MHI completes expansion of aircraft production facility at Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has completed facility expansion at the Aircraft Shop of the Yamatomachi Plant of its Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, in preparation for production increase of composite wing boxes for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. MHI expanded the facility in response to Boeing’s plan to increase the 787’s production rate from the current 10 airplanes per month to 14 by the end of the decade. The expansion at the Shimonoseki facility will enable to increase production capacity of stringers, reinforcement structures integrated into the wing boxes, which have been produced at the Aircraft Shop since 2006. For increased stringer production, production machinery will go into operation sequentially: including an autoclave for curing and shape-forming the layered composite prepregs under high temperature and high pressure, and cutting machines for machining of components. MHI has undertaken production of composite wing boxes for the 787 Dreamliner since the program was launched. Delivery of the first unit took place in May 2007.