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Enhancing Quality and Compliance Processes With a Global, Unified System
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
- Functional Applications - Product Lifecycle Management Systems (PLM)
Applicable Industries
- Aerospace
- National Security & Defense
- Telecommunications
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Product Research & Development
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Regulatory Compliance Monitoring
- Remote Collaboration
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
As a global company with operations in the U.K. and U.S., Filtronic struggled with an internally developed product development tool. Tracking, maintaining, and releasing products was slow and inefficient. Filtronic had design, manufacturing, and quality silos that made it difficult for teams to see the interconnectedness of products, procedures, and documents. Managing compliance, audit actions, and corrective actions required cumbersome manual processes and constant human intervention. In Filtronic’s fast-paced development environment, there was zero tolerance for engineering design roadblocks, part issues, or regulatory compliance delays. In addition to solving these challenges, Filtronic wanted to focus on what they do best by eliminating their reliance on internal IT and engineering resources that were required to keep their homegrown tool afloat.
About The Customer
Filtronic is a leading designer and manufacturer of radio frequency (RF), microwave, and mmWave technologies that transmit, receive, and condition radio signals for a range of challenging applications including telecommunications infrastructure, aerospace and defense, space, test and measurement, and critical communications. In the specialized field of RF technology, a leader and problem-solver like Filtronic must constantly look beyond the horizon and push boundaries to get their clients to market faster. Meeting challenging technological needs by developing repeatable, reliable, and compliant components and subsystems is critical to maintain their competitive edge.
The Solution
Arena enables Filtronic’s dispersed teams to design, produce, and deliver innovative products quickly while tracking compliance. To be a truly global, one-stop manufacturing shop, Filtronic needed to reduce complexity and better control product design and supporting documentation in a single, unified platform. They selected Arena’s cloud-based PLM solution to streamline their complex product development processes and speed time to market in a highly competitive industry. Arena enables Filtronic to control the complete product record and make it accessible anytime and anywhere. Speed is critical and Rushton said, “if you’re slow—you’re already too late when you sell in fast-moving markets like telecom.” In China, the U.K., and the U.S., Filtronic employees are collaborating in real time with Arena to control and manage all drawings, procedures, and product documentation. Having revision-controlled information in one system gives all impacted teams a structured approach to manage parts, documents, and the entire product record effectively.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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