We conducted this case for Strukton
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We conducted this case for Strukton
High-voltage substations are part of the vital infrastructure of the Netherlands. Adapting and expanding them is a responsible task. Add to that the energy transition and the age of the substations, and everyone understands: there is a lot of urgent work to be done. Smart digitalization allows Strukton to carry out that work efficiently together with Allinq Digital.rnrnMany high-voltage substations in the Netherlands are now forty to sixty years old – almost at the end of their lifespan. Outages can leave an entire region without power. It is therefore crucial to renovate those stations before they break down.rnrn “The projects we do in this provide years of work,” says Manon de Vries, whose former BIM Manager at Strukton’s work included digitalization. “We carry out these projects in a traditional world. With the older power stations, we deal with drawings made by hand and then scanned. But that’s not enough anymore, it has to be smarter and faster.”
One of those smarter tools is converting power stations into digital models. “People used to go out with a tape measure, and manually transfer everything into the computer. But now we can use advanced technology. We create point clouds by scanning the locations outside, so we get a true picture of reality. That point cloud then has to be converted into models. Because with just a point cloud you can measure, but you can’t do much else with it if you need to replace parts or add a new part.”
“To do anything with it, point clouds have to be converted into digital models.”
Digital models are ideally suited for that, though. “Our partners, including TenneT, also see the benefit of this. Models help us tremendously in the engineering process. We can see if what we are building fits into the environment, or on the small pieces of land we sometimes have available. It also helps us determine if our cranes will fit in and if different elements of the design will work together. For example, the steel structure and foundations are made by different parties. The models allow us to see in advance whether they will fit together.”
Those digital models also have a function in coordination and communication with the customer. “The models allow us to involve our customers early on in the process. During the engineering process, they can already see what they are going to get, and they can give us feedback. We do the same during execution, so everyone has the same vision. If you look at a flat drawing, you can have different interpretations of it, but looking at the same 3D model gives more clarity.”
A big advantage of models is safety. “High-voltage substations are constantly under high voltage, which can be life-threatening. It is not always possible to enter these stations. Also, an authorized person from TenneT must always open the station and continue to supervise it. So it is important to capture as much information as possible. Scanners give us the most detailed picture of the current situation in a short time. For a large station, this process can sometimes take two or three days.”
“In Allinq Digital, we have one partner for both scanning and processing. In fact, many companies cannot do both. Then we would have to go to different parties for different stages of the project. At Allinq Digital, they are also willing to learn and expand. A positive development.”
“In Allinq Digital, we found one partner for the different stages of a project.”
A typical project begins with creating a clear picture of the situation on site before the engineers get to work. The team, including Allinq Digital employees with scanners, goes to the station in safety clothing to perform a thorough analysis. Among other things, they take photographs and check the drawings. This is preceded by a thorough safety briefing. Once they are done, they share the scan results with Strukton.rnrnThe results are usually uploaded directly to a Construction Cloud, so that everyone has immediate access to the new data. Manon: “This can be done simply with a basic laptop. Only the people who build the model need a powerful laptop. They make sure that everything gets into the cloud, so that others can view it with a viewer.
“By using digital tools such as a 3D model, we get a better understanding of the project. This helps us reduce failure costs. Everyone, including the customer, can speak the same language and easily point out where problems lie. Thanks to the digital twin of the complete high-voltage substation, we don’t have to go to the site as often.”