How Digital Metrology Supports a Repair-Over-Replace Methodology (and it Could Save You Millions!)
In the aviation industry, the constant demand for safety and reliability is compounded by factors such as environmental damage and routine wear and tear. Aircraft owners are often faced with difficult decisions when damage occurs due to severe weather, bird strikes, or foreign object debris: should they repair or replace the affected components at high cost to have their asset in use?
Historically, without precision tools, replacing parts was often the only viable solution to ensure safety and performance. However, with advances in digital metrology, repair is now not only possible but often far more cost-effective and time efficient.
The Economic Advantage of Repairing Over Replacing
In aviation, even a single component can carry a significant price tag. The cost of new parts, especially in cases of advanced composite materials or customised components, is substantial, often running into the millions. But the expense doesn’t stop there. Supply chain lead times, complex shipping logistics, OEM response times and installation timelines all add layers of cost and time that can ground an aircraft for days, weeks, or even months.
Digital metrology supports the repair-over-replace methodology by making it feasible to utilise the life of these high-value components. It enables teams to measure and inspect damaged parts at an unprecedented level of accuracy, which allows a far better standard of assessment of the overall complex damage. This, in turn, allows for the development of repair solutions specifically tailored to restore parts to their original standards — or even improve on them in some cases.
For example, damage to an aircraft's wing leading edge due to a severe hailstorm may appear extensive enough to warrant replacement at first glance. However, with digital metrology, MES engineers can unpick the complex depth, extent, and exact positioning of each dent or impact, accurately modelling the repair process. This approach saves both time and money compared to ordering a new part and waiting through lengthy shipping and certification processes.
Precision and Safety Through Advanced Measurement
Aircraft owners must prioritise safety above all else, and digital metrology delivers this without compromise. Advanced metrology techniques, such as non-contact laser scanning, CT scanning, and coordinate measuring machines (CMM), capture microscopic details. This accuracy ensures that repairs meet stringent aviation standards and that any component brought back into service is accompanied with a comprehensive assessment report. The data captured can even guide predictive maintenance programs, allowing airlines to better prepare for potential wear and damage before it happens.
Reduced Downtime and Quicker Turnarounds
One of the greatest benefits of digital metrology is the significant reduction in downtime. Waiting for a new part not only means an expensive purchase but also extended delays, which can cascade into logistical issues and lost revenue from flights not in service. MES can precisely outline the repair requirements, often cutting turnaround times drastically. In particular, the use of digital metrology data and the output of a comprehensive detailed and structured assessment report empowers the OEM to make quicker more pragmatic decisions when analysing complex damage issues.
In one case, our approach helped a commercial airline save $20 million by enabling repair on high-value parts that might otherwise have been replaced. Components initially marked for replacement, were examined that led to a repair solution being revealed which was both safe and cost-effective. The whole solution was completed in a fraction of the time it would have taken to source and install a new part, and the aircraft was back in the air swiftly, avoiding lengthy and costly downtime.
Digital Metrology and a Sustainable Approach to Maintenance
In an industry increasingly focused on sustainability, digital metrology promotes an environmentally friendly approach to aircraft maintenance. By emphasising repair over replacement, this methodology reduces the need for raw materials and energy expenditure associated with manufacturing and shipping new parts. Each part that can be safely repaired means less waste, aligning with the aviation sector's environmental goals.
The shift from a replace-first mindset to a repair-first methodology has been greatly empowered by digital metrology, which brings both financial and operational advantages. In a world where every hour counts, digital metrology gives aircraft operators and owners a way to keep their fleets operational without compromising on quality or safety.
Get in touch to discover more about how MES saved one customer $20 million.