A virtual reality-based maintenance time measurement methodology for complex products

Purpose - Maintainability is a critical design characteristic that shows how well a product can be maintained; maintenance time is a comprehensive parameter of product maintainability design. This paper aims to provide an integrated methodology for complex product maintainability verification and maintenance time prediction using virtual prototypes and humans in a virtual dynamic simulation of the maintenance process. Design/methodology/approach - An integrated platform for maintainability verification and maintenance time prediction is designed. Decomposition of maintenance tasks, corrective measurement time method, and an impact matrix of maintenance therbligs and time are presented. Findings - The proposed methodology can efficiently conduct complex product maintainability verification and maintenance time prediction. Practical implications - Early and effective verification and prediction of the maintainability and maintenance time program can significantly improve the maintainability and availability of a complex product. Originality/value - A universally applicable method for product maintainability verification and maintenance time prediction is presented.