Composite Cells in Aircraft Manufacturing

Cell fabrication technology can reduce labor and work-in-process inventory for production runs typical in the aircraft industry. This paper develops the logic of a cell through a simple model of a cell; and, then it applies the logic to a manufacturing cell for complex composite assemblies. The composite manufacturing cell is a group of resources formed for the life of a product which has the ability to perform all linearly sequential operations required to make an assembly from beginning to end. One management unit, sometimes a single supervisor, has complete authority and responsibility within the scope of the group to produce complete assemblies. The cell concept for composite assemblies is a result of lessons learned through implementing machining cells at Sikorsky, where savings of 30 to 50% have occurred. When the composite cell is supplied with subassemblies such as fittings, wire bundles and hydraulics made in similar but separate cells, then the net result is optimized fabrication cost at each stage. This paper uses the case of the Sikorsky BLACK HAWK helicopter's external stores support system composite cell concept to show how the lessons learned from earlier cells can be applied to composite assemblies.