Lockheed Martin and NASA Certify Manufacturing Execution System From HMS Software

Business Wire, Feb 7, 2005

CONCORD, Mass. -- Paperless Manufacturing Execution System (PMES) Certified for Production of Space Shuttle External Tank

HMS Software Inc., a leading developer of manufacturing information management systems, today announced that its manufacturing execution system (MES) was certified for production readiness by NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Lockheed Martin will use the MES to produce the Space Shuttle External Tank at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, La.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Michoud Operations plans to begin production use of the HMS Enterprise Manufacturing Information Suite in April. The HMS system will replace three legacy systems at the Lockheed Martin plant and will be used to manage manufacturing information for the External Tank, an element of the Space Transportation System.

HMS products certified for production use in this manufacturing environment include Second-Generation HMS-CAPP(R) for manufacturing process plans, HMS-Bill of Material Management to coordinate the "as-built" bill of materials, and HMS-Shop Floor Management(R) for shop floor work instructions. Lockheed Martin has also installed HMS-Quality Management(R) to manage the high levels of manufacturing control and precise documentation required by programs such as the External Tank. This electronic system allows Lockheed Martin to document, analyze and disposition nonconformances and manage the corrective and preventive action process.

"The new MES from HMS Software delivers the visibility and traceability that are critical as we initiate a near paperless manufacturing process for the Space Shuttle External Tank program," said John Welborn, PMES project manager, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Michoud Operations. "HMS Software offers tools that organize shop floor work documentation and nonconformance data so we have an accurate view of work status at all times."

"Certification of a paperless manufacturing system for the Space Shuttle External Tank program required not only approval from information technology, operations, and safety and product assurance executive management at Lockheed Martin, but also required the approval of the NASA External Tank Resident Manager and NASA Safety & Mission Assurance, as well as NASA's chief engineer," said Alexander Houtzeel, president, HMS Software. "HMS was able to deliver a complete production-ready MES that met the specific needs and objectives of each of the varied stakeholders for this program."

About Lockheed Marin Space Systems, Michoud Operations

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Michoud Operations designs and assembles large aluminum and composite structures such as the Space Shuttle External Tank for aerospace and other applications at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the systems integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion.

About HMS Software Inc.

HMS Software 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.

The product names Second-Generation HMS-CAPP, HMS-Shop Floor Management and HMS-Quality Management are registered trademarks of HMS Software Inc.