Improved Jet Engine Maintenance Through Automated Vibration Diagnostic Systems

The rapidly increasing cost of maintenance, the demand for increased equipment utilization, fuel costs, and the difficulty of correctly diagnosing internal mechanical problems in fully assembled jet engines, have stressed the need for more effective engine test equipment. This paper describes the successful application of both a component (module) high-speed balancing technique and an Automated Vibration Diagnostic System (AVID) in the U.S. Air Force’s high-volume engine overhaul center at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. the AVID concept to automate troubleshooting procedures for fully assembled rebuilt engines is addressed. This system extracts high frequency vibration data from existing standard instrumentation, thereby providing meaningful mechanical information. A growing appreciation on the part of engine overhaul personnel of the power of automated test equipment has enabled these key features to be combined to reduce operating expenses at engine rebuild facilities.