Preview engineering change cascades across serialized parts, inspection plans, and program configurations
The Impact Intelligence Verification Graph Engine (VGE) maps change propagation across:
- Serialized part families and as-built configurations
- Airworthiness limitations, CDCCLs, and AD compliance artifacts
- Depot maintenance scopes and inspection programs
- Supplier qualifications and first article inspection records
Preview mode lets you model change impact before approvals lock - with severity scores and evidence requirements for every affected node.
Serialized part traceability
Map material spec revision impact across active serial numbers:
- Affected serial numbers across aircraft programs
- Configuration management reviews triggered
- Compliance assessments against airworthiness requirements
AD compliance impact analysis
Trace AD-driven compliance cascades through maintenance programs:
- Part numbers requiring maintenance program revisions
- Inspection protocol updates and depot maintenance cycles
- Airworthiness limitation submission impacts
Program configuration impact
Surface supplier and configuration change propagation:
- Serialized assemblies across aircraft configurations
- First article inspection re-validation requirements
- DCMA notification and compliance documentation
Console preview
Change intelligence report
Seed change
Serialized part revision: Turbine blade alloy change - 47 active serial units
Change impact
64 of 340 nodes (19%)
across 5 domains
Severity hotspots
3
critical
NRE estimate
$62K – $118K
likely $86K
Schedule delta
+90d
critical path
Impact cascade / sample path
Serial instantiation - 47 active units across 3 programs
via execution
8 inspection plans require FAI re-execution
via inspection
4 depot-level certifications invalidated
via depot_maintenance
3 program configurations affected
via configuration_management
2 AS9100 audit findings impacted
via compliance
2 other active ECPs overlap this serial number range
- ├─ ECP-2281 Turbine disk coating process revision 4 shared nodes in review
- └─ ECP-2276 Blade root-form tolerance tightening 6 shared nodes approved, pending
Verification pack / draft
- 8 FAI re-executions
- 4 depot certification renewals
- 3 program configuration updates
- 47 serial unit disposition reviews
Cost estimate: NRE $62K – $118K (likely $86K)
- ├─ Re-qualification testing: $22K – $38K (metallurgy + fatigue cycling)
- ├─ Serialized traceability rework: $14K – $19K (47 active serial units)
- ├─ DCMA re-inspection: $8K – $12K (government source inspection)
- ├─ Schedule penalty: +90d delays next lot acceptance by 1 quarter
The problem
Engineering changes cascade through serialized configurations, maintenance programs, and airworthiness compliance with hidden dependencies
Engineering changes in aerospace and defense propagate across serialized as-built configurations, controlled maintenance and inspection programs, and compliance artifacts. A revision to a material or process specification can invalidate inspection instructions, trigger maintenance program revisions tied to airworthiness limitations and CDCCLs, and force late discovery of affected serial numbers and program baselines. When these dependencies are only discovered downstream - during production, maintenance planning, or audit - teams face rework, nonconformance, AMOC risk, and schedule disruption.
Hidden cost of blind changes
- Material Spec Revision on Flight-Critical Component
- Airworthiness Directive Cascade
- Supplier Qualification Change
- Configuration Audit Finding
Key capabilities
Active intelligence for aerospace & defense changes.
Serialized Part Family Traversal
Trace engineering changes through serialized part families, identifying all active serial numbers, configuration baselines, and program assignments impacted by material spec revisions or design changes.
Configuration Management Impact Analysis
Map how changes propagate through configuration baselines, assembly structures, and program configurations, revealing hidden dependencies across aircraft variants and customer deliveries.
AS9100 Compliance Cascade Tracking
Identify which quality management system procedures, inspection protocols, and supplier qualification records require updates when engineering changes cascade through certified processes.
AD-Driven Compliance Impact
Analyze how AD-driven airworthiness limitations and CDCCLs cascade through part families, maintenance programs, and depot maintenance scopes, identifying affected serial numbers, compliance submissions, and AMOC risk.
MRO Depot Impact Assessment
Preview how engineering changes affect depot maintenance procedures, repair station work instructions, and MRO service bulletins across active maintenance cycles and customer support agreements.
