Composite structure repair process

A method for repairing a multi-layered damage area in a multi-layered composite structure, said damage area having a surface, a width dimension and a depth dimension and disposed on a surface of the composite structure, the method comprising:

• a) measuring the depth dimension of the damage area to obtain depth measurement data;
• b) scanning the surface of the composite structure with a laser to obtain topographical measurement data of the damage area;
• c) inputting into a microprocessor for correlation there among thickness data of each layer of the damage area, said depth measurement data, and said topographical measurement data to thereby produce a three-dimensional display-replica of the damage area and interpolate a two-dimensional pattern of each layer of the damage area and of the surface of the damage area;
• d) projecting by laser a two-dimensional pattern of the damage area at the damage area on the surface of the structure;
• e) manually removing from the structure the damage area and any non-damaged material above or beneath the damage area and whose width resides within a maximum width of the damage area to thereby produce both a void in accord with the pattern projected thereon and a removed damage area;
• f) projecting onto respective replacement material a two-dimensional laser image pattern of each layer of the damage area, manually cutting each layer according to the pattern, arranging layers so cut in accordance with construction of the removed damage area to form a plug, and placing said plug within the void to thereby replace the damage area.