The demand to produce aircraft structures with new materials, at acceptable investment levels, without restricting product quality or equipment reliability prompts suppliers and customers to think about new concepts for production processes.
The manufacturing system in this paper, for a Fixed Trailing Edge Assembly Facility, combines traditional manual manufacturing processes with highly automated machinery. The introduction of a flow process, with moveable assembly jigs, enables high production rates with optimized operating times of the equipment. The system also provides the flexibility to handle different aircraft variants.
This paper is intended to focus on the main aspects of the state of the art technology of the manufacturing system and shall explain the integration of such a system from the design phase to the operational launch in an actual aircraft program.