Page 16 - Q3_2021_Corp Newsletter
P. 16

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT






                                                                                                                                                                    Improve Study Efficiency                                 Synthesize
                                                                                                                                                                         and Improve                                         & Theorize
                                                                                                                                             HOW R&D                                            SCALE UP & STUDY
                                                                                                                                                                                                 EFFECTIVENESS
                                                                                                                                      DEVELOPMENT
                                                                      A TIME FOR                                                AND DEPLOYMENT


                                                                      RENEWAL &                                                                  WORKS                    Design, Develop      CYCLE OF RESEARCH
                                                                                                                                                                                                 & DEVELOPMENT
                                                                                                                                                                             and Test                                       Explore, Hypothesize
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 & Clarify
                                                                      THE MATRIXED

                                                                      R&D PROCESS                                                   or IT. Once we move into the last three phases of      BIM team notes correctly that one of the biggest


                                                                                                                                    Design/Test/Deploy, we are often supported by, or      challenges is that scanning technology doesn't offer
                                                                      By Bill Mazzetti, Senior VP of                                supporting others, in Field, Operations, BIM, or IT.   the registration and accuracy required to get the
                                                                      Research & Development                                        We are blessed to work with a host of experts internal   resulting data into a sufficiently accurate database.
                                                                                                                                                                                           The Sheet Viewer catches a lot of this, but we are all
                                                                                                                                    and external to Rosendin. R&D's work lends itself to
                                                                                                                                                                                           working on a more automated system that can be
                                                                                                                                    multi-tasking and parallel paths in larger workgroups
                                                                                                                                                                                           used by multiple activities, like QA/QC, that works well
                                                                                                                                    to keep the wheels of progress moving quickly and
                                                                                                                                                                                           with Field/BIM 360. The existing tech works, but it's
                                                                                                                                    accurately. For example, our solar robot prototype
                                                                                                                                                                                           acutely expensive for the speed and accuracy and often
                                                                                                                                    is currently being assembled, allowing time for the
                                                                                                                                                                                           doesn't work well enough without a mesh network on
                                                                                                                                    team to look at other work. In this case, that other
                                                                                                                                                                                           site. We expect the technology to catch up to us and
                                                                                                                                    project is a new fixed-mount solar panel solution.
                                                                                                                                                                                           our needs in 3-5 years, and we're watching it closely.
                                                                                                                                    In talking about rotation, I'm pivoting into automated
                                                                                                                                                                                           That doesn't mean that machine scanning and locating
                                                                                                                                    quantity surveying while our R&D Analyst is shifting
                                                                                                                                                                                           aren't useful. We're adapting an existing system from
            Some Say Spring is a Time for Renewal. For Research & Development (R&D), renewal                                        into a new fixed-mount panel system coupled with       our robotics partners to count installed panels, piers,
                                                                                                                                    a new hardware system for static-mounted solar
            comes in the fall. Similar to Operations, R&D is a project-based undertaking. We work                                   applications. This one is still panning out, and more   tracker arms, and other systems on these extensive solar
                                                                                                                                                                                           sites for our utility-level solar work. This would include
           on projects until they are completed or transfer them to the sustaining organization(s)                                  details will come when it's a bit more formed.         scanning work areas daily with UAV/drone systems far

           within Rosendin. However, there comes a day when everything we do comes to an end,                                       Quantity surveying covers many aspects of our worksite   faster than we could in a truck. One benefit is that the
           and another team within Rosendin takes up the work and deploys it into the company.                                      conditions, installed quantities, and earned value. Much   UAVs can indicate flooding and other site conditions
                                                                                                                                    of this work will integrate existing data, like merging   that would not permit work in an area and can be
                                                                                                                                    and crunching the data from timecards, models, QA/     readily applied to any large underground site project.
                                                                                                                                    QC, BOMs, work plans, and packaging to give us a
                                                                                                                                                                                           I want to close with the update on the solar panel robot.
                                                                                                                                    more accurate assessment of installations (accurate    While many have applied for Department of Energy
                necdotally, any R&D effort runs 12-36            One of the critical points to R&D success is the process.          viewed as +/- 1%). This assessment will tell us what's   grants, are working with manual panel placement, or
                months, depending on the head start we           More importantly, it's an applied process. One can't               installed, about to be installed, and left to do. The   haven't been funded, our robot is well into fabrication.
                                                                 apply the same tools, skills, and planning to a robotics
        A have on a project and the complexity of                                                                                   benefits are better CACs, accurate labor projections,   The chassis construction is nearly complete, with the
                                                                 effort as hardware, VBS, or quantity surveying project.            far earlier reactions to problems or workarounds,
        work. For the solar robot, we had a "spirit animal"      Our creative cycle falls into six phases – Idea, Vetting,          validation of the projected vs. actuals in the cost    robot arm being delivered and tested, which means
        project to work from, but the entire project was         Plan, Design, Test, Deploy. The first three phases of              reports/project plans, and a much more precise earned   our prototype will start field testing in late Q1 2022.
        original work. For the Kit of Parts, where we have       the development process define what we intend to do                value of the installed work for projects that require   During Rosendin's annual Manager's Meeting,
        existing assemblies and families, the work consists      and our specific goals for the work. In these phases,              this. Honestly, we have the front-end wired. We need   our team will provide an update with photos and
                                                                 we do our critical analysis of Cost/Benefit and Go/                to get the back-end actuals to be as accurate.         installation videos. ■
        of cataloging and refreshing working ideas.
                                                                 No Go. Each initiative may be initiated anywhere
                                                                 in the company and led by R&D, Operations, BIM,                    Sometimes when this info merger and processing
                                                                                                                                    isn't enough, we need to roll out the hardware. Our


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