EP 7 — BAE Systems' Brian White on Building Factory-to-Boardroom Data Intelligence

Brian White, Director of Data & Analytics at BAE Systems, embodies the evolving face of modern manufacturing leadership. Manufacturing operations in highly regulated industries face unique challenges, such as balancing innovation with strict security requirements, connecting disparate data systems, and maintaining the highest quality standards. Brian and his team at BAE Systems are tackling these challenges head-on by implementing sophisticated data analytics solutions that work "from the Factory Floor to the Boardroom."

In this episode of Manufacturing Intelligence, Brian joins Jennifer and Andrew shares his vision for digital twins, connected production lines, and AI-powered flexible scheduling. He discusses practical approaches to implementing these technologies in highly regulated environments, building trust with operators and leadership, and the critical importance of data literacy in driving transformation. 

Topics discussed:

 

• Building scalable data analytics solutions that connect factory floor operations to boardroom decision-making in regulated environments.
• Implementing generative AI and advanced analytics while maintaining compliance with DFARS and CMMC requirements in defense manufacturing.
• Creating digital thread capabilities that connect design, production, and field data to enhance manufacturing operations and product quality.
• Empowering operators through digital twins and connected systems to improve first-time quality and reduce production issues.
• Developing trust-based leadership approaches to drive adoption of new technologies and data-driven methodologies across the organization.
• Building global solutions that can scale across multiple facilities while reducing maintenance overhead and technical debt.
• Balancing innovation and security requirements in aerospace and defense manufacturing environments.
• Leveraging AI and automation to create more flexible, efficient production lines that can adapt to changing demands.
• Fostering data literacy and education to enable effective use of analytics tools and insights across the organization.

 

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