Life Cycle Materials Risk Mitigation (LMRM) — will develop an interactive materials management checklist linked to project phases to ensure materials are identified and addressed as early as possible. The tool will streamline information sharing and facilitate more effective decision making. Completion date: second quarter, 2013.

Next Gen Project Performance Predicting (NP3) — will investigate the applicability of multi-attribute predictive techniques such as neural networks or genetic algorithms to capital project performance assessment and prediction. The goal is to "train" solution methodologies with respect to maximizing multiple dimensions of project performance using previously collected logistics service operations data. Completion date: fourth quarter, 2012.

Consolidating Logistics Control Attributes (CLCA) — will identify and fully document categories, types, purposes, attributes, and sources of information associated with the movement of materials and equipment on capital projects. The project also will develop interoperability compliance strategies. Completion date: first quarter, 2013.

Expediting Equipment & Material Selection and Acquisition (EMSA) — will streamline the identification, evaluation, selection, and procurement of commonly used materials and equipment through electronic cataloguing. The project also will incorporate provisions for interoperability compliance to a variety of open standards along with a broad range of 2D and 3D design tool compatibility support. Valves will be the first in a series of data centric migrations which will take place under this project. Completion date: project will be on-going through 2013.

Real-Time Field Reporting Using Smart Devices, Phase 2 — will look at iPads, Android Tablets, smart phones, tablet PCs and Golden-I. The already completed field trials involved industrial, horizontal, and vertical projects in both the U.S. and UK, utilizing smart devices and emerging technologies. A report on Phase 1 work is expected shortly. Completion date: early 2012.

Harmonizing Industry Standards to Exchange Equipment Data — will harmonize ISO 15926, AEX cfiXML, and the Hydraulic Institute (HI) EDE 50.7 standard. Each of these activities endeavours to facilitate efficient exchange of capital facility and engineering data in electronic format, although in different manners. Harmonization will require alignment of data dictionaries and a mapping of the HI EDE dataset into existing and new entity combinations within the ISO 15926 Reference Data Library (RDL). Completion date: third quarter, 2012.

Structural Steel Interoperability for the Building and Process Plant Industries — will review the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Structural Steel Information Delivery Manual, which defines engineering, design, fabrication, and erection processes for the AEC/building community, and further develop it by defining critical data exchanges in the process plant industry. Other objectives include recommending business use cases to implement the AISC manual, and defining work for delivering industry guidelines for structural steel interoperability. Completion date: third quarter, 2012.

Details on these new projects as well as the 17 continuing projects can be seen at http://fiatech.org/projects/active-projects. For more information, or to get involved in any of these projects, contact the respective Fiatech staff project manager found on each of the project web pages.

Advancing interoperability is a recognized global opportunity. Achieving interoperability will enable significant savings and opportunities for step change improvements in work process efficiencies. Advancing interoperability would enable the delivery of information exchanges across functional, organizational, and life cycle phase boundaries. Exchanging models and other data between different software platforms remains one of the industry's biggest challenges. Fiatech Director Ray Topping said, "This paper highlights current progress in advancing interoperability and puts forward building blocks with calls for action to accelerate advancement of interoperability to drive huge value gains in the industry.  It has been a hands-on effort by an exceptional group of cross industry, global technical experts in the capital projects industry. We appreciate their efforts and we're pleased to issue their paper to the industry to provide focused recommendations for advancing interoperability."

The paper presents four building blocks necessary for the industry to achieve the vision of interoperability: (1) the business case, (2) information delivery processes, (3) information management, and (4) cultural changes. It also details industry "calls to action," specific undertakings that participants in the capital projects industry can take to help achieve the vision.

The paper provides insight into the challenges, the opportunities, and implementation methodology for advancing interoperability. For more information on this activity, contact Faith Junghans, Fiatech Project Manager at faithbj@comcast.net.

 Pye, with Fluor for over 30 years, leads his company's NEXTGENERATION initiative. The focus of NEXTGENERATION is the deployment of a data-centric engineering and construction solution. As the global excellence leader for project automation at Fluor, Pye promotes project execution excellence through technology. His previous experience includes engineering and construction of large petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and mining facilities.

 Hellstern, a retired U. S. Navy captain, has considerable experience in the nuclear field. In his last assignment with the Navy, Hellstern was the senior officer for regulatory oversight for construction, maintenance, operations, and training of the Navy's 10 nuclear aircraft carriers. He later served as TVA general manager for nuclear construction oversight. He currently is major project manager for the Progress Energy Crystal River 3 Containment Repair.

Jerry Gipson, Fiatech chairman, said, "We welcome to these two outstanding additions to our Board of Advisors. Michael's technology perspectives in the global arena and Mark's work with nuclear construction immediately add to the Board's perspective." Gipson is Sr Director of Manufacturing & Engineering IT for Dow Chemical.

The Board meets quarterly to provide strategic direction to Fiatech. For more information on the Fiatech Board of Advisors, visit http://fiatech.org/about/board-of-advisors.

Students who are selected will also have the opportunity to demonstrate and present their research in the Technology Showcase.

Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral candidates are eligible to apply. Deadline is January 27, 2012 and selections will be made in early February.

DOWNLOAD STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION