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

Shanghai Electric's Leap into Industrial AI

In a pivotal move towards modernization, Shanghai Electric is integrating industrial Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the manufacturing and lifecycle management of its heavy-duty gas turbines. As the industry continues to transition from pilot projects to full-scale operations, the emphasis on AI's potential to improve manufacturing processes and operational efficiency has never been clearer.

The Role of AI in Gas Turbine Manufacturing

Heavy-duty gas turbines are often considered the crown jewel of advanced industrial machinery. The precision involved in manufacturing their complex components must be matched by robust operational reliability. Shanghai Electric is leveraging its expertise in high-efficiency equipment design alongside real-time data from manufacturing operations. This harmonious integration aims to enhance production quality and operational management (OM) significantly.

One of the standout applications of AI at Shanghai Electric is in the flexible manufacturing of turbine blades. Tailoring production to meet diverse specifications—which range widely in size and form—requires an adaptable manufacturing line capable of processing various types of blades efficiently. By combining machine vision technology with AI, digital twins, intelligent production scheduling, and robotics, Shanghai Electric has created a system that can swiftly switch between different blade types, showing a remarkable adaptability in production.

This system employs 3D machine vision technology to identify and handle semi-finished blades, which are stored in randomized piles. The extraction and placement of these blades are executed with over 99.99% accuracy, ensuring consistency and precision in production. The manufacturing line seamlessly integrates production planning, operational management, and quality control, allowing for a blend of full automation and manual operation as needed, thus maintaining production continuity.

Quality Assurance Enhanced by AI

Quality assurance in the production of heavy-duty turbines is critical, especially given the expensive and essential nature of components like rotors. The quality of welds directly impacts operational safety. To tackle quality assurance challenges associated with large dimensional components, Shanghai Electric developed an AI-based visual inspection terminal. This innovative system combines automated robotic controls with expertise in welding technology, performing real-time monitoring of the welding process, which facilitates timely detection of defects.

The architecture of this system utilizes embodied AI, incorporating collaborative robots equipped with specialized end-effectors. This robotic arm can be deployed or retracted with a single button press, adjusting itself automatically to the welding cycle. Through 5G connectivity, the system analyzes image data in seconds and delivers inspection results promptly, creating a data feedback loop that enhances operational insights, process optimization, and quality traceability.

Data-Driven Operations and Maintenance

Beyond manufacturing and quality control, Shanghai Electric also harnesses AI for the long-term operation of power plants. The SIMPLE platform for operational and maintenance management uses data from over 60 turbine units, amassing a runtime exceeding one million hours. This system merges AI with deep knowledge of gas turbine functioning, facilitating real-time monitoring of operational parameters, dynamic optimization of performance, and early warnings for potential malfunctions.

By integrating cloud computing and localized computation, the platform connects design and operational data into a comprehensive decision-making support system. This includes monitoring, early warnings, diagnostics, and corrective measures, enabling a proactive maintenance approach over reactive troubleshooting, providing an impressive leap in operational efficiency and longevity for the turbines.

Additionally, remote collaboration tools allow experts to provide guidance and support based on live feeds from power plant operations, enhancing maintenance support irrespective of geographic constraints.

Looking Ahead

As Shanghai Electric continues to innovate and enhance data integration throughout the gas turbine lifecycle, the insights gained from manufacturing and operational feedback will be pivotal in refining design methodologies, manufacturing processes, and post-sales services. As part of its strategy aimed at international markets, these capabilities will be rigorously tested and improved through real-world projects, ensuring that customer needs for reliable operation, timely maintenance support, and sustainable operation are met. This strategic focus will lay the groundwork for Shanghai Electric's expansion in the global gas turbine business, positioning it at the forefront of the energy sector’s technological evolution.