Boeing completes first ever full digital manufacturing simulation roll-out on Dreamliner

And we’re not just talking about a simple animation of the completed plane: this was a virtual simulation and validation of the entire manufacturing process. Software provider Dassault Systèmes claims it’s the beginning of a new era in aerospace engineering, production planning and assembly simulation. It shows how accurate, intuitive 3D models can be the primary means for communicating design and production planning information throughout a development and production programme. And the payback: 3D-based simulations of production enabled Boeing and its partners to optimise the Dreamliner production system and avoid costly late-stage errors that invariably arise with untested designs and production planning. “A breakthrough programme like the 787 Dreamliner needed to lead the way in performance, quality, cost and schedule, supported by efficient and flexible production planning,” says Kevin Fowler, Boeing’s 787 vice president of Process Integration. “3D PLM has the right capabilities to support these requirements.” And he adds: “The 787 program uses new materials and technology in the production process. These new requirements for the production process required a new type of process and computing design technology backbone that didn’t exist before we started working with Dassault Systèmes three years ago.” The 787 Dreamliner program is the first to use 3D models and simulation on a project of this scale and complexity, all the way from inception to production and ongoing support. Boeing’s planning and layout of production lines, using 3D models of parts and assembly tooling, dramatically reduced rework. Boeing says its digital manufacturing environment created a communication feedback loop between 787 design and manufacturing engineers, irrespective of their location – cutting the risk of committing to a design change only to discover it cannot be manufactured, or that it requires costly changes to other components.