Engine production system in the US defense aircraft industry

Abstract

A study was conducted, under the auspices of the Lean Aerospace Initiative, to determine the causes of increment in the production throughput time of engines in the US defense aircraft industry. Three sites were included. The study was based on data gathered through interviews and review of engine build records at the sites. Besides engine characteristics, specifications and applications, emphasis was put on collecting data related to engine build spans, records of perturbations, factory floor layouts, and part flow paths. Particular attention was paid to the production scheduling systems used at the sites. Supply chain management and worker training and cross-training were also covered. Finally, a comparison was made between the policies implemented at the sites and the enabling practices of the Lean Enterprise Model Results show how one of the studied sites achieves much better performance in terms of reduced build span variability and schedule conformance. Future improvement for the industry is also suggested.