GE Aerospace and Waygate Technologies unveil AI-enhanced borescope for jet engine inspections

GE Aerospace and Waygate Technologies Unveil AI-Enhanced Borescope for Jet Engine Inspections

In a pioneering collaboration, GE Aerospace and Waygate Technologies have announced the launch of an AI-enhanced commercial jet engine borescope. This new inspection device marks the first partnership between the two industry leaders and promises to revolutionise the plane Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector by integrating advanced artificial intelligence capabilities.

Set to be available to Waygate Technologies’ customers and introduced to GE Aerospace’s MRO network by the end of this year, the borescope represents a significant leap forward in high-pressure compressor (HPC) inspection technology. Development of the AI-enabled inspection tool commenced in May 2023, culminating in a product designed to expedite one of the most intricate and time-intensive aspects of engine maintenance.

At the heart of this innovation is the use of machine vision-based assisted defect recognition (ADR) systems powered by AI, which enhances the inspection process by improving accuracy and efficiency. Nicole Jenkins, Chief MRO Engineer at GE Aerospace, highlighted the integration of AI techniques with extensive engine inspection data to enhance defect detection capabilities. Jenkins stated, “We believe this AI-assisted borescope system will significantly reduce the time it takes to perform HPC inspections, while delivering high accuracy.”

The collaboration leverages GE Aerospace’s vast repository of customer data and Waygate Technologies’ advanced borescope solutions. Michael Domke, General Manager of Visual at Waygate Technologies, expressed optimism about the new development, saying, “The combination of GE Aerospace’s extensive customer data and our market-leading advanced borescope solutions promises to be an extremely valuable optimisation for the entire MRO sector.”

In the development process, Waygate Technologies utilised engine inspection videos from GE Aerospace to train the ADR model. They coupled this with AI techniques incorporating a compute-optimised object detection algorithm and a novel temporal smoothing algorithm. According to GE Aerospace, the enhanced ADR has demonstrated a 33% improvement in detecting HPC defects and a 13.5% reduction in false positives compared to pre-AI iterations.

These AI-assisted features will be integrated and made available through a software update for Waygate Technologies’ Mentor Visual iQ+ borescope later this year. Additionally, GE Aerospace will incorporate the model into its MRO network for high-pressure compressor inspections of its GEnx and CFM LEAP engines.

The technological advancements in the borescope aim to enhance reliability and efficiency in inspections. The new AI features not only reduce the learning curve for novice inspectors but also assist experienced technicians by identifying defects that were previously challenging to detect. This is anticipated to increase the probability of successful defect detection and reduce the mental fatigue often associated with such meticulous inspections, according to GE sources.

An automated data anonymisation tool has also been developed alongside the borescope, ensuring the secure handling of sensitive partner data while contributing to the training dataset, thereby maintaining data integrity and confidentiality.

The introduction of this AI-driven borescope marks a significant step forward for both GE Aerospace and Waygate Technologies, setting a new benchmark in engine inspection procedures and offering promising improvements in both efficiency and accuracy.

Source: Noah Wire Services