GE Reports » GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies

Beyond the ER: Scans eye metals, circuits & roots

GEreporter — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:21:10 +0000

The worlds of medicine and industrial construction may not seem to have much in common, but at GE, they’re both sharing advanced technology with a common DNA. The imaging horsepower used to diagnosis diseases or view broken bones in medical CT scanners is also being put to use in an array of industrial settings — which was the theme of a symposium hosted by GE’s Inspection Technologies business that was recently held in Dresden, Germany. As the inspection team explains, computed tomography — which is a radiography technique born from the healthcare sector — works by taking x-ray images of an object at precise angular intervals as it rotates. The projections are then reconstructed by sophisticated software to produce a high resolution, 3D volume image. That detailed view not only aids doctors, but it allows engineers to far more efficiently look for defects in forged metals, check the integrity of electronic circuits, examine the effect that impacts have on composite materials, and even study plant roots to better understand root/soil interaction.The worlds of medicine and industrial construction may not seem to have much in common, but at GE, they’re both sharing advanced technology with a common DNA. The imaging horsepower used to diagnosis diseases or view broken bones in medical CT scanners is also being put to use in an array of industrial settings — which was the theme of a symposium hosted by GE’s Inspection Technologies business that was recently held in Dresden, Germany. As the inspection team explains, computed tomography — which is a radiography technique born from the healthcare sector — works by taking x-ray images of an object at precise angular intervals as it rotates. The projections are then reconstructed by sophisticated software to produce a high resolution, 3D volume image. That detailed view not only aids doctors, but it allows engineers to far more efficiently look for defects in forged metals, check the integrity of electronic circuits, examine the effect that impacts have on composite materials, and even study plant roots to better understand root/soil interaction.

Catching some rays: The first high resolution X-ray CT symposium hosted by the phoenix|x-ray product team at GE’s Inspection Technologies business was held earlier this month. It centered on applying the technology in fields such as materials science research, geosciences, failure analysis, and non-destructive testing and biomedical research. Some of the delegates in Dresden are pictured above.

Looking good: GE’s phoenix|x-ray, the nanotom^®, measures volume in its scans, too.

As the Inspection team explains: “Until a few years ago, the only way to study the interior of an [industrial] sample was to cut the sample up and put it under the microscope. This is not just time-consuming, but results in the research object itself being destroyed.”

Now, there is not only greater speed and clarity, but “it is now possible to carry out 3D analysis of materials and gain an insight into internal structures which had previously been inaccessible.” For example, CT scans are used to inspect the injection nozzles in modern diesel engines, as seen in the images below. When there is no CT, several sometimes destructive procedures have to be followed to carry out a full analysis.

Getting to the point: The scans examine whether the fuel holes at the end of the nozzle are within tolerance in terms of shape, position and size. The image at right has lines added that show where the fuel would would directionally flow from the holes in the nozzle.

Block party: The research work is being carried out during the refurbishment of the 23-story Ferrier Point tower block in Canning Town, London, which is part of the $5.7 billion regeneration project being carried out by the London Borough of Newham.

Also in the area of materials research, GE’s Advanced Sensors team just announced that its environmental monitoring technology is being used as part of a pilot project involving home and office building construction in London. It’s the same kind of technology that is being used to help the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings protect its own historic headquarters.

As we explained in our story about the Ancient Buildings work last year, the high-tech sensors monitor critical temperature and humidity conditions and instantly relay that back to engineers every 15 minutes via internet connections. Variations can then be spotted that might have a negative effect on the building’s structural integrity. The remote-monitoring benefits of the system mean that occupants aren’t disrupted with numerous manual checks — many of which can often be less exact.

The new pilot project underway is focusing the technology on refurbishing the exterior blocks used to build large office and residential towers. For example, what is seen as a comfortable room temperature in northern Glasgow is often very different to room temperature in Southampton. As a result, there can never be a “one size fits all” approach to glazing and insulation when refurbishing is underway. The Ferrier Point Research Pilot is designed to examine the feasibility of profiling individual tower blocks before they are refurbished.

