CTMA Project #: 140421/140445/140457/140477
Problem: Paper documentation has played a key role in maintenance documentation and processes. Process owners complete paperwork and transfer that documentation to other users that need information about the process or asset. This transfer happens multiple times with additional information being added until the paper documentation is filed away for future reference. Much of the paper documentation contains valuable information. The challenges revolve around how to make other users aware of its existence and how to make it accessible.
Overhaul and repair inspections are paper based, conducted over three shifts, not co-located, and are performed by multiple individuals. This leads to no standardization of data capture and inspection processes.
Scanning the documentation seems like a simple solution by converting paper file cabinets into digital file cabinets. While this appears straightforward, digital files quickly multiply and can be very difficult to find unless they are properly indexed and searchable.
Benefit: This project will demonstrate the benefits of replacing inefficient paper-based processes with mobile data capture devices combined with COTS software to guide inspectors. Anticipated benefits include: inspection cost reduction, reduced repair cycle time, increased industrial capacity and enhanced failure and trend analysis.
As part of this project, Aspire Solutions will utilize its proprietary software and develop techniques that will accomplish this vision. This allows the toolset to be tested on a larger scale to ensure its commercial viability.
Solution/Approach: The process guide will be demonstrated in two pilot projects with the Air Force at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC) on the KC-135 weapons system and the other with the Army at the Red River Army Depot (RRAD) on the HMMWV repair line.
Because of the high degree of variability in the Rock Island documentation, the extraction techniques need to be very flexible and configurable.
This project will include a full scan demonstration of the data capture and file optimization capabilities based on the Rock Island dataset.
- Design an efficient document scanning process to ensure high quality, high OCR readability digital documentation.
- Develop data extraction techniques to capture the meta-data from the documentation and properly index the file.
Impact on Warfighter: It impacts the warfighter by providing a higher quality aircrafts and ground vehicles in less time at a reduced cost. In addition to reducing inspector training time and adding accountability for the inspectors, AP&IG also standardizes the inspection processes and vastly simplifies the management of the processes.
Files will be available electronically at TACOM, Warren, MI and will have search capabilities. The files will reside on Share Point.
DOD Participation:
- U.S. Air Force (OC-ALC) (Phase I only)
- U.S. Army (Red River)
- U.S. Army (Tobyhanna)
- U.S. Marine Corps (Albany MC3) (Phase I only)
- U.S. Army (Anniston)
- TACOM (Rock Island Arsenal)
- TACOM (Warren)
Industry Participation:
- Aspire Solutions, Inc.
- Siemens Government Services, Inc. (Phase I only)
- Anautics, Inc. (Phase I only)
- Dr. Diesel Technologies
- NCMS
