Critical Knowledge inSight: Manufacturing Process Improvements

March 18, 2021

Learning throughout your program and project will lead to better performance for future programs and projects.

Karim Courey, Technical Integration Manager for the Thermal Protection Systems Facility at Kennedy Space Center, explains in the video how improvements to the manufacturing process that were learned and developed during the Space Shuttle Program are leading to benefits for today’s space vehicles. This example shows that one very important product that comes from programs and projects is the knowledge gained, which will help to improve future projects and programs.

Video key learning points:

1. 1.
  Budget challenges forced the Thermal Protections Systems Facility to look for improvements to the manufacturing process, using more efficient and effective methods.
2. 2.
  The early manufacturing process in the Space Shuttle Program involved using gunstock machines that could duplicate a tile, for example. The manufacturing process has changed from sanding and painting parts in order to make them fit to now using state-of-the-art manufacturing systems with automation, computer-aided design (CAD), and 5-axis milling machines.
3. 3.
  Manufacturing improvements have increased quality, lowered cost, and shortened the turnaround time to make new parts.
4. 4.
  The manufacturing improvements learned through shuttle are being used to build today’s space vehicles.