Quality Management

TREETECH – INNOVATION IN PRACTICE

The energy infrastructure is a mandatory component in defining the development strategy of any nation. The biggest global competition is for energy supply, to meet the economic and population growth whose energy demands grow at an even faster rate. In this context, innovation is visibly a path to a more efficient exploration of the energy potential, while mitigating the negative impacts and reducing risks.


Innovation propitiates the improvement of the generation, transmission and distribution (GTD) of electric energy by increasing the technical efficiency through cost reduction and elimination of waste, and consequently bringing higher competitiveness. Innovation is essential for the economic development and growth and aligns with the industrial, technologic and commercial strategies, as it provides an increase in offer, reliability and continuity of energy supply, thus bringing benefits for the consumers and strengthening the infrastructure.


In this context, Treetech's operation is highly significant, since by creating and developing its own technology, it cooperates in improving and expanding the electric sector. We list below some correlations between the principles of the innovation theory (UFRJ Master’s degree Thesis) and the pragmatic approach to innovation by Treetech.





INNOVATION AS STRATEGY

Established 1992, Treetech is a company which specializes in online management of electric energy substation assets. Based on proprietary technology and innovative at an international level, Treetech has developed a complete solution consisting of electronic sensors and specialized software. Currently Treetech has as its clients high voltage equipment manufacturers, electro-intensive industries and GTD utilities in over 33 countries with more than 35 thousand sensors and 150 softwares installed.


The differentials of the solutions developed by Treetech are obtained through using different innovation mechanisms simultaneously(1):

  • Products and services innovation

  • Process Innovation

  • Exclusive Concepts

  • Patented Solutions

  • Altering the state of the art

  • Technologic Leadership

  • Expansible design

  • New paradigms

  • New interactions

  • Expansion of the applications

  • Sustainability

  • Exclusive IED Sensors (Intelligent Electronic Devices) and SDs (Smart Devices) with specialist functionalities. Sensors 

  • The Sigma4net, Sigma4web and SigmaMobile softwares use a decentralized architecture, based on IEDs and SDs, and have as differentials: modularity, scalability, online integration of the assets in just one platform and remote access, among others. Softwares 

  • The SAM (Smart Asset Management) Service has created a new online technical consulting market, providing, through the Sigma4web, monitoring, analysis and follow-up of the substation assets, using specialist know-how. Management 

  • Sensors, softwares and services provided by Treetech form an online (streamlined and agile) scalable (cost-effective) and modular (customized) solution, thus altering the asset managing process.

  • Complete solution, sophisticated and friendly based on a new concept of architecture. Solutions 

  • Sensors, hardware and functionalities with patents filed in significant markets, among them Brazil, US and European Community.

  • Cloud Computing Online Monitoring and Seas mode (Software as a Service) (Wireless Communication) has broken the economic barrier and made possible to offer customized monitoring for big (Monitoring Itaipú) and small assets, such as distribution transformers and switches.

  • In line with the technologic leadership strategy, Treetech actively participates in the segment's study groups, such as Cigré and IEEE, or state of the art definition and improvement (Monitoring Vegetable Oil Transfer) becoming a world reference in substation monitoring. Technical Articles  Awards  Events 

  • In 2010, Treetech has introduced the new SD family of sensors with advanced functionalities which are a robust platform which evolved from the IEDs, allowing for the addition of new specialist functions.

  • The Treetech monitoring solution, with advanced connectivity, a big processing capacity and interaction with other technologies, sophisticated mathematical and specialist models (HVDC) make the pre-existent systems obsolete and replace them, with advantages. Solutions 

  • The Treetech solution optimizes the asset management process, and increases the interactivity among the maintenance, planning and operating engineering sectors of the electric power utility, bringing obvious advantages, for instance, longer asset life, cost reduction and increased system efficiency (Regulator Relay) e da and reliability. Softwares 

  • The solution initially created for power transformers was expanded to the other substation equipments, keeping the initial philosophy that allows the recombination of elements with specific solutions for different applications. Solutions 

  • Treetech's culture, strongly supported by the Education, Organization and Friendliness pillars, fosters the behavior, attitude and motivation unity of its team, whose members interact in an ethical way toward the corporative and technologic company goals, thus securing a sustainable competitive advantage. Institucional 


INNOVATION CAPABILITY

The technological path(3) of the solution developed by Treetech has gone through an intense experimentation phase(2), and has been recognized by the clients as the new pattern to be largely adopted. The same technologic platform is used by Treetech as basis for launching new products that expand the solution to include other substation equipments.


