Safran Landing Systems Canada

Some of the innovations rolling out at Safran Landing Systems in Ajax involve new materials, and finding ways to make the landing gear lighter, stronger and less expensive. “Weight is key,” says Weatherby. “One of the things we’ve been looking at is using new materials instead of traditional alloys for structural components. Because landing gear bears the weight of an aircraft, there’s obviously an extreme load that needs to travel through the landing gear. You need very strong materials to withstand those loads. Those materials have traditionally been metal alloys, but on the 787-8, a commercial twin aisle Boeing aircraft, we’ve introduced a composite material brace. The strength and resistance to cracking and fatigue is similar to the metal we’ve previously used, but it’s about 20 percent lighter.” This reduces the weight of the landing gear and makes the overall aircraft more efficient.

On the process improvement front, Safran has also launched a very aggressive digital transformation mandate. “We took a look at our key processes and assessed how we could employ technology to transform various tasks,” says Fahmi Mir, regional chief information officer. “We have employed technology like augmented reality, additive manufacturing, internet of things (IoT), analytics, business intelligence and more.” Safran has made it a priority to mine big data and put it to use in a way that is more meaningful than ever. “The largest gains are actually being made in this arena,” says Weatherby. “We’re not reinventing the product, but we’re improving the processes we employ to make that product. There’s a lot of low-hanging fruit we can address to make everything more efficient.” 

Digital continuity is one of the ways Safran Landing Systems Canada is changing the way their landing gear is produced. “We can start all the way from the design phase — from when we are approached by a customer — onwards to creating a product and manufacturing the parts, and then to assembling, selling and servicing the product in the field. By looking at that entire value stream, we’re figuring out how to apply new digital technology to improve it and get the most out of it,” says Mir. 

The improvements to digital continuity are simple in concept but complicated in theory. Paper is one example. “There would have been paper at many spots throughout the value stream previously,” says Mir. “We currently have a project where we want to go paperless from beginning to end. So, developing ways to do that will mean better efficiency, as well as a lessened carbon footprint.” Another example can be found in the machine shop. “When we are building landing gear, the work in process has to be placed on some sort of cart,” says Mir. “When you place it on the cart, you need components to secure it there. We were ordering those components before, but now we use our additive manufacturing lab to make those parts ourselves.” 

Mir also adds that access to information has improved: “Before, our operators would have had to search for information. Now they have access to a dashboard where they can just search the operation they’re working on, and everything they need will be populated right on the screen.” 

Weatherby says that all of these improvements are rooted in Safran Landing Systems Canada’s most valuable asset — their people. “We look to our people, who work these processes every day, to learn where we should focus our energies for change and improvement,” says Weatherby. The company even has an Employee Driven Innovation program that allows employees to identify areas and opportunities for improvement. “Ideas can take on any form and function, too,” says Weatherby. “It can be a new tool or a simple behaviour change, but we know the change starts at the working level. Our people know best; they use the processes on a daily basis, and if we can eliminate their pet peeves and improve their experiences, we keep our employees happy and improve our efficiency.”