Life and Reliability Prediction for Turbopropulsion Systems Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.3 Topic No.: N103-196 Topic Title: Life and Reliability Prediction for Turbopropulsion Systems Proposal No.: N103-196-0849 Firm: RJ Lee Group, Inc 350 Hochberg Road Monroeville, Pennsylvania 15146 Contact: Dennis Moore Phone: (724) 998-3649 Web Site: www.rjlg.com Abstract: The predictability in assessing an engine's shop direct maintenance cost is largely a result of the significant reliability improvements inherent in today's engine technology and a result of the introduction of on-condition maintenance. Engine on-condition maintenance seeks to do away with "hard-time" interval removal and prescribes routine monitoring of key operational parameters to drive removal. A by-product of these reliability improvements and the on-condition maintenance philosophy is a greater reliance on software and statistical analysis to predict the frequency of engine shop visit events and their corresponding shop visit costs. Estimating an appropriate direct maintenance cost therefore, requires careful forecasting of the equipments on-wing life as well as an accurate assessment of its capability to achieve that life and understanding the costs involved in improving that capability. The requirement of any reliability software is to be able to statistically describe any of the data elements that can be used to drive a prediction of on-wing life and/or identify direct maintenance cost. This multi-faceted approach can then provide useful information to optimization software, cost or ATOW forecasting software or other useful tools that will provide engine program management and their customers the ability to accurately assess the condition of fielded systems, understand their capabilities and identify long term management needs to maintain and improve the performance of these systems through out their intended life and beyond. Benefits: RJLG recognize that the market space for this combination of capabilities extends beyond DoD System Engineering Programs. Equipment maintenance costs are some of the largest expenditures organizations face. Not only does the impact extend to the bottom line expense of repairing an asset, but while the asset is inoperable, the organization often experience opportunity losses, loss of revenue or perhaps even the nightmare of a safety or environmental incident. Reliability Centered Maintenance equipment sustainment is an emerging technology that begins to transcend traditional boundaries of preventative maintenance practices. In most organizations, only 11%-17% of failures are LLP related, however 50% or more of the focus of these programs are LLP based. Reliability based analysis provides a refined fidelity to aged components that offer a sharper, more effective and less expensive view of the potential life of a system. This combination of capabilities offers a foundation for a fundamental change in the way new assets are managed. Return