UTC Aerospace Systems Unveils Intelligent Aircraft Technologies Lab

UTC Aerospace Systems has announced the opening of a new Intelligent Aircraft Technologies Lab based in Rockford, Illinois. The lab is dedicated to the accelerated development of more intelligent and connected aircraft systems to optimize airline operational efficiency while providing new insights for the design and manufacture of highly reliable products.  

This lab will initially be focused on the implementation of health monitoring solutions for generators, air compressors, fans and motor controllers and is planned to quickly expand to include many other components. This flexible environment will enable technicians and engineers to simulate various scenarios and set parameters to analyze responses in order to validate early warning indicators of components and systems.

Primary objectives for the Intelligent Aircraft Technologies Lab include:

• Create a platform/aircraft-agnostic architecture – build a flexible architecture that facilitates the delivery of customer information about their systems and components regardless of the aircraft type.
• Enhance data communication – demonstrate the secure and efficient movement of data from components and systems across an airline's network to enable intelligent connected aircraft fleets.
• Elevate the level of Aircraft System Intelligence – establish the capability to introduce various failure modes, some that are not observable in current aircraft, to establish analytical data sets both at the component level and at the aircraft system level.
• Digital Collaboration – develop digital systems that integrate with a fleet manager's workstation to visually and quantitatively demonstrate the value of an intelligent system and to collaborate on digital solutions to address operational needs.

"Data is the underpinning of the advancements in intelligent aerospace. It is the transformative force for higher levels of operational efficiency and innovative product designs," states Mauro Atalla, VP of Engineering & Technology, Sensors & Integrated Systems. "With technology we have developed over the past several years, we are able to access thousands of parameters from fleets of new and older aircraft.  And with our Intelligent Aircraft Technologies Lab to advance our capabilities, we are on the pathway to a truly connected, intelligent aircraft for our customers."

(Source: United Technologies news release)

FMI: www.utcaerospacesystems.com