* Lean more about GE’s Inspection Technologies business
* Learn more about the CT symposium
* Learn more about the Tower Block project

Learn more in these GE Reports stories:
* “GE helps the preservation experts preserve their HQ”
* “The art of digitally analyzing great art”
* “GE’s tracer hunts for aircraft cracks right at the gate”
* “No more snore losers with GE’s sleep apnea sensor”
* “GE sensors help “Hotheads” stay cool”

Solar-powered water purification units ship to Haiti

GEreporter — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:33:31 +0000

Of the $2.5 million that GE has targeted for earthquake relief in Haiti, $1 million will be used to help the next phase of the response effort — recovery. That stage is already underway with solar-powered water purification units now shipping to the devasted country, along with critically needed medical technologies (such as ultrasound, anesthesia and x-ray) and mobile video units to help search and rescue teams. In addition to the $2.5 million pledge, GE employees have donated $1.5 million to organizations supporting the relief efforts, half of which comes from matching grants from the GE Foundation.Of the $2.5 million that GE has targeted for earthquake relief in Haiti, $1 million will be used to help the next phase of the response effort — recovery. That stage is already underway with solar-powered water purification units now shipping to the devasted country, along with critically needed medical technologies (such as ultrasound, anesthesia and x-ray) and mobile video units to help search and rescue teams. In addition to the $2.5 million pledge, GE employees have donated $1.5 million to organizations supporting the relief efforts, half of which comes from matching grants from the GE Foundation.

Operates anywhere: The technology effectively treats groundwater, surface-water, and recycled rainwater or cistern water. They are solar-powered, portable, and able to produce clean drinking water using the same membrane treatment technology used by large scale treatment plants.

In addition to the Sunspring water purification systems — which GE Water & Process Technologies makes with our partner, Innovative Water Technologies — GE Healthcare has shipped anesthesia units, ultrasound machines and mobile x-ray units. GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies is also sending portable video cameras that can snake into hard to reach places in order to aid search & rescue efforts.

On their way: One of the Sunspring water filtration units is seen here in the warehouse just prior to shipping out to Haiti.

On the go: GE recently launched its latest ultrasound, the Venue 40, which is now being shipped to Haiti. It’s been reduced to a size smaller than a laptop computer.

“A single Sunspring unit is capable of producing 19,000 liters of drinkable water every day,” notes CBS news in its story about the shipment. “The units are quick to deploy and can be operational three hours after arrival.” That means they can have an immediate impact — but they can also be of critical use long-term, as they operate for years.

In addition to GE’s financial donations to the Red Cross and UNICEF, the GE Foundation — the philanthropic organization of GE — is committing a 100 percent match of all employee donations sent to qualified organizations supporting Haiti relief efforts.

“Recognizing the overwhelming blow this disaster has brought to the Haitian people and the country’s infrastructure, GE is committed to help the region in this critical time of need,” said Bob Corcoran, vice president of GE Foundation. “The generosity and activation of our employees is inspiring and the GE Foundation is proud to match their philanthropic efforts.”

On the lookout: The XL PRO video borescope, seen on the left, is made by GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies and will be used by search and rescue teams. The XL Go, at right, is also being shipped. It has the same basic features as the XL PRO, but weighs only 4lbs.

Ready for action: With much of Haiti’s water supply contaminated following the quake, the need for filtration equipment to prevent dysentary and other diseases is extremely high. Here the Sunspring units can be seen just prior to being shipped.

* See a CBS news video about the Sunspring units heading to Haiti
* Read “New miniature ultrasound puts power in docs’ hands” on GE Reports
* Learn about GE’s initial donations following the earthquake

No more snore losers with GE’s sleep apnea sensor

GEreporter — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:21:09 +0000

Sleep apnea is a common disease that affects millions of people all over the world — and one of the key ways of treating it is by sleeping with a mask hooked to a machine that gently blows air into the throat. In these systems, the air pressure is adjusted so that just enough is delivered in order to stop the airways from being narrowed during sleep. And it’s GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies’ Nova Pressure Amplified series of sensors that can provide the critically imporant calibrations and stable pressure measurement that’s required. Sleep apnea is a common disease that affects millions of people all over the world — and one of the key ways of treating it is by sleeping with a mask hooked to a machine that gently blows air into the throat. In these systems, the air pressure is adjusted so that just enough is delivered in order to stop the airways from being narrowed during sleep. And it’s GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies’ Nova Pressure Amplified series of sensors that can provide the critically imporant calibrations and stable pressure measurement that’s required.

Zzzzzz marks the spot: Those who suffer from sleep apnea have one or more pauses in breathing — or they take shallow breaths while they sleep. The pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes, and often occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour, according the National Institutes of Health. It’s one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Under pressure: GE’s sensors ensure that new sleep apnea and respiratory monitors have the best price performance available for critical care and home-use markets.

The tiny sensor — which is smaller than a penny — is a critical component in creating cost-effective sleep apnea monitors that are more accurate and reliable than those currently on the market. The small size, position sensitivity and surface mount packaging help the manufacturers of sleep apnea technologies reduce their costs and improve overall system reliability. GE’s line of sensors are also used in respiratory medical devices, ventilators and anesthesia monitors for home and hosptitals. Read the announcement.

