Formwork is used on construction sites to shape liquid concrete. After this has cured, the formwork is dismantled again and can be used again for other objects. In most cases, these are standardized elements. However, in large companies that operate several construction sites at the same time, there are difficulties in picking out the right formwork elements. That’s why Peri Group has now deployed an IoT solution that makes components instantly findable.
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IoT solutions reach the trades
The Peri Group has been using digital technologies for some time now to plan and carry out construction work. These range from measurement and the keeping of a digital construction diary to the complete documentation of the construction project. However, the Peri Group has only recently started using the new IoT solution for formwork.
This is how the new IoT solution works
Each formwork component is equipped with a shockproof and waterproof tracker. These send data using BLE. The abbreviation stands for Bluetooth Low Energy and is very popular in the IoT due to its low energy consumption. The special feature of the trackers is that they can transmit the respective location with an accuracy of about one meter. The data is then sent via WLAN. Therefore, they are available at any time.
If the formwork elements are currently on a transport, the data is transmitted via Telekom’s 2-G network. This also applies if the location is somewhat further away. In this way, the planners of a construction project have precise control over where the individual parts for the formwork are currently located.
Secure transmission of location data
The employees responsible for this in the Peri Group have set up the complete system so that the location data of the formwork components are stored in the Telekom Cloud. This means that they can be accessed not only in the office. It can be accessed at any time using mobile devices. It does not matter from which location the query is made.
The innovative IoT solution saves the Peri Group a lot of money
Around 9,000 employees work for the Peri Group. Based on the large number of employees, it is already possible to see the dimension that this company achieves. Every day, formwork is erected at various construction sites and dismantled at others. In such a large company, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture.
However, if it can be determined exactly whether the required components are in the warehouse or already on a construction site, they can be loaded quite quickly. This saves a lot of time. In addition, unnecessary trips by truck can be avoided. This also saves high costs. In addition, the environment is protected.
Another positive side effect of this IoT solution
Employees of the company report another positive effect. As is well known, numerous thefts always take place on construction sites. With formwork, however, it no longer happens because tracking is possible at any time. This is another advantage that cannot be dismissed out of hand. Therefore, the IoT solution used by the Peri Group is a very good success. Thanks to this modern technology, costs are saved and thefts are prevented.
