GE Aerospace has introduced AI-guided “white light robot” inspection systems into its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, supporting the detailed examination of high-pressure turbine (HPT) components. The technology was deployed in the autumn of 2024 at the Services Technology Acceleration Center (STAC) and is now being used to assist inspectors in assessing life-limited parts.
The development of the robotic inspection system followed five years of work by engineers at GE Aerospace Research in Niskayuna and the company’s Global Automation and Robotics Center in Bromont. The programme forms part of GE Aerospace’s longer-term investment in artificial intelligence and automation technologies.
At STAC, two articulated industrial robots equipped with white light optical scanners operate within a universal workstation. The robots move across the surface of turbine components, such as disks used in the GE90, capturing and analysing detailed surface data. Their movements are programmed and overseen by human operators, with AI supporting accuracy, repeatability and consistency.
According to GE Aerospace, the system creates a comprehensive digital record of each inspected part. Serial numbers are recorded, and any anomalies—such as dents, cracks, corrosion or fretting—are assigned numerical values. This information is stored as a chronological digital history of the component, accessible through cloud-based systems and supporting engineering decisions on whether parts should be accepted, repaired or rejected.
Earlier versions of the technology relied on still images that were digitally stitched together. The current generation uses line-scan cameras developed by GE Aerospace Research, providing a continuous, video-like data stream that mirrors what a human inspector would see, displayed on a monitor for review.
The company notes that standardised digital inspection reduces variability between individual inspectors and can also support training. Rather than relying solely on predicted wear patterns for life-limited parts, the system builds a detailed data set based on the actual condition of components over time.
Once set up, the inspection process can run without continuous physical supervision, allowing inspectors to focus on reviewing results and making engineering judgements rather than manually collecting data. GE Aerospace emphasises that the technology is intended to support, not replace, skilled personnel by automating repeatable aspects of inspection and enabling inspectors to concentrate on more complex technical assessments.
SOURCE AND IMAGES: GE AEROSPACE
