One central system for engineering data shared across 150 countries
Sulzer's engineers were building bespoke pumps across multiple continents, each site using different measurement systems and tracking data in their own way. Version control was a compliance requirement, not an option. We built OED, a central .NET system that brought all 88 engineering data sheets into one place and gave every site consistent, controlled access.
The challenge
Sulzer designs and builds bespoke centrifugal pumps for clients across a wide range of industries. Each pump is individually engineered, and the teams doing that work are spread across sites in different countries, working in different time zones, using different units of measurement.
Getting technical data from one site to another was harder than it should have been. Engineers were working across a collection of spreadsheets and ad-hoc systems, each location maintaining its own records in its own way. That created two problems: practical ones, because data was difficult to share accurately across the geographic spread, and compliance ones, because Sulzer's accreditation required tight version control and a clear audit trail. Spreadsheets could not reliably deliver either.
What we built
We worked with Sulzer to understand the full scope of their data management and auditing requirements before writing a line of code. The result was OED, a bespoke web-based system built on .NET and SQL Server.
OED covers 88 distinct engineering sheet types, handling all the technical data that needs to flow between dispersed engineering teams. Business logic built into the application handles unit of measurement conversion automatically, so engineers in different countries are always working with the right figures for their location without having to do the conversion themselves.
Access is managed through Active Directory. Users get the level of access appropriate to their role and country, and nothing more. Teams can create and share work-in-progress versions of technical data within their own group, then release a verified version to the wider user population once the data has been checked. That release process is where the audit trail lives, giving Sulzer the version history their accreditation requires.
For situations where engineers need to work offline, the system supports caching into Excel. Users can edit locked OED sheets offline and sync their changes back when they are connected again.
The entire system is hosted in one location. Users across 150 countries access it through a web browser, which meant Sulzer avoided the cost and complexity of managing infrastructure on a global scale.
What this delivered
- 01 88 engineering sheet types standardised across all global sites
- 02 Engineers across 150 countries accessing one central system
- 03 Active Directory access control aligned to role and country
- 04 Versioning and audit trail built in to support accreditation requirements
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