Foreign Object Damage

Preventive Measures for Foreign Object Damage

Foreign object damage is a potentially serious event that can prevent vehicles or equipment from functioning properly. Caused by foreign object debris, foreign object damage can be any degree of damage that was incurred from a foreign object. Foreign objects in such cases refer to items that are not part of the vehicle or machine equipment. Foreign object damage  or FOD is a commonly used term in aviation, used to describe damage that is inflicted upon aircraft by random objects. A lot of planes have succumbed in the past to the effects of foreign object damage. FOD is a serious issue that many airlines have been working on fixing for a number of years now. Since the recognition of foreign object damage, FOD has cost the industry billions of dollars in direct and indirect costs. Foreign object damage is also responsible for a number of injuries and fatalities to pilots, passengers, and workers over the years. FOD prevention begins first with an understanding of how foreign objects are drawn towards aircraft. A lot of research is continuously being done to cover all situations starting from an aircraft’s take-off all the way to its landing. A number of safety measures have been implemented by many airlines for FOD prevention. The fabrication of proper materials to shield turbines, propellers and other vital parts of airplanes has made it possible for airlines to become more confident in operating despite the presence of such a variable risk. A lot of the success involving FOD prevention can be attributed to extensive study and application of the right materials for protection. The unsung hero in this scenario is the fabrication and molding of steel parts that actually help a lot in preventing accidents in mid-air and protecting the lives of airplane passengers. The development of modern fabrication and molding machines has become a factor in the development of modern FOD prevention. Such developments continue as long as the demand remains for parts and equipment that help in pushing various technologies forward.