Project proposal
ENS4152 Project Development
Proposal and Risk Assessment Report
A MECHANICAL REDESIGN OF THE CAVALI
WELD INSPECTION PIPE CRAWLER
Matthew Foster
STUDENT NUMBER 10339728
26th of August, 2016
Supervisor: Dr Douglas Chai
Ethics Declaration Checklist (to be completed by student)
Does this project involve the use of: YES/NO
(a) Human participants, NO (b) Previously collected confidential data, NO (c) Animals for scientific purposes? NO
If ‘YES’ to any of the above, then the proposal will not be approved and you will not be allowed to proceed with this project. By submitting this report through the unit website for assessment, you certify that the information provided above is true and correct.
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Abstract
This report details the progress report of an industry collaboration in conjunction with Applus+.
It covers the redesign of Applus+’s laser‐inspection internal pipe crawler from a mechanical
perspective. The crawler redesign incorporates new functionalities to meet client demand. This
includes the addition of vertical traction, chassis redesign to support a line laser, 5D 8” bend
manoeuvrability, and subsea capability to within 50m. The project was overall found to be low
risk. The highest risk areas are financial costs incurred by damage to equipment and downtime.
1. Introduction
1.1. Background
Non‐destructive testing (NDT) is the process of inspecting asset integrity without causing
damage to the asset. The industry is relatively new but has shown rapid expansion over the last
20 years. NDT alone has contributed to a 50% reduction in incident failure rate in oil and gas [1].
Currently, $2.1 billion USD is spent per annum alone on NDT methods to maintain liquid
pipelines [1]. The main area of focus within asset integrity is weld inspection for construction
and operational piping. Large hollow stainless steel pipes are welded together end‐to‐end to
create structural and functional elements of facilities. These pipes can be used to support
extremely heavy loads or chamber fluid flows. Small defects in the welding between the two
pipes can lead to disastrous outcomes such as ingress, buckling, or leaks. Initially, asset
inspection was handled by trained personnel. They would venture into small pipes which were
often dark, dirty, and or dangerous. This proved to be a costly, high risk operation that often
meant it would get neglected and pushed into the backlog. The advancement of robotic
technology has drastically increased the scope and safety of NDT operations since then, allowing
for remote controlled machinery to perform the necessary tasks.
Applus+ RTD is a global industry‐leading asset inspection company that focuses on NDT
methods. In Australia, they work closely with energy and resource sectors to provide quality
assurance of asset integrity. The CAVALI (Camera Aided Visual And Laser Inspection) is a pipe
crawler robot designed provide feedback on the integrity of internal pipe welds. It was created
in April 2015 on a 4‐month lead time by a team of Applus+ RTD engineers. It was created in April
2015 on a 4‐month lead time by the Applus+ engineering team. The relatively short lead time
meant that the product specifications were made only to meet the needs of the client. This
resulted Applus+ compromising on the ideal range of functionalities. This report details an
industry collaboration between final year Edith Cowan University students and Applus+
engineers to redesign the CAVALI to meet those functionalities. The perspective of this report
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will focus primarily on how to accomplish the mechanical criteria, but will detail the major
electrical and software components for a holistic understanding of the process.
1.2. Motivation
Industry collaborations can often be difficult to arrange with different goals and expectations
from all parties. However, when done successfully they can be an extremely rewarding
experience. The motivation behind choosing an industry collaboration with Applus+ RTD is a
multifaceted approach that is already yielding great results. The personal motivation extends to
wanting a project that is relevant to industry, and explores the current engineering technologies
and methods. This can act as a positive catalyst when it comes to future discussions and
opportunities. Not only being familiar with how a certain industry works, but actually
contributing to that industry provides a massive competitive edge over peers relying on
academic results and theoretical knowledge. That competitive edge comes to fruition when
looking for graduate offers, or even entrepreneurial ambitions.
