This chapter covers the following topics:
Oracle Complex Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (CMRO) is an integrated, web-enabled, software application suite designed for complex equipment maintenance organizations. It supports typical maintenance processes such as scheduled and unscheduled maintenance visits, component monitoring, job scheduling and routing, labor time collection, cost collection, inventory management, and maintenance document management.
You can view maintenance practice improvement opportunities, and opportunities to improve fleet readiness. The application provides models for electromechanical systems and defines rules for assembling units. You can record unit-specific information, enabling quick access to the maintenance history of a product component. It provides maintenance organizations a means to reduce operational costs, and thereby to yield improved profitability.
This chapter discusses the following features:
Oracle CMRO includes intelligent processing and direct input to Oracle Value Chain Planning (VCP) suite of products. This integration enables a more complete and intelligent processing of forecasted, planned, and consumed materials. This integration will comprehensively increase the accuracy in planning, stocking, and budgeting the materials needed in the aviation maintenance space.
CMRO involves the tracking of serialized items and assemblies for their complete service life. Some of the types of information collected for these items and assemblies of items are:
Historical and Projected Utilization (counter values, operating locations, utilization types, and so on).
Configuration installations and removal history.
Maintenance Plan required to keep item (or assembly) in service or restore item (or assembly) back to service.
Maintenance Plan requirements that come from OEMs, regulatory bodies, continuous improvement initiatives, reliability programs, and so on.
Maintenance History of service and repair of an item.
This CMRO-collected information has always been used to calculate the upcoming maintenance activity for specific parent assemblies or units. This is necessary in an aviation or other regulated environment to maintain serviceability of the units in operation. Currently, the CMRO Unit Maintenance Plan contains the instance-specific maintenance needs projected out into the future. This instance-specific maintenance plan includes the material and resource demand needed to keep the units serviceable, and the time frame in which this demand will be required.
When this information is integrated into a supply chain environment, such as Oracle VCP, then instance-level Supply Chain Planning (SCP) is possible.
This instance level SCP is available in CMRO and leverages the following system data to provide Supply Chain Planning with visibility and forecasting for:
Projection of Demand, using CMRO's Unit Maintenance Plan.
Mapping of Consumption to Projected Demand, directly through instance tracking.
Scenario Forecasting, using Simulations and Fleet Forecasting.
Unit Utilization Costs and Impacts (actual, projected, and simulated).
Unit Location Costs and Impacts (actual, projected, and simulated).
Maintenance Program Costs and Impacts (actual, projected, and simulated).
Reliability Costs and Impacts (actual, projected, and simulated).
CMRO UMP pulls the required material to the location within the time needed, based on the maintenance plan and operating parameters that are tracked in the required maintenance system.
Additionally, maintenance programs set up to operate aircraft and other highly regulated equipment must support the highest level of safety and reliability standards. This coupled with the business need to minimize maintenance ground time can become expensive when outrageous last minute rates are charged. By using the CMRO Supply Chain Planning integration, huge cost saving opportunity exist for the best supply chain forecast, plan, and exception handling.
The automated visit forecasting process is a tool for the maintenance planners to group maintenance requirements together to support both a rough-cut visit plan and an operational maintenance plan (Primary Plan), based on a maintenance organization. This enables the planner to approach the plan and focus on the exceptions for both short and long term planning. This feature is used primarily for heavy maintenance such as letter checks and modifications. It is typically used to forecast 12-18 months into the future.
There are two components to the Auto Visit Planning process:
Process Flight Visit Schedules API (Short Term Planning)
Create Primary Visits (Long Term Planning)
Important: Only visits with a status of Planning can be used with this feature.
This functionality enables the creation and scheduling of visits for both line and base maintenance.
For base maintenance, there is a new Autovisit Planning Workbench where users can define a processing hierarchy by master configuration, program type, subtype and a date range. The user can then launch and monitor concurrent programs to:
Create new visits based on Primary Visit MRs.
Cancel existing visits.
Add UMP MRs to existing visits.
For line maintenance, users can define parameters to create operational visits based on the flight schedule and maintenance capability of arriving and departing stations. The user can define both generic and specific parameters for flights to:
Create pre and post-flight visits.
Create transit checks which will span an aircraft's downtime duration.
Adjust visits based on flight changes.
Cancel visits based on flight cancellations and re-routes.
Notify users of changes to specific visits and flight associations.
The Aircraft Maintenance Planning workbench improves the scheduling and accomplishment of maintenance requirements for unit configurations for aircraft, but also for engines and APUs for both line and base maintenance. This workbench enables users to search for requirements that are due through a new version of the current UMP search capability. Users can then identify opportunities in which to schedule the maintenance to existing or new visits, while taking flight schedules, organizational scheduling and fleet downtime into consideration.
