Fundamentals for Electric Utilities
An important part of data importing is to decide what data to import!
The first consideration may be obvious. The overall service area may be quite large, with thousands of components. But the project area is generally quite small, and only a subset of the components within the overall service area are required for the project.
These specifically include:
· All existing assets to which project elements will be attached need to be imported. This is generally the case for extensions and new services. These always are attached to existing facilities. Only the existing facilities that are needed to help define the new project are required!
· Any existing assets that will be removed or modified also need to be imported. These need to be accounted for in the design and therefore must be imported.
The decision on what subset of components should be brought in for any given AUD project is made by the user, based on the project specifics.
In general, it is best to limit what is imported. Although AUD automatically limits the analysis associated with existing objects, these objects still take up memory. The more objects you import, the more it will affect performance.
The second consideration is less obvious. Generally, an asset management system or GIS has a comprehensive set of data fields describing each object.
While these fields may all be useful for various asset management tasks, in general most are not needed within Automated Utility Design for design work.
Here are the guidelines for what fields should be imported:
· The field (or combination of fields) that will map to the Model Name in Utility Design. This does not have to perfectly match a Model Name, but it should unambiguously identify the model. Generally, this will be the field that has the compatible unit or assembly code for the component. Within Utility Design, once you identify the model, you know a great deal about the component; in the example shown for an overhead transformer a gas pipe, the model will tell you the primary and secondary voltages and the transformer rating – all the information required for voltage drop analysis the diameter, coating inside and out, location type and more.
· Any fields that will need to appear on a material report. This is mostly important if you are planning to remove components, and in this case, you would certainly include the existing component’s identifier and other fields (perhaps the ID of the supporting pole in the example shown).
· In most utilities, the decision and setting up for what data fields in the asset management system are required is made by the system administrator. From the user’s perspective, there will likely be one or more Field Mapping files provided that determine what fields are required and how they are used within AUD.
To learn more about data import processes and steps on how to do it you can undergo the Automated Utility Design: Fundamentals for Electric Utilities training by enrolling for it at https://www.imaginit.com/training/courses/automated-utility-design-fundamentals-for-electric-utilities .