Learn more about GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies in these GE Reports stories:
* “GE’s tracer hunts for aircraft cracks right at the gate”
* “The art of digitally analyzing great art”
* “GE helps the preservation experts preserve their HQ”
* “GE sensors help “Hotheads” stay cool”

GE’s tracer hunts for aircraft cracks right at the gate

GEreporter — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:19:54 +0000

Each year, airlines can potentially lose millions of dollars due to small accidents that occur on the flightline, such as a minor collision with a baggage loader. Currently, an aircraft must be grounded following these incidents while extensive tests are conducted to confirm its integrity and airworthiness. For carbon fiber composites, when damage does occur, it can cause what’s known as “sub-surface delamination” — which is difficult to spot with visual inspection alone. GE’s Bondtracer allows flightline and ramp crews to evaluate the severity of impact damage right at the gateEach year, airlines can potentially lose millions of dollars due to small accidents that occur on the flightline, such as a minor collision with a baggage loader. Currently, an aircraft must be grounded following these incidents while extensive tests are conducted to confirm its integrity and airworthiness. For carbon fiber composites, when damage does occur, it can cause what’s known as “sub-surface delamination” — which is difficult to spot with visual inspection alone. GE’s Bondtracer allows flightline and ramp crews to evaluate the severity of impact damage right at the gate

Putting agent “Bond” on the case: Under a license from the Boeing Management Company, GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies developed the Bondtracer, a simple tool that will allow flightline and ramp crews at airports to quickly and easily evaluate possible damage to composite structures caused by accidental collisions with baggage loaders and other vehicles.

As aviation news site flightglobal.com notes: “GE likens Bondracer to a common stud-finder, with a green light indicating consistent undamaged thickness and a red light indicating an unanticipated change in thickness. The tool is designed for ramp personnel with no non-destructive training or certification.”

Developed in cooperation with Boeing and building upon the Boeing Ramp Damage Checker invention, GE’s Bondtracer will help operators dispatch airworthy aircraft quickly, preventing unnecessary grounding or flight delays and providing significant savings. While the Bondtracer can be used on any plane with a composite structure, it will be particularly useful on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which makes greater use of composite materials in its airframe and primary structure than any previous Boeing commercial aircraft.

“Carbon fiber composites require different processes for evaluating impact and performing non-destructive inspection,” says Theirry Laffont, aerospace segment leader at GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies. “Our goal with Bondtracer is to provide ramp crews with a simple device to quickly determine when more extensive inspection is required. The solution allows airlines to ensure safety, while increasing efficiency and productivity.”

* Read the announcement
* Learn more about Bondtracer
* Read the story on flightglobal.com

The art of digitally analyzing great art

GEreporter — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:05:02 +0000

Thousands of works of art from ancient Egypt to 20th-century Europe are on hand to dazzle visitors to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. But the views art lovers won’t see are the ones taken by GE’s digital radiography technology to help curators better understand the condition, design, and history of their great works.Thousands of works of art from ancient Egypt to 20th-century Europe are on hand to dazzle visitors to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. But the views art lovers won’t see are the ones taken by GE’s digital radiography technology to help curators better understand the condition, design, and history of their great works.

X marks the spot: The museum’s Satyr with Urn, an Italian sculpture believed to be from the 16th century, is seen through the lens of GE’s CR50P digital scanner. The X-ray image reveals wax drippings and circular metal plugs in the statue.

The Walters’ conservation and research team uses GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies’ CR50P digital scanner to capture images of their collection and then analyzes, archives and shares the images with colleagues across the art world using GE’s Rhythm software.

“We X-ray works of art because it allows us to better understand them,” said Terry Drayman-Weisser, Director of Conservation and Technical Research at the Walters. “An X-ray can help us determine the best way to preserve the piece, understand how it was made and whether it has changed or deteriorated over time. It is also a useful tool in evaluating authenticity and whether parts were added later.”

Seeking inner beauty: The CR50P is a portable computed radiography scanner that’s light and compact enough to be used for on-site inspections at remote locations. It’s the first field portable scanner in the GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies line with the ability to scan different imaging plate formats and sizes, making it ideal for field applications.

The Walters uses GE’s digital radiography to analyze pieces such as ancient vases, bronze statues and paintings. The CR50P uses flexible imaging plates, enabling the Walters’ team to curve a plate on the inside of a three-dimensional object, such as a vase or statue, to analyze one side at a time. Occasionally, an X-ray of a painting reveals a different painting underneath. In one instance at the Walters, the painting underneath could be dated to a later period than the style of the painting on top, indicating that the painting on top was a fake.

