ELDEC designs and manufactures electronic and electromechanical components for aerospace and defense applications. Its products are used on commercial and military aircraft in the U.S. and Europe, and its customers and suppliers all need to be aware of the latest specifications and maintenance bulletins.

The company developed an advanced product data management (PDM) system to manage a large volume of product information vital to the development and maintenance of its products. ELDEC needed to dynamically apply document control information from within its PDM system to validate each document’s version and identity for delivery in both print and electronic formats. The system also maintains and reports revision information and the approval history of engineering update releases. However the core PDM technology proved problematic in handling the high volume of complex print jobs the system generated and the company turned to a PDF-based solution utilizing Adobe Acrobat and Appligent’s AppendPDF Pro.

“It was easy to integrate Appligent’s components with the API layers of our PDM system and the eRoom application to develop a real time solution for dynamically assembling and delivering critical content to our suppliers and customers,” said Chandru Narayan, Product Information Architect. “Appligent offers top tier technical support and has proven to be a great partner. We are currently extending our Appligent based solution to other operating units in the company.”

Cross Media Publishing in Real Time

ELDEC’s PDM is key to maintaining communications with its customers and suppliers who need access to diverse content such as design specifications, business documents and engineering drawings. Each interaction must be customized as every customer or supplier has a unique contractual and operational relationship with ELDEC. Appligent’s AppendPDF Pro enables ELDEC to dynamically assemble all business, design and engineering documents retrieved from the database into a single PDF file and stamp the revision control and approval information onto the pages prior to delivery by an automated distribution system. Both print and electronic delivery are supported.

ELDEC has a network of over 70 printers throughout the organization. The ability to append the various documents into one file ensures that all the required information is sent to the printer at the same time, eliminating the need to keep track of single-page documents or having other print requests intermingled.

PDF documents are also distributed to external partners over the Internet via the e-Room collaborative environment. Each account has its own e-Room and finished PDFs are moved into the appropriate location on the server and partners are notified by E-mail. Users can log in to the system, retrieve the documents and interact with ELDEC by submitting change requests, suggestions or proposals to posted requests. The result is a direct conduit between ELDEC, its suppliers and its customers that improves the flow of information and enhances collaboration.

Key Benefits

• Enabled automated document control stamping and printing of business documents
• Eliminated printing issues with controlled documents
• Ensured that users received the latest version of engineering and other business-critical documents
• ROI was almost immediate by resolving issues of a key component in the document process
• Integrating print and electronic delivery streamlined the distribution process

About ELDEC Corporation

ELDEC’s aerospace and defense products include position indication and control systems, battery charging systems, true mass fuel flow systems, and high- and low-voltage power supplies. Founded in 1957, ELDEC is headquartered in Lynnwood, WA. Its international operations include ELDEC France and ELDEC Electronics Ltd.

Product: AppendPDF Pro