ALTEN supported a major aircraft manufacturer in deploying a digital dashboard to optimize scheduling and coordination on the final assembly line (FAL). By combining expertise in manufacturing and Business Intelligence (BI), ALTEN helped standardize industrial data, define specifications, and accelerate assembly processes, enabling the client to manage production of over 50 aircraft per month efficiently.

Challenges

The client sought to modernize its final assembly line by implementing Industry 4.0 practices. Key challenges included:

• Integrating real-time industrial data from multiple sources and production sites.
• Ensuring consistency across assembly plans, instruction sheets, and nonconformity studies.
• Defining specifications for a BI tool that could support high-volume production while coordinating multiple assembly zones and systems.

Solutions

ALTEN provided end-to-end support for the development and deployment of the digital dashboard, combining manufacturing expertise with advanced Business Intelligence capabilities:

• Data Coherence and Analysis: ALTEN engineers conducted a thorough analysis of assembly plans, instruction sheets, and nonconformity studies to ensure consistency, accuracy, and reliability of industrial data across multiple sites. This step was critical for eliminating errors and enabling real-time monitoring of assembly line activities.
• Specification Support for BI Platform: ALTEN collaborated closely with production teams to define detailed functional requirements for the BI tool, including key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, alert systems, and reporting structures. This ensured the platform fully aligned with operational workflows and decision-making processes.
• Data Quality Improvement and BI Rules Configuration: Engineers enhanced the quality of industrial data by implementing standardization procedures, validation rules, and automated checks. They also configured BI rules to enable dynamic scheduling, predictive alerts, and actionable insights for faster decision-making.
• Cross-Site Engineering Expertise: Over 25 ALTEN engineers across France and Germany provided continuous technical guidance, knowledge sharing, and standardization support. Their coordination ensured seamless integration of data and BI functionalities across different assembly line sites.
• Scalable and Flexible Platform Deployment: ALTEN designed the digital dashboard to be scalable, flexible, and modular, capable of adapting to varying production volumes, multiple aircraft models, and evolving operational requirements. This enabled the client to maintain high efficiency as production rates exceeded 50 aircraft per month.
• Change Management and User Training: ALTEN supported the client’s teams through hands-on training and workshops, ensuring that operators and managers could fully leverage the platform for planning, monitoring, and decision-making on the final assembly line.

Through this comprehensive approach, ALTEN ensured that the digital dashboard not only provided real-time insights but also became a key enabler of Industry 4.0 practices, optimizing efficiency, reliability, and scalability for high-volume aircraft production.

Outcomes

• Optimized Production Scheduling: Real-time industrial data improved coordination of assembly activities and reduced bottlenecks.
• Accelerated Assembly Processes: Digital monitoring enabled faster completion of aircraft zones and systems in line with production pace.
• High-Volume Scalability: The BI platform supported expansion to high-volume production without compromising data quality or operational efficiency.
• Strengthened Client Trust: Following initial success, the client extended ALTEN’s involvement to multiple assembly lines and production sites, demonstrating confidence in ALTEN’s expertise.