Working with industry leaders Applus+ RTD opens the path to a wide range of
opportunities. The Applus+ group has established themselves as a highly reputable company
built on 80 years of excellence. They set a high standard on innovation, precision, and
knowledge; this aligns with the philosophy of the design team. Within Applus+ RTD, product
design is handled by the Applications Centre. The applications centre has a strong track record
of producing cutting edge designs tailored to fit client needs. The high quality outcomes have
resulted in substantial value added to the Applus+ group. As such, they been given more lenient
budgetary constraints on future design projects including the CAVALI redesign. This is an
important factor in final year projects as it one of the most common reasons why projects can
fall short or fail.
There are currently 16 different non‐destructive testing methods using a variety of
mediums [2]. The application centre team focus primarily on the design of crawlers that use
laser, ultrasonics, visual, thermal, and radiography. This offered multiple options for project
selection. Some potential projects included an ultrasonic nozzle scanner, a pressure balanced oil
filled bladder, and a predictive programming calibration. However, the redesign of the CAVALI
was chosen because it best compromised between both parties’ desired outcomes. Applus+ RTD
prioritised the redesign of the CAVALI as one of the top items in the backlog. CAVALI’s inability
to function subsea or on vertical traction had recently resulted in a lost business deal. However,
the redesign is currently backlogged and estimated to take at least a year. As such, it worked
well within the time constraints of both parties. The design team agreed that the CAVALI was
the best choice because of its challenging yet achievable scope. The design team has also had
previous experience with installation of a line laser. This allowed for a more accurate estimate
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on time required, and applicable knowledge to speed up the design and implementation
process.
1.3. Objectives
The objective of the project is to upgrade Applus+ RTD’s signature internal pipe crawler. The
CAVALI (Figure 1) is designed to drive inside pipes and check for weld defects [3]. It uses a
combination of laser ranging and camera visuals to provide imaging feedback on new
construction welds.
Those goals can be split up into the three engineering fields of software, electrical, and
mechanical. The redesign is to be built up from inception which will removed constraints at the
cost of additional time investment.
Figure 1 The CAVALI Pipe Crawler
Software
The upgrade of the LIDAR scanning apparatus is the top priority of the project. The original
CAVALI uses a dot laser which can take up to 30 minutes to scan a single weld. The laser will scan
a loop of the weld in 1mm iteration in welds that are estimated to be up to 20mm in longitudinal
length. Switching to a line laser can speed up this process to under 40 seconds. The line laser is
capable of scanning the entire length of the weld in a single rotation.
Electrical
The main electrical component upgrade will consist of changing the communication protocol
from Ethernet to Controller Area Network. It will also be pivotal in supporting the various
mechanical and hardware components, as well as establishing their respective constraints. The
main focus areas include the power supply and transformation, power supplied to the drive
mechanism, power supplied to rotate the laser, and space required to house components and
cables.
Mechanical
The mechanical has a large variety of potential functionality upgrades. These include vertical
traction, chassis redesign to support a line laser, capabilities to pass through 5D 8” bends, leg
extension to 42” pipe diameter, and subsea sealing to within 50m. Each of these functionalities
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can be achieved by adopting current market technologies. The challenge lies in creating a design
that achieve all of those functionalities, or partially achieve them with compensation methods.
Discussion between both parties has been a critical factor in establishing the potential
outcomes and expectations of the project. A top down list was developed to set out those
outcomes into four possible categories.
1. Complete Build – most desirable outcome using actual materials and passing the factory
acceptance test. Beyond Applus+ RTD’s expectations.
2. 3D Printed Build – highly desirable outcome that can show problems not visible in
modelling software. Beyond Applus+ RTD’s expectations.
3. CAD/CAM Drawings – desirable outcome that can realistically lay out how the design
will function. Applus+ RTD’s higher expectations.
4. Concept Drawings – acceptable outcome that illustrates a proposed design. Applus
RTD’s expectations.
It is the goal of the design team to reach the complete build or 3D printed build outcome.
The complex design of the project integrates the various fields of study within
engineering. This can lead to vagueness and ambiguity when deciding the responsibility of a
task. As such, a holistic approach will be used to overcome those issues. This means all members
of the design team will need to understand every system in the design, not just those within
their field of study. This is a costly time investment, but should lead to a better result.
