GE Aviation opens pneumatics laboratory

GE Aviation, Rockford commissioned a world-class facility that enables the company to test jet engine components under a full range of temperatures, pressures and other conditions. The Advanced Engineering Pneumatics Test Laboratory, known as AdEPT, represents a US$13m investment, and will help fuel continued growth at the Rockford plant. The new facility is dedicated to testing of complex, high-precision components including engine pneumatic valves, starter systems, turbo machinery, heat exchangers, and bleed air systems. The 20,000-ft² AdEPT lab is capable of simulating a wide variety of conditions, combining pneumatic temperature, pressure and flow to simulate real-world conditions.
The Rockford facility is expanding as production of GE Aviation’s jet engines reaches record levels. The 150,000-ft² facility employs a total of 220 people, including nearly 100 hourly production workers, a commercial team, and an engineering staff of more than 40 people. The facility manufactures and repairs a variety of components that support both GE’s commercial & military jet engines, as well as powerplants for helicopters, naval vessels, and tanks. Products include pneumatic and electro-mechanical valves, utility actuators, temperature controllers and high performance fans and blowers.