Building Customer Confidence & Sustainability Initiatives in Transmission Line Testing

Transcription

1 Building Customer Confidence & Sustainability Initiatives in Transmission Line Testing Key words: TLTRS (Transmission Line Testing & Research Station), RIGGING, RIGGING, CHART, SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition) System. Abstract In order to build up confidence with customers while testing the Transmission Towers, various initiatives undertaken to improve performance of testing, are as follows: 1. Web Casting of Tower Testing Understanding the customer s difficulty in sending their representatives for witnessing the testing, a web casting module has been developed wherein the customer can witness the tower testing from anywhere worldwide. 2. Automation of TLTRS Workflow To exercise and demonstrate the stringent testing procedures being followed, a unique web page was designed to have better control over testing work flow as well as documents right from customer inputs to reporting of test results. 3. Tower Rigging Software To reduce the activity timing and to ensure accurate Rigging Chart preparation, software has been developed. The output of software can be directly exported to Tower Testing SCADA computer, thus eliminating manual data transfer errors. Introduction (L&T) is India s largest technology, engineering, manufacturing and construction organization with a record of over 70 years. L&T Construction is the largest construction organization in the country. L&T Construction s cutting edge capabilities cover every discipline of construction civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering and services extending to large industrial and infrastructure projects from concept to commissioning. For over two decades, L&T has been offering end-to-end EPC services that include design, manufacture, supply of towers, construction, testing and commissioning of EHV power transmission lines, and has established itself as a reliable partner in the Transmission line industry. L&T s Transmission Line Testing & Research Station (TLTRS) is one of the largest tower testing stations in India. TLTRS since its inception in November 2009 has completed testing of towers for many National clients like PGCIL, NTPC and State Utilities as well as International clients from Spain, Oman, Abu Dhabi and Egypt. This state-of-the-art testing station is established in an area of 25 acres at Kanchipuram (near Chennai) for testing transmission line towers of various voltages levels. Any new designs of Transmission Line Towers / structures are to be validated by subjecting the proto type towers to the expected loading 142

2 conditions. L&T Construction s testing station (TLTRS) carryout these testing in accordance with National and International standards. Generally the customers are in two levels, one the designer of Towers/ Structures and the other are the End users/purchaser of the Towers/ Structures. Unlike other mechanical testing, the Tower testing is very unique in nature and all of our customers need to witness the testing activity to observe its behavior during testing and carryout modifications in case of failure. Many times, on scheduled testing dates, customers may not be able to be at the testing station. This may result in postponement of testing or customer may nominate third parties. This is of great difficulty in case of overseas customers, where the Visa, ticketing, etc. are the issues. Further, quality and time taken for testing are also of great concern. Presentation Testing of Transmission Lines for which solutions were sought and implemented pose several problems as narrated below: 1. Delay in Testing a. Difficulty bringing together stakeholders on a common date (allocated testing slot) for witnessing the test. This is of great importance in case of overseas customers, where the Visa, ticketing, etc. Is the issues. b. Delay in decision making due to lack of consensus (in case of towers premature failure& Further modification) c. Leads to idling of the test bed, and cascading effect on testing schedule of succeeding towers The above analysis leads to a conclusion that the customers need to be enabled to view the testing from their desired place. Generally the customers are at two levels, one the designer of Towers/ Structures and the other are the End users of the Towers/Structures. Unlike other mechanical testing, the Tower testing is very unique in nature and all the stake holders need to witness the testing activity to observe its behavior during testing and carryout modifications in case of failure. Many times, on scheduled testing dates, customers may not be able to be at the testing station. This may result in postponement of testing or customer may nominate third parties. This is of great difficulty in case of overseas customers, where the Visa, ticketing, etc. are the issues. TLTRS concentrated on the above customer difficulties & came up with a solution of web casting module for the entire testing activity in LIVE through World Wide Web. Obviously as like its own uniqueness, Web casting of Tower testing had its own challenges too. (a) Capturing the Towers/structures as high as 90 meters, yet need to observe small individual components of bolted lattice structure High Definition Camera with 18X optical zoom capacity installed at the strategic location Building Customer Confidence & Sustainability Initiatives in Transmission Line Testing 143

