ENGINEERING INDUSTRY >>> FAC Management System

Business Problem

An engineering company that specialized in Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) needed a company to help them enhance and add a sophisticated new level of functionality to a high-performance application they sold to the nuclear industry. The company didn't have the software development expertise. They did have the engineering expertise and the industry experience.

The problem, find a company that had the technical software expertise and the experience, that could work closely with their top engineers to produce the enhanced application. The goals, allow the FAC field engineers at the nuclear plants to work quickly and efficiently, to create a robust and stable code base and to transfer as much knowledge to the engineering staff as possible about the design and structure of the system.

Solution

Over a period of approximately nine months The Bone Group worked closely with the engineers to enhance the system in several critical ways. First a generic data logger input and manipulation sub-system was created; next a UT data analysis sub-system was designed and created; and finally a robust and flexible reporting interface was added. The result, a system with which the end-users (field engineers at the nuclear plants) could import inspection data without having to know what hardware was used to gather it. The import subsystem not only allowed them to import data quickly and efficiently but to rotate and flip the data on its axis ensuring that the data was imported consistent with the way it had been captured in the field. Once imported, the engineers were now able to analyze the data using a sophisticated analysis subsystem that allows for up to 8 different industry standard analysis methods to be performed.

Using the new report subsystem, the engineers can generate detailed reports quickly concerning the analysis procedure and results. Because an ODBC compliant data store was used (Access) the end-users have the ability to query and report on the data using an array of tools. Working closely with the engineers and using a tool that they were familiar with made for a smooth transfer of system knowledge.

The transfer of knowledge was critical for the projects success because the engineers would be providing support once The Bone Group was finished.

Benefits

The Bone Group's ability to work closely with the client to understand their business needs, and their depth in business systems design kept the project on schedule. Creating a totally customized solution let the client create a system that fit the way they worked reducing the learning curve and allowing them to be more productive faster. With easy access to their data the client is now able to focus on continuing to grow their business.