Transforming Process Safety with Digital Twin and Augmented Reality: A New Era in Permit-to-Work and LOTO Management | AIChE

Transforming Process Safety with Digital Twin and Augmented Reality: A New Era in Permit-to-Work and LOTO Management

Authors 

In the rapidly evolving landscape of industrial operations, ensuring process safety and efficiency remains paramount. The integration of advanced technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) into permit-to-work (PTW) digitisation marks a transformative leap forward. HyBird exemplifies this advancement by leveraging digital twin capabilities and AR features to enhance safety, streamline workflows, and capture data with perfect context.

This abstract explores the critical role of AR and MR in preventing errors and ensuring data accuracy, alongside the digitisation of PTW and Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) processes. AR and MR technologies facilitate immersive interactions with digital twins, providing real-time, contextual data that enhances decision-making and operational efficiency. The digital twin technology offers a photorealistic 3D visualization of facilities, continuously updated via a mobile app using AI algorithms. This ensures the digital twin remains current, relevant, and accurately contextualized, thereby preventing misunderstandings and reducing reliance on workers' tacit knowledge.

Furthermore, the AR mobile app overlays digital information onto the physical world, enabling workers to visualize equipment data, documents, and maintenance workflows directly in their field of view. This immersive interaction significantly reduces potential errors by providing precise, real-time data about the assets. The app also enables tagging of defects and hazards, which are geotagged and integrated into the digital twin, eliminating the need for additional office reporting.


Digitising the PTW process with HyBird capabilities represents a significant leap in safety and efficiency. Traditional PTW processes are often manual and paper-based, making them difficult to maintain and audit. By incorporating digital twin and AR technologies, HyBird provides a 3D context to PTW and LOTO planning, allowing for more robust and precise execution of these critical safety procedures.
During LOTO planning, detailed visualization ensures that all steps are thoroughly understood before execution, mitigating risks and preventing accidents. The integration of smart P&IDs with the digital twin enables quick identification and location of components, essential for effective isolation and permit management. This is particularly beneficial in congested areas or for onboarding new staff unfamiliar with the facility layout.

During the execution phase, the AR mobile app guides operators through each step of the PTW and LOTO processes. By overlaying digital instructions onto the physical environment, the app ensures workers follow correct procedures, significantly reducing human error. This enhances operational safety and efficiency by providing real-time data on equipment specifications, maintenance history, and safety procedures.


One of the most significant advantages of these technologies is their ability to capture and contextualize data accurately. AR and digital twin technologies ensure all data is spatially and temporally contextualized, transforming tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge accessible to the entire organization. This capability enhances safety, improves maintenance strategies, reduces downtime, and extends equipment life.
The integration of AR and MR into industrial operations, particularly in PTW digitisation, represents a significant advancement in process safety and efficiency. By providing a 3D context to PTW and LOTO planning and execution, these technologies mitigate risks and transform industrial asset management. This abstract highlights the transformative potential of these technologies in ensuring safer, more efficient industrial operations.