MRO

Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul

Simplify sustainment with intelligence that brings order to your MRO.

Overview

Increase the Visibility, Control, and Efficiency of your MRO Operations.

Solumina Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) by iBase-t takes visibility, control, and efficiency in complex shop floor operations to a new level. Pulling in data from PLM and ERP systems, it streamlines maintenance, repair, and rebuilding of machines and devices. Replacing paper-based processes and siloed applications with Solumina MRO provides a powerful set of benefits for complex manufacturers.

Gains Driven by
Solumina MRO

  • Utilize as-designed and as-built specifications to improve planning and execution efficiency
  • Streamline workflows, traceability, and efficiency
  • Weave disparate digital threads into a digital cloth
  • Schedule and manage repairs in a consistent, repeatable way to minimize risk and downtime
  • Isolate problems precisely at the source
  • Standardize and enforce best practices

Solumina MRO by iBase-t

Digitally transform your quality and sustainment operations with Solumina MRO.

Introduction to MRO

What Does a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) System Do?

MRO encompasses all a manufacturer’s activities related to maintenance, repair, and rebuilding of machines and devices.

MRO software is critical in complex manufacturing, where products come with a lifetime of scheduled maintenance, repairs, upgrades, or overhauls. In addition to managing these activities, Solumina MRO enables predictive maintenance to service equipment before problems arise. It can reduce maintenance costs with managed schedules and fewer emergencies, isolate problems at the source, and enable workers to act with accuracy and efficiency.

Beyond improving daily MRO operations, Solumina MRO empowers continuous improvement by standardizing and enforcing best practices. MRO is needed throughout the entire lifecycle of complex manufactured products, as both government and civil programs are increasing the demand for sustainability. Solumina MRO software allows manufacturers to stay engaged with their product after delivery and collect product performance data during real-life use.

Weave Digital Threads Into a Digital Cloth

Complex products experience a lifetime of maintenance and repair activities after delivery, including upgrades.

An MRO solution creates a digital record of these activities, allowing manufacturers to create a holistic digital cloth from their digital threads. To succeed in weaving a digital cloth that best supports complex manufacturing, particularly when sustainment is critical to program success, manufacturers should look for:

  • Ability to share 3D models via STEP and 3D PDF 
  • Ability to share maintenance materials via standards like S1000D 
  • Connectivity to leading ERP applications prevalent in MRO industries 
  • Support for industry service standards such as FAA A, B, C and D Checks 
  • Ability to handle field-level, depot-level, and factory-level repair/refurbishment sequences
Getting Started

Five Steps to Implement Digital Transformation in MRO Operations

Achieving a more complete digital thread across all involved systems is not always easy. It requires careful planning, investment in the right tools and technologies, and a commitment to change.

Here are some key steps businesses can take to successfully implement digital transformation of MRO operations:

1. Assess your current systems and processes: The first step is to identify areas where digital transformation can have the most significant impact. This may involve conducting a thorough review of your existing MRO operations, including data collection and analysis, asset management, maintenance scheduling, and more.

2. Develop a comprehensive digital strategy: A digital strategy is essential for successful digital transformation. It should include a clear roadmap for implementation, as well as goals and objectives for improving efficiency, reliability, and profitability.

 

3. Invest in the right tools and technologies: To implement digital transformation, businesses need to invest in software, integration, and even digitally enabled devices such as sensors where warranted. This may require a significant investment upfront, but the long-term benefits can far outweigh the costs.

4. Train your employees: Digital transformation requires a significant cultural shift, and businesses need to invest in training their employees to use new tools and technologies.

5. Monitor and measure your progress: Effective monitoring ensures that digital transformation efforts are having the desired impact. The right systems can help by collecting and analyzing data on key performance indicators such as maintenance costs, asset uptime, and productivity.

Industries

Industries served by
Solumina MRO

Solumina MRO was specifically designed for industries built around complex products with multiple levels of sub-assemblies.

While a broad range of industries can benefit from Solumina MRO, it is especially beneficial for critical environments involving complex products.

Major industries that benefit from Solumina MRO include:

Aerospace & Defense (A&D)

Ensuring the safety and airworthiness of aircraft is a complex task that extends through its lifetime. Solumina MRO enables A&D manufacturers to gain a competitive edge by making their MRO processes more efficient.