Use the Aircraft Maintenance Planning Workbench to:
Translate the maintenance forecast (UMP) into a visit schedule.
Create and evaluate long term visit forecasts.
Ensure aircraft serviceability and availability through efficient operational planning.
Manage requirements through an exception based planning model.
Monitor requirement scheduling service yield.
Evaluate UMP requirement due dates and UOM remaining.
Locate unit downtimes in the operations schedule for assignment.
Manage organization facility scheduling.
Validate fleet scheduling versus goals.
Analyze department resource capacity.
Consider department and requirement service capability.
This feature complements the Aircraft Maintenance Planning Workbench and expands the planning functionality by providing an exclusive workbench to search and plan maintenance for complex assemblies, specifically the engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) for aircraft.
The workbench enables users to search for both repair demand for complex assemblies from ASCP (or another source system), and locate assemblies requiring repair both on and off wing. ASCP demand will be driven directly off material requirements for assemblies in future visits or for stock, while requirements for repair will be driven off scheduled (time or performance driven) removals or unscheduled removals (service failure). This workbench enables users to plan for assemblies before the component is removed, provide engineering groups the ability to define a preliminary work scope and then release it to a maintenance planning group to finalize the work scope, schedule the repair visit, and coordinate the removal and replacement of the complex assembly on wing.
The workbench can be used for any complex assembly, where tracking maintenance at the configuration position for the subcomponent is required in the execution process. The workbench includes the following that improves the planning process:
Earliest assembly due: Displays the first unit effectivity due for the instance.
MR soft limits: Optionally implement MRs which can suggest removal at a counter interval.
Build Goals: Position-based and visit-defined requirements to rebuild a complex assembly, which translate into the planned on-wing life of a complex assembly.
In addition to the complex assembly workbench, the component maintenance workbench expands the planning functionality for an operation. Users can search and plan for component maintenance, both serialized and non-serialized. This workbench enables users to search for repair demand for components from ASCP (or another source system), and locate components requiring repair that are in an unserviceable inventory. ASCP demand is driven directly from material requirements for assemblies in future visits or for stock.
Specifically, the workbench provides a single source where component planners can review, schedule, and research repairs for components such as:
Requested supply: From ASCP, based off material or stock demand.
Scheduled supply: Components already planned and released for repair.
Unserviceable inventory: Components available for repair.
Resource capacity: Availability of an organization and department.
Maintenance program requirements: Work scope required to repair a component.
Service history: Historical repair of a component.
The Visit Work Package (VWP) visit details have been enhanced to include the Repair Work Scope tab. This tab enables the user to view for a unit, the configuration tree, and position details of all installed subcomponents. The engineer and planner can evaluate multiple criteria for each position and component and plan the repair work scope that is required to repair and rebuild the complex assembly.
The concept of a 'repair batch' has been introduced which represents a new entity in which to plan, execute and capture the repair history of a component. The repair batch provides the planner the ability to streamline the planning of a component repair by not having to create individual visits in VWP for each instance. Planners create a 'mini-visit' for an instance in the form of a repair batch, which contains repair tasks, and is pushed to production. The repair batch is then accomplished in execution in the form of work orders, similar to a visit. However, the planner works from a more simplified workbench to create and close the repair batches.
CMRO's existing visit work package (VWP) functionality has been enhanced to support the introduction of the ASCP functionality throughout CMRO. The VWP enhancements include:
Search VWP: A search UI to complement the changes and expanded functionality of ASCP within CMRO.
Visit Header: Changes have been made to the required attributes to create and save a visit. For example: Visit Name and Unit are now required attributes to create and save a visit.
Visit Status: A new Draft status can be used to improve performance for large visits to allow the addition of MRs and then release them for planning purposes simultaneously.
Visit Planning Action: This action within the visit includes the ability to create work orders for each of the tasks added to the visit.
This enhancement improves the performance when adding large volumes of MRs to a visit.
Visit Type Profiles: Profiles can be defined for a visit type and includes the ability to define the duration, master configuration, and default stages for a visit.
This information is used in the planning and scheduling of visits.
Visit Task Dependencies: Planners can define and update the sequencing and dependencies for tasks prior to the push to production.
Visit Stages: A new Stage concept enables tasks to be grouped into stages, based on MR definitions.
Stages can then be individually pushed to production versus having to push all planning status tasks at once.
Visit Repair Work Scope: This tab enables the user to view the configuration tree and position details of all installed subcomponents for a unit.
