VISTAGY, Inc., a leading provider of industry-specific engineering software and services, today announced that Bombardier Aerospace (Toronto Stock Exchange: BBD) has purchased SyncroFIT® software to compress the time and improve the accuracy of assembly development for its commercial aircraft programs, beginning with the wing of the CSeries jetliner. Bombardier will use SyncroFIT to fully define and manage joints and interfaces between parts within complex assemblies, automate tedious calculations (such as fastener grip lengths), validate design rules and produce bills of materials (BOMs).

Managing the engineering definition of complex airframe assemblies involves interrelated data for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of fasteners. Traditionally, this process has been handled manually, making it costly and difficult, especially when design changes are required. By automating this labor-intensive process, SyncroFIT substantially mitigates the time and cost inherent in manual processes.

In an initial test, Bombardier engineers were able to cut the time to define holes and fasteners on a complex composite wing subassembly by approximately 75 percent compared to the manual process previously used. The assembly consisted of 26 parts, 1,300 fasteners and four fastener base families with 336 different diameter and length combinations, as well as a variety of washers and collars. SyncroFIT is now being used in the detail design phase of the CSeries aircraft wing, in which Bombardier expects to see similar results.

The purchase of SyncroFIT follows closely on Bombardier's decision to standardize on VISTAGY's FiberSIM® composites engineering software for all its aircraft programs. Defining holes and fasteners is an especially critical issue for organizations that are developing composite aircraft because the variation in skin thickness drives the need for a wide array of fasteners and adds complexity to the design.

SyncroFIT enables airframe manufacturers to save time and create best-in-class products by providing a systems-based design approach that empowers engineers to better understand the impact of design decisions and engineering changes throughout the entire airframe development process. As a result, airframe manufacturers are able to focus on optimizing part designs while being confident that assembly definitions will be rapidly updated and design rule violations will be flagged immediately during times of continuous change.

"VISTAGY's expertise in the aerospace industry is reflected in the capabilities of SyncroFIT," said Nick Perkins, director of Advanced Product Development at Bombardier Aerospace. "SyncroFIT allows us to capture and leverage design information more completely, thereby contributing to efficiency throughout the entire aircraft development process."

"We're pleased to have the opportunity to broaden our relationship with one of the world's cutting edge aerospace firms," said Steve Peck, director of product and market strategy for aerostructures at VISTAGY. "With the adoption of SyncroFIT at Bombardier for the wing package of the CSeries aircraft program, we're taking another step towards establishing an industry standard for managing assembly interfaces, joints, fasteners and holes for airframe assemblies."