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The demand of fulfilling continually increasing customer requirements forces suppliers to always improve their system solutions to be state of the art. The subject Project Management Approach explains the planning and realization of complete Integrated Assembly Lines for Aircraft structural parts and components. The paper will describe and focus on the main aspects of the state of the art technology in automated fastening, drilling and assembly processes to meet the required customer production and reporting criteria. Furthermore the paper will present existing production examples in support of the established project management process.

The demand to produce aircraft structures with new materials, at acceptable investment levels, without restricting product quality or equipment reliability prompts suppliers and customers to think about new concepts for production processes. The manufacturing system in this paper, for a Fixed Trailing Edge Assembly Facility, combines traditional manual manufacturing processes with highly automated machinery. The introduction of a flow process, with moveable assembly jigs, enables high production rates with optimized operating times of the equipment. The system also provides the flexibility to handle different aircraft variants. This paper is intended to focus on the main aspects of the state of the art technology of the manufacturing system and shall explain the integration of such a system from the design phase to the operational launch in an actual aircraft program.