Systems for Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul

Document Description

Variant	SAP
Scope	Management Summary, Product outline
Product	MroMobile Aero SAP
Specification	A mobile frontend system for support of SAP MRO (PM/CS)
Environment	J2EE application servers, e.g. SAP Netweaver (WAS 6.X), SAP MRO or similar ERP systems
Fun to maintain

MroMobile Air SAP: Is a mobile frontend system for direct support of all relevant subapplications of SAP MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul for Aerospace and Defense). Data captured are synchronized to SAP MRO on earliest access.

Product Outline

• Mobile devices are used for realtime data capture and presentation, right on location and event. These data are in turn exchanged with SAP MRO standardized data objects. Different and multiple devices are supported. The devices are selected for each project in collaboration with the customer, for optimal fit against the requirements.
• Devices are operable online and/or offline, therefore they may be used anywhere inside and outside of the maintained facilities and aircrafts, at any time and with or without online access.
• Mobile devices optionally include an RFID reader/writer and/or a barcode reader installed for object identification.
• The mobile application presents a dedicated and efficient user interface. Derived from login, the active user role will determine the exposition of user interface components for the process supported.
• Digital signature is done as combination of role login + certificates + personal tag, signature stroke
• The user interface is tuned for touchscreen operation. Whenever possible, text entry is avoided by smart components or strongly supported by lookup, autocompletion or other means. Thorough language support, multilingual.

• A server component (MobileAgent) abstracts the mobile application instances towards the MRO system and in turn simplifies the MRO complexity towards the mobile clients. This server component provides the necessary technical environment to connected and offline mobile clients. Its most prominent duty is the database and backoffice interaction with the MRO system.
• The server component is running within any conformant J2EE application server like SUN's Application server, SAP Netweaver or alike, downto simple Tomcat containers.
  
• The Server component is able to interact with modern workflow engines and workgroup communication.
• The server component includes a fully working domain model. This allows a loose coupling to the enterprise MRO or ERP System, allowing a temporary standalone operation. The domain model incorporates those features, which are typically missing in ERP backbones, but required for the maintenance processes.

'Mro Mobile Air' Benefits
The customer benefits from aquisition speed and serious data quality improvements, lowered cost by drastically shrinking or removing paper circulation paths, removing redundant data entry. Users acceptence is high through shortened information paths, simplified IT system presence and realtime information access at any time. Seamless integration into the customer's corporate IT landscape.

Supported processes and objects
The following processes and process objects are supported by MroMobile Air:

• Schedules for service orders are generated automated and parallel in the existing backoffice (MRO system) and then synchronized to mobile devices as digital service cards. Schedules are bound to process roles, qualifications and availabilities. These roles are identified on the mobile device by personal passwords, RFIDs or SmartCards. The roles allow distinct operation sets. Schedules appear as timely ordered, hierarchical lists, where the user will drill down into detail and execute the scheduled services. The device provides all required reference information for objects, services, tools, locations, like repair manuals, schema drawings etc.
  
• Functions included are object identification, role identification, contract and service order selection, defect capture, material and object compliance checks, checklist lookup and submission, measurement value entry, fact verification, comment entry, completion transaction submission, tool compliance lookup and check, object search lookup, manual lookup, service bulletin lookup.
  
• The MroMobileAgent server component takes care for Inventory Management, Material Management objects, stock management transactions.
  
• Service order presentation with selection of relevant Logbook entries and their open log notifications. Service Orders, as they are assigned by the MRO system to personnel and/or roles and schedules, are pulled off the MRO system by the MroMobileAgent along with all related, relevant objects required
• Identification of fully interchangable parts for a specific service order's component (compliance check, according to master configuration data, relevant extracts)
• Post log notifications towards the logbook, reading, releasing and completing log notifications for predefined and known notification types
• Component list maintenance for aircraft or subcomponent within related service order
• Measurement documents / log notifications

'Mro Mobilized' System Architecture

The 'Mro Mobile' is built with the two major components MroMobile Agent (server component) and the mobile instances, running on mobile computers. The components are loosely coupled across the standard plant network, backboned by the existing wired and/or wireless infrastructure. The server component is hosted within a J2EE compliant application server, where it is running as a network wide service. It is administered via web pages, fully embedded within the same infrastructure as the MRO or ERP itself. Client application code and device setup is centrally administered and automatically distributed and deployed. The mobile device' health is centrally monitored and a central system is requesting intervention, e.g. on extended (access) silence periods, weak battery cycle times (worn batteries, charge capacity significantly dropped).

