Modelling the Aerospace Aftermarket with
Multi-agents Systems
Ken Woghiren
Technical Director - Lost Wax
The Aftermarket opportunity
The Opportunity
 Customers buying a service not just a product
– power by the hour tm
 Key driver for long-term revenue & profitability
– maybe 60% of product life cycle profit
 Key driver for customer satisfaction, brand
strength and more sales
The Aftermarket opportunity
The Challenge
 Planning and operating an Aftermarket is an imprecise
art
 Very large number of present and future variables
impacting services levels and economics
 Managers have to make difficult and expensive
decisions in the face of these complexities
 But these decisions can make or break profitability…
What is AEROGILITY
Designed for the Aerospace Aftermarket…
 Powerful and flexible Aftermarket decision support tool
 Proven with a leading Aerospace manufacturer
 Based on our expertise in multi-agent technology
 Built on the Lost Wax Agent Framework
 Intelligent and adaptive business software
 Intuitive, visual, interactive software model
…understand the options and you make the right decisions!
What is AEROGILITY
AEROGILITY is based on an intelligent software model
representing the key resources in an Aerospace Aftermarket…
 Visually
 Intuitively
 Interactively
assets +
processes
+
people
How AEROGILITY works
The software agents represent the resources in the Aftermarket:
 Business purpose, goals and objectives
 Operating policies and strategies
 Business processes and rules
 Key Performance Indicators, SLA and operating metrics
Operational policies, processes & metrics
How AEROGILITY works
The software agents operating parameters are easily configured to your
business goals, rules and policies
Assets
 MRO capacity
 Inventory levels
Processes
 Repair scheduling
 Parts sharing
Model Development
Staff knowledge
 MRO experience
 Engineering know-how
Management goals/policies
 P&L and KPI goals
 Customer requirements
AEROGILITY
Aftermarket Model
How AEROGILITY works
Software agents are easily configured for multiple what-ifs & simulations
What-if scenarios
 Explore new policies
 Identify innovations
 Experiment with configurations
AEROGILITY
Aftermarket Model
DECISION SUPPORT
Compare through simulations
 Assess decision impact
 Work through decision options
 Challenge assumptions
Benchmark with metrics
 Validate P&L and KPI goals
 Financial benchmarking
 Assess investment business cases
3
2
1
5
4
AEROGILITY
AEROGILITY
what it does for the Aftermarket
AEROGILITY for the Aftermarket
Intelligent decision support software for Aftermarket managers:
 Fast-forward business simulations to assess impact of decisions
 What-if scenarios driving P&L, KPI, SLA & operational metrics
 Work-through decisions by comparing a range of scenarios & metrics
Operational decisions,
scheduling and policies
here & now
Sourcing and
partnering options
medium term
Investment evaluation
and planning
long term
AEROGILITY for the Aftermarket
Aftermarket operations
Customer MRO events
Managers & Specialists
Engineering teams
Operations control
MRO
Facilities
Component
suppliers
Inventories
SCM, 3PL, SPL
complex logistics
AEROGILITY for the Aftermarket
Aftermarket operations and decision support
HERE & NOW - questions & issues
 How should engineering teams be deployed?
 How do we prioritise jobs to overcome bottlenecks?
 Should we change our repair procedures?
 What is the impact of parts sharing?
 Can we support a customer SLA requirement and how do we
price it?
AEROGILITY for the Aftermarket
Aftermarket sourcing and partnering
MEDIUM TERM - questions & issues
 What is the impact of different inventory levels
 Where should components and parts be located?
 Should we refurbish parts and components or not?
 How can we work effectively with 3PL and SPL partners?
 How can we improve our SCM and logistics strategy?
AEROGILITY for the Aftermarket
Forecast
Product
Sales
Aftermarket MRO events
Servicing – Repairs – Overhauls – Upgrades – Swap outs – Decommission
AEROGILITY
Understanding the complex balance of Aftermarket resources
Product Life Cycle - 1 to 30 years
AEROGILITY for the Aftermarket
Aftermarket investment and strategic planning
LONGER TERM - questions & issues
 How many MRO facilities to do we need for projected product
sales?
 Where should the MRO facilities be located?
 What capabilities should an MRO facility support?
 Are we confident in the business case justification for our
investment?
AEROGILITY
Why AEROGILITY is different
Why AEROGILITY is different
AEROGILITY is based on multi-agent adaptive software…
Unlike 2-dimensional spreadsheets, process diagrams and
reports…
 Start with first principles - iterate complexity up to reality
 Fast-forward the Aftermarket – next 24 hours or 24 years
 Aftermarket resources interacting dynamically - not just a slice
 Insight by comparing whole Aftermarket what-ifs & simulations
Genuine decision support, not just more data.
AEROGILITY
Implementing AEROGILITY
Implementing AEROGILITY
AEROGILITY in 3 phases…
MODEL
…understand the balance of resources,
evaluate options, decisions, run what-ifs
MONITOR …integrate operational data and processes,
monitor the Aftermarket for decision support
MANAGE
MANAGE …drive existing systems and processes with
adaptive intelligent software
Implementing AEROGILITY
Implementation
Roles-based Analysis
Operational Metrics
driving
Decision Support
Aftermarket 1st Model
Development
Develop operational
Simulations &
What-if scenarios
Initial model development 6 to 12 weeks…continues over product life
Implementing AEROGILITY
MODEL - MONITOR Phase 2
OPERATIONAL DATA
STAFF INPUT & UPDATES
CUSTOMER REQUESTS
AEROGILITY
Aftermarket Model
Implementing AEROGILITY
MODEL - MONITOR – MANAGE - Phase 3
UPDATES TO EXISTING SYSTEMS
INSTRUCTIONS TO 3PL PARTNERS
AEROGILITY
Aftermarket
Monitored Model
RFQ TO COMPONENT SUPPLIERS
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES FOR CUSTOMERS
ADAPTIVE SCHEDULING FOR STAFF
AEROGILITY
Benefits of AEROGILITY
Benefits of AEROGILITY
In summary
INPUTS
AEROGILITY
Aftermarket Model
BENEFITS
 Aftermarket stakeholders
Deep understanding…
 Business strategy
 What-if decision options
 Financial goals
 Simulate decision impact
 Customer requirements
 Inter-relationship of metrics
 Operational realities
 Compare business scenarios
 Constraints
 Share assumptions
 Opportunities
Make better decisions….
Benefits of AEROGILITY
AEROGILITY delivers real business benefit…
Balance your resources more efficiently
Effective decision support
Opportunity for substantial cost savings
Improve customer satisfaction
…sustained profitability and competitive edge