First ever approval of a digital twin health management system for marine applications.

At a press conference today during SMM – the leading international maritime trade fair held 4–7 September in Hamburg, Germany – it was announced that LR’s newly released Digital Compliance has been validated through a co-creation project with GE, resulting in an AiP to ‘Digital Twin READY’ for GE’s Predix Asset Performance Management (Predix APM).

GE’s Predix APM is a suite of software and service solutions designed to help optimise the performance of assets. Each asset can have a digital twin, including the gas turbine, diesel engine, compressors, pumps, alternators, etc. This digital health management system uses digital twins and advanced diagnostic/prognostic techniques – increasing asset reliability and availability while optimising maintenance costs, mitigating operational risks, and reducing total cost of ownership (TCO).

Nick Brown, LR’s Marine and Offshore Director said: “Without practical, effective assurance techniques supported by a marine oriented compliance framework – the evaluation of diagnostics, prognostics and accompanying digital health management technologies will always be subjective.” He continued, “LR’s Digital Compliance now provides this assurance framework, defining how to demonstrate trust in using digital twins and associated digital health management (DHM) systems.”

“Ship operators now can feel confident that by using GE’s Predix APM solutions, they can meet the rigorous requirements of classification as well as data assurance – all the while improving ship maintenance and operations,” said GE’s Brien Bolsinger, General Manager of GE Aviation Marine.

LR’s Digital Compliance provides an assurance and approval framework for DHM system providers and operators applying digital twin technology. With the AiP to ‘Digital Twin READY’, GE is now recognised as providing assurance that Predix APM meets the data, technology and software requirements for a predictive system. The AiP also covers the design, build and functioning of the GE Predix APM.