Automated Engineering Order Generation from Service Bulletins

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft manufacturers' service bulletins require significant manual effort for airline companies to create engineering orders, as these documents are lengthy and time-consuming to sort and filter relevant sections for specific aircraft maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A system and method utilizing an interface to tag service bulletin data, a database with aircraft fleet information, and an engineering order module to filter and generate engineering orders in real-time, automatically extracting applicable data and notifying users, with options for unique orders and resource data population.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual sorting and filtering of service bulletin documents is performed, then relevant sections can be identified for specific aircraft, but significant man hours and time are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of identifying relevant service bulletin sectionsVSAvoidman hours required for creating engineering orders

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of sorting and filtering service bulletin documents with an automated computer-based system. The system uses processors to automatically parse service bulletin data, filter applicable aircraft from the fleet database, and generate engineering orders without human intervention in the sorting process, thereby eliminating time loss while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically performing the entire engineering order creation process. The computer system autonomously receives service bulletin data, identifies applicable aircraft through automated filtering, extracts relevant information, and generates engineering orders without requiring manual sorting or filtering operations by personnel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If service bulletins are created as comprehensive documents covering all aircraft, then all potential maintenance needs are addressed, but the documents become lengthy and difficult to sort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of maintenance coverageVSAvoidease of sorting and finding relevant sections

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the relevant portions of service bulletin data that apply to specific aircraft from the comprehensive service bulletin document. The system filters and extracts applicable aircraft information and relevant maintenance instructions, separating them from the broader document to create targeted engineering orders that are easier to operate with while maintaining complete coverage of necessary maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the comprehensive service bulletin information into distinct engineering orders for different aircraft groups. By dividing the broad service bulletin data into specific, aircraft-grouped engineering orders, the system maintains complete maintenance coverage while improving ease of operation through organized, segmented documentation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If engineering orders are generated manually for each aircraft group, then customization to specific aircraft configurations is achieved, but the process requires extensive manual effort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization of engineering orders to aircraft configurationsVSAvoidspeed of generating engineering orders

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic system that automatically adapts engineering order generation to different aircraft configurations. The processor-based system dynamically filters aircraft based on configuration data and service bulletin applicability, then generates customized engineering orders without manual intervention, achieving both customization and high productivity simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-organizing aircraft fleet data and service bulletin information in databases before engineering order generation. This preliminary structuring of data enables rapid, automated generation of customized engineering orders for different aircraft groups, achieving both adaptability and productivity through advance data preparation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10140788B2Automated engineering order creation

Publication Date: 2018.11.27 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A system of one or more processors for creating an engineering order for aircraft from a published, electronic service bulletin is disclosed. The system may include an interface, a database, and an engineering order (EO) module in operative communication with the interface and the database. The EO module may be configured to receive service bulletin data from the interface, access the database, and filter out a plurality of aircraft from the aircraft fleet information in the database based on the service bulletin data. The EO module may be further configured to receive a service bulletin configuration status for the aircraft, and divide the plurality of aircraft into different groups of aircraft based on the service bulletin configuration status for the aircraft. The EO module may be further configured to extract service bulletin data that is applicable to the different groups of aircraft, and generate an engineering order.