NADEP.org

NAVAL AIR DEPOT - Cherry Point, north carolina

Radio Frequency Asset Tracking Systems
This method of tracking Ground Support Equipment (GSE) throughout the NAVAIRDEPOT is made up of three elements, a radio frequency identification tag called TyTag, an Interrogator that gathers data, and an RF Link or reader which acts as a relay unit, relaying the data to and from a central computer. This system will allow the depot to know the location of any piece of rolling GSE within the boundaries of the installation; will eliminate wasted man-hours spent searching for equipment requiring preventative maintenance; and will eliminate man-hours spent locating equipment for critical jobs or work stoppages.

Integrated Maintenance Concept (IMC)
A Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)-based concept to:

• Eliminate Aircraft Service Period Adjustment (ASPA).
• Base Preventive Maintenance (PM) tasks including Standard Depot-Level Maintenance (SDLM) on RCM logic, eliminating unnecessary tasks while maintaining required level of safety.
• Efficiently execute all PM tasks, O-, I-, and D-level maintenance by eliminating redundancies.

The objectives are to reduce SDLM cost, improve aircraft material condition, and improve ability to predict and level load depot workload.

Direct Vendor Delivery (DVD) and Virtual Prime Vendor (VPV)
These programs are designed to increase reliance of material management and delivery upon the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or other commercial partner. Benefits are expected in: reduced inventory requirements and cost; reduced material delays; reduced material management cost; improved workload projection; and improved relationships/partnerships between organic and commercial activities.

The advantages and disadvantages of using these methods of supplying parts to maintenance activities and operating squadrons are being researched. A proposed alliance with industry in maintaining Ground Turbine Starters/Auxiliary Power Units (GTSs/APUs) is being examined which will use DVD. Representatives on the Business Process Reengineering Teams are examining process improvements to include DVD and VPV.

Partnership with Industry and Partnership with Commercial
These programs are designed to develop stronger business ties between organic and commercial activities. The goal is to integrate the best characteristics of each in order to provide a better, cheaper, and faster product to the fleet.

The depot and Allied Signal have entered into a teaming agreement for the rework of C-2, P-3, S-3, and F-18 aircraft Auxiliary Power Units (APUs).

Under the terms of the agreement, the depot and Allied Signal are jointly benchmarking rework processes (i.e., quality, manufacturing, material support, etc.). The goal of the teaming agreement is to streamline and optimize rework processes at each activity, thereby reducing total APU rework cost.

In addition to process improvement, the two activities will partner to meet Navy Inventory Control Point APU rework contract requirements. The depot will provide world class APU rework services, and Allied Signal will provide the best commercial practices for APU material (forecasting, procurement, and stocking) and transportation services.

This effort is dependent on Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) letting a sole source contract to Allied. The contracting effort is currently in process.

ISO 9000
This quality management system was fully implemented in November 1999 for the entire NAVAIRDEPOT, making it the first major DOD facility to be registered to ISO 9000.

Technical Data on Intranet
The technical library web site, is accessible through the depot's intranet, it hosts six thousand, four hundred and eighty digitized publications, seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty Manual Change Releases (MCR’s), five thousand, three hundred and twenty-one Interim Rapid Action Changes (IRAC’s), one hundred and eight Interim Changes (ICs) and two thousand, five hundred and sixty eight formal and informal technical directives, and provides on-line technical data. The technical library web site provides a means to manage, update and distribute technical data electronically within the depot. This method allows the depot to access one site for on-line digitized technical publications. Publications available are Avionics, Common Components, Engines, General Series and Support Equipment for AV-8, EA-6B, E-2, C2, F-5, F-14, F/A-18, H-1, UH-1, H-46, H-53, S-3, P-3 and Work Unit Codes.

Loading and Scheduling of Work to Production Shops by Critical Ratio and Geographical Area Codes
The depot has greatly enhanced its ability to load and schedule work more effectively by sorting it by individual geographical area codes assigned to shop work centers. The work is additionally sorted by the critical ratio, based on the time remaining versus labor hours required. The master data records now include a geographic area code for every line operation to be performed. The Workload Control Center computerized shop reports are now sorted by these geographic work centers, and each operation is listed in descending order of criticality. This also provides the shop supervisors and production controllers the daily queue of work at each work center. Capacity of the individual work centers can now be analyzed and adjusted on a daily basis to compensate for changing workloads. Fluctuations of work can be analyzed by the planners to ensure more even scheduling and flow of work into the depot and shops can analyze fluctuations of work. Adjustments within depot control, such as manpower, equipment, and number of shifts can be made much more quickly and accurately based on this data and these reports.

