Rockwell Collins has an excellent record regarding series production of various avionic equipment and navigation systems for ships and land vehicles and of high-precision satellite equipment.

To realize the given tasks, our Operations Department in Germany is subdivided into different sections which are briefly described in the following.

• Production Facilities
• Production Control and Planning
• Procurement and Material Management
• Process Control and Production Engineering
• PCB Assembly and Test Area
• Laboratories
• Repair and Calibration of Test Equipment
• Plant Engineering
• Quality Management

Production Facilities

In Germany, Rockwell Collins' Manufacturing Department covers 5,475 square meters and contains an impressive array of high-precision machine tools, modern computers, production facilities and test facilities to ensure the highest standards and meet the most stringent requirements and specifications established for the manufacture of high-precision electronic, avionic and space equipment.

The department comprises dust-free, temperature- and humidity-controlled areas for the production and testing of our components, assemblies and systems.

Our Manufacturing Department is continuously supported by Quality Assurance, Material Control and Production Engineering groups which are staffed by experienced engineers and technicians.

Production Control and Planning

Production control and planning information is compiled using an IBM computer system, which allows preparation and filing of production plans for parts, sub-systems and systems. The administration and evaluation programs required for these operations are prepared by this group with the assistance of computer-aided devices and filed on a DNC host computer. Capacity planning and capacity control are part of production control and planning activities.

Procurement and Material Management

The personnel in this group are responsible for procurement, stores and material control. It is their task to maintain the optimum balance between the requirements of quantity and quality, the demands of the production schedule, and the need to minimize costs. They receive, store and issue material to the manufacturing operation in accordance with detailed production schedules.

Bar-coding of work in process, currently running as a pilot project, is to be implemented in the very near future. It will provide on-line status information on any material batch in process and form the basis for flexible reaction or corrective action.

Process Control and Production Engineering

Process Control and Production Engineering comprise all activities and measurements required for all manufacturing processes and process flows as well as planning and transfer of programs for Development Engineering into Production. The specific task of this group is to meet the specified quality requirements under best economic conditions.

PCB Assembly and Test Area

The assembly of highly sophisticated printed circuit boards (PCBs) is performed by qualified personnel who have at their disposal the latest equipment and technology required for solder paste printing, placement and soldering of electronic components in SMD and Through-Hole Technology. The winding and casting of transformers, motors, torques and pick-off coils and the manufacturing of harnesses are also carried out in this area. The test area for system testing as well as environmental testing for PCB assemblies and systems is also part of this section.

Laboratories

The Manufacturing Department also provides metallographical, physical and chemical laboratories. In these labs, a multitude of tests are performed, including

• Destructive and non-destructive material tests
• Spectroscopic and microscopic analyses
• Analytical control of chemicals to be used
• Various other types of analyses such as surface treatments

The composition of waste water is supervised by the chemical lab according to the current laws and regulations.

Repair and Calibration of Test Equipment

Repair, maintenance and calibration of machinery and test equipment is performed in this group. Periodic calibration is required for most of the test equipment, which is controlled, recorded and monitored by the members of this group.

Plant Engineering

This group is responsible for the provision of resources such as telephone, energy and water as well as for waste disposal.

Quality Management

Rockwell Collins is well known for the high quality and reliability of its products, which meet the most stringent customer demands.

The quality assurance group functions as a custodian to both Rockwell Collins management and the customer by assuring product quality. The Managing Director is responsible for determining the principles of the quality policy. He appoints a quality management representative (QB) who informs management at regular meetings of the effectiveness of the quality management system.

The quality management system implemented at Rockwell Collins ensures its high standards of quality in all areas. Six percent of the personnel in Germany are involved with quality assurance and maintain our company spirit in achieving these high standards. Our quality policy is based on the concept of integrated quality assurance as well as on the compliance of the quality management system with the requirements of nationally and internationally approved standards such as:

Furthermore, Rockwell Collins has been approved by the German Ministry of Defense as an aeronautical engineering company for the German Armed Forces (Following JAR-21/-145).

Our integrated quality assurance system includes development, production, sales and customer support and starts exercising its influence as early as on the conceptual phase of a product. The quality assurance group reports directly to the Operations Director.