Page 43 - Gi February 2019 - flipbook

IGEM NEWS | YPPC Past Winner

OUR MAN IN WASHINGTON

BACK IN 2017, Matthew Maclennan, natural gas,” said Matthew, who Matthew won the YPPC title for
Mechanical Design Engineer at Steve walked an average of five miles a day his paper on the development of the
Vick International, blew the judges as he traversed the massive exhibition. SMARTester system, which comprises
away with his YPPC entry. Among the speakers, Matthew a handset, an app and a dashboard
Winning the final with his paper singled out Michael Hardy, of French database. It provides a searchable
on the development of Steve Vick’s company GRTgaz, who demonstrated bank of definitive test evidence,
SMARTester, an integrated wireless how a consolidated and well- giving the user reassurance of
pressure testing system, Matthew organised innovation team can absolute traceability.
was thrilled to take home the deliver high quality solutions to real The stainless steel sensor sends data
trophy and that incredible prize of a world challenges in the gas to the app where every step of the test
trip to the World Gas Conference, distribution industry. is recorded, helping to drive competency
held in Washington. He also found Wim Van Grunderbeek’s and give engineers the confidence that
The World Gas Conference is held account of Gasunie’s award-winning their good practice is verified.
every three years in the country VR product particularly engaging. Having played a key role in
holding the presidency of the “Using ground penetrating radar and developing SVI’s SMARTester,
International Gas Union (IGU). WGC machine learning has allowed them to Matthew was particularly interested
2018 marked the culmination of the build a highly accurate view of the in the metering products on show.
USA presidency, under the theme subsurface world,” explained Matthew. “Examples of tooling and intelligent
‘Fueling the Future’, and promoted the “The highlight of the presentation was bracketry caught my eye,” he added.
IGU’s key objectives of raising the seeing the augmented reality Away from the conference,
voice of natural gas while offering technology used to display Matthew took the opportunity to
timely updates. information back to the user.” explore Washington, fulfilling a
Matthew described the conference Matthew was especially impressed lifelong ambition to see the space
as a “mind-blowing” experience having with the extensive exhibition space, shuttle Discovery at the Smithsonian
returned from the world’s most which he spent many an hour exploring. National Air and Space Museum.
important global gas industry “I had a go on the DNV GL virtual Discovery flew 39 missions, more
gathering of influential leaders, reality stand, extinguishing a methanol than any other spacecraft in history,
policy-makers, buyers, sellers and fire with all the right PPE on,” he said. and logged more than a year in
experts in June. “And Chevron used their enormous TV space. It became the first of NASA’s
“I met some really interesting screen to broadcast the Football three shuttles to be retired when it
people that had a completely World Cup, which drew some big landed a final time from space on 9
different way of seeing the value of crowds as England took on Belgium.” March, 2011. ■

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