Examining the Use of Model-Based Work Instructions in the Aviation Maintenance Environment

A fundamental tenet of product lifecycle management (PLM) environments is the use of high-fidelity, 3D product models. The capability to create models with high degrees of fidelity to the physical world has driven companies to extract as much benefit and use from these digital assets as possible throughout the design, production, and support stages of the lifecycle. This is particularly apparent in the aviation industry where aircraft lifecycles routinely reach 80 years or longer. As the aviation industry migrates to the use of 3D model-based communications mechanisms in lieu of 2D drawings, multiple factors will impact the use of digital model-based work instructions, including the device, the form of the product model data, and levels of detail in geometry and interactivity. This paper will present a series of short studies conducted over the last three years using novice university students and expert university staff aircraft mechanics to evaluate the use of model-based work instructions in a general aviation maintenance environment. The results indicate that varying levels of detail and levels of interactivity have an effect on number of errors, time on task, and mental workload.