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AMC 2022 – dentCHECK vs. Traditional Methods

By Case Study, dentCHECK, Events, Insights

What is the Aerospace Maintenance Competition?

The Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) is a 2-day competition held in conjunction with the annual MRO Americas organized by Aviation Week. It is a global get-together for the aerospace community to showcase, to compete, and to celebrate the skilled craft of aviation technicians. After a 2-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMC returned in 2022 with a bang. There were 73 teams from various categories – Commercial Airlines, Military, Repair & Manufacturing, and Schools. This year, 8tree and Alaska Airlines once again co-sponsored the “Airframe Damage Inspection” event, one of the 24+ events available at the competition.

What is the “Airframe Damage Inspection” event?

Simply put, the objective of the event is to – “Accurately map two dents using traditional methods, and then repeat the task using dentCHECK”. For the traditional method, competitors were provided with a: depth gauge, straight-edge ruler, flashlight, calculator, pen, and paper. Using these tools, they were required to map the dents, producing these measurements: Depth (Y), Width (A), Length (B), Critical Ratio (A/Y), and the distance between dents. Then, they had to transcribe these numbers on their ‘task card’ – similar to the traditional, paper-based records that the aviation industry still produces. Once they have completed this, they will use the dentCHECK tool to measure the same dents. This is a simple task – With one-click, the tool will measure all the aforementioned numbers, and instantaneously project the results back onto the surface. With the result superimposed on the physical damaged aircraft panel, competitors were able to see the measurements and make a decision, while the result remains in digital format.

How did the competitors fare against each other?

The performance of the competitors was widespread. Some completed the tasks in <5 minutes, while some were unable to complete the task within the allocated 15 minutes. Additionally, the precision of the measurement results was also widespread. For example, across 73 teams, the uncertainty of depth measurement using traditional method was +/- 0.016”. This means that one could measure depth of 0.050”, while another could measure up to 0.082”! This is a huge discrepancy that is plaguing the standards of aviation maintenance, and hence jeopardizing aviation safety. In contrast, when competitors use dentCHECK, the uncertainty was +/- 0.0008”, a 20x improvement when compared to traditional methods.

The results using Traditional Method is shocking. Why is this a problem?

During the competition, we observed 3 top errors that is contributing to this problem. First, incorrect tool handling will yield incorrect results. We observed some competitors incorrectly placed the depth gauge at an incorrect angle or position, while some fail to zero-out the tool properly. Additionally, the subjectivity of determining the starting and end point of a dent’s outline using the naked eye also contributes to this problem. Secondly, some competitors produced incomplete measurement, and skipped crucial steps necessary to produce accurate, complete measurement. Lastly, we observed many record-keeping errors. For example, to calculate the critical ratio, some competitors fail to type in the correct number on the calculator, hence producing bad measurement. In a fast-paced work environment like aviation maintenance, using these tactile tools will undoubtedly produce inaccurate measurement.

How similar is the competition to a ‘real-life’ aviation maintenance industry?

All the events at the competition were very relevant to the aviation maintenance industry. In this industry, turn-around-time (TaT) of an aircraft is of paramount importance. Aircraft maintenance technicians are not just tasked with doing the job right, but they have to perform under time pressure. The competition simulates just that when they only have 15 minutes to complete a certain task. In the “Airframe Damage Inspection” event, we create an opportunity for competitors to be equipped with a tool – dentCHECK – that will help them accomplish both objectives: (i) Accurately measure a dent-damage (ii) Do it in the fastest way possible. In this year’s competition, competitors took 8 minutes 49 seconds to map the dents using traditional method, but took only 11 seconds to map the dents using dentCHECK, a 48x faster inspection time. The competition provides a small snippet of the burden placed upon the maintenance technicians, and how continuous improvement and learning of new tools can help them become more efficient.

What are the benefits for airlines, MROs, and schools to participate in such competition?

