1. A method for maintaining an aircraft engine, comprising:
inputting a modification scope of at least one maintenance operation for at least one part of an aircraft engine;
generating an expected bill of material comprising said at least one part for said aircraft engine;
tearing down said aircraft engine;
populating an as-received configuration database with at least one part for said aircraft engine;
finding an unexpected part in said aircraft engine;
determining whether to reconfigure said modification scope of said at least one maintenance operation for said aircraft engine based upon finding said unexpected part;
dispositioning said unexpected part;
modifying said as-received configuration database for said aircraft engine based upon the disposition of said unexpected part;
generating for said unexpected part a tag comprising at least a part status;
routing said unexpected part based upon said part status;
generating a should-build database for said aircraft engine based upon the disposition of said unexpected part;
reassembling said aircraft engine; and
generating an as-shipped bill of material comprising said at least one part for a reassembled aircraft engine based upon at least the disposition of said unexpected part.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein finding comprises finding a part not listed on said expected bill of material for said aircraft engine.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein dispositioning comprises the steps of:
determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said aircraft engine; and
determining said unexpected part is said planned part.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating for said unexpected part a new tag that indicates said unexpected part is said planned part.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein dispositioning comprises the steps of:
determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said aircraft engine;
determining said unexpected part is not said planned part;
determining whether said unexpected part is reoperable to produce said planned part; and
reoperating said unexpected part to produce said planned part.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating for said planned part a new tag that indicates said planned part comprises a reoperated unexpected part.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein reoperating comprises performing an internal repair, an external repair or both said internal repair and said external repair upon said unexpected part.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein dispositioning comprises the steps of:
determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said aircraft engine;
determining said unexpected part is not said planned part;
determining said unexpected part is not reoperable to produce said planned part; and
removing said unexpected part from said as-received configuration database.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating for said unexpected part a new tag that indicates said unexpected part has been removed.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein routing comprises the steps of:
generating at least one work instruction for said unexpected part;
determining at least one location where said at least one work instruction is performed; and
routing said unexpected part to said at least one location.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating for said unexpected part a new tag that indicates at least one routing instruction for said unexpected part.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein dispositioning comprises the steps of:
determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said aircraft engine;
determining said unexpected part is not said planned part;
comparing said unexpected part with at least one replacement part of said aircraft engine;
matching said unexpected part with said at least one replacement part; and
replacing said unexpected part with said replacement part.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating for said replacement part a new tag that indicates said replacement part replaced said unexpected part.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein comparing comprises comparing a first location identifier of said unexpected part to a second location identifier of said at least one replacement part using at least one service bulletin of said aircraft engine.
15. A system for maintaining an aircraft engine, comprising:
means for inputting in a computer readable storage device a modification scope of at least one maintenance operation for at least one part of an aircraft engine;
means for generating in said computer readable storage device an expected bill of material comprising said at least one part for said aircraft engine;
means for populating in said computer readable storage device an as-received configuration database with at least one part for said aircraft engine;
means for determining whether to reconfigure said modification scope of said at least one maintenance operation for said aircraft engine based upon an unexpected part;
means for dispositioning in said computer readable storage device said unexpected part;
means for modifying in said computer readable storage device said as-received configuration database for said aircraft engine based upon the disposition of said unexpected part;
means for generating in said computer readable storage device a tag comprising at least a part status of said unexpected part;
means for routing said unexpected part based upon said part status;
means for generating in said computer readable storage device a should-build database for said aircraft engine based upon the disposition of said unexpected part; and
means for generating in said computer readable storage medium an as-shipped bill of material comprising said at least one part for a reassembled aircraft engine based upon at least the disposition of said unexpected part.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein means for dispositioning comprises:
means for determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said aircraft engine; and
means for determining said unexpected part is said planned part.
17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for generating for said unexpected part a new tag that indicates said unexpected part is said planned part.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein means for dispositioning comprises:
means for determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said engine;
means for determining said unexpected part is not said planned part;
means for determining whether said unexpected part is reoperable to produce said planned part; and
means for reoperating said unexpected part to produce said planned part.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for generating for said planned part a new tag that indicates said planned part comprises a reoperated unexpected part.
