GE’s John F Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC), located in Bengaluru, is a 50-acre site with a $220M GE investment. It collocates 5000+ engineers from technology teams of all the GE businesses and the R&D team of GE Research. JFWTC has a unique multi-disciplinary ecosystem that fosters innovation; enabling GE businesses to deliver to our customers around the world with speed, scale and unmatched expertise. Since its inauguration in 2000, JFWTC teams have contributed to 3,800+ patent applications filed by the parent General Electric Company; while delivering cutting edge technology solutions across Power, Aviation, Renewables & Healthcare.
To derive the best advantage from a multi-disciplinary nature of its organization, it has aligned its purpose with the premise that everything a horizontal team does is to make the vertical (business) stronger. An example of the innovation undertaken at JFWTC is from its renewable energy business. A significant part of the work on developing the customized wind solutions for low wind regime markets comes out of its teams in India. The engineers in India have developed data-driven solutions to provide more efficient and reliable wind power to customers in India and in similar markets with low wind speed sites. The predictive maintenance and time on wing technology in the Aviation business is helping customers avoid un-scheduled engine removals and drive higher efficiency. The legacy of building world-class machines matched with its digital expertise drives innovation for better business outcomes for customers and helps ‘research meet reality’. It is also proud of the community outreach program that our volunteers drive. In 2019, they touched 3,00,000 lives in the community in the areas of education, skill development, health & environment. A culture of winning with an innovative mindset and a high trust-high performance culture makes them a Great Place to Work-CertifiedTM
GE India technology centre plays a huge role in the value it creates to meet regional market needs. In the Aviation business, they use AI / Digital Solutions to improve the operational efficiency of the engines. Their inspection technology improves life-predictions to optimize the maintenance schedules of the engines that helps customers prevent unscheduled downtime. In Renewable business, it pioneered the Low Wind Speed segment that has been specifically designed for the Indian wind conditions & market needs. Today, the design innovation across blade, tower and hub is helping customers be more competitive, drive higher efficiency, with lower costs. The latest turbine 2.5 132, specifically designed for Low average wind speed conditions, is the tallest machine installed in India with 196m of tip height. In the Gas Power business, the state-of-the-art labs at JFWTC enable world class design and validation for Gas Turbine platforms including the world class HA (9HA & 7HA) platform. The team designs innovative products that drives efficiency, reliability and flexibility for our customers. We deliver high impact across the engineering value chain in the region & globally. In Healthcare, our Discovery IQ – the most widely utilized and trusted PET/CT system amongst clinicians across the world continues to be enabled with innovative technologies. Most recently, it has been designed with a motion free technology and a zero blur image & auto-in feature that enables no exposure to radiation for operators. Designed and manufactured in India, this product is launched for India and the world.
With significant annual investment on R&D, GE ITC also partners with the government to create next-gen technology solutions through strategic partnerships. For example: It has partnered with IIT Madras to develop a ‘Cold Spray’ SMART (Surface Modification and Additive Research Technology) to build and repair metal parts using additive technology with greater precision, leading to longer asset life and reduced costs.