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787 Battery Passes Site Inspection in Japan No Quality Problems Found at Battery Maker for 787
(about 17 hours later)
TOKYO — Japanese investigators studying the potentially flammable batteries that have grounded Boeing’s 787 fleet wrapped up an on-site inspection at the batteries’ manufacturer on Monday and said they would continue their inquiry at a maker of a device that monitors the batteries. TOKYO — Japanese investigators studying the batteries that have grounded Boeing’s 787 fleet said on Monday that they had found no immediate quality control problems at the batteries’ manufacturer.
Japan’s Ministry of Transport said that for now, investigators had found no quality control problems during an eight-day inquiry at GS Yuasa, the maker of the lithium-ion batteries at the center of the inquiry. But officials stressed that the cause of recent battery malfunctions was still unknown, and that GS Yuasa remained under investigation. The investigators said they would now turn their inquiry to the maker of a device that monitors the batteries.
GS Yuasa made the batteries that overheated during an All Nippon Airways flight this month, prompting an emergency landing. That incident came just days after another GS Yuasa battery aboard a parked Japan Airlines plane caught fire at Boston Logan Airport. The incidents have prompted regulators worldwide to ground all 787s, and for Boeing to halt deliveries. Japan’s Transport Ministry said it had wrapped up its eight-day on-site investigation at GS Yuasa, the maker of the lithium-ion batteries at the center of the inquiry. Officials stressed, however, that the cause of the recent battery malfunctions was still unknown, and that GS Yuasa remained under investigation.
It is still unclear whether problems lie with the batteries themselves or with another part of the plane’s complex electronics. On Monday, the Ministry of Transport said inspectors would start checks at Kanto Aircraft Instrument, which makes a monitoring unit that detects a battery’s voltage, current, temperature and other vital parameters. GS Yuasa made the batteries that overheated during an All Nippon Airways flight this month in Japan, prompting an emergency landing. That incident came just days after another GS Yuasa battery on a parked Japan Airlines plane caught fire at Boston’s Logan Airport. The incidents prompted regulators worldwide to ground all 787s, and Boeing to halt deliveries.
“We do not know where the problems lie, so we are simply doing checks in order,” said an official at the ministry’s Civil Aviation Bureau who declined to be quoted by name, citing protocol. It is still unclear whether the mishaps were caused by the batteries or by another part of the aircraft’s complex electronics. On Monday, the Ministry of Transport said inspectors would begin a review of Kanto Aircraft Instrument, outside Tokyo, which makes the unit that measures the battery’s voltage, current, temperature and other parameters.
It was too early to say that GS Yuasa was off the hook or that inspectors would not be back at the battery maker for more checks, he said. “We do not know where the problems lie, so we are simply doing checks in order,” said an official at the ministry’s Civil Aviation Bureau who spoke on condition of anonymity.
He said it was too early to say that inspectors had ruled out GS Yuasa as the source of the battery’s malfunctions or that they would not be back for further review.
“We have seen what we needed to see for now, and are moving on, but that does not mean that there was definitely no problem with the battery,” the official said.“We have seen what we needed to see for now, and are moving on, but that does not mean that there was definitely no problem with the battery,” the official said.
He said that at Kanto Aircraft, officials would check manufacturing processes to make sure there were no quality control breaches. Kanto Aircraft officials could not immediately be reached for comment. GS Yuasa said it could not comment on ongoing investigations. He said that at Kanto Aircraft, officials would check manufacturing processes for quality control breaches.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, which is also investigating the batteries, has already completed an examination of the monitoring unit at Kanto Aircraft Instrument, in Fujisawa, near Tokyo. Kanto Aircraft officials could not immediately be reached for comment. GS Yuasa said it could not comment on ongoing investigations.
The U.S.-led team examined circuit boards that monitor the batteries, and found the boards damaged, which limited the information the team could obtain. The team “found no significant discoveries,” the board said in a news release. The United States National Transportation Safety Board, which is also investigating the batteries, has already completed an examination of the monitoring unit at Kanto Aircraft.
Plagued by production delays, the 787 Dreamliner finally went into service last year as Boeing’s next-generation, state-of-the-art aircraft made from lightweight composite materials that has greatly improved the jet’s fuel efficiency. The 787 also relies on electronic systems far more than previous aircraft, including lithium-ion batteries, which are lighter but are more prone to overheating. The American-led team examined the circuit boards that monitor the batteries, but found the boards were damaged and that limited the information the team could obtain. The team “found no significant discoveries,” the board said in a news release.
Japan’s government stepped in to give the plane and its made-in-Japan technology a boost in 2008 by easing safety regulations, fast-tracking the rollout of the groundbreaking jet for Japan’s biggest airlines, according to records and participants in the process, Reuters reported. Plagued by production delays, the 787 Dreamliner finally went into service last year as Boeing’s next-generation, state-of-the-art aircraft made of lightweight composite materials that greatly improve the jet’s fuel efficiency. The 787 also relies far more than previous aircraft on electronic systems, including lithium-ion batteries, which are lighter but more prone to overheating.
In a separate development, the Reuters news agency reported that Japan’s government had eased the way for the new aircraft in 2008 by making concessions on safety regulations and fast-tracking the jet’s rollout. The report cited records and participants in the process.
“I believe the request for the changes came initially from the airlines. Ultimately, it was a discussion of measures to lower operating costs for the airlines,” Masatoshi Harigae, head of aviation at Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency, told the news service.“I believe the request for the changes came initially from the airlines. Ultimately, it was a discussion of measures to lower operating costs for the airlines,” Masatoshi Harigae, head of aviation at Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency, told the news service.
There is no suggestion that easing regulatory standards contributed to the problems facing the Dreamliner, and the looser regulations did not specifically address the risk of the plane’s batteries catching fire. There was no suggestion, however, that looser regulatory standards contributed to the problems now facing the Dreamliner, the report said.