#China #Shanghai #Shanghai Electric #Industrial AI #Gas Turbines

Shanghai Electric Innovates Gas Turbine Manufacturing with AI Integration

Shanghai Electric is making headlines with its groundbreaking integration of industrial artificial intelligence (AI) into the manufacturing and lifecycle services of high-capacity gas turbines. As the industrial AI moves beyond mere pilot projects to become central to operations, manufacturers are increasingly focusing on harnessing its potential for sustained value in production and long-term performance enhancement.

The Role of Industrial AI

In the context of gas turbines, recognized as the crown jewel in high-end equipment manufacturing, the incorporation of AI promises not only precision machining of complex components but also reliable operations throughout the product’s lifespan. Shanghai Electric is at the forefront of this transition, combining its profound engineering expertise with robust data from production and operational phases.

Flexible Blade Manufacturing

One of the most crucial aspects in the gas turbine supply chain is the production of critical components like turbine blades. Shanghai Electric has developed a flexible manufacturing line that incorporates AI-driven vision systems, digital twins, smart planning, and robotics. This advanced setup allows for the production of various blade models while accommodating specific processing requirements. The AI system utilizes 3D vision for identifying raw blade components, even when they are randomly stacked, enabling precise pick-and-place operations with over 99.99% accuracy.

Additionally, the integration of production planning, execution, and quality management systems ensures a seamless connection across different manufacturing stages—from loading and machining to inspection and final packaging. This versatility not only facilitates fully automated production but also allows machines to operate independently, ensuring continuity in output.

AI-Assisted Quality Inspection

Quality assurance represents another cornerstone of Shanghai Electric's AI applications. Given the critical role of rotors in large-scale energy generation equipment, ensuring the quality of welds directly impacts safe operation. To tackle the challenges of inspecting machined elements within sizeable components, the company has engineered an AI-based visual inspection terminal. This innovative system combines AI, robotic control, and welding expertise to supervise welding operations in real-time, swiftly identifying quality defects during the initial stages of production.

The integrated AI architecture features a collaborative robot equipped with a custom end effector, capable of adapting its reach to the welding cycle at the push of a button. Leveraging 5G connectivity allows for rapid image analysis and instantaneous inspection results. Furthermore, a feedback loop utilizing data gathered from the plant connects operational observations with quality tracking and process optimization, transforming the hands-on manufacturing experience into digital knowledge that can be preserved and reused.

Data-Driven Operations and Maintenance

Beyond manufacturing and quality control, Shanghai Electric's expertise extends into long-term operational management. Their intelligent Operations and Maintenance (O&M) platform, named SIMPLE, collates data from over 60 turbine units, accumulating more than one million operational hours. This platform integrates AI with deep knowledge of gas turbine functionality to facilitate real-time performance monitoring, dynamic optimization of operational efficiency, and proactive early alerts for potential failures.

The synergy between cloud and edge computing links design and operational data within a cohesive workflow, supporting decision-making processes that include monitoring, alert notifications, diagnostics, and corrective actions. This shift from reactive repairs to proactive maintenance is aided by remote collaboration tools, which allow experts to visualize real-time images from facilities and offer maintenance guidance through augmented reality annotations, thereby enhancing remote technical support.

Future Prospects

Looking ahead, Shanghai Electric is committed to further enhancing the integration of data across the entire gas turbine lifecycle. By utilizing information sourced from manufacturing and operational stages, the company aims to refine design, production, and after-sales services. With international markets in sight, Shanghai Electric plans to validate and improve these capabilities in real projects, driving long-term reliability, timely maintenance support, and cost-effective operability of power plants. This initiative sets the stage for the global expansion of their gas turbine business, ensuring they meet the evolving demands of the energy sector.