The Importance of Tool Control in Aircraft Manufacturing
The aircraft manufacturing industry is one of the major industries in the United States. “In 2018, the industry contributed $151 billion in export sales to the U.S. economy. Its positive trade balance of nearly $88 billion that year was the largest trade surplus of any manufacturing industry, supporting high-wage jobs for hundreds of thousands of American workers” (Select USA). A booming aircraft industry means a booming economy. This is why the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires aircraft manufacturers to account for and maintain their tools and equipment. Specifically, the aviation industry struggles with foreign object damage (FOD) as a safety hazard, so tool accountability is imperative to their operations. Read this Dyess Air Force Base: An Automated Tool Control Case Study where leadership quickly realized that technology was the key to overcoming the manpower shortage and tool accountability obstacle.
We, at OHEL Technologies, are continuously working on developing new tool management & equipment control solutions using AI, IoT, & RFID technologies in order to ensure safety and accountability in manufacturing operations. Here are some of the benefits of opting for an IOT-based tool management solution.
A decrease in downtime during manufacturing:
Like any other industry, the aircraft manufacturing industry is prone to human errors which can be in the form of either losing a tool or misplacing one and in an aircraft manufacturing environment all the tools are highly customized i.e. they are not easily available in the market and are only made on a specific order. So losing or misplacing a tool can result in serious downtime during manufacturing processes. Our RFID-based solution ensures that every tool comes and goes back to its designated pocket inside your toolbox. In case of loss or theft of tool assets, our real-time IoT tracking systems will help you find the tool, thus reducing any potential downtime.
Fewer chances of mistakes:
As discussed above, losing or misplacing a tool can usually result in an improper tool taking the place of the lost tool. Moreover, the workers on an assembly line may not be able to differentiate between the two tools, especially in such a fast-paced working environment. Thus the use of an improper tool can lead to more harm as the whole process will need to be repeated again. This may also result in damage to that specific part and more material might be needed, not only resulting in a delay but also a hike in price. Our advanced tool & equipment control/management solutions, including our OH-BOX, ensures that the right tool is present in the right place at right time in order to avoid any delay in manufacturing or unexpected increase in costs.
Decreased health & safety issues:
If the use of an improper tool goes undetected it can cause some serious health and safety problems both during and after the manufacturing process is completed. Our tool management solutions help you to decrease health and safety risks by making sure that no tool is out of its place.
Efficient and timely manufacturing:
Let us assume that your workers are experts in whatever it is that they do, and there is no chance of mistakes during the manufacturing process. Using our real-time IoT-based solution gives you an edge over manual or semi-digital tool management solutions with zero delays in tool management, thus helping you maintain your efficient manufacturing operations.
Timely maintenance of tools:
Our tool and equipment solutions also keep a track of any scheduled maintenance that your tools might need and will give you notifications if calibrations or maintenance is due. That way no tool is overused and each repair or recalibration are done in a timely manner.
So if you’re in the aircraft manufacturing or maintenance business (no matter the size of operation), it is crucial that you utilize efficient and advanced tool management & equipment control solutions, and we at OHEL Technologies are always ready to help you achieve that.
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