The Future of Maintenance

Repair & Overhaul

Various technologies provide engineers and artisans with solutions across the digital thread that accelerate maintenance and allow real-time operational feedback. Sensors tagged onto inventory racks/bins trigger automatic ordering when supplies are low. The digital twin provides a digital representation of past and current configuration and performance, enabling more efficient maintenance and increased informational awareness. Additive manufacturing allows artisans to create replacement parts and support tooling on-demand.

Perspectives
Enabling Technologies
Production Managers
Depot Execution Personnel
Depot Execution Personnel
Depot Execution Personnel
Depot Execution Personnel
Depot CO & Production Directors
Depot CO & Production Directors
icon_DigitalTwin_1orange_SVG Digital Twin
icon_AdditiveManufactureorange Advanced & Additive Manufacturing
icon_AutoDeliveryorange_SVG Autonomous Delivery
icon_DynamicSlottingorange_SVG Sensor-Driven Replenishment via Smart Warehouse
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Digital Twin

As parts and assemblies are overhauled, the aircraft’s digital twin is updated to reflect the as-maintained condition. These updates ensure that simulations during downstream testing and validation activities will be completed using the aircraft’s updated configuration. The digital twin also enables information regarding the aircraft’s condition and configuration to be shared with O-and I-level maintenance teams so that a complete digital record of the aircraft can be intact throughout its lifecycle. Finally, the digital twin is used to run prognostic scenarios aimed at evaluating customer changes or forecasted adjustments to induction schedules and their impact on the depots ability to produce products on time.

Want to learn more? Read more here: Industry 4.0 and the Digital Twin

Perspectives

Advanced & Additive Manufacturing

At a dedicated Additive Manufacturing printing facility, orders are received, processed and shipped directly back to the customer. There are different types of 3D printers running (i.e., plastic vs. metal printing). Here, engineers are additively manufacturing out of stock or hard to find replacement parts at their workstation. This additive manufacturing capability has a direct impact on reducing throughput delays associated with lack of spare parts.  In this facility there are also testing and validation workstations. Here, engineers examine the 3D printed part and its digital file at the same time, validating that the physical part meets its digital specifications.

Want to learn more? Read more here: 3D Opportunity and the Digital Thread

Perspectives

Autonomous Delivery

In the back shop, autonomous vehicles are quickly and efficiently carrying and delivering needed supplies and unique tools to workstations, allowing artisans to focus on repair and overhaul work rather than the logistics behind the work, resulting in more efficient and streamlined operations. The vehicles follow specified delivery paths to ensure safe routing and travel around busy work areas. After production control workers unload the relevant materials and tools, the vehicles carry surplus supplies or waste from workstations to appropriate destinations.

Want to learn more? Read more here: Autonomous Trucks Lead the Way

Perspectives

Sensor-Driven Replenishment via Smart Warehouse

Inside the Warehouse, bins, racks and shelves are equipped with sensors which monitor the inventory levels of replacement parts. As inventory levels pass defined thresholds, a replenishment order is automatically triggered in the Warehouse to pick, pack, and ship a replenishment order. If the exact replacement part/material is not available, a notification will pop-up at an engineer’s workstation, recommending alternate courses of action. The engineer digitally approves the substitute part/material and the part is shipped to the repair facility. This functionality allows workers to stay focused on repair operations instead of requesting more supplies.

Want to learn more? Read more here: Smart Sensors and Supply Chain Innovation

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