GE and Upskill improving jet engine assembly and maintenance
An article in GE Reports highlighted a partnership between GE Aviation and Upskill to deploy an AR solution to improve jet engine assembly and maintenance.
The solution, which combines Upskill’s Skylight AR platform on Google Glass with a smart wrench, enables mechanics to perfect the tightening of B-nuts. This is a process that can be universally replicated in many different manufacturing and maintenance settings.
What was particularly compelling about this use case for GE was the potential impact Skylight on smart glasses could have on reducing errors: a cost savings well into the millions annually. The pilot also drove an average boost in worker efficiency between 8 and 12 percent.
With Skylight displayed right in their line-of-sight, GE mechanics:
- Received guided instructions on how to perform engine assembly and maintenance tasks
- Tracked and confirmed real-time torque values provided by their smart wrenches
- Used voice commands to move through steps and collaborate with other team members
- Streamed their point of view through a live video connection to get help while troubleshooting
“This has tremendous potential to minimize errors, cut down on costs and improve product quality”, said Ted Robertson, Engineering Manager at GE Aviation. Upskill’s AREA member profile can be read here.