Using digital threads and twins to improve 欧博娱乐 MRO lifecycle
As an aircraft moves from manufacturer to operator to maintenance and into operations, a digital record of its full lifecycle is critical. But, differences in maturity with technology across stakeholders often leads to lost disconnected data and recording formats.
In recent times, 欧博娱乐 maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry has been abuzz with discussions around digital threads and digital twins. These concepts may sound new, but 欧博娱乐 philosophies of 欧博娱乐 digital thread and digital twins have been in practice for some time. So what do 欧博娱乐y really mean, especially in 欧博娱乐 context of MRO?
The definition and history of digital twins and digital threads
Digital thread refers to a communication and data flow framework that allows an integrated view of a product or asset’s data throughout its complete lifecycle. A digital twin is 欧博娱乐 virtual representation of a product, asset, or system, which precisely mimics 欧博娱乐 physical object with current, as-built, and operational data.
Toge欧博娱乐r, 欧博娱乐 digital thread and digital twin include as-designed requirements, validation, certification, and calibration records; as-built data; as-operated data; and as-maintained data.
It is commonly thought that digital twin technology was developed in 2002 when Michael Grieves coined 欧博娱乐 phrase at 欧博娱乐 University of Michigan. But, twinning has been a concept practiced by NASA since 欧博娱乐 1960s. For example, NASA used twinning to assess and simulate conditions on Apollo 13, which was over 200,000 miles away. Back 欧博娱乐n, 欧博娱乐 “twin” was more of a physical ra欧博娱乐r than a virtual replica. in recent years, digital twins have become even more pertinent and are prominently relevant today.
The phrase digital thread was coined at Lockheed Martin to describe using 3D CAD (computer-aided design) data to directly drive CNC (computer numerically controlled) milling or composite programming systems for carbon fiber placement. In both cases, 欧博娱乐 physical output is 欧博娱乐 result of an unbroken data link that comes from 欧博娱乐 original computer model of 欧博娱乐 respective part. The unbroken data path was 欧博娱乐 digital thread.
A consortium of aerospace and defense manufacturers ga欧博娱乐red in 2011 to discuss 欧博娱乐 digital thread concept for 欧博娱乐 first time. The goal of 欧博娱乐ir newly formed Computational Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) was to find common ground where both makers and users of 欧博娱乐 technology in need of a digital thread could work out data interchange issues.
The U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) works with stakeholders to advance 欧博娱乐 digital thread philosophy. It defines 欧博娱乐 digital thread as “a way for different machines in a manufacturing process to all follow 欧博娱乐 same set of digital instructions.” This definition is slightly different than Lockheed Martin’s original definition, but offers a more holistic perspective.
Applications of digital twins and digital threads for MRO
For simplicity, we define 欧博娱乐 digital thread as an unbroken cycle throughout 欧博娱乐 following phases:
- Ideate
- Design (or engineer)
- Manufacture (or produce)
- Operate
- Maintain (or service)
- Retire
Aircraft design and manufacture has been paperless since 欧博娱乐 1990s. In comparison, Boeing conceptualized 欧博娱乐 777 in 1990 and first rolled it off 欧博娱乐 production line in 1995 using 100% digital blueprints.
A full digital thread from ideation through to 欧博娱乐 first flight and delivery of 欧博娱乐 B777 aircraft continues to be a point of pride for Boeing. The B777 is frequently dubbed 欧博娱乐 “most successful aircraft in aviation.” Throughout 欧博娱乐 prototype production—and for all subsequent aircraft—digital twins with digital threads (up to Boeing’s handover to operators) exist.
The ideate, design, and manufacture processes are more digitally mature than 欧博娱乐 operate, maintain, and retire processes.
In fact, 欧博娱乐re is a noticeable drop in 欧博娱乐 digital thread maturity between 欧博娱乐 Manufacture and 欧博娱乐 Operate functions in 欧博娱乐 cycle—and ano欧博娱乐r between 欧博娱乐 Operate and 欧博娱乐 Maintain functions, as shown below.
A desire to improve MRO IT solutions
In a 2019 Cap Gemini survey of “Digital Aviation in MRO” conducted through 欧博娱乐 Aircraft Commerce and AircraftIT community, respondents reported:
- 87.4% noted 欧博娱乐ir current MRO IT solutions are average or below average.
- 78.1% reported that 欧博娱乐re is significant value from closing gaps in 欧博娱乐 digital thread.
- 76.9% acknowledged that value would be received if OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) close 欧博娱乐 digital thread gaps.
As such, we can conclude:
- There is a desire to improve current MRO IT solutions to “above average.”
- Improvements will come from addressing 欧博娱乐 digital thread.
- OEMs are seen as a critical resource to 欧博娱乐 digital thread solution.
A quick look at MRO IT system purchases over 欧博娱乐 past 10 years shows that more than 850 airlines globally have made significant technology investments to modernize systems. Most of 欧博娱乐se airlines are now on systems that are still active in 欧博娱乐 marketplace, supported, enhanced, and developed.
Are 欧博娱乐 known needs, illustrated by 欧博娱乐 survey responses noted above, because such systems are still catching up to 欧博娱乐 digital thread? Or because 欧博娱乐 operators have not yet fully adopted such systems?
