Wheels in a Week

One is sleek and tall – bigger than a phone booth, smaller than a passenger elevator – with white walls and red doors. Its jobs are to find, prep and stage a “raw forging,” or a rough aluminum alloy wheel casting, then send it to the second machine.

A few steps away and up on a riser, that machine picks up where its partner left off, performing a complex set of machining tasks in a single, automated process.

The new production cell, one of several at the Collins Aerospace wheel-and-brake facility in Troy, Ohio, tells the story of a manufacturing revolution unfolding at the site – a 407,000 square-foot facility once known for cranking out gliders in World War II. Specifically, the team is targeting a drastic reduction in how long it takes to produce an aircraft wheel: from 45 days to seven, or, as they call it on the factory floor, “Wheels in a Week.”

The moniker has caught on, said Greg Smith, the site’s director of operations.

“One, it’s obviously catchy. It rolls off the tongue, and the second, it is a challenge. And, everyone likes a challenge,” he said. “Cutting time by 10%, (that’s) something we’re going to go do. Cutting it by 80%? That is a monumental effort that’s going to require all of us together to make it successful.”

In a recent employee meeting, Collins Aerospace President Troy Brunk held the initiative up as a point of inspiration.

“Every second, an aircraft is either taking off or landing with our wheel and brake assemblies. Taking 45 days of lead time down to seven creates more flexibility for us and our customers,” he said. “When we think big, we can do a lot of things.”

The site’s transformation began five years ago, starting with a much-needed deep clean.

Back then, the shop floor was stained with oil, machines were showing their age and stacks of semifinished wheels crowded the aisles – organized, but in the way. The Troy factory looked stuck somewhere back in time. And if the team there had any chance of change, it was clear: The mess had to go.

“I’ll never forget that first cleanup – just me and a couple others out here on a weekend, suited up in coveralls, scrubbing off years of grime and grease,” said Scott Parkin, then plant manager.

That hands-on effort continued for months. More people got involved, some picking up overtime to help clean things up – and, ultimately, bolstering pride in the site. 

The historic site is now a world-class operation. Thanks to smart factory technology and lean processes, operations are faster, safer and more agile.

“We can machine exactly what’s needed, when it’s needed – and that makes us more nimble than ever. It’s beautiful,” said Parkin, who is now vice president of Operations for Advanced Structures at Collins Aerospace.

 “Not everything gets done in a week – it’s a journey,” Parkin said. “But we’ve done it, and we’re doing it more and more. It’s not just some big idea – it’s actually becoming how we work.”

To get there though, they had to understand why they had the stacks of inventory in the first place.

Leaning into change

Collins turned to lean practices, mapping processes to better understand how work was flowing – especially in the wheel machining cells – and how equipment was supporting it.

They have 13 advanced machining cells collocated and connected through this system, with plans to expand to 15 by 2026.

“We’re no longer locked into machining wheels in large batches or dedicating cells to specific programs,” said Justin Ruley, associate director of Manufacturing and Operations, overseeing machining and shared services at Collins Aerospace. “The new cells give us the agility to switch between wheel configurations quickly, meet customer needs more effectively and ultimately speed up production.”

Additionally, they can now machine both halves of the wheel in parallel, ensuring they are on the same timeline and can move right through the processes out the door.

This level of flexibility and efficiency is critical for the Troy site, which handles every step of production, from machining to chemical processing, painting, assembly, testing and shipping.

Advanced automation systems are in place throughout the facility, Ruley said, and the team is connecting them to make the flow of parts through the factory safer and more efficient.

For example, the Troy site is phasing out forklifts in favor of autonomous material robots, or AMRs, in production areas. The robots are connected to the overall system, meaning that when a machine completes a task, it prompts the robot to come pick up the part.

“The biggest benefit for us has been reducing the number of times we have to handle each wheel,” Ruley said. “Safety is a priority in everything we do, and we’ve built a strong, ingrained culture of safety here at the Troy facility.”

What’s next

Building on these advancements, Collins transformation is redefining what’s possible.

Where outdated machines once stood, open space now drives growth, speed and the opportunity to combine machining for both wheels and brakes, significantly boosting efficiency and output.

“We’re ready for whatever comes our way, whether it’s more volume or new products we’re asked to manufacture,” Ruley said.

And the best part? They’re just getting started.

“We’ve proven we can build wheels in just seven days – down from 45 – and we’re not stopping there,” Ruley said. “It’s a nonstop pursuit of perfection … always learning, always improving, always moving forward.”