Blending borescope inspection (BBI) maintenance service equates to cost savings

This paper provides an insight into how the introduction and implementation of the blending borescope used to perform on-wing blending of compressor blades on Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines has resulted in significant savings. It describes the following: commercial statistics and savings; military statistics and potential savings; the P&W maintenance team; what is on-wing blending; the capabilities of on-wing blending; a description of the contents of a typical blending borescope inspection kit; test results; measurement of Foreign Objects Damage (FOD); installation of the equipment; how to measure the repair and observe how the equipment provides precise results; how to polish the repair. Typical commercial cost savings for blending assembled compressors are in the order of $360,000.00 per event, compared with engine teardown cost. P&W provides 24 hour, hassle-free blending borescope on-wing maintenance service to commercial customers worldwide, and proposes to provide the same service to P&W's military customers worldwide.