You’re Using This to Clean That?

Aviation efficiency begins with a wipe

In January, 2018, the International Air Transport Association reported a 4.6 percent increase in global passenger traffic, compared to January, 2017. With expectations of rising passenger demand throughout 2018, MRO technicians can expect to be busier than ever.

Performance, quality and efficiency are top of the agenda for MRO production managers. An aircraft on the ground generates costs but an aircraft in the air creates revenue. They need to get the most out of highly skilled technicians, ensuring they are working efficiently and safely. Their objectives are to ensure processes work but without overloading technicians and causing shortcuts and mistakes that could risk human

life. Production processes are labour intensive, with the complexity of work making it impossible to replace humans with machines. Many of the tasks can be repetitive, and the production team must have the right tools to maximise efficiency while ensuring adherence to essential processes such as cleaning and maintenance.

Cleaning is a crucial part of the process. This includes general maintenance of engines and aircraft frames, sensitive tasks such as the cockpit or interiors and work on the fuel tanks. The equipment inside MRO hangers have a range of different surfaces, including composite, metal, and glass. Without suitable tools and equipment, such tasks can take longer than necessary.

Due to the poor performance of rags, the traditional cleaning method, technicians face lengthier manual work than required. This means workers need to focus too much time and effort on wiping and cleaning, instead of more value-adding tasks. As a result, services take too long, technicians face additional stress, and the quality of service can be compromised.

The implications of this are varied but include:

• Loss of competitiveness due to slow processes

• Difficulty taking on new, larger customers due to capacity constraints

• Less flexibility in operations, with the inability to handle unexpected events

• Undue strain on technicians due to rags requiring more time and physical effort

• Potential service and security risks as a result of shortcuts and stress

Tork’s Assortment Manager, Anders Hellqvist analyses a second unforeseen challenge in the world of aviation, and cleans up any industry misconceptions Written by: Anders Hellqvist, Assortment Manager, Wiping & Cleaning, Tork

Cleaning up

Cleaning in the correct way, is vital. MRO work often requires use of solvents, and with only rags to use, technicians are potentially being exposed to higher levels of VOC emissions, a real health & safety concern for managers. Rags can be completely soaked in solvent chemicals that evaporate into the air, and they can also be left lying around the workplace which is unhygienic and unsafe.

Tork industrial wipes are the next generation of industrial cleaning tools. They are engineered with the aviation industry in mind and are tested to cope with the world’s highest safety standards. Compared to rags, they make cleaning and wiping easier and more efficient. Or in other words: they save your high-skilled professionals valuable time; helping aircraft get back in the air faster without compromising on safety.

Industrial wipes are soft, flexible and excellent for cleaning oil and grease. Individuals can work in a smarter and safer way, increasing worker satisfaction as the maintenance task can be completed more quickly, ultimately improving processes in the workplace. The wipes come with a system of dispensers that can be flexibly placed across workstations, ensuring the right tools are always in the right place, minimising time wasted walking across the hangar to collect or dispose of rags. Products within the range also meet stringent certifications for the aviation industry, including the Boeing Manufacturing Standard BMS 12-5G for wiping and cloths.

As the aviation industry gets busier, MRO production managers must ensure that fundamental processes such as cleaning are as efficient as possible. With Boeing listing the cost of a 747 at $402.9 million dollars, the need to make every penny count is paramount, right down to the grittiest of hygiene decisions.