Bader emphasized the importance of a riskbased approach to prioritise critical valves and optimise maintenance resources . Implementing a risk-based maintenance ( RBM ) strategy is crucial for effectively managing valve assets and ensuring plant safety and reliability . The first step in an RBM approach is to conduct a comprehensive valve criticality assessment , evaluating each valve based on criteria such as its function , failure modes , and the potential consequences of failure on safety , environmental impact , and production loss . By ranking valves according to their criticality , operators can prioritize maintenance efforts and allocate resources more efficiently . Highly critical valves require more frequent inspections and π www . valve-world . net Valve World September 2024
End User Interview
End user collaboration drives valve innovation and reliability
Bader Al-Jarallah , a Valve Engineering Consultant at Saudi Aramco , shares his invaluable insights on the critical challenges facing the valve industry and discusses strategies for optimizing valve performance , reliability , and maintenance in this exclusive interview with Valve World .
By Melonie Dodaro , Valve World
Bader Al-Jarallah has an extensive educational background , with a B . S . in Mechanical Engineering and M . S . in Material Engineering . He joined Saudi Aramco in 1995 and has served as the Chairman of the Valve Engineering Standards Committee , in addition to being a committee member for several engineering standards . “ Since joining Aramco , I have dealt with various design , commissioning , operations , troubleshooting and maintenance issues related to valves . This diverse experience has given me a well-rounded perspective on valve lifecycle management ,” Bader shared .
Advancements in additive manufacturing
Reflecting on major changes and developments in the valve industry , Bader noted the increasing focus on additive manufacturing . “ Technological advancements in digitalisation and materials have led to growing interest in the advantages additive manufacturing can provide for valves , such as optimised designs , reduced lead times , and on-demand spare parts .” Additive manufacturing allows for the creation of complex geometries and lightweight structures that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods . This opens up new possibilities for valve design optimisation , leading to improved performance and efficiency . In addition , additive manufacturing can streamline valve production and maintenance processes by enabling ondemand production of components , reducing lead times and inventory requirements . This is particularly advantageous for spare parts , as it eliminates the need to stock a large variety of components and enables faster replacement of critical parts . Additive manufacturing techniques like selective laser melting and electron beam melting also allow for the use of highperformance alloys and even gradient materials , expanding the options for valve materials and enabling the creation of valves with enhanced durability , corrosion resistance , and temperature tolerance . However , Bader acknowledged the challenges associated with additive manufacturing adoption in the valve industry , such as ensuring consistent quality control , validating the longterm performance of additively manufactured valves , and establishing industry standards and guidelines . Despite these challenges , he remains optimistic about the future of additive manufacturing in the valve sector as the technology continues to mature and more companies invest in research and development .
Risk-based approach to valve maintenance
Bader emphasized the importance of a riskbased approach to prioritise critical valves and optimise maintenance resources . Implementing a risk-based maintenance ( RBM ) strategy is crucial for effectively managing valve assets and ensuring plant safety and reliability . The first step in an RBM approach is to conduct a comprehensive valve criticality assessment , evaluating each valve based on criteria such as its function , failure modes , and the potential consequences of failure on safety , environmental impact , and production loss . By ranking valves according to their criticality , operators can prioritize maintenance efforts and allocate resources more efficiently . Highly critical valves require more frequent inspections and π www . valve-world . net Valve World September 2024
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