Page 40 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016 Online Magazine

oPinion GRAHAM GROSE

Triple Impact

The three technologies that will disrupt civil aviation MRO
By Graham Grose

eMeRGinG teChnoLoGy is no A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers
stranger to the civil aviation industry – estimates that the MRO market stands
airline operators and manufacturers are to save US$3.4 billion annually in material
constantly looking at new technologies and logistical costs alone. The ROI is
to reduce costs, improve efficiency clear – AM has the potential to save
and help them keep up with rising millions of dollars in manufacturing costs
passenger numbers. However, new and across the A&D sector. However, product
emerging technologies have the potential quality is the Achilles’ heel of every
to completely disrupt the industry, production technology, and as with all new Graham Grose
especially if they threaten to undermine technologies there are issues that need to
airworthiness and safety standards. be addressed.
Wearable Technology – Expertise
3D Printing – Spare Parts on Demand Countering the Threat of on Demand
The complex nature of civil aviation Counterfeiting Research and input from our customers
equipment makes for a vast supply chain. The threat of counterfeit parts from easily shows that there is often a shortage of
The thousands of constituent parts accessible 3D printers, coupled with the qualified maintenance engineers that can
required to assemble an aircraft are endless amount of designs available on act quickly as the need arises at various
typically sourced from manufacturers and the Internet, could fuel a black market of locations around the world. Civil aviation
suppliers around the world. With utilization counterfeit parts. This has the potential organizations will have to look at how
of spare parts a key to keeping assets to severely impact the supply chain, technologies can help engineers be more
operational for the maximum amount of enabling anyone with the technology to productive and how their skills can be
time, 3D printing offers a solution. sell counterfeit parts at a discount and ‘augmented’, for use in locations where
Part demand is hard to calculate at the leave unsuspecting businesses at risk of they are not physically present.
best of times as most spares must be kept poorly performing and dangerous parts. One challenge the aviation industry
in stock or within reach of procurement at The International Chamber of Commerce continuously struggles with is how to
short notice. Production units and spares predicted the value of counterfeit goods reduce aircraft turn-around times on the
could be produced on demand, avoiding globally to exceed $1.7 trillion last year. ground. This is one area where there is a
expensive set-ups and large quantities of 3D printing will require key changes lack of qualified engineers to carry out
stock - streamlining the entire supply chain. in ERP systems. Every element of the the appropriate maintenance as quickly as
Instead of ordering in specialty parts manufacturing and maintenance process possible before getting the airplane up in
from any given corner of the globe, 3D will need to be visible and controllable in the air again.
printing could allow civil aviation operators order to stop counterfeit parts entering New technology, like wearable devices,
to access the design electronically and the supply chain. This is crucial in an can help address that with ‘expertise on
manufacture the required part quickly, industry as heavily regulated as civil demand’ provided remotely.
cost-efficiently and crucially, on-site. aviation, and where safety is paramount. One example is Japan Airlines,
With the threat of operational downtime 3D printing is just the start of a technology which has trialed Google Glass in the
negatively influencing revenue, 3D printing that could revolutionize the civil aviation maintenance process. The glasses are
offers savings on both fronts. industry, but only if it can be controlled. worn by engineers working around

New and emerging technologies have the potential to completely disrupt the
industry, especially if they threaten to undermine airworthiness and

safety standards.

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