OC-ALC’s 544th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron Brings Home DoD Award > Air Force Materiel Command > Article Display

TINKER AIR Power Foundation, Okla. —
The 544th Propulsion Upkeep Squadron’s F135 Significant Routine maintenance Centre received the Robert T. Mason Award for Depot Routine maintenance Excellence, which was offered at the awards banquet held in conjunction with 2022 DoD Upkeep Symposium at the Orange County Conference Centre in Orlando, Florida on December 13, 2022.


The squadron competed with 9 other depot-degree applications from all DoD Navy Products and services.


“The 544th’s engaged management and specific application of the Air Drive Sustainment Center’s “Art of the Possible” output administration methodology merged to radically increase F135 engine production,” mentioned Maj. Gen. Jeff King, Oklahoma Town Air Logistics Elaborate commander. “I’m happy of the staff for getting dwelling this very well-deserved DoD award.”


The F-35 Lightning II confronted unforeseen engine problems, leading to a huge part of the fleet to be grounded, and the 544 PMXS F135 Significant Maintenance Heart answered the phone for assist.


In January 2021, it took an common of 244 times to mend an F135 motor that endured a ailment necessitating an unscheduled elimination, and the shop could only get the job done on 12 power modules concurrently. Leveraging theory of constraints ideas, the output group knew they desired to reduce movement days to 122 per motor and maximize production capability to at the same time get the job done 21 energy modules.


The crew utilized Artwork of the Feasible, a distinctive blend of principle of constrains and continual approach improvement techniques, to come across constraints and put into action options. The system was instrumental in decreasing stream times from 244 to just 105.


The workforce started out by scripting the complete repair procedure and grouped like things to do into gates, then even further sequenced pursuits by defining micro-gates to optimize production pursuits. This system identified production constraints, this sort of as deficiency of devices, technician schooling, materiel shortages, joint technological data shortfalls, delayed engineering reaction occasions, and far more.


The group aggressively engaged with companions at the F-35 Joint Method Business office and Pratt & Whitney to close the gaps. By December 2021, the staff eliminated 100 circulation days and shaved 38 far more by May possibly 2022. In full, the crew reduced F135 Electrical power Module (which is the heart of the motor) stream days to an normal of 105 times a 60 p.c more quickly return to warfighters.


“The team amplified Power Module output from 14 in 2020 to 51 in 2021 and 73 in 2022” said David Herrera, 544th Propulsion Servicing Squadron director. “That reflects an estimated 27 per cent improve above 2021 and a 400 per cent improve above 2020’s manufacturing total.”


Ms. Bobby Hager, 76th Propulsion Upkeep Team Deputy Director additional, “The F135 HMC is the greatest and most capable of the seven F135 depot community nodes, and it is now the program’s only natural depot-level mend exercise. The unit repairs far more than fifty percent of all the F135 engines for the Air Power and our Navy, Marine and Spouse Country counterparts. There is no doubt the F135 HMC’s immediate raise in production was pivotal in reducing 48 F-35s grounded awaiting an motor in 2021 to just two by mid-December 2022.”