BVAA Lunch & Learn: How robust is your design?

Join us for the next 'Lunch & Learn' event in the BVAA's Next Generation programme of lunchtime activities. 

What is it?

It’s a series of short and snappy lunchtime webinars, designed for the next generation of industry professionals, and delivered by experts in their field. 

This 30 minute webinar is free to attend, with questions from the audience actively encouraged.  Open to BVAA Members ONLY.

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Subject: How robust is your design? Using Optimisation and Uncertainty Methods to strengthen valve engineering decisions

Session Description: In safety-critical and highly regulated environments, valve and actuator design engineering decisions are often based on limited design iterations and deterministic analyses. While this approach can demonstrate compliance, it can leave significant uncertainty around performance, reliability, and margin. In this Lunch and Learn, James Bewley, Head of Engineering at PDL Solutions will share how the team uses advanced optimisation and uncertainty methods to turn complex engineering models into confident, defensible design decisions. They will explain how they systematically explore design spaces, quantify sensitivities, and expose key trade‑offs to ensure that their clients understand not just what works, but why it works, how sensitive it is to change, and where risk truly resides. This empowers better‑informed investment decisions, stronger assurance arguments, and designs that perform reliably in real‑world condition - not just in simulation.

Presenter: James Bewley CEng MIMechE MAPM, Head of Engineering at PDL Solutions

About James:

James is the Head of Engineering at PDL Solutions, and a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with over 27 years’ experience delivering complex engineering programmes across the nuclear, defence, energy and industrial sectors. He leads multi-disciplinary teams delivering advanced analysis, design assurance and engineering solutions within highly regulated and safety-critical environments. Throughout his career, James has led and supported major engineering programmes involving valve systems, pressure equipment, nuclear process plant, subsea hardware and safety-critical infrastructure. His expertise spans advanced simulation techniques including CFD, FEA, design optimisation and uncertainty methods, alongside systems engineering, requirements management and design assurance.

James has extensive experience helping organisations make robust engineering decisions by understanding not only whether a design complies, but how it behaves across a wide range of operational conditions, uncertainties and performance drivers. His expertise focuses on reducing uncertainty in engineering decisions, mitigating technical risk, and strengthening assurance arguments through evidence-based analysis and structured engineering approaches. Alongside his leadership role at PDL Solutions, James is also the Chair of the Northeast Branch of the Nuclear Institute, supporting collaboration, technical expertise, and professional development across the industry.

Details:

• Tuesday 8th September 2026
• 12:30 - 1:00pm
• Online Via Microsoft Teams

For further information, and to book your place, contact Sophie Anderson: sophie@bvaa.org.uk.

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