Sagem Avionics adopts M-Files to better manage technical/engineering documents, decrease repair times, meet regulatory compliance requirements

EXCLUSIVE -- DALLAS, Texas, 24 Sept. 2013. Sagem Avionics Inc., a provider of avionics and critical software for civil and military aviation, is leveraging M-Files cloud, on-premise, and hybrid enterprise content management (ECM) solutions from M-Files Inc. to better manage information, significantly reduce document handling rates and repair times, and support regulatory compliance efforts.

Prior to implementing M-Files, Sagem staff used a paper-based approach for managing technical and engineering documentation, which entailed manually maintaining hundreds of binders—each with hundreds of documents.

With M-Files, Sagem Avionics has established a single repository to more effectively manage technical and engineering documentation securely behind its firewall to ensure only the most current and up-to-date information is available.

Repair technicians on the shop floor who previously had to refer to three-ring binders for repair manuals now simply access M-Files from their workstation to quickly locate required information. The company has also established permission controls and leveraged the workflow capabilities in M-Files to ensure only authorized individuals can access, edit, and approve certain documents and processes.

"Our repair manuals are updated constantly, and deploying an ECM solution that ensured our staff was accessing the most current versions was a critical requirement for us," explains Julien Sedlak, engineering supervisor at Sagem Avionics Inc. in Dallas, Texas. "With M-Files, we're confident that only accurate and latest information is being accessed and distributed, and that tasks are being completed on time by the right people. As a result, we've seen a 50 percent reduction in our document handling rates, which has significantly reduced our repair time."

Sagem Avionics is a provider of avionics products and services to civil and military organizations and, as such, must adhere to compliance requirements associated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). By leveraging the permission management and workflow capabilities in M-Files, the company is able to establish and enforce project roles and responsibilities, a critical compliance requirement when working with subcontractors who are foreign nationals.

"M-Files helps us meet our regulatory requirements by enabling us to establish access permissions and workflow processes to ensure only authorized people can view or edit documents as well as administer and participate in specific processes," Sedlak adds.

Sagem Avionics integrated M-Files with its Corridor ERP system, automating the process of associating repair manuals and related documentation with customer work orders. The company was able to create a bridge between the two systems so that part numbers from its ERP platform are automatically linked with their associated repair manuals in M-Files.

"We were able to easily configure M-Files to sync with our ERP system, which has expedited our process for responding to customer requests. We can quickly and easily ascertain how many tickets are open per customer and how many work orders have been completed, which enables us to be much more responsive and deliver a higher level of customer service," Sedlak affirms.

"With the ability to manage repair manuals and associated documents based on what the content is rather than where it's stored that eliminates the need to wade through complex and chaotic folder structures, Sagem Avionics has been able to recapture lost time, increase productivity, and reduce errors," says Greg Milliken, president of M-Files Inc. "Quick and easy access to the latest and most accurate versions of technical and engineering documentation has had a significant and quantifiable impact on Sagem Avionics' business."

Sagem Avionics’ ECM implementation has reduced documentation handling rates by 50 percent, as well as provided time savings and cost savings, Sedlak contines. Sagem Avionics provides a wealth of avionics, including flight recorders and flight controls; in fact, the company’s catalog of products totals roughly 400 part numbers. M-Files helps reduce the opportunity for errors, given that MRO firms and repair shops have access to the latest and greatest revision of the documentation, including service bulletins and FAA directives.

According to Sedlak, savings have been realized related to:

• Time -- more than 50 percent by having electronic documents compared to binders, and every time you have a change you have to make duplicate copies; and
• Cost -- paper and ink are no longer necessities

Sagem Avionics is a longtime provider of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services; technical support; and integrated cockpit display systems, flight control components, aircraft condition monitoring systems, and flight operations quality assurance software.

Sagem Avionics Inc., a company incorporated in the U.S. with headquarters in Dallas, Texas, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sagem, a Safran group company. Sagem Avionics Inc. provides avionics products and services to Part 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, and 145 aircraft and helicopters. These include technical support, MRO services, and marketing and sales of Sfim, Arnav, Aviac, and Sagem commercial aerospace products, including integrated cockpit display systems, helicopter autopilot systems, flight control components, aircraft condition and monitoring systems, and flight operations quality assurance software.

M-Files enterprise content management (ECM) solutions help businesses manage, secure, and share information with a metadata-powered approach that organizes and processes content based on what it is, rather than where it resides. Businesses such as SAS, Elekta, and EADS use M-Files on-premise, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments to improve productivity and quality, and to ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards.