Original Date: 10/18/1999
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Orenda Turbines overhauls and repairs a wide variety of engine components and parts, many of which require multiple repairs. Each repair is tracked via a travel card, which is routed through the shop as the part proceeds through its repair operations. In the past, these cards were generated by hand. A part requiring multiple repairs would have multiple cards. Since these cards were manually combined, the result was often an inefficient sequencing of repairs and/or duplication of operations. In some cases, parts were routed individually for each repair. This was a significant driver of high turnaround times and costs. The need to streamline this process became a high priority. In 1992, Orenda Turbines developed and implemented the Travel Card Generator (TCG).

The TCG enabled Orenda Turbines to computerize the production of travel cards, allowing for the combination of multiple repairs with the least amount of duplication and part travel. This DOS-based system is linked to a database containing the approved repairs for all components that the company handles. End users can select any combination of repairs and the TCG will arrange the operations based on a priority logic numbering system. Each component entering the repair system is given an identification number that is tied to the TCG. All approved repairs for a specific component are then listed under a code number tied to the identification number. To generate a travel card, the operator enters this six-digit number and the TCG displays a list of approved repairs for the component. Based on the induction assessment reports, the operator can then select the processes required to repair the part. The combined list of repairs can be further tailored and refined by the operator as needed. All essential information including the header is automatically entered by the computer when the card is printed, including the bar codes used to track the part and the labor applied in the repair process.

The TCG has enabled Orenda Turbines to significantly improve its cycle time by eliminating redundant and inefficient operations, and optimizing the routing of parts through the shop. When multiple repairs are selected, the TCG combines equivalent operations, puts similar operations together, and greatly reduces the amount of travel in the shop. This system also includes the most current version of the operation sheet on the travel card, ensuring that technicians have the latest repair instructions. Currently, Orenda Turbines is updating the TCG to a Windows- compatible version and integrating it into the company’s Enterprise Resource Planning system.

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