Q&A with Luis Fernando Zabala Carvajal

Luis Fernando Zabala Carvajal is a renowned expert in turbo machinery. His company Reliabiliy Solutions operates as a service provider in Bolivia, using TWave products. We have conducted a short interview with him, and here are his wise and interesting answers.

1. How long have you been dedicated to predictive maintenance and what led you to start working in this field? I have been immersed in the fascinating world of predictive maintenance for eight years. I became passionate about this field because it’s like solving a puzzle: by correlating diagrams, techniques, symptoms, process variables, and maintenance history records, one can accurately diagnose the condition of a machine. I enjoy dedicating hours to it, even sacrificing sleep, because the more complex the problem, the more satisfying it is to solve it. Moreover, the positive impact of condition monitoring in the industry, improving the reliability and availability of plants and generating economic savings, also captured my interest.

2. You have the Category IV Vibration Analysis certificate - ISO 18436-2, what advice would you give to those who also aim to get certified? The most important thing is to have a passion for the subject. It is crucial to prepare yourself well before the course or exam and to have practical experience in the field to fully understand the technique and pass the assessments without any issues.

3. Why did you decide to specialize in turbomachinery? Since university, turbomachines have captured my attention due to their complexity and diverse applications. I was able to combine my interest in condition monitoring with turbomachinery, which led me to obtain certification in Advanced Turbomachinery Analysis, making me the first Bolivian to achieve it and one of the few in South America. Moreover, conventional certifications in vibration analysis address turbomachines in a superficial manner (regardless of the institution or trainer providing the course), so specific and in-depth training is required to understand the rotordynamics of these systems.

4. What advantages do you think the TWave T8 has over other systems when working with turbomachinery? The main advantage of the T8 when working with turbomachinery is the set of advanced diagrams, which allows for in-depth analysis and diagnostics on this type of equipment and many others. Additionally, the user-friendly interface and its dashboards, adaptable to any need, greatly assist in performing analyses, as well as in issuing reports. Another very important advantage is the constant improvement by the TWave development team, who strive to include the latest tools in free updates for users, ensuring that there is always a cutting-edge team ready to face any challenge that arises on-site.

Thank you so much for your contribution, Fernando. It’s always a pleasure to talk with you!

Luis Fernando Zabala Carvajal

Reliabiliy Solutions