Santa Clara University
School of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
Industrialization of Electrical Contracting
Supply Chain and Logistics Management
Hisham Said, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
hsaid@scu.edu
ELECTRI Council Meeting
July 22 – 23, 2013
Introduction
Construction Industrialization
The hope to improve the productivity of the
construction industry as a whole and the
electrical contracting industry.
How to “industrialize” the Business?
through the extensive use of off-site
Manufacturing
Car
Industry
Open Building
Manufacturing
customized prefabricated
Modular
Construction
components/modules and mechanized
Off-Site
Prefabrication
continuous work processes of
manufacturing, handling, logistics and
Craft
Production
installation.
Revised version
of CABA 2009
Introduction
Research
Objectives
On-Site Assembly
& Fabrication
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
Stick-Built
Construction
Closed
System
Open
System
2
Introduction
Industrialization of Electrical Contracting
For over a decade now, Electrical
Contractors have started down the path of
industrialization (prefab, off-site)
Current Major Challenge:
Adopt to and manage the industrialized supply chain.
Material
Contractual
Traditional Construction
Supply Chain
Information
Architect/
Engineer
Distributer
/vendor
Components
Manufacturers
Introduction
Research
Objectives
Construction
Site
Electrical
Contractor
Research
Plan
Owner
Industry
Benefits
General
Contractor
3
Research Goal and Objectives
Overarching Goal:
study the impact of industrialization on the electrical contracting community in terms
of the adoption of new supply chain practices and the implementation of novel
logistics management systems.
Research Objectives:
1) Analyze contractual and logistics arrangements with electrical vendors to
incorporate their industrialization processes.
2) Investigate electrical manufacturers & distributors role in industrialized supply
chain and logistics.
3) Study the design modularization requirements for industrialized electrical
construction.
Introduction
Research
Objectives
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
4
Research Plan
Task 1) Analyze contractual and logistics arrangements with electrical
vendors
Survey (questionnaires and interviews) a sample of electrical contractors to
document and analyze their contractual arrangements with their vendors
and the resulting logistical arrangements:
Sample will be drawn from:
o Northern California (Silicon Valley)
o Midwest (Chicago, Indianapolis)
o Companies participated in previous ELECTRI studies
Introduction
Research
Objectives
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
5
Research Plan (cont.)
Task 2) Investigate electrical manufacturers and distributors role in
industrialized supply chain
Survey major electrical manufacturers to identify their role and reaction to
construction industrialization in terms of change in products standardization. Learn
from manufacturers what they have done to improve logistics and leverage the
supply chain.
Initial list of manufacturers & distributors include:
Introduction
Research
Objectives
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
6
Research Plan (cont.)
Task 3) Study design modularization requirements for industrialized
electrical construction
Investigate the impact of modularization on design practices and constraints
by analyzing available case studies obtained from electrical contractors,
architects, and designers. Example of modularization issues include:
1)
Reduced complexity (plug-and-play).
2)
Standardization (reproduction of component and
joint details).
3)
Reduced onsite work (less joints and connections).
4)
Interface with other building systems (plumping,
mechanical, etc.).
5)
Introduction
Transportation weight limitation.
Research
Objectives
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
www.portafab.com
7
Research Plan (cont.)
Task 4) Develop Best Practices of Electrical Construction
Industrialization
Perform second set of interviews to confirm and propose best practices of
electrical construction industrialization. Outcomes documented as:
a) Study Final Report: which includes:
o List of standardized products to facilitate industrialized production
o Recommended contractual and partnership arrangements
o Logistics planning framework for material and products flow
b) Instruction Material: provide the following to NECA members:
o Short course in NECA Management Education Institute.
o Seminar in NECA’s local and national meeting.
Introduction
Research
Objectives
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
8
Research Plan (cont.)
Work Plan
Study will be mainly performed by the PI with the support of SCU graduate
student and research assistants.
2013
Research Task
8
9
10
2014
11
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1) Analyze contractual and logistics
arrangements with vendors
2) Investigate electrical manufacturers
role in industrialized supply chain
3) Study design modularization
requirements
4) Develop Best Practices of Electrical
Construction Industrialization
Introduction
Research
Objectives
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
9
Benefits to the “E” Industry!
 This study will facilitate the sharing of industrialization knowledge gained
in the NECA community and propose additional practices:
o Contractual and partnership arrangements with vendors.
o Manufacturers & distributors involvement and innovation.
o Design modularization and production planning
 Industrialization has more potential to benefit electrical contractors than
any other specialty contractors:
o Electrical systems are “almost” standardized!
o Highly-trained workforce.
o Record of successful cases of prefabrication and off-site production
Introduction
Research
Objectives
Research
Plan
Industry
Benefits
10
Santa Clara University
School of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
Industrialization of Electrical Contracting
Supply Chain and Logistics Management
Thank you!
Questions and
Comments?