What is the primary function of gloves during the lay-up process?

The primary function of gloves during the lay-up process is to prevent contamination. In aerospace assembly, particularly when working with composite materials, maintaining the integrity of the components is crucial to ensure performance and safety. Gloves serve as a barrier to avoid transferring oils, dirt, and other foreign substances from hands to the surfaces of the materials being laid up. Any contamination can compromise the bond between layers, affect the curing process, and ultimately degrade the quality of the final product.

While improved grip, keeping hands warm, and ensuring precision in handling are important in various contexts, they do not directly address the critical need to maintain a contamination-free environment during the lay-up of aerospace components. The prevention of contamination is essential in aerospace applications where even minor impurities can lead to significant structural deficiencies or failure in performance.