Visit Service Category: Can be defined at the visit level and the department level.
The Service Category can follow a numerical ranking of capability.
Visit Firm and Lock indicators: The auto planning functionality includes the ability to firm or lock a visit which will restrict changes, such as if a visit can be canceled or the work scope can be updated automatically.
Visit Space Assignment: Using the aircraft planning workbench, planners can assign the visit to different spaces during the duration of a visit.
Visit Build Goals: This functionality enables a planner to define the desired life expectancy of a repaired unit through the visit. Subcomponents that will be installed on the host configuration can be compared against the build goal for suitability prior to installation.
Past Dated Visits: Planners can create visits in the past to capture maintenance that has already occurred or started.
CMRO includes a concept of an aircraft fleet, which is a logical grouping of aircraft by location, region, or segment of operation. This functionality complements product classifications, and provides an enhanced solution to define variable utilization rates over specific periods of time for an aircraft, without having to constantly revise a product classification. The product classification definition can be set as the default utilization, with the fleet utilization taking precedence where defined. Some additional features of the fleet definition are:
The fleet definition (fleet assignment over time) is available throughout CMRO as a search criteria, filter, and logical grouping for units.
The assignment periods of a unit to a fleet are reflected in the search date ranges.
The fleet definition specifies the operating organization of the group of aircraft during the time period of association.
This operating organization has been added to the applicable unit effectivities in UMP by due date and is used by the maintenance planning process.
The fleet definition enables the definition of 'reconfiguration MRs', which allows a set of defined MRs to become effective when moving from one fleet to another. An example would be to move from domestic to international operations.
The recommended fleet downtime percentage during time periods can be defined. These parameters can be validated in a new report and enables operators to confirm that maintenance planners are not over scheduling visits during critical operational periods, such as holidays.
Aircraft can also be associated to fleets in the context of a simulation plan, which enables the evaluation of different fleet and aircraft scenarios. The output is a simulated UMP forecast of the maintenance programs for the fleet, which can be evaluated and optimized by updating and rerunning the simulations. A satisfactory simulation plan can also be implemented as the primary (live or operational) fleet plan.
CMRO includes tools to analyze the historical occurrence of non-routine maintenance, and to create non-routine planning factors and estimates which can be applied during the maintenance planning process. Non-routine history can be evaluated in the Oracle Demantra application based on the associated maintenance requirement, aircraft, fleet, and program type of maintenance accomplished. The output can then be applied within CMRO by creating maintenance requirement profiles.
These profiles enable the creation of non-routine estimates for an MR based on the Program Type and operating organization in which it would be accomplished. For example, an MR that occurs in an A-Check may generate different non-routines than in a C-Check, depending on the operating organization. The profile for an MR consists of:
Program Type association.
Operating Organization association.
Resource Estimates based on resource type, hours, stage and operating organization association.
Material Estimates based on resource type, hours, stage and operating organization association.
The MR profiles are included the work scope for the visit as MRs that are added during planning. This enables more accurate planning of material and resources (versus only knowing the routine maintenance) and duration for the visit. The non-routine estimates are removed as MRs are pushed to production, allowing for the actual non-routines to be added during execution and replace the estimates.
Non-routine profiles can also be updated routinely through Oracle Demantra analysis and posted to CMRO, where they can be reviewed in Draft status and approved for use. Profiles can then be manually evaluated, updated and approved as needed.
CMRO includes functionality to cover more completely the detailed scenarios that are involved in planning, performing, and proving compliance with Service Bulletins, Service Letters, and Airworthiness Directives. These types of MRs can have a complex relationship between each other, the aircraft or assembly configurations, and the history involved. As a solution to this complex network of allowed parts, required maintenance, and historic life, CMRO includes the following functionality to assist Complex Assembly Maintenance and Aircraft Operators with:
Effectivity Triggers: A relationship between MRs that enable the continuous adjustment to the affected units, based on other MR accomplishments.
These effectivity triggers can enable one or more MRs to trigger the effectivity or terminate the effectivity of one or more other MRs.
SB Rules: A rule creator UI for MC Position Rules based on a Service Bulletin type.
This UI enables users to create Position Rules, and allows for a new condition to be added where accomplished maintenance will affect the planned and allowed parts in a configuration.
Position Demand: A definition used to enable a route to be defined to fill a position. This definition is used in addition to a CMRO route that defines a specific part or group of parts needed when performing a job. The position demand definition enables constant updates to the supply chain and material planning.
