Innovation
… / In manufacturing

In manufacturing

An emphasis on innovation

As one of the world’s leading builders of commercial and military aircraft, Airbus has an industrial presence that spans the globe. 

Starting with its milestone A300 programme, the company has continually used innovation to leverage the skills and know-how of its network of manufacturing locations – resulting in streamlined and efficient production of the company’s full family of jetliners and military airlifters.

Around the world

Activity at Airbus’ final assembly line in Tianjin, China began during August 2008.

Airbus’ own manufacturing, production and sub-assembly of parts for Airbus aircraft are distributed among 15 sites in Europe, with jetliner final assembly lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany – complemented by an A320 Family production site in Tianjin, China. Military transport aircraft are produced by Airbus Military in Spain, with a final assembly line located in Seville and military tanker outfitting performed in Madrid.

This global “footprint” will be expanded with the company’s U.S. A320 Family final assembly line to be built in Mobile, Alabama, which is scheduled to begin producing aircraft in 2015. 

With a truly worldwide industrial presence, Airbus benefits from the inherent cultural diversity it brings, and is able to be closer to the company’s customers and suppliers – creating an efficient, proactive network for the production and support of its highly successful airliner fleet.

Better practices

The Airbus A300-600ST Super Transporter – or “Beluga” – is part of a company-developed transportation system which moves pre-assembled jetliner sections from production sites to assembly facilities.

To simplify and unify the production and design management processes, Airbus employs a series of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) organized around complete aircraft elements: fuselage and cabin; wing and pylon; aft fuselage and empennage; and aerostructures – each of which is responsible for producing finished aircraft sections for delivery to the final assembly lines.

The CoEs fall under the responsibility of Airbus’ head of operations, who is in charge of all industrial processes. This includes ensuring that the best tools, methods and processes are selected and implemented across the CoEs in order to increase efficiency and control costs.  

Also expanding Airbus manufacturing efficiency is the company-developed transportation system for airlift of the large, pre-assembled jetliner sections from their production sites to the assembly facilities.  In addition to a dedicated fleet of five A300-600ST Super Transporters – nicknamed “Beluga” – which features one of the largest cargo hold area of any civil or military aircraft in service, Airbus also uses sea/water transportation methods, including for A380 components.

Advanced materials

The A350 XWB programme reached a new industrial milestone with the successful curing of this new-generation jetliner’s largest composite fuselage panel, completed during 2011.

Airbus was the first manufacturer to make extensive use of composites and other advanced materials for producing large commercial aircraft, beginning with the A310 jetliner – which entered commercial service in 1983 equipped with a composite-based fin box. 

Composites typically are 20 per cent lighter than aluminium, and are known to be more reliable than other traditional metallic materials – leading to reduced aircraft maintenance costs and a lower number of inspections during service.  Additional benefits of composite technologies include added strength and superior durability for a longer lifespan. 

Airbus pioneered the larger-scale use of composites for aviation over the course of some three decades. For contrast, less than five per cent of the cornerstone A300A310’s total structural weight was made up of composite material during their pioneering production runs; while the percentage has significantly increased for Airbus’ 21st century flagship A380 (almost 25 per cent) and next-generation A350 XWB (more than 50 per cent). 

On Airbus Military’s A400M multi-role airlifter, its 4-meter x 7-meter cargo door is one of the world‘s largest aircraft components to use the Vacuum Assisted Process (VAP®) manufacturing for composites.  This process – patented by Airbus parent company EADS – provides multiple advantages in terms of productivity, component complexity, and factory environmental conditions.

A lean approach

At Airbus sites around the world, the application of lean manufacturing activity – which focuses on achieving the highest throughput with the least inventory – has shortened lead-times and improved efficiency of products and processes. On a larger scale, this approach also has led to standardization of parts and components, and has eased the definition of structure and system interfaces. 

Airbus also has a long experience with CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing) techniques, and has developed a host of tools using digital mock-up and e-technology.