Program-Level Change Impact Mapping
Visualize change impact across multiple aircraft programs, customer configurations, and contract deliverables, ensuring program managers understand cross-program dependencies before approvals.
ITAR Classification Checking
Flag when engineering changes affect ITAR-controlled components, triggering export compliance reviews, supplier re-qualification, and technical data package updates.
First Article Inspection Triggers
Automatically identify when changes require first article inspection re-validation, AS9102 form updates, or customer approval for configuration deviations.
How it works
From change signal to verified action.
Engineer proposes material spec revision for flight-critical component
A materials engineer submits an ECO to revise the aluminum alloy specification for a wing bracket assembly, citing improved fatigue performance and supplier availability.
Graph traversal identifies all serialized parts and program configurations
Impact Intelligence traces the part number through 47 active serial numbers across 3 aircraft programs, 12 customer configurations, and 5 depot maintenance stations.
Airworthiness and compliance dependencies surface automatically
The system reveals 2 airworthiness compliance submissions referencing the original material spec, 3 FAA certification documents, and 4 customer-approved configuration baselines.
Inspection protocol and depot maintenance impacts appear
5 depot maintenance procedures include hardness testing for the original alloy, 3 incoming inspection work instructions require updates, and 2 MRO service bulletins need revisions.
Approvers review complete impact matrix before sign-off
Quality assurance, configuration management, and program leads see the full cascade: 47 serialized units requiring configuration reviews, 2 airworthiness amendments, 5 depot procedure updates, and 3 customer notifications.
Cross-functional coordination happens before production lock
Configuration management schedules baseline updates, depot maintenance plans procedure revisions, quality assurance coordinates first article re-inspection, and program managers notify customers, all before the ECO is approved.
Change executes with full traceability and compliance documentation
The ECO proceeds with documented impact analysis, AS9100-compliant approval records, airworthiness certification amendments, and complete audit trails for DCMA and customer reviews.
Hybrid graph model
Aerospace and defense configurations are modeled as graphs where serialized parts, program configurations, inspection protocols, and airworthiness directives are nodes connected by traceability relationships. Impact Intelligence traverses these graphs to reveal how engineering changes cascade through configuration baselines, compliance submissions, and depot maintenance scopes.
Serial Number Instantiation
Each serialized part instance inherits configuration from its part number master, creating traceability paths through aircraft programs and customer deliveries.
Configuration Baseline Membership
Parts belong to configuration baselines (aircraft variants, customer configurations, program deliverables), where changes cascade through configuration management reviews.
Airworthiness and Compliance Dependencies
Parts reference airworthiness directives, service bulletins, FAA certifications, and customer-approved specifications, creating regulatory compliance chains.
Aerospace & Defense impact scenarios
Real change scenarios in aerospace & defense.
Impact Intelligence adapts to your domain’s change patterns, compliance frameworks, and verification workflows. These are representative output examples from the VGE computation pipeline.
Aerospace & Defense
Parts affected · Programs impacted · FAI re-execution scopeTrigger
Engineering change order (ECO)
Impact
Serialized parts across multiple programs, configuration baselines, FAI requirements, certification records
Verification Pack
ECO impact summary, FAI update checklist, configuration revision plan, affected serial list
Metrics
Parts affected · Programs impacted · FAI re-execution scope
Aerospace & Defense
Part families affected · Inspections pending · Certification gapsTrigger
Supplier qualification change
Impact
Part families, incoming inspections, program certifications, depot inventory holds
Verification Pack
Supplier impact report, inspection hold list, certification gap analysis, alternate source plan
Metrics
Part families affected · Inspections pending · Certification gaps
Aerospace & Defense
Baselines requiring update · FAI re-validations · Documentation revisionsTrigger
Configuration revision
Impact
Serialized baselines, completed FAIs, MRO procedures, documentation packages
Verification Pack
Configuration diff report, FAI re-validation plan, documentation update queue
Metrics
Baselines requiring update · FAI re-validations · Documentation revisions
Aerospace & Defense
Work orders affected · Spare pool changes · Schedule impact (hours)Trigger
Maintenance interval change
Impact
MRO work orders, depot schedules, spare pool requirements, inspection frequency
Verification Pack
MRO schedule update, spare pool adjustment, inspection frequency revision
Metrics
Work orders affected · Spare pool changes · Schedule impact (hours)
Aerospace & Defense
Serials affected · Programs notified · Corrective action scopeTrigger
Nonconformance disposition
Impact
Affected serial numbers, use-as-is justifications, corrective actions, program notifications
Verification Pack
NC disposition pack, affected serial list, corrective action plan
Metrics
Serials affected · Programs notified · Corrective action scope
Impact Intelligence for Aerospace & Defense
Operational scale that makes impact analysis possible.
