Above, Boeing Technology Innovation teammates examine components in a teardown lab in Bangalore, India. (Photo © Boeing)

Much like a surgeon performing a delicate operation, teams working in Boeing teardown labs carefully dissect aircraft components to uncover the keys to improved performance. 

The process allows teardown engineers to collect important product data to design and build even greater efficiency at every stage of the production life cycle. 

Across three Boeing Technology Innovation (BTI) teardown labs – in Bangalore, Seattle, and St. Louis – teams study competitor wings, fuselages, and systems, then share their findings across the company. Comparing Boeing products with those of competitors offers insights into distinctive design alternatives. 

The labs have contributed to enabling more than $2 billion in cost mitigation and savings through optimal cost and design recovery. 

The benefits:

• Increases savings for Boeing and customers — Understanding how a product functions enables comparative analysis and benchmarking against off-the-shelf parts.
• Promotes more efficient design — Allows engineers to refine product design capabilities earlier in the process.
• Empowers contract bid negotiations — Facilitates discussions based on actual data, effectively curbing price creep of components during bid proposals. 

Why it matters: “Teardown labs are essential for driving innovation, cost savings, and competitive advantage, all while ensuring that innovations meet the highest safety standards,” said Syamalarao Gude, Teardown Lab capability leader. “As Boeing advances aerospace technology, the teardown labs drive informed decision-making and promote continuous improvement across the enterprise.”

The St. Louis teardown lab team recently hosted Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS), and Lisa McCoy, BDS chief human resources officer. The visit highlighted successes benefiting Boeing and its customers. (Photo © Boeing)

"Value engineering enables fast turnaround times and significant cost savings," said Scott Walston, vice president, Enterprise Technology in BTI. “The teardown labs support supply chains in negotiating better supplier terms and enhance design efficiency and cost-effectiveness."

Spotlight on success:

• BTI teardown lab teammates have created more than a million part cost models, which are tools used to understand the cost structure, make informed financial decisions, and enhance overall efficiency.

• Recently, they developed and implemented a numerical control machining process on the F/A-18E/F program. It reduced flow time from 36 hours to 3 hours and enabled $1.4 million in savings over two years.
• The teardown team presented a requirements-based T-7 nose cone solution which produced a per unit cost reduction of 30%.

BTI Bangalore teammates Mithun Ravi, Frankline D, and Karumbaiah Kalapanda Ramesh examine the passenger oxygen panel in 787 cabin systems. (Photo © Boeing)

The big picture: October is Manufacturing Month. Boeing joins the International Trade Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce — highlighting manufacturing’s crucial role in the global economy and community.