Shipbuilding

Large sea vessels come with demands similar to aircraft. There are many areas that need 100% reliability, such as navigation, propulsion, and electrical systems that will cost commercial profits if they fail. Solumina MRO helps shipbuilding manufacturers optimize their MRO processes in these conditions.

Industrial Equipment

For the makers of equipment such as industrial gas turbines, Solumina MRO supports the maintenance needed for highly valuable machinery with long lifecycles. Some common industrial equipment that can benefit from Solumina software includes compressors, pumps, valves, and turbines.

Medical Devices

Medical device manufacturers are subject to some of the most stringent compliance regulations of any manufacturing industry. Additionally, medical devices require as much (or more) preventive maintenance and care as heavy machinery. Lives are on the line if a mistake occurs. Solumina MRO helps ensure that every device is operating at peak efficiency to create a reliable product.

Nuclear

Some of the most complex facilities and devices in manufacturing can be found in the nuclear industry. Nuclear fusion reactors and the facilities that house them require exhaustive and customized maintenance. When there is no room for error, manufacturers rely on Solumina MRO to ensure efficiency and accuracy.

Electronics

All of the above industries use electronics in the form of delicate sensors, electromechanical components, and more. Solumina MRO supports the unique maintenance tasks and tracking that these critical electronics require.

Solumina MRO in Aviation

Solumina MRO helps drive continuous improvement in the aviation industry.

Aviation manufacturers must adhere to strict compliance and quality standards, and rising demand for air travel is causing an increased demand for maintenance. In addition, manufacturers in this industry are working with a razor-thin profit margin, which means any opportunity to save time or money is extremely valuable.

The aviation industry’s growth in this complex environment requires MRO software that enables enterprises to keep up with these conditions. Solumina MRO helps aviation manufacturers with:

Engines

Solumina MRO supports maintenance of engines and related systems such as fuel injection systems, turbo chargers, and other finely tuned assemblies.

Structural Components

Solumina MRO manages the repair, maintenance, and upgrades of composite and mechanical airframe components, including cargo doors, control surfaces, interior parts, and the fuselage itself.

Systems Components

Solumina MRO covers hydraulic and pneumatic system components such as landing gears, as well as electrical systems that are critical to the functionality and safety of the aircraft.

MRO Software Continues to Be a Critical Tool to Manage the Many Costs and Risks Associated with Aviation Maintenance and Overhaul

The aviation industry’s growth in this complex environment requires MRO software that enable enterprises to keep up with these conditions. Download our white paper, Six Innovation Areas in Digital MRO, to learn more.

Features

Explore The Key Functionality Of
Solumina MRO

Solumina MRO delivers robust functionality that supports and improves a large range of operations in complex manufacturing.

Complex Assembly

Manage complex equipment such as engines that may require disassembly and assembly with serialized part tracking.

Repair

Manage repairs – and help prevent failures by detecting when equipment is out of acceptable performance ranges.

Retro-commissioning

Improve the performance of existing equipment and facilities by upgrading and modernizing components and systems.

Rebuild or Overhaul

Disassemble and inspect machinery and systems to identify defective, damaged, or worn parts.

Scheduled Maintenance

Optimize scheduled maintenance activities to ensure cost-effective operation and acceptable performance ranges.

Supply Chain Consulting

Manage and maintain a supply chain of MRO-related parts and equipment to reduce total costs and improve efficiency.
Featured Resource

“iBase-t’s software solution for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operations enables new levels of visibility, productivity and reliability for complex, discrete manufacturers and MRO shops.”

Brochures
Solumina MRO Brochure

Solumina Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) by iBase-t enables new levels of visibility, productivity, and reliability in the sustainment of complex assets.

Benefits

Benefits Of Solumina MRO

Solumina helps manufacturers achieve lean processes and maintain profit margins while increasing competitiveness in the marketplace.

As more and more manufacturers vie for the same bids, it is critical to implement faster and more responsive MRO software to optimize resource management, record every step for compliance and monitoring, and expedite turnaround times.