VGE runs on tenant-owned data: schema depth, API breadth, and deterministic telemetry that keeps change reviews consistent.
Domain providers
15+
5 cross-industry baseline + 10 domain-specific providers (composition structures, compliance, verification, 3D/geometric, procurement, inventory, capital assets, execution chains), each self-describing with SemVer and cost tiers.
Sync analysis
≤2s
Typical graph traversal (≤1K nodes) with batch-first providers and per-request caching.
Async analysis
≤30s
Complex traversals (≤10K nodes) with optional Redis acceleration and per-provider timing.
Impact demo
Impact Intelligence for Aerospace & Defense
Preview change impact, severity scoring, and verification packs before approvals.
Change impact
64 nodes
Projected change
Severity hotspots
3
Projected change
NRE estimate
$86K
Projected change
Schedule delta
+90d
Projected change
Sample finding
Map material spec revision impact across active serial numbers:
Impact cascade
Engineer proposes material spec revision for flight-critical component
Serial Number Instantiation
Configuration Baseline Membership
Airworthiness and Compliance Dependencies
API preview
Schema-stable endpoints for impact intelligence.
Impact Intelligence is designed as a tenant-owned API surface with preview-first semantics, deterministic run snapshots, and export-ready results.
Preview vs apply
Every request can run in preview mode to generate impact results without mutating data. Apply mode uses idempotency keys to persist verification packs safely.
View developer docsPOST Submit engineering change for impact analysis
Submit a proposed engineering change - material spec revision, supplier qualification change, or response to an Airworthiness Directive - and receive the full change impact across serialized parts, program configurations, inspection protocols, and airworthiness compliance.
POST /api/v1/change-controls/{id}/impact/runThe ChangeControl record (created separately) carries the change details: material spec AMS-4027-H → AMS-4027-J for part WB-1847-A, serial range A001–A047, program F-35A LRIP-17.
Request
{
"detect_collisions": true
}Response
{
"schema_version": "vge.graph_result.v1",
"run_id": 847,
"nodes": [
{
"node_ref": {
"resource_type": "serialized_part",
"resource_id": 1847001,
"display_name": "WB-1847-A / S/N A001",
"display_code": "WB-1847-A-A001",
"status": "Delivered",
"tags": [
"F-35A LRIP-17",
"USAF-Standard",
"ITAR"
]
},
"severity": 0.92,
"depth": 1
},
{
"node_ref": {
"resource_type": "airworthiness_document",
"resource_id": 2024847,
"display_name": "Type Certificate Data Sheet - AMS-4027-H",
"display_code": "FAA-CERT-2024-0847",
"status": "Amendment Required",
"tags": [
"FAA",
"TCDS"
]
},
"severity": 0.95,
"depth": 2
},
{
"node_ref": {
"resource_type": "inspection_protocol",
"resource_id": 1847101,
"display_name": "Hardness Testing - IWI-1847-001",
"display_code": "IWI-1847-001",
"status": "Update Required",
"tags": [
"FAI",
"AMS-4027-H Table 2"
]
},
"severity": 0.88,
"depth": 2
},
{
"node_ref": {
"resource_type": "depot_procedure",
"resource_id": 1847201,
"display_name": "Depot WI - Hill AFB",
"display_code": "DEPOT-WI-1847",
"status": "Active - 12 cycles in progress",