Innovation management by Treetech is permeated by learning, which makes this process able to turn discoveries and uncertainties in know-how and experience. Base on those competences Treetech dedicates itself both to the evolutive innovation - continuous improvement of products - and to the radical innovation, the development of new products.


In this way, combining the strategic focus with flexibility, Treetech shows it has ambidextrous ability(5) to solve the so called "innovation problem"(6) and keep moving to offer solutions that meet needs neglected by the previous technologies, thus delivering exclusive benefits to the client. Solutions 


EVOLUTIVE INNOVATION

Treetech has made continuous efforts to improve its sensors, softwares and services by implementing new specialist functionalities, creating new engineering models and rendering faster and more accurate services to the clients. As a result, Treetech's solution has shown successive cumulative improvements generated both by experience and technological vision of the company, and by the demands by the clients, who are sure they are adopting a successful innovation.


The continuous improvement process both in products and services and in internal processes is managed through the Quality Management System. Quality Management 



New Treetech’s Chip (LSI develops chip in partnership with Treetech).

RUPTURE INNOVATION

Treetech's actions on the state of the art, in the radical innovation context, cause a rupture of existing standards and bring about a new technical-economic concept.


Currently a technical change is noticeable in the electric power generation, transmission and distribution sector management, resulting from the dissemination of the technological change(4) led by Treetech, giving the electric power utilities and the electro-intensive industries better reliability in supplying energy to the public (Monitoring Bushings) and productivity gain.


The innovation developed by Treetech, recognized at an international level (wapa / DOE USA), has overcome preexistent technologies and brings with it the imminent potential to transform the electric power segment.


COMPETÊNCIAS

"A company must be seen not only as a portfolio of products or services, but also as a portfolio of competences". Hamel & Prahalad(9)



Through the differentiation of the solution directed to the electric power GTD (generation, transmission and distribution) sector, Treetech adopts the technologic leadership strategy(7) placing itself ahead of the market, with the introduction of innovations. In a way that is consistent with its long-term vision (Vision of the Future), and through an offensive technological strategy(8), Treetech invests heavily in Research and Development activities, using the appropriate intellectual property protection mechanisms.


Treetech's team, extremely qualified and seasoned, provides support to the innovation process, which comprises the following steps: search, selection, implementation and mainly learning through the relationship with the client and interactions inside the company. That process builds a bridge of understanding, motivation and attitudes among the team members.


Knowledge management in Treetech aims at combining know-how and know-why through investing in the academic education of the team. In this way, Treetech's objective is balancing the preexistent competences with the development of new competences.


The collaborators receive structured organizational support which provides an environment which fosters creativity and unbounded collaboration among the engineering, Research and Development and marketing departments.


Among the core competences of Treetech's, which not only support the proposed solution, but also the company's value system, the ability to communicate, the involvement and deep commitment of the team members, stand out, giving the company a typical cognitive and cultural profile which allows the combination and accumulation of the technical and organizational knowledge of the collaborators, organized as follows:


Technical-Commercial Department

Technical-Commercial Department

It works prospecting and opening new markets, sales and application engineering and accumulates experience in conducting competitive biddings, contract and service management. The team members of the commercial department have wide knowledge of foreign trade, logistics, law and quality management system.. The team speaks fluent English and Spanish and its members have Business Administration, Accounting, Electronics, Electricity, IT and Industrial Automation backgrounds. Treetech's commercial strength shows also in its specialized network of agents and distributors in Brazil and abroad. Representatives 

Engineering and R&D

Engenharia e P&D

Hardware and Firmware engineering implements the innovations including tests and homologation of prototypes, writing quality control procedures, catalogs and manuals and managing the product throughout its life cycle. It also develops electrical schematics and designs product application projects. Software engineering dedicates itself to production, design and application of the softwares that form the Treetech's solution, including parameterization, customization, installation, training and homologation. The team has Facility and Electricity Service Safety, Corrective and Preventive Actions and Technical Document Administration training, as well as Electric and Electronic Engineering, IT, Internet System Technology, Web Design and Business Administration background.

