1 Solution to 8 Weak Perspectives of Asset Integrity Digitalization

1 Solution to 8 Weak Perspectives of Asset Integrity Digitalization

Away from a collision course
The ongoing push for digitizing petrochemical industries has some valid reasons for plant operators reluctance to it. While certain digitalization elements deserve a praise in a generic context, applicability constraints do apply in specific areas. One of such challenging applications is the Asset Integrity market, e.g. engineering problems and services relevant to operational degradation of equipment and its failure risk control. We firstly glance at the eight categories of novel offerings, as shown in the picture, in this very context. Then we will outline one adequate solution for a failure risk control effective upgrade towards better confidence, sustainability and safety. This is achievable right now and at a minimum change requirement. Disclaimer: This article is not a comprehensive text on the above digitalization pillars. It outlines a high level critical…
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The Big Shortage

The Big Shortage

Away from a collision course
In this series of posts, I decided to share my attempts to find an objective rationale of the currently heavily-promoted global policies. We will re-think a broad spectrum of those media-trendy topics together. This first episode 'Big Shortage' identifies the humankind’s actual major problem for today. This post is conceptual for opening minds to a critical thinking we will need in the next posts to follow. Frankly, I do worry about my kids’ future. One thing I keep telling them is: ‘Don’t get zombified by TV news. It’s normal there to ask you a wrong question. Then you are offered two wrong answers to that wrong question, to debate on and get you engaged emotionally. The actual problem can lay at a higher level you don't see. Stick to the…
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10 major problems of RBI – Solved!

10 major problems of RBI – Solved!

Why new RBI?
Here we identify 10 typical and ever-returning problems of traditional RBI methods and eliminate them forever via our new RBI methodology.Get ready for novel ideas beyond the traditional thinking and get ready to discover a holistically new upgraded World of Asset Integrity for the future. Problems: NDT tools and coverage Firstly, cheaper corrosion inspection tools (manual UT) remain overwhelmingly popular. In return, they produce a false scatter of thickness readings. This scatter often triggers follow-up inspections, can also drive incorrect decisions. More importantly, the choice of UT spots and the extent of inspection coverage is a 'boomerang' problem in every RBI round. One solution is expanding the inspection coverage. Though, it isn't a panacea due to high costs. A human factor in RBI planning also contributes: Less importantly, but changing…
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Freeware CAD and FEA 2020 – Part 1: User friendly  options

Freeware CAD and FEA 2020 – Part 1: User friendly options

FEA and stress analysis
Our review of free CAD & FEA software. Contest results of FreeCAD, GMSH and SalomeMeca2019. Explore their features pros and cons for general use cases. We found one absolute winner in this contest. A familiar commercial software can boost engineers productivity to a maximum. The downside is its cost, especially for research and education projects. The good news for 2020: We found that some GNU software has now evolved to user friendly products, suitable for a variety of problems and user knowledge levels.  Intro To begin with, being involved in any kind of engineering, either by profession or as a hobby, you have probably faced the challenge of choosing a CAD software for: making a drawing, preparing a model for your 3D printer, simulating an object for stress analysis (FEA),…
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5 Levels of Risk Analysis. How many do you have?

5 Levels of Risk Analysis. How many do you have?

Why new RBI?
Equipment risk analysis is a core activity in plant risk management. Many spears were broken about prioritizing individual equipment monitoring and risk controls, to ensure its safe and reliable operation. We have arrived to the capability of performing risk assessments at 5 levels of depth. This multi-level approach enables a two-fold cost/benefit optimization: analysis cost is minimized and a risk cost analysis is enabled where required. This article shows applications to pressure equipment inspection planning (RBI). Drivers for multi-level RBI We naturally recognize two levels of approach to engineering problems: First-pass system screening for criticality In-depth analysis of critical elements only This sequence of tasks well optimizes time and efforts. The only precaution is not to get locked into the screening step (1) solely. Critical objects require a detailed analysis…
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FEA Nocturne – Time for Change?

FEA Nocturne – Time for Change?

