Boeing Ventures into Metaverse: A New Era for Aircraft Production
Boeing aims to utilize the Metaverse to create and interlink virtual three-dimensional digital duplicates of its next jet and the corresponding manufacturing system, thereby enabling comprehensive simulations.
The interest in the Metaverse universe has been escalating, particularly since Facebook rebranded itself as Meta.
Businesses have begun operations within the Metaverse and pursued acquisitions and collaborations to keep pace with this virtual trend. Boeing is the latest to step into the Metaverse.
The aviation giant plans to manufacture its upcoming aircraft within the Metaverse. The process involves creating and linking a system capable of running virtual three-dimensional digital twin replicas of the aircraft and simulations. In Boeing’s envisaged future factory, 3D engineering design will integrate with communicative robots.
Microsoft’s HoloLens headsets, priced at $3,500, will connect technicians globally. Greg Hyslop, Boeing’s chief engineer, highlights that over 70% of Boeing’s quality issues stem from design problems.
Boeing projects these virtual vehicles to be central to new aircraft launches within four or five years, with the plan anticipated to come to fruition within two years.
Despite these ambitious plans, there is skepticism regarding Boeing’s digital transformation. The company has made similar promises for a digital revolution in the past. Technical issues with digitally-developed models, such as the 777X mini jumbo and the T-7A RedHawk, fuel these doubts.
Richard Aboulafia, a Teal Group analyst, suggests that Boeing is prioritizing shareholder returns, while undermining engineering dominance and reducing R&D spending.
In conclusion, while Boeing aspires to commence production in the Metaverse universe, its past experiences suggest a need for patience and caution regarding what will actually transpire.
