A new book from SAE International focuses on automating the process of drilling and countersinking holes during airframe manufacturing. Since this is an area of major return-on-investment potential for airframe producers, the book (“Automated/Mechanized Drilling and Countersinking of Airframes”) provides a stepped approach for evaluating possible areas for applying automation and a detailed description of the process for choosing, acquiring, and transitioning the right machinery for success. It also provides a vision for a 10- to 15-year future state of airframe manufacture. Authored by George N. Bullen, President and CEO of Smart Blades Inc. and founder of the International Aerospace Automation Consortium, the book will help readers understand the evolution of automated/mechanized drilling and countersinking airframes, evaluate the feasibility of applying automation/mechanization to any airframe, and learn the necessary processes for testing and transitioning machinery to production.