+100K
Employees globally
Accelerating Aircraft Assembly Line Capacity through Hands-on Operational Optimization
A leading aerospace manufacturer faced intense pressure to increase monthly production without major capital investment. Together, EFESO and the in-house team implemented operational optimization across manufacturing engineering, product design and shop floor execution. This collaboration unlocked new efficiencies, enabling sustainable rate increases while controlling costs.
Industry: Aerospace & Defense
Service: Manufacturing
Service: Operations Strategy and Transformation
Our Client
A leading aerospace manufacturer employing over 100,000 people globally, specializing in the design and manufacture of high-complexity aircraft sections. The site involved in this study is a large-scale, high-mix, high-volume factory responsible for assembling the central fuselage sections of commercial aircraft.
15
Pulse line stations
20
Total assembly cycles
The Challenge
The client was facing intensified demand, requiring an increase in monthly production rates from 54 to 63 aircraft—and potentially higher in future ramp-ups.
The existing pulse line assembly system was already struggling to sustain a 5-hour takt time at the current rate of 54.
The goal was to unlock new efficiencies across manufacturing engineering, product design and shop floor execution, enabling a sustainable rate increase while controlling costs and supporting business continuity.
Real Results Achieved Together
The operational transformation enabled a fundamental shift in production capacity through systematic bottleneck elimination and workload optimization. Working alongside client teams, we delivered sustainable improvements across the entire pulse line system.
+17%
Output increase possibility identified
4.2hrs
Achievable takt time at rate 63
+18%
Potential overtime reduction
Transformation Impact
- Identified clear pathway from rate 54 to rate 63 with quality maintained
- Developed scenarios for achieving rate 80 without new pulse line investment
- Improved workload balancing for smoother operational flow and better resource utilization
Our Approach
Our approach combined immersive shop floor engagement with systematic optimization across three levels.
- We began with an intensive on-the-ground presence, shadowing takt meetings and collaborating daily with operators, supervisors and coordinators to surface real operational obstacles.
- Through detailed pulse line activity mapping and visual bottleneck analysis, we captured true cycle times and identified cascading constraints.
- We implemented local routing adjustments to harmonize workload distribution between assembly stages, while simulating shift patterns and industrial calendar modifications.
Working with engineering teams, we optimized the bill of work and routing without product changes, then facilitated product re-engineering workshops for modular, manufacturable sub-assemblies.
Throughout, we maintained a transparent dialogue with HR, unions, and leadership while coaching supervisors in visual management and data-driven performance reviews.
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Facing Similar Aerospace Production Challenges?
• Struggling to meet increased demand without major capital investment in new lines
• Seeking to unlock hidden capacity through operational excellence and workload optimization
• Ready to transform your assembly operations through hands-on collaboration and proven methodologies
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