Story ID: 
Maintenance News: MXI Technologies introduces e-signatures
By: David A. Lombardo
Caption: You can throw away your pen thanks to Mxi Technologies.
Word Count: 285
You can throw away your pen thanks to Mxi Technologies. The company has added electronic signature (e-signature) capability to its Maintenix aviation maintenance management software. The new functionality in the integrated, intelligent software solution can significantly reduce the amount of time spent on data entry. According to the company, the advantage is increased efficiency of the maintenance and engineering departments while providing a higher level of accountability and data integrity. With the e-signature functionality, any maintenance activity carried out in the Maintenix system can be designated as requiring digital sign-off. When a designated record or document is electronically “signed” by a technician, inspector, supervisor or other maintenance personnel, it is encrypted and permanently stored in the Maintenix database. These electronic records can be viewed and verified at any time, but they cannot be altered. There are several options the system can accommodate for an e-signature, including a swipe card and a fingerprint-protected USB key. The integrated functionality of the Maintenix software ties together all departments–materials, technical records, engineering and maintenance execution– and provides alerts to any errors or conflicts in real-time, ensuring all relevant information is available to the signatory before a record is signed. Automation of the system offers additional benefits such as quick searches, reports by date and auditing, allowing technicians to focus on their core job of maintaining aircraft. The use of e-signatures by an aircraft maintenance organization requires the approval of the appropriate regulatory body. Approval is based both on the technology as well as the business processes into which it is incorporated. To ensure timely approval, Maintenix signatures have been designed to comply with FAA guidelines for digital signatures and electronic record keeping, in accordance with Advisory Circular 120-78.