- Successfully integrated cutting-edge AI techniques that help increase detection rates by ~34%, while reducing false alerts by >13% vs. previous Gas Power-assist model version 4.1.
- AI to assist inspectors with engine inspections, making inspections more reliable and ergonomically friendly
- New AI-enhanced version will be made available to customers through an upcoming software update for the Mentor Visual iQ+ video borescope later this year
- New inspection solution part of a broader technology push to improve reliability and turnaround times at MRO shops and remove supply chain bottlenecks
Cincinnati, OH and Huerth, Germany / Skaneateles, NY – Monday, October 28, 2024 - GE Aerospace and Waygate Technologies, a Baker Hughes business, announced they have jointly developed a new, AI-assisted commercial engine borescope solution that will be available to Waygate Technologies customers and introduced to GE Aerospace's MRO network later this year. The development represents the successful completion of their first development program under a Joint Technology Development Agreement between the two companies announced in May of 2023.
As part of the this first program, GE Aerospace and Waygate Technologies focused on enhancing machine vision-based assisted defect recognition (ADR) systems using AI for commercial aviation engine borescope inspections. Specifically, High Pressure Compressor (HPC) inspections were targeted, as these are one of the most critical and time-consuming tasks in the engine Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) process.
"At GE Aerospace, we increasingly are seeing the value AI technologies are bringing to help improve the speed, accuracy, and reliability of commercial jet engine inspections," said Nicole Jenkins, Chief MRO Engineer, GE Aerospace. "Collaborating with Waygate Technologies, we have successfully combined our industry domain knowledge and digital expertise to integrate new AI techniques with the right data to improve the detection capabilities of commercial engine borescope inspections."
Jenkins noted that once the new AI-assisted borescope solution is deployed to its MRO shops, it will be used to perform HPC inspections for its GEnx and CFM LEAP* engines.
