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Specific Machine Faults

 

It is also instructive to look at the types of repair that were requested by the automated diagnostic system and then performed.

 

Ship

No. of Machines

Balance

Alignment

Bearings

Other

CV41,43

 

1755

 

22

 

10

 

25

 

43

 

CV59-67

 

4877

 

21

 

13

 

25

 

41

 

CVN68,69

 

527

 

28

 

15

 

22

 

35

 

AVT16

 

383

 

20

 

19

 

13

 

48

 

 

Here it can be seen that Balance, Alignment, and Bearing problems account for more than half of all machine repairs. Of course, these fault categories are interrelated, for most bearing problems are caused by imbalance and misalignment. It is said that only a few percent of rolling element bearings achieve their design lifetime.

Perhaps more interesting is the repair recommendation record for the USS America (CV66), shown below. This is the relation between vibration survey dates and percentage of machines recommended for overhaul. The Feb. 88, Aug. 90, and Aug. 93 surveys were made just after overhauls.

 







 

Feb. 88
Post OH

Sep. 89

Aug. 90
Post OH

Mar 91

Aug. 92

Aug. 93
Post OH

Percent of all machines needing repair

 

12

 

8

 

10

 

7.5

 

7

 

13

 

 

The fact that the percentages of problems post overhaul were higher than at other times indicates that the overhauls created more problems than they fixed. This is in keeping with the earlier airline study that showed high numbers of startup failures after overhaul.

This pattern is not as apparent on most of the ships surveyed.

 

 

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