Monthly Archives: July 2015

Lighting the way in South Africa

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Kusile Power Station will end Load Shedding

Kusile Power Station in Witbank, South Africa; is one of the largest energy infrastructure projects under construction in the world. This 4,800 megawatt power station will result in a much needed reliable electricity supply for South Africa, ending the current power crisis and “load shedding”

kusile-power-station-project

When the world is watching

With the whole world watching and waiting, the Kusile Power Station construction requires industry-leading project management performance to meet the challenging schedule with a critical cost focus.

Shortened schedules and maximised productivity critical

Fortunately, StruM.I.S, the global leading steel fabrication management information solution, guarantees to always shorten schedules, and maximises productivity; in addition, it’s three StruM.I.S Bar code data-collection tools enable quick and accurate data capturing of employees, site materials and piece tracking; a huge benefit to Kusile Power Station Contractor, Genrec Engineering – a StruM.I.S user.

RF-barcoding strumis-scan

bar_coding

 

No mean feat

Contracted to provide detailing; project management; site support; erection planning; and fabricate 6 boiler units of 18,300 tons per unit, Genrec needed to track the exact location of items within the complex Kusile Power Station construction site – measuring approximately 3,350 acres or over 5 square miles (1,355 hectares)!

Exact item location in a 5 square mile site

Developed for Genrec, StruM.I.S provided bar code tracking functionality through a bespoke designed interface to track all Genrec site movement of materials and fabricated items to within 1 metre.

Genrec simply scans items into the Production Delivery notes when leaving their fabrication facility, heading for the site. Once the shipment is received at Kusile Power Station, the items are then scanned again to ensure nothing has been lost during transit. Their StruM.I.S Inventory module then shows the exact location, of Genrec’s items, including GPS latitude and longitude co-ordinates, for easy onsite traceability. A godsend throughout the entire 5 year project.

Now that’s organised inventory!

StruM.I.S now offers the additional customisable option of GPS location tracking via barcoding, to enable complete onsite traceability for clients with multiple location warehousing or large site storage issues. Find out how StruM.I.S could revolutionise your Steel Fabrication business, we guarantee within minutes you’ll see the light.

One of the youngest StruM.I.S users

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One of the youngest StruM.I.S users
One of the youngest StruM.I.S users

Here at StruMIS we are committed to helping young academics excel and provide them with a platform and insight into the working environment and enabling a bridge between education and workplace proving invaluable to the student.

This week, we were delighted to welcome Stuart Cameron Riddell a 14 year old student from Lees Brook Community School in Derby, UK and son of our global Support Manager Stuart Riddell. StruMIS had no hesitation in

offering Stuart Cameron a week’s work placement so he could learn more about our global leading software packages.

With a keen interest in Forensics and Criminology, Stuart Cameron quickly became familiar with the StruM.I.S interface and how the industry concepts apply such as Drawing / Mark / Mark Items / Phase / Lots.

One of the youngest StruM.I.S users
One of the youngest StruM.I.S users

Stuart Cameron excelled in importing material lists into StruM.I.S, pushing them through Lotting / Nesting (Linear & Plate) / Production Control and testing Beta versions on Windows 10 for when it gets released.

We wish Stuart Cameron all the best with his studies and future career plans.

da BOM! Bill of Material (BOM) – where the story begins

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In the beginning

Bill of Material (BOM) – This is where the story begins once you’ve successfully secured the project bid.

estimating

I see fabricators build this list in Excel with the help of macros, drop down lists, vlookups et al. They have it narrowed down to the most efficient way of building the BOM. And it probably is with the tools that they have available. But it certainly is not the most effective – that way is long gone!

For those of you that use management information software, such as StruM.I.S, to manage this, you’re ahead of the game. I’m speaking to the ones out there that who are still using Excel or access based tools to manage the BOM. Shorten your information flow by automating this process and setting up the downstream processes for success.

Eight tips to look for in detailed accuracy:

1. Drawing, assembly, super-assembly, piece mark (component), quantity
2. Material or section type, length and width
3. Division/Phase/Sequence #, lotting
4. GUIDs (Globally Unique Identifiers)
5. Automatic revision tracking
6. Ability to toggle between a consolidated listing and a flattened listing
7. Ability to link drawings and CAM (dwg, dxf, pdf, nc1 etc)
8. Ability to view your BOM in 3D visual environment

Fast and Flexible

Large projects may entail producing 1-2 Divisions per month for 6 months, other projects you can build and ship within a week. As a fabricator you need flexibility built into managing your BOM. Flexibility can look like space requirements to store material; approvals for construction trickling in by division; constant changes and scope creep; long lead time material to plan for.

Seamless Integration
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By integrating with 3D CAD packages Tekla, Revit, SDS/2., Autodesk Advance Steel, Solidworks, Bentley ProStructures/ProSteel Inventor and BoCAD; StruM.I.S can import the necessary files and create an accurate BOM in ten seconds By having this information up front you will be able to plan your nesting and procurement needs, erection sequencing, production and shipment schedules, up-to-date status tracking.

Take the challenge

I can show you how to do it faster, in minutes.
Visit us at www.strumis.com or contact me direct at e.morris@strumis.com