Creating a Learning Culture in your Power Plant Organization

Enjoy the informative blog below. Learn how AVEVA uses Virtual Reality to create a culture of continuous improvement in power plants by reading the E-Book

To remain competitive and achieve operational excellence, the power industry is embracing digital acceleration. However, power plant owners understand that people will remain a vital part of this transformation. No matter the technological advances, a competent workforce remains essential to avoid safety, environmental and production incidents. Reducing time-to-competency and creating a culture of continuous improvement requires a revision of traditional training methods to make better use of new technologies.

AVEVA provides both custom and generic training programs, from process simulations to full plant simulations, along with generic solutions as part of its Learning Management System (LMS). The latest technologies are combined with solid instructional design to deliver competency-based experiential learning, enabling operators to better perform their tasks, in less time.

Enhancing Training with New Technology

By combining sophisticated, cutting-edge cloud-based, and immersive products equipped with Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Extended Reality (XR), AVEVA offers a scalable system that enables connected workers regardless of location, while addressing the most important training needs. It also eliminates travel to training sessions, boosting productivity at a reduced cost compared to instructor-led training.

Power plants have used Operator Training Simulators (OTS) to train Control Room Operators for decades. This is normally a computer-based training system with a dynamic simulation process model, integrated with a representation of the plant’s control system. However, there are still non-automated tasks on the plant´s floor that require manual execution from a field operator. These tasks can include valve actuation and local motor start. The training for these field operators typically consists of learning by observing others or reading a manual.

The advent of Virtual Reality Training has revolutionized the training of field operators. The AVEVA VR-based training systems allow you to connect control room operators, maintenance, and field personnel in a single realistic learning environment. This integrated and immersive training enables power plants to foster a learning and collaboration culture offering the following tangible benefits:

• Capture operational knowledge: AR/VR enables the delivery of accelerated training that is sustainable, efficient, and effective.
  
  
• Reduce startup and commissioning time: Operators, engineers, and maintenance personnel learn in real-world scenarios.
  
  
• Reduce Hardware Costs: The Virtual Reality system allows the testing of designs, hardware, and software before deployment
  
  
• Modular and software agnostic architecture: This allows you to link to major DCS systems, as well as “traditional” Operator Training Simulators. Data is easily transferred among the virtual environment, the simulation, and any 3rd party software or data source required for the overall solution.

Train how you Work

Centralized document control centers were used to store information such as equipment specifications, drawings, and maintenance records. However, as computing and data storage technology improves, field operators increasingly use tablets and other mobile devices to retrieve the information required to perform their operations and maintenance tasks. By providing tablet-based training, AVEVA enhances the training experience of field operators, enabling knowledge capture and retention as well as increasing the user’s proficiency skills with mobile devices.

You need More than a Training System

Technology for technology’s sake is not a solution to the different problems faced by power plants today. Every organization requires a training solution that fits its needs as well as budgetary and schedule constraints. A generic solution may be enough and desired sometimes. A plant-specific solution may be required other times. AVEVA can design a training solution that fits your needs and constraints, by offering you a team of experienced power industry experts and training specialists.

Start your journey by reading about our Training Pulse Study brochure. Learn how an experienced operations training consultant and technologist will spend time either on-site or remote to help your organization evaluate your current training solution.

We will collect data to analyze your existing Training Program and we will propose a Training Roadmap to help you achieve your operational and maintenance goals.

Learn by Doing

AVEVA’s learning methodology focuses on “learning by doing,” with real-life exercises using proprietary simulation platforms. Programs and courses are designed to complement the knowledge and skills of a new generation of workers.  Power utilities realize that a continuous learning program helps them achieve their goals, and this, in turn, benefits customers by keeping electricity affordable.

This type of learning environment will become even more important as utilities and power producers add more renewable energy resources to their portfolios. The lessons learned from workforce training at fossil fuel-powered facilities will be useful as alternative forms of power generation continue to grow. AVEVA creates flexible simulation models that can be combined with a DCS simulation for engineering validations, control system checkout, and operator training, and it can be accessed both on-premise, and from a secure cloud platform.

To learn more about AVEVA’s training solutions for the power industry, visit our website and download our latest E-Book.