Atlanta-based aerospace engineering firm PartWorks made a major industry debut at Aviation Week Network's MRO Americas 2025, held April 8-10 at the Georgia World Congress Center, with the commercial launch of RepAR -- an augmented reality solution purpose-built for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul. The launch marks the culmination of a three-year research and development collaboration between PartWorks and the Georgia Tech Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), and signals a meaningful shift in how MRO technicians interact with structural repair processes on commercial and military aircraft.
RepAR is built on a convergence of augmented reality, computer vision, and artificial intelligence. The system overlays step-by-step repair instructions directly into the technician's field of view through a tablet or AR goggles, eliminating reliance on paper manuals and enabling real-time validation of each repair step. It captures dimensional measurements digitally, logs process execution results, and integrates with commonly available connected tools including gauges, rivet guns, torque wrenches, cameras, and tablets -- requiring no specialized infrastructure beyond what most MRO shops already operate.
The core problem RepAR addresses is longstanding in aviation maintenance: structural repair procedures, particularly aircraft hole repair and cold expansion work, require precision that human error routinely compromises. Traditional manual processes create documentation gaps and leave repair quality dependent on individual technician experience. RepAR eliminates those variables. Novice technicians achieve results beyond their operational experience level, while veteran technicians see measurable productivity gains through reduced time spent on documentation and step verification.
The technology also introduces what PartWorks describes as a patent-pending in situ process validation system using digital image correlation (DIC), allowing technicians to validate repairs in real time rather than submitting work for downstream inspection. This capability has direct implications for return-to-service timelines and life extension credit on both military and commercial airframes -- two of the most time-sensitive and cost-sensitive outcomes in MRO operations.
"RepAR exemplifies how targeted computer vision applications can deliver immediate value in aerospace manufacturing and maintenance," said Shelley Peterson, CEO of Wizard Wells. "By precisely identifying fastener locations and validating tool placement, it reduces rework, minimizes human error, and ensures tasks are performed right the first time."
The Georgia Tech dimension is central to RepAR's technical credibility. Maribeth Gandy Coleman, PhD, Director of Research at Georgia Tech's Institute for People and Technology, led the translational research team that partnered with PartWorks beginning in 2022. Her group brought 25 years of augmented reality research to bear on the specific operational demands of aircraft maintenance workflows, producing not just a functional product but a portfolio of patented and patent-pending solutions.
"This collaboration between PartWorks and Georgia Tech researchers began in 2022 with the objective of applying XR to positively impact real-world MRO challenges," said Coleman. "We have now translated fundamental innovations in XR, computer vision, and machine learning into an intuitive user experience that helps aircraft technicians perform their maintenance tasks efficiently, safely, and with increased accuracy."
The RepAR platform is positioned for both military and commercial aviation customers. PartWorks has reported growing interest from military and commercial aviation OEMs, established MRO providers, and space industry companies. The MRO Americas debut placed the product in front of the industry's largest annual gathering of maintenance decision-makers, giving PartWorks direct visibility with the commercial buyers most capable of scaling the system into wide fleet deployment.
Source: AviTrader -- https://avitrader.com/2025/04/08/partworks-introduces-repar-augmented-reality-solution/