Bengaluru, September 28 (PTI) Working on innovative aircraft engine technology, GE Aerospace uses artificial intelligence to explore design spaces much more efficiently and improve engine maintenance predictability.
Additionally, the 25-year-old John F. Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC) in Bengaluru, one of the company's largest integrated, interdisciplinary research and development centres, is a key contributor to innovative and sustainable solutions for the aerospace major.
As stated by Alok Nanda, Chief Technology Officer of GE Aerospace in India, the launch of the centre has traces from the Bengaluru team, and all engines launched or certified by GE have stated that it has been “a great success in finding talent in India.”
In addition to contributing to the design, development and certification of CFM LEAP, Genx and GE9X engines, the team has patented over 1,000 aviation technologies and is powered by wide and narrow body commercial aircraft.
In an interview with PTI, Nanda, who has been associated with the Centre since its founding in 2000, said that everything that's happening today is influenced by artificial intelligence (AI).
From exploring the design space to maintenance, everything in between, it's the full scope of the assumed AI deployment, he added.
More in detail, Nanda said the company used AI along with several physics-based tools to determine maintenance intervals based on engine operations.
“Analytics-Based Maintenance (ABM) offers predictability when the engine needs to go for maintenance based on how the engine operates and how it operates…it's downstream,” he said.
The Bengaluru Centre has the Aerospace Services Technology Lab (ASTL), which addresses how to use AI to convert engine maintenance on aircraft.
Also upstream, AI is used to explore many design spaces for engines to achieve better optimization.
In India, more than 1,000 GE and CFM engine power aircraft from Indian airlines.
CFM International, an equal joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran aircraft engines, is also leading the innovative innovations in the Sustainable Engine (RISE) technology development and demonstration program.
The program, which is also involved in Bengaluru teams, aims to improve engine fuel economy by more than 20%.
Meanwhile, engineers at Bengaluru Centre support developments such as hybrid electric propulsion systems and alternative fuel testing.
“We have been very successful in leveraging the talent base from India for GE aerospace… Since the start of our centre, all aircraft engines GE has been launched or certified have been imprinted from this centre. So, when it comes to talent, we can find talent more than India and I think we have achieved great success in finding talent in India,” Nanda said.
What's special for him is the “enthusiasm” of the Indian team.
“The team is not afraid to try new things. The team is not afraid to get far… this enthusiasm…it's very special. I'm not saying I've never seen it in the other parts, I'm saying it's a special thing we have.
In terms of talent development, the Center runs the Edison Engineering Development Program (EEDP) and has launched a preparatory program at the university, the next engineer of the GE Aerospace Foundation.
With over 1,000 patents and ongoing work on a variety of cutting-edge technologies, Nanda has the simple answer: “Next to invent the future of flight. This is very exciting.”
“We are completely committed to inventing the future of flights, so the world is gaining more sustainable engines, customers get better products and enjoy this journey of innovation,” he registered.
