Safran aircarft engines
Safran and Olnica are partnering on an innovative new solution for predictive aircraft engine maintenance using the luminescent Olnica taggant.
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7 million passengers a day travel on CFM56-powered planes
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Files 500 patents a year
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€ 1.929 billion in revenue in 2018
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$88 billion USD spent annually by aviation industry on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)
“The ultimate and ideal outcome of the project is to be able to identify when a lubricated rotating part of the engine starts to deteriorate, and to estimate its remaining life in order to optimally plan maintenance, that is, with minimal impact on company operations. This includes the ability to monitor several parts at the same time, and keep an eye on how the situation develops.”
Safran looks to Olnica for predictive maintenance
A subsidiary of international aerospace giant Safran, Safran Aircraft Engines is French aerospace engine manufacturer that designs, makes and maintains engines for commercial and military aircraft. CFM International, the French-American partnership with General Electric, produced the CFM56 – the world’s best-selling aircraft engine – and the next-generation LEAP.. The LEAP powers Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo single-aisle airliners. Safran Aircraft Engines also serve military aircraft in 30 countries, including for the ground-breaking Rafale and Mirage 200 fighters.
The company’s success is equally based on its offer of complete services for optimized engine maintenance and fleet management. Generally, this work is done using scheduled maintenance checks: periodic inspections carried out on an aircraft after a certain number of kilometres or flight hours.
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Using Olnica Taggant to pinpoint condition of engine parts
Naturally, because of the serious safety implications, maintenance is frequent, and somewhat wasteful, given its preventative focus: parts are regularly changed that don’t need changing, just to be on the safe side. It also has a substantial cost: in 2018, $88 billion USD was spent by the commercial aviation industry on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). Military aircraft spent almost $80 billion on maintenance.
Seeking to optimize their engine maintenance services, both to improve safety and reduce costs, Safran Aircraft Engines approached Olnica at the CES in Las Vegas, looking to form an R&D partnership on a highly innovative technological solution to maintenance. The concept is part of an industry shift away from preventative maintenance and towards predictive maintenance. This means being able to pinpoint the condition of in-service parts, in order to determine when maintenance should be carried out. Because tasks are only performed when necessary, the cost savings over time are considerable.
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Part of the 3D printing process for new engine parts
As a result, the Safran Aircraft Engines and Olnica are currently working together to develop innovative applications that use the luminescent Olnica Taggant to improve the maintenance of certain equipment and parts. Whether applied to the surface as a resin or varnish that shows the wear and tear on a moving part by revealing luminescence, or in a more complex application, as an integral aspect of the 3D printing process for new engine parts, the results have been very promising.
The versatile Olnica Taggant is particularly suited to industrial applications because of its robustness, including an ability to withstand incredible heat, like that produced by molten metal. It’s also pressure-resistant and grinding-compatible, which supports applications like additive metal manufacturing in the aerospace industries.
“We’re really excited to be working with Olnica in exploring new technological frontiers in predictive maintenance, with the aim of optimizing our fleet, and reducing ground times to an absolute minimum,” says Brodbeck.
Solutions
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Olnica Taggant
- Using
luminescent taggant in high-value engineparts to indicate wear and tear Olnica Taggantideal for industrial applications, ability to withstand heat and pressure and is grinding compatible, supporting applications like additive metal manufacturing in the aerospace industries.
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Olnica Services
- Unique predictive maintenance solution currently being developed by
Olnica R&D and Safran Aircraft Engines R&T
Projected benefits
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Significant cost savings
Aerospace companies will be looking to reduce the $88 billion USD spent annually by the commercial aviation industry ($80B for military) on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).
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Increased flying time
Safran can keep engines in use for longer, and reduce on-the-ground maintenance to a strict minimum, without compromising safety or performance.
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Parts changed when necessary
Instead of parts being changed regularly, as a preventative measure, now they will be changed only when necessary, as a predictive measure. Meaning substantial savings.
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