Technology Benefits Estimation (T/BEST) for Aerospace Engine Technology Propulsion Systems: Life and Maintenance

A Technology Benefit Estimator (T/BEST) system has been developed to provide a formal method to assess advanced technologies and quantify the benefit contributions for prioritization. T/BEST may be used to provide guidelines to identify and prioritize high payoff research areas, help manage research and limited resources, show the link between advanced concepts and the bottom line, i.e., accrued benefit and value, and to credibly communicate the benefits of research. An open-ended, modular approach is used to allow for modification and addition of both key and advanced technology modules. T/BEST has a hierarchical framework that yields varying levels of benefit estimation accuracy that are dependent on the degree of input detail available. This hierarchical feature permits rapid estimation of technology benefits even when the technology is at the conceptual stage. T/BEST’s software framework, status, novice-to-expert operation, interface architecture, analysis module addition, key analysis modules are discussed. Representative example of T/BEST benefit analyses for life and maintenance is described in some detail.