Iddan, France — A quiet technological revolution is taking place at a small factory on the outskirts of a rural town in central France, in a small factory on an industrial estate outside a rural town in central France, famous for producing commercial airplane seats in Balzac’s novels. increase.
Safran Seats France, formerly known as Zodiac Aerospace, is the heir to the business formerly known as Sicma Aero Seat, whose history is one of the largest consolidation ever. As part of Saffron, part of France’s CAC 40 index, the seating business, alongside previous Zodiac acquisitions in the US and UK, has transformed what historically has largely resembled a bespoke or cottage industry into the modern era. It is in the process of being adapted and updated. Especially when low volume, high complexity and high value premium seats are involved.
During a visit to Safran Seats’ Issoudun factory, the Runway Girl Network observed a lot and further discussed with various executives. One of her most striking elements was the way Safran is promoting Industry 4.0. Technologies such as virtual or augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics – developed in other areas of the business to aircraft seats.
One example is the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in seat wiring, which is especially complex in business and first class cabins.
RGN observed technicians using an AR system to assemble a wiring box that sits under the seats in business class, showing both current and target conditions. In some ways, it felt like an ultra-modern AR version of the Lego instruction manual. New pieces added to the assembly are highlighted in comparison to existing structures that have already been assembled. Only here it’s done live in 3D and the system checks if it’s done properly.
Benoit Martin-Laprade, industrial director at Safran Seats France, told RGN: “If the work is done incorrectly, the operator will not be able to finish his work.”
At that point he explains: Only then does the system validate the operation. ”
Previously, it required the time and expertise of a second technician to verify and validate the process. That means you can save a lot of time by automating much of this process. Processes and technology come from elsewhere in the Safran Group, where Martin-Laprade refers to landing gear, aircraft engines, and helicopter engines.
“These new technologies are part of the Focus 4.0 project funded by BPI in 2021. [the French public investment bank] France. The first use of these systems will begin in 2021. To date, he has just completed his phase of piloting one of the Business Sheets and plans to generalize it to other Business Sheets,” he says.
The entrance to Safran Seats’ Issoudun factory.Image: John Walton
Virtual reality is also coming.
“We are currently working on one virtual line of new products. Z200 economy seatexplains David Ballereau, industrialization project leader at Safran Seats France. “Virtual reality allows us to examine interference between the product and the assembly line. [and] Accessibility to tools during assembly. ”
Future options for applying this technology include seat shells, paints, surfaces, etc. Meanwhile, further applications of virtual reality will enable many of the company’s sites to share information, expertise and processes not only internally, but also with upstream customers such as aircraft manufacturers, airlines and MROs. . [maintenance, repair and overhaul] shops, and with both internal and external downstream suppliers.
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Featured image credited to Safran.
