GKN Aerospace Services Ltd. is partnering with Lilium N.V., which is developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet for air taxi applications.

LOS ANGELES—Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture capital arm of Lockheed Martin Corp., is investing in Machina Labs, a start-up company developing technology that combines AI and robotics to rapidly manufacture advanced sheet metal products.

EVERETT, WA—Boeing will add a fourth assembly line at its factory here to produce more 737 Max aircraft.

NASHUA, NH—Greenerd Press & Machine Co. has developed a 2,500-ton compression molding press with 10-foot-square heated platens that can maintain a temperature of 500 F with a tolerance of ±5 degrees. 

ATLANTA—A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Georgia Institute of Technology has 3D printed a dual-phase, nanostructured high-entropy alloy that exceeds the strength and ductility of other state-of-the-art additively manufactured materials, which could lead to higher-performance components for applications in aerospace, medicine, energy and transportation. 

OAK RIDGE, TN—Scientists have measured the highest toughness ever recorded, of any material, while investigating a metallic alloy made of chromium, cobalt and nickel (CrCoNi). Not only is the metal extremely ductile and impressively strong, its strength and ductility improve as it gets colder. This runs counter to most other materials in existence.

COVINGTON, GA—Stellantis NV has agreed to help Archer Aviation Inc. manufacture electric aircraft at the latter’s new assembly plant here.

Acommon process for welding thick metal parts is submerged arc welding (SAW). Typically, SAW and other processes require beveling the workpieces to give the torch access to the joint root. The multi-pass process requires high heat input to the weldment and can generate a large heat affected zone (HAZ) along with distortion.

Assembly lines have been around for more than a century, but new technologies, processes, investments and strategies are accelerating production, increasing capacity and driving revenue growth.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the airline industry particularly hard. Thousands of flights were canceled. In some cases, entire aircraft fleets were parked and mothballed.