Spirit AeroSystems : Advancements in Inventory Technology

New logistics center brings technology to the forefront

Automated systems open new doors for affordable and high-quality aviation manufacturing

Every part in aviation matters, especially when handling millions of them each year. There should be a backend system, to support the sourcing and handling of parts, throughout the manufacturing process that is just as modern, efficient and precise as the aircraft themselves. It is from this belief that the Global Digital Logistics Center was born. This aviation supply warehouse is the largest and most advanced in the world, holding 87,000 SKUs, with the capacity to move over 120,000 parts per day without skipping a beat.

Customized precisely to Spirit's needs by marrying technology and design together, the center helps Spirit create a leaner, more technically driven manufacturing process and helps free up more manufacturing capacity in its plants in Wichita. Improving the quality and efficiency to accelerate productivity, the new warehouse ensures the right part is delivered damage-free at the right place and the right time for the manufacturing line. All the while giving managers visibility into real-time accuracy with digital workflow solutions to manage part movements across the factories. After only opening in late 2020, the facility is already achieving 99.97% delivery accuracy, nearly reaching its 100% goal.

Made up of 40-foot columns of steel shelving, every inch of the warehouse has a purpose. Nothing inside of this nine-acre facility is wasted, including square footage. The entire building, from the modular walls to the aisles to the shuttle, are expandable, meaning the facility can easily grow when supply needs more space.

Over 450,000 feet of space - and three other buildings - are compacted into a seven-story, 156,000 square-foot facility. The vertical design takes advantage of an advanced, automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) that can move and manage an incredible amount of goods in a fraction of the time traditional systems require. To keep the inventory updated, the ASRS works in conjunction with an advanced warehouse control system. This state-of-the-art operation is not often seen in warehouses outside of Amazon and is a better way for aviation manufacturers to store and protect parts.

The Global Digital Logistics Center was developed with five key factors in mind.

Efficiency and Lowering Production Costs. When working with this much material, it's easy to lose or misplace parts or handle them multiple times - driving up inventory costs and negatively affecting productivity. By optimizing how we get the right part at the right time and ensuring delivery into our plants when and where the parts are needed, we can achieve the lowest cost possible. It requires everyone working together using tightly managed systems, technology and processes. The shuttle system in the center aids in the process by funneling all of Spirit's delivery points to one location. A drastic improvement from the previous, almost twenty-five different delivery points across campus. Parts can be tracked across our facilities through to delivery to the customer.

Supply Chain Improvements. With millions being spent annually on inventory, the Global Digital Logistics Center significantly increases inventory accuracy and ensures every part is handled with care from the moment Spirit's dock receives the part. As soon as the part is scanned, we know exactly where in the building it is, as well as if the part number and quantity is correct from the supplier. As the parts move throughout the facility, the ASRS weeds out redundancies and automatically updates inventory in real time. The tracking drastically improves our accuracy and ability to manage inventory. We're not overspending on parts, and we can drive down the cost of those parts when ordering, as well as make more educated supply chain decisions when we have the opportunity to purchase inventory from distressed suppliers.

In addition, all parts are wrapped and nestled together into the 28-level high-bay shuttle system ensuring they are protected when they're delivered to the shop floor. Eighty-three cameras track the parts throughout the facility for inbound and outbound deliveries to make sure each product is handled and stored correctly.

When parts are needed, kits are ordered and assembled all in one step cutting down on double handling. Each part is fed into a Cubiscan machine, which measures, weighs and catalogues the product in the digital system and is also verified visually, using pictures of the parts to reduce error. Monitoring the inventory from start-to-finish makes transparency and recognizing any missteps much quicker and easier. The footage is also used as a training tool, ensuring processes are continuously re-evaluated and improved. To date, we've achieved 99% of our 100% kitting accuracy goal.

Digital Advancement. Inventory is king when it comes to avoiding having a production line shut down. Every part matters - we cannot receive the wrong material or make errors on the inbound or during storing, picking or delivering. With the digital system generating instant reports, we have the real-time visibility to analyze the data at every step. We can then focus on process improvements, which is much harder with a manual inventory process, and see what parts are in low supply, making it easy to keep SKUs fully stocked and prices low. And if there is an error, the automated system, combined with a shuttle that has a max speed of 22-miles-per-hour, cuts downtime by making missing parts easily retrievable. The ASRS also sequences similar orders and automatically groups them together, further reducing double handling.

Additionally, the system is built with redundancies in place. We intentionally don't store all of the same parts in one location in the event of a power outage or point of failure. This ensures the same part can still be accessed from a different section of the system to keep production moving.

Employee Safety. Along with maximizing efficiency, the ASRS aids in keeping employees safe, cool and using good ergonomics. The automated inventory system keeps workers off high shelves and eliminates the need for bulky, human-driven retrieval equipment. When a worker does need to pick up supplies, a cherry picker keeps workers supported and protected from falls. The picker follows a groove in the floor that controls its gait and prevents steering issues. Scattered goods-to-person stations throughout the center mean retrieval is possible with the push of a button.

The scattered goods-to-person stations streamline the inventory system even further. The digital system brings parts to stations quickly, enabling employees to fulfill up to five different orders at a time. It also delivers items to employees at the ergonomically-friendly 'golden zone.' This zone eliminates the need for bending and reaching, which substantially reduces the risk of injury and strain.

Sustainability and Waste Management. The entire building was built with sustainability in mind. By combining three different facilities into one smart building, overall operating needs have diminished. On top of that, the building is zoned, allowing for customized temperature control so the entire space doesn't need to be heated and cooled uniformly. The digital inventory system means less time is wasted; 30% less labor is required to run it. Cardboard boxes are replaced with reusable totes, and 77% of packaging materials are recycled.

This warehouse is a testament to the remarkable digital advancements in manufacturing. The systems inside maximize speed and quality and allow projects to be completed much faster than ever before. Much like the parts of an aircraft, the Global Digital Logistics Center has an important role of its own; to continue the journey to a better, more technologically advanced tomorrow.