Increasing Effectiveness and Efficiency Through Innovation at Airbus’ U.S. Manufacturing Facility

Over the past several years, Acubed has been working with Airbus’ U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile to devise solutions to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the facility through our advanced digital design and manufacturing (ADAM) team as they address ramp-up, growth and new opportunities.

The U.S. Manufacturing Facility is home to the A320 and A220 Final Assembly Lines and is part of Airbus’ worldwide production network. Fully-equipped sections of aircraft are delivered to the Mobile facility via the port of Mobile, where they are assembled into the final aircraft, equipped and painted and then delivered to Airbus customers.

In Mobile, our team’s approach is to look at some of their daily operations with a set of fresh eyes, learn what it takes to complete the job and apply data and software to bring a new angle to complete the job more efficiently in ways that alleviate unnecessary, repetitive and manual workload.

At the manufacturing facility we’ve launched two key solutions:

  • PolyPoly is a digital tool that ADAM worked on to provide visibility and understanding inside of the stations across the manufacturing floor. It tracks details such as roles and their polyconfidence, which enables managers to track development and ensure they are closing any gaps within stations should they need someone else to step in and help. This keeps the factory floor moving and ensures the required skills are acquired and maintained by employees.
  • Within the supply chain, teams often face challenges knowing where freight is and ensuring they have the right components. With the Logistics Tool we launched, the facility’s supply chain teams have deeper visibility into essential details to help them plan for the long run. With predictive insight, teams have a better idea of where materials are, whether or not they will be delivered on time and analytics on critical components that can significantly impact the aircraft build.

With improved efficiencies like those supplied by our solutions, employees at the manufacturing facility are free to focus on other projects and are often inspired by experiencing a new way of thinking that leads to further innovation, which ultimately helps Airbus remain a global leader in aerospace.

Innovation truly is at the core of our work and continued success at the manufacturing facility. Through innovation, Acubed develops new ideas that inspire further creativity and plays an essential role as Airbus seeks to obtain and retain top talent. Our industry is constantly changing, and staying innovative is a major draw for the next generation of talent. Our teams work hard to turn great ideas into tangible results and encourage original thinking.

Stay connected as we continue to showcase how our ADAM team is building tools to integrate our organization's various solutions better and drive visibility and efficiency across the company into the future.

If you’re interested in joining our team and building the future of flight, apply here.

- Guillermo Jenaro Rabadan