We recently completed a large platform that will form part of a moving assembly line for the Boeing 737. We’ve had the pleasure of building moving lines like this for Boeing since 2004.
More than meets the eye
It may look like a simple metal platform, but these moving lines require a number of components, each serving an important purpose. From flap doors and grating to hydraulics, painting and stenciling, it’s always exciting to watch the final product come together.
The majority of the platform was constructed out of aluminum, with the addition of some steel framing and fiberglass decking. Our partners at Puget Sound Coatings metalized the flap doors to ensure a safe, non-slip surface.
These moving line platforms require a long string of tools—ME, 2ME, 3ME, 4ME, and 5ME—which form a train that travels through the 737 plant as the aircraft moves from one station to the next. The train feeds the airplane with power, air and hydraulics through umbilicals.
PROJECT STAGES
Framing
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Electrical Outfitting
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Hydraulics
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Pneumatics
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Paint and stencil
“The most productive aircraft factory in the world”
In recent years, Boeing has been on a mission to increase the efficiency 737 production at its plant in Renton. Automated moving lines are a major part of this. Rather than hauling parts and tools to the aircraft, or lifting the fuselage by crane to different areas of the plant, moving lines advance the plane from one station to the next for assembly and testing.
The video below from Wired UK provides a fascinating look at the 737 assembly process. If you look closely, you can see moving line platforms, similar to the one we’ve just completed, in action.