Flexible Datacentric Execution System

Overview

Vista implemented a datacentric engineering system enabled to modify the facility size and configuration as required with unprecedented efficiency and accuracy.

Client

An Industrial technology startup

Project/Facility

Upgrading demonstration facility

Situation

The client completed conceptual and design basis memorandum (DBM) work for the upgrading facility using a conventional engineering approach and tools. As a startup, however, the client recognized the need for flexibility and sought consultation on a digital project execution strategy.

Our expert team recommended implementing a digital engineering environment and a digital project hub at the start of front-end engineering design (FEED). The data portal was powered by AVEVA’s Integrated Engineering & Design (IE&D) suite and AvevaNET. By requiring all contractors to perform their work within the owner’s digital environment, the client instituted a highly-collaborative and flexible design approach.

Solution

As a new technology startup, the client required the design of the system to be agile based on incoming data from their new pilot plant. Implementation of a datacentric engineering system enabled Vista to modify the facility size and configuration as required with unprecedented efficiency and accuracy.

Modifications are significantly simplified in the single source of truth model because the same data was not was not entered into multiple documents. In traditional, non-digital project execution, engineers and designers are forced to carry out the time intensive exercise of identifying all the locations a single piece of information existed and subsequently modifying the data.

Instead, in Vista’s datacentric model, the data was entered in a single location (database) and individual deliverables pulled that piece of information from the database. When multiple native tools were used, the technical data portalA technical data portal (also known as digital project hub) is a web-based application that allows users to organize, validate and collabo… was leveraged to produce real-time comparisons between the data to identify out-of-sync information. This resulted in the ability to rapidly make changes AND the significant time savings associated with only entering the data in a single location.

Outcomes

Vista adeptly implemented AVEVA’s IE&D tools including AVEVA Engineering, AVEVA P&ID, AVEVA E3D, AVEVA Instrumentation, and AVEVA ERM. By beginning the implementation along with the integrated engineering team and leveraging Vista’s past successful implementations, a technical data portal was quickly operational providing all stakeholders immediate access to work in progress deliverables.

As expected for a new technology startup, multiple iterations of the process due to capital availability and pilot plant results were required to be engineered. By leveraging a data-centricA data-centric outlook is a core concept in digital project execution architecture where data is viewed as the most important and perpetual … execution model and Vista’s technical data portal, the following was achieved:

Highly efficient modification of the processes by leveraging the single source of truth model
Significantly reduced schedule by utilizing Vista’s carefully configured comparison reports in the technical data portal to ensure deliverables from multiple source tools were aligned
With robust, secure access to the technical data portal, all stakeholders had immediate access to up-to-date engineering deliverables resulting in real time decision making. This resulted in reduced engineering and design costs
Real time MTO reporting allowed the management team to actively monitor Key Cost Indicators (e.g. steel, pipe, or concreate quantities) to ensure agile approach to project execution

Lessons Learned

The success of a new technology startup is often highly dependent on the ability to deploy capital efficiently and effective while rapidly demonstrating success. Vista’s datacentric, digital approach successfully allowed the client to rapidly course correct and make the best decisions for their enterprise.