AFIT takes students back to the basics with its Applied Maintenance Management Concepts course - Air Force Institute of Technology

Air Force Journal of Logistics, Spring, 2003 by Donald S. Metscher, David P. Collette

The original research question of "Why is the NMCM time climbing?" can be answered in generic form. The time reported during the look phase inspection process is statistically out of control. When this data stream is removed from the data pile, the process returns to an in-control state, further cementing that the look phase inspection process is an area to investigate further. Maintenance leadership at the base now has a specific area to explore. Specifically, the class recommended further analysis of WUCs 03XXX--Look Phase Inspections for explanations of out-of-control data and further isolating the NMCM hours into three-or four-digit WUCs. Drilling down or peeling the onion management may identify specific areas for improvement, thereby reducing the average NMCM time. In addition, we recommended that the wing continue to monitor the NMCM hours with Statistical Process Control and Pareto analysis techniques to determine if management decisions have any impact on these processes. What are the long-term implications? Airframes are aging. This results in longer phase inspections and tougher repairs. As a result of this increasing workload, the models used to determine manpower, for inspections, airframe repairs, and spare parts should be reevaluated.

As result of this class project, the base analysis section conducted its own analysis of WUC 03 to highlight the areas driving the NMCM time.

Colonel Metscher is course director for LOG 131, Industrial Maintenance Management, and LOG 132 Production Maintenance Management, Department of Materiel Management, School of Systems and Logistics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. At the time of the writing of this article, Captain Collette was assigned to the Air Force Institute of Technology.