5 minute read
The Sheet Metal E-Volution
By / Natalie Bruckner
The sheet metal industry is in the midst of a digital transformation. While historically the construction sector has been considered among the least digitized, an E-volution in the sheet metal industry is dramatically improving the way in which it operates, making work safer, more efficient, and more cost effective, and giving contractors and Locals that embrace technology an important competitive advantage.
From remote connectivity that monitors and maintains buildings while ensuring safe working conditions for its occupants to advanced robotic platforms that autonomously navigate job sites and can draw straight lines with 1/16-inch accuracy, the technological tools available today are mindblowing.
Staying ahead of the changes, however, can be overwhelming. Through the jointly-funded International Training Institute (iTi), SMART and SMACNA are helping to ensure their employees and members continue to be the most competent and skilled workforce available.
“We have been offering classes in our Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) curriculum on direct digital controls for quite some time now,” says Mike Harris, program administrator at the iTi. “The student gets to explore building automation systems that allow building-related equipment to be centrally monitored, adjusted, and controlled.”
While COVID-19 has undoubtedly shone a spotlight on the benefits of remote technology, increasing awareness about energy reduction measures has also made this a hot topic. So hot, in fact, that Darrell Garrison, TAB specialist at the iTi, says courses have been filling up within days of being advertised, adding that TAB training at JATCs has also increased.
“TAB and TAB proficiency have definitely become a focal point,” Garrison says. “While the pandemic heightened awareness due to the ventilation aspect and the importance of air quality, the increasing focus on climate change has also spurred interest. During the pandemic we have been thinking more about the world around us, the idea of a living building, and the role of the HVAC system within the building.”
But remote technology doesn’t stop at direct digital controls. The iTi remains in contact with a number of smart technology companies, such as Dusty Robotics—a start-up that builds robot-powered tools to complete important tasks on construction sites. “They are doing a lot of beta testing right now with cutting-edge technology to autonomously navigate the job site,” Harris says.
The adoption of technology supports and requires a skilled workforce, and rather than replacing human power, it ensures greater accuracy and troubleshooting capabilities. Technology also improves worker safety by mitigating many of the backbreaking, laborious tasks. And despite a robot’s efficacy in doing the heavy lifting, a person’s critical thinking and skilled training will remain essential. “The control side is expanding quickly, but what makes our people good at what they do is they have done the hands-on piece and have a deep understanding of what is required,” Harris says. “Technology can’t replace that knowledge.”
Garrison agrees. In fact, he is seeing increasing interest in augmented reality, which refers to systems that mix the virtual world with the existing world. It is an excellent adjunct to designing, planning, and viewing a project or system before getting your hands dirty, because it lets the real world stay as it is and lays a simulation over it.
“When we are onsite, for example, we can populate a virtual component of a system, interact with it, and digitally manipulate parts of it,” Garrison says. “It’s extremely beneficial for troubleshooting and saves a lot of time on calls and being put on hold or having to wait for a mentor to drive to the site. In the future, field work and augmented reality will work hand in hand.”
SMACNA contractor Jerry Jannicelli of Technical Building Services (TBS) Controls in New York also sees remote technology as an excellent tool for the industry. His company provides independent temperature control and mechanical maintenance, and is experiencing increased demand for the service, particularly as buildings become smarter.
“Buildings are starting to be built for occasional users, so smart remote technology can meet those needs,” he says. “Advanced controls can limit HVAC consumption in unoccupied building zones, detect and diagnose faults, and reduce HVAC usage during times of peak energy demand. We just need to look at the automotive industry. Today, you expect your car to tell you when to change the oil or when the air pressure is low, and that’s what we want buildings to do.”
Smart technology is also becoming invaluable in training centers as they reap the benefits of its advancement. The iTi and many JATCs have adopted virtual reality in their training to allow apprentices and technicians to learn remotely.
“Most of our schools have gotten onboard and are using VR in some way,” Garrison says. “It’s so kinetic, you have to bend down to get in front of a unit that isn’t actually there. You are building up the muscle memory for those tasks. You can work on a unit right in your living room. It’s gamified, too, which makes it fun, and it becomes addictive. My colleague Lisa Davis and I have caught ourselves at 1 a.m. with our Oculus headsets on, completing a simulation and earning points.”
While iTi and JATCs offer remote technology training through courses like TAB, remote systems can be very specific. That is why companies like TBS Controls offer inhouse training or training through the manufacturers to get their teams up to speed.
Jannicelli says the people he employs must have experience in a variety of disciplines. He believes sheet metal workers are a great fit for learning and adopting remote technology because they have spatial awareness, posess knowledge of ventilation and air flow, and are critical thinkers.
Embracing technology is just a smart way forward because of its overt safety and productivity benefits. It also allowed companies like TBS Controls to operate their remote divisions during the pandemic—even before construction was declared essential—ensuring their workforce stayed on the job.
Technology also provides benefits when it comes to recruiting a younger, tech savvy generation that embraces gamification.
“As this generation begins to enter the workforce, getting the word out there that the sheet metal industry has embraced this kind of technology as one of the many tools on its belt will ensure the health of the industry for many years to come,” Harris says. ▪
Natalie is an award-winning writer who has worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Canada. She has more than 23 years experience as a journalist, editor, and brand builder, specializing in construction and transportation.
