Dassault Falcon Jet Leverages Manufacturing Execution System from HMS Software for True Electronic Shop Floor.

CONCORD, Mass. -- Business Jet Manufacturer Achieves FAA Validation for Digital Manufacturing

HMS Software, Inc., a leading developer of enterprise manufacturing information management systems, today announced that recent implementation of the HMS Enterprise Manufacturing Information Suite has enabled Dassault Falcon Jet to achieve validation from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an electronic shop floor manufacturing environment.

With the digitization of all planned shop floor data, Falcon Jet has significantly reduced the time and cost associated with a traditional, paper-based manufacturing process. The business aircraft manufacturer can comply with FAA regulations for electronic signatures, allowing the Arkansas-based plant to eliminate the time, cost and confusion associated with updating, distributing and replacing paper-based documentation for manufacturing work instructions, work completion and validation. Electronic audit trails also ensure more productive workers using the correct manufacturing data, which helps to reduce manufacturing cycle time as well as costly rework and scrap.

"Previously, we relied on an inefficient and fragmented paper-based system to create the required audit trails that define the process and procedures of aircraft production," said Eric Boelzner, director, production control, Falcon Jet. "A complete manufacturing execution system from HMS helped us achieve an integrated electronic shop floor."

"Airplane manufacturers such as Falcon Jet are continuing to invest in HMS systems because a paperless manufacturing environment streamlines operations and improves the bottom line," said Alexander Houtzeel, president, HMS Software. "The HMS product suite generates obvious and measurable ROI benefits such as improved productivity, decreased manufacturing costs and reduced cycle time. But our ability to help customers effectively manage the digitization of 'as-planned' and 'as-built' manufacturing data also supports unmeasured operational benefits such as reliable product genealogy and complete traceability."

About Dassault Falcon Jet

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, and is responsible for selling and supporting Falcon business jets throughout North America, South America, and the Pacific Rim countries of Asia (including China). It employs a workforce of more than 2,400 professionals who service, support and meet the needs of Falcon operators in the Western Hemisphere. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 1500 Falcon jets have been delivered to more than 65 countries worldwide. The family of Falcon jets currently in production includes four tri-jets--the Falcon 50EX, 900C, 900EX, and the new 7X--as well as the twin-engine Falcon 2000 and 2000EX.

About HMS Software, Inc.

HMS Software, Inc. develops systems to define, execute and document manufacturing, assembly and maintenance information for complex and quality-critical products. The HMS Enterprise Manufacturing Information Suite includes systems for process planning, manufacturing execution and quality management to increase manufacturing visibility, enhance shop floor productivity and control product quality. Founded in 1992, HMS maintains a blue-chip customer base in the aerospace, defense and related markets with established implementations at organizations such as Boeing, BAE Systems (formerly British Aerospace), Honeywell and Lockheed Martin. HMS Software, Inc. is a privately held company with more than 100 employees, headquartered in Concord, Mass., with additional offices in Carlsbad, Calif., and an affiliate site in Staffordshire, England.

HMS software product names are registered trademarks of HMS Software, Inc.