Prior to acquiring the GE digital scanner, the Walters used traditional radiography with film and wet processing. Using this technique, it could take days to determine the appropriate exposure, capture the image appropriately and process the film. “It was a lot of effort to get what you wanted,” said Weisser. “A lot of time, expense and frustration.”

With the GE digital scanner, the Walters conservation team can process an image in 10 minutes. Following the image scan, the conservation group uses GE’s Rhythm software to download and manipulate the image. Rhythm also enables the conservation team to measure and compare what they see in the image, such as core pins in a Renaissance bronze statue that may be invisible to the naked eye.

The Walters has been using radiography since 1935 when the team used a medical unit in a lead lined box. In the 1970s, the Walters purchased a second unit for dense objects. The digital scanner from GE is the first digital X-ray system the museum has acquired.

* Learn more about GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies
* Read about GE’s technology being used in building preservation

GE helps the preservation experts preserve their HQ

GEreporter — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:14:02 +0000

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) has been fighting to protect historic structures since it was founded in 1877 to fight the highly destructive ‘restoration’ of medieval buildings being practiced by many Victorian architects of that era. So when it came time to ensure the integrity of its own historic Spital Square headquarters in London, the famed organization turned to GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies to help it monitor critical temperature and humidity conditions.The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) has been fighting to protect historic structures since it was founded in 1877 to fight the highly destructive ‘restoration’ of medieval buildings being practiced by many Victorian architects of that era. So when it came time to ensure the integrity of its own historic Spital Square headquarters in London, the famed organization turned to GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies to help it monitor critical temperature and humidity conditions.

Young at heart: The results taken from GE’s monitors will be compared with measurements taken after SPAB’s headquarters, seen above, undergoes simple and inexpensive modifications to determine if the building has increased its energy efficiency.

Mike Parrett, the consultant building pathologist and SPAB trustee, explains, “We can view all of the measurements taken by the system whenever we have access to the Internet. We can quickly access environmental levels and trends within the building and/or drill down to specific measurements from specific sensors.”

Matthew Slocombe, project manager, adds, “We find the alarm thresholds very useful, as an e-mail is automatically sent to me and Mike if and when a threshold is crossed. This allows great peace of mind, as I know that any potential problem will be flagged up well before any serious damage or deterioration can occur.”

GE’s Hygrotrac system uses small wireless relative humidity (RH) and temperature sensors. The system was easily installed in each of the rooms of the Spital Square building and they are programmed to transmit temperature and RH readings at regular intervals to a central data acquisition gateway. The information is then accessible, at any time, to the project managers simply by logging onto a dedicated website.

The system was installed in December 2008 and has already yielded useful data for the project team, prior to the initiation of the modification work in May 2009.

* Learn more about GE’s work at SPAB
* Visit SPAB’s website

GE sensors help “Hotheads” stay cool

GEreporter — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:41:09 +0000

Heatstroke has killed 33 football players — most of them high school athletes — since 2005. To stop these preventable deaths, entrepreneur Jay Buckalew invented a helmet that detects when a player is at risk for developing heatstroke. Available this month, the “Hothead” helmet uses technology from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies to read when players’ body temperatures are exceeding a safe threshold, and relay these readings to coaches.Heatstroke has killed 33 football players — most of them high school athletes — since 2005. To stop these preventable deaths, entrepreneur Jay Buckalew invented a helmet that detects when a player is at risk for developing heatstroke. Available this month, the “Hothead” helmet uses technology from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies to read when players’ body temperatures are exceeding a safe threshold, and relay these readings to coaches.

Early warning: The transmitter, battery and antenna fit inside a headband in a helmet. Photo courtesy of Hothead Technologies and Technology Review.

Making this helmet was of personal importance to Buckalew: he collapsed from heat exhaustion one day while installing telecommunications equipment on a roof. But turning a dream into a working device was no easy feat, and early versions were fraught with challenges. For example, how could sensors embedded in helmets distinguish between ambient temperature and body temperature? And how could it take into account differences in individuals’ body temperatures?

So Buckalew and his colleagues at Hothead Technologies turned to GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies — known for making precision equipment for the healthcare industry, including a skin sensor for babies in incubators. His request: make a temperature sensor that would take accurate, insightful measurements to inform coaches of impending danger while avoiding false alarms. Placed in a helmet cushion against a player’s forehead, the rugged device also establishes a baseline for each player, so individual differences — as well as changing body temperatures characteristic of heatstroke — can be considered. The readings are sent via radio frequency to coaches’ PDAs, which can store the readings on data bases.

Hothead Technologies is hopeful that the device will save many more lives and will eventually be used for military personnel, firefighters, miners and construction workers.

* Lean more in MIT’s Technology Review
* Lean more about GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies