transaction /ISDFPS/TOEP1 I created positions and these are in the "Planned" status.  How do I change their status?

Imagine a jet engine that tells you which parts need redesigning. Imagine equipment that let you know when internal parts were wearing. What if your equipment told you when a drop in efficiency occurred? Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT) makes all these scenarios possible. In fact, they are more than possible. They are at work and changing aerospace and defense business models.

Big Data — Big is not a Powerful Enough Word

The entire process starts with the Internet of Things. This is nothing new for the aerospace or Defense Industry (see Defenceindustry.com/defense industries). What is new is the technology that helps companies take data collection to a brand new level.

Imagine being able to create a seamless network that connects loT and Big Data to a digital platform. What do you gain? In short, you gain all the value that both loT and Big Data can provide. In the longer sense, you gain smart products that drive new product lines. Imagine being able to build smarter parts with data proven designs. What if your designs had built-in cost lowering structures?

Lower costs are just one of the benefits. What if data not only showed past mistakes but also allowed for the correction of future mistakes now? Wouldn't that power allow your company to change business decisions now? Wouldn't that allow you to better navigate the business climate as it unfolds? Well, it does all these things. By collecting Big Data, and using predictive software for aerospace and defense, you gain insight, especially for aerospace government contracting. That insight allows you to change the future. Sounds a lot like magic, but it is more like advanced science. Here are some of the key components of this process.

Overly Sensitive Works

We already know that adding sensors to machines makes them smart. But what if we add more machines and parts that were smarter? What if your aircraft engine (like the one from Pratt & Whitney vrworld.com/jet engine) showed you all the weak points and all its strengths? Could you not build a better jet engine by looking at the data from all those sensors? If you did build a better jet engine wouldn't that save you design, labor, and operational costs? In fact, would that not allow you to out-compete your competition?

Artificial intelligence is been used for the PurePower PW1000G engine from Pratt & Whitney. Sensors are predicting the engine demands and adjusts thrust accordingly. Key to making such engine work was installing a large number of sensors - over 5,000 of them. Its predecessors, PW6000 and PW8000 had less than 100 sensors. The results = the engine burns less fuel, cleaner air, quieter skies and overall: greater savings.

Picture shows PW1217G Engine Ground Testing

Competition is often about being first to market. Big Data and loT are not about compiling a lot of data, but about utilizing it in a smart way. For companies that plug-in to Big Data the doors open. This moves beyond making smart decisions and into the area of creating new services. The potential is becoming more useful to your customers. In short, you gain new service offerings that help your customers succeed. That dependency is key to new partnerships and increased revenue streams. Those benefits come from adding sensors and smart software to parts. The capability of harnessing data and creating usable information allows growth. Your company and your customer's companies grow and that boosts income streams for both.

Optimize Efficiency

Efficiency is a key component to income. The more efficient a process is the less it costs. If your goal is to accumulate data, then you need to have the capability of analyzing data efficiently. In so doing, you gain more opportunities to streamline your company's processes. In short, being efficient helps reduce costs for materials, time, labor, and operating expenses. All these reductions occur because sensors produce data that your aerospace manufacturing software reads. Predictive trends are one of the rewards of Big Data.  Reduction in menial tasks is another benefit.

The key is not the data, but the digital platform that makes sense of the data. The gains to going digital are amazing. Imagine a machine that tells you it needs service. Imagine a part that tells you it is wearing out and needs replacing. Imagine these trends across your entire company. What happens if predictive aerospace manufacturing software begins to show you trends and highlight problems? Can you not alter practices to avoid those problems? That is the beginning of how Big Data and Digital Platform solutions benefit aerospace. What if your digital platform showed you which parts of your machine is causing problems? Could you not redesign that part to improve efficiency? Would you not be able to see where product quality or even delivery issues would occur? Not only could you see these issues you would see them in their infancy. Predictive trends become a tool by which your company excels.

Beyond Aerospace and Defense industries

Big Data and predictive software for aerospace and defense enable. They help you find opportunities that exist beyond aerospace manufacturing companies. The enable you to develop symbiotic relationships with companies and customers in adjacent markets. These benefits boil down to the speed by which data flows. In short, that means real-time capabilities and the visual tools to see things as they occur. For management and leadership, that means informed decisions that are customizable in real-time. That capability is beneficial to other industries including the security and public safety industries.

The Core of Capability

As mentioned, Big Data is only as good as the software that translates it. SAP HANA digitizes the Internet of Things and drives data conversion. In so doing, efficiency, customer satisfaction, and product quality increase. Those benefits drive performance and bottom line revenue.

To find out more about Digital Transformation for the Aerospace & Defense Industry, click here.

Big Data it is opening doors within the aerospace and defense (A&D) industries and in new markets. The digital power of Big Data transcends the aerospace and defense product lifecycle. 3D printing is revolutionizing supply chain opportunities. OEM is now a digital integrator. Information is a product. The question is how does your company fit into the digital age of A&D?  In this blog, we travel the digital highway and help you answer that question.

Total Lifecycle Owner

Data is moving faster. With more components capable of holding sensors, data is key. The reward from Big Data is the real-time opportunity for aftermarket add-ons. Software for aerospace and defense becomes a gateway from OEM opportunities.

Imagine that you are an aerospace components manufacturer. Your company just launched a new version of a jet engine. That engine is more efficient, powerful, and cost saving. The sensors in that engine show you where supporting systems cause inefficiency. So you redesign a fuel cell that boosts power and reduces fuel costs. How much value did you add to your engine? That is just one example of how real-time data improves opportunities. The real opportunity is in all the components that become aftermarket products for OEM. Yet, the key is not just data, but the management of data. Especially for aerospace government contracting. According to Aerospace Engineering, the next decade will bring a 40 percent increase in A&D.

It is not just the value of the fuel cell. The technology that improves the fuel cell translates to other industries. Did you just create technology that may boost commercial airlines profits? Did you just improve automotive's bottom line? What you did is produce technology that is valuable outside of the A&D industry. You have opened up income opportunities. By developing a product that spans industries. Information has value. In the A&D industry, that value is worth $billions. In the global economy, that information could be worth trillions. The question is how do you increase profits? The answer is all about collaborative data intake.

The Risk That Holds You Back

Do you develop or not? You have a million dollar idea. How do you know if it is workable or doomed to failure? That is a tough question because the cost of failure is expensive. A big question for A&D companies is how many million dollar ideas are gathering dust? Risk holds product development. Technology increases revenue streams and open new markets and partnerships across industries. In so doing, you lose risk and gain reward. What if your jet engine detected particulate levels in the air? Your A&D contracts would love that. The cross-industry gateway might be in the commercial airline industry. Data helps you to reduce risk. That leaves you open for developing those million dollar ideas. To gain more revenue streams you need collaborators — partners that help your company gain better data. OEM moves aerospace manufacturing companies into new industries. Here's how.

As you embrace aerospace technology, more data flows. The more sensors you add, the great the production of data. Data becomes self-accumulating. We discussed the data collected. Smart companies do not rely just on their data. Data become more marketable when you share data input points. Those sharing gateways begin with OEM.

A good example of this is Rolls Royce. They use an engine health management system to collect data from flights all over the world. They are not only global but also span industries, including the A&D and civil markets. Industries may include aerospace logistics, manufacturing, maintenance, technology, and even resource development companies. Digital transformation is occurring throughout defense manufacturing and aerospace technology.

Collaboration opens new revenue streams for aerospace applications. For A&D manufacturing companies, the key is add-on technology. For that, OEM partnerships are key. For companies that supply aerospace technology, the payoff is $billions. Your engine helps satisfy your contracts. Its technology becomes a bridge that spans A&D and reaches outward. Who it touches may include repair teams, B2B customers, and passengers on commercial flights. It is not the engine you designed. It is the technology. You span product development to help OEM companies develop tools and goods. Your customers want that. Your customer's customers want that. By selling more than your jet engine, you gain greater product lines and new customers. By helping your customers perform, you gain their customers through partnership. That is what OEM is. It is a partnership and Big Data, the Internet of Things, and technology are key players.  Those gains are profit. You achieve them by reducing risk. Data is the gateway to reducing risk.