3 to capture the massive structures. The customers also can view the actual loading details using the same camera from LCD TV displays. (b) Protection and security to Customer information when being webcasted The customer are being provided with One Time Password (OTP) and access only on the particular days of testing after which the same expires. 2. Conformity to Stringent Procedures An effective laboratory management system is required to be of following features: a. The Quality & Testing procedures must be exercised and demonstrated diligently. b. The inter linkages of various testing activities must be ensured. c. Good Control over documents, records & back-up must be exercised. d. Automated workflow software can help in overcoming the above problems. In order to improve laboratory management system and ensure its systematic approach towards testing services TLTRS wanted to establish automated workflow software. TLTRS has developed its own webpage in L&T Construction s Information portal, with controlled access provided to employee as well as for the customers. Unique software was designed and developed to have better control over its work procedure as well as document control right from customer inputs to reporting of test results. This could mandatorily ensure NABL procedure implementation and in addition reduce related paper works. 3. Rigging Chart Preperation A Time Consuming Process a. The complex calculation involves many manual entries and careful preparation. Hence multi-level cross verifications adopted to avoid errors, increasing the preparation time of rigging chart. b. The outputs from rigging chart were being fed manually in to SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition) system where the risk of data transfer error remained. The above said points are derived the need for developing software preparation of rigging chart as well to export the output directly to the Testing computer. The complex calculation involves many manual entries and careful preparation. Hence multi-level cross verifications adopted to avoid errors, increasing the preparation time of rigging chart. Further the outputs from rigging chart were being fed manually in to SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition) system where the risk of data transfer error remained. 144

4 The Rigging Software has been developed on Dot Net Platform. With Artificial Intelligence 1. It is developed to handle all applicable complication that can be encountered in various types of towers. 2. The software is developed in such a way that it has to be fed with Customer provided design loads only and it automatically delivers a final formatted document, which can directly be submitted for customer s app. Tower Rigging Software In addition to the above, TLTRS has developed a unique software with SCADA integration for the preparation of Rigging chart removing the data transfer errors for error free output. This has drastically reduced the time frame in preparing the rigging chart document with a hassle free interface and in addition reduced paper works. Implementation and Their Results The Transmission Line Testing & Research Station (TLTRS) is committed to continually improve its testing services to the customers. In its Endeavour to achieve the same, TLTRS has established and implemented its laboratory management system as per the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and got accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration laboratories (NABL) in March It is country s first private tower testing station to be accredited by NABL. In order to improve laboratory management system and ensure its systematic approach towards testing services TLTRS established automated workflow software. It has developed its own webpage in L&T Construction s Information portal, with controlled access provided to employee as well as for the customers. Unique software was designed and developed to have better control over its work procedure as well as document control right from customer inputs to reporting of test results. This could also mandatorily ensure NABL procedure implementation and in addition reduce related paper works. Rigging charts of various types of towers representing the range of TLTRS, from previously tested tower were selected for trial runs. The Tower rigging software was fed with same design inputs as that of used for manual preparation and run. The outputs from software were cross verified with the output from manual preparation to ensure that the software is producing correct output. Discussion Three initiatives related to Tower Testing discussed above lead the following benefits which are of great significance: Building Customer Confidence & Sustainability Initiatives in Transmission Line Testing 145

5 1. Web Casting of Tower Testing a. Customer s time & money spent in the process of tower test witnessing are reduced to great extent especially when they are from overseas. b. Both designer and end-user from different places of world can witness the same testing. c. TLTRS need not to wait for customer presence and hence can adhere to its testing schedules. d. Increased customer confidence due to transparency and view all facility. 2. Automated Work Flow Software a. Customers can directly upload their testing requirements b. Online system ensures that NABL procedures are maintained strictly. Hence, increased customer confidence. c. Test related records are uploaded and stored in the server. Better protection and security to records. d. Current Status & complete History of any individual testing can be viewed instantly. 3. Rigging Software With Scada Import Facility a. Built-in Artificial Intelligence, hence system driven with minimal input from engineers. b. No manual data transfer to SCADA, increased customer confidence. c. Outputs are error free. d. Timely submission of Rigging charts to customers. Conclusions The initiatives and implementations demonstrated to the customers have yielded good results in building their confidence level. On the other hand the functioning of TLTRS has improved in terms of activity timing, cost, and adherence to testing schedule and towards paperless Go Green Approach. Acknowledgement Investigation, documentation and presentation of this case study owes greatly to the leadership and guidance of Dr. K. Natarajan, Head of IC Corporate Services, PT&D (Power Transmission & Distribution) and of Mr. K. Srinivasan, Head of Transmission Line Testing & Research Station. 146