The Oracle Production Scheduling (PS) integration has been optimized to enable CMRO engineering definitions to direct the visit structure and work order relationships, while still maintaining the power of the PS engine. This enables the complete optimization and visibility of CMRO visits, work orders, resource requirements, and material requirements within the PS tool. Some of the highlights of this integration are:
The CMRO Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) can be defined as a template for a visit, then adjusted specifically for each instance of the visit.
This WBS definition gives further direction to the PS engine as to the order, precedence, and dependency among work orders.
Visit stages are passed and used within the PS engine and are also visible in the UI.
Non-routine (NR) estimates defined in CMRO are used to plan accurately for a visit before the actual NRs exist in the visit.
Alternate item information is passed to PS to enable the scheduling engine to optimize the completion schedule.
PS scheduled dates are passed back to CMRO Visit Work Package for comparison and adjustment against the visit planned dates, as necessary.
Organizations acquire and deploy assets that are required to support core business processes. When the assets are used, they eventually break down. Organizations have service facilities that repair the assets or send them for outside servicing. The servicing of an asset can be periodic (preventive maintenance) or ad hoc (on demand).
Suppliers provide a performance or reliability guarantee that enables a customer to recover any unplanned maintenance repair costs that are incurred during a specified period of ownership for an asset. It is the responsibility of the customer to track the performance or reliability of an asset, capture any unplanned service activity, verify the activity against the warranty terms and conditions, and follow the supplier's process for claiming warranty reimbursement.
When an asset needs to be repaired and is covered by a supplier warranty, the servicing organization determines that the supplier must rectify the defects free of cost or at some negotiated price. The servicing organization makes a warranty claim if there is a link between the assets in question and established warranty terms and conditions. Supplier warranty terms and conditions cover a wide array of activities performed on an asset during its lifetime. Sometimes it is associated with an as-delivered condition upon induction to a customer. These conditions may include new purchases, used purchases, repair services, non-routines, configuration changes, reliability programs, and service bulletin and air worthiness directives.
For more information, see Working with Supplier Warranty, Oracle Complex Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul User's Guide.
CMRO includes the following functionality that enhances the Oracle Projects integration:
Define Cost Hierarchy for Project Tasks.
CMRO supports the creation of subtasks in the project hierarchy after transactions have been made against parent tasks.
This supports the addition of non-routine requirements that are discovered after transactions have already been made. This enhancement ensures that an extra Project task is created for all CMRO tasks to create a separate transaction branch in the cost hierarchy.
Add Visits to Parent Projects.
When creating a maintenance visit in CMRO, the user creates a new associated project, or adds the visit to an existing project.
When tracking costs for a visit under an existing project, the user selects the project at the visit header rather than choose a project template. The visit is created as the top task in the selected project, with the complete costing hierarchy defined as follows, which is similar to creating a new project.
The Project LOV was added to the following CMRO UIs:
Create Visit
Update Visit
Synchronize Visit and Project Task Dates.
Projects are created for a maintenance visit at the push to production, or for costing purposes while in planning.
When the project tasks are created, the corresponding work orders are also created, and updates each work order with the scheduled dates corresponding to the visit tasks start and end dates.
When work order schedule dates are adjusted, the corresponding Project task dates are also updated.
Define Service Type.
To identify routine and non-routine maintenance activity, the Service Type attribute for the project is defined in CMRO for visit tasks and work orders.
This value is used when creating the corresponding project rollup, transaction and summary tasks.
In CMRO, visit tasks will have a service type and this default value comes from the Routine or Non-Routine profile.
This attribute has also been added to the search criteria and details page of several UIs:
Search Visit Task
Create Unplanned Visit Task
Create Planned Task
Create Unassociated Task
Update Visit Task
Update Financial Breakdown Structure
Disposition Details
The following FAA Compliance Reports are available:
Aircraft Maintenance Status
Assembly Bill of Materials
Component Maintenance Status
Component Removal Forecast
Component Removal/Installation History
Maintenance Requirement Information and Status
Part Number Status
Unit Serial Numbers
Reports can be printed, exported, and viewed online. You can also save searches, which enables users to customize and provide default search views for the Aircraft Maintenance Status and Component Maintenance Status reports.
For more information, see Using Compliance Reports, Oracle Complex Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul User's Guide.
The integration between CMRO and Enigma's 3C is to provide a ready-to-use solution for MRO service providers to provide the maintenance technicians with a set of tools that connect CMRO's extensive back office functionality for configuration management, engineering and maintenance planning with Enigma's flexible and easy to use documentation centric maintenance execution system, in a wireless or disconnected environment.
This combination of the two products supports the maintenance technicians in efficiently executing all their maintenance tasks, achieving highest level of quality by providing the right information in the right place at the right time in a most user-friendly form.