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Modern aircraft design faces stringent operational, environmental, and financial challenges. A massive paradigm shift is being noticed on how complex systems are designed and how to avoid design flaws like in the case of the latest Boeing 737 Max. In this article, we will discuss the flow of a modern aircraft design cycle and instances where using the services of a prototype manufacturer for scaled testing can save the day. https://lnkd.in/gGFrnqZm

Rising to the challenge. Aerospace Manufacturing hears how a turned parts subcontractor is raising its production efficiency with technology from Citizen Machinery UK. To learn more, read our July Farnborough International Airshow edition - on desks now! #cncmachining #slidinghead #aerospace #subcontracting

Precision EDM: The Perfect Fit for GKN Aerospace, Powered by Sodick Machines Our Swedish dealer, Auran Industries AB, has forged a strong partnership with GKN Aerospace aimed at developing sustainable material solutions for aircraft engines. As part of its strategic investments in Additive Manufacturing, GKN Aerospace has procured a #Sodick ALC800GH wire-cut machine to enhance its capabilities in cutting printed materials. With its impressive working range, the ALC800GH sets new standards in wire #EDM capabilities, empowering GKN Aerospace to achieve unparalleled manufacturing precision.   Roger Jansson, Managing Director of Auran Industries AB, highlighted the significance of this order for GKN Aerospace, emphasising the machine's capabilities. He noted that the ALC800GH is one of the largest wire sparks available, with a working range of X-800 x Y-600 x Z-800 mm, capable of handling workpieces up to L 1500 x W 1040 x H 800 mm. Roger further emphasised the machine's ability to process large workpieces, perfectly aligning with GKN Aerospace's vision for innovation and efficiency. To learn more about this exciting development, read the full article here ⬇ https://lnkd.in/e5Uvnj-G Sodi-Tech EDM #precisionengineering #aerospace #sustainability #edm #wirecut

Boeing, you need an #engineer as #CEO!! Stop #outsourcing your „troubles” and focus on #lean #manufacturing instead! 🛫🚀🫶💜🦾 “Somewhere along the line, the plane maker lost interest in making its own planes.” “The door’s restraining bolts had either been screwed in wrong, or not at all. Boeing couldn’t say, because, as it told astonished regulators, the company had “no records of the work being performed.”” “Meanwhile the tail, landing gear, flight controls, and other essentials were outsourced to factories around the world owned by others, and shipped to Boeing for final assembly, turning the company that created the Jet Age into something akin to a glorified gluer-together of precast model-airplane kits.” “The allures of this “capital light” approach were many: Troublesome unions, costly machine shops, and development budgets would all become someone else’s problem. Key financial metrics would instantly improve as costs shifted to other firms’ balance sheets. With its emphasis on less, the approach bore a superficial resemblance to lean production. But where lean production pushed know-how back onto the shop floor, this pushed the shop floor and its know-how out the door altogether.” “A plane is a complex system in which the malfunction of one piece can produce catastrophic failure of the whole. Assembly must be tightly choreographed. But now—especially with Boeing continually trying to wring costs from its suppliers—there were many more chances for errors to creep in.” “Boeing’s chief financial officer recently admitted that the company got “a little too far ahead of itself on the topic of outsourcing.”” “As for the rest of corporate America, one of the strongest signals may be coming from the company Boeing has striven so hard to emulate: GE. Under operations-minded boss Larry Culp, the company is finally—only 40 or so years late—pushing itself through a crash course in lean manufacturing. It is belatedly yielding to the reality that workers on the gemba are far better at figuring out more efficient ways of making things than remote bureaucrats with spreadsheet abstractions.”

An Inside Look at 𝗕𝗼𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟳𝟴𝟳 Composite Fuselage Manufacturing👀 The Boeing 787 makes greater use of composite materials in its airframe and primary structure than any previous Boeing commercial airplane. ✈️ In January 2005, Boeing completed the first full-scale composite one-piece fuselage section for its 787 Dreamliner program, demonstrating concepts for 787 production that began in 2006. The structure, 22-feet (7-meters) long and nearly 19-feet (6-meters) wide, was the 787's first major development piece. Undertaking the design process without preconceived ideas enabled Boeing engineers to specify the optimum material for specific applications throughout the airframe. The result is an airframe comprising nearly half carbon fiber reinforced plastic and other composites with each aircraft containing approximately 32,000 kg of CFRP composites.This approach offers weight savings on average of 20 percent compared to more conventional aluminum designs. Selecting the optimum material for a specific application meant analyzing every area of the airframe to determine the best material, given the operating environment and loads that a component experiences over the life of the airframe. For example, aluminum is sensitive to tension loads but handles compression very well. On the other hand, composites are not as efficient in dealing with compression loads but are excellent at handling tension. The expanded use of composites, especially in the highly tension-loaded environment of the fuselage, greatly reduces maintenance due to fatigue when compared with an aluminum structure. Curious to learn more about composites' role in aerospace industry? Follow us! Source: Aviation: Benefits Beyond Borders #boeing #fuselage #composites #manufacturing #dreamliner #CFRP #airframe #carbonfiber #composights

Liebherr and Airbus achieve Additive Manufacturing Milestone with EASA-Approved Flex Shaft. This complex titanium component will now enter serial production for Airbus, marking a pivotal advancement in aerospace manufacturing. The flex shaft is designed for the Airbus A350 high lift system, where it will be integrated into the active differential gearbox of the flap system. It transmits rotary movement to a position sensor, compensating for angular and axial misalignments between the gearbox and the sensor. Stay ahead in the world of Additive Manufacturing! Click the 🔔 on my #LinkedIn profile to stay updated with the latest insights, trends, and developments in the realm of #3dprinting and #additivemanufacturing. Don't miss out on valuable content - join the community by following AM Chronicle today! Liebherr Aérospace Toulouse | Liebherr Aerospace and Transportation #Aerospace #Aviation #Airbus #Liebherr #EASA #Titanium #AerospaceEngineering #ManufacturingInnovation #AdvancedManufacturing #3DPrintedParts #Innovation #Engineering #Technology

European aeronautical engineering goes from strength to strength. Featured companies in this new documentary include Daher-Socata, Airbus, Michelin and many more. From what I hear, everybody has full order books for the foreseeable future and business is better than ever!