FEA and stress analysis
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is indispensable for visualizing a structural response to a wide spectrum of loads and design options. FEA enables plotting a stress/strain field for complex geometries, which is not feasible to do by hand calculations. It appears that FEA services lose popularity in our industry. Here I share my thoughts why this happened, and conclude on how to improve the FEA practicality and to embed it into the plant asset management process. These tips are for FEA practitioners only. Fig. 1. FEA analysis loop, as it should be Introduction - What is FEA at a glance? Structural Mechanics force, displacement and stress calculations are well suitable for simple, idealized objects like beam frames (steel bridges, tower cranes, scaffolds etc.). Real structures usually have multiple 'complications' like joints…
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Online IDMS/RBI software made by integrity engineers

Online IDMS/RBI software made by integrity engineers

Why new RBI?
Did you ever wonder whether Integrity engineers can make a good IDMS platform by themselves? Other than just an RBI spreadsheet or MS Access database? Would that be different to the IT market offers? Triple YES! The below text outlines our new concept for a new level of the software user friendliness. It originates from our many years exposure to integrity engineering workflow and from many attempts to automate it. The AIM data® is online and ready to use. The Need for the New During many years of RBI exposure, we observed three major data management gaps: As soon as the number of inspection data grows, spreadsheet based analysis capability becomes limited. Just too many numbers, and too much copy-paste work. Spreadsheets work up to a point. What if we…
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3 Pressure Relief Devices for Integrity Engineers

3 Pressure Relief Devices for Integrity Engineers

Why new RBI?
Caring after plant integrity is a busy and stressful work. Human psychology is such that defending the current environment is confused with staying in a comfort zone. Albeit this zone may not be comfortable at all (same outcomes from same contractors, same burden of responsibility and document management, same questionable risk management confidence). If you wish to change this routine environment, consider the holistic improvement of integrity tasks: 1. Know your Risk Cost and Safety Implications Likely, one thing in the back of your mind might be: 'How confident are we about what we do for the equipment integrity and safety'? - an obsessive question. Consider all those people going on site and doing the hard work there. And also - all the resources being spend over a facility life.…
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What is Gigacycle Fatigue importance for pant operators?

What is Gigacycle Fatigue importance for pant operators?

FEA and stress analysis
It is known that the 1st fatigue curve was created in XIX century by German engineer August Woehler. He investigated why railroad carriage axles fail in a delayed manner. The Woehler's phenomenological fatigue model was correct and remains generally valid now. However, there are some additional limitations and improvement ideas, which are necessary for practical vibration fatigue predictions.     Misconceptions first Consider the above graph meaning: The Number of stress cycles to failure (N) is a function of the Stress amplitude in each cycle (S). More stress means less life, as shown by the red line. The yellow line simulates a constant amplitude fatigue limit. Finally, the green line is the variable amplitude stress cut-off, e.g. no fatigue damage is assumed in design for lower stresses. The historical reason…
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Why immediate savings impair plant safety?

Why immediate savings impair plant safety?

Why new RBI?
We can construct an optimal plant integrity management strategy. It will comply with your specific budget goals safely. Sounds too good? It will involve a step change in integrity data assessment methods. Mentioning 'safety', what comes into the mind of plant workers? PPE, JHA, KPI and more well recognized abbreviations. What is the prominent message from a typical safety induction session? 'If you don't commit unsafe actions in workplace, you will be fine out there!' Workers well remember such messages, safety. They follow the rules, but the clock is ticking. Because those procedural health and safety measures in place are just one side of the medal. The other side of the medal is the equipment technical integrity condition - a more sophisticated issue, which largely defines the risk environment where…
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Why new RBI?

Why new RBI?

