COPPER CABLING
Networking the Airbus Production Plant Flying into the Future
Airbus needed a future- proof network for its new production plant in Wales.
Introduction Airbus selected Nexans to future-proof the network for its new £400m plant for the A350XWB wing production in Broughton, Wales. The Airbus wing technology developed over the last three decades is among the UK’s most significant manufacturing achievements. Nexans offered a complete Structured Cabling Data and Voice System that would provide an upgrade path for future advances in technology
Big Business Britain is the world’s second largest exporter of aerospace products. In October 2011, Airbus unveiled its new multi-million pound factory for the A350XWB wing production at Broughton, Wales with Prime Minister David Cameron underlining the importance of the Broughton site to the future of British manufacturing. Last year, the industry generated British sales of £23.1bn, up 2 percent on 2009. Bigger than Wembley Stadium,
the new factory is one of the largest manufacturing facilities to be built in the UK in recent years and will produce high-tech carbon fibre ‘composite’ wings for the A350 XWB. Over £3 billion has been invested in the aircraft and its engines by UK aerospace companies in the programme which underpins the key position of the UK as a global
centre of aerospace manufacture. The North Factory assembly line is
dedicated to assembling the 31 metre long wings for all members of the A350 XWB Family, which is scheduled to enter service by the end of 2013. With over 567 orders from 35 different customers, the aircraft has set a bench mark within aviation. The Airbus A350XWB will offer up to 25 percent less operating costs, allowing airlines to transport over 400 passengers across the Atlantic.
The Wingman Airbus’ preferred structured cabling manufacturer was Nexans Cabling Solutions. With twenty years industry experience, and eight years with Nexans, Certified Solution Partner, Jade, installed a Nexans Category 6A solution, using LANmark-6A connectivity combined with LANmark category 7 cable that would ensure the necessary systems were in place to future-proof the network. “The Jade project delivery team,
led by Senior Project Manager Keith Melbourne, were to supply, install and commission a Structured Cabling Data and Voice System using the Nexans cabling solution within the Airbus North Factory, Broughton,” commented Jade’s Stan Hunt. “The team worked to an exacting standard within tight
timescales, whilst adhering to stringent Health and Safety controls and procedures onsite.” Peter Haigh, Business Development
and Strategic Accounts Director at Nexans, added: “Undertaking a complete installation for a project of this scale was an exciting prospect. The British manufacturing industry and the aerospace sector in particular, is playing a crucial role in the future of the British economy, and enabling the entire cabling infrastructure network to be future-ready for this high-tech environment was a stimulating task.”
The Installation The large scale installation consisted of 110km of Nexans Category 7 copper cable to 1800 data outlets, alongside LANmark fibre connectivity, to support high bandwidth and connection speeds in this high-tech environment. The LANmark solution ensures 10
Gigabit transmission capability even in an electrically noisy manufacturing environment and provides the facility with multiple service applications for voice, data and video. “The fully screened Cat 6A system
was the ideal solution for Airbus’ new North Factory project, as it supports the demand for high-tech construction methods,” commented Haigh. “Continual advancements in the technology sector are a crucial factor for the selection of a solution that offers an easy upgrade path, without the need for re-installation.”
Overcoming Challenges “Understandably with a vast construction project, the successful completion of the installation was not without its challenges,” explained Jade’s Stan Hunt. “Possibly the greatest challenge during the installation was working at height with Genie S85 and JLG 800AJ boom lifts.” “With such a vast building, we were
The new factory is larger than Wembley Stadium. 30 NETCOMMS europe Volume III Issue 1 2012
not only working at a height above new wing frames but with extensive vehicle movement of other trades below. These factors caused the installation of the data cabling to be more difficult and time consuming than a standard
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