"tags": [
"Hill AFB",
"200 FH interval"
]
},
"severity": 0.78,
"depth": 3
}
],
"edges": [
{
"source": {
"resource_type": "sku",
"display_code": "WB-1847-A"
},
"target": {
"resource_type": "serialized_part",
"display_code": "WB-1847-A-A001"
},
"edge_type": "PRODUCED_BY",
"provider": "execution",
"label": "Serial instantiation - 47 active units"
},
{
"source": {
"resource_type": "serialized_part",
"display_code": "WB-1847-A-A001"
},
"target": {
"resource_type": "airworthiness_document",
"display_code": "FAA-CERT-2024-0847"
},
"edge_type": "GOVERNED_BY",
"provider": "compliance",
"label": "References material spec AMS-4027-H"
},
{
"source": {
"resource_type": "serialized_part",
"display_code": "WB-1847-A-A001"
},
"target": {
"resource_type": "inspection_protocol",
"display_code": "IWI-1847-001"
},
"edge_type": "VERIFIED_BY",
"provider": "quality_gate",
"label": "Hardness testing per AMS-4027-H Table 2"
}
],
"stats": {
"node_count": 64,
"edge_count": 112,
"provider_counts": {
"execution": 47,
"compliance": 8,
"quality_gate": 5,
"bom": 2
},
"truncated": false,
"collisions": {
"collision_count": 0,
"collision_severity": "NONE"
}
}
}GET Trace why an airworthiness submission is impacted
Trace the proof path from the engineering change seed to a specific impacted node - serialized part, configuration baseline, airworthiness document, or depot procedure. Auditable at every dependency hop.
GET /api/v1/change-controls/{id}/impact/explain?node_key=airworthiness_document:2024847:headResponse
{
"run_id": 847,
"target_node_key": "airworthiness_document:2024847:head",
"path_node_keys": [
"sku:1847:head",
"serialized_part:1847001:head",
"airworthiness_document:2024847:head"
],
"path_edges": [
{
"edge_type": "PRODUCED_BY",
"provider": "execution",
"label": "Serial instantiation - A001 from WB-1847-A"
},
{
"edge_type": "GOVERNED_BY",
"provider": "compliance",
"label": "TCDS references material spec AMS-4027-H - amendment required for AMS-4027-J"
}
],
"notes": "2-hop path: part master → serialized unit → FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet. Material spec change requires TCDS amendment (estimated 90 days)."
}GET Detect cross-ECO collisions
Find where concurrent engineering change orders, AD-driven compliance actions, or configuration revisions create overlapping blast radii across shared serialized parts or program baselines.
GET /api/v1/change-controls/{id}/impact/collisionsResponse
{
"collision_count": 3,
"colliding_change_ids": [
842,
851
],
"collision_severity": "HIGH",
"top_overlapping_nodes": [
{
"node_key": "serialized_part:1847015:head",
"severity": 0.92,
"change_ids": [
847,
842
],
"display": "WB-1847-A / S/N A015 - overlaps with ECO-842 (heat treatment process change)"
},
{
"node_key": "inspection_protocol:1847101:head",
"severity": 0.88,
"change_ids": [
847,
851
],
"display": "IWI-1847-001 Hardness Testing - overlaps with AD-851 (inspection interval revision)"
}
]
}POST Generate aerospace verification pack
Generate first-article inspection plans, configuration revision checklists, AS9100 compliance evidence, supplier re-qualification tasks, and DCMA audit documentation - in preview mode (default) or apply mode with idempotency.
