In late 2022, CONDIS embarked on the journey to break several of its internal records and achieve a world first. The company won the tender to produce an 800kV Low Power Voltage Transformer (LPVT), more specifically a Resistive Capacitive Divider.
This mini-series takes you through the various stages in the design and construction of the 800kV from the perspective of the different people involved in the project. In this second chapter, Athos Grandi, Operations Director, and Sévérino Tehrani, Industrialisation Manager, answer our questions about the manufacturing logistics phases.
What do you think was the biggest difference between manufacturing the 800kV RC divider compared to the rest of CONDIS’ portfolio?
Athos Grandi: “The biggest difference was managing space and workload. Three of these units are equal to several orders of standard capacitors. With such a high production workload, the biggest challenge was handling the unexpected problems that came up during the production of the 800kV units without delaying other ongoing orders.”
What were the logistical challenges of producing these units and how did the production line adapt to these units moving around the factory?
Sévérino Tehrani: “The exceptional length of the units posed substantial logistical challenges. The production line was meticulously adapted through the implementation of specialized handling systems and strategic reconfiguration of factory layouts to ensure seamless progression from assembly to measurement stages.”
How did the design help fast track the manufacturing process?
Sévérino Tehrani: “A customised internal design was developed to streamline the assembly process. This design was first validated through a scaled prototype, followed by the assembly of a full-scale prototype to further refine the process. These steps ensured precise component integration and a significant reduction in assembly time.”
How closely did you work with the design team to ensure the factory staff was trained to assemble this new unit?
Athos Grandi: “The capacitor assembly went as planned, but the secondary part was trickier since it was quite new for production. The biggest challenge was the electrical tests. At the same time, we were setting up a new reference in the lab (to perform the required tests), so the technical team had to be on-site to guide the tests and support the operators.
At that time, production didn’t handle such precise tests and calibrations as much, so close collaboration with the engineering team was essential. This new unit was also a great opportunity to train a few operators to handle these kinds of tasks independently.”
