Whenever anyone mentions hybrid-electric vehicles today, most people automatically think of cars, buses and trucks. But, up in the sky, the technology is also getting a lot of attention from aerospace engineers. That’s because electric systems are greener, lighter, quieter and more energy-efficient than traditional alternatives.
The need to reduce vehicle weight has spawned myriad new technologies for assembling aluminum, high-strength steel and other materials. These new technologies include self-piercing rivets, flow-drilling screws and friction-stir spot welding.
WICHITA, KS—Spirit AeroSystems is spending $20 million to expand its manufacturing facility here, which makes composite subassemblies for the Boeing 787.
EVERETT, WA—Boeing’s 777X Composite Wing Center here marks a significant step toward a future in which much of an aircraft assembly plant’s work is done by automated machines and robots.
SEATTLE—Boeing is looking on the bright side after the World Trade Organization ruled that the aircraft manufacturer illegally benefitted from subsidies from Washington state. Boeing said the decision was a victory in that the WTO rejected all but one of the claims from the European Union saying the incentives were anti-competitive and unfair to rival Airbus.
LADSON, SC—Aerospace supplier Safran is spending $7 million to expand its assembly plant here. The factory makes landing gear, brake systems and wire harnesses for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Overall, 2016 has been a pretty good year for U.S. manufacturing. In every industry covered by ASSEMBLY magazine, manufacturers were investing in people, plants and equipment.
Whether a manufacturer is large or small, it’s always interested in saving money—whether it’s a large or small amount. Consider a huge company like Lockheed Martin Space Systems, and its constant need to cut costs in every aspect of a project, such as parts needed to build a satellite.