Process Consolidation
During FY99 the Process, Component and Repair Branch underwent a substantial change to better serve our internal and external customers. All industrial processes involving painting, cleaning, stripping, fiberglass, composite and rubber were consolidated into this branch, which is responsible for providing support to all the programs in the depot. With declining resources, the branch had to restructure itself to meet the needs of all the customers, while decreasing turnaround time (TAT). Keys to the success have included:

• Flexibility: We now move employees to the process rather than moving the process to the employee, which saves route time and often decreases TAT.
• Technology: Several improvements have resulted in minimizing touch labor which allows us to make use of our personnel resources while decreasing TAT.
• Communication: With all these industrial processes under common management, we are better able to foster a team approach, provide cross-training opportunities and learn from each other.

Commodity Management
In every industrial business operation, there exist various overlapping functions and responsibilities. To identify these overlapping areas usually generates opportunities for business practice improvements. These improvements come in many forms but are generally proved out by financial payback and the enhancement of process consistency.

The depot recognized common requirements of various commodities being managed by various divisions within the depot. Also noted were the unique and independent methods of management being used to control these commodities. The commodities include but not limited to:

• Hazardous Materials (HM)
• Special Support Equipment (SSE)
• Individual Material Readiness List (IMRL) equipment
• Tools

Some key requirements of these commodities are:

• They require corporate and specific information management systems control (TIMA, HMMS, SERMIS, MANAGE FACILITIES, FEM).
• They require oversight of functional data integrity.
• Distribution and collection of products is required.
• They require 100 percent serialization (non-consumable).
  Temporary need/usage by production is typical.
• They require shelf life testing, calibration, and/or periodic maintenance as well as associated record keeping.
• They are governed by external laws, rules, and/or regulations.

With the development of the Regulated Commodities Division, the depot consolidated all areas of administrative management onto one "Cell Group" utilizing "choke point" inventory management as the front line of commodity control. In this consolidation, the depot tapped the program management expertise from the different divisions to oversee all of the areas of operations (procurement, inventory management, data management, product distribution, etc.) within this one division. The key to total control, however, lies within the distribution management oversight of all of these commodities within the production areas. The depot consolidated tool rooms, HAZMAT centers, and SSE rooms to form the Regulated Commodities Distribution Branch. All of the tools required to effectively manage these commodities now reside in one division. Recent accomplishments include:

• Current rewrite of all applicable NAVAIRDEPOT instructions
• Development of all Regulated Commodities Specific Program Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
• Integration of overlapping duties (procurement, inventory management, distribution)
• Budget consolidations and visibility
• Single source inventory ownership
  Inventory reductions
• Single source of program expertise
• Procedural and data consistency
  Enhanced customer services

The largest potential for additional improvement lies in the further consolidation of the distribution areas. By cross-training current distribution employees in all aspects of the various commodities, the depot can eliminate the need for multiple distribution points in certain buildings, and reduce the amount of required distribution staffing overall, as well as overtime support man hours expended to support production.

Digitized AV-8B Technical Publications
The AV-8B program initiative digitized 350 technical publications. The technical publications are made available through a local web site. Engineers are currently using the technical publications, and the policy allowing view capability to the depot shop personnel is in process.

Joint Engineering Data Management Information and Control System (JEDMICS)
The technical library drawing web site is accessible through the NATEC website, which provides on-line technical drawing data. The technical library web site provides a means to manage, update and distribute technical drawing data electronically within the depot. This method allows the depot to access one site for on-line digitized technical drawings. Types of drawings available are for all Aircraft programs, Avionics, Common Components, Engines and Support Equipment. This supplies the Depot with direct support for the following Aircraft programs AV-8, C-2, EA-6B, E-2, F-5, F-14, F/A-18, H-1, UH-1, H-46, H-53, S-3, P-3.

MRP II
Manufacturing Resource Planning II (MRP II), a business initiative that will improve our processes, is being implemented. To date, MRP II functional training has begun, criteria to allow for identification of alternate parts has been developed, business processes and training packages are in process, and required interfaces have been developed.