Assembly in Action: Software Helps With Efficiency
One of Boeing’s core engineering technologies is airplane wings. Early in the manufacturing process of wings, two critical components are built: wing spars, which are large beams that support the bulk of the wing structure; and wing skins, which are the metal outer coverings of the wing structure. To create these parts, plates of aluminum are cut down in a milling process.
The shot peening process is one major step in manufacturing wing parts. Shot peening involves hurling streams of tiny, forged steel balls at the parts. This shapes the parts. It also improves fatigue life and prevents corrosion. An area called the forming corridor contains five large machines that perform shot peening operations. An overhead material handling system consisting of a rail network, load bars, cranes, storage locations and a transfer bridge ties the five machines together.