The AMC was truly an engaging platform for aviation technicians to come together to exchange ideas and to get inspired. One of the big issues in the industry today is the aging workforce problem, whereby juniority across the workforce with limited exposure and experience may pose a threat to effective and timely maintenance of aircraft fleet in the future. 8tree hopes to bridge this gap of skillset between retiring workforce and new technicians by introducing technology that will simplify the cumbersome process of precision measurement. Additionally, the platform is a good avenue to build existing professional connection and to make new ones. You never know who you will meet at the competition!

Where can others find more about the key findings from this competition?

Some example measurement and photos can be found here. There you can find the detailed analysis of the competition results.

Supporting the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals with Technology

By Case Study, dentCHECK, Events, Insights

Do years of experience and skill level of aviation professionals affect the time taken to complete an inspection task?

The answer lies within the choice of tool used.

When using traditional manual methods, we saw that New Hires tend to complete an inspection task 33.3% slower than their Experienced colleagues (~7 minutes 30 seconds and ~5 minutes respectively). However, when using dentCHECK, years of experience and skill level have no influence on efficiency. Each experience and skill level group is able to complete the task in ~47 seconds when using dentCHECK, an 8x improvement when compared to traditional manual methods. Read on to learn more.

The 2019 AMC, held in conjunction with Aviation Week Network’s MRO Americas, witnessed 27 teams representing schools, 27 teams representing airlines/MRO/Manufacturing companies, and 27 teams representing the military. While the diversity of participants at the AMC is extensive, a majority of participants who participated in the Airframe Damage Inspection event represents those coming from “New Hire (<5 years-experience)” and “Mid-Career (5 – 20 years-experience)”.

 

So do years of experience and skill level affect the time spent to complete an inspection task? Using traditional manual methods, those with <5 years-experience (New Hires) completed the task in ~ 7 minutes 30 seconds, 33.3% slower when compared to those with >20 years-experience (Experienced), who completed the task in ~5 minutes. In contrast, when participants used dentCHECK to complete the inspection task, years of experience have no bearing on the time taken – Each experience group completed the task in ~47 seconds when using dentCHECK.

 

Retiring experienced maintenance professionals means that skillset that would traditionally take years to master (In this particular case, 20 years), now need to be mastered by new hires within a short amount of time. “dentCHECK is one of the more innovative pieces of hardware that I’ve seen. It should be a staple in every shop that works on aircraft”, said Trenton Blackwood, one of the student competitors from Team Tulsa Tech.

As the new generation of aviation technician – especially those still in schools – continue to view technology as a critical part of their life and work, 8tree hopes to play a much more involved role in supporting them by exposing them to advanced technology in the early stages of their career. This is accomplished by introducing dentCHECK into Part 147 schools, as well as creating opportunities for the aerospace community to experience dentCHECK at the upcoming Aerospace Maintenance Competition.

8tree is proud to once again host an event at the upcoming 2022 Aerospace Maintenance Competition. “The Aerospace Maintenance Competition is first and foremost a place where maintenance professionals showcase their ability and compete against each other. But it is also a place for the Aerospace Community to be together, to be inspired, and to celebrate the skilled craft of aviation technicians.”, said Howard Chung, 8tree’s lead in organizing the 8tree and Alaska Airlines Airframe Damage Inspection event.

 

Zero Learning Curve: Map Dents Easier with dentCHECK

By Case Study, dentCHECK, Events, Insights

New technology for a decades-old problem: dentCHECK’s zero learning curve

At the 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition, more than 150 engineers, technicians, and students discovered the efficiency and accuracy of dentCHECK. But what was their experience in using new technology to solve a decades old problem? 82% of competitors rated the learning-curve of dentCHECK as Zero (<5 minutes). Read on to learn more.