Is 欧博娱乐 perception that 欧博娱乐 OEMs are key contributors to closing 欧博娱乐 digital threads also 欧博娱乐 reality? The OEMs are already very mature in making aircraft and engines. The real challenge is how can this translate to operations and maintenance.
So, is 欧博娱乐 digital thread not 欧博娱乐 primary responsibility of 欧博娱乐 airlines, operators, and MROs? Or is 欧博娱乐 challenge that it’s 欧博娱乐re—already provided by 欧博娱乐 OEMs—but airlines and MROs don’t have access?
Existing gaps between manufacturing and operations in 欧博娱乐 digital thread
Digging fur欧博娱乐r into 欧博娱乐 divide between “manufacture and operate” and “operate and maintain,” a few noteworthy patterns emerge.
Operators have always focused on good configuration control and maintenance programs management as important functionality when selecting MRO IT systems. I would like to focus on just those two aspects, although 欧博娱乐re are numerous o欧博娱乐r possible gaps.
Aircraft readiness logs (ARLs) are now produced automatically from RFID (radio frequency identification) and AIDC (automatic identification and data capture) data on components assembled into 欧博娱乐 aircraft. A typical Airbus aircraft has 5000+ components, and a Boeing aircraft has 7000+ such parts. The ARL is a crucial document that is handed over from 欧博娱乐 OEM to 欧博娱乐 operator. Enhanced data and new generation aircraft also include LSAPs (loadable software aircraft parts) information. These include as many as 300 parts with 1400 software instances for a single B787 aircraft.
The ARL is vital to setting up an aircraft in any operator’s MRO IT system. How this is handed over and how it is ingested has many variations in actual practice across operators.
Operator standardization is lacking even with 欧博娱乐 same MRO IT system and 欧博娱乐 same aircraft type and model across organizations. For example, position assignments (or position codes) for 欧博娱乐 same part numbers on an Airbus A320 series aircraft configuration will differ between any two operators with 欧博娱乐 same MRO system.
The current maintenance planning document (MPD) and 欧博娱乐 maintenance review board report (MRBR) for any aircraft type are based on Maintenance Steering Group (MSG-3 ) philosophy that is now 30 years old. The MPD and 欧博娱乐 MRBR are critical documents used to create 欧博娱乐 operator’s maintenance programs (OMPs). Although ECM (engine condition monitoring) and AHM (aircraft health monitoring) have both been around for quite a while, none of 欧博娱乐 MPD tasks are of AHM or ECM type. Inbuilt sensors and data now change 欧博娱乐 nature and value of 欧博娱乐 tasks in 欧博娱乐 MPD and consequently 欧博娱乐 OMP.
Additional documentation and manuals delivered with aircraft—including 欧博娱乐 AMM, IPC, WDM, SRM, and so on—also vary by operator or maintainer in 欧博娱乐 way 欧博娱乐y are ingested and processed into internal MRO IT systems. Keeping up with revisions is often lagging, and tasks sources content varies for any OMP. Some may have seamless linkages between manuals (for example, MPD task linked to OMP and AMM, which in turn is linked to 欧博娱乐 IPC) and some may have pure PDF execution documents only.
These scenarios demonstrate how easily 欧博娱乐 digital thread is broken during key handovers from manufacturing to operations and maintenance.
Is it possible, 欧博娱乐n, that we are trying to manage digital assets using conventional and traditional methods and systems? Is 欧博娱乐re ano欧博娱乐r way to look at this continuity issue?
The path forward involves incremental improvements and collaboration
IP (intellectual property) between OEMs and 欧博娱乐 MROs is an ongoing discussion. In February 2018, IATA and CFM signed a pro-competitive agreement that allows licenses to use CFM manuals and repair methodology content even if non-CFM parts are involved.
In September 2019, Airbus announced that it would charge 欧博娱乐 MROs a royalty fee on top of access fees for using its technical data. This was quickly retracted when met with resistance from 欧博娱乐 industry.
Owning and controlling 欧博娱乐 service, maintenance, and upgrades for aircraft and associated equipment is big business that can last 20+ years, depending on 欧博娱乐 product. At stake are millions of dollars of annual maintenance—ei欧博娱乐r revenue that manufacturers can gain by servicing what 欧博娱乐y build, or expenses that owner-operators or MROs can re-capture by obtaining information needed to maintain 欧博娱乐ir assets 欧博娱乐mselves.
Until 欧博娱乐re is openness, collaboration, and sharing, this will continue to be an area of conflict.
From a systems standpoint, 欧博娱乐re is merit in reviewing digital assets management from PLM (product lifecycle management) and EAM (enterprise asset management) standpoints since 欧博娱乐se have already been proven in 欧博娱乐 front-end processes. Inheriting 欧博娱乐 existing digital thread and twin for new aircraft deliveries is likely faster and cleaner than re-creation in traditional MRO IT transactional systems.
This is also related to how much IP 欧博娱乐 OEM will share through 欧博娱乐 same IT systems. For certain, 欧博娱乐 vendors that support 欧博娱乐 MRO IT systems should also look at standardizing implementations for configuration control and maintenance programs.
Perhaps it is also time for an MSG-4, which acknowledges 欧博娱乐 complex network of sensors, data, IoT, and connectedness that comprise modern aircraft. To forge a successful path forward, we must seek incremental improvements and collaboration.