The aerospace and defense industry operates in highly regulated manufacturing environments where zero mistakes are tolerated during production. Yet, it remains a traditionally conservative sector, often slow to adopt digital solutions and still reliant on paper-based processes.
Manufacturing in sectors such as aerospace and defense faces unique challenges that set it apart from other industries. Production processes must balance flexibility with absolute precision, as products are often highly customized, built in small volumes, and subject to the most stringent quality and safety standards. In this environment, even the smallest deviation can have serious consequences, driving the need for flawless execution, traceability, and continuous process control.
In today’s complex world of large aircraft manufacturing - where millions of components come together - the risk of error is ever-present. To combat this, aviation OEMs are focused on improving efficiency by reducing human error at every stage of production. Our Operator Guidance platform helps airplane manufacturers and their suppliers to boost efficiency and eliminate human error by empowering operators, ensuring full process traceability, and managing high complexity with smart, guided instructions.
In the aerospace industry, many manual tightening tools and click wrenches are still commonly used. However, these tools come with inherent risks, as they do not provide torque or angle data-significantly increasing the chance of bolts being improperly tightened.
CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT
Spirit’s Project LEAD uses our Operator Guidance System to showcase how off-the-shelf technologies can be integrated into a next-generation smart assembly environment. The system connects smart tools, digital and augmented reality (AR) work instructions, and manufacturing controls to enhance efficiency and precision.
As operators work, the LEAD Cell responds in real time, tracking parts, monitoring utilities, controlling legacy tools, and capturing detailed process data. This connected system enables in-process validation, improves repeatability, and delivers high-resolution manufacturing insights, driving the future of digital, data-driven production.
