NLign™

NLign is the analysis tool within the NLign Analytics Platform. NLign provides an interactive 3D environment to analyze both manufacturing and maintenance data.

Increases production rates and
improves aircraft availability.

This intuitive 3D environment enables the user to quickly detect and quantify issues like recurring cracks or increasing wear, and then aids in root cause analysis efforts to identify the source of the problem. In addition, NLign enables users to quickly find information that is relevant to a specific troublesome location on a structure such as, previous repairs and analysis. Quick access to this information accelerates engineering decisions concerning non- conforming material in a manufacturing environment and damage found during in-service operation of the asset. Furthermore, NLign enables the visualization of trends in manufacturing and maintenance that can be indicative of systematic problems. Utilizing these capabilities, NLign has demonstrated the ability to increase manufacturing rates and improve asset availability.

Benefits

  • Perform root cause analysis on large amounts of diverse data by identifying the variables associated with defects
  • Quickly quantify the growth over time of a defect at a specific location
  • Visually identify “Hot Spot”locations across multiple serial numbers of that same component by overlaying defects on the 3D model
  • Efficiently locate information such as historic repairs and analysis across fleets to accelerate engineering repair processes
  • Accurately determine the size and location of damage- This information can be automatically sent to finite analysis packages to speed repair design

Features

NLign contains a number of built-in statistical and graphing functions for: Reporting, Visualization, Trending, Root Cause Analysis, Process Improvement, Coverage Checking and Analysis Package Integration. NLign stores data as objects called trendables which are fully customizable and contain a variety of user-defined fields (numbers, dates, lists, text, etc.). NLign offers both manual and automated data filtering and allows trendables to be viewed as a table, charts and/or displayed against a 3D model.

Filtering

NLign’s Trending Filter Editor allows users to select the trendable data to display. Filtering can be configured to select specific locations on a structure, damage type, and/or other parameters that are of interest. Filters may be saved in both private and public modes for restricted or shared viewing.

Charts & Graphs

Users have the option to view existing charts or create new data charts from trendable data. Data can be displayed in a variety of formats including: Bar Chart, Pie Chart, Line Chart, or Histogram Charts.

Color Presets

The Color Presets feature allows users to color-code trendable points based on data values and display in a 3D view. An auto-select feature allows color presets to be selected automatically based on the selected parameter. New color presets can be saved for future use.

Damage Mapping

NLign has the ability to align a photograph of a structure onto a 3D model. Using this capability, a user can take a picture of a damage structure, use NLign to align the photograph onto a 3D model of the structure, and then accurately transfer the damage to the 3D model. Once the damage is transferred to the model, a trendable can be added that allows the user to tag the damage with the proper parameters (e.g., crack, corrosion, etc.).

Report Generation

Create reports based on MS Word and Excel templates.
A report-generation wizard automatically completes
defined fields.

System Requirements

Requires a Windows 7 machine or later.

Support Services