We are delighted to have been shortlisted in the 'Driving Efficiencies' category of the Rail Partnership Awards 2019.
VolkerRail and Unipart Rail have transformed overhead line electrification by developing new, innovative solutions around pre-fabrication build, facilities and tracking of over 250,000 multi-assets.
Historically the industry has faced large challenges around OLE materials control, including supply, quality control, right first time delivery and the management of asset change. Some materials also had a minimum 16 weeks lead-time, providing an industry wide challenge around a scarce commodity.
Together, VolkerRail and Unipart Rail used existing systems and dedicated facility solutions from previous projects to develop a plan to open a pre-fabrication facility in Crewe, which would house all materials and pre-fabrication requirements. In addition, we needed to design process support software that would enable the project to track multiple assets and identify and meet delivery targets for the project.
The strategy was developed from ideas and lessons learnt on previous overhead line fabrication projects and included processes that would allow the team to:
- Reduce fabrication time
- Reduce material shortages on site and in stock
- Increase productivity at peak times
- Improve quality processes
- Improve item traceability throughout the lifetime of the project
- Achieve just in time delivery
- Create cost benefits
- Reduce the impact of delivery challenges to the project
- Achieve all project milestones
The project and its subsequent outputs have exceeded expectations, with headlines as follows:
- Fabrication time reduced by 25%
- Material shortages on site and in stock reduced by 25%
- Productivity and quality improvements
- 100% item traceability achieved
- Cost benefits of 5% now forecast
When compared to conventional methods, the system has also led to:
- Zero materials re-work
- Reduction in carbon footprint by 60%
- The UK’s first pre-fab training course for all apprentices and trainees, in a controlled workshop environment, leading to OLEC qualification
- Compliance with Network Rail’s PAN103 guidelines
- Closer working between the collaborators in the supply chain which is improving day on day with more suppliers
- Whole-project holistic materials view enabling aggregated sourcing
The Uni-TracePlus system has also helped to develop supplier relationships as the teams needed to work even more closely with critical suppliers to pre-order and carefully plan key materials. This enabled the assembly process to be highly responsive to the needs of the project as each installation phase progressed. Specially designed QR-code fault cards were developed to enable the engineer to scan a specific fault against an asset, providing end to end visibility
Overall, the facility has reduced delivery challenges, and has ensured that milestones for overhead line installation were met and client satisfaction achieved. This culminated in the project being delivering on time, to budget and with additional levels of materials management over and above Network Rail’s requirements.
Increasing Performance, Reducing risk, Optimising Cost, Delivering Innovation