Improving delivery time in urgent situations

Part of the CAD/CAM Services package includes this CAD printer, which is for digitizing and integrating legacy Mylars into an automated work environment for the USAF.The time required for the engineering data repository to provide a needed stable-based engineering data drawing (known as mylars) to a customer could range from seven to 15 days. In urgent situations, this created unacceptable delays in customer processes required for essential maintenance of affected weapon systems.

In today’s military and business environment, success depends upon the quality and accessibility of information and the speed to disseminate the information. In order to facilitate speed of information dissemination, the Department of Defense (DoD) and USAF policy and directions regarding engineering data include a move toward a completely digital environment.

Consistent with previous initiatives to digitize legacy drawings and aperture cards, the OC-ALC EDSC also needed to digitize un-dimensioned drawings on stable-based material (mylars) to preserve and fully utilize the government’s investment. The overall goal was fully integrating legacy mylars into the automated work environment through digitization and subsequent storage in the JEDMICS.


Possible Solutions
The Engineering Data Branch at Tinker Air Force Base researched several possible solutions for digitizing and integrating the legacy mylars into the automated work environment. Solutions considered included purchasing equipment for in-house digitization; contracting with a drawing conversion service; or, doing nothing and maintaining the status quo.

Considered as part of an in-house solution were various types of equipment and equipment scenarios. It was determined that this option would be a high-risk option because purchasing the equipment capable of providing the required digitizing accuracy would be expensive and costly to maintain.

Also considered was maintenance of the status quo – doing nothing – but this was a high-risk option because of the potential for loss due to damage, destruction, and fading of the existing mylars.

It was determined that contracting with a drawing conversion service provided the least risk and most benefit. CAD/CAM Services Inc., Dallas, TX, was one of the sources discovered during the Engineering Data Branch’s original market research. Research determined that CAD/CAM Services were capable of converting un-dimensioned engineering drawings to digital format with very precise accuracy. However, the requirement was provided to the Tinker Air Force Base Contracting Office, and their processes included solicitation from many vendors. After evaluating vendor responses, Tinker Air Force Base selected CAD/CAM Services based upon their technical proposal and cost, providing the best value to the government.


Benefits Delivered
The Tinker Air Force project required a tolerance of ±0.005" accuracy over any 5" or 10" area for the files digitally scanned. The drawings are on Mylar, which is a plastic sheeting material that may be affected over the years by changes in temperature. This means that the older drawings may have stretched or otherwise changed in size, affecting accuracy of the drawing itself.

Frank Maschino, engineering data manager, Tinker Air Force Base, says, “The accuracy of the final digital file is of paramount importance to us. These digital files are stored in Tinker Air Force Base’s electronic repository as a permanent archive for all of our drawings. If we need to refer to these digital drawings, or print out a new paper drawing, it is essential that the measurements be as accurate as, if not better, than the original Mylar drawing when it was new.

CAD/CAM Services has a proprietary method that electronically compensates for error within each five- or ten-inches to restore original drawing accuracy. This is a Boeing and Lockheed certifiable tolerance for aircraft drawings.

“The scanning accuracy requirement called for in the bid far exceeds the accuracy that is available from any conventional scanning system,” says Scott Shuppert, president, CAD/CAM Services. “We are one of only a few firms worldwide who are able to generate calibrated digital files of this accuracy. Our approach is unique and it enables us to specialize in tough jobs like this.”

CAD/CAM Services beat out the competition with their extremely accurate process. Unlike photography, electronic images are not dependent upon room conditions such as humidity, the scan or scanning issues, the quality of the original, or other external circumstances. CAD/CAM’s process is the only method that can allow this type of accuracy, with the electronic image becoming even better than the original. CAD/CAM’s method is also significantly less than half the cost of methods previously used.

CAD/CAM Services also helped the Tinker Air Force Base Engineering Data Branch locate precision plotters that can plot new, hard-copy drawings on stable-based material from the new digital images when required. This will enable the branch to provide a customer response time of about two hours instead of the previous seven to 15 days to purchase a reproduced copy of an un-dimensioned drawing on stable-based material.

Tinker Air Force Base is nearing completion of a project that will provide official certification of their digital Mylars and local plotting process. This will allow them to elevate and share their entire process, including CAD/CAM as a source for digitizing Mylars. It is expected that the review will be positive.

CAD/CAM Services Inc.
Dallas, TX
cadcam.org