electronic Tooling Information Management System (eTIMS)

Background

eTIMS is the culmination of over fifteen years of joint Air Force, Navy, Lexes and prime contractor development and shared learning. eTIMS is a proven cost effective software tool that simplifies the complex tasks of production line shutdown and production special tooling/special test equipment (ST and STE) inventory management and reutilization. Navy tooling replication cost avoidance using eTIMS currently exceeds $440M.

Description and Capabilities

eTIMS provides program and logistics manager's the aircraft special tooling (ST) and test equipment (STE) availability, applicability, disposition and management information required for a wide variety of acquisition and sustainment situations.

• eTIMS provides total asset visibility for special tooling (ST) and test equipment (STE).
• Using eTIMS significantly reduces manpower requirements and costs for production line shutdown and excess tooling evaluation and disposition.
• eTIMS imports parts data from DOD and prime contractor’s logistics systems. It provides tooling retention recommendations based on parts requirements for future weapons system support. These recommendations are used by program and item managers, equipment specialists and engineers to make sound logistical support decisions.
  - Complete aircraft parts breakdown, as manufactured, along with the tooling required to manufacture each part (down to bolt-on parts level).
• The system also provides online management of tooling inventory, location, shipping and usage data to support postproduction shutdown parts procurement.
  - Complete inventory of tools and masters available including status and location.
• eTIMS allows managers to make rapid cost effective acquisition and sustainment decisions, expediting the procurement and repair of spare parts for immediate fleet requirements and generating substantial special tools reproduction cost avoidance.

eTIMS is the NAVAIR standard tooling management system for all naval tactical aircraft programs that are supported by the US Navy’s Naval Inventory Control Point (Philadelphia). These systems include but are not limited to the AH-1W, AV-8, EA-6B, F-14, F-18, H-53, H-60 and T-45. Air Force programs currently supported include the F-15 and F-16.