POST /api/v1/change-controls/{id}/verification-pack/generateRequest
{
"mode": "preview"
}Response
{
"proposed_validations": [
{
"validation_type": "inspection",
"validation_meta": {
"description": "AS9102 FAI re-execution for WB-1847-A - material spec changed from AMS-4027-H to AMS-4027-J",
"affected_nodes": [
"serialized_part:1847001:head",
"serialized_part:1847002:head"
],
"characteristics": [
"Hardness (AMS-4027-J Table 2)",
"Tensile strength",
"Fatigue life"
]
}
},
{
"validation_type": "document_review",
"validation_meta": {
"description": "TCDS amendment review - FAA-CERT-2024-0847 references superseded spec",
"affected_nodes": [
"airworthiness_document:2024847:head"
],
"regulatory_basis": "14 CFR Part 21"
}
},
{
"validation_type": "checklist",
"validation_meta": {
"description": "Depot procedure update - revise hardness acceptance criteria for 12 active maintenance cycles at Hill AFB",
"affected_nodes": [
"depot_procedure:1847201:head"
]
}
}
],
"proposed_external_acknowledgements": [
{
"target_type": "SUPPLIER",
"target_id": 4782,
"reason": "Material spec revision requires updated CoC (Certificate of Conformance) for AMS-4027-J"
}
]
}POST Estimate engineering change cost
Estimate NRE costs (re-certification, FAI re-execution, documentation updates) and recurring per-unit impact (material cost delta, added inspection steps) with min/likely/max uncertainty bounds, schedule impact, and critical path identification.
POST /api/v1/change-controls/{id}/cost-estimateResponse
{
"estimate_id": 1204,
"impact_analysis_run_id": 847,
"line_items": [
{
"cost_driver_type": "nre",
"description": "AS9102 FAI re-execution - 47 serialized parts, 3 characteristics each",
"quantity": 47,
"unit_rate": 850,
"cost_phase": "nre",
"min_cost": 35000,
"likely_cost": 39950,
"max_cost": 52000,
"confidence": 0.88
},
{
"cost_driver_type": "nre",
"description": "TCDS amendment filing - FAA-CERT-2024-0847",
"quantity": 1,
"unit_rate": 18000,
"cost_phase": "nre",
"min_cost": 15000,
"likely_cost": 18000,
"max_cost": 24000,
"confidence": 0.75
},
{
"cost_driver_type": "nre",
"description": "Depot procedure revision - Hill AFB maintenance work instructions",
"quantity": 120,
"unit_rate": 165,
"cost_phase": "nre",
"min_cost": 16000,
"likely_cost": 19800,
"max_cost": 26000,
"confidence": 0.82
},
{
"cost_driver_type": "nre",
"description": "Supplier CoC update and re-qualification - SUP-4782 (heat treatment)",
"quantity": 1,
"unit_rate": 8500,
"cost_phase": "nre",
"min_cost": 6000,
"likely_cost": 8500,
"max_cost": 12000,
"confidence": 0.7
},
{
"cost_driver_type": "recurring",
"description": "Per-unit material cost increase - AMS-4027-J vs AMS-4027-H",
"quantity": 1,
"unit_rate": 2.4,
"cost_phase": "recurring",
"min_cost": 1.8,
"likely_cost": 2.4,
"max_cost": 3.1,
"confidence": 0.9,
"justification": "Supplier quote for AMS-4027-J billet: +$2.40/unit vs current AMS-4027-H pricing"
}
],
"nre_range": {
"min": 72000,
"likely": 86250,
"max": 114000
},
"recurring_range": {
"min": 1.8,
"likely": 2.4,
"max": 3.1,
"currency": "USD",
"description": "Per-unit recurring COGS increase from material spec upgrade"
},
"schedule_impact": {
"min_schedule_days": 60,
"likely_schedule_days": 90,
"max_schedule_days": 130,
"critical_path_nodes": [
"airworthiness_document:2024847:head"
]
},
"confidence": 0.82,
"confidence_notes": "Estimate calibrated from your operational data. FAA amendment timeline is the primary uncertainty driver.",
"justification_summary": "Material spec revision AMS-4027-H → AMS-4027-J drives $86K NRE (FAI re-execution across 47 serialized parts, TCDS amendment, depot procedure revisions, supplier re-qualification) plus $2.40/unit recurring material cost increase. FAA certification amendment is the critical path at 90 days."
}GET Export configuration impact graph
Export the full impact graph as JSON, CSV, or GraphML for integration with PLM systems (Windchill, Teamcenter), MRO platforms, DCMA compliance portals, or configuration management tooling.
GET /api/v1/impact-analysis-runs/{run_id}/export?format=graphmlPreview endpoints reflect the planned VGE surface. Final routes may adjust as the engine deploys to production.
