GE and CSIRO’s Data61 have collaborated to develop a data analytics solution designed to give the Royal Australian Navy greater insights into their fleet engine performance and enhance operational efficiency.
Under the collaboration Data61, the CSIRO’s data innovation network, has developed an application that it says will process data from GE engines captured from sensors and use advanced analytics to identify where improvements can be made.
GE and Data61 say techniques such as machine learning and advanced algorithms will be used to predict future failures and reduce fuel burn and, in addition, data visualization tools will be used to represent the engine performance.
The data analysis is expected to highlight areas where operational efficiencies can be achieved such as improved reliability of performance, increased uptime due to enhanced understanding of component durability and functionality, reduced fuel consumption and lower maintenance costs.
{loadposition peter}The collaboration will see data captured initially from two Royal Australian Navy vessels, which will then be used to help improve and manage the performance GE marine gas turbines used more broadly across the fleet.
Brien Bolsinger, vice president, GE Marine, said, “With the expertise of CSIRO’s Data61, we aim to use the insights gained from data to support the Royal Australian Navy. This undertaking also contributes to the Australian Government’s defence industry innovation objective aimed at enhancing the digital capability of Australia’s innovative defence industry and workforce.
“This is the first Australian application of data collection from GE’s LM2500 engines for naval purposes. In the long-term there is enormous potential for further advanced data analytics tools to be developed here in Australia that can be applied to other GE-designed military and commercial marine engines.”
Adrian Turner, CEO of CSIRO’s Data61 says the partnership with GE is a “great example of how insights from data can be used to transform existing industries like defence, where cost savings from operational efficiencies can provide significant economic gains as well as serving the national benefit”.
“CSIRO’s Data61 and GE are both focused on the global opportunity to securely connect industrial equipment to the network globally. This project reinforces Data61’s and Australia’s strength in cyber physical systems, and in creating new value at the intersection of digital and domain, through the use of trusted data analytics.”
Currently GE marine gas turbines are used by the Australian navy and 34 other navies worldwide including the United States, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea.
Under the collaboration data collection will commence at the end of this year, with the long-term aim to boost functionality and effectiveness of the current Australian fleet, as well as to optimise the design, production and support of future vessels.