The Future of Maintenance

Inventory Management
Many warehouse inventory management processes can be automated; by utilizing a combination of drones and other robotic equipment, it’s possible to reduce the amount of human labor required for internal processes. Put away, replenishment, and inventory processes can all be assisted with machines that are tied into GPS and machine learning systems. Implementing such systems reduces movement errors, eliminates bottlenecks, and improves productivity and inventory visibility.
Perspectives
Enabling Technologies
Warehouse Supervisor
Warehouse Supervisor
Warehouse Supervisor
Warehouse Supervisor
Warehouse Associate
Warehouse Associate
Warehouse Associate
icon_Replenishmentgreen_SVG Sensor-Driven Replenishment
icon_AutoCountgreen_SVG Autonomous Counting
icon_Dashboardgreen_SVG Inventory Dashboard
icon_DynamicSlottinggreen_SVG Dynamic Slotting Tool
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Sensor-driven Replenishment

Within the warehouse, primary storage locations are equipped with sensors to monitor stock levels. A sensor is triggered when stock has fallen below the designated threshold; a “low stock” alert is triggered and queues a replenishment task from safety stock to the prime bins. During a non-peak period for outbound operations, the replenishment tasks are released by the floor manager for completion by operations staff or repeatable tasks can managed and released automatically via R&IA. Using this technology allows the sensors to autonomously monitor stock levels to keep primary bins full and outbound operations efficient.

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

Perspectives

Autonomous Counting

During inventory audits, operators can utilize autonomous counting, a machine learning system, to calculate the number of units stored within a bin. The operator is supported by a robot with a fixed camera to feed the visual information received from the bin into the counting system. This tool automatically aggregates the data and provides an output into the operator’s handheld device, where the stock and inventory levels will be validated and processed. The integration of drones, cobots, and autonomous counting tool allows operators and warehouse managers to conduct inventory counts more rapidly and accurately to maintain inventory fidelity.

Want to learn more? Read more here: Manufacturing Goes Digital: Smart Factories Have the Potential to Spark Labor Productivity

Perspectives

Inventory Dashboard

The program manager reviews an inventory dashboard to view part discrepancies flagged during autonomous counting. From this dashboard, the manager can prioritize discrepancies, focusing on the largest inconsistencies first and assign tasks to operators to reconcile in the desired order. This will sync part numbers and stock levels in the dashboard with the WMS while focusing on high velocity items for outbound operations.

Want to learn more? Read more here: Industry 4.0 and Distribution Centers

Perspectives

Dynamic Slotting Tool

Due to variable demand, the same parts can end up occupying multiple bin locations. When this occurs, bin consolidation through dynamic slotting software can be utilized to optimize the footprint of parts throughout the warehouse. The software will create tasks to consolidate multiple bins and guide operators to pick and consolidate various bins into one. This results in a comprehensive benefit by condensing a single part’s footprint within the warehouse, increases outbound velocity through single bin picking, and opens previously filled bins to incoming parts that meet the respective size and velocity storage characteristics.

Want to learn more? Read more here: The Smart Factory

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 Warehouse Perspectives

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

Define my role: Define what I care about (metrics, KPIs):
  • Monitor warehouse for inventory levels, customer fulfillment, and network operations
  • Review stock level reporting
  • Run reports for costing goods/inventory and performance
  • Review financial reports for federal tracking
  • Inventory Availability
  • Order Fulfillment
  • Order Accuracy
  • Throughput
  • Warehouse Utilization (Cubic Storage)
Define my role:Define what I care about (metrics, KPIs):
 
  • Maintain inventory within the warehouse and coordinate delivery to the end point customers
  • Initiate Stock Replenishment
  • Receive, Inspect, and Put-Away
  • Pick and ship material based on customer order
  • Inventory Accuracy
  • Task Cycle Time
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