Page 17 - Q3_2021_Corp Newsletter

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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