Boeing Expands Its South Carolina 787 Factory

New join tool is part of plan to ramp up to ten 787s per month by the end of 2013.

The Charleston Regional Business Journal (9/5, Tomsic) reports, "Boeing South Carolina is adding on to two of its buildings as part of original site plans announced in 2009 and to increase efficiencies for its production of two Dreamliner sections built in North Charleston." The aft-body facility will expand by 267,000 square feet and the paint shape will gain an additional 66,000 square feet, according to the article. According to The Post and Courier(9/5, McDermott) Boeing is going ahead with the investment now because the plant is gearing up to make 10 aft-fuselage sections a month for delivery to the 787 final assembly plants in North Charleston and Everett, Wash.


In related news about the expansion from the American Machinist (9/10, Brooks), fabricating space will increase by 63%, the paint operation will expand by 54%, and Boeing will install a third join tool for the aft-fuselage assembly. “The tool is a fixturing device that’s used in the process of assembling two critical carbon-fiber sub-structures for the aft fuselage of the 787. Join tools make it possible to link two carbon-fiber sections that have a critical taper and form the rear of the jet, holding them in alignment as fasteners are installed.” The new join tool will be in operation by mid-2013.