1.4. Significance
The significance of the project is lies in its positive value to all involved parties. The design team,
Applus+ RTD, and Edith Cowan University (ECU) all benefit greatly so long as an acceptable
outcome is reached. Failure to reach an acceptable outcome is one of the most notable risks
which is covered in the risk assessment section below.
Design Team
The design team gains first‐hand experience with a real engineering project. Alongside this,
access to a wealth of resources at the Applus+ RTD workshop. Some of these resources include
knowledge from working professionals, technical documents, buying power, and heavy
machinery. Real projects can give insight into future career paths, operational knowledge, and
valuable industry contacts.
Applus+ RTD
Applus+ RTD benefit by gaining an improved design or product without having to divert current
staff to backlogged items. Alongside this, a fresh perspective is brought to the design process.
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The gain can be summarised as significantly adding value to the company by upgrading their
product and increasing their market potential.
Edith Cowan University
ECU benefits by improved relations with industry. A successful project reflects on the teaching
quality and facilitation provided by the university. This can lead to potential future
collaborations, and better networking opportunities. It can also attract potential students
looking to study at ECU.
Alongside this, the desired functionalities have not yet been successfully combined into a
single pipe crawler. Successfully achieving all design criteria would be creating a state‐of‐the‐art
product.
2. Proposed Approach
The redesign of the CAVALI is a complex operation that will draw from the mechanical, electrical,
and software engineering fields. Achieving the best results starts with the team selection. The
design team was selected based on strong track records, previous experience, and group
cohesion. The group is comprised of Matthew Foster (Mechanical), Rick Hurlbatt
(Mechatronics), and Jarred Asquith (Instrumentation and Automation). The group has opted for
a specialised approach aiming to complete the critical components to a higher degree. However,
there is a void of knowledge with electrical engineering knowledge. Applus+ RTD has agreed to
this approach and arranged to assist in this area if needed.
The engineering design process will be derived from the template provided in Shigley’s
Mechanical Engineering Design [4]. The process follows the following steps: Identification of
need; Definition of problem; Synthesis; Analysis and Optimization; Evaluation; Presentation.
Each step has a feedback loop into every previous step to illustrate the iterative nature of design.
Another engineering design process template will be supplemented from Engineering Your
Future [5]. This template expands on each step in more detail.
The work will be divided into tasks based on the applicable field of study, and then
assigned to the respective member of the design team. An overview of the major tasks and
assignment can be seen in Attachment 4.
The mechanical perspective poses a large challenge due to combination of desired
functions. The individual functions can be achieved by relying on the engineering body of
knowledge, and existing solutions already available in market. There will be a large amount of
time invested to researching client demand, and communicating with Applus+ RTD. Design ideas
will be graded against the Mechanical Design Functionality Criteria as seen in Attachment 3.
The aim is to create a priority order that can shape and give weighting to design ideas.
It also allows for necessary compensation methods to be considered earlier during the design
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process rather than being an ad hoc thought. For example, a potential design could have subsea,
5D bend manoeuvrability, and vertical traction capabilities. However, it could be limited by
having a leg extension factor of 1.5. This means the maximum vertical pipe diameter is only 1.5
times that of the minimum. If the minimum diameter is set for an 8” pipe, then the maximum
would be 12”, and unable to take on the larger diameters. A compensation method could be to
use exchangeable legs with various lengths to reach the larger sizes. As such, the earlier
discussion and research method will optimise the design process. To facilitate this, the design
team will be working at the Applus+ RTD workshop one day a week. The workshop has access
to manufacturing machinery such as 3D printers, CNCs, and lathes. They also have a large supply
of engineering materials such as stainless steel and Delrin. These will be useful resources during
the prototyping stages.
Standardised software will be used for ease of collaboration. Mechanical modelling will
be done on Solidworks 16, electrical circuitry on Altium 16, and software programming on
LabVIEW 15.
The three major mechanical functionalities can be categorised into vertical traction,
subsea, and pipe manoeuvrability. Initial ideas and research areas are listed below:
Vertical Traction
The principle of this relies of heavy friction between contact surfaces to prevent the crawler
from sliding. Dreadnaught wheels can accomplish this by providing a larger contact surface area
with more stable supports. This design also favours hub motors, which could eliminate any
moving parts through the chassis and keeping the electrical components well protected.
