employees perform fabrication work, these new machines are changing the look of Boeing factories. Instead of huge, fixed-location “monument” tools, many of the automated machines are smaller and easier to move as production priorities change over time. It will take some adjustment and new skills for those who work on Fabrication’s production programs, but many are looking forward to the change. At the Composites Manufacturing Center in Frederickson, Michael Luce, a Fabrication mechanic for the past 19 years who is now working on the New Assembly Process, said the mechanics’ expertise in building the 777 and 787 empennage parts will help them as they program and run the automated machinery. “There will be a learning curve, but I’m excited,” Luce said. Working with the automated tools should bring more variety in addition to being less physically demanding, he added. The site’s mechanics gave advice on the design of the new machinery to make it as user-friendly as possible. Ballard, the equipment engineer who is leading the facility’s switch to robotic drilling, said the project has convinced her that advanced manufacturing technology could make other tasks in Fabrication and elsewhere easier and less hazardous. “It’s been a great learning experience for me,” she said. “There’s definitely a lot of technology I’ve seen along the way that can be used in other areas of the building.” Rubadue, the Advanced Manufacturing leader for Fabrication, said more tools will be introduced in the years ahead. As more Fabrication operations make that transition to advanced technology, others within Boeing can learn from their experiences in how to best use new technology and processes, he said. “We’re lucky. We’re in an industry that’s progressing, and we can control our destiny ahead,” Rubadue said. “Automation is just one of the tools we can use.” n eric.c.fetters-walp@boeing.com Photo: Mac “Duke” Maravel, background, a tool- and die-maker with Auburn (Wash.) Tooling Services, helps position a superplastic forming die for cleaning by a robotic laser ablation tool (rear). Bob Gleim, numerical control programmer, checks settings on the tool’s control panel. 24 Boeing Frontiers
Frontiers October 2015 Issue
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