Westmont's Plantwide Gantry System Improves Work Efficiency
by 30% at SSAMC
Project Benefits
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- Increased floor space & engine capacity
- Improved worker safety & ergonomics
- Enhanced engine access & protection
- Cost-effective installation
The Westmont gantry has allowed us to meet our elevated operational goals.”
Background
Customer Profile
Sichuan Service Aeroengine Maintenance Company (SSAMC), a 60/40 joint venture between Air China and CFM International, has provided an extensive range of MRO services for LEAP and CFM56 engines for over 40 customers throughout Asia. In 2018, they inaugurated a 43,880-square-meter world-class facility in Chengdu, China, aiming to service up to 300 engines annually. The facility has been crucial for supporting the steady growth of the LEAP engine fleet in the region and beyond.
Challenge
With a higher volume of engine traffic anticipated at their newer, larger facility, SSAMC urgently needed to modify its engine handling procedures. The company traditionally performed MRO tasks on engines while they were supported exclusively by ground pedestal sets. This process limited output, consumed more floor space, and created unsafe and poor ergonomic working conditions for its employees. Aligning and connecting each incoming engine to the handling mounts required significant time and personnel, which could hinder SSAMC’s rapidly expanding operation.
The Westmont Solution
Westmont Industries partnered with SSAMC to design and deliver a rugged, overhead plantwide gantry system tailored to meet the rigorous workflow requirements within their vast new facility. The innovative system, manufactured at Westmont’s Southern California headquarters, includes:
- A main spur and return rail line
- Pivot rails with actuators for safely opening, closing, or aligning the rails
- 20 motorized engine carriers with flexible, clampable arms to accommodate various engine types
- 15 vertically-adjustable workstations
- 4 remote-controlled transfer cranes
- 4 special-purpose cranes to access, load onto, and unload from a ground pedestal-supported engine and major module repair & storage area
- 3 types of interlocks for correcting gaps between cranes, workstations & spur rails
SSAMC greatly favored the gantry’s shared floor-mounted column and truss structures, making it a more cost-effective installation while also increasing floor space by minimizing ground-level obstructions. Its user-friendly controls facilitate safe and smooth engine transport of approximately 300 meters, from an outdoor stand-receiving area, to disassembly, assembly, repair, and inspection workstations spread throughout the facility, and finally to an outdoor shipping area.
At each workstation, operators can perform tasks at ideal ergonomic working heights via motorized twin rails, with the engines and modules firmly supported by two 2.5-ton hoists on a fixed-height monorail. Utilities such as electricity, lighting, and quick-connect air hoses are on hand to enhance productivity and maintain organized workspaces.
The Westmont Advantage
Since its successful installation, the Westmont gantry system has considerably helped SSAMC keep pace with its ramped-up MRO efforts, boosting work efficiency by 30% as workflows, along with engine and personnel safety, have improved substantially. Its workstations have reduced task times for module splitting and mating, as well as providing full access to smaller components that ground supports often impede during their removal and installation. Replacing the majority of these supports with fewer floor columns has lessened potential trip hazards and accidents around vital workspaces.
The transfer of engines to and from stands is now more streamlined, which has helped prevent damage and other incidents during this process. The carrier arms easily adjust to fit all LEAP and the latest CFM56 engines at their critical ground handling points, without the need for third-party tooling, providing rigid support that prevents unwanted sway. The transfer cranes securely interlock with all main rails and workstations, while limit switches regulate their speed and prohibit carrier overtravel. In addition, restricting the stands’ indoor access to the facility has alleviated congestion around work areas.
“Converting engine handling from ground to overhead support has immensely enhanced our performance and safety,” said Liu Feng, SSAMC Project Engineer.
Should SSAMC continue to increase its annual engine capacity or broaden its service offering to include additional narrowbody models, the gantry’s modular and expandable design, along with its flexible engine handling tooling, will enable the company to take on the extra workload. “The Westmont gantry has allowed us to meet our elevated operational goals,” continued Mr. Feng. “Its compact footprint has opened additional floor space for us to build upon the current system, better preparing SSAMC for future growth.”
