Transit authorities and operators in Asia Pacific are increasingly focusing on the deployment of advanced technologies for asset management of rail systems.

There is certainly a move away from preventive to condition-based and performance-based maintenance. Authorities and operators are also exploring predictive maintenance solutions as well as maintenance analysis and planning tools to minimise costs and service disruption, improve safety, and best utilise the funding available. There is also a focus on the assessment of whole lifecycle costs, lifecycle management, data capture and analysis, and the deployment of rail enterprise asset management and rail monitoring solutions.

The deployment of advanced technologies hinges on the development of asset management policies and lifecycle strategies. Transit agencies and operators need to ensure that an asset management roadmap has been drafted, asset condition trending and assessment have been conducted, decision support systems have been deployed, risk-based analysis has been carried out to ascertain asset criticality, and condition monitoring and optimised maintenance approaches have been identified. In addition, agencies need to budget adequate funds for the maintenance and deployment of state-of-the-art technologies.

Another critical area for transit agencies and operators is the understanding of ISO 55001 standards and receiving certifications. The ISO framework provides several benefits including improved financial performance, informed asset investment decisions, better managed risks, improved services and output, demonstrated social responsibility, demonstrated compliance, enhanced reputation, improved organisation sustainability, and enhanced efficiency and effectiveness.

The final big theme in the asset management industry in the region is the challenge of, and the opportunity presented by, data and analytics. Research reveals that the current systems are not producing the type and quality of data required for analysis, and adequate funding is not being allocated to collect data. Moreover, the existing data management tools are not able to support business decisions. As a result, organisations are looking to deploy advanced technologies such as drones, smart sensors, artificial intelligence, big data, internet of things (IoT) and predictive analytics to exploit the opportunities presented by data collection and technologies.

In light of these advancements, Global Mass Transit is hosting its second conference on Rail Asset Management APAC 2019 on January 23-24, 2019 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Singapore to discuss the deployment of state-of-the-art technologies for condition-based and predictive maintenance for rail asset management, and the need for asset management strategies and plans, assessment of whole life costs, data capture and analysis for decision-making and investment prioritisation.

Mission

The mission of this conference is to encourage discussion among transit agencies/operators, technology providers, solution providers and consultants on condition-based, performance-based and predictive maintenance, development of asset management policies and lifecycle strategies, estimation of whole lifecycle costs, lifecycle management, data capture and analysis, ISO 55001 standards and certifications, and the challenge of, and the opportunity presented by, data and analytics. It will also showcase best practices in developing and implementing asset management plans/strategies and the deployment of latest technologies.

Key issues to be explored

• Asset management policies and lifecycle strategies

• Assessment and minimisation of whole lifecycle costs    

• Aligning with the requirements of BSI PAS 55 and ISO 55000

• Prioritising investments across the network 

• Transitioning from preventive to condition-based and performance-based maintenance

• Understanding predictive maintenance   

• Deployment of enterprise asset management solutions  

• Use of data and analytics

• Key asset management initiatives undertaken by transit agencies

• New technologies and techniques for data and analytics (drones, sensors, IoT, AI, etc.)

• Real-time monitoring solutions