TAP Portugal MTMS Final Update

Atlanta, GA – USA – November 16-18, 2015 IATA 2nd RFID & Paperless Technical Operations Conference
Carlos Quinta
TAP Information Technology
on behalf of TAP Maintenance & Engineering
MTMS – Mobile Tooling Management System
Managing GSEs and tools with RFID & barcode technology
FINAL PROGRAM RECAP & UPDATE
IATA 2nd RFID & Paperless Technical Operations Conference
Atlanta, GA – USA
November 16 - 18, 2015

2
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
● TAP IT - who are we
● The solution implemented
● The pain points to address
● The challenges
● What we managed to achieve
● Lessons learned
● What comes next

3
TAP IT - WHO ARE WE

4
TAP IT - WHO ARE WE
TAP Group Business Processes
Sales &
Marketing
Flight
Operations
Ground
Operations
Maintenance,
Repair & Overhaul
Network
Management
Airport
Operations
Finance
Human
Resources
Logistics
Audit &
Legal
Health Care
Enterprise
Performance
Revenue
Accounting
Information
Technology
Customer
Experience
TAP Serviços
TAP Airline
Business
Maintenance &
Engineering PT
TAP, SGPS, SA
Groundforce TAP, SA PGA, SA
Maintenance &
Engineering BR
TAPGER, SA
TAP Information
Technology
Initiatives
Solution delivery
(Projects)
Solution mngmnt.
& support
(service lines)

5
THE SOLUTION IMPLEMENTED

6
● MTMS system went live on November 2014 comprising a mobile
and back office user interface and wireless connectivity
● Supports 5 tool stores at LIS TAP M&E premises and manages
around 20.000 tools and 700 GSEs
● Tools are barcoded (or the drawers) and GSEs are coded with 2
passive UHF RFID tags Class1 Gen2 with a unique serial number
● One single tag form factor applies to all GSEs
● As a closed-loop solution, an internal EPC standard provides
interoperability with other business solutions across TAP M&E
● MC9190z handheld readers are used to collect the data (no
portals and no middleware)
● Back office provides management with information captured from
mobile side. It’s fully integrated with MRO legacy platform and
ERP platform
Scoping Project Production

7
2’45” to be included
(60 MB)

8
THE PAIN POINTS TO ADDRESS

9
For GSEs
● GSE movements are not registered at all.
Therefore significant time is spent searching misplaced GSE
● Often equipment is not returned once booked by production
● There is no reliable / complete inventory
● Some GSE are only available in small quantities. This can occasionally
cause critical path when GSEs are needed
● Storage areas are not optimally organised and consequently not fully used
● Inoperable GSE are “red labelled” and left on the hangar floor. Searching is
required to gather them for delivery to Repair
● Is not possible to know the equipment downtime when it goes for Repair
Lack of visibility and traceability

10
For Tools
● Limited visibility of tools on shop-floor
● Can have missing generic tools
● Searching can be very time-consuming
● There is limited reporting / audit capability
● Tools lent / borrowed to other hangars often not returned
Poor/Limited visiblity and traceability
Poor/Limited accuracy and reliability
With previous offline solution

11
THE CHALLENGES

12
THE CHALLENGES
● Getting the best performance from RFID tags on metal-rich environments (read
range vs radiated power vs tag attachment vs form factor)
● Process & physical changes (critical GSEs):
• Optimizing storage areas. Each one is identified with an RFID tag
• Register all movements between different storage/repair areas
• Hangar support to perform more inventory checks to help reconciliation
of supposed & actual GSE storage locations
• No more self-service usage
● Tools difficult to tag with RFID. Too many form factors and too many tools
● Active technology too expensive. Passive technology fits within the business case
● Providing the best Wi-Fi network coverage within the tool stores, maximizing the
wireless coverage areas with many blind spots and walls:
• You should be able to read a barcode in the most concealed corner
● Make sure that everyone understands the potential benefits of RFID technology
and carefully manage user expectations:
• System might need time for fine-tuning to perform optimally
• Stakeholders should be aware of the benefits that can be realistically achieved from the system

13
WHAT WE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE

14
WHAT WE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE (TOOLS & GSES)
● As long as everyone follows the new business rules, both technologies provide
enhanced visibility and increase the availability of tools and GSEs
● At any given time is possible to track any tool or GSE, allowing management to
check if there are tools left in use on an aircraft at the end of a hangar visit
● External monitors on tool stores provide visibility for mechanics about their tools
delivered/received/being used
● Interface with ERP and MRO solutions automatically change the tool/GSE
condition from “unserviceable” to “serviceable” or vice-versa
● Human error still remains but at a residual level
● Findings about tools were therefore reduced by as much as 75%. Misplaced
tools still remain but error diagnoses is much faster and easier
Real time visibility and traceability

15
Fast search and inventory
Up to 80% less time Up to 75% less time
Inventory Search
(*) 15 wheeled stairs, 80 sq. meter area
0,00
1,00
2,00
3,00
4,00
Minutes Scan vs manual results (*)
Manual RFID scan Manual
WHAT WE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE (GSES ONLY)

16
Quality
&
Safety
FOD
mitigation
Visibility
Continuous
Improvement
Traceability
Readiness
&
Availability
WHAT WE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE
OVERALL BENEFITS OF BOTH TECHNOLOGIES
SN tool PC0000004722 has been dispatched on 15 Oct to
tool store hangar 5, after being “booked in” 10 days before
on tool store hangar 6
SN tool PC0000004722 has been dispatched on 15 Oct to
tool store hangar 5, after being “booked in” 10 days before
on tool store hangar 6

17
LESSONS LEARNED

18
LESSONS LEARNED
● Pay special attention to change management. RFID has a learning curve:
• Involve smart people in the early stages of training and RFID adoption
• Patience and hard work are essential ingredients
● Some process change is inevitable especially when dealing with metal environments,
otherwise RFID technology just adds a cost
● Make sure to test different form factors and don’t rely on one single brand. Tags and
antennas are permanently evolving:
• Experimentation is necessary in a test setup with the actual objects to be tagged and the actual
operating environment
● Don’t expect tags to provide the same read range as referred in the datasheet (30%
to 40% reduction should be expected) but …you can always try a spacer
● RFID tags proven to be a reliable and robust choice to withstand harsh conditions
and provide accurate information. No need to replace any tag so far
● Design and prepare for Wi-Fi outage. It will happen once in a while
● RFID and BC combined proved to be trustworthy providing business value and new
benefits
Scoping ProductionProject

19
WHAT COMES NEXT

20
WHAT COMES NEXT
What we have done What was planned
2014
A/C Tools & GSE
management
2012
Engine parts
inventory and
traceability
Life vests
management
& inspection
Chemical
products
Emergency equip. &
Oxygen generator
Road map for TAP M&E RFID program
2015 2016 2017 2017
A350 XWB
part marking
BUT ……
● TAP has currently an ongoing privatization process
● The orders for A350 XWB have been canceled
● MTMS should be extended to TAP M&E external line maintenance stations
Still … wee keep on planning

Carlos Quinta
BTA & Head of RFID Competence Center
TAP Information Technology
Headquarters at Lisbon Airport
Cell: +351 926 602 090
cquinta@tap.pt
Thank you

TAP Portugal MTMS Final Update

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