isoPlan® is a unique digital process that enables users to generate “Lock Out Tag Out” task-specific isolation plans directly from Computer Aided Drawings (CAD). In addition, it stores, updates and publishes isolation plans in a repository in the Cloud or behind users’ firewall systems. But why was it needed?
Dormant data and the industry isolations problem
The utilities industry had an ongoing problem that no one had yet addressed. How do you visualise isolation devices and their isolation status in real time directly from a P&ID? And further, how do you derive a task-specific digital isolation plan directly from an engineering drawing? Significantly, isoPlan® uses valuable data that formerly did nothing else but sit in CAD data silos. Now, it can be extracted and used to solve a significant industry problem.
Who created it?
The isoPlan® journey began with a conversation between just two engineers back in September 2017, which soon resulted in an intensive collaborative effort between QEM Solutions in Scotland and four small- and medium-size Perth-based companies in Australia to produce a logical, elegant and fully worked software engineering solution by the end of February 2018. It was a truly international collaboration!
Making data work harder: a two-fold solution
The core solution was iSOL8®, intuitive software which automates isolation processes using cloud technology, intelligent lock boxes, NFC radio tagging and mobile devices. But in addition, the team had to work together to determine that the back-end database of Computer Aided Drawing Systems could be enhanced to include the in-field readable digital electronic identification data field for each isolation device. This was the basis of “isoPlan”, and the work began.
Intensive prototype testing of isoPlan® and iSOL8®, software and hardware was conducted, and the ground-breaking software solution to the Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference in March 2018, and is already working successfully in the field.
isoPlan® and iSOL8® now form part of the Mineral Blue Safe Work system designed to improve safety and save money.
Interested?
