Dynamic SystemsDynamic Systems comprises four groups, all of which are involved with moving parts within the engine:
The Bearings, Seals & Drives team owns bearings, seals, sumps, housings, accessory and transfer gearboxes, lube components and accessories for several engine lines, and it provides technical support and project management for New Product Introduction, field support, cost reduction & Manufacturing support.
The Engine Dynamics team performs rotor-dynamic analyses on the entire engine, using either 2D or 3D models. The main source of excitation of these models is associated with the rotor's imbalance. Typical responsibilities involve the estimation of loads transmitted to the airframe using Finite Elements or other programs in different programming languages. The team also gives support to production engine balancing.
The Fan & Compressor Airfoils team owns the Design, Manufacturing Support and Field Support of several Commercial Engine High Pressure Compressor Variable Stator Vane mechanisms. Disciplines such as kinematics design, stress analysis, vibration analysis, manufacturing process evaluation and test-rig design are all covered by this group.
The Rotating Parts Engineering Group provides support to the Life Management process of engines. Using very detailed 2D & 3D Finite Element Analyses of an engine's mission and subsequent life analysis techniques, the group can predict the expected life span of rotors.
Structural & External SystemsS&ES is formed by three GE Aviation groups: Configurations, Materials & Structures.
The Configurations Engineering group is considered a fully capable & functional engineering sub-section for sustaining Commercial Engine Programs. The work is focused on component cost reduction and field and manufacturing support; all of these apply to the engine's external configuration hardware such as brackets, harnesses, supports and air, fuel, and lubrication tubes.
The Materials Application group is formed by two materials specialists (PhDs). This department is considered a critical support area within GE IQ, since they provide consultations on materials throughout the company, giving support to most of the engineers in Aviation regarding the selection of materials, properties, repair procedures and Failure Analysis.
The Structures Center of Excellence is responsible for providing Engineering support in mechanical design, manufacturing, field issues, fieldsupport, cost reduction, Finite Element Analysis, Fatigue Analysis and Fracture Mechanics for structural hardware on commercial and military engines.
Controls Systems & TechnologyControls Systems designs, develops, and certifies reliable control systems for commercial, marine and industrial engines, in compliance with the highest safety and reliability requirements. Controls Technology is in charge of engine maintenance, data monitoring and processing, user interface design and implementation, and control software verification and validation for certifying software.
PerformanceAircraft Engine Performance studies the overall aero-thermodynamic behavior during the operation of an aircraft engine. It helps to understand how an engine behaves under changing operating conditions -pressure, temperature, air density - by studying several variable parameters such as SFC, thrust, N1, N2, mass flow, etc.
Support EquipmentDevelopment, Tests & Production of Aircraft Engines are supported by this Team. Support Equipment Engineering is responsible for designing special Tools for the assembly, disassembly, instrumentation, maintainability, overhaul, calibration and transportation of Aircraft Engines. The designs are tracked by Engineering until the tools are successfully tested. The main target of this team is FTY=1 in every stage of the process to help Customers meet Engine schedules and cost reduction.
Product DefinitionThis Team is responsible for the conceptualization of the product regarding its shape and dimensions. It processes the requirements and it interprets data provided by information gathered from field and engineering analysis.
The team's main activities are: Creation of interface evaluations through virtual assemblies (DPA), analysis of tolerance accumulation (stack-ups), 3D modeling, model validation, simulation of mechanical movements of the product. The team also generates, along with manufacturing tolerances and geometric dimensioning, detailed drawings and assembly drawings. Within the process of the "New Product Introduction (NPI)", stage 8, PDE is responsible for Model validation and the generation of detailed designs, in which production aspects are evaluated.
ElectroMechanical SystemsElectroMechanical Systems is comprised of 3 teams: Electrical Systems, Fuel Systems and Engine Systems Design and Integration (ESD&I).
Electrical Systems provides concurrent engineering for the design, development and certification tests of electrical control components including temperature sensors, speed sensors, pressure transducers, accelerometers, igniter plugs and electrical harnesses.
Fuel Systems provides engineering for the design, development and certification tests for fuel components including pumps, filters, valves and heat exchangers.
ESD&I provides engineering for design integration of engine systems for commercial jet engines and aero-derivative gas turbines for marine applications.
UNISONIn April 2002, after twenty-two years operating as a private entrepreneurial business, Unison became a wholly owned subsidiary within the GE - Aviation business unit of General Electric. GE acquired Unison for its technical leadership in integrated electrical control components and systems, creative growth-oriented culture, and its strong commitment to integrity and delivering quality products and services to its customers.
In January 2004, Elano Corporation, a world leader in the integrated design and fabrication of metal tubing, ducting, bellows, and manifolds for turbine engines and airframes, merged into and became part of Unison. In January 2005, Unison acquired Aircraft Parts Corporation (APC), which designs and manufactures small to medium sized airframe generators, generator control units and starter-generators.
Unison industries are also part of the GE Global initiative wherein the GE IQ - Unison team performs analysis, Engineering and Design activities with great responsibility and participation in the New Product Development process.
GE IQ-Unison works with teams in Jacksonville designing Harnesses & Ignition Systems and with teams in Dayton designing metal tubing, ducting, bellows and brackets. Although only four years old, the GE IQ-Unison team is integrated in the US marketing, manufacturing and engineering teams and works as one team, having developed capabilities for FEA analysis, ownership of Hardware design, routing & interface for several Engine Build Up systems and leadership in the design of several fan/core harnesses in the field of aviation technology.
|
