People are flying again. Some 55 million people boarded passenger jets in May 2021. That’s an increase of 7.5 million people from April 2021 and a staggering 47.4 million from April 2020. Aerospace OEMs and their suppliers have weathered the storm, and—thankfully—have taken a long-term view on manufacturing investments. Automation is helping them cut into their massive order backlogs. In this exclusive eBook from ASSEMBLY, you’ll learn how aerospace assemblers are applying leading-edge technologies to improve output, quality and safety.

RENTON, WA — Boeing discovered debris that mechanics left inside the wing fuel tanks of several undelivered 737 MAXs during the aircraft assembly process and has ordered inspections of all the undelivered MAXs, about 400 of which are stored at various locations

BAE Systems is in the process of building an aerospace "factory of the future" at its plant here that assembles the Typhoon fighter jet.

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.

RENTON, WA—Boeing has added a new robotic system to its 737 factory here to automate the process of drilling holes and installing bolts in wing spars.

MOBILE, AL—Broetje Automation, a supplier of automated machinery for aircraft assembly, has opened a facility here to support Airbus’ new assembly plant.

SEATTLE—Boeing has been granted a patent for a fully automated assembly system for making airplane fuselages. The system consists of six assembly cells, a feeder line, and a robot holding area.

PALMDALE, CA—Assemblers at Northrop Grumman Corp.’s plant here recently started to use an optical projection system to build the center fuselage of the F-35 Lighting II fighter jet. The facility was the recipient of ASSEMBLY’s 2013 Assembly Plant of the Year award.

SANTA ANA, CA—Ascent Aerospace has been awarded a contract to design and build the final assembly station for the Airbus Beluga XL jet. The Beluga is an A330 modified to transport large aerostructure components from Airbus supplier facilities.