Aerospace Assembly

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San Diego has one of the richest aerospace heritages of any city in America. Ryan Aeronautical Co. built Charles Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis” aircraft in the mid-1920s. During World War II, Consolidated Aircraft Corp. mass-produced planes such as the B-24 Liberator and the PBY Catalina.

CHICAGO—Delta Air Lines Inc. is ordering 100 737 Max 10 airplanes, the largest of the line produced by Boeing, potentially giving the manufacturer additional momentum after a troubled rollout of its most advanced aircraft.

HUNTSVILLE, AL—Aerobotix and Automated Solutions Australia (ASA) are partnering to develop, test and manufacture hypersonic missiles. The partnership follows the 2021 signing of the AUKUS security pact between the U.S., U.K. and Australian governments, which includes provisions for the allies to work together on hypersonic and counter-hypersonic weapons.

What is the origin of life on Earth? Is there life on other planets? These age-old questions may finally be answered when NASA’s Europa Clipper conducts 44 flybys of Europa, Jupiter’s fourth largest moon, beginning in April 2030.

Most manufacturers agree that digital transformation is necessary to remain competitive today and thrive tomorrow. Many large companies have already begun initiatives. But, when asked to quantify the impact of those initiatives on the bottom line, they often come up short.

TORRINGTON, CT—NASA has listed light-curable conformal coating 9771 from Dymax Corp. on its Materials and Processes Technical Information System (MAPTIS).

On an assembly line, a fastening tool is typically set up to install specific fasteners at a specific workstation. While an assembler might be tempted to use that tool to help a colleague down the line, such good intentions could actually lead to fastening errors. To keep that from happening, several companies have developed a variety of ways to ensure that fastening tools stay put.

CINCINNATI—The United States Air Force and GE have begun the third phase of their ‘Pacer Edge’ pathfinder research at GE Additive‘s
facility here, which is focused on 3D printing four parts that are currently obsolete.

A common misconception about big equipment is that it can’t be environmentally friendly. The gas turbine engine proves otherwise. It converts natural gas or other liquid fuels into mechanical energy, which is then used to drive a generator that produces electrical energy. 

Supply chain delays continue to plague manufacturing, leaving companies with limited options to overcome the problem. The two most common approaches are to either diversify into multiple markets or improve one’s product quality and service.