Architecture for Dynamic Component Life Tracking in an Advanced HUMS, RFID, and Direct Load Sensor Environment

The United States Navy (USN) is shifting towards condition-based maintenance (CBM) of fatigue critical dynamic components on rotorcraft, which requires more efficient methods for component identification, usage history recording, and fatigue life tracking. This paper presents a method developed by Technical Data Analysis, Inc. (TDA) to track usage and history of all uniquely serialized components throughout their lifetime, so that component life limits and applicable maintenance data are correctly and continuously assessed. The end goal of this project is one integrated system for component tracking, fatigue lifing, and prognostics and trending, leveraging Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) and direct loads sensing data to track actual component usage and loads. Presented here is a twofold strategy for achieving this integrated component tracking system via a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) network and a comprehensive web-based application that interfaces with the RFID network and the USN’s various data management systems.