17th FVI Expert Breakfast

Topic: "The Inspection Interval Rebellion" – How Airbus saved 56% on inspection costs through smart analysis.

Guest speaker was Ilja (Airbus Hamburg), who showed how to tame the "bureaucratic beast" of DGUV inspections. Instead of blindly inspecting everything every 12 months, Airbus broke down the systems into their components and questioned every inspection interval.

• Sense over Blind Flight: Ilja explained: "Manufacturers often write: 'Inspect every 6 months,' just to be legally safe. Technically, this often makes no sense." Airbus challenged these guidelines and defined its own risk-based intervals (e.g., every 4 years). Result: 56% cost savings with the same safety.
• Granularity creates freedom: Instead of inspecting the entire system as "one thing," it was broken down into 700 measurement points. Some need to be inspected annually, others only every 4 years. It's work at the beginning (inventory), but saves millions over the years.
• Courage for Risk Assessment: Roland (participant) confirmed: The DGUV prescribes almost no fixed intervals. It only says: "Do a risk assessment." If I can justify why a ladder is only inspected every 3 years (because it's only used once a year), it's legal. You just have to dare to take on this responsibility.
• Digital Circuit Diagrams instead of Paperwork: Ilja relies on EPLAN: "I don't have a control cabinet analysis done, I have digital circuit diagrams created." This is the basis for obsolescence management and spare parts procurement. An analog plan from 1988 is a risk, a digital plan is an asset.
• Smart Sensors replace Routine: Instead of changing oil by calendar ("regardless of whether it's still good"), Airbus uses particle sensors. Oil is changed when it's dirty. This saves material and labor time.

Classification: Compliance through data, not fear

This episode is a perfect argument for ADAM as a compliance engine.

• ADAM as "Inspection Interval Manager": To implement Ilja's strategy (different intervals for 700 measurement points), you need a system that manages this madness. Excel is not enough. ADAM can assign each asset its individual inspection interval and alert the technician only when something really needs attention.

• Legal Certainty through Documentation: The key to the "rebellion" against rigid intervals is seamless justification (risk assessment). If ADAM securely stores this justification and the inspections carried out, the CEO can sleep peacefully, even if he has extended the intervals.
• The "Digital Resume" as a Basis: The demand for "digital circuit diagrams" is exactly what ADAM manages. If we integrate the EPLAN data into ADAM, the maintenance manager immediately knows: "What component is this? When does it need to be inspected? Is it still available for purchase?"

Conclusion: You don't need to inspect more, but smarter. Those who have their data under control can free themselves from unnecessary costs without compromising safety.