Title: Utilization of Digital Data Throughout Product Lifecycle to Improve Maintenance Performance and Reduce Total Ownership Cost
Author(s): J. Clarke Orzalli, RADM USN (Ret.) and Dr. Brian Chambers, DS Government Solutions
Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to capitalize on best practices in other industries in utilization of digital/3-D data to improve performance in ship maintenance.
Innovative companies throughout the world are using digital tools to link all data associated with a product or service in a common architecture. This architecture allows for having actionable data driving informed decisions for all aspects from requirements definition, through design and development, production and finally to in service sustainment. Maintenance activities can derive huge benefits from this digital fabric of data as many of today’s uncertainties can be reduced if not eliminated by having access to this information. Current tools have the ability to combine multiple data formats from government owned software as well as commercial off the shelf products. Specifically a single version of the truth that can include things such as: unique platform configuration; operational employment parameters including past usage as well as future scheduling; past material usage as well as future material availability; modeling and simulation of any part of the product lifecycle including optimization of total ownership cost as well as the history of past decisions and rationale behind them. In addition, the common architecture would allow for more seamless introduction of new technologies such as additive manufacturing. This paper will present accomplishments of multiple companies including the private sector. (Names withheld at this time while permission is secured from the individual companies) Specific improvements will then be projected into Navy Ship Maintenance to demonstrate how they could be utilized to improve cost, schedule and quality performance.