The strict J2EE implementation ensures independency from database or server platforms.

The device client application is implemented as Java application. It is designed as a rich client, which ensures complete independency from network availability. The application is dynamically generated by the MroMobileAgent, where code is centrally generated by means of XML application template files, then streamlined for the roles involved, finally distributed automatically to the devices, as soon as they are connected. The client therefore exposes a very rich and functional user interface, explicitly dedicated to the use cases involved.

For example, Measurement value sets can be entered directly into apropriate diagrams or graphs. Entered scalars, booleans or string values and other facts will be restricted and interdepend on given rules and patterns. The result is high quality and accuracy of captured data.
Data exchange between client and server is done using XML data files, compressed and encrypted.

RFIDs

• RFIDs can be of type 'Generation 2', so international device usage is legal and devices can be moved along with the Aircraft.
• RFID readers may be attached, if objects, containers or locations are equipped with such devices. We provide a working solution - device, drivers and anything else
  

MroMobileAgent Building Blocks

The server application component is implemented as Java application, heavily using an SQL database for all transactions and capture results. It may run within an application server, or standalone as a deamon or service. It will run as a background process, which can be inspected and monitored via any web browser, e.g. as a standard web application.
In the standard szenario, the following diagram outlines the major internal functional blocks. The example references SAP Netweaver and ERP system.
The database components are not shown, they are in underlying layers. The MRO domain model is implemented within that layer and not diagramed here.

Process monitoring

Monitored processes, schedules and their execution state is exposed online in an optional web based monitor application. It complements the system with additional dispatch facilities and realtime interaction and communication paths. Services, which require additional instructions, nonstandard handling may feed these as text directly to the devices or vice versa.
Alarms for service staff can be generated, which will prompt the user on the devices on their next access to the network – or immediatly, in case of continous network access.

In cases, where the entire process is dispatched over a larger geographical scope, a GPS option can be integrated – The alarms will then carry coordinates for proper routing to inquired locations.

Pocket-Biz will provide an entire solution. Support and Service will be provided worldwide through our business partners (e.g. Siemens, Tyco).

Aircraft maintenance scenarios involved (Examples, to be continued)

• maintenance or material movement subprocess invocation via RFID, barcode or manual role identification (username / password credentials)
• material item type and serial number identification via RFID, barcode or manual entry of serial numbers or alike identifiers
• history lookup for identified items, trackback for identified items
• tracking of applied process for identified item and potential update of the spare part / item history
• maintenance instruction manual lookup on demand
• ratings or measurement parameter details lookup
• spare parts exchange: unit composition and bookings for used part and spare part
• material container tracking or verification for badge recording (barcodes/RFIDs)
• maintenance tool / instrument identification and verification
• time tracking/tracing of all maintenance excution and logging steps
• maintenance instrument calibration status
• the data exchange (synchronisation) may take place whenever the device is in proximity to a usable channel via IP protocols directly into locally available VPN nodes and can fire next workflow subprocesses immediatly
• the server synchronizes with the SAP maintenance application immediatly and returns any updated or inquired synchronisation object within the same cycle
• staff communication via email and transfer of business workflow items is possible, information messages on digital subscription base

Example Mobile Devices

The product is basically hardware and supplier independent. Different devices may coexist in one system. Different applications may coexist on the devices. Hardware can be supplied by us or the customer draws from major device manufacturers like 'Symbol', 'Psion Teklogix' or others. Devices are themselves target for maintenance and MRO Mobile therefore delivers a thorough device management solution, which unloads IT departments from specific management issues related to these devices. There is also a property protection mechanism possible, which protects the device from being too mobile.

Pictures:
Psion Teklogix Workabout Pro (RFID, Barcode)
Symbol Technologies (RFID, Barcode)
Symbol Technologies MC70 (Barcode)
DT360 DT Research, FuturePad (RFID or Barcode)