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Show mm HILL TOP TIMES Page 10 Friday, November 12, 1982 (oW i(pnn .Within the Directorate of Mainten- ance at Ogden Air Logistics Center, a specialized team of experts in the Missiles and Aircraft Svstem Division , is deeply involved in the requirements associated with the update, repair, and replacement of sophisticated weapon systems computer circuitry and com- - .' ponents. The Technical Research of . -- complex-technology- , Advanced Concepts more commonly known at Ogden as TRAC is this team's project and responsibility: Millions of dollars in "throw-away- " coded end items are lost each year because of a limited repair capability or limited authorization to repair multi-laye- r circuit boards, ribbon subascables, and semblies. TRAC efforts to date have micro-electron- ic provided successful solutions for some of these for the Missile and Aircraft Systems Division. Early results from the innovative TRAC projects achieved in 1982 reflect more than a $720 thousand savings to the Air Force to date with much more to be realized as the full potential of this concept is exploited. In all TRAC projects, the objective is to research and develop advanced repair methods, using new technology, then perfect them into cost effective, standardized methods usable in t.ViA nrndnr.t.irm shnns. "k ' Only program Ogden is the first Center in the Air Force Logistics Command to initiate a program of this kind. The TRAC Project Office is staffed by a seven-membteam comprised of a cadre of four highly qualified electronic or instrument technicians, who may vary depending on the items being worked; a technical writer, Brent Bothwell; a technical advisor, Bob Whitlock; and a program manager, Andy Currie. This team is engrossed in skillfully pursuing the challenge to identify and develop advanced cost effective repair methods and techniques. The TRAC program originally er began as a job enrichment project to mechanics and technicians in the e Avionics Shop. Workers lacked trainine and annronriate tools T, to do quality jrepair work. The most modern, intricate computer circuitry was being repaired with antiquated tools, clumsy to use and often causing damage to one component when v another was changed. Many technicians lacked incentive to excel as limited opportunity existed to analyze and resolve repair problems beyond the normal work routine. Sustained, concerted efforts and Warren dedication of three men V x W ; "B Jm . ade-auat- - ' MT M. (U.S. Scully, chief, Avionics Section; Bob Whitlock, chief, Circuit Card Repair ., Unit; and Phil Bailey of Production Engineering (formerly a job enrichment specialist) - played a major role in taking actions to begin resolving some of the problems. They put their ideas together and began developing" plans to improve training in repair procedures, identify needed tools and find ways and means to procure them, and centralize the Circuit Card Repair Shop. Bench workers and test stand operators were involved, and the enthusiasm and interest spread like fire. A ft - . v Technicians performing specialized repair on printed circuit boards. 1976 In 1976 a major requirement high- Repair Shop was in place," said Mr. Whitlock, "all of my people were located together as equals, where peer pressure demanded each bench worker develop his own expertise." Suggestions from workers for improved methods, techniques and needed precision tools poured in. While ways to upgrade their crude tools were being studied, the idea of using microscopes, dental and surgical .tools and other highly precisioned tools surAfter identifying the precision tools needed, Mr. Scully's problems in retooling a portion of his Microscopic Repair Shop were far from over. For techniques, and Mr. Whitlock's centralized Circuit Card Repair Shop accomplished some remarkable results faced. (U.S. Air Fore Photo) one thing, there was no Table of Allowances for, the Center to buy scalpels, surgical tweezers, dental motors and drills. Through hard work ; and sound logic, plus a lot of help from the Hill AFB Hospital staff, the need- ed tooling was procured. lighted a lack of repair capability. Bad circuit cards pulled out of aircraft had been sent to the Ogden depot for repair. These expensive, sophisticated circuit cards can be smaller than a book of matches and contain more components than the average television set. Their price range is anywhere from $800 to $34,000. Of the cards sent here, some were "thrown away" because of being damaged beyond known repair capability. Each time a card was $800 to $34,000 went into the basket. waste : With the recognition of the lack of repair capability and the increase in replacement costs, TRAC came into "When the centralized Circuit v. Air Force Photo) component used on printed circuit cards. The Centralized Circuit Card Repair Center changes these when they repair circuit cards. Sub-miniatu- re sub--syste- ms dis-carde- d, r being. Mr. Scully 's microscopic repair ideas, Mr. Bailey's job enhancement and catapulted the TRAC program in- to high gear. . The first attempt to apply the TRAC techniques allowed Ogden ALC to extend the life of the Short Range Attack Missile computer used 1 aircraft. Inon the and tegrated circuit corrosion, resulting from a faulty manufacturing process, was causing the computers to malfunction. Because of technological advances, manufacturers no longer made parts to repair the damaged computer. Inflation drove the cost of these printed circuit cards to astronomical figures. Average costs in labor and material for a 100 percent chip replacement alone were $1,715. Cards that cost $6,000 ten years ago were now $32,000. To keep these weapons systems operational, the Air Force had three options: One, spend $39 million to replace 360 SRAM comB-5- FB-1- 1 2 J puters in its for those in the B-52- plus more money, s, FB-1- 1 Is; two, spend $29.8 million with an time to replace individual printed circuit boards in the computers; and three, spend $9 million to have Ogden depot maintenance develop the procedures to replace more than 1,200 in18-monthle- ad tegrated circuit chips in each puter one and one-hal- f com- years sooner |