Subsea
The main area of research with subsea capability is understanding material properties and
tolerances. Ingress could result in disastrous damage to the electrical components so this will
require quality assurance by factory acceptance testing.
Pipe Manoeuvrability
The leg extension method could be handled in numerous ways such as spring loaded, pneumatic
control, electric servo control, or scissor lift extension. The most important consideration is to
guarantee there is enough tangential force relative to the pipe to generate ample friction.
3. Timeline
The project will be split into three major time periods: Semester 2 2016, University Recess 2016‐
17, and Semester 1 2017. The schedule consists of hard deadlines set by ECU during the
semesters, and ideal project phases set by the design team. A Gantt chart is included in
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Attachment 1. This Gantt chart is purely a high level overview and detail has been omitted to
reduce clutter.
The Gantt chart has been taken from Wrike, an online project management tool which
will be used for this project. Wrike can plan, schedule, and designate tasks for multiple groups
and projects in an efficient and easy manner [5]. It is hosted on a cloud server to allow multiple
users to access and collaborate in real time. This will allow for effective communication and
scheduling between the members of the design team. It will also extend to provide transparency
between Applus+ RTD and the design team. Alongside this, deadlines from personal tasks can
be integrated to the timeline. This promotes pre‐emptive scheduling by accurately forecasting
high workload periods.
A critical path can be implemented into Wrike by adding subtasks and dependencies.
This can be seen in the Gantt chart as the arrows connecting each task. It is currently too early
in the design process to generate a complete critical path diagram. This will be more applicable
once the design ideas have been researched and expanded.
At this stage there is too little information to make a resounding statement regarding
whether the design timeline is realistic.
4. Risk Assessment
The risk assessment will be categorised into design personnel, operators, organisations, data,
and equipment as seen in Attachment 2. Personnel refers to anyone who is involved in the
design and build stages, while operators refer to people who will be using the finalised build.
The distinction was made because the risks associated to both parties differ vastly.
Personnel is comprised of the design team, and Applus+ RTD engineers and machinists.
The main risks to the design team can be categorised under ergonomics and the organisational
risks covered below. The machinists will experience elevated risk levels, and should follow in
house operational protocol.
Operators will have an elevated level of risk consequence due to potential medical
injuries that may occur from use. These are largely derived from mechanical pinch points,
electric shock from residual current, and burns from overheated components. Appropriate
training and information must be supplied to operators before use.
Financial losses from equipment is the largest risk category. This will occur from
potential design failures that go through unnoticed and damage equipment. The current design
is estimated between $50,000 and $100,000. This is mostly due to the expensive electrical
components. This is critical for subsea operations where exposure to even a small amount of
water can short circuit and permanently damage the electrical systems.
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Vertical traction also poses a large risk to the equipment due to potential design failures.
The crawler is partially supported by an umbilical rope. This could prevent a fall if the crawler is
going vertically down a pipe and loses traction, but not going vertically up a pipe. The chassis
will be built using sturdy engineering materials such as stainless steel but there will be limitations
on how much shock it will be able to absorb if the crawler falls down the pipe from large heights.
The organisational risks are ranked low but there is still a very high priority in minimizing
and mitigating those risks. This is because successful averting those risks can create high
potential for future collaborations and opportunities. However, without knowing what those
future occurrences might be there has be an assumption made based on the minimum valuation.
All operators must follow the guidelines set out by the relevant codes and standards.
The standards and codes used is determined by the client which can lead to inconsistencies.
Below are some of the most common codes and standards used on CAVALI operations:
ASME B31.3 Process Piping Guide [6]
AS 2211 Laser Safety [7]
AS 2397 Safe Use of Lasers in the Building and Construction Industry [8]
TD‐06 CAVALI Technical Procedure [9]
5. Progress to Date
A logbook of past events in included as Attachment 5. The early planning and weekly meetings
has helped keep steady progress. The design team has various initial concept ideas. Using Wrike
has drastically increase the foresight and planning.
