Digitalization in Aerospace Traverses Knotty Issues

The aerospace industry is hip-deep into the process of digitalization. ABI Research forecasts that aerospace manufacturers will spend $53.8 billion on digital technologies in 2034, up from $30 billion in 2022. We checked in with TeamViewer to get a view of the digitalization efforts made by airlines and aerospace manufacturers. TeamViewer’s software helps companies digitalize their business-critical processes and provides remote connectivity and support solutions.

TeamViewer sees aerospace as a sector with particularly difficult digitalization challenges. “Aerospace manufacturing and aviation in general suffer from insufficient digitalization,” said a TeamViewer representative. “The reliance on manual processes and human labor comes at the cost of operational efficiency, quality, and safety standards.”

In a highly competitive, high-cost industry like aerospace, even the smallest error can have a detrimental impact. Accuracy is a top priority, especially when it comes to crucial assembly and inspection routines. Yet at the same time, the industry’s reliance on manual processes can have a negative impact on operational efficiency.

TeamViewer’s Frontline software was designed to help companies manage the transformation to digital processes. Frontline is an enterprise productivity platform with integrated augmented reality (AR). Clients use wearable computing technology to streamline manual work processes.

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We caught up with Georg Beyschlag, president of TeamViewer Americas Region, to get his take on the digitalization issues facing the aerospace industry.

Explain how frontline operations and production suffer from insufficient digitalization.

Georg Beyschlag: Unlike other industries where trial and error in digitalization projects can happen relatively inexpensively, the aerospace industry has never been afforded this luxury. Even the smallest errors can have far reaching and costly consequences, making aerospace manufacturers wary of transformative changes. However, the industry’s heavy reliance on manual processes and human labor can have a negative impact on goals like operational efficiency, product quality and safety standards.

Explain why accuracy is a top priority when it comes to crucial assembly and inspection routines.

Beyschlag: Accuracy in assembly and inspection is particularly critical in the aerospace industry given passenger and worker safety are both on the line. And with that, come highly regulated standards that must be met before any plane is given the okay to take off.

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As a result, many airlines are hyper focused on inspection to keep passengers safe and avoid Aircraft On the Ground (AOG) incidents, which most commonly occur as a result of issues with inspections, accuracy and traceability. As AOG events often manifest into delays and cancellations that bring passengers angst and result in negative news headlines, finding ways for seamless assembly and inspection routines is critical. Even seemingly small improvements to inspections of a borescope - the instrument that inspects small areas of a plane - can avoid AOG.

Explain how TeamViewer is helping airlines and major aerospace manufacturers like Airbus Helicopters Inc. with TeamViewer Frontline.

Beyschlag: TeamViewer Frontline is a workflow solution that brings augmented reality (AR) to a workforce, showing each team member the when, where, and how of every task. From assembling parts or inspecting machines with precision, to solving problems with real-time expert input, the solution turns work into a visually intuitive and collaborative experience.

With 29% of the airline industry’s workforce over the age of 55, retirements are projected to create a gap of 3.5 million workers by 2026. This, coupled with the industry being behind in digitalization, creates many challenges for the transfer of knowledge to new workers.

Frontline’s 3D models and guided training workflows help aerospace leaders overcome this challenge by providing real-time data, knowledge transfer and the scalability needed to unify workers and processes.

Airbus Helicopters Inc., located in Dallas, Texas, is a great example of a company that improved its workflow significantly with the TeamViewer Frontline solution alongside RealWear head mounted devices.

Tasked with maintaining Airbus’ gearboxes, workers were struggling with the detailed process that involved taking pictures, uploading images and documenting each step for the 300 parts included in every gearbox. By using Frontline and RealWear they improved work quality and slashed gearbox inspection times by 40 percent.

In another example, a major North American airline was experiencing significant communication issues during routine maintenance because technicians had to leave the aircraft to communicate the problems they were experiencing, which ultimately led to flight delays.

By introducing Frontline, the airline was able to connect hangar floor technicians with engineers in remote locations via a live feed that allowed for real-time guidance on repairs. The solution both streamlined communication and allowed technicians to work hands-free, improving efficiency and accuracy in addressing technical issues.

How do workers use AR with 3D models to lower aircraft on ground (AOG) time?

Beyschlag: With fairly regular news headlines detailing flight delays for one airline or another, it may not be surprising to hear that AOG can cost airlines roughly $30,000 per hour.

AR and 3D technology can reduce the rate of human error that causes AOG by better equipping technicians with the information they need, when they need it, to properly inspect airplanes and quickly resolve any issues that arise. For airlines, this can then lead to reduced AOG, money saved and more satisfied customers.