Digitization is revolutionizing the construction industry
As construction sector majorly emphasises on their competencies at Big 5, GE Digital underlines the value of digital technology in helping transform the industry through increased efficiency and productivity
As the regions construction sector looks to reboot activity, new challenges have emerged following the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry reports cite rising cost, supply chain disruption and skilled labour shortage as the key barriers.
With the region experiencing an increased focus on leveraging the Fourth Industrial Revolution and 3D printing gaining traction, the role that digital technology can bring to the industry is now widely discussed and advanced technologies are increasingly being deployed to strengthen efficiency and productivity.
The contribution of diverse stakeholders in the construction sector is being presented at Big 5, where the role that digital technology plays in advancing the industry is also in the spotlight. GE Digital is supporting this transformation through path-breaking technologies that add to the efficiency of suppliers who serve the construction sector. From regional companies to diverse, multi-national manufacturers and equipment builders, GE Digital has transformed production with customers making cement, paint, metals, plywood and OSB, trusses and joists, pre-fabricated houses, plastics, heavy construction machinery and equipment, plumbing and electrical products, and much more.
For example, a popular engineered wood products company sought to modernize their operations, including how they visualize and analyze data. Challenges included connecting to older equipment, optimizing track and trace, and boosting quality and throughput, in conjunction with Operational Excellence. The company deployed GE Digitals MES and HMI/SCADA solutions at 15+ plants. Results include improving quality of wood products, increased speed of production / throughput, and supported Operational Excellence program goals.
Another example is the success of a major paint manufacturer in modernizing one of its production plants by using GE Digital's HMI/SCADA and batch execution software, with the fully automated plant now manufacturing as much as a facility with five times the workforce. Reducing waste and increasing product quality, GE Digitals solutions help increase efficiency and minimize human error in addition to maximizing flexibility in a multi-product, multi-batch environment.
Another technology by GE Digital that has had a significant impact is its industrial analytics software that improves asset and process performance. A global leader in the insulation industry deployed GE Digitals Proficy CSense, optimizing complex production processes and simulating production process for training. Using AI and machine learning to enable process engineers to combine data across multiple sources, Proficy CSense helps rapidly identify problems, discover root causes, predict future performance, and automate actions to continuously improve quality, utilization, productivity, and delivery of operations.
Proficy CSense has helped organizations globally reduce costs by turning raw data into rapid business value. Engineers and data scientists can analyze, monitor, predict, simulate, and optimize and control setpoints in real time through Proficy CSense. It also offers the capability to mine insight from historical data and rapidly develop, test, and deploy simple calculations, predictive analytics, and optimization and control solutions to reduce variability and improve operations.
With the construction sector playing a key role in helping the region achieve its vision for a sustainable future, deploying digital solutions help accelerate the industry through increased cost efficiency and enhanced productivity.
