Virtual Twin & Asset Management with PlantQuest, Cork – Ireland

Client
> Confidential

Sector/Market
> Manufacturing

Services
> Digital Twin, Indoor Mapping

Location
> Cork, Ireland

Project summary

A significant digital transformation investment aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency across various functions and departments within a prominent life sciences facility. By implementing a virtual twin and facility mapping, integrated directly with the asset management system software, the project promised immediate returns on investment. Key features included:

Asset and Room Navigation: Users can easily locate and navigate to any asset or room within the factory, enhancing operational efficiency.
Safety Equipment Accessibility: The system enables swift location and navigation to health and safety equipment, muster points, safety showers, and emergency exits, ensuring compliance and safety.
Seamless Asset Information Integration: It offers seamless integration with asset information, allowing for immediate updates and logging of work with a geo-referenced location.
Work Pack Planning: The platform allows for the preloading and planning of work packs for vendors, maintenance, and operations teams, streamlining processes and improving productivity.
Optimised Task Navigation: Faster navigation to and location of work packs/tasks is facilitated, providing optimal routes to and from locations.
Pre-Planning Requirements: The system supports pre-planning by flagging necessary permits and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.
Induction and Training: The virtual twin aids in induction and familiarisation training for new arrivals, ensuring a smooth onboarding process.
Alarm Location and Navigation: Users can quickly locate alarms and navigate to them, reducing standing time and enabling efficient evacuations.

This project underscores the commitment to leveraging digital tools to drive operational excellence and enhance safety within the facility.

The brief

In collaboration with PlantQuest, Murphy Geospatial embarked on the project’s goal of revolutionising asset management and operational efficiency at a client’s facility. Our expert team captured and crafted a fully immersive 3D virtual twin of the facility, featuring high-resolution imagery and geometry that brings the environment to life. This was complemented by the creation of comprehensive 2D base maps covering all areas, ensuring a detailed and accurate representation. A key component of our service was the tagging and precise location of 50,000 individual assets in Phase 1, laying a robust foundation for effective asset management.

Our team ensured full integration with the SAP asset management system, allowing seamless data flow and management. To enhance accessibility, we provided a secure online portal viewer, enabling 500 users to access the system via tablets or PCs from anywhere in the world through a web browser. This innovation supports the ‘Factory in the Boardroom’ concept, reducing the carbon footprint by minimising international travel while facilitating quicker and more informed decision-making.

Importantly, our solutions are scalable, designed to be rolled out across multiple global sites, paving the way for widespread digital transformation across the organisation.

The challenges

Operating within a live factory setting was one of the primary challenges, as it was crucial that our work did not disrupt ongoing production. Our team carefully planned and executed their tasks to ensure seamless integration with the factory’s operations.

The facility presented a highly complex and controlled environment, which required strict adherence to permit access protocols for many areas. Navigating these challenges demanded precision and expertise.

Our senior team, with extensive experience in working in facilities, was instrumental in overcoming these obstacles. Their proficiency ensured that all work was completed on schedule without any impact on daily operations, demonstrating their ability to maintain the highest standards of efficiency and professionalism.

Our work

To address the client’s needs and enhance operational efficiency, our expert team employed cutting-edge terrestrial and wearable scanners to capture every requisite area within the facility. This advanced technology enabled us to create a fully immersive 3D virtual twin of the environment, providing a comprehensive digital representation that significantly aids in asset management and operational planning.

The data, available in both 2D and 3D formats, can be accessed by users through the PlantQuest platform on tablets, thus offering unparalleled ease of access and facilitating informed decision-making. This technological integration not only addresses the client’s challenges related to asset visibility and management but also empowers their staff by providing intuitive and interactive tools for navigating and managing the facility’s complex infrastructure.

Our team

Our survey teams have over 20 years’ experience working in highly controlled manufacturing environments. This expertise is vital for ensuring seamless operations and adherence to strict protocols. PlantQuest have specialists dedicated to asset tagging and SAP integration, ensuring that the integration process is smooth and efficient. Additionally, we offered a full customer support feature, providing rapid responses to any queries.

Results

The implementation of the virtual twin and asset management system has led to remarkable improvements for the client’s facility. Users can now toggle between 2D and 3D views to log their daily tasks or inspections directly onto their tablets. This functionality ensures automatic updates to the SAP asset management system, streamlining operations significantly.

Notably, the project resulted in a 20% improvement in data accuracy, a critical enhancement that aids in precise decision-making and operational planning. Maintenance task completion times saw a remarkable 35% reduction, demonstrating a direct impact on efficiency and productivity.

Moreover, the integration of 50,000 assets via SAP PM has supported asset management, allowing for more effective tracking and maintenance. Alarm response times have been accelerated by 70%, thereby minimising downtime, reducing safety risks, and preventing production losses. These outcomes collectively underscore the project’s success in enhancing operational excellence and safety within the facility.

Client Testimonial

The successful implementation of the virtual twin and asset management system at the facility has garnered positive feedback from our client, highlighting the tangible benefits and efficiency improvements experienced by their team.

The client’s representative expressed appreciation for our scanning team’s adaptability and cooperation, stating: “I want to acknowledge the efforts of your scanning team over the past two weeks. The guys were very helpful and accommodating, particularly when we had to adjust work plans due to changes in our manufacturing schedules. Please pass on my thanks to them again.”

Moreover, the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team has found significant advantages in using the navigation tool, as it streamlines their operations: “Our EHS team are utilising the navigate tool every day and are saving hours of sifting through old drawings trying to find fire and gas alarm assets.”

Additionally, the client noted the efficiency gains in vendor interactions and process planning: “Fabulous time savings being realised with vendor work packs and walk downs. Can’t wait to roll this out further.”

Contact

For more information on this project, please email info@murphygs.ie or call us on +353 (0)45 484 040,