x-ray

Ricky Anthony, 436th Maintenance Squadron propulsion flight lead inspector, stands inside a C-5 Galaxy Turbo Fan-39 engine inlet, while watching a screen as he moves the boroscope in search of any foreign objects that may have gotten stuck inside the inlet. The 436th MXS is working to ensure that there are no foreign objects remaining inside the inlet by using a combination of x-raying and boroscope searches. (U.S. Air Force photo/Brianne Zimny)

x-ray

James Thompson, 436th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight non-destructive inspection technician, attaches the x-ray machine to chords so that it can be hoisted up and hung in the center of the engine inlet for x-ray photos to be taken. The 436th MXS has been x-raying the C-5 Galaxy Turbo Fan-39 engine inlets to check for foreign objects caught between the metal layers. The x-ray will show if there are any pieces of potentially damaging metal inside the inlet, and members of the propulsion flight can then remove the foreign objects, to prevent damage. (U.S. Air Force photo/Brianne Zimny)

x-ray

James Thompson, 436th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight non-destructive inspection technician, attaches x-ray film to the exterior of a C-5 Galaxy Turbo Fan-39 engine inlet. The 436th MXS has been x-raying engine inlets to check for foreign objects stuck inside, which could cause damage to the engine. The x-ray, each marked by its location on the inlet, will show if there are any pieces of potentially damaging metal inside the inlet. (U.S.Air Force photo/Brianne Zimny)

x-ray

James Thompson, 436th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight non-destructive inspection technician, points at an x-ray photo that has been taken of a section of a C-5 Galaxy Turbo Fan-39 engine inlet. The 436th MSX has been taking x-rays of engine inlets to ensure there are no foreign objects stuck inside the inlet. The foreign objects can cause damamge to the engine, but by locating and removing them, 436th MXS is saving the Air Force money and man hours. (U.S. Air Force photo/Brianne Zimny)

x-ray

Richard Wippich and James Thompson, 436th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight non-destructive instection technicians, stand next to a C-5 Galaxy Turbo Fan-39 engine inlet as they prepare it for an x-ray. They are attaching x-ray film to the outside of the engine inlet. Once the x-ray has been taken, it will show if there are potentially damaging pieces of metal stuck in the inlet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Brianne Zimny)

X-rays to prevent C-5 engine damage

Published Feb. 25, 2010
By 2nd Lt Abigail Wise
436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DEL. -- The 436th Maintenance Squadron propulsion flight accessory section, utilizing Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century 'Lean' methods, developed a process that has already begun saving the Air Force money and manpower.

Using an x-ray machine, 436th MXS is able to detect and remove small metal objects from the jet engine which could damage the turbines inside the engine.

The new process aims to reduce the number of replaced Turbo Fan-39 inlets. The problem originates from tiny metal bits getting trapped inside the inlet, and causing damage when the engine runs, said Senior Master Sgt. James Jones, 436th MXS propulsion flight chief. These metal pieces hide in small, dark crevices so they are not only difficult to find, but difficult to remove.

"In the last fiscal year we replaced 52 TF-39 engine inlets," said Larry Philips, 436th Maintenance Squadron production supervisor. The damage can go further than the inlet, and cause costly damage to the core. "A complete engine overhaul here at Dover costs the Air Force $418,000. If we can't repair it here, it must be fixed at Kelley Aviation Center which costs $2 million."

Sergeant Jones was made aware of this issue when Robins Air Center, a major maintenance center for C-5s, reported damage to the blades inside the compressor, the second of four sections of a jet engine. When 436th MXS looked into this problem, they found that the same problem existed here at Dover, said Sergeant Jones.

To prevent such damage, Col. Dennis Daley, 436th Maintenance Group commander, challenged the propulsion flight to find a solution. With the help of the fabrication flight, a team from Kelley Aviation Center, environmental, non-destructive inspection section of fabrication flight, and many others, the propulsion flight produced a plan. It was complete with documented research, written procedures and checklists all within three weeks, said Mr. Philips. "These procedures that we wrote are in the process of being approved as the official maintenance procedure by the Air Force."

"We divided the inlet into different sections to be x-rayed, using 31 pieces of x-ray film, each being marked with its location on the inlet," said Mr. Philips. "The x-ray must be done when no one else is in the building, but we try to x-ray two inlets a week."

If the results of the x-ray reveal foreign objects in the inlet, the propulsion flight will take action to remove them. Using the location marked on the x-ray, they know exactly where to look for the metal shard.

"The next part of the process we developed is to use a boroscope in the areas that the x-ray shows foreign objects," said Ricky Anthony, 436th MXS propulsion flight lead inspector. A boroscope is a tool used to spot pieces of metal in the small cracks and crevices of the inlet. "Once the foreign object is found, we attach adhesive to the boroscope, and remove it from the inlet," said Mr. Anthony.

"We supplied the Kelley Aviation Center representatives that were here during the process all the tools they would need to take this process back to their shop. We gave them boroscopes, our procedure write-ups and the x-ray process," said Mr. Anthony.
"Everything we do here, we share," said Mr. Philips.