HUNTSVILLE, AL—Raytheon Co. has revolutionized missile manufacturing at its sprawling, classified factory here, where automated transporters ferry missile parts to gleaming assembly stations, and even tuck themselves away for charging when their batteries run low.
NOVI, MI—Airbus Group Innovation and EOS recently conducted a test that pitted rapid investment casting against direct metal laser sintering. Engineers examined an Airbus A320 nacelle hinge bracket, focusing on its overall lifecycle. The testing will serve as the basis for an ongoing cradle-to-grave study into other aerospace parts and production processes.
REDDITCH, UK—GKN Aerospace has begun a project that aims to automate the assembly of aircraft structures with the goal of creating high-quality wing structures 30 percent faster than is possible today.
EVERETT, WA—Boeing will build a new factory here to make wings for its 777X wide body jet, assuring more than a decade of work on advanced composite materials for thousands of Snohomish County workers. The facility will be adjacent to the final assembly line for the jet.
SEATTLE—Since late last year, Boeing 787 Dreamliner fuselage sections from North Charleston, SC, have arrived at the final assembly line in Everett, WA, seriously incomplete with wiring and hydraulics lines missing, according to multiple sources in the factory.
STERLING HEIGHTS, MI—Boeing Corp. and KUKA Systems are hosting a day-long summit Feb. 6 to help aerospace suppliers find their niche in the supply chains of the two companies. KUKA and Boeing have identified more than 50 procurement needs for which they would like to find suppliers.
Last month, I fulfilled a boyhood dream and visited Tanzania on safari. It was unforgettable, but I must say, there is nothing like visiting another country to make you appreciate home.
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