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Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy develops the “Hitachi Integrated Construction Coordination System” which Utilizes the Human Centered Design Approach, for Smooth Progress and Management on Construction Sites
TOKYO, JAPAN – February 27, 2012 - Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. (President and Representative Director Hiroto Uozumi, referred to hereafter as Hitachi-GE) has developed the Hitachi Integrated Construction Coordination System for improving the efficiency of construction and engineering work at power plants. The new system is based on the Human Centered Design Approach, which identifies potential issues on construction sites, and it utilizes a visualization method that adds a dynamic rendering of workflows and processes to 3D CAD data.
Due to the increasing demand for energy that is being triggered by the growing population, infrastructure development, etc., there has recently been an ongoing need worldwide to build thermal and nuclear power plants that have minimal environmental impact, in line with global environmental measures such as the reduction of CO2 emissions. In plant construction, it is necessary to collaborate with local fabrication vendors and construction companies and to rigorously manage processes and costs while also ensuring high quality, reliability and a timely delivery. In order to achieve these goals efficiently, power plant manufacturers tend to consider the introduction of construction systems that utilize IT.
Hitachi has been developing construction systems using IT for Japanese plants since the 1990s and recently, the company has been developing this business proactively overseas, together with Hitachi-GE.
The Hitachi Integrated Construction Coordination System developed by Hitachi-GE is intended for use by field supervisors and foremen at construction companies, to ensure smooth progress and management of work on site. The system is based on the Human Centered Design Approach, which investigates and analyzes the essential issues of the construction site by observing, in detail, how workers approach or actually do their jobs, and utilize a visualization method that adds a dynamic rendering of workflows and processes to 3D CAD design data for the better task communication at hand.
By introducing this system, workers on construction sites will be able to process detailed work for each individual task while checking against a monitor on a mobile device, enabling workers to understand construction plans, processes and instructions intuitively and precisely.
The system will facilitate communication and improve efficiency by enabling the work process to be understood visually, even at plants overseas, where workers may have different nationalities, languages, and customs. As a result, field supervisors and foremen at construction companies will be able to manage their projects in a way that ensures reliability and high quality while avoiding extra costs that are caused by delays. Furthermore, it will allow for Hitachi’s construction know-how to be utilized in business overseas, and will enable construction workers to be trained efficiently.
Looking ahead, Hitachi-GE will continue to verify and enhance the system with respect to individual tasks in the field, and work to further reinforce the system’s capabilities and improve efficiency while also making proactive efforts to introduce the system into plant construction projects in the global market.
