testing talk
54 MARCH 2020 \\ AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM
3 // Engineers at work in
the Engineering Design
Centre’s Avionics and Digital
Systems Laboratory
4 // The Center’s Engine
Training Laboratory is
fully equipped
3 4
It would not be fair if I did not mention the
achievement of our Gas Power Team developing
components for the most advanced H-class gas turbine,
which will be installed in Dolna Odra power plant in
Poland. Our offshore wind team has also played a role in
designing the world’s largest offshore wind turbine, the
Haliade-X, which is able to produce 12MW of power.
We’ve also made a lot of progress in digital
technology, for example the application of artificial
intelligence to some of our processes as well as big data
analysis. We are also doing research work around the air
traffic control of eVOTLs, looking at how to manage
drone traffic. Those are all areas that I’m really proud of.
WHAT WAS THE EDC’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE
CATALYST ENGINE?
About 50% of the engineers who worked on the engine
were from Warsaw. We also closely collaborated with
colleagues from Italy, Czech Republic, Turkey and
Germany. Quite a number of engineers from across
Europe worked on that product, which was a great
advantage from a technology point of view.
It is the first engine completely designed outside of
the US by GE. It’s a major milestone and an extremely
impressive step forward in expanding GE’s capability and
capacity in Europe.
EDC was responsible for the design of high and low
pressure turbines, the compressor, bearings, sumps and
engine systems, like secondary air or lube system. The
project also meant advancing the latest technologies, for
example aspects of the high pressure turbine cooling
used in the engine. Some of the engine’s key parts would
not have been possible if we were not able to use additive
manufacturing to produce them.
EDC contributed a lot on the technology level as well
as on the system integration level. I should clarify a lot of
people in Prague, Munich and also Canada contributed. It
wouldn’t be fair to say it is just our engine, but we
contributed to a large part of it.
WILL THE EDC INTEGRATE MORE WITH
GE AVIATION IN THE FUTURE?
We are fully integrated operationally, but we retain our
own identity and I think that’s a positive. I see the global
corporation like Europe, each country has its own
identity, which makes the whole greater. Diversity
positively contributes to the company, it doesn’t separate
and divide.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO PURSUE A CAREER
IN AEROSPACE?
Originally my major was in shipbuilding and naval
architecture, but there was a lot of focus on fluid
mechanics and from that skill set I decided to do my PhD
on ship propulsion. When I joined industry I became a
steam turbine designer. And with small steps I became a
turbine designer/jet engine designer. I also worked for
quite a number of years for a gas business offshore.
My shipbuilding education, which was pretty broad
and covered a lot of different topics, including ship
propulsion, served me very well because the physics is
not that different to aircraft propulsion. It allows me to
understand the diverse operations of the EDC. My
background in ship propulsion and ship propellers was
easily transferable to the turbofan engines. It’s pretty
much the same thing — instead of water there is air but
that’s not that big of a difference.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE EDC?
We hope to be at the forefront of industry trends. I don’t
like to be too product specific because of having such a
large number of engineering teams. I’m proud of them
all. I think we would all like to give back to the
technology community, develop more, contribute more. I
think that’s going to be future for EDC. \\
Some of the engine’s key parts
would not have been possible if
we were not able to use additive
manufacturing to produce them
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