Identification and evaluation of the potentials of Prognostics and Health Management in future civil aircraft

Abstract

The approach to achieve representative results to show the quantitative benefit of a PHM system is to translate the qualitative influences of PHM into a “transfer function” to evaluate the economic benefit by means of Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA). This analysis can be used as an argument for the quantitative evaluation of the implementation of the new PHM technology. The improvements of a PHM system for aircraft structure, systems, maintenance and availability are evaluated with the help of the DLR-internal CBA-tool, the “Multi-Technology Aircraft Demonstrator”. Expected results of the project include: - Quantitative evaluation of Prognostics and Health Management on structural and system level - Influence of an overall aircraft IVHM system on aircraft design and performance, especially in terms of weight, fuel consumption and Direct Maintenance Costs (DMC) - Short-term benefit of PHM: effect of system installation on existing architecture - Long-term benefit: reduction of redundancies on system level and changed structural design principles (damage tolerance, allowables, fatigue)