Roy, R. and James-Moore, Mike (2010) Lean product introduction. In: Shyy, Wei and Blockley, Richard, (eds.) Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering. Hoboken, NJ, U.S.A.: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. ISBN 9780470686652

Abstract

This chapter discusses the challenges faced by the aerospace industry and the feasibility of applying lean principles, complexity management, and design for manufacture in the sector. It draws on work carried out as part of the UK Lean Aerospace Initiative Research Program, which ran in parallel to a similar US program based at MIT, and research at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) for the premium automotive industry. It considers the new product introduction process, lean engineering metrics, and design for manufacture across an enterprise and suggests some approaches which can help in meeting the challenges. The chapter also considers the role of manufacturing in the aerospace industry and whether it is given sufficient importance. It concludes that the application of lean principles in business areas outside the traditional production processes, as well as design for manufacture and complexity management, can have very significant benefits but that much still need to be learnt regarding their effective application. It also concludes that a more dominant role for manufacturing should be considered at the design stage, and that the process of transfer from design to manufacture is immature in the sector.

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