Rapid Assessment System for Aircraft Repairs

Depot-level manufacturing systems need to be highly responsive to changing requirements and flexible specifications. Currently, the characterization and localization of damage on the exterior of aircraft at the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) at Robins AFB is an exclusively manual process using photographs and measurement tools that are difficult to use reliably on curved surfaces. All of this information is captured in a written log that must be effectively transcribed by design engineers into a useful form for overall damage assessment and structural analysis. The net result is a lengthy timeline to complete the critically needed aircraft assessment, which significantly delays the return to operations. Creare’s Rapid Assessment System (RAS) is a Reconfigurable Manufacturing System (RMS) that leverages the measurement technology used in our pioneering Fastener Measurement Tool (FMT) to create a digital record of the critical dimensions and location of damage and repair. Our RAS can assist in the creation of the “digital-thread” for a given aircraft tail number that encapsulates all design, maintenance, and repair information. Our established track record transitioning innovative measurement technology to CMXG ensures a high probability of program success.