To reduce turnaround time of analysis and to build consistent global processes, a web-based system called Wind ITO (Inquiry to Order) was conceived. In order to dramatically reduce the time taken to create and deliver the Wind ITO application, GE selected EASA.
EASA is a patented software product which enables ultra-rapid creation of custom web-based applications which leverage existing assets such as spreadsheets, databases, web-services, and legacy applications.
The Wind ITO system has resulted in an error- proof process that provides consistent and reproducible results, a knowledge base that allows validation and verification of past analyses, enhanced productivity and a quicker turn-around on complex analyses.
Specific features of the application include:
✓ Ability to define wind farm layouts and wind turbine configurations;
✓ Storage of project information, customer files, analysis information, versions used for each analysis, as well as analysis results;
✓ Ability to perform a daily load of the latest projects from the Sales Opportunity system;
✓ Capture the results of all analyses to a knowledge bank, so that results from any past analysis can be recreated at any time;
✓ Communication of generated knowledge in the form of technical report generation, performance scorecards and process management reports.
The Wind ITO application leverages internally created algorithms and models (Excel and MATLAB) in combination with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tools such as Oracle. EASA allowed for rapid user interface development, automated queuing and seamless connectivity to compute servers.