Integrated Data Acquisition for Aircraft Engine Starter Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft air turbine starters lack integrated data acquisition and analysis, leading to challenges in bandwidth demand on communication networks, limited data collection capabilities, and difficulty in segregating device-specific operational data for manufacturers or servicers.
Innovation Solution
An air turbine starter system with an integrated data acquisition (DAQ) system that operates independently of the aircraft computer, reducing network bandwidth demand and enabling real-time data analysis, storage in a removable memory, and providing alerts or notifications for operational conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If an integrated data acquisition system is added to the air turbine starter, then data collection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the data acquisition system directly into the air turbine starter housing, combining the DAQ controller, memory device, and sensors into a single unified unit. This merging approach enables comprehensive data collection while avoiding the complexity of separate external systems by consolidating all data acquisition components within the existing starter structure.
2Ease of operation
If data is stored in removable memory device, then ease of data transfer is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a removable memory device that can be easily extracted from the air turbine starter housing. This extraction capability allows maintenance personnel to remove the memory device and transfer data to external systems without requiring complex data interfaces or connections, simply by physically removing and replacing the memory component.
3Productivity
If continuous data collection is implemented, then maintenance efficiency is improved, but network bandwidth demand increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous local data collection and storage within the air turbine starter's integrated DAQ system, performing the data acquisition action in advance before any analysis or transfer is needed. The system continuously monitors and stores operational parameters locally in the memory device, so that when maintenance is required, all relevant data is already collected and ready for analysis, eliminating the need for continuous network communication during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An air turbine starter system of an aircraft includes an air turbine starter having a data acquisition system disposed thereon. The data acquisition system includes a data acquisition controller, a memory device, and a set of starter sensors.