Crane Aerospace and Electronics (Hall 5, G17) is launching a new application of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag technology, which will dramatically reduce the time spent servicing aircraft passenger seats.
Tags, comprising a passive microchip and antenna, are applied to selected seat components, enabling part data to be read from a remote handheld reader. Comprehensive information can be read, even from hidden components, as RFID does not require line-of-sight communication.
Crane regional business manager Christian Strecker says: "Operators want a quick service turnaround, but just accessing the part to check its status takes time. RFID could save ten minutes per part, not including paperwork."
Component information, such as part number, serial number and service history, can be permanently stored in the tag, and wirelessly accessed and updated. Information from the handheld reader can be quickly transferred to a database via a docking station.
"A part can be replaced in Kuala Lumpur and the information uploaded to a database in the US, without having to file paperwork," says Strecker. By storing combinations of line replacement units in a single master tag, manufacturers have an automated means of documenting completed product 'as shipped'.
Operators will additionally be able to write to individual tags when service bulletins, overhauls or shop visits need to be documented. These post-delivery amendments can then be uploaded to the master tag. Data management can be tailored to the specific needs of operators or manufacturers.
The technology can also be applied where theft is a problem, for example checking to see if life vests have been removed from beneath seats: "It's a different way of component management that has applications in all areas of aviation. It might be five years away, but it could result in paperless aircraft documentation and asset management," Strecker adds.
Source: Flight Daily News