6. Conclusion
This report details the design proposal and risk assessment of an industry collaboration in
conjunction with Applus+ RTD. The redesign project is set to upgrade the CAVALI pipe crawler
to meet client demand. This will be achieved by adding in vertical traction, subsea sealing, line
laser, and other functionalities. The design team will be working closely with Applus+ RTD
engineers to develop a product that is as close as possible to desired specifications. Tasks will
be delegated to the design team based on their field of study. However, a holistic approach will
be taken due to the complex systems involved. The risk assessment found the project to be low
risk. The largest areas of potential risks are associated with medical injuries to operators, and
financial losses from equipment damage.
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7. References
[1] American Petroleum Institute; Association of Oil Pipe Lines, "Annual Liquids Pipeline
Safety Performance Report & Strategic Plan," American Petroleum Institute; Association
of Oil Pipe Lines, 2015.
[2] ASNT, "Intro to NDT," 2016. [Online]. Available:
https://www.asnt.org/MinorSiteSections/AboutASNT/Intro‐to‐NDT.
[3] D. Naude, "and here is the CAVALI," 15 April 2015. [Online]. Available:
blog.applus.com/and‐here‐is‐the‐cavali‐crawler.
[4] R. G. Budynas and J. K. Nisbett, Shingley's Mechanical Engineering Design, New York:
McGraw‐Hill, 2015.
[5] D. Diwkubg, A. Carew and R. Hadgraft, Engineering Your Future, Queensland: John Wiley
& Sons, 2013.
[6] Wrike, "Product," Wrike, 2016. [Online]. Available:
https://www.wrike.com/tour/?utm_expid=75732941‐53.R26u02yaQW‐
EJuFqKtPdqQ.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrike.com%2F. [Accessed 25
August 2016].
[7] AMSE, "AMSE B31 Process Piping," The American Society of Engineers, New York, 2015.
[8] Standards Australia, "AS 2211 Laser Safety," Standards Australia, Western Australia,
2004.
[9] Standards Australia, "AS 2397 Safe use of lasers in the building and construction
industry," Standards Australia, Western Australia, 1993.
[10] D. Naude, "CAVALI," Applus+ RTD, Perth, 2015.
Attachment 1 – Timeline Chart
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Attachment 2 – Risk Assessment Matrix
Ri sk
R ef
er en
ce
Risk
Consequences
Current Risk Treatments
Current Level of Risk
Additional Risk Treatments
Residual Level of Risk
Li ke
lih oo
d
Co ns
eq ue
nc e
Ri sk
L ev
el
Ra nk
in g
Li ke
lih oo
d
Co ns
eq ue
nc e
Ri sk
L ev
el
Ra nk
in g
PER-01 Damage to eyes from occupational overuse of computers.
Eye fatigue and strain that may lead to damage.
Regular breaks and eye strain prevention techniques. 1 1 1 L Apply Eye Drops. 1 1 1 L
PER-02 Muscle strain and spinal sublimation from bad posture. May need frequent spinal adjustments to reverse or prevent damage.
Regular breaks and stretching.
1 2 2 L Active exercises that targets posture and strengthens core
and back. 1 1 1 L
PER-03 Injury due to manual handling of heavy objects. Variety of injury risks, commonly include damage to back or shoulder tendons.
Proper lifting techniques and not overexerting. 1 3 3 L
Using more members to assist with carrying loads. 1 3 3 L
PER-04 Injury due to use of heavy machinery. Variety of injury risks. Proper operational use and identifying, assessing, and controlling all known risks involved.
2 4 8 M Using automated technology
where possible (CNC/3D Printing).
1 2 2 L
OPE-01 Electrical shock from residual current. Exposure to open circuits or charged electrical components may cause electric shock.
Avoid handling the machine while operating. Anyone who receives an electric shock must be checked at hospital regardless of severity.
1 3 3 L Only trained operators should handle the machine. 1 1 1 L
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OPE-02 Injury due to mechanical components.
Hands getting caught in the various mechanical components may cause permanent damage.
Proper handling of the machine during operation and maintenance.
1 3 3 L Avoid handling during operations. 1 3 3 L
OPE-03 Injury due to laser contacting with eye. Laser is level 2 classification and should only cause damage if there is continuous exposure.
