Blog 2: The Everyday Superheroes Save Millions
In our first edition of the Everyday Manufacturing Superheroes series, we learned about Viddaco*, a utility company in the process of modernizing its operations and infrastructure. Bruce, an engineering manager, was aware of how easily their outdated and disconnected systems could lead to a massive power outage and potential loss of life, so he tapped his inner superhero to avert disaster by finding a solution in a Digital Asset Transformation Model (DATM) engagement.
So far, the engagement exceeded his expectations. Kinsmen Group’s DATM engagement addressed Viddaco’s workforce, processes, and technology – which expedited results and lightened Bruce’s load. His colleague Selina was thrilled that they had created a unified data source that gave every worker access to accurate, current data. Their DATM partners had also helped them transition to a continuous handover approach that smoothed out the exchange of project and technical information. Bruce knew other Viddaco leaders would bring their goals to the table as well – but he felt this was a solid start.
Then his colleagues Clark and Diana came to him with a problem.
When Missing Documentation Costs Millions of Dollars
Clark and Diana worked closely together. Clark oversaw compliance and safety requirements, making data integrity a top priority for him. Diana was an integral figure in acquiring new renewable energy sources to offset the older facilities, such as coal plants, and provide more flexibility to varying loads on the grid.
Their problem: missing documentation.
Diana got right to the point at the start of their meeting. “You know the saying, ‘You don’t know what you don’t know?’” she asked. “That’s a massive issue with the facility we just acquired from a smaller utility – and an incredibly expensive one.”
Expensive was never a word Bruce wanted to hear. But he also knew that documentation often got lost when equipment was sold or transferred.
“Maybe you remember last year,” Clark said. “We acquired the assets from another smaller utility and didn’t realize they were missing important information until one of the units malfunctioned. We had to reproduce the information ourselves, and it took forever.”
“The new CCGT plant has thousands of pieces of equipment,” Diana said. “And each one needs documentation to operate reliably. While this is a relatively new facility, we don’t know how they maintained it or how good the documentation is.
“To start, we need to verify that the facility is designed according to specification and that we have all the materials to operate it safely under current conditions.
Remember a few years ago in Washington? They had an issue causing an explosion, and a generator needed to be down for a long time. I don’t want that on my watch. I need to make sure that all the critical components are accounted for and that we have the correct documentation.”
“Okay, okay,” Bruce said. His old panic was rising up again. Bruce had been counting on this acquisition to go smoothly, but he also remembered the article Diana referred to. That outage caused massive issues in the middle of the summer and could have been prevented. “So, what are you telling me?”
“This system is one of the largest CCGT units in the country, and verifying all of this will take thousands of engineering hours,” Diana said bluntly. “In short, we’re really hoping Kinsmen can help.”
Requirements Data List (RDL)
Bruce tried to stay calm as he met with his strategic consultants. “This verification level was not accounted for in the transition and is now estimated at about 5% of our overall budget,” he said. “So, if there’s any way to reduce this, we would save a lot of time and money. Can you help at all?”
“Of course,” his consultant said. “We know how to handle this situation.”
Bruce was happy to hear they had a fix. The Kinsmen consultant walked him through the Requirements Data List technology (RDL), which used AI to identify missing critical information and components. An easy-to-use dashboard showed an overview of turnover data and its status.
“You brought us this problem at the perfect time,” the consultant told him. “Our technology will map the relationships and identify any documentation challenges before the owner signs off. So, no – your team won’t need to spend much time on this.”
Bruce felt a wave of relief as he calculated the significant cost savings. Once again, he had saved Viddaco from a major problem.
DATM Results
A few months later, Bruce, Diana, and Clark met with leadership to report on the benefits of this one feature.
- The cost savings equaled hundreds of thousands of dollars right from the start. “But it’s more than that,” Diana said. “With this complete turnover package, we have a comprehensive and fresh data set for the new equipment. That’s going to pay massive dividends down the line.”
- They were already seeing operational benefits. Clark was pleased with the improvements in worker safety. Bruce could see his engineering team better optimize design, modification, and production. Maintenance teams had all the mission-critical information needed to keep equipment functioning and reliable.
- Another benefit was cultural. The technicians felt more confident about the new assets and equipment because they knew they had the complete data needed to do their jobs. Diana and Clark noticed a general shift in their culture, with the teams feeling more positive about their grid modernization and diversification projects. A shift that was already helping them retain their top talent.
“I do have more questions,” Clark admitted. “As we replace more legacy technologies to meet our decarbonization initiatives, I think this is really going to help us move proactively with other turnover processes. But our compliance challenges go beyond that.”
Clark explained that their facilities depended on a mix of contractors, suppliers, and internal teams, leading to inconsistent processes and collaboration roadblocks. Meeting regulations and successfully preparing for audits became more difficult every year. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” he said.
Bruce realized that Viddaco still needed its superheroes to work their magic. Could DATM changes help? Tune in next week for the 3rd installment of “Everyday Manufacturing Superheroes” to find out!
*Names changed to protect their real identities.
Click here for more information on Digital Asset Transformation Model (DATM)
