The acronym MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) has long been part of the aerospace vernacular. But only recently have service providers adopted automated tools to streamline the upfront process of capturing and digitally reconstructing physical parts that require repairs or redesign.

The central issues surrounding MRO—speed of repair, accuracy, reliability and quality—are relevant worldwide. In the United States, it is a central issue with adherence to FAA parts manufacturer approval (PMA); similar certification processes are in place throughout Europe and Asia. In all cases, the combination of market demand and certification make MRO a prime application for 3-D point-cloud processing.

Increasingly, MRO starts with 3-D point-cloud processing: digitally capturing physical objects and automatically creating accurate 3-D models for downstream design, engineering analysis, inspection, and custom manufacturing.

Applications for MRO

Point-cloud processing is suitable for MRO projects for four reasons:

• It captures and reconstructs parts as they exist, enabling engineers to analyze damage and its underlying causes.

• It enables engineers to accurately re-create parts for which no computer-aided design (CAD) data or documentation are available.

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