During the past 10 decades, Boeing and its heritage companies, such as Douglas Aircraft Co., McDonnell Aircraft Corp. and North American Aviation Inc., have designed and built a wide variety of aircraft. Boeing has evolved from seaplanes to space planes.

FINDLAY TOWNSHIP, PA—General Electric has opened a new operation here that will specialize in applying additive manufacturing technology to support the conglomerate’s various business units. The $39-million Center for Additive Technology Advancement will employ 50 engineers.

Laminated shims reduce costs by eliminating the need for each component to be precisely machined to achieve proper fit and function.

Friction stir spot welding has many advantages compared with riveting or resistance spot welding.

Traditionally, it has taken months or even years to get equipment to astronauts up in space, depending on the launch re-supply schedule. Zero-gravity 3D printing, however, may soon completely eliminate the need to send parts or equipment to spacecraft.

While designing the A350 XWB (extra wide body) airplane in early 2010, Airbus’ engineers proposed a revolutionary way to build the plane’s wings at the company’s plant in Broughton, UK. Specifically, they wanted the wings built horizontally rather than the traditional vertical method.

TOULOUSE, France—Airbus has invented a nondestructive, ultrasonic tool for inspecting the composite airframe of the A350 XWB jetliner.

MOBILE, AL—The first Airbus jet assembled in the United States has flown for the first time. The A321, destined for JetBlue, took off from the Mobile Aeroplex March 21 at 9:36 a.m., performed its test sequences, and landed safely at 1:02 p.m.

TOULOUSE, France—Airbus is expanding its use of Ubisense RFID systems at its A350 final assembly line here.

Rapid change has become the norm in today’s marketplace. With it comes even greater pressure for new technologies to accommodate manufacturing needs to fulfill the consumer demand now and in the future.