Mitsubishi set to increase 787 wing box production

Published 7:35 am Thursday, November 17, 2011

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is set to increase production of its section of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, the company said Thursday.

Mitsubishi has added a second autoclave at its factory in Nagoya, Japan. The autoclaves are used in producing the composite wing box for Boeing’s mostly composite Dreamliner aircraft. The second autoclave is the same as the first, Mitsubishi said.

The autoclave performs curing and shape-forming of the composite-material that is layered into the shape of a wing box under high temperature and high pressure.

Mitsubishi said it has already added other machines, including water-jet cutting machines for the skin and composite-material layup equipment. The addition of the second autoclave completes what is required to increase production to the needed level.

Boeing plans to build 10 787s monthly by 2013. The company delivered its first 787 to Japan’s All Nippon Airways in September.