The Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAZ), which is responsible for the production of Russia’s MC-21 narrowbody airliner, has announced an important step in the optimization of its production process. The factory has made a major shift in the preparation of production tasks for assembly workers, reducing the time required from as much as 357 hours to between 19 and 35 hours as the aircraft program moves toward serial manufacturing. This improvement has increased the speed of production preparation by almost 18 times. The accomplishment is yet another milestone in IAZ’s overarching initiative to transition the MC-21 from low-rate production and certification activities to sustained serial manufacturing.
Lean Manufacturing Delivers Major Gains
The Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAZ), the manufacturing home of Russia’s MC-21 narrowbody airliner, has reported a major breakthrough in streamlining its production process. Engineers prioritized the removal of delays, the simplification of workflows, and the elimination of superfluous administrative procedures, rather than the complete redesign of the manufacturing system.
Before the project commenced, a production order was routed through a multitude of departments and approvals before it was delivered to the assembly worker. The duration of that process was approximately 357 hours. The project’s initial goal was to decrease the preparation time by 30%; however, the ultimate outcome exceeded all expectations. The entire production preparation cycle now requires less than 35 hours, with some operations reportedly necessitating as little as 19 hours.
Optimized Material Logistics and ERP System
Improvements to the ERP-LN enterprise resource planning system were responsible for a major portion of the gains. Engineers simplified the distribution of both primary and auxiliary materials required on the production floor, accelerated the preparation of technological assembly units, and optimized the release of production orders.
The factory also redesigned the method of supplying materials to workstations to ensure that components are delivered closer to the point of use, rather than necessitating repetitive requests from workers. These modifications improve workflow continuity and minimize inactive time during assembly.
The reduction in bureaucracy was equally significant. The number of employees responsible for preparing production assignments has been reduced from 24 to nine, and the number of internal approvals and cross-departmental interactions has decreased from 58 to approximately 16. The outcome is a more efficient decision-making process that enables assembly work to commence significantly earlier than it would have otherwise after production orders are issued.
Introduced on the shop floor, the Kanban system
IAZ implemented the Kanban inventory management approach to establish a pilot storage and replenishment area in Workshop 255 as part of the project. Kanban is a widely used method in modern industrial production that uses visual controls and continuous replenishment to guarantee that materials are accessible when required while simultaneously reducing excess inventory.
The new system enables workers to receive components with greater predictability and minimizes interruptions caused by material shortages. It is anticipated that the consistency of daily replenishment protocols and standardized storage locations will be enhanced as production volumes increase.
The factory intends to extend the Kanban-based approach to other aggregate assembly shops that support the production of both civil aviation products and military aircraft if the pilot continues to produce favorable outcomes.
Preparing for Higher Production Rates
The Irkutsk Aviation Plant is currently engaged in a comprehensive modernization initiative, which includes the lean manufacturing initiative. Another major project currently focuses on technological configuration management for the MC-21 program.
Multiple aircraft will simultaneous occupy specific stages of assembly and testing as the aircraft transitions from prototype construction to serial manufacturing. The management of this complexity necessitates the close coordination of engineering documentation, manufacturing instructions, software systems, and production schedules.
The project aims to minimize the likelihood of configuration mismatches between aircraft on the assembly line by ensuring that design revisions are immediately reflected throughout the production process. The initiative includes software integration, production coordination, and document management throughout all stages of the manufacturing process, as indicated by reports. Andrey Soynov, the General Director of IAZ, initiated the program, with Vitaly Yelagin, the Production Director, serving as the executive sponsor and supervising its implementation.
Building on Earlier Efficiency Improvements
The plant’s latest achievements follow another lean manufacturing success that was announced earlier this year, which involved a major improvement in its internal logistics for purchased components. In that project, the time required to transport purchased parts from the receiving station to the assembly station was reduced from 84 hours to a mere 30 minutes. Additionally, the documentation requirements and personnel involvement were significantly reduced.
These projects collectively illustrate that IAZ is using a systematic approach to removing production bottlenecks, as opposed to relying solely on new equipment or expanded facilities. The focus is on facilitating quicker movement of parts and information throughout the factory, reducing administrative overhead, and simplifying processes.
Progress Continues Despite Certification Timeline
IAZ has recently completed ground testing of the first serial MC-21 equipped with newly developed Russian carbon brakes. Subsequently, the manufacturing improvements were implemented. The aircraft has now entered the next phase of preparations in anticipation of flight testing.
Nevertheless, the aircraft’s certification schedule remains unaltered, despite the factory’s increasing pace. Industry officials still expect that the MC-21 will not receive its updated type certificate before the end of 2026. Serial deliveries are expected to commence following the completion of certification activities.
Nevertheless, the most recent production increases indicate that the Irkutsk Aviation Plant is using the certification period to improve its manufacturing system. The factory’s objective is to install a production line that is significantly more efficient, capable of supporting a higher serial output with fewer delays, lower administrative complexity, and greater operational predictability, by the time the MC-21 obtains regulatory approval.