Challenge

The customer needed a way to simplify the process that was required each time a piece of large equipment was delivered to one of their customers. The existing process and detailed delivery checklist was costly due to the significant amount of time required from the delivery person as well as the customer. The existing process also did not integrate with existing enterprise systems and created additional data entry work.

Solution

A responsive web application was designed to streamline the process for inspecting an equipment delivery and to receive the necessary sign-off from their customers. Integrations with multiple enterprise systems were created to eliminate the need for additional data entry. Robust searching and reporting functionality was developed to save time and reduce costs associated with the delivery process.

Outcome

The custom equipment delivery system introduced multiple efficiencies into the process that reduced the customer’s overall costs. The time required for the equipment inspection process was decreased and the manual effort previously needed to update multiple enterprise systems was eliminated. The cost savings led to multiple software revision cycles to further refine the process and continue to reduce costs.

Challenge

Bearings are a critical component in many power producing systems and need to be maintained for optimal efficiency. A customer needed a tool that would allow a Run vs Repair assessment to be performed on a bearing with minimal equipment downtime and without the need to send the bearing to a specialist.

Solution

EfficiencyLab developed a mobile application that is used to capture detailed measurements and design attributes for a variety of bearing types. EfficiencyLab worked closely with a bearing specialist and Subject Matter Experts to develop an algorithm to determine the severity and impact of different types of bearing damage. The mobile application supports offline functionality so that a repair assessment can be performed in locations without internet access.

Outcome

The mobile application has enabled users to perform an initial repair assessment of various bearing types while significantly reducing the time and cost required for a similar assessment provided by a specialist. The flexible framework created by EfficiencyLab allows new bearing types to be added while keeping the development costs low.

Challenge

The customer needed to gain a better understanding of the costs associated with potential modifications to preventive maintenance strategies. This was an important area for cost reductions due to new requirements that emerged as a part of the Nuclear Promise initiative.

Solution

A web application was developed by EfficiencyLab to perform a cost assessment of existing maintenance plans and provide details on the cost impacts resulting from changes to those plans. EfficiencyLab worked closely with Subject Matter Experts to create a cost algorithm that allow users to optimize their maintenance plans.

Outcome

The custom system allows users to create detailed cost assessments and integrates with other enterprise systems to simplify the exchange of maintenance information. The web application is being used to satisfy cost reduction requirements related to the Nuclear Promise initiative.

Challenge

The customer needed a system to conduct tests and provide certifications to engineers that work at a variety of power plants. The solution also needed to serve as a registry of certified engineers that could be referenced by companies looking to hire contractors for specific tasks.

Solution

A web application was created to administer tests that were created and stored within the testing system. The results of exams were stored in a searchable registry that serves as an electric power industry resource for verifying the abilities of engineers before they are hired.

Outcome

Users of the testing and registry system can easily find skilled engineers with certifications in specific areas. This system improves the efficiency of the certification process for engineers and the hiring process for power companies. It is designed with API’s that allow it to communicate with other enterprise systems and saves the customer money by eliminating the need for repetitive data entry.

Challenge

A collection of detailed 3D models produced by the customer were not being utilized. There was a need to find a way to make many 3D models readily available to users in a format that was easy to use and understand.

Solution

EfficiencyLab created an Augmented Reality Library of 3D models to organize the assets and make them readily available for collaboration, meetings, and presentations. An ability to add notes and other information to 3D models was designed for a more interactive experience. This extra information was made available to other enterprise systems through a custom API.

Outcome

The collection of 3D models created by the customer are now regularly used throughout the organization to demonstrate equipment and concepts that were previously difficult to convey to an audience. The addition of an Augmented Reality Library has helped to achieve a positive ROI for the initial 3D model creation effort.

Challenge

Creating and justifying a preventive maintenance strategy is a time-consuming and expensive process when a significant amount of equipment is involved. The customer needed a process to capture best-practices and recommendations for maintenance tasks and procedures based on years of real-world experience. The system needed to allow users to perform risk assessments due to modifications of the recommended maintenance strategies.

Solution

A maintenance planning framework was developed by EfficiencyLab as a web application that allows the customer to store all preventive maintenance plans and make updates through a controlled revision management process. EfficiencyLab worked closely with Subject Matter Experts to develop a risk assessment tool that informs the user of potential equipment failures due to modifications in the maintenance plan.

Outcome

The web application is a widely used resource adopted by the electric power industry to establish and justify maintenance plans. The solution continues to be supported by EfficiencyLab and benefits from regular updates and improvements based on real-world usage and feedback from users.

Challenge

A specialized training program was needed to teach engineers to perform maintenance tasks and repairs on specific types of equipment. The actual equipment is not readily available for training due to difficulties with conducting training sessions on location. A realistic training experience is critical to ensure a thorough understanding of the physical attributes of the equipment.

Solution

Efficiency Lab developed a customized training experience with Augmented Reality for the Microsoft HoloLens that allows engineers to see and interact with realistic 3D models of the equipment. The training experience allows engineers to see maintenance tasks performed, identify key components, and interact with the equipment’s controls.

Outcome

Customer was able to significantly reduce the cost associated with training for equipment that could not realistically be provided for training purposes. The training curriculum was designed to provide certification results that integrate with existing enterprise testing platforms.

Challenge

The customer needed a process to capture details about storm events that led to outages and equipment damage to reduce costs associated with power restoration efforts. Being able to review and compare how past storms impacted the electrical grid would allow for better preparation for future storm events.

Solution

EfficiencyLab created a GIS mapping solution that captured data from a variety of weather data services. The solution creates recordings of storm details that exceed thresholds set by users regarding wind speed, precipitation amounts, and other important indicators. These recordings can be played back and analyzed in a map interface to help create effective restoration plans.

Outcome

The customizable mapping system records storm events for future analysis and allows users to create optimized restoration plans based on known costs and lessons learned from previous storms and outage events.