From its early days, 8tree’s vision is to make precision 3D measurement as easy as taking a photo. Guided by the principles of Simplicity, Speed, and Actionable Results, dentCHECK is designed to provide operators with actionable results within seconds. With one-click, dentCHECK measures dents on an aircraft surface, and superimposes the results onto the inspected surface, giving operators immediate feedback so they may determine the next course of action quickly.

In the 2019 AMC, each team was tested on a wide array of aircraft maintenance skills. There were more than 25 different tasks spanning from structural repair to avionics troubleshooting to taking a human factors awareness test! Each team had several weeks to prepare themselves with pages of tool manuals and process guidelines in order to excel in the competition. So how did competitors find the learning-curve and ease-of-use of dentCHECK?

At the conclusion of the competition, competitors were surveyed to rate the learning-curve of dentCHECK. 82% of competitors rated the learning-curve of dentCHECK as Zero (<5 minutes). “Love this tool. It eliminates so much time and is very efficient. Have more dents to measure?”, said Candice McHargue, one of the competitors.

Back at AMC 2022: Airframe damage inspection event

You asked. We listened. After 2 years of the AMC being cancelled, 8tree is returning to the 2022 AMC with more dents to map, and with a newly added dentCHECK function that will be experienced first-hand by competitors this year. Stay tuned to learn more!

Read the entire AMC 2019 Case Study
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Tick-tock, tick-tock. Accelerate Aircraft Inspection, Avoid Delays and Save Money

By Case Study, dentCHECK, Insights

At the recent 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC), dentCHECK helped participating technicians complete an inspection task 8x faster, delivering higher efficiency when compared to using traditional manual methods. In addition, leading maintenance organizations reported that dentCHECK helps engineers create SRM-compliant digital reports up to 10x faster.

In a real-life aircraft maintenance scenario, the goal is to minimize aircraft downtime, while delivering high quality repair work. A complete inspection process for the dent-mapping event included the following: Identify the dent to be measured, then obtain high quality measurements, and finally with confidence, determine ‘Go/No-Go’.

Read More

Make better decisions with measurements you can trust

By Case Study, dentCHECK, Insights

Passersby couldn’t ignore the significance of data emerging from the recent 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) #AMCAero.  It is tough to ignore that traditional manual measurements have 18x poorer measurement certainty than 8tree’s OEM-approved dentCHECK tool. In contrast, by delivering significantly higher consistency, dentCHECK empowers engineers to recommend conclusive corrective action for damage. Read on for the revealing analysis…

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By Case Study, dentCHECK, fastCHECK, Insights

What do you uncover by analyzing hundreds of manual measurements of the same surface? The Truth. 8tree conducted the world’s most comprehensive study of dent-mapping in the aviation sector, at the recently concluded 2019 #AMCAero. The data reveals a simple truth – traditional manual measurements are highly subjective, error-prone and up to 37x less consistent than 8tree’s OEM-approved dentCHECK tool. The ability to accurately, consistently and quickly measure aircraft damage has a very direct impact on aviation efficiency and safety.

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Aircraft hail-damage: What tools will aircraft maintenance crews use for the job?

By Case Study, Insights

What does an aviation technician do when their aircraft is pummeled by hail?

To contrast traditional methods vs. emerging technology, more than 150 engineers, technicians, and students participated in a dent-mapping competition at the recent 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition. 80 teams were greeted by eight simulated dents on two airframe panels. Working under real-world time pressure and conditions, the teams had to accurately determine the ‘go/no-go’ status of the damage. Participants were tasked with mapping the dents using traditional methods, and then with 8tree’s purpose-built dentCHECK tool.

At every stage of the competition, dentCHECK surpassed participants’ expectations, while laying bare the inconsistencies associated with manual measurements. By the conclusion of the event, dentCHECK had become the dent-mapping tool-of-choice for participating teams.

But why? In the coming weeks, we will dive into the results of the world’s most comprehensive study of aviation dent-mapping.

Follow 8tree to see how dentCHECK helps operators efficiently map dents and make reliable decisions, instantly!