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fluence of predictive maintenance incentives “Previously airlines may have spent weeks trying to piece together
comes together for all parties involved in flying updated deadlines, but now accurate maintenance information is FUTURE
any given route. presented to airlines on a daily basis and is seamlessly consumed THE OF THE
by their maintenance scheduling engine. Initial anecdotal reports
“The Blue Data Thread contributes signifi- show huge progress to extend the lifecycle of engines and com-
cantly to Rolls-Royce’s strategies to eliminate ponents, increasing the time taken to first engine removal by 48
unplanned failures,” says Nick Ward. “A jet engine percent. “When you have this level of monitoring and data exchange, AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
is an incredibly complex example of high-en- it indicates step change in predictive maintenance. So many engine
gineering but being in-tune with the specific components and their details are being dynamically monitored that
maintenance requirements and performance past preventative maintenance approaches are a thing of the past.
allows Rolls-Royce to accomplish feats like pow- With this level of tracking, most failures are detected on an individual
ering an A330 to fly the equivalency of to the level before they are likely to occur, well before planned maintenance
moon and back 50 times between overhauls.” cycles. Rolls-Royce has extreme faith in its predictive analytics strat-
egy with a goal of zero false predictions and 100% success rate.”
Going from physical to digital
Unlike some other OEM predictive maintenance More effective maintenance will also translate into sustainability
initiatives, the Rolls-Royce Blue Data Thread is a benefits. As the aviation industry moves towards a greener future,
two-way movement of data. The engine supplier digitalisation and predictive maintenance is an important element for
is collecting data from multiple sources, such the engineering side of the industry and both IFS and Rolls-Royce
as engine health monitoring and information have made strong sustainability commitments as part of their long-
from airline maintenance management systems, term business planning. The Blue Data Thread programme aligns
contextual real time engine flying condition and perfectly with these priorities. By reducing the need for maintenance
other data sources including MRO data from interventions, part replacements and overhauls, manufacturing use
Rolls-Royce engine facilities. of energy and resources is reduced, and the emissions footprint of
part and engine logistics is minimized.
This is where IFS has provided strategic sup-
port on multiple levels. IFS Maintenix has Getting up and running fast
automated the sharing of the data critical for From a technical perspective, airlines can be up and running on
Rolls-Royce to re-life its engine parts, but also the Blue Data Thread through the IFS Maintenix plug-in in a as little
took a broader scope to allow airlines and Rolls- as two months. This requires a quick technology installation and is
Royce to collaborate and share much more then a case of specifying key modelling information such as engine
information about the work which happens on utilization. It’s the accessibility and sovereignty of data which can
their engines—for example which engine parts bring up potential roadblocks.
have been switched or inspected and even if Airlines running other maintenance management systems need to
any other aircraft systems have been impacted make sure they can extract, store and analyse critical data profiles
by engine behavior. The result of this two-way from their supporting software. Some airlines running legacy mainte-
exchange is an even more complete picture of nance software on their aircraft may not be able to provide enough
engine performance—a higher resolution digital of the data required to feed the Blue Data Thread and a digital twin
twin and a way to deliver these digital insights of their engine. Those airlines that can, may have some data security
to improve physical part use while in-service. reservations about certain lines of data, for example details around
part leasing and ownership. This is why IFS and Rolls-Royce have
More benefits than they designed the ability to give the airlines granular controls to manage
bargained for the level of data lines specific for each airline taking part. 14-18 November 2021 Join us as we launch a range of new
Underpinning the bilateral transfer of data from manufacturer
Participating airlines were confidently expecting to airline and back again is the need for an interface/dashboard to features including new content streams,
to see certain results from the IntelligentEngine parse the aggregation of data points. The delta between data and DWC, Dubai Airshow Site emerging technologies showcase,
and the Blue Data Thread initiatives in terms of information is the ability to translate raw data into actionable insights intelligent matchmaking platform, enhanced
overall engine performance and cost. However, and meaningful information. networking and much more in a live format.
what perhaps wasn’t anticipated was the www.dubaiairshow.aero
weaving of new predictive maintenance results Book your space today: sales@dubai.aero Follow us on: | | | | #DubaiAirshow
non-intrusively into day-to-day processes. Open the door to a predictive future
“A Rolls-Royce Trent engine can, on average, At this point in time, airlines are facing a digital imperative as never
fly around the world over 1,000 times between before. But in order to make their operations more efficient, maxi- CommerCIal Aviation | Aircraft Interiors | MRO | Business Aviation | Air Traffic Management
significant engine events. Through multi-variable mize engine life and minimise delays, they need the data backbone
forecasting, IFS is able to map the data on how to make that happen. The Blue Data Thread provides this backbone Space | Defence & Military | Air Cargo | Emerging Technologies NEW
an airline expects to fly a particular engine and to not only allow exchange of critical engine health and mainte-
combine it with Rolls-Royce data on expected nance information, but also provides the analytical insights to truly
part life to provide a very accurate predictive realize the potential of predictive maintenance—translating into Supported by:
maintenance deadline right down to individual daily improvements, significantly less unexpected failures maximum
part numbers,” continues Ward. possible time on wing.

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