Reality is already in action and reaping rewards for MODS’ clients

Matthew Bell is the UK Operations Manager for ‘MODS’ and has been involved in the conception through to launch of one their latest services, ‘MODS Reality’, and is keen to share his views.

Reality is a web-based application that provides a “True” digital twin of a facility using a high-definition point cloud environment as the building block foundation. This is then used to enhance engineering, inspection, streamline scheduling, and work execution management for maintenance and minor modifications. Reality is already in action and reaping rewards for MODS’ clients, many of whom have introduced it into their business in phases.

Matthew explains what Reality is used for: “Reality is essentially a remote integrated management system designed to bring the lifecycle of maintenance and minor modifications into one platform. It’s a visual, ‘go to’, single source of information, achieved by tagging items that interact directly with work processes and digitalized data. Flexibility within the process has been a key driver to integrate with clients existing systems using data flows”.

Matthew explains the basis behind Reality: “By using Digital technology, organizations can improve their business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities. That’s the first big point, but in addition, MODS Reality will streamline management and engineering processes with a high level of automation. There’s the ability to plan, schedule and execute workflows from a single source of information and what’s incredibly useful, especially in these times of pandemic work restrictions, share project information across multiple organisations via a data-centric source. This collaborative ability provides visibility to search, analyse and manage projects from anywhere in the world”.

Reality makes the processes of capturing, controlling, generating, and executing tasks much simpler. “Let me break that down for you” says Matthew, “The use of the latest, is used to create a “true” digital twin and engineering deliverables, and this enables the ‘capture’ part of Reality. Next step is to enable the control of the system, this is invaluable to organizations especially in Planning, Engineering, Procurement, Fabrication, and Construction phases, as it is a single, visual source of information to store, view and monitor the status of your project with real-time reporting”.

Reality is a stand-alone system but in the generation of tasks it seamlessly integrates with MODS WORKPACK as it does in the Execution phase with MODS Materials manager, MODS Joint integrity, and MODS Completions.

‘What benefits does ‘Reality’ bring for companies who use it?

There are multiple benefits from embracing digital transformation within your company. As Matthew explains, the return-on-investment is huge and long-term. “Efficiency is massively increased, costs are reduced, as are the number of site visits and the scheduled time estimated for tasks is shortened dramatically. MODS Reality isn’t just a tool for management, it’s a very practical assistant to front-line, hands-on workers tasked with monitoring, surveying, repair and build projects.

Reality reduces repetitive inputs with its automated population of forms, paper-based documents are reduced if not removed completely. This digital software enhances project visibility, streamlines the process flow and because of the instant accessibility factor, reaction times to safety-critical issues are increased. The visual interface is linked to Project scope. Reality offers detail and clarity with its 360-degree panoramic viewer. You are able to anotate the scope of work and tag equipment, measure distances and areas, filter searches and link the visual with project information”.

In essence Reality is one complete system with live reporting from the field. It uses mobile technology, that identifies actions using notifications, linking all data using intelligent tags throughout the lifecycle of the project, that is visual to the extended organization. It’s these incremental step changes in all phases, from cradle to grave, that offers total added value.

But how do organizations start the digitization process to enable MODS Reality to operate?

“Laser scanning is the short answer. We provide full or part asset scans of full or part systems and actually, those organizations who are a little hesitant about a full digital transformation, having the part-system option really helps them. This scan captures dimensional data for design & fabrication and establishes a global coordinated reference grid. MODS Dimensional Control provides best in class, point-cloud data by using the latest scanning technology operated by qualified surveyors, ensuring high quality scanning coverage of the asset, so you can fully trust it.

Clarity and detail are crucial to maximizing the potential of MODS Reality. The scans are in high definition, are taken in color and deliver a 1mm accuracy. The days of uncontrolled portable hard drives are gone. Access is Cloud based and small data sets can be downloaded for increased manageability”.

MODS Reality has been designed to allow companies to tailor the system to fit their needs. The administration allows for customization without development and includes options ranging from editing terminology for titles, percentages for weighting stages in the tracking process to identifying what you want to view in the projects view and widget dashboards. Additional customization if required, can also be catered for on a client-by-client basis.

Matthew elaborates on the administration set up. “Reality has customizable management tools and user definable roles and responsibilities. We can modify terminology to suit clients’ requirements, modify project details displayed in Hub, and set up defined project disciplines. We can even create facility or warehouse locations, new project phases and customise colour – whatever is requested”.

Reality has an inbuilt ability to, not only assist in generating a scope of work, but generate Reports and Digital Fabrication dossiers. Reality can help managers create a Digital Deliverable, that includes the ability to attach drawings and reference documents, specify instructions and dates, again, linking directly with the tagged panoramic view to include any visuals. Reality offers all of this and gives Integrity management control, full revision regulation, and a lock-out function, while being paper-less and fully accessible from anywhere in the world.

Matthew is keen to point out that this software solution is fully loaded with detail-driven bonuses: “MODS Reality is ideal for Project planning and management as it allows users to easily create, clone and assign project information. Document access is controllable, instant and offers real-time updates. Single or multi-link line items can also be assigned to the point-cloud Viewer. Approval signoffs were typically an area where time was lost but with Reality, work scopes and estimates can be given the go-ahead immediately. Reality has the invaluable ability to schedule and track Project start-finish dates, and these can be broken down into phases. Technical Queries and Requests for Information, can be raised in the field with the intuitive mobile app, answered immediately, closed with assistance from the notifications functionality and projects can be fully monitored and finalized. Reality is such a great tool for organizations who have previously struggled controlling their projects in detail”.

When asked how accessible and usable MODS Reality is, especially for organizations spread across vast distances, Matthew is keen to reply: “This is one of the things I love about this software, it has an intuitive user interface. Basically, it is extremely easy to understand and operate. We have a full set of training videos but really, it’s not difficult to pick up and get familiar with. We use Mobile phone technology with Apps for Android & IOS, Tablet & Phone. There is a tracker module, one for technical queries and many more options, you can tag photographs and comments and it is all based on QR code technology.

Reality gives you the ability to access critically linked data and visualize your plant without being there. This massively reduces logistics and increases safety with reduced POB (Personnel on Board) by allowing activities such as GVI (General Visual Inspection), Engineering, Predictive maintenance plus many more”.

Reality is the latest addition to MODS software solution services and like the other combatable systems, it’s always being continuously improved. Matthew agrees: “We aim to bring added value to our clients, there are definitely areas within the system, we have on our 5-year roadmap, that we will expand and further develop. For example, the level of automation and artificial intelligence for repetitive tasks that already exist. This coupled with some very smart ideas we are developing with our partner JGC (Japanese Gas Corporation). All I can say is watch this space.

MODS Reality has been operational for about two years now. We have had amazing feedback and more so in the last year, people really want to change and make that step forward and use digital technology and software. Clients are looking for an integrated solution to maintenance with the confidence of using a company that has years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. We are unique in the fact that the majority of staff have worked, hands-on, on and offshore. Our full understanding of the processes and what’s required makes our software one that’s hard to beat”.

Check out our page for more information and how to make the most out of your visualization data!