3D Printing: Data's Cost Saving Tool

3D printing is an advantageous aerospace technology for manufacturing and design. When we talk about those million dollar ideas, 3D printing becomes a cost saving tool of design. Data illustrates issues in product design. Technology allows for easier redesign and your 3D printer prints out the results. Bolt it on and try the improved design. Test it, package it and then sell it. With OEM, you don't have to do any of that. Using your technology and 3D printing capabilities, your OEM partners can print the add-ons.

Between 2014 and 2015 NASA designed the first 3D woven composite for thermal protection systems. The new composite will become part of the Orion mission in 2025 and 2030. This is a breakthrough in aerospace technology. As an example of how 3D printing benefits aerospace and defense companies, how could your company use that data? What other industries might profit from that data? 

In the case of our example: What would happen if you partnered with an OEM company that resold your aircraft manufacturing software. The software continually balanced fuel efficiency saving their customers ten percent of fuel costs. Remember that jet engine you created? What if you developed those fuel cells for non-A&D aircraft. Could you not offer the option to your OEM resellers to print fuel cells to also sell to their clients? That is the power of data. The question for you is how to get there. The answer is SAP.

To find out more about Digital Transformation for the Aerospace & Defense Industry, click here.

The aerospace and defense (A&D) industry continues to transform at a dramatic rate. This transformation is fueled in large part by digitization that permeates every aspect of the sector.

The rapid changes are happening in each part of the value chain, including R&D, production, supply chain and service.

There are five drivers of these transformation, each of which touches on several of those value chain areas. Together, they represent both challenges and opportunities for A&D companies.

1. Commercial demand

More than 3.5 billion passengers are expected to fly in 2016, according to the International Air Transport Association. a 6.5 percent increase over 2015. For 2017, passenger volume is projected to reach 3.8 billion, a 6.8 percent increase.

A&D companies are already responding.

Boeing projects that the global commercial airplane fleet will double in the next 20 years, from 21,600 aircraft today to 43,560 by 2034. Those figures equate to 38,050 new airplanes in that time, with an aggregate value of $5.6 trillion.

In late 2015, Airbus announced it was increasing its monthly construction rate of single-aisle jets from 42 to 50 in 2017 and 60 by 2019.

With that growing demand comes a likely production backlog. OEMs that provide operational excellence in manufacturing and supply chain will differentiate from competitors.

2. Digital products

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a significant disrupter in many industries. The IoT consists of products that are equipped with sensors, software and connectivity. These "smart products" can collect, store and send data; monitor performance and detect and in some cases repair problems.

Customers with high-cost assets today expect higher usage. To address this reasonable demand, OEMs are using sensor-based information to gain insights on products. As a result, downtime can be reduced and feedback provided to engineering teams.

Passengers, too, expect information at their fingertips as they navigate airports and airplanes. With digital products, companies can find partnerships and provide services not possible several years ago.

One example of innovative use of digital products is EasyJet, which partnered with London's Gatwick airport on what it calls the Mobile Host project. Combining data from airport and airline systems with indoor maps from Google, passengers get personalized updates. Information on airline gates, baggage drops/claims, and departure updates are pushed to passengers' phones.

3. Future workforce

The A&D workforce is changing creating significant risks to the industry. With the average worker age in the A&D workforce at 45, there is a looming retirement wave that will result in the loss of institutional memory and needed skills.

Companies need detailed insights into their workforce's abilities and skill gaps. They need systems that will help identify, recruit, train and retain the best employees to run businesses in a digital economy.

4. Environmental concerns

R&D resources are rising to innovate in engine development, energy and cockpit functions in order to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. Other initiatives are focused on lessening the environmental footprint in other manufacturing and operational areas.

Airbus and Aerospace Valley, a French R&D cluster, announced in May 2015 four projects they would pursue with small- and medium-sized companies. The partners selected the four from submissions of projects focused on reducing aircraft noise, lowering emissions, bettering fuel economy, improving cabin eco-performance and efficiency, or developing alternative energies.

The four selected projects will explore new de-icing systems, improved jet fuel consumption, efficient airport ground movement and using biomaterials on cabin interiors.

5. Diversification

Shifting market conditions in defense are prompting OEMs to consider new revenue sources. Big Data, for example, allows for the collection and analysis of data that provides companies the opportunity to offer services previously not possible. By providing customers with outcomes and services, not just high-ticket products, companies can gain separation from competitors.

