Adobe Success Story

The Österreichische Bundesbahn (ÖBB) is the federal authority responsible for all aspects of the state-owned National Railway in Austria. Within ÖBB, the ÖBB-Infrastruktur Bau AG (ÖBB-IB) is responsible for all under-the-wheels construction, including all related structures, such as bridges, stations, and platforms. OBB-IB controls a budget of €1,400 million per year.

Challenges
Until 2005 ÖBB-IB handled all construction plans manually. A physical plan, which can be as large as 11 meters in length, could be copied 15 to 80 times during a project for review and editing by engineers, architects, and project managers. When notes were manually added directly on a plan the edits needed to be consolidated manually, via fax, and an updated version of the plan created. A team of three to five staff managed the collecting, consolidating, copying, packaging, and dispatching to all relevant parties—equating to one full-time person per year. Finalizing a plan typically took up to 40 days.

Up to 400 reviewers work on each plan for the largest projects. It is crucial that each team member has access to the very latest version of the project drawings. When complications emerge in a construction phase—such as a new significant geological fact discovered—the changes can become so significant that a completely new plan has to be created. This initiates a whole new plan review process.

Project team members also work simultaneously on a plan, updating detail, adding complexity, and creating version control difficulties.

Analysis of project problems revealed the plan version, review, and update issues were the primary cause of project overruns; because so many people need to be involved, tracking their input inevitably led to errors creeping into the plans. 40% of projects experienced overruns in time or budget as a result of inaccurate information on the plans. ÖBB-IB was experiencing problems with at least five multi-million euro projects a year which also had a significant impact on multi-site construction projects.

The Austrian information technology company ev-i Informationstechnologie GmBH (ev-i) was contracted by ÖBB-IB to develop a software solution to enable staff and outside partners to collaborate on all phases of railway projects. ev-i initiated the €400,000 project, named the QM Project, in 2003, initially responding to a clear and concise set of requirements that set a target to:

• Reduce plan review time from 40 to 15 working days, a reduction of 62.5%
• Eliminate version control errors
• Automate the review process
• Improve the team’s ability to collaborate on project plans in a secure environment

Project Details

Faster project completion at lower cost
After evaluating the available solutions, ev-i found that Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) perfectly supported ÖBB’s improvement goals. ev-i implemented a new JAVA™ based platform called C.DES, (concurrent design). The ev-i team benchmarked several software solutions over a two month period. Key requirements were to:

• Effectively display large, graphical content
• Display rich content to fully represent HPGL/PCL5 content
• Offer a comprehensive set of electronic redlining tools to streamline the collation of reviewer input on materials

As a result of the benchmark, ev-i selected the Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions solution. The solution enabled ÖBB to distribute project documents as application-independent Adobe PDF files, enabled with Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions, that can be reviewed and commented on offline or online simply using the free Adobe Reader software.

The specific solution differentiators were:

• Free Adobe Reader software
• Platform and application independence, including the customer’s or supplier’s technical operating systems
• Preserved document layout in technical drawings as converted HPGL content
• Excellent security based on 128 bit encryption

For ÖBB, the Adobe solution provides an interactive and dynamic process that directly translates into faster project completion. The reduction in plan review phase from 40 to 15 days—5 days in some projects—has contributed significantly to the reduction in project overruns and costs.

A flexible solution, proven technology
The ev-i solution converts all CAD materials to Adobe PDF files that can be read anywhere at any time with Adobe Reader software.

When review and editing rights (redlining) are granted, Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions is used to create Adobe PDF documents in which authorized recipients can comment using Adobe Reader software.

Extending functionality to the construction site
The use of compact Adobe PDF files facilitates review and commenting directly at the construction site, even where only limited Internet connectivity and data capacity is available. On-site, sections of drawings can