aircraft

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan has completed the expansion of its aircraft production facility at Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works of Yamatomachi Plant, in the Yamaguchi prefecture.

Expansion at the aircraft shop has been carried out to increase production of composite wings boxes for Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The work is intended to support Boeing’s plan of increasing production of 787 Dreamliners from ten airplanes a month to 14 by the end of the decade.

It will also enable the facility to increase production capacity of stringers, reinforcement structures integrated into the wing boxes.

"Work is intended to support Boeing’s plan of increasing production of 787 Dreamliners from ten airplanes a month to 14 by the end of the decade."

In order to increase stringer output, production machinery will go into operation in phases, including an autoclave for curing and shape-formatting the layered composite prepregs under high temperature and pressure, and cutting machines for making components.

MHI transports the stringers manufactured at the aircraft shop of the Oye plant of the company’s Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works in the Aichi prefecture, where the wing boxes are being assembled and shipped to Boeing.

Currently, the Oye plant is undergoing preparations for increasing its production capacity.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner developed by American aircraft manufacturer.

The fuel-efficient 787 Dreamliner is offered with a seat configuration of between 242 to 335 in three seating arrangements. It uses composite material for construction of airframes.

Image: Boeing 787 Dreamliner long-range plane. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.