RFID: State of the Union for Aerospace & Defense

Kenneth D. Porad

Associate Technical Fellow

The Boeing Company

Explosion of RFID Applications

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

RFID Applications Exploding

2011

1T

1B

1M

10T

Nu

mb

er

of R

FID

de

vic

es

20051990 2011 +

Boeing Technology Adoption Cycle (Auto-ID)

2002

True (likely)

adoption cycle

RFID Hype cycle

(lots of)

“Noise”

(nuggets of)

“Actionable knowledge”

Inflated

Expectations

Disillusionment

RFID

Bar-code

Enterprise-wide Benefits of RFID

By working together on these non-competitive standards

initiatives, both Boeing and Airbus benefit by avoiding

conflicting requirements with mutual suppliers and customers

and delivering products and services which create best value.

Customer and Supplier Benefits Production System Benefits

reduces inventory control and

provisioning costs

accurate configuration control and

repair history

reduces warranty claim processing costs

regulatory agency compliance monitoring

part installation and removal time tracking

accurate and efficient spare parts pooling

identification of rogue parts

accurate flight hours tracking by part

reduces parts receiving costs

eliminates data entry errors

provides accurate

“as delivered” configuration

improves part location tracking

reduces risk of unapproved parts

timely problem resolution

Industry Position on Passive RFID

Because passive RFID devices:

■ Have no on-tag power source and no active transmitter, and

■ Perform a ground operated, non-essential function, and

■ Are not potential sources of interference or susceptibility and

■ Are FCC-certified for unlicensed use.

Regulatory agencies have agreed that passive RFID devices

comply with applicable regulations and do not impact form, fit, or

function of installed systems and equipment.

Early Adoption of RFID in Aerospace

Enterprise RFID Projects by Use Case

Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR)

■ Radio and electronic equipment, controls, and wiring

must be installed so that operation of any one unit or

system of units will not adversely affect the

simultaneous operation of any other radio or

electronic unit, or system of units...

■ The occurrence of any failure condition which would

prevent the continued safe flight and landing of the

airplane is extremely improbable, and…

Considerations for Deploying RFID on Parts

■ Line replaceable

■ Repairable

■ Recommended as a spare

■ Frequency of removal

■ Spares price

■ Dispatch criticality

■ Life-limited or time-controlled part

■ Emergency equipment

RFID Proof of Concept with FedEx

FedEx MD-10 N370FE

Annunciator Control Unit

Flap Limit Duplex Actuator Unit

Smoke Detector

Auxiliary Hydraulic Pump

Hand Held Portable Data Terminal

FAA Policy: RFID Conditions for Use on Civil Aircraft

1. Must operate in the passive only mode.

2. Must not radiate (backscatter) harmonics above a level of 35dBuv/m.

3. The frequency assignment must remain outside of the published aviation frequency bands.

4. Harmonic frequencies do not impinge upon any assigned aviation communication or navigation frequency.

5. Use of passive only devices is restricted to ground operations only.

6. Each item of installed equipment must function properly.

7. Designed to operate in an aircraft environment with robust radio frequency stability.

JAL: Current State of Emergency Equipment Checks

JAL maintenance technicians access oxygen generators in

PSUs, ceiling panels, seats and crew rests.

PSUs

Seats Crew Rests

Ceiling

Panels

JAL: Current State of Emergency Equipment Checks, cont.

Mechanics required to check

the expiration date located on

the firing pin.

JAL: Future State of Emergency Equipment Checks With RFID

Dramatic results were achieved.

Before

13 labors hours.

6.5 hour cycle time.

Full ship-set of inventory managed

as “just-in-case” and located in Haneda.

No as-flying configuration management.

Checked as “OK” or “NG”. Generators

replaced 19 months prior to expiration.

20% loss of product life-cycle yield and

greater consumption of product.

After

8.5 labor minutes – 99% reduction

8.5 minutes – 98% reduction

80% reduction, forward deployed to line

stations and managed as “just-in time.”

All transactions captured in front-end

database. As-flying configuration

management allows for generator

replacement in weeks or days before

expiration.

20% recovery of product

life-cycle yield, decrease in product

consumption.

Released Aerospace Standard AS5678

■ Passive, reader talk first protocol

■ 860 - 960 MHz frequency range

■ Complies with ATA SPEC 2000 Chapter 9

■ Environmental tests per DO 160E requirements

■ Metal mount, surface insensitive packaging

■ 20 year service life

■ Complies with FAA policy dated May 13, 2005

■ Air interface in accordance with EPCglobal

(ISO 18000-6C)

RFID Technology Development

2003

13.56 MHzOn-Board

EvaluationConcept

Introduced

2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2011

Extended UserMemory Devices

Available

FAA Policy

Memo

AS5678

Released

ATA Spec

2000

Standards

915 MHz

On-Board

Evaluation

Future RFID Outlook for Aerospace and Defense

■ Purely passive integrated circuit designs will provide extended user memory beyond 64 KB.

■ Data transfer rates will increase dramatically and reach Megabytes per second.

■ Innovative antenna designs will increase range and performance.

■ Active tags incorporating onboard wireless sensor networks will proliferate aerospace products.

■ Prices for commercially available off-the-shelf readers will decrease due to economies of scale.