20. The system of claim 15, wherein dispositioning comprises:
means for determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said engine;
means for determining said unexpected part is not said planned part;
means for determining said unexpected part is not reoperable to produce said planned part; and
means for removing said unexpected part from said as-recieved configuration database.
21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for generating for said unexpected part a new tag that indicates said unexpected part has been removed.
22. The system of claim 15, wherein means for routing comprises:
means for generating at least one work instruction for said unexpected part;
means for determining at least one location where said at least one work instruction is performed; and
means for routing said unexpected part to said at least one location.
23. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for generating for said unexpected part a new tag that indicates at least one routing instruction for said unexpected part.
24. The system of claim 15, wherein means for dispositioning comprises:
means for determining whether said unexpected part is a planned part of said engine;
means for determining said unexpected part is not said planned part;
means for comparing said unexpected part with at least one replacement part of said engine;
means for matching said unexpected part with said at least one replacement part; and
means for replacing said unexpected part with said replacement part.
25. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for generating for said replacement part a new tag that indicates said replacement part replaced said unexpected part.
26. The system of claim 24, wherein means for comparing comprises means for comparing a first location identifier of said unexpected part to a second location identifier of said at least one replacement part using at least one service bulletin of said engine.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An assembly for a turbocharger, comprising:
a turbine comprising a turbine housing and a turbine wheel mounted in the turbine housing and connected to a rotatable shaft for rotation therewith;
a center housing for containing a bearing for the shaft, the center housing defining a generally planar first surface facing generally axially toward and axially spaced from a generally planar opposing surface of the turbine housing, the first surface being spaced axially from the turbine wheel by a first axial distance;
the turbine housing further comprising a generally cylindrical surface facing radially inwardly and located radially inwardly relative to said opposing surface; and
a heat shield disposed between the center housing and the turbine housing, the heat shield having an outer portion captured between the first surface of the center housing and the opposing surface of the turbine housing, and a centering portion extending from the outer portion generally axially toward the turbine wheel, the centering portion passing directly radially inwardly of the generally cylindrical surface of the turbine housing, the centering portion having a non-axisymmetric configuration characterized by a plurality of relatively smaller-radius portions alternating in a circumferential direction with a plurality of relatively larger-radius portions, radial clearances existing between the smaller-radius portions and the generally cylindrical surface of the turbine housing, the larger-radius portions engaging the generally cylindrical surface of the turbine housing so as to locate the heat shield substantially coaxially with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the turbine housing.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat shield includes an inner portion joined with the centering portion and extending radially inwardly therefrom, and the inner portion is axially spaced from the center housing.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the center housing includes a generally cylindrical surface facing radially outwardly and located radially outwardly relative to the first surface and spaced axially from the turbine wheel by a distance greater than the first axial distance, the generally cylindrical surface of the center housing being substantially coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of the center housing, and the turbine housing includes a second generally cylindrical surface facing radially inwardly and engaged with the generally cylindrical surface of the center housing for coaxially locating the turbine housing relative to the center housing.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein a juncture extends between the second generally cylindrical surface of the turbine housing and said opposing surface of the turbine housing, the juncture comprising a smoothly curved radius.
5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein a radially outermost edge of the heat shield is spaced radially inward of the juncture.
6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat shield has four of the relatively larger-radius portions spaced about a circumference of the heat shield.
7. A heat shield for being disposed between a center housing and a turbine housing of a turbocharger, the heat shield comprising:
a generally annular body having an annular outer portion that extends generally radially and a centering portion that extends generally axially from a radially inner end of the outer portion, the centering portion having a non-axisymmetric configuration characterized by a plurality of relatively smaller-radius portions alternating in a circumferential direction with a plurality of relatively larger-radius portions.
8. The heat shield of claim 7, further comprising an inner portion joined with the centering portion and extending radially inwardly therefrom.