AI will enhance precision of Life Assessment Models: G. Satheesh Reddy at NML Jamshedpur

RLA symposium begins at NML, experts discuss safety, sustainability and extended life of industrial components

Jamshedpur, April 9: A two-day national symposium on “Remaining Life Assessment of Engineering Components (RLA-2026)” began on Thursday at CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, bringing together around 150 scientists, industry experts, academicians and policymakers from across the country. Representatives from leading organisations such as ONGC, Tata Steel, Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum participated in the event.

The inaugural session was attended by G. Satheesh Reddy, Member of the National Security Advisory Board and former Chairman of DRDO, who was the chief guest. The session was presided over by CSIR-NML Director Dr. Sandip Ghosh Chowdhury, along with symposium chairman Dr. J.K. Sahu and convener Dr. Sumanta Bagui.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Reddy described Remaining Life Assessment (RLA) as a critical discipline for ensuring the safety and reliability of India’s industrial infrastructure. “RLA is essential to accurately predict the safe usability of components that have exceeded their design life,” he said, stressing its importance for boilers, turbines, pressure vessels and piping systems.

Highlighting its role in defence, Dr. Reddy said RLA is increasingly being used in missiles, fighter aircraft and other advanced systems where safety cannot be compromised. He also pointed to the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in improving prediction accuracy. “AI-based models will significantly enhance the precision of life assessment, provided we build strong data systems,” he noted.

Dr. Reddy further emphasised the need to extend RLA beyond mechanical systems. “Electronic components are equally critical in modern engineering systems and must be included in assessment frameworks,” he added.

Earlier, Dr. Chowdhury welcomed the delegates and highlighted that nearly 60–70 percent of industrial components in sectors like power, petrochemicals and mining are operating beyond their design life, making RLA essential for safe operations. Dr. Sahu outlined the objectives of the symposium, underlining CSIR-NML’s pioneering role in the field.

The fourth edition of the RLA symposium continues to serve as a key platform for technical exchange and collaboration between academia, R&D organizations, and industry. The technical sessions over two days will cover: (1) Creep and stress rupture-based life assessment; (2) Microstructure-based and Data driven models for RLA; (3) Sensors and advanced NDT tools; (4) Recent advancements in RLA methodologies.

The event has attracted participation from professionals in power, oil & gas, petrochemicals, aerospace, steel, and manufacturing sectors, along with research scholars and students. The organizers stated that such initiatives are crucial for enhancing India’s capabilities in safe life extension of ageing assets, thereby contributing to improved industrial efficiency and national safety.