A Highly Efficient Ergonomic Approach for the Bonded Repair of Composite Aerostructures Utilising a Virtual Environment

This work presents an innovative approach to produce standardised procedures for a specific type of damage and subsequent repair of a Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic Composite (CFRP) aerostructure, along with an analysis of the process based on ergonomic methodologies and digital tools. A case study is presented to illustrate the approach's unique ability to increase the operator efficiency and reduce the opportunities for injury. The key benefit of this research is the demonstration of the potentialities of using 3D environments to highlight process issues and to provide design suggestions that will reduce the time and cost of the repair.