Defence-Grade Engineering Configuration Management for BAE Systems
BAE Systems
Created a defence-grade, fully traceable, fully automated engineering information ecosystem integrating Autodesk Vault with Windchill PLM and the MinuteView automation platform for one of the world's leading defence contractors.
Project Outcome
Before
- Manual drawing number allocation
- Inconsistent metadata across multiple systems
- Separate CAD, PLM, and custom systems with minimal integration
- Manual export of PDFs, DXFs, and other derivative files
- High administrative overhead
- Slow, error-prone engineering change processes
After
- Centralized Autodesk Vault configuration management
- Automated, Windchill-controlled drawing numbering directly inside CAD
- Real-time metadata synchronization across all engineering systems
- Automatic generation of DXF, PDF, and STEP files
- Integrated workflows spanning Vault, Windchill, and legacy platforms
- Robust defence-compliant auditability and traceability
- Reduced manual workload and improved engineering throughput
Client Overview
BAE Systems is one of the world's leading defence contractors, responsible for the design, manufacturing, and sustainment of highly complex systems used in national defence programs. Their engineering processes demand strict configuration management, traceability, compliance, and data integrity across multiple platforms and disciplines. BAE engaged Tentech to streamline and modernize their engineering information environment by integrating Autodesk Vault with their existing Windchill PLM system and enhancing configuration management using the MinuteView automation platform.
Existing Environment
- Windchill PLM system as primary source of truth for configuration information
- Multiple CAD environments requiring centralized governance
- Legacy bespoke systems with decades of historical data
- Manual drawing number allocation processes
- Disconnected metadata across engineering systems
- Manual export processes for manufacturing deliverables (PDF, DXF, STEP)
This fragmentation created operational risk, slowed down engineering teams, and made controlled information management nearly impossible.
Project Objective
To create a defence-grade, fully traceable, fully automated engineering information ecosystem that centralizes CAD data governance, maintains strict configuration control, automates compliance-related processes, integrates seamlessly with Windchill and legacy systems, provides engineering users with real-time data and controlled document numbering, and reduces manual intervention and risk in critical workflows.
Solution Overview
1. Autodesk Vault Implementation for Defence Configuration Management
Tentech deployed a hardened Autodesk Vault environment designed specifically to meet defence-sector requirements, including controlled engineering document lifecycle management, strict version and revision tracking, robust access control and audit capabilities, and end-to-end traceability of all engineering changes. Vault became the central authoritative repository for all CAD files, manufacturing deliverables, and controlled documentation used by engineering and production teams across multiple departments.
2. Custom Integration Between Windchill and Autodesk Vault
BAE's existing Windchill PLM system remained a critical source of truth for high-level configuration information, including official document/drawing numbers, configuration identifiers, lifecycle states, and metadata attributes. Tentech implemented a bi-directional custom integration between Windchill and Vault, enabling centralized drawing number allocation. MinuteView retrieved drawing numbers directly from Windchill's controlled registry, then displayed the correct number inside the CAD environment in real time. This ensured no duplicated numbers, no incorrect numbering sequences, compliance with defence documentation standards, and elimination of manual number requests or entry errors. This integration alone removed one of the biggest sources of configuration inconsistencies in the engineering process.
3. Automated Document Lifecycle Processing
When drawings or documents reached key lifecycle states—such as Approved, Released, or Rejected—MinuteView automations were triggered to perform defence compliance tasks instantly and without human intervention. Automated actions included generating controlled PDF packages, publishing files to Windchill for enterprise-wide access, updating metadata on both systems, and recording lifecycle transitions for audit purposes. This ensured that every document movement and state change was reflected consistently across all systems.
4. Advanced Multi-Format Manufacturing Output Automation
For BAE's manufacturing and fabrication teams, Tentech extended MinuteView to automatically generate all required derivative files, including DXF files for CNC and fabrication, PDF files for controlled document packs, and STEP files for downstream 3D manufacturing and analysis. Previously, engineers had to manually export each file type, creating risk, inconsistency, and huge workload. The automated pipeline ensured consistency across all manufacturing deliverables, faster release cycles, guaranteed compliance with defence data standards, and elimination of manual processing errors. Every time a document was approved, all derivative formats were generated and published automatically.
5. Integration with BAE's Legacy Bespoke Systems
Beyond Windchill, BAE maintained several custom-developed internal systems, some of which had been in operation for decades. These systems held legacy metadata, manufacturing data, historical configuration records, and program-specific documentation logic. Tentech developed custom integration layers allowing MinuteView and Vault to communicate directly with these bespoke platforms. This achieved automatic synchronization of metadata into legacy systems, centralized updates flowing outwards from Vault, preservation of historical business logic, and seamless coexistence between new and old technology stacks. This proved that even highly specialized, defence-specific systems could be modernized through intelligent integration rather than replacement.
Why This Case Study Is Important
This project demonstrates Tentech's unique capability to:
- Defence configuration management expertise
- Enterprise system integration across PLM, CAD, and legacy platforms
- Autodesk Vault specialization for defence-sector requirements
- Automation of compliance workflows using MinuteView
- Legacy system modernization through intelligent integration
- Delivery of secure, scalable, multi-system integrations for defence and critical-infrastructure environments
It highlights Tentech's dual strength: deep consulting expertise and strong technical implementation capability, positioning us as one of Australia's leading Autodesk Vault specialists.
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