About SMPES, LLC
Saba Metallurgical and Plant Engineering Services, LLC (SMPES, LLC) was founded in 2004 by Brent M. Saba, PE-ME/MT. While working at a chemical plant as a Sr. Plant Engineer/Sr. Metallurgist, a complex repair project arose where multiple specialists were brought in to provide quotes for servicing this repair. A piping engineering firm was brought in and said the problem to be corrected was a piping problem; a structural engineer was brought in who said it was a structural problem; and a mechanical engineer was brought in and said that it was a pressure design problem. Each of the specialists did not, or could not, look outside their area of expertise to evaluate if something else might have been the cause of the problem. In the end, it was a metallurgical issue. SMPES, LLC was formed from this confusion to provide a one-source, multi-disciplinary approach to evaluating and solving engineering problems.
Although SMPES, LLC routinely performs basic engineering services, its specialty lies in the realm of advanced engineering services. SMPES, LLC has the tools and knowledge to perform highly technical simulations and co-simulations using finite element analysis (CFD) and computational fluid dynamics (FEA). Many difficult projects are passed down from engineering firm to subcontractor to further subcontractor. These projects end up at SMPES, LLC. Whether it’s complex high cycle system vibration studies, high temperature low cycle-creep fatigue, nearly impossible metallurgically degraded weld repairs, fracture mechanics crack initiation/crack propagation studies, or flow-induced fluid-structure vibration co-simulations, SMPES, LLC has the solution and computational power its clients need. Further, SMPES, LLC services in the materials/metallurgy fields provide an insight into engineering evaluations that is too often overlooked by most stress engineering firms. Please see our Projects page for more detailed descriptions on some of our highlighted projects.
About the Owner-Principal Engineer
Brent M. Saba, PE-ME/MT is the owner and principal engineer of SMPES, LLC. He has both a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University. Additionally, he is currently enrolled to complete his doctorate studies in Mechanical Engineering, which were put on hold several years ago as he had to focus on his rapidly growing business. In addition to his degrees, he is both a registered professional engineer in Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy and has licenses in numerous states. Initially working at Factory Mutual Engineering starting in 1991, he was able to obtain his NBIC Authorized Inspector license, including the “A” (shop) endorsement. While at FME, he was immersed in ASME/API Codes on a daily basis, as well as daily boiler and pressure vessel inspections, welding repairs, and failure analyses. He then worked for PPC Mechanical Seals, where his primary goal was providing vibration/seal consultation and training. In two of the plants he serviced, each experienced approximately $1M of savings per year, from the reduction in mechanical seal and machinery costs, not even including the gain in production uptime.
Finally, before starting SMPES, LLC, he worked at CF Industries, where he was Sr. Plant Engineer/Sr. Metallurgist. Here, simply, he was exposed to the daily plant life and strenuous turnarounds and has developed a strong empathy for turnaround engineers and their immediate need for answers. From here he learned what a plant really needs in engineering studies and can more easily relate to the problem at hand than consultants without this experience. Please see his curriculum vitae for a more detailed background of his expertise and experiences.