CTMA Project #: 140324
Problem:
- Limited weapon system availability and lack of reparable spares.
- Unscheduled DoD Depot machinery downtime causes lost man hours, reduced capacity, and increased cycle time leading to reduced weapon system availability.
- Manufacturing and plant/asset operations need to be maintained to ensure continued functionality. Preventative maintenance is not sufficient to avoid unscheduled and costly downtime of equipment.
Benefit:
- Availability:
- Early detection of a change increased equipment availability
- Improved machine maintenance leads to increased production and therefore weapon system availability
- Cost: Scheduled maintenance saves $$ in lieu of urgent maintenance.
- Reliability:
- Early prediction of plant equipment failure will result in repairs prior to production of substandard parts
- 53% of machine changes were detected earlier using AE technology over vibration technology
- Cycle Time: Less machine downtime resulted in higher throughput
Solution/Approach:
Condition-Based Maintenance Technology
- High-frequency Acoustic Emission (AE) signal was demonstrated as a viable solution.
- AE has shown the ability to detect faults earlier than more traditional and established methods of condition monitoring.
- Strong complement to vibration analysis.
AE prototypes demonstrated the following attributes:
- Unscheduled maintenance reduction
- Machine condition qualitative assessment
- Comparative analysis with identical machines
- Rate of degradation monitoring.
- Provided information as to when intervention was required.
DOD Participation:
- U.S. Army (Red River Army Depot)
- U.S. Marine Corps (Albany and Barstow Maintenance Centers)
- U.S. Navy (Fleet Readiness Centers Southwest and Southeast and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard)
Industry Participation:
- Ford Motor Company
- IMES
- Wayne State University
- NCMS
