In this episode of Reliability 4.0, we explore the intersection of corrosion science, regulatory compliance, and predictive reliability with Dheerajkumar Narang, a Corrosion and Reliability Engineering Specialist pursuing a PhD at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Dheerajkumar unpacks what “Corrosion Management 4.0” really means and how modern plants can use data-driven methods to optimize inspection strategies, reduce operational risk, and maintain compliance with frameworks like API RP 581. He also shares how machine learning models can reduce bias in risk-based inspection (RBI) programs and improve asset integrity planning.

We also discuss how root cause analysis (RCA) integrates with inspection data management systems (IDMS) and why corrosion mechanisms are often the first clue to solving failures in process industries. Dheerajkumar emphasizes the importance of having a corrosion specialist on your reliability team—particularly when working in high-risk environments like oil & gas and chemical plants. He offers a clear, modern framework for improving long-term reliability through better corrosion and risk assessment practices.