Ending a 3‑Year Costly Cycle
Case Study: Solved a three‑year recoating issue in one intervention, cutting costs and restoring compliance
Introduction
A major client faced escalating maintenance costs during scheduled shop visits for a fleet of gas turbine engines. Compressor vanes, a critical component, were being cleaned so aggressively that protective coatings were stripped away. This “over‑cleaning” created a recurring need for recoating, which was a process that was both expensive and avoidable.
Challenge
Excessive Cleaning: Standard practice at the Repair & Overhaul (R&O) facility involved cleaning vanes beyond the required specification.
Unnecessary Recoating: Once the protective layer was removed, recoating became mandatory, adding significant cost and turnaround time.
Shop Concern: The R&O facility feared that if coatings weren’t stripped and reapplied, the engine might fail the pass‑off test, which is a critical acceptance step before release of the engine back to the operator.
Prolonged Misunderstanding: For nearly three years, both the client and the R&O shop continued this costly cycle, unable to identify the root cause or a compliant alternative.
Intervention
Alphacron’s consultant applied a blend of managerial and technical expertise to resolve the issue:
Managerial Insight: Conducted a structured review of shop‑visit practices, aligning them with the regulatory requirements, and facilitated adoption of revised processes across teams.
Technical Expertise: Interpreted the maintenance manual in detail, assessed coating degradation thresholds, and validated cleaning methods that preserved protective layers while still ensuring pass‑off test compliance.
Risk Reframing: Demonstrated that the shop’s fear of test failure was unfounded when procedures were properly aligned with documented requirements.
Outcome
Problem Resolved After 3 Years: A costly issue that had persisted for years was eliminated within a single Alphacron engagement.
Eliminated Recoating Costs: The need for routine stripping and recoating was removed, saving the client hundreds of thousands in annual maintenance spend.
Reduced Turnaround Time: Shop visit cycle times were shortened by eliminating unnecessary process steps.
De‑Risked Pass‑Off Testing: Engines continued to pass acceptance tests without unnecessary recoating, giving the R&O shop confidence in compliance.
Strengthened Compliance: Practices were realigned with regulatory requirements, reducing audit risk.
Key Takeaway
For three years, the client and R&O shop accepted unnecessary recoating as unavoidable. Alphacron® resolved the issue by combining managerial acumen with technical depth, reframing risk, and aligning practice with documented requirements. The result: significant cost savings, reduced downtime, and restored confidence in compliance.