When One Prototype is Just Not Enough

1. When One Prototype is Just Not Enough Composite prototyping is something we are very familiar with at Rock West Composites. We have a history of working with customers to create prototypes of their newest products. Our prototyping program helps customers understand what it will take to get a product from the design stage to full production. Along the way, we help them improve their designs. It is not uncommon to create multiple prototypes as designs are tested and modified. They are normally produced in succession. However, prototyping does not always work that way. Sometimes multiple prototypes are created in parallel. There are some very good reasons for doing so. Enter Boeing. The Boeing 777X aircraft is the next big thing for the company that is arguably the leader in aerospace. They are actually working on four distinct prototypes that will eventually lead to full production of the 777-9 passenger jet. Each of the prototypes has a specific purpose; all are being built in parallel. The first actually took to the air in January 2020. Testing Different Systems Compared to Boeing, our prototype programs are relatively small-scale. We build individual parts that our customers can go on to test against their specifications. What Boeing is doing is on a much grander scale. They are not merely prototyping individual parts; they are prototyping an entire aircraft. Each of the four prototypes has its own unique tail number, from WH001 to WH004. Each plane, while identical in its basic components, is being built to test different systems. Those systems are as follows:  WH001 – Electronics, avionics, stability control, etc.  WH002 – Auto-landing capabilities, ground effects, stability, etc.  WH003 – Additional avionics, propulsion, flight loads, and auxiliary power  WH004 – Environmental controls, engine operations, noise, and general functions. To the untrained eye, it seems completely plausible to build a single prototype and then test all of its systems in four separate flights. However, prototyping commercial aircraft is a lot more complicated. Boeing is building four planes with the knowledge that each system needs to be tested in a different way. Building four planes allows them to specialize their tests so that all can be completed simultaneously.

2. Working out Manufacturing Processes Testing designs is only one purpose behind prototyping. Another purpose is to work out manufacturing processes before a given part goes to full production. For example, we might work with a customer to prototype a brand-new carbon fiber part for which no manufacturing processes exist. What we learn becomes invaluable in developing those processes. Similarly, Boeing is working on manufacturing processes while building their prototypes. The goal is to come up with the most efficient manufacturing process possible before the planes go into full production. Everything they learn from building the prototypes will be analyzed in great detail. When full production begins, Boeing expects to hit the ground running. Boeing is doing something a little bit different with the prototype planes themselves. Apparently, they will eventually outfit all four aircraft with finished cabins and then sell the planes to customers. In so doing they will recover at least some of the costs of prototyping and get four orders out of the way from the get-go. Your Prototyping Program We get that prototyping a commercial aircraft is very complex. We run prototypes daily for our programs, many not as complex as Boeing’s but many quite complex in their own right. If you are looking to prototype a new design for your company, we invite you to contact us for more information about our capabilities and programs. We can create a prototyping program around your design. We can help you perfect that design and prepare it for full production.