Asset Management 2024: Designing for Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability...Roundtable interview with three of our conference speakers (2024)

Ahead of our Asset Management 2024: Designing for Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability conference, we caught up with three of the event's speakers as they discuss their roles, technology developments and why it is important for engineers to attend.

Q: Please could you briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience with regards to the your industry and this event?

Kevin Rayment, Network Rail (KR): I designed, manage and set the direct for Network Rail’s mandated process for how suppliers design reliability into every new and changed controlled product. This includes considerations covering the entire product life and whole life cost of ownership.

Lars Ulph, Akselos (LU): As the Sales Director for Northern Europe, my role is pivotal in driving the paradigm shift in how the Energy sector manages its critical assets, thanks to Akselos' patented Structural Performance Management technology. I'm deeply involved in showcasing Akselos' capabilities to key industry players, focusing on refineries, LNG terminals, and offshore assets like FPSOs and FLNGs. By integrating real-time data into mathematically optimised, physics-driven digital twins, we're setting new standards in asset structural management, providing the most precise insights into asset integrity ever achieved.

Neil Arthur, Harbour Energy (NA):I amMaintenance Strategy Lead at Harbour Energy with over 30 years’ experience in Asset Management, Maintenance and Integrity in the Energy and Maritime industries.

Q: What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's conference?

KR: How to further incorporate reliability into the existing processes of specific industrial sectors and how to overcome the challenges of broadcasting the message of the importance of reliability to a company’s suppliers.

LU:At this year's conference, I'm particularly thrilled to delve into the transformative impact of Akselos’s engineering simulation technology. We're not just talking about incremental improvements; we're discussing a seismic shift in reducing risks, enhancing operational efficiencies, and significantly extending asset lifespans. The spotlight will be on our advanced applications in design optimisation, operational value enhancement, and pioneering asset life extension strategies. Our approach embodies a comprehensive, detail-oriented modelling process, emphasising data integration and stringent standards compliance to deliver the world's most accurate structural digital twins.

NA:I am looking forward to the roundtable discussion on safety concerns impacting asset efficiency and performance; the future of design and AI / ML; data collection for design improvement.

Q: Regarding the utilisation of technology, what would you say are the technologies or applications to watch for the future?

KR: I believe that safe, reliable, cheap, environmentally friendly, efficient, low-weight, compact, energy storage is key to a vast array of technologies.

LU:Looking to the future, the advent of Akselos's patented RB-FEA technology marks a watershed moment in realising the full potential of Digital Twins. For years, the ambition to create fully detailed, holistic models of critical assets that could leverage today's vast data pools seemed out of reach. Now, these technologies are not just a possibility but a reality, offering predictive maintenance, accurate risk-based maintenance programs, and a new horizon in design optimisation. These advancements are set to redefine our industry standards, pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible.

NA: AI / ML and the use of operational phase data from e.g. maintenance management system.

Q: Why is it important for engineers to join this conference?

KR: It allows for sharing of ideas and lessons regarding how to save money and improve performance for their businesses. This is particularly relevant now in times of increasing costs due to inflationary pressures.

LU:The importance of this conference for engineers cannot be overstated. We're at a crossroads in engineering and operational methodology, driven by unprecedented advancements in computing power and mathematical modelling. These shifts are redefining our work, priorities, and competitive landscape. Staying ahead of the curve is no longer optional; it's imperative. Adopting technologies like Akselos' Structural Performance Management solution is essential for any engineer looking to grasp these exponential gains and understand how Akselos is revolutionising our approach to asset management and operational excellence.

NA:Increasingly, the ability to communicate reliability considerations in terms of economic impact is essential, especially for design phase projects.

The Asset Management 2024: Designing for Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability conference will be taking place on 26-27 March at the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester. Join this event to:

• Gain insight into how to achieve an optimal level of reliability and maintainability in cross sector asset management
• Comprehend the importance of considering reliability from the early design stages
• Understand how reliability is achieved, managed, and demonstrated in production and operation
• Network with other attendees from a variety of different industries and share experiences
• Learn how to effectively and efficiently manage your systems, products, and equipment to maintain reliability

To book your place, please visit www.imeche.org/assetmanagement.