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Condition Assessment of Depot Level Repairable (DLR) Components
Presented by:
Dean HutsonVice President
Logistics Engineering & Support Division
October 2017
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Presented to: AAAA 13th Luther G. Jones Army Aviation Depot Forum
(RIMFIRE - Documenting Reason for Return)
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Organizations Using RIMFIRE Data
What is RIMFIRE
Benefits
Background RIMFIRE program started in September 2003 First inspectors placed at CCAD in December 2003 T700 Engine was first system in program Aviation Systems
T700 engines T55 engines Drive Systems (AH-64, CH-47, OH-58 & UH-60) Hydraulics Rotor Systems (AH-64, CH-47 & UH-60)
AMRDEC – AEDAH-64 PMOCH-47 PMO ASH PMOUH-60 PMOPEO AviationAMCOM - G3OSDNAVAIRCBM Research CenterCCADBell Helicopter
BoeingGeneral ElectricHoneywellSikorskyAMRDEC – AATDAMRDEC – EDAMCOM – ALCAMRDEC – AFDDAVCRADSAMCOM – VE AMSAAPEO Missile & Space
The RIMFIRE program provides the Army with a failure reporting and corrective action monitoring system on equipment inducted at maintenance facilities. Currently deployed at Corpus Christi and Ft Rucker.
The RIMFIRE process is a closed–loop system for identifying and tracking root causes of equipment returns to depots, repair/replacement actions, identifying and quantifying all active failure modes, subsequently determining which components or maintenance practices should be identified as candidates for corrective action.
Identify and quantify component failure modes to determine major drivers of equipment removals
Trend failure modes and develop models to predict probability of failure over operating life
Assess impact of individual failure modes on MTBF
Tracking and Trending of Depot Repair/Replacement Actions
Correlation of prognostic indicators with actual hardware condition
RIMFIRE identified as one of the key databases for RCM Data Analysis
RIMFIRE is best available source for quantifying root cause for removal
Reliability IMprovement thru Failure Identification and REporting
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RIMFIRE’s Role in Army Aviation
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Average Service Life (H
ours)
2410 Removal Date (CY Quarter & Year)
Cycle Life Goal
RIMFIRE Identifies, Documents & Quantifies the Failure Modes and Issues that Prevent Components from
Reaching Their Service Life Goals.
Top Drivers IdentifiedRoot Causes Determined
Inspections & Analysis
Improving Time Between Depot Visits = Improved Readiness
Cycle Life is Measure of
Product Quality
QDR’s Submitted by
RIMFIRE
RIMFIRE’s Role in Army Aviation
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RIMFIRE Teardown Analysis
Levels of Maintenance
Field
Organizational Intermediate
Depot
How Root Causes of DLR Component Returns are Determined and Analyzed by RIMFIRE
Army Aviation Failure Reporting
Aircraft Maintenance Logbook (ULLS-A)
PQDR’s
RIMFIRE Scoring and
Analysis
All Removals are Scored to Define and Quantify Root
Cause of Removal/Failure.
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RIMFIRE Inspection Lifecycle
Asset removed in
field.
CCAD Induction
Pre-Shop Analysis (PSA) Inspection Depot Overhaul
Return to service
PQDR
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RIMFIRE Inspections
Teardown Inspections
Dimensional Checks
Documentation of Failures and
Conditions
Identification of Failure
Modes
RIMFIRE is a non-intrusive process that does not inhibit overall depot throughput.
– Over 3100 Teardown Inspections per Year
– Over 120 PQDRs submitted per Year
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RIMFIRE Teardown Analysis Reports
>700 Active User Accounts
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RIMFIRE Decision Support System
RIMFIRE is designed to identify root causes of equipment returned to depot
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Examples of RIMFIRE-based projects
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Overhaul Process Optimization
T700 Engine Compressor Impellers Depot Limit Increase
– Estimated Cost Savings = $3.38M per year* –
Annual Cost savings = $3,379,580.80• Typical annual demand = 1043• New part price = $5689• Cost to replace all (RECAP) is $5689 x 1043 = $5,933,627
Labor costs for inspection and repair (CCAD)• Inspection = 1 hour• Repair = 12 hours• Labor rate = $132/hr (CCAD)
Assumed estimated rejection rate on Impellers going thru shop is 15%. Cost to do OCM on Diffusers is = $2,554,046.25
• Inspection cost is 1043 x $132 = $137,676• Repair cost is (1043 x .85) x (12hrs x 132) = $1,404,295.20• Replace cost is (1043 x .15) x $6469 = $1,012,075.05
*Estimation calculated by RIMFIRE (Reference VEP 12-0118)
Estimated Cost Impact
The T700 engine’s Compressor Impeller is typically replaced at CCAD during Recap/Reset operations. RIMFIRE data show that 93.86% of impellers inspected have no visual conditions associated with the component . These are possible candidates to be considered for continued operation.
Inspection criteria and repair methods per DMWR 1-2840-248-1 addresses the critical characteristic inspections for the Compressor Impeller.
T700 Engine – Compressor ImpellerRIMFIRE Special Inspection
Results
Through this special inspection, RIMFIRE was able to provide substantial data supporting an increase in the depot limit.
The final decision was to increase the limit from 200 to 2000 hours, with a passing inspection.
MEO No. P6724 was written for this change.
Compressor Impeller
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Design Improvements
AH-64 TRGB Output Shaft Seal – Field Replacement
– Current Estimated Cost Avoidance = $1.8M –
AH-64 Tail Rotor Gearbox - Output Shaft Seal LeakingRIMFIRE Identification & Analysis
In 2008, a drawing error on the new output shaft seal design was identified and immediately corrected. In 2009, a 3rd generation output shaft seal was introduced that was field replaceable. RIMFIRE is continuously tracking the “Leaking” failure mode on the output shaft seal and has seen a 50% reduction in Tail Rotor Gearboxes returned for output shaft seal leaks since the seal issues were resolved.
~50% reduction in Gearboxes returned for Output Shaft Seal leaks
Field seal replacement allowed
New seal design drawing error identified
Tail Rotor Output Shaft - returned for leaking
Estimated Cost AvoidanceAccording to the ALC-SOA office, the cost benefit of the unit level seal replacement is $1.8M (calculated through FY15).
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Improved Maintenance Practices
Calculation inputs:• If rate of events is only halved (i.e. only 22 engines damaged)• Cost of engine overhaul: $450K
Calculations:• $450K x 22 engines = $9.9M
Estimated Cost Avoidance: $9.9M (provided by CH-47 T55 office)
Estimated Cost AvoidanceCorrective Actions
T55 Engine- No. 3 Bearing DamageBackground
RIMFIRE Engineering Review Board identified a recurring problem where engines returned for “chips” were mostly maintenance induced failures of the #3 Bearing.
The #3 Bearing was being “stabbed” by the PT shaft as the PT module was being reinstalled.
As of 31-AUG-2015, 995 engines have been inspected and 44 of these returns were due to No. 3 bearing damage.
The CH-47 T55 office implemented the following in order to reduce this problem:
1) Bearing alignment tool procured Dec 2011.
2) Tool distributed to field starting in Feb 2012.
3) MIM generated
4) TMs updated
T55 No. 3 Bearing – New Bearing Alignment Tool Distribution
– Estimated Cost Avoidance = $9.9M –