In order to perform daily maintenance and repair tasks in complex electrical and mechanical systems, technicians commonly utilize a large number of diagrams and documents detailing system properties in both electronic and print formats. In electronic document views, users typically are only provided with traditional pan and zoom features; however, recent advances in information visualization and illustrative rendering styles should allow users to analyze documents in a more timely and accurate fashion. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of rendering techniques focusing on methods of document/diagram highlighting, distortion, and navigation while preserving contextual information between related diagrams. We utilize our previously developed interactive visualization system (SDViz) for technical diagrams for a series of quantitative studies and an in-field evaluation of the system in terms of usability and usefulness. In the quantitative studies, subjects perform small tasks that are similar to actual maintenance work while using tools provided by our system. First, the effects of highlighting within a diagram and between multiple diagrams are evaluated. Second, we analyze the value of preserving highlighting as well as spatial information when switching between related diagrams, and then we present the effectiveness of distortion within a diagram. Finally, we discuss a field study of the system and report the results of our findings.
When performing daily maintenance and repair tasks, technicians require access to a variety of technical diagrams. As technicians trace components and diagrams from page-to-page, within and across manuals, the contextual information of the components they are analyzing can easily be lost. To overcome these issues, we have developed a Schematic Diagram Visualization System (SDViz) designed for maintaining and highlighting contextual information in technical documents, such as schematic and wiring diagrams. Our system incorporates various features to aid in the navigation and diagnosis of faults, as well as maintaining contextual information when tracing components/connections through multiple diagrams. System features include highlighting relationships between components and connectors, diagram annotation tools, the animation of flow through the system, a novel contextual blending method, and a variety of traditional focus+context visualization techniques. We have evaluated the usefulness of our system through a qualitative user study in which subjects utilized our system in diagnosing faults during a standard aircraft maintenance exercise.
Leaving the team experience unevaluated during collaborative student projects leaves the educational banefit of student peer feedback unrealized. Performance feedback between student teams and among individual team members adds a valuable educational component during applied learning projects. Faculty in the Aviation Technology program at Purdue University piloted the w e of team and individual student peer evaluation tools as performance feedback and learning mechanisms in two maintenance technology courses engaged in collaborative team projects. Use of peer performance reviews among the students during team-based projects resulted in willmgness to engage in proactive problem solving and communication among students while individual scores ia these mas increased. IntMduCtionMany technolog and engineering instructors u t i l i i hands-on student team design projects for at least a portion of the classroom or laboratory exprisnce. A targeted outcome for these immersive learning projects is student exposure to the dynamics of achieving technical deliverables within the COPtW Of a realistic team environment. In addition to practicing baselie technical skill sets, students integrate key communication, negotiation, problem solving and planning skills, which are as important as technical skills for praducmg a delivmble in industry. Although the use of team-centered learning projects is quite common, students can miss an important dimension of learning if such projects are natdebriefed and evaluated. In addition to the actual project experience, significant educational value and insight can be gained through detailed review and peer feedback among student teams involved. This feedback can be facilitated by a structured team and peer review process. Method In the Spring and Fall semesters of 2007, students in two Purdue University aviation maintenance technology courses were inbnduced to the concept of being evaluated by their peers. The two courses each have specific technical content designed to build aircrafl maintenance skills and knowledge. The students in these courses engaged not only in a team-based immemive learning approach on specific technical design projects, but were introduced to performance feedback tools requiring them to provide and receive constructive peer review of their participation and pwfmance during team-based projects. l h k g Spring,
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.
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