GE Aviation has purchased specialist tool kits from Heamar for use in the pre-production of the new Boeing 777X freight plane. These tool kits will be used to produce panels that will distribute power throughout the aircraft.
Initial production at the GE Aviation site in Cheltenham will be 100 sets per year with 900 panels in total over a minimum of 20-30 years. The two variations of the kit supplied by Heamar will be used for different stages as the panels are passed in to full production.
Heamar’s Dave Martin is pictured above with Shane Cox, lead production engineer for GE Aviation handing over the kits on the Power Panel production floor in Cheltenham.
Heamar has supplied Bahco cabinets containing IDEAL Custom Stripmasters, Astro Tool Positioners and Daniels Crimp Tools.
GE Aviation are also one of the first customers to use the new TE Connectivity Battery tool included in the kit which has replaced three hand tools.
Each kit has been colour coded with different colour foam and etching to the foam. The colour coded dot on the tool matches the colour of the foam so the user can always find where the tool comes from.
The etching on the torque tools is based on the torque they are set to. Each torque tool has the correct torque fitting adaptor relevant to the nut or bolt within the panel to stop the wrong torque being used or having to change setting.
A close up of one of the kits demonstrating the colour coded foam and etching.
“We have battled in the past to manage tool orders from multiple companies, tool presentation and calibration. Working with Heamar has enabled us to introduce a production ready solution into the pre-production cell for the ELMS3 system of the Boeing 777X,” said Shane Cox.
“By setting up these tool kits now, when the production rate comes into play, we will be able to place an order for complete tool cabinets with one part number. This saves us time, and we have a standardised tool kit that is colour coded ready for our tool calibration system we now have as best practice. This approach to ordering tooling is being looked at by the whole Cheltenham GE Campus to be introduced into all areas,” Cox explained.
For more information about our specialist tool kit solutions and to discuss your requirements please contact us.