Manufacturing process of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft used by SCAT Airlines. While I don't have specific details about SCAT Airlines' procurement process, I can share some general information about how the Boeing 737 MAX is typically manufactured. The manufacturing process for the Boeing 737 MAX involves several key stages: 1. **Design and Engineering**: Boeing's engineers design the aircraft, including its structure, systems, and aerodynamics, using advanced software and simulations. 2. **Component Fabrication**: Various components of the aircraft, such as the fuselage, wings, tail, and landing gear, are manufactured by different suppliers around the world. These components are then shipped to Boeing's assembly facilities. 3. **Assembly**: The final assembly of the 737 MAX takes place at Boeing's assembly lines, such as the Renton Factory in Washington, USA. Here, skilled workers assemble the major sections of the aircraft, including joining the fuselage sections, attaching wings and tail, installing systems, and fitting interiors. 4. **Testing and Quality Assurance**: Each aircraft undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets safety and performance standards. This includes ground tests and test flights to check systems, engines, and overall performance. 5. **Certification and Delivery**: Once the aircraft successfully completes testing and regulatory certification processes, it is delivered to the customer, such as SCAT Airlines, ready for commercial operation. SCAT Airlines, like other airlines, would typically order Boeing 737 MAX aircraft directly from Boeing or through leasing companies. The specific process for acquiring these planes would involve negotiations, financing arrangements, and delivery scheduling. For detailed information about SCAT Airlines' specific acquisition process for the 737 MAX, including any modifications or customizations they require, you would need to refer to their procurement and operations departments or official statements from Boeing regarding their manufacturing and delivery process. #manufacturing #airline #engineering #Max737 #SCAT #aircraft #technology #boing #skills #virals #trending #design #best

Since the very first use of the #technology in the 1989s, there has been an increasing shift in how #aerospace parts are conceptualized, designed and produced. If design and manufacturing are two different aspects of a part production; one cannot truly work without the other. They reinforce each other to generate the biggest impact and it’s important to see how they evolve with the current advancements of the technologies. That’s what we aimed to achieve in the dossier below 👇 with contributions from GKN Aerospace’s Sébastien Aknouche & Materialise’s Erik de Zeeuw. #aerospace #additivemanufacturing #design #production #tbt https://lnkd.in/eCJff2YV

Visitors to the AERALIS stand at DIMDEX in Doha in March were able to get up close to a full-scale model of the AERSYSTEM Common Core Fuselage (CCF). We caught up with Kane Marshall, AERALIS Assembly Director, to get some insights on the build project.   Q: What was your role in producing the model? “I oversaw the project from selecting our manufacturing partner, EDM, through to the logistics of getting the model safely to Doha in time for the show.”   Q: Why was the model commissioned? “Firstly, when demonstrating a wholly new concept – and I mean not just a new aircraft, but a modular aircraft system – nothing comes close to the immediacy you get from getting up close to, and sitting inside, a physical representation.   “Secondly, the last time we produced full scale replicas of the aircraft, the design was very different. That was two years ago for the 2022 DIMDEX show. In less than 18 months, enabled by digital engineering, we made significant changes to the aircraft design, improving performance and module interchange. It was important that we showed the progress and maturity of our engineering, and the model played an important part in telling that story.”   Q: Is the model an exact replica of Phoenix – the first flight test aircraft? “The model is accurate in terms of what we call the Outer Mold Line – the outer shape of the aircraft. Structural elements of the concept, including the ‘ladderback’, engine seal-plate and wingbox are also accurate, which is significant because of course, they are instrumental in enabling the modular concept; they are the key interfaces between the CCF and aft modules, including empennage, engine and nacelles.”   Q: And the underlying structure? “Time constraints prevented us from being as detailed as we would have liked, the design and engineering of the CCF is very mature and we would have liked to demonstrate more. But we had to focus on what would deliver maximum impact in the time available.”   Q: How about the construction – was that similar to how Phoenix will be built? “In many respects, yes. The first models were produced in carbon fibre. This time it’s an all-metal construction with outer panels fabricated in the same way as they would be for the real thing.   Q: And how was the model received? “It was the centrepiece of our stand at DIMDEX and helped to transcend language barriers, attracting and engaging visitors from around the world to learn more about the AERALIS programme. Guests could take a seat in the cockpit and really get a sense of how far AERALIS has come in delivering our unique concept.”   Q: Will people in the UK get to see the model at some point? “We certainly hope so. It’s currently on its way back from Qatar to take up residence at our HQ in Bristol, but we hope we will be able to exhibit it at some point in the UK. It’s a hugely impactful way of introducing the AERALIS proposition, not only to defence stakeholders but also for young and future generations of aerospace engineers.”