Aircraft Maintenance Technology

JAN-FEB 2017

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY well as potential new entrants from the far East that could transform the market in decades to come. GETTING THE PRODUCTION LINE UP TO SPEED – BUT FOR HOW LONG? When it comes to the aerospace manufacturing supply chain, production ramp-up is the No. 1 priority. Capacity is already stretched and suppliers are struggling to keep pace with the surge, resulting in billions of dollars' worth of inventory sitting in the parking bays. This has already played out in dramatic fashion in the interiors market, with serious output delays being reported by a major OEM. But this is indicative of the pressures felt across the wider supply chain. AIRBUS A380 at the 2016 Farnborough Airshow. RONALD DONNER With lucrative contracts at stake, suppliers cannot afford to let the slightest defect impact their reputation and bottom line, and the cost of missed deadlines is incredibly high. Pressure is on OEMs to deliver vast amounts of product in very short time spans, to perfection; and efficiencies along the supply chain must be gained if this is to be achieved. Much of this demand is being driven out of Asia, especially China and India and this is set to continue for at least the next 18 to 24 months, when production rates are likely to stabilize. With this in mind, OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are focusing on harnessing efficiencies through operational readiness, supplier management/ quality, and zero defect production. However, this sprint for increased production, needs to be complemented with a longer-term view, in the knowledge that the abun- dance of orders is not an indefinite state of affairs. The supply chain is also under pressure to make these effi- ciencies while finding ways to reduce costs. By focusing on optimizing production processes the supply chain can achieve both in a sustainable manner, particularly when drawing on the benefits of automation as they become more established. Zero defect manufacturing is certainly one popular answer here. With lucrative contracts at stake, suppli- ers cannot afford to let the slightest defect impact their reputation and bottom line, and the cost of missed deadlines is incredibly high. At low volumes, defects can be managed, but when demand for aircraft is so high, this becomes unsustainable. On top of this, there are also stringent safety requirements and exacting standards that have to be met for each flight. Pressure is therefore on OEMs to deliver vast amounts of product in very short time spans, to perfection; and efficien- cies along the supply chain must be gained if this is to be achieved. Though there is an initial upfront investment to cor- rect defunct processes and get them to the optimal stage of production, the long-term benefits are significant. Due to the fact that fewer design iterations are needed, significant time savings can be gained, meaning the product lifecycle is reduced and components get to market quicker. Alongside this, as OEMs look to capture a greater percentage of the profits in the production line, we will also see more risk sharing partnerships, giving the supply chain further incentive to deliver under these difficult conditions. PRINTING AT A SPRINT — THE TECHNOL- OGY TRANSFORMING AEROSPACE MANU- FACTURING The words on the supply chain's lips are "production rate, production rate, production rate." But increasing the volume without compromising the quality is the biggest challenge and OEMs are turning to the latest technologies in their pursuit of this zero defect nirvana. One of the most impactful, technological advances is additive manufacturing (AM). The demand for addi-

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