A key benefit of Solumina MRO is predictive maintenance to identify when machines need downtime/maintenance before problems develop. Sensors, machine learning, and AI work together to identify maintenance issues from subtle signs that are invisible to even the most talented inspector. Instead of reacting to machine issues, manufacturers can anticipate the problems and work proactively. Additional benefits include:

MRO-Enabled Visibility

  • Support real-time, high-quality data collection
  • Track tooling, parts, and resources
  • Collaborate between manufacturing and procurement teams
  • Provide real-time insight into key indicators of performance, work order status, and resources
  • Gain visibility into consumption of supplies and tooling

MRO-Enabled Productivity

  • Enhance inventory and supply chain management
  • Streamline routine and non-routine work processes
  • Increase throughput
  • Enable lean inventory management
  • Provide the shop floor with online work orders that are complete information kits, containing illustrated instructions, 3D models, specifications, tooling and parts lists, and inspection requirements

MRO-Enabled Reliability

  • Reduce downtime with consistent MRO processes
  • Standardize and enforce best practices
  • Anticipate and mitigate downtime with predictive maintenance

Paperless Processes

  • Accelerate MRO processes by eliminating redundant data entry
  • Reduce manual processes and reduce the risk of clerical errors
  • Increase sustainability

Reduced Maintenance Cost

  • Implement a centralized system to track, manage, and control MRO inventory
  • Standardize and enforce best practices
  • Streamline delivery of materials to the production floor

Quality Control

  • Record a complete history of “who, what, and when” for each changed object in every work plan revision
  • Receive detailed planning and tracking of parts, labor hours, and resources
  • Utilize MRO data to influence decisions in the design process and New Product Introduction (NPI)

Automated Compliance Documentation

  • Automatically log all data collection and approvals into history and storage at every step
  • Integrate CAPA processes that can handle complex problems and solutions
  • Use compliance as a tool for process improvement
  • Ensure that only certified mechanics perform specified work steps and that only calibrated gauges are used
IoT

MRO And IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) Revolution in MRO.

Digital MRO solutions are effective in their own right, but they are strengthened considerably when working within a broadly connected, real-time IoT infrastructure that allows smart devices to communicate anywhere in the world.

As the IoT revolution takes shape, manufacturers who seize the opportunity are beginning to see benefits in the following key areas:

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a maturing technology that can help harness the vast amounts of data produced by complex manufacturing processes. AI-powered applications can distribute MRO data to the right place at the right time, enabling executives to make better, faster decisions.

Wearables

Wearables can enhance MRO activities in several ways. For inspections, wearables allow hands-free data collection and visual instructions. On the production line, technicians can use wearable devices that untether them from their computer station, so they can be wherever they need to be on the plant floor and still have access to the data they need.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) software is often used in combination with wearable devices. It streamlines production by providing visual instructions for work processes and receiving updates to work orders. This can improve the process in many ways, from reducing training time to mitigating risk.

Robotics

Robotics and smart devices are a big part of Industry 4.0 manufacturing. Smart machinery enables continuous improvement and process optimization. It gives visibility into quality analysis with a wealth of data generated during use. The more connected the factory becomes, the more benefits it gains. In a factory where all devices are connected in real time, data can trigger activities and alert workers instantly, resulting in an agile shop floor that can quickly adapt to any issue that arises.

3D Printing

3D printing is increasingly being adopted by manufacturers to save money and create custom parts. In complex manufactured products, there are thousands of components and subassemblies. With 3D printing, manufacturers can streamline production components and rely on fewer suppliers, and they can more easily produce unique parts for one-of-a-kind systems.

Adopt Solumina MRO for your Complex Manufacturing

Solumina MRO by iBase-t provides the broad, interdepartmental functionality that’s needed in the most demanding environments.

It combines planning and scheduling, resource management, quality management, and manufacturing execution in a single, integrated system. As a result, complex manufacturers can holistically manage production, quality, MRO, and the associated supply chain.

Solumina MRO is also ready for the future. It provides the infrastructure needed to implement advanced capabilities such as augmented reality, IoT connectivity, and more. In short, Solumina MRO is ready to help power the next generation of Industry 4.0 sustainment.

Latest Resources

Additional Resources On MRO For Complex Manufacturing

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