Traditionally, airframe assembly has been a manual process. However, that changed more than a decade ago when Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems adopted production technology from the auto industry and unveiled an automated assembly line to mass-produce fuselages for the F-35 jet fighter.
The facility in Palmdale, CA, that houses the Integrated Assembly Line (IAL) was the recipient of the 2013 Assembly Plant of the Year award. The first-of-its kind operation pairs automated tools and robotics with a highly skilled workforce.