37 Years of Composite Structures Repair and Design in the Aerospace Industry

Abstract

There is a lot to be learned during one’s career. This seminar is designed to share Ir Arne Lewis’s experience working for a major airframe manufacturer as a Repair Engineer. In engineering school, we are taught to include factors in our designs for material flaws and to add margins of safety to account for imperfections. Rarely, however, are we taught how to account for maintenance activities or how to repair structures. The reality for airplane manufacturers is that airplanes will not be scrapped for damage. They are quite expensive, and it is not an economical choice to scrap airframes for repairable damage. Hence, there is a need for a Repair Engineer. Repair Engineering is highly technical and can lead to many opportunities to create innovative repair solutions and turn them into patents.

Addressing the realities of damage and repair early in design, in research projects, and in academia is essential for lowering the maintenance cost curve. Let’s spend some time together and have a discussion about how to better address these realities in research and academia.

Speaker

Ir Arne Lewis is concluding a distinguished 37-year career at The Boeing Company in Seattle, WA, where he has served as a Repair Engineer. His journey began in the factory, where he spent six years before transitioning to customer support, developing repair plans for eight years. For the remainder of his career, Arne has focused on representing customer concerns in Product Development projects, notably contributing to the design teams of the 787 Dreamliner.

Ir Arne Lewis holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington State University and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Washington. Since 2014, he has actively participated in the Aviation Services Research Centre and holds several US patents related to repair concepts.