Conclusion

Up and down the value chain, A&D companies are recognizing the need to evolve. With digital advances, there are new possibilities for innovation, new revenue streams, and gains in market share.

With demand for air travel growing dramatically, an aging workforce and continued concern about environmental issues, A&D companies face myriad issues. Recognizing those challenges, and new approaches to business models and business processes, will undoubtedly lead to better and safer products and improved passenger experiences.

To find out more about Digital Transformation for the Aerospace & Defense Industry, click here.

Hello Expert,

I have 4+ years of experience in SAP PI but due to lack of core work in SAP PI in my current project I have been asked to learn DFPS(Defense Force & Public Security) module of SAP.

So could you please let me know that I should move with  DFPS module as good career option or not?.

Regards,

Vishnu Srivastava

hi to all,

                 i created planned orders for one material after that i run the mrp also, in this material stock is not available but system says all checked materials in order are available when i am material availability checked in production order  but their is no stock

                 can u help me how can i solve it

Regards,

kumar

Hello,

I am trying to get the maintenance program definition working in SAP ECC.
What I need is to be able to create maintenance orders in mass from the MPD workbench.

I have prepared the pre-requisites for the maintenance program definition workbench. I set up a document type to make it relevant for MPD. When I did that in the the object links tab of the document the sub tabs from the MPDPSD table are appearing successfully. But hereafter lies the problem. I don't see the possibility of selecting a maintenance order as a call object type in the field Maintenance plan category. And there doesn't appear to be a customization that allows maintenance orders to be call objects that are generated from the MPD workbench.

Looking at the above screenshot, it appears that the only call object type that can be generated is the notification. Is this true? Or has anybody been able to create an MPD relevant document that shows the option of maintenance order as a possible option in the maintenance plan category?

Hope its clear.

Regards

Bala

hi,

anyone know if there is any specified Defense workshops or bootcamps where DFPS will be part of it?

cheers.

The Internet of Things (IoT) offers huge potential for all capital equipment industries.  Through predictive maintenance algorithms and health monitoring applications, alerts warn us of impending equipment failure.  Early detection using thermal or vibration sensors embedded in the equipment can catch a failure before the function of the equipment is compromised.  These sensors pick up small deviations in the physical properties of a piece of equipment, deviations that are not detectable by human senses.  This advance notice offers tremendous benefits when it comes to reducing maintenance and warrantee costs and increases operational availability and safety for equipment operators.

Once we are alerted, responding to complex equipment failures often takes expertise from multiple people, across multiple domains.  Product engineering needs to evaluate design changes, aftermarket service departments must deal with warrantee claims, supply chain departments have to consider spare part availability, and the list goes on.  All of these stakeholders exchange emails, interrogate logistics and engineering systems, and create spreadsheets, presentations and databases on their local desktops.  The path to a solution is a highly iterative, complex and unstructured process.  There is no linear path to solve complex problems, nor can a single application provide solutions for all the functional domains that are impacted.  Complex equipment failure requires collaboration across multiple people and functional domains.

Collaboration in the digital age calls for a new approach, an approach that enables a seamless transition from the alert phase to the action phase.  The SAP Innovation Center is currently working on a collaboration tool that does just that.  The concept is called the Knowledge Workspace, and it is meant to bridge the gap between machine intelligence and the human intelligence that is required to solve complex problems.  The intent is to bring all relevant data sources together into a single workspace, assign the relevant people to the workspace, explore all aspects of the issue on the fly across multiple functional domains, reach conclusions on the remedy and act on these conclusions.  The application provides out-of-the-box tools to work with, and visualize, all data types from logistics data, engineering data, telemetry data and even news and weather reports.  The fact that it is not a predefined user interface allows flexibility to analyze unique issues on the fly and retain the analysis and decisions for the creation of a knowledge base or collection of best practices.  But don’t take my word for it; I would urge you to view a demonstration of the product via the link below to see the application in action. It is truly a unique and innovative means of collaboration for the digital age.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5T0LIjBLnY

Across the value chain aerospace and defense (A&D), companies are discovering the power of digital change.

