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.

Robots and other flexible tools are now a common sight in aircraft factories.

SEATTLE—Boeing and the University of Washington are taking their collaboration to greater heights with a new campus research center where doctoral engineering students, UW professors and Boeing engineers will work side by side on projects focused on automating aircraft assembly processes.

EVERETT, WA—Kuka Aerospace plans to open a new 29,000-square-foot facility here adjacent to Boeing’s assembly plant. The facility will employ 75 people when fully operational.