FAQ
Common questions about Impact Intelligence for aerospace & defense.
How does Impact Intelligence handle AS9100 compliance requirements?
Impact Intelligence tracks AS9100 quality management system procedures, inspection protocols, and supplier qualification records as graph nodes. When an engineering change affects a part or process covered by AS9100-controlled procedures, the system flags which work instructions, inspection plans, and quality records require updates to maintain compliance. Approvers see exactly which AS9100 procedures need revision before the change is approved, preventing non-conformances and audit findings.
Can Impact Intelligence track ITAR-controlled components and export compliance?
Yes. Impact Intelligence maintains ITAR classification metadata for parts and assemblies. When an engineering change affects ITAR-controlled components, the system automatically flags export compliance reviews, supplier re-qualification requirements, and technical data package updates. Approvers see which ITAR classifications need review, which suppliers require re-verification, and which customer notifications are required before approving changes to controlled items.
How does serialized part traceability work for configuration management?
Each serialized part instance is modeled as a graph node connected to its part number master, aircraft program, customer configuration, and depot maintenance history. When an engineering change affects a part number, Impact Intelligence traverses these relationships to identify all active serial numbers, their current configuration baselines, and their program assignments. Approvers see exactly which serialized units require configuration management reviews, which customer configurations are affected, and which depot maintenance cycles need updates.
What happens when an airworthiness directive cascades through multiple part families?
Impact Intelligence traces AD-driven airworthiness limitations and CDCCLs through part family relationships, maintenance programs, and depot procedures. When an AD affects multiple part numbers, the system reveals all impacted serial numbers, which maintenance/inspection programs require revision per AC 120-98A, which depot maintenance cycles are affected, and where AMOC risk exists if current procedures diverge from AD-referenced requirements. Approvers see the complete compliance cascade before committing to implementation timelines and customer notifications.
How does Impact Intelligence handle CDCCLs and airworthiness limitations?
Critical Design Configuration Control Limitations (CDCCLs) and airworthiness limitations are modeled as compliance nodes linked to the parts, maintenance programs, and inspection protocols they govern. When an engineering change affects a component covered by CDCCLs, Impact Intelligence flags which maintenance/inspection program sections require revision, whether the change creates divergence from AD-referenced procedures (AMOC risk), and which configuration baselines need compliance review. This ensures teams address airworthiness limitation impacts before changes are approved - not during audit.
How does Impact Intelligence support depot MRO operations?
Depot maintenance procedures, work instructions, and MRO service bulletins are modeled as graph nodes connected to the parts they service. When an engineering change affects a part, Impact Intelligence shows which depot procedures require revision, how many active maintenance cycles are impacted, and which repair station certifications need updates. Depot managers see the full scope of procedure updates and can plan revisions before the change is released to production.
Can Impact Intelligence trigger first article inspection re-validation?
Yes. Impact Intelligence tracks which parts and processes have active first article inspection reports (AS9102 forms). When an engineering change affects material specs, manufacturing processes, or supplier qualifications covered by existing FAIs, the system flags which inspections require re-validation, which AS9102 forms need updates, and which customer approvals are required. Quality assurance sees the complete FAI impact before approving changes.
How does Impact Intelligence handle program-level configuration baselines?
Aircraft programs are modeled as graph nodes containing customer configurations, serialized assemblies, and contract deliverables. When an engineering change affects a part, Impact Intelligence shows which program configurations are impacted, how many customer-approved baselines need updates, and which contract deliverables require amendments. Program managers see cross-program dependencies and can coordinate configuration management reviews before changes are locked.
What role does Impact Intelligence play in DCMA audits and compliance reviews?
Impact Intelligence provides complete audit trails for engineering changes, showing exactly which serialized parts were affected, which inspection protocols were updated, which airworthiness certifications were amended, and which configuration baselines were revised. During DCMA audits, configuration management can demonstrate full traceability from change proposals through impact analysis to execution and verification. The graph-based approach ensures no serialized parts, compliance dependencies, or depot procedures are missed during change implementation.