Leveraging new technology A&D companies find that changes to business processes have significant impact. For one, digital changes allow them to improve efficiencies and reduce downtime. The changes let them discover new opportunities that can be turned into profitable services.

Many people think of digital transformation in A&D as focused on the products themselves. It's about smart planes. The reality is, digital transformation has a place throughout the A&D company.

The digital transformation has several drivers. For one, machines and people are hyperconnected today. Another reason is the Internet of Things (IoT), which refers to smart objects equipped with sensors, software and connectivity. These devices can collect, store and send data.

Combined with advances in automation and artificial intelligence, these digital tools are bringing new business models and processes to companies throughout the A&D industry. Let's look at a few examples within different value chain areas.

R&D

New visualization technology gives a much better understanding of product design throughout the company. Google-like search tools applied to geometries create real efficiency. Part designs can be reused. The number of design variants can be lowered.

The IoT allows devices to collect and share more data both in the manufacturing process as well as in service usage. This data in turn can be used to improve future designs.

Finally, regulations spanning multiple countries require intelligent support. These tools can identify to relevant regulatory requirements to ensure that designs are compliant, particularly on global products. In addition, these systems can generate automatic compliance reports.

Manufacturing and Quality

Today, A&D companies face increasing pressure to reduce cost and align production with growing demand. These pressure points have forced continuous improvements to manufacturing processes and quality.

With advanced automation and integration of shop floor processes, more data can be tracked, stored, and analyzed in real time. This information can be used to optimize products, processes and compliance adherence.

Collectively these improvements offer significant potential to improve throughput. With more efficient manufacturing, significant backlogs begin to lessen.

Shop floor managers have more tools at their disposal, too.

Data received during the manufacturing process can be reported in real time in dashboards. Analytics programs can run simulations, offer recommendations and make predictions on performance. New insights are available for supervisors, letting companies revolutionize how shop floors are run. These tools provide better information, a wider scope of information, and more granular information than ever before.

On the quality side, predictive and root-cause analysis programs will aid OEMs. Companies will understand sources of non-conformance and machine failures earlier and more accurately. These new analytical tools will help make early adjustments to products and process definitions. These steps will in turn reduce waste and production cost and stabilize the production flow.

Supply chain management and collaboration

One of the most powerful aspects of the digital transformation is the ability to collaborate with suppliers and customers in new ways.

For example, control towers with early warning systems using real-time alerts can detect material flow deviations. These alerts reduce supplier risks affecting production master plans and schedules.

Digital B2B collaboration tools allow for better integration. When these tools are used in the supply chain planning process there's more opportunity for closer integration. These collaborations can lead to improvements in scheduling, delivery coordination and change management.

Today, data comes in two forms. There's structured data which is stored in database fields, rows and columns. There's also unstructured data, such as text, emails and multimedia. Both types of supplier data can be analyzed with embedded network intelligence programs. These analyses can assess the health of the whole network and predict future risks. Unexpected and expensive costs are minimized.

Customer services and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)

Maintenance planning is shifting from preventive to predictive. This shift is informed by the vast amounts of data coming from equipment sensors and advanced analytics.

Field service technicians today can be equipped with mobile and wearable devices. With 3D product visualization, real-time contextual data and virtual collaboration, problems will be solved faster than ever before.

Financial impact

The financial impact of these changes is meaningful. Our estimates are that an airline that can increase airtime for a 70-plane fleet by 70 hours a week can save $150 million a year. Other estimates show that the use of 3D printing technology can save the industry $3.4 billion per year in MRO material and logistical costs.

Not only does this innovation make financial sense, it is likely to become the norm very fast. A recent survey showed that 53 percent of aerospace companies believe digital technologies will reduce manufacturing delays. A full 100 percent of those surveyed see digital technology as a means to change MRO support.

The reality is that the demand for air travel is significant and growing. A Boeing study estimated that more than 38,000 new airplanes are needed in the next 20 years to meet the demand for passengers and cargo. Yet the industry is facing record backlogs.

At the same time, there is continuous pressure on the industry to provide for better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.

Conclusion

Digital can address the issues of the present and the future. For OEMs, the potential is significant. Differentiation, market share and profit will come to those companies that can best leverage the power of new digital tools.

For more information on Digital Transformation in the A&D industry, click here