Follow company protocols and codes (TD-06) as well as the industry codes (JHA 2211).
1 1 1 L Avoid inspecting the laser
directly even when switched off.
1 1 1 L
OPE-04 Injury due to overheating components. Touch testing motors or high power electrical devices could lead to serious burns.
Take caution when performing inspection or maintenance operations. Avoid contact during use or immediately after.
3 3 9 M Use thick gloves while
handling the machine when overheating may be an issue.
1 1 1 L
EQP-01 Faulty design of mechanical, electrical, or software components causes damage to other components.
Expensive costing leading to part replacement, downtime, and time to redesign.
Deliberation and collaboration to repeated check design schematics.
2 3 6 M Well stated assumptions may
alleviate the liability of designers.
2 1 2 L
EQP-02 Vertical traction failing mid operation when there is no available umbilical suspension for support.
Excessive force from falling will damage components, possibly leading to an entire write off.
Machine costing, failure to complete job, downtime, and redesign time.
2 3 6 M Avoid crawling up pipes unless absolutely necessary. 1 3 3 L
EQP-03 Subsea ingress causing damage to electrical components.
Major damage to the critical electrical components.
Part replacement and design re-evaluation. 2 3 6 M
Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) to assure waterproof
standards. 1 3 3 L
DAT-01 Infringement of Intellectual Property. Redesign of infringed parts. May incur penalties.
Check through the relevant patent designs during the design process to avoid incidental duplication.
1 1 1 L Applus+ have a QAQC
department that deals with this area, contact for further
support. 1 1 1 L
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DAT-02 Loss of work due to corrupted files, malware, etc. Set back on progress, may be unable to correct redesign and cause further issues.
Backing up all files on online cloud services. 1 2 2 L
Using work laptops specifically for this project. 1 1 1 L
ORG-01 Disclosure of confidential Applus+ information.
Dependant on the severity of the breach. Plausible outcomes include damaged relationships, termination of project, and/or liability claims.
Follow company protocols and codes. 1 3 3 L
Use password protection on all relevant applications 1 3 3 L
ORG-02 Project being shelved due to budgetary constraints. Termination of project. Ineffective time management and projection selection.
Constant communication with Applus+ during the design process to consent on budget spending.
1 2 2 L Forecasting value of the
proposed design to confirm the worth of the project.
1 1 1 L
ORG-03 Failure to complete task due to poor collaboration. Poor design cohesion, amplified problems, timeline setbacks, etc.
Constant communication and feedback. Using Wrike to manage the project. Exercising good team orientation skills.
1 2 2 L Weekly progress meetings. 1 1 1 L
ORG-04 A poor outcome may damage relations between ECU, Applus+, and project designers.
Ceasing future industry collaborations. Shadow cost of possible value created through strong relations.
Forecasting expectations and possible outcomes. Transparency in communication.
2 2 4 L Involving all parties in weekly discussions on technical and
conceptual topics. 1 2 2 L
Activity Risk Rating 1.00 Low
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Attachment 3 – Mechanical Design Functionality Criteria
Design # Min Pipe Diameter (inches)
Max Pipe Diameter (inches)
Vertical Subsea Weight (kg)
Dim. Bend Radius
Design 1
Design 2
Design 3
Design 4
Design 5
Design 6
Design 7
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Attachment 4 – Major Task Designation
Chassis Traction Subsea Line Laser UI Comms BDC Motor Visual Electrical
Matt x x x x
Rick x x X x x
Jarred x x x x
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Attachment 5 – Log book
Date Task Hours
13/5/16 Meeting with Tim Morris
17/5/16 Initial Contact with Applus Team
26/6/16 Follow up Contact with Applus Team
30/6/16 Meet and Walkthrough of Applus Workshop 3
19/7/16 Finalization of Team and Supervisor 1
29/7/16 Initial Team meeting of All Relevant Members 3
5/8/16 Maintenance of the CAVALI, Test Run Inspection and Brainstorming
6
12/8/16 Drafted Risk Assessment with Applus+ 6
19/8/16 Researched Applicable Codes and Standards 6