The Future of Maintenance

Assemble & Test

Once the parts and components have been repaired, depot workers focus on testing and reassembly of the aircraft. The depot workers test repaired parts and subassemblies for quality assurance using IoT connected diagnostic tools. The depot workers are guided through their testing using tablets that contain asset specifications and historical data. The resultant production aircraft has more complete records, including a digital twin, allowing for improved configuration management of the aircraft across the enterprise.

Perspectives
Enabling Technologies
Depot Execution Personnel
Depot Execution Personnel
Depot Execution Personnel
Depot Execution Personnel
Production Managers
Depot CO & Production Directors
Depot CO & Production Directors
Depot CO & Production Directors
icon_CobotRobotorange_SVG Physical Robots / Cobots
icon_IoTorange_SVG Sensors / Internet Of Things
icon_DigitalTrackingorange_SVG Electronic Work Order
icon_ARVRorange_SVG Augmented & Virtual Reality
Previous Phase

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Physical Robots / Cobots

During re-assembly, physical robots and cobots assist artisans and augment the artisans’ capabilities, resulting in an increase in precision and more efficient use of time and tools. These robots can lift heavy machinery and secure the parts back into place in a safe manner, keeping the depot worker from any harm. Robots/cobots allow artisans to work more efficiently, effectively, and precisely during re-assembly.

Want to learn more? Read more here: The Digital Supply Network Meets the Future of Work

Perspectives

Sensors / Internet Of Things

Change paragraph to read: Depot workers use IoT connected tools to run diagnostic tests on repaired parts. The readings on their instruments connect directly to their diagnostic system to capture inspection data. Assets are tracked to provide invaluable information about asset usage (who is using what, where and when), maintenance and calibration schedules, and the need for new equipment. The data collected via asset tracking can be used to support decision making, prevent losses, maximize asset utilization rates, and enhance quality by ensuring the correct tools are utilized, as well as, ensuring each tool is calibrated (as required).

Want to learn more? Read more here: When the Internet of Things Meets the Digital Supply Network

Perspectives

Electronic Work Instruction

The depot worker accesses an Electronic Work Instruction (EWI) via a connected device, which allows them to quickly access assembly/testing instructions as they work. The tablets provide guidance during assembly/ testing and allow for critical build paraments and test parameters to be captured and transmitted into the digital platform as testing is completed on the shop floor. Digital tag data integrated with the EWI ties technical drawings and specifications to work order operation lines and ensures components can be tracked and traced to the correct parent after teardown.

Want to learn more? Read more here: The Smart Depot: Applying Technology to Increase Productivity

Perspectives

Augmented & Virtual Reality

AR/VR technology enables digital work instructions to be virtually placed on physical components during re-assembly. References are at the ready and hands-free to enable full attention on work tasks. AR/VR technology also works to enable cobot assistance in reassembly. Internet of Things enabled, mistake-proofing sensors allow production workers to identify whether their tasks are being performed within acceptable tolerances. 

Want to learn more? Read more here: More Real Than Reality: Transforming Work Through Augmented Reality

Perspectives

Welcome to the Future of Maintenance Microsite

The digital transformation of the Nation’s depots, shipyard, and warehouses will leverage next-generation technology for everything from intelligent operations management and advanced manufacturing to digital supply network synchronization. Personnel at all levels will be better enabled to succeed in their roles through the introduction of these technologies. This digitally-transformed infrastructure will establish an architecture for the Navy to lead its mission readiness capabilities into the future.

This tutorial will provide an overview of the Microsite’s functionality to understand the benefits and potential application of these technologies. Click on the slides below to learn how to navigate the site, otherwise close this window to start exploring. Site best viewed in Chrome or Edge browsers.

Digital Aviation Depot Perspectives

Click on the text below to learn more about each role. 

