What is the digital thread and how does it help data management in aerospace manufacturing?

Here’s how the digital thread gives engineers and manufacturers a complete view of the entire product lifecycle.

Everyone understands that building aircraft and subassemblies is a massively complex task involving thousands of individual parts and processes. In traditional manufacturing, the information about the design, materials, manufacturing processes, testing and maintenance are often stored in different places and in different formats—drawings, spreadsheets, CAD files and reports. All of this information spread across an organization requires careful management, often forcing redundant tasks to keep it all in check.

The digital thread connects these pieces of information into one seamless, digital flow that follows the product throughout its lifecycle—from design through manufacturing to maintenance and even product retirement—and is easily accessible to anyone that needs it.

Why is the digital thread important in aerospace?

The digital thread gives engineers and manufacturers a complete view of the entire product lifecycle. They can trace and simulate every component, system and assembly back to its design specifications and forward through its predicted maintenance cycles. This visibility helps ensure quality, compliance with regulations and overall efficiency.


Different teams—design, manufacturing, supply chain, maintenance—can access and contribute to the same digital thread. This collaboration is crucial for catching issues early, making design improvements based on real-world data and ensuring everyone throughout a product’s value chain is working with the most current information.

With all the information centralized and connected, engineers use analytics and simulations to predict how changes in design or manufacturing processes will impact performance, cost and safety. This capability allows for more informed decision-making and reduces the risk of errors or delays.

By digitizing and integrating these processes, aerospace companies streamline workflows, reduce paperwork, minimize rework and optimize resources. This efficiency not only saves time and money but also enhances the agility of the manufacturing process to respond to changes and market demands.

The digital thread continues beyond manufacturing into the operational phase. Engineers monitor the performance of aircraft and parts in service, track maintenance records digitally and use predictive analytics to schedule maintenance before failures occur. This proactive approach improves safety and reliability while extending the lifespan of aircraft and aerospace components.

The digital thread is essentially a digital backbone that runs through every aspect of manufacturing and beyond. It’s about leveraging technology to build and maintain complex aerospace systems more effectively and intelligently.

Digital data management strategies for seamless information flow

Data management in aerospace, especially for ensuring information flow throughout the product lifecycle, involves several key strategies to handle the complexity and critical nature of aerospace systems.

Digital thread implementation

Implementation requires integrating various data sources and systems (CAD/CAM, PLM, ERP, IoT platforms, etc.) into a unified framework where information can be accessed, updated and analyzed in real-time.

This integration ensures that different systems, such as design tools, manufacturing systems and maintenance databases, seamlessly exchange and interpret data. This includes standardizing data formats and protocols across disparate systems and departments.

When done correctly, different software and hardware systems to work together effectively, allowing for smooth transitions of data between stages of the product lifecycle without loss of information or fidelity, while creating a format that is easily digestible by engineering and management decision makers.

Data quality management

It’s crucial to define and enforce standards for data quality, accuracy, completeness and consistency across all stages of the product lifecycle. Metadata management and version control are the key to ensuring the right information is accessible at the right time.

Cybersecurity and data protection

Robust cybersecurity measures are often overlooked for operational technology and manufacturing processes. However, as aerospace manufacturers digitize more of their operations, protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access, modification or loss is becoming more important. This includes encryption, access controls and regular audits of security practices. Treat this the same as you would any IT infrastructure, which means ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations (such as GDPR or CCPA) when handling personal data within aerospace systems, particularly in maintenance and customer support operations.

Advanced analytics and AI/ML

Use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyze operational data from aircraft sensors and performance logs to predict maintenance needs before failures occur. This doesn’t just optimize maintenance schedules and reduce downtime—when combined with proper data management and integrated into simulations using the digital thread, this data can lead to improved designs and new products.

Lifecycle data governance

Establish governance policies and procedures to manage data throughout the product lifecycle, including data ownership, access controls and retention policies. Regularly review and update data management strategies and technologies to incorporate industry best practices, emerging technologies and lessons learned from past projects.

By implementing these data management strategies and implementing the digital thread, aerospace companies can achieve a more efficient and effective flow of information throughout the entire product lifecycle.