Creation of an Experimental Engineering Toolbox for the Digital Transformation of Manual Jet Engine Assembly

Abstract

Modern aircraft engines require appropriate care and understanding of design and manufacturing. This is even more important, as the production of aerospace engines remains a manual process in many cases with limited data sources. Quality control has to consider verification of manufacturing and assembly steps through specific checks and controls whilst implementing additional data sources. In this article, a review of the challenges with regard to controls, automation and process, and technical understanding for aerospace engine production and repair is provided. As this requires the collaboration of many teams and partners, an improvement and step change towards deeper understanding and process efficiency is required. As many operations remain manual, innovations in the way humans interact with technology and collaborate with industrial environments are needed. This article demonstrates the creation and usage of the proposed solutions for collaboration, troubleshooting and error correction in jet engine assembly.