Innovating the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Phase through Digitalization

Improving processes in a company starts from a deep knowledge of the current context, of the needs for improvement and of the objectives to be satisfied. Sometimes, traditional processes can benefit from a techno-organizational innovation that changes the way of work by introducing new routines and solutions. The service industry related to maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) is characterized by performance linked with the knowledge about the components involved. The emerging technologies and the need for enhanced competitiveness has led to transform and innovate this kind of industry, introducing changes in organizational and technological aspects. MRO processes are characterized by high variability, caused by the uncertainty about the arrival status of a part to be maintained and the intervention needed. The management of MRO processes is, thus, one of the most important challenges for the research community. This paper aims to describe the result of a study carried out by university researchers and industrial engineers of an aerospace company. The proposed solution, the applied approach and expected impacts and benefits are described in the paper in order to lead future activities in the managerial and academic fields.