By taking inspections digital, Rail BI is helping infrastructure managers save time, improve data accuracy and keep renewal plans up to date.

Rail BI has developed a new inspection tool to improve the ease and efficiency of undertaking infrastructure condition assessments, which are used to determine when assets need to be renewed.

Traditionally these assessments would involve engineers downloading and printing spreadsheets at the office, taking them to the track, manually filling in inspection data and then returning to re-enter everything into one or more digital systems. This leaves room for delays, duplication and data entry errors, often leading to renewal plans based on out-of-date information.

However, with Rail BI’s new inspection tool, everything is streamlined.

Modernising a Manual Process

This web-based application features a responsive layout and can be used on a number of devices, from laptop to tablet or mobile. It also works in offline mode, so inspections can be completed even when trackside connectivity is poor, with data syncing once back online. The engineer simply takes their chosen device to a railway asset, completes the inspection directly in the app and submits it on the spot.

The inspection tool can be used for both primary and secondary infrastructure surveys. Users are asked a set of questions chosen to assess the physical condition, environment, reliability and maintainability of the asset, with samples taken from multiple assets within an interlocking area. The tool enforces standardised question formats and input fields, which helps ensure data consistency and reduces the likelihood of mistakes. From this information the app determines a condition store for each asset type, which is then used to estimate when the asset will need to be renewed.

Adam Medley, Head of Operations at Rail BI said:

It’s so simple to use. You go into the app to check which sites have an upcoming inspection, click on the chosen site, select what you wish to assess and then answer some simple questions. You can add additional images or comments for sites, element types or assets and then submit the assessment for review.

When the assessment report has been approved, the condition data is instantly fed into the infrastructure manager’s long-term renewals work bank, automatically adjusting target renewal dates. This means if an asset is in better or worse condition than expected, the schedule can be shifted accordingly – freeing resources for higher-priority works or preventing unexpected failures.

Better Data for Better Decisions

Rail BI’s inspection tool is already in beta testing with the UK’s rail infrastructure manager, and ongoing client of Rail BI, Network Rail. It runs in any modern web browser and, for Network Rail, is accessed via a dedicated site via users Network Rail account details through a single sign-on (SSO) feature, combining secure authentication with simple, convenient access.

Users have reported time savings and an intuitive user interface, with benefits including the ability to easily review previous assessments ahead of a site visit and to complete batch assessments. Beta users estimate that tasks which once took hours can now be completed in a fraction of the time.

Medley added:

One user highlighted how much they liked being able to see maps that show asset conditions for each route.

An additional benefit is that users can access data offline.

Medley said:

In some cases, engineers may not have network connectivity at the site of an asset. Our tool has the functionality to allow offline access to assessment questions and answers, ensuring productivity can continue unabated even when in remote locations.

Book a Demo With Rail BI

By replacing paper-based inspections with a connected, real-time system, Rail BI’s inspection tool is helping rail operators work faster, make better-informed decisions and keep renewal plans accurate and up to date. Its combination of mobility, offline capability, automated data validation and instant integration with systems like Rail BI’s DataStore makes it a powerful step forward in asset management.

If you’d like to see the Rail BI inspection tool in action or learn how it could support your asset management processes, visit railbi.com or contact [email protected] to arrange a demonstration.

Tags

Products & Services

source= https://railway-news.com/streamlining-asset-inspections-with-rail-bis-new-inspection-tool/