Airbus speeds production with pedestrian tugs 09 January 2014

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is increasing its use of pedestrian electric tugs, from MasterMover, to improve production speed and safety on its wing assembly lines at the Broughton plant.

The factory, near Chester, which produces wings for most Airbus aircraft, from the A320 to its new A350 XWB, started using the tugs for transporting wing components back in 2008.

However, according to Mastermover sales director Hugh Freer, that has since been expanded to moving support equipment, such as mobile working platforms, production tooling, kitting trolleys and test equipment.

"As one department begins to use the MasterTug, their neighbours decide it will also be ideal for their purposes, and so on," states Freer.

Wings for the A320 aircraft are currently made using traditional materials like aluminium, but the arrival of the A350 brings with it a move towards carbon fibre composites. In either material, the wing parts are long, awkward to handle and often heavy.

Models from MasterMover's MasterTug range are now used for moving everything from stringers (the lightweight aluminium struts that secure the wing outer skin to the frame) to complete wings.

Brian Tinham

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