Aircraft manufacturers and subcontractors must increase the pace of production to meet the rise in air traffic and the modernisation of existing fleets. Digital transformation requires the deployment of new technologies (Big Data, IoT, augmented reality, etc.) at the factory and supply chain levels to improve product quality while optimizing production costs.

Aircraft deliveries for Airbus and Boeing have been steadily increasing for several years, reaching 1600 aircraft in 2018.

Challenges:

• Increase production rates
• Control supply on all production lines
• Deploy processes, tools, methods and technologies of Industrie 4.0
• Acquire and integrate new skills (digital, data science, networks, etc.)

The aeronautics sector intends to take advantage of digital transformation to optimize its internal processes by adopting an end-to-end approach (engineering, manufacturing, maintenance, decision-making, etc.) and create new services, a source of additional revenue.

Airbus believes that it will be able to develop an aircraft twice as quickly thanks to digital continuity (with new PLM approach). Skywise, its data platform, is already used by several airlines, with more than a thousand connected aircrafts and a declared objective of 0 AOG (Aircraft on Ground).

Challenges:

• Ability to combine business knowledge and digital skills
• Structure and interconnect data sources in order to make them usable
• Succeed with the management of change in the company (scaled agile, end 2 end…)

Aircraft manufacturers are preparing the aircraft of the future, more fuel-efficient, quieter, less polluting, and smart, by privileging incremental innovation (addition of new features to the existing product) rather than the launch of a new project from A to Z.

Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 2000 program has undergone successive improvements since its introduction in 1989. The EX version in 2000 (new engine and EASy cockpit), the LX version in 2007 (winglet with 5% fuel economy), and finally the LXS version in 2014 (new slats that have reduced landing distance by 14%).

Challenges:

• Reduce the “time to market” by optimizing development schedules
• Integrate electric propulsion (hybrid propulsion, electric drive mode, etc.)
• Ensure the continuity of smart services for passengers (from the airport to the aircraft)
• Introduce new materials and new manufacturing techniques (e.g.: 3D printing)