Key takeaways from the 2022 AIChE Spring Meeting

Key takeaways from Voovio at the AIChE Spring Meeting 2022

Photo: Clint Jeffus, Paul Cook, Fran Montemurro, Michael Brendel (from left)

1. Attendees at this year’s AIChE conference

This year’s AIChE was relatively well attended, but not on the same scale as previous years. Thanks to our two presentation slots on the first two days, we engaged with many companies, some of whom are already users of our operational excellence platform. Companies who came to our presentations and booth included Dow, Westlake, Air Products, Formosa, Bayer, Archer Daniels Midland, DuPont, Syngenta, Evonik, Shell Midstream and many more.

2. Consensus on the values of Enhanced Reality for Operations

The theme of our presentations was focused on the technology itself, Enhanced Reality (ER), and how this has several advantages over other technologies for supporting operations and maintenance workforce preparedness. As you may know, ER can be used on any device with a web browser, is easy to use and update. Some discussion was generated around the cost and time it takes to update other technologies used for field applications, such as CAD based technology. The consensus was that ER technology is much more realistic, easier to use and maintain than CAD based solutions, which makes sense when the use case is around solving workforce preparedness and reducing procedure incidents. CAD has many other successful use cases, but less so for operations.

3. Two major limitations of Augmented Reality & Mixed Reality

One attendee said they see AR (Augmented Reality) and MR (Mixed Reality) as where the real value lies for field operators. We agreed that there are great use cases for wearables and on-demand assistance when in the field, particularly in discrete manufacturing. However, the audience also agreed that these solutions have two major limitations for chemical and petrochemical applications:

  • AR/MR does not build competency, prepare operators or even measure competency before going into the field; they need to be in the field, in front of the equipment to utilize it.
  • AR/MR requires large investment in time and content generation, and therefore updating is also cost intensive

There was some discussion about the hardware limitations too and safety implications of having ‘distractions’ for field operators while they are performing hazardous or complex tasks, as well as offline capabilities with spotty WiFi or cell service in some production areas.

4. Leaders in the industry are facing the same challenges

The key takeaway for us, was that all our process safety, operations, maintenance and other attendees were still looking for the right solution for preparing their workforce more effectively, keeping expertise in-house and reducing incidents in the field. They all agreed that Voovio’s Operational Excellence Platform is the first solution they’ve seen that combines effective workforce preparedness, competency measurement and in the field assistance with the realism, investment and sustainability goals they desire.

We are looking forward to next year’s AIChE Spring Meeting and Global Process Safety Congress and we will continue being big supporters and innovators for our industry.

Images from the 2022 AIChE Spring Meeting:

Date and Location:

  • 10th – 14 th April 2022
  • Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
2022 AIChE Spring Meeting