Asset Management Engineering

Asset Management Engineering

With engineers specialized in interpreting diagnostics and prognostics generated by Sigma4web, Treetech complements its solution with consulting services (Solutions  Management ) technically subsidizing the operating and managerial decisions of the companies that own the assets, as well as utilities and electro-intensive industries. With wide transformer maintenance experience and electric engineering background, Master’s degree in High Voltage Equipment Diagnosis and Business Administration, the specialist team is fully capable to exercise the following functions:
- Real-Time Asset supervision and assessment;
- Technical Diagnostics and Report Preparation;
- Technical support to the maintenance and installation teams and to the commercial department;
- Field occurrences follow-up;
- Recommendation of asset maintenance procedures.

Technical Support and Quality Control

Technical Support and Quality Control

Supports the user and engineering departments, analyzes, maintains and installs equipments and prepares quality control procedures. The team has an electrotechnics and electronics, technical-mechanical design, electro-electronic equipment maintenance background, and also Installation Safety, Electricity Services and Corrective and Preventive Actions training.

Administrative Support

Administrative Support

The administrative team at Treetech is actively involved in commercial and productive issues and is a part of the inside commitment (Solutions  Quality Management ), giving effective support to the other areas of the company. With Accounting, Tax Legislation, Foreign Trade, Public Competitive Biddings, and cash flow management background, the administrative team keeps the organizational structure running in a way so that it fosters the creativity and provides the resources, financial and human, necessary to the innovation process.

Logistics

Logistics

With a business administration, Accounting, industrial automation and Tax Legislation, Public Competitive Bidding, Procurement Planning and Stock Control background, the Logistics team prepares, follows up and supervises the planning of production, product quality control and purchase and supply scheduling.

BENEFITS

The recognition of the value delivered to the client by the online monitoring solutions explains the innovation benchmark position obtained by Treetech in its industry segment, both in Brazil and around the world. Among the benefits resulting from this complete solution by Treetech, we may list:


  • A significant reduction in the probability of electric power outage;
  • Longer electric asset service life;
  • Postponement of financial disbursement to invest on assets;
  • Agility and accuracy in the preventive and corrective actions;
  • Increased operational efficiency;
  • Maintenance Cost Reduction;
  • Corporate image preservation.

When putting the concept of innovation into practice, transforming theory in solutions, Treetech contributes in an effective and active way for the development of the electric sector, and consequently to strengthen the infrastructure and support economic growth.


References

  • (1) Tidd J.; Bessant J.; Pavitt K. Managing Innovation. John Wiley & Sons; Chichester, 1997. 3a Ed, 2005.
  • (2) ABERNATHY, W. J., 1978, “Patterns of Industrial Innovation”, Technology Review, v. 80, n. 7.
  • (3) DOSI, G. (1982) “Technological paradigms and technological trajectories”, Research Policy, 11, 147-162.
  • (4) MEINERS, Wilhelm Milward. As Mudanças no Paradigma Tecnológico e Suas Implicações. Para as Empresas, Cadernos da Escola de Negócios da uniBrasil, Jul/Dez 2003.
  • (5) LEONARD-BARTON, D. (1995) Wellspring of Knowledge, Harvard Business School Press, Buston.
  • (6) CHRISTENSEN, C.M. (1997), The Innovator’s Dilemma. Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge, Mass.
  • (7) PORTER, M. (1980) Competitive Strategy, Free Press, New York.
  • (8) FREEMAN, C. e L. Soete (1997) The economics of Industrial Innovation, 3a Ed. MIT Press, Cambridge.
  • (9) Gary Hamel e C. K. Prahalad. Competindo pelo futuro. Cap 10, pág 253, Harvard Business School Press. 20a Ed. 1995, 2005.

CATIA PEDROSA SANTOS, specialist in management and quality systems, is in charge of Treetech's administration. She graduated with a major in Electric Engineering in 2001 from the São Paulo Engineering College (FESP) and in 2008 she concluded her Master’s degree in the area of Operations, Technology and Logistics from the COPPEAD Institute of Administration of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.(UFRJ).


MARCOS E. G. ALVES, specialized in power transformer control and monitoring systems, is in charge of the Research and Development department at Treetech. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Electric Engineering, which he obtained in 2001 from the São Judas Tadeu University in São Paulo, and, in 2005, he concluded his Master’s degree in the Energy and Automation area from the University of São Paulo (USP). He is currently doing doctoral work at the University of São Paulo (USP).


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