Planning for Final Assembly: The Need for the Avoidance of a “Bottle‐Neck” at this Stage

A LONG chain of processes is involved in the gradual building up and combining of all the innumerable parts that go to make the complete aeroplane. It starts with the gathering together of the individual parts to form sub‐components, which are then joined in sub‐assemblies to be brought together to form main components, which are at last collected at the final‐assembly line to be merged into one whole—the aeroplane. Delay at any one of these intermediate stages will cause a hold‐up all the way back, but most serious of all is a “bottle‐neck” at the final‐assembly line. It is of the greatest importance that the time to be occupied at each of the assembly stages should be carefully planned, estimated and checked, but however smooth a flow may be provided the whole effort will be wasted if main component assemblies are to pile up waiting for space in the anal assembly shop. The more reliance that is placed, in the modern manner, on sub‐contractors and “outside” firms for production of parts, sub‐components, sub‐assemblies and, in some astances, main components, the more serious the consequences of his final hold‐up. It is a frequent cause of bewilderment to the mind to hear of men employed at the works of sub‐contractors ing “stood off” at a time when clearly the maximum possible output of completed machines is desirable. This is, of course, due ry frequently to congestion at some later stage in the process of sembling, and the later the stage at which this occurs the more widespread will be the resulting confusion and delay. If there is a stoppage in the flow along the final‐assembly line it may be that a considerable number of firms are affected and forced temporarily to stop production until the stoppage is cleared.