Bengaluru. GE Aerospace announced August 18 that engineers at its Bengaluru technology centre are helping advance and scale new services and maintenance technologies that improve engine durability, reliability, and time on wing for customers worldwide.
This includes supporting global deployment of 360 Foam Wash across MRO shops, expansion of AI-enabled inspection technologies, and continued progress in durability testing for engines operating in harsh environments. Teams in Bengaluru are also advancing next-generation propulsion technologies, helping mature the CFM RISE** programme and hybrid-electric propulsion.
“Bengaluru is home to extraordinary research and engineering talent that helps shape how GE Aerospace turns innovation into customer outcomes,” said Shilpa Gupta, Chief Technology Officer, GE Aerospace in India. “From improving reliability, durability and time on wing for the fleet flying today to advancing technologies to make the future of flight more efficient, Bengaluru engineers are making an important impact across the engine lifecycle.”
360 Foam Wash
GE Aerospace is deploying its proprietary 360 Foam Wash jet engine cleaning technology across MRO shops globally. 360 Foam Wash uses a specially formulated solution to remove dust and dirt from engines, helping lower exhaust temperatures, improve compressor efficiency, and restore performance. Engines cleaned before inspection can also yield better-quality images for workscoping, helping reduce rework and support faster turnaround times.ra n
Bengaluru engineers have played a key role in development and support of the technology, with more than 8,000 washes completed globally since 2017 on fielded engines or engines in service. More than 10 customers have licensed GE Aerospace’s 360 Foam Wash globally and plans are to test the solution with more airline customers in the South Asia region.
AI-Enabled Inspection and Analytics Tech
Bengaluru teams have also supported development of GE Aerospace’s AI-enabled Blade Inspection Tool (BIT), which assists trained technicians in capturing turbine blade images and improves review consistency while cutting inspection times by about 50% for the GEnx engine. In parallel, teams are advancing Analytics-Based Maintenance (ABM) with the ABM.AI tool and aircraft engine health monitoring that combines visual inspection, AI, and physics-based insights to support condition-based maintenance, improve predictability, and help extend engine time on wing.
Dust Ingestion Testing
Dust ingestion testing simulates harsh, real-world environmental conditions and is an important evaluation for producing a safe, reliable, and durable engine. Engineers in Bengaluru support end-to-end dust endurance testing for both narrowbody and widebody engines, refining test plans and improving correlation to field conditions. These tests help improve engine’s hot-section component durability and support longer time on wing.
Advancing the Future of Flight
Beyond today’s fleet, Bengaluru engineers are helping develop technologies for the CFM RISE programme, which is targeting 20% better fuel efficiency compared to the most efficient commercial engines in service today while prioritising safety, durability, and efficiency. The India team contributes across Open Fan, compact core, and hybrid-electric systems, with expertise in power electronics, high-power density converters, and control systems.
It may be noted that the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) is a technology demonstration programme of CFM International, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines. It is not a product offered for commercial sale.
GE Aerospace has been a partner to India’s aviation industry for over 40 years, with more than 1,300 GE Aerospace and partner commercial engines in service and more than 3,000 engines on order with the recent landmark deal between Indigo and CFM for 1,000+ LEAP-1A engines. The company’s more than 25-year-old Bengaluru technology centre is one of GE Aerospace’s largest multidisciplinary R&D centres outside the United States, with teams contributing to both services engineering innovation and next-generation propulsion technologies.
