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GE Global Research
Quarterly Technology Report
Volume 4, Issue 2 Summer 2012
Global Research Project UpdatesGroundbreaking for Brazil Technology CenterGE Global Research recently held a
ceremonial groundbreaking for its fifth
research and development facility—
and first in South America—in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When fully
operational, the Brazil Technology Center will house 24,000 square
meters of laboratory and testing space, as well as a learning center
to foster collaboration and innovation for GE and its customers.
The move will also lead to the creation of 400 jobs—a majority of
which will be technology-focused roles. In all, technologies at the
Brazil Technology Center will expand across the energy/renewables,
transportation/mining, aviation and healthcare industries. GE Global
Research is pledging to invest BRL 500 MM in the new facility.
Partnering with Livermore National Lab on Supercomputer Project
GE Global Research has been selected by
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
to participate in an incubator program
that will use high-performance computing in an effort to speed up
development of next-generation fuel injectors for GE’s engine fleet.
GE engineers were awarded dedicated access to a portion of the
Sierra supercomputer—one of the most powerful in the world—to
study the physics behind the working of the fuel injector to optimize
its design. The supercomputer provides a 360-degree view of the
inside of the injector, helping scientists better understand how the
fuel/air mixture combusts; the goal being to build more powerful
engines that consume less fuel and have lower emissions. Successful
testing could lead to advances in aircraft and locomotive engines,
land-based gas turbines, and even nebulizers for aerosol delivery.
Working with NASA to Monitor Astronaut Health
Engineers at GE Global Research are
starting a three-year project to build and
test a new ultrasound probe to monitor
how spaceflight affects the vision of astronauts. There have been at
least seven documented cases of astronauts, with otherwise healthy
eyes, returning to Earth and needing adjustments in their vision
prescription. One possible cause for these symptoms is elevated
intracranial pressure (ICP) due to exposure to a prolonged spaceflight
environment. Through this study, GE researchers will work to develop
a new ultrasound probe capable of delivering real-time, three-
dimensional pictures of the eye, and image-based measurement
techniques for tracking changes in the structure and function of the
eye. Knowledge gained could also help the medical community better
understand the underlying causes of traumatic brain injuries.
Using Robots to Improve Wind Turbine Inspection
GE is advancing technology that makes
the inspection of wind turbines faster
and more reliable—by using robots.
Currently, an inspector uses a telescope to analyze the wind blades
from the ground, 300 feet away. This new method uses a remote-
controlled, robotic device that can scale the wind tower with a high-
definition camera strapped to its back to take pictures. The closer
inspection should give a more accurate picture of the overall health
of the wind blades so that potential issues can be detected and dealt
with earlier. GE scientists are also developing a microwave scanner
that could be fitted onto the robotic vehicle, enabling an even better
view of the wind blades. The use of microwaves would do more than
provide a surface view; it would allow inspectors to see through the
blade material giving an even earlier indication of any breakdown in
the structure.
Visit us online! Stay up-to-date with the latest happenings at GE Global Research. Visit us on the web at www.ge.com/research, or
connect with our technologists at www.edisonsdesk.com and http://twitter.com/edisonsdesk.
QuarterlyTechnologyReport Volumn4,Issue2•Summer2012
Smart Grid Technology and Electric Vehicles on World Stage
What if you could charge your electric
car in under 30 minutes? What if your car
could “talk” to your house or directly to
the utility to manage electricity and save
money? At the SAE 2012 World Congress
in Detroit, Nissan and GE showcased exhibits that demonstrate the
integration of electric cars like the Nissan LEAF into the home with the
latest Smart Grid technologies.
GE’s display included the WattStation™ EV charging station; Nucleus
Home Energy Manager, which communicates wirelessly with smart
devices in the home to monitor household electricity consumption;
and Demand Response Management System (DRMS) software, which
can be used by utilities to manage electricity loads.
The joining of Nissan and GE illustrates the dramatic changes
underway in the automotive world. As the Internet moves from
consumers to industry, and automobiles embrace alternative fuels
and electric transportation, new connections are being made across
industry sectors to facilitate this transformation.
Featured TechnologistWaseem Faidi Manager – Non-destructive Evaluation LabWaseem Faidi’s expertise lies in using
ultrasound for non-destructive evaluation
applications.
His lab is part of the Manufacturing
Technologies organization, and is currently focused on developing
inspection techniques that can help improve the performance,
quality, and competitiveness of current and future products for
various GE businesses, including Aviation, Energy, and Oil and Gas.
His team uses methods such as x-ray, CT, ultrasound, thermography,
and electromagnetics to look inside parts to find defects that might
compromise quality or performance. In fact, he helps spearhead
efforts to advance inspection of wind turbine blades in manufacturing
and services.
Waseem started his career at GE Global Research in 2004 and
believes there should be a great emphasis on renewable power.
“Solving the world’s energy challenges will be paramount in the
years to come. I think it requires an ‘all hands on deck’ approach,
and renewables will play a key role in that effort.”
Revolutionizing Manufacturing Through CrowdsourcingGE, in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) and the Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA), are
embarking on a project to revolutionize modern-day manufacturing.
The goal is to develop a crowdsourcing platform that would enable
a global community of experts to design, rapidly prototype and
manufacture complex systems such as military vehicles, aviation
systems, and advanced medical devices. Currently, these “cyber-
physical systems” can take decades to develop. The primary goal
of this program is to dramatically reduce that timeline. The new
crowdsourcing platform is a key part of GE’s efforts to build the
Industrial Internet. It will enable parties with specialized knowledge
to securely interact with a global community of experts, resulting
in the creation of better, more robust product designs in a much
shorter period of time. GE has already opened a new global software
headquarters in San Ramon, California, which will employ 400
software professionals to support these efforts.
U.S. Energy Secretary Visits Global Research: “GE has a storied past and will have a storied future”
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu toured the
Niskayuna, NY campus in May to learn about
the innovative work GE is doing in the areas
of additive manufacturing and smart grid
technologies. Chu, a Nobel Prize winner in
physics and advocate for more research into
renewable energy, said he had always wanted
to visit GE’s storied research and development
facility. During his visit, Chu delivered a
speech touting the importance of the clean energy economy and
advanced manufacturing. He said the U.S. needs to be a leader
in advanced manufacturing in order to help American companies
prosper and add jobs. Global Research has grown its workforce by
more than 10 percent over the past decade, and has added more
than 100 employees over the past two years alone.