Why new RBI?
Here we start a new series of posts which explain what exactly we offer by our New integrity management methodology. Please don't hesitate to communicate your thoughts or critics. Welcome aboard our rocket ship!   Issues with traditional RBI? Risk Based Inspection planning (RBI) is on the scene for decades. Its rightful concept of proportioning integrity budgets to failure risks is a great common-sense solution for cost optimization. The ever increasing budget savings pressure highlighted one major inability of the published RBI methodologies though. Financial management of industrial plants has set a question, which integrity management personnel can't reply: 'How much budget saving results from integrity management costs?' What happens is that both parties - integrity responsible and finance responsible - are striving to adopt a correct decision. But sadly,…
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Let’s make the New Year positively different !

Let’s make the New Year positively different !

Why new RBI?
HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON TO EVERYONE ! Welcome the New Year of opportunities. Our preceding posts address major quality gaps of integrity engineering. Is there a panacea solution? We believe: Yes! This article encompasses all we have presented earlier in this blog and bonds these topics together. This is our engineering philosophy for a new, better year coming. Situation Analysis A Christmas tree is an amazing sight: So beautiful! The lights are blinking, running here and there. Everything is shiny. Looks like an action, but no, these are rather visual effects with no other use. Certainly, our organizations aren't created for visual effects , but still, there can be internal spectators judging the business process entirely by its appearance. For example, someone responsible for safe and reliable operation of an equipment…
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Is this assessment or design?

Is this assessment or design?

FEA and stress analysis
Equipment integrity design and assessment methods are not only linked to different life stages. These methods are essentially different in their concepts. A strange mixture of design and assessment data can be observed in engineering reports where this difference is misunderstood. Let's find the logic for engineering tools selection from the decision confidence standpoint. The engineering 'Reality' I describe the purpose of engineering activities as understanding and addressing the Reality for a continued safe operation of the equipment. Reality here is the equipment actual load bearing capacity in the environment of real operational loads and damage processes. This is a key element of the design Quality. Otherwise, not controlling the equipment integrity will jeopardize the cost/benefit control aspirations. Once, I was involved in some bidding on a small fitness-for-service (FFS)…
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Failure Probability vs Failure Frequency

Failure Probability vs Failure Frequency

Why new RBI?
Failure Probability is relevant to individual equipment and is a function of time. Failure frequency is relevant to a population of units, and is averaged over a time span. Which level of consideration should we use? It depends on the context and our goals. Let's drill this topic down from rocket science to engineering practice. There were 85 orbital launches in 2016 (refer this page). Two of them failed. The failure frequency was 2 / 85 ≈ 0.024. But does this tell us wether the pictured rocket will reach the orbit? No, it doesn't. The failure frequency tells us what is the chance of reaching the orbit in any contemporary rocket. This is subject to the nowadays technical and managerial environment and applies if nothing changes over time. If any…
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Is it possible to become 100% compliant and what for?

Is it possible to become 100% compliant and what for?

Why new RBI?
As we spoke in this post, the oil and gas immediate savings motive has a potential for safety issues. And here we discuss the safety compliance options, and outline an umbrella against major incidents and their implications. We start from a brief of the Australian Health and Safety legislation. Please refer to your local health and safety (H&S) legislation as well. Legislation overview The Australian top level enforceable safety law is the Workplace Health and Safety Act (WHS Act, 2011), which is the legal framework for penalty decisions. It is supplemented by WHS Regulations (reference [1]). These Regulations describe general requirements to the H&S risk control. In addition, there is a range of State approved Codes of Practice (CoP) which provide practical guidelines on how to meet the WHS Act…
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Savings on staff explained in numbers

Savings on staff explained in numbers

Away from a collision course
Is your organization changing its staffing plan? Is there a voice that taking more graduates on board will be more economical? Does it look like seniors (those costly and hardly manageable) are replaced by juniors (freshly thinking and self motivated)? This topic is coming up every noun again, and we tried to examine it in dollar figures. Assume a virtual engineering company which has 5 seniors and 5 juniors. This team currently does 100% of the monthly work and makes a gross monthly revenue of $150K average. The salary fund is 1/3 of this number and the seniors are paid twice more than juniors, thus we have the equation  5*2*x + 5*x = $50K, where from a junior gross salary is $3.300, and a senior is getting $6.600 gross. Sounds…
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