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AH-64D main transmission accessory drive spur gear installation fault detections

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Abstract

The US Army has launched an aggressive program to implement condition based maintenance on its rotary wing assets. Condition Based Maintenance takes advantage of technology developments in the areas of machinery monitoring, signal processing and fault modeling to reduce the cost of ownership through improved maintenance procedures. Documenting the reduction in maintenance burden, cost savings and increased safety through early detection of helicopter faults is an important step in justifying the program. This paper describes a novel technique used to detect a serious fault in the accessory section of the AH-64D Apache main transmission. The technique determines if the primary or secondary clutch system is driving the aircraft accessories through a tachometer speed ratio. The method has identified three aircraft operating on the secondary system allowing Army maintenance crews to replace the affected transmissions and quickly restore the aircraft to operational status.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, DIR, USA RDECOM, Attn: RDMR-AEA, Bldg 4488, Redstone Arsenal, AL, 35898-5000, USA

    Jonathan Keller & Damian Carr

  2. System Dynamics International, Inc., Redstone Arsenal, AL, 35898, USA

    Frances Love

  3. Honeywell Aerospace, 13029 Danielson Street, Suite 200, Poway, CA, 92064, USA

    Paul Grabill

  4. The Boeing Company, 5000 E. McDowell Rd., MC M530-B229, Mesa, AZ, 85215-9797, USA

    Hieu Ngo & Perumal Shanthakumaran

Authors
  1. Jonathan Keller
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  2. Damian Carr
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  3. Frances Love
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  4. Paul Grabill
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  5. Hieu Ngo
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  6. Perumal Shanthakumaran
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Correspondence to Jonathan Keller.

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Keller, J., Carr, D., Love, F. et al. AH-64D main transmission accessory drive spur gear installation fault detections. J Intell Manuf 23, 205–211 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-009-0345-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-009-0345-z

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