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Senior Airman Bryant Fisher removes a tray of parts from a bench stock vending machine Dec. 15, 2010, in the phase hangar on Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The machine tracks the precise inventory of each part by measuring the difference in weight before and after each transaction. Airman Fisher is a maintainer with the 2nd Maintenance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chad Warren)
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Barksdale sergeant streamlines maintenance process
Posted 12/23/2010
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by Senior Airman Chad Warren
2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
12/23/2010 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) -- For Air Force maintainers, the shift is not over until the job is finished. This means every minute counts, and time is wasted every time an Airman has to wait in line for an aircraft part.
Where most people saw an unavoidable delay, one Airman found a way to ensure Barksdale Air Force Base and the Air Force Global Strike Command are staying on the cutting edge of technology.
"I was reading a news article about a year ago about an automated part vending machine, and I knew we could benefit from it," said Staff Sgt. Justin Garcia, a supply technician with the 2nd Maintenance Squadron.
Sergeant Garcia spent the next few months researching and pricing the machines before submitting the idea to his leaders. The machine was installed Nov. 15 and is fully operational and used daily.
The machine, which dispenses mainly small, universal parts, such as bolts and washers, is a fully automated alternative to the process of waiting in line at a window to be issued parts. Prior to the machine, any inventory item had to be checked out at a window.
"Tools, parts, even snack bar items were all at the same window," Sergeant Garcia said. "An Airman needing two bolts could be waiting in line behind an entire flight checking out tools for the day. It was basically a funnel that the window could not keep up with."
The machine, which dispenses widely used items known as bench stock parts, relieves this strain and expedites the maintenance process by eliminating the wait for bench stock parts. An Airman keys in a pin number and chooses which part he needs and the machine dispenses a tray containing the required part.
"My troops like not having to wait in line," said Tech. Sgt. Joshua Parker, the 2nd MXS inspection section dock chief. "This way they can avoid the window and get back out to the aircraft."
In addition to dispensing parts quickly, the dispenser keeps an accurate inventory of the parts in stock. Before this technology, Airmen had to hand count exactly how many parts were left in stock and document when the stock was below half capacity. Now, after taking the needed parts from the machine, the user simply places the tray on a scale, and the remaining inventory is automatically calculated based on weight.
"It saves me lots of time doing inventory, and makes re-ordering equipment much easier," Sergeant Garcia said.
Sergeant Garcia's innovation has captured the attention of installation leadership, and depending on the success of the program, it may be expanded to improve maintenance operations across Barksdale AFB.
Overall, the process saves the unit approximately seven hours per person, per aircraft-phase inspection.
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