Case study: Construction Yard WiFi rollout – 13,000m2 of coverage, 25% productivity boost
The Client
Our client is a multi-million dollar construction company based in Perth, Western Australia. They build modular and de-mountable buildings, and accommodation for mine sites, accommodation villages, site offices, and residential dwellings. They operate a face paced work environment with tight deadlines and an expanding workforce.
The Problem
Their construction yard is over 13,000m2, and spread across three adjacent properties on three levels due to a gradual sloping terrain. In recent years the increased digitization of their construction and certification procedures has meant that more tasks are computer based rather than paper based.
The requirement for multiple yard staff to traverse the construction yards repeatedly, to return back to a central computer to complete their tasks was slowing down the construction process, creating too much room for error due to mistakes, and costing the client in additional overtime labour.
Approximately 35% of the construction yard is under cover in a sheet metal factory setting, whereas the remainder of the yard is open to the elements.
The Requirements
activIT systems was commissioned to design a WiFi solution that enabled the clients staff to use mobile devices such as Microsoft Surface tablets throughout the entire yard, in a single homogeneous WiFi environment with minimal weak coverage areas. Client staff members move the tablets between all three properties and in between buildings.
The WiFi solution also required:
- Fast access to local on-premise network resources and data
- Controlled internet access for the devices
- Yard WiFi to be separated from the main corporate WiFi network
- IT security and access restrictions applied to the mobile devices
The Solution
After conducting a short feasibility study and determining the requirements could be met, we delivered a solution based off a total of eight new Ubiquiti UniFi AC Mesh Pro access points, strategically installed around the premises.
The turnaround time was five weeks from initial request. The solution was designed, quoted, approved, equipment and trades procured, equipment configured and installed, tested and fine tuned, and finally commissioned for service.
We provided:
- Consultation and design services with regards to access point location, cable run logistics, power usage,
- Evidence based WiFi coverage maps to ensure sufficient coverage,
- Liaison with trades with regards to elevated work platform requirements for installation of equipment,
- After-hours installation of upgraded core network infrastructure such as new network switches and power backup devices,
- Configuration of the new access points prior to installation,
- IT security configuration and policy for the yard WiFi & corporate WiFi,
- Post-installation testing and fine-tuning of radio signal strength to ensure smooth coverage
- Commissioning! 🙂
The Outcome
Following the commissioning of the project, the yard staff can now freely roam the yard with their tablets, completing build checklists, taking photos of the buildings, rectification before-and-after photos.
This is saving around two hours of otherwise lost time, per yard supervisor per day, equating to around a 25% productivity increase that was previously lost just from walking through the yard!
Can we help?
If you’re in need of something similar for your workplace, drop us a line down below to talk about network solutions that can make your business more efficient and secure.