Technology Considerations for PT6 Engine Overhaul Facility - Coursework Example

  Year: Technology Considerations for PT6 Engine Overhaul Facility Introduction The overhaul of a facility is not an easy task. For the task to be accomplished effectively many considerations need to be factored in. Thus, a feasibility study should be conducted to show the cost benefit analysis of the engine facility overhaul. This research paper analyses all the considerations necessary for the process to take place. These considerations focus on all the activities involved in the overhaul facility. The research also analyses the costs to be incurred and the most cost effective way to achieve the overhaul process. Some of the aspects that are researched include labour cost analysis, which focuses on the cost of labour that will be incurred. This also provides the best alternative of the labour that the process should take. Another aspect is the technology considerations. After the best labour option is decided, the technology that is essential in this process is also analysed and its feasibility recorded. The technology that is consideration is useful in helping the technicians achieve their goals in a cost effective way, and with reduced errors (Whitten & Bentley 2005). This technology will help in the planning of tasks and activities, and in the management of staff and their duties. It will provide alternatives to manual execution of tasks and increased performance. This is turn will increase throughput from the processes. Technology The engine overhaul process is an involving task that requires many aspects to be covered. One of the primary concerns is the technology that would be used to ease the process. Several systems and software can be employed to achieve this task. Some of the considerations are discussed below. One of the systems that could be employed is the interactive maintenance manual. This interactive system is used in the management of tasks and procedures. It helps in monitoring and maintenance of tasks and procedures. This is essential because most of the tasks performed in the facility are procedural, and the completion of one task is a prerequisite of another task. If one task is skipped or not completed, the whole process may fail. The interactive system helps engineers and technicians with the execution of these tasks. With the guidelines it provides, it makes it easier to follow the steps in accomplishing a task. This also helps the technicians as a reference. They can refer to the system to retrieve information about different tasks and the procedures to perform them. This reduces the chances of errors during the process. The time and effort saved in the execution tasks translates to cost saved by the company. Another example of software that can be used is Comptek’s Engine Test System commonly known as COMETS. This is a common system that would be useful in the engine overhaul facility. The system provides a cost effective way to test the engine system and record the data. This is essential when analysis of the engines is done. Some of the tests conducted require accurate results. The accuracy of these results can determine the state of the analysis that is conducted. This system is based on the Microsoft Operating System, a commonly used platform in the industry. This simplifies its integration into the system. It also eliminates the potential cost of acquiring a new platform for the workstations. The system is easy to integrate with existing workstations because it runs on standard PC specifications and hardware. This reduces the cost of upgrades necessary for operation. The software also works with commonly acquired signal conditioning equipment and common interfaces. The system is also very user friendly, thus will not require training of technicians before use. The system also provides an easy to use interface for setting up test procedures. The acquisition of test software is essential in the operations of an overhaul facility because it helps monitor the state of the engine. Aero Engine maintenance software is another system that is used for the planning and execution of maintenance procedures. Proper planning is a key requirement of the overhaul facility. With proper planning, activities can be easily executed. When manual planning is done, allocation of resources might be a problem. This occurs due to lack of proper administration and leads to loss of substantial resources. The system is therefore another essential tool in the engine overhaul facility. It helps with one of the most critical areas; planning. Aero Engine maintenance also has an easy to use interface. This makes it easier for technicians to use in their operations. The use of an intranet system is an efficient way to facilitate communication between different departments of the airline. Intranet is a network setup within the organization; it can only be accessed by users from within the company. This provides data security for the information exchanged by the users. In the intranet, the users can log in in their department and communicate with other users. For example, if an employee from the workshop needs tools from the store, he/she can easily send a message to the store with the specifications needed. This saves the time that the employee would have gone to request the tool manually from the workshop. This also helps keep a log of all the records in the system. The management of records in the system is a key factor in a facility where equipment tools and spare parts move from one department to another, it can help maintain order. An intranet can also help when one needs to send a broadcast message to many people or to a particular set of people. For example if there is a message to be relayed to all the personnel in the stores, it is easy to send it through the intranet. A human resources system can also come in handy in the facility. Another aspect that needs to be managed in the facility, is labour. The allocation of the labour force can determine the success of the overhaul facility. Many workshops lose money due to poor allocation and management of their personnel, this leads to some staff being overworked and others being underworked. This can lead to poor performance in the facility. The use of a human resources management system like sage can help in the management of workers. This system can monitor the working hours and the leave days of the personnel. The system can also help in the management of employee information. The use of this system reduces the workload of the human resources department, which in turn increases productivity. As discussed earlier communication in the facility is very essential especially when parts are involved. Because the use of a wrong part could lead to problems, the order protocol for parts has to be established. The use of the Falcon system facilitates the sending of spare part orders to the store. The technicians, according to the specification of the required parts, send these orders. The specification need to be precise for the right spare part to be sent from the store. The system can also show availability of the parts needed by the technicians. If the parts are not available, new orders can be made by the airline to get them. This improves communication about the spare parts for the engine. Conclusion The application of technology helps in the achievement of many tasks. Technology is designed to help man achieve goals in an easier, faster and cost effective way (Shetty & Cashman 2005). This results from better management of staff, better dissemination of duties and efficiency in the execution of tasks. These actions in turn result in the reduction, in the amount of time used in task performance. It also positively improves the accuracy with which the tasks are performed. An engine overhaul facility has many activities that need precise execution. Technology plays a vital role in ensuring that this preciseness is duly executed. The technicians assigned to handle this work, may be fully qualified, but the use of technology is a big boost in helping them achieve their goals. The software systems used in this facility help in better execution of tasks. The main area that are essential in the effective management of work are, planning of tasks, availability of tools, organization of these tools to avoid bottlenecks, the availability of spare parts, and their timely arrival. These are some of the critical areas that need to be monitored to ensure the tasks are performed effectively. Another key area that is universal is communication (Shetty & Cashman 2005). The establishment of good communication protocols and channels is a key requirement for any project. For the project to run smoothly, communication channels between management personnel, technicians, suppliers and everyone involved in the process, should be a priority. The use of the intranet in the overhaul facility provides a good communication portal for the personnel. The intranet facilitates inter-departmental communications, which in essential for the project. The employment of technology would improve the facility, by providing efficient ways of accomplishing tasks. This would also reduce the cost incurred by the company during the overhaul process. Therefore, technology should be a priority consideration for the facility. References Shetty, B, Cashman, J & Rosenblatt, H 2005, Systems Analysis & Design, Thomson Course Technology, California. Whitten, J & Bentley, L 2005, Systems Analysis and Design Method, McGraw Hill/Irwin, New York. Read More