Roadmap for Digitalized Asset Integrity Management System

Abstract

Asset integrity management system (AIMS) consisting of risk based inspection (RBI) and inspection management system (IMS) coupled with digitized equipment records and use of inspection tablets/mobiles will make paperless system for fast and timely decisions & actions. This paper provides a roadmap for implementation of an efficient and cost effective asset integrity management system that will increase the plant reliability & availability, decrease the time and efforts required for inspection, thus ultimately reducing the associated costs of operations. In this paper, the focus is towards digitalized AIMS that should make a company move to digital transformation and enabling it to adapt to industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, data analytics, machine learning etc. First step is to perform a gap assessment of existing system to compare what is currently available within organization and what is required for going fully digital for AIM. Next step is to identify software features that are required for AIM digitalization and establish them as point based rating system which are used for rating best suitable software available in the market. Unique features for RBI module, inspection management module and field interface (tablet) module are identified with appropriate weightage to influence the software selection decision. Finally, an estimation of required resources, manpower timeline is provided that will guide in all phases of the implementation. Return on investment on such projects is manifolds. The digitalized AIM will greatly reduce the cost of day to to asset integrity management operations as it will no longer be needed to use multiple paper based reports and separate systems for RBI and IMS functions. Use of field tablet/mobile with possibility of artificial intelligence tools, will significantly reduce the time required for inspectors to do the on site inspection/testing & reporting. Interfacing of digitalized system with ERP/CMMS will automate the work order/notification system. Thus it will reduce an overall effort both in terms of time & money. The roadmap for digitalization of AIMS system will help any organization to make its AIMS digital and achieve the benefits of such system. The methodology provided is unique and can be adopted as best practices by the industry for digitally transforming the AIMS.