Define my role:Define what I care about (metrics, KPIs):
 
  • Individuals that oversee all Depot Activities (all models within the facility)
  • Responsible for approving overall production schedule and execution budget
  • Meeting Depot cost, schedule, quality, and safety targets
  • Maintaining safe operations
  • Availability of the right skills and supporting infrastructure (equipment, etc.)
Define my role:Define what I care about (metrics, KPIs):
 
  • Responsible for planning, assigning, and monitoring the execution of all work associated with a particular product line
  • Directs adjustments to be made based upon outside factors (i.e., schedule change, material or engineering delay, etc.)
  • Assigns tasks and priorities based on available capacity, materiel availability, and required skills
  • Managing and resolving delays
  • Daily throughput and completion of work orders
  • Availability of the right skills, materiel, and supporting infrastructure (equipment, etc.)
  • Labor and equipment utilization
  • Actual vs. budgeted Direct and Indirect hours

1st Line Supervisors, Artisans, E&Es, and Quality Personnel

Define my role:Define what I care about (metrics, KPIs):
 
  • 1st Line Supervisors – Plans and matches capabilities to work assignments of artisans, monitors quality of artisan’s work, ensures efficient man-loading of tasks
  • Artisans – Performs maintenance/repair tasks as directed by Work Orders
  • E&Es – Tailors Work Order operations based on actual component condition
  • Quality Personnel – Inspects condition of repairs to ensure standards are met
  • Labor and equipment utilization are maximized
  • Work is performed within allotted workload standards
  • Artisan skills and training
  • Completing tasks within the allotted time at a high level of quality
  • Ensuring that parts are returned to the fleet in acceptable repair condition (A Condition)
Enabling Technologies

A key part of digital transformation of the Nation’s depots, shipyards, and warehouses are the enabling technologies that provide the foundation for the various technologies used throughout maintenance and logistics operations. These enabling technologies ensure connectivity, enable enterprise-wide visibility, and provide the security needed for system stability. Click on the text below to learn more about each role.

A 5G network provides the connectivity that is essential when employing a broad web of interconnected technologies. A 5G network increases the speed of data transfer, lowers latency issues, increases the bandwidth capabilities, and increases the capacity of data that can be sent.  
Cybersecurity supports the protection from cyber threats for all internet-connected systems such as the hardware, software, and stored data. Strong cybersecurity systems protect against unauthorized access to the sensitive information stored within military data systems.  
A Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution integrates organizational data, systems, and processes. This allows artisans and depot managers to access the technical data and product specifications needed as well as create and monitor digital twins for repaired parts and weapons systems. 
Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) solutions use a model based approach to support the setup of a complex system from initial concept to ongoing operational analysis. Using an MBSE approach supports orchestrating the combination of several complex systems and deepens the understanding of processes through integrated analytics. 
Robotic and Intelligent Automation (R&IA) can drive efficiency across manual and repetitive processes. Automating tasks reduces back logs and creates time for staff to work on more value-add tasks. Given the large number of tasks that need to be performed across the shipyards, depots, and warehouses this will free up the artisans and managers to focus on higher complexity, higher value tasks. Automation can also drive analytics for leadership to make more informed decisions. 
Control Tower provides deep supply chain data visibility through intuitive and innovative dashboards. Control Tower tools enable deep dives of data analysis to understand the reason for changes behind key performance indicators and augment problem solving and continuous process improvement. Control Tower capabilities can help proactively manage supply chains in real time, allowing leaders to focus on the most critical supply chain segments, while the rest of the supply chain can continue functioning in a business-as-usual fashion. A comprehensive Control Tower provides the visibility across the entire shipyard, depot, and warehouse to view the current state of all processes and quick identification of any pain points or areas requiring action by leadership. 

Control Tower

Six months prior to an aircraft arriving at the depot and during normal on aircraft maintenance at the 0-level, depot artisans perform a conditional maintenance inspection of the aircraft. Data from this inspection is used by various maintenance systems to plan for all logistics support required to complete its future heavy maintenance event. It also provides information to production managers concerning the amount of time as well as artisan skill sets required to perform that work. This information is used to determine proper staffing levels for future work. While finalizing the repair plans for that aircraft, the depot production manager receives two automated alerts from the Control Tower regarding potential issues to depot operations. The first alert indicates throughput of an assembly cell has dropped and the second forecasts supply shortages of critical parts needed to fix the aircraft based on the digital aviation supply data feed. Based on the alerts, the production manager addresses critical personnel shortages in the assembly cell and coordinates with other agencies to develop a plan to alleviate the projected parts shortages.  

Want to learn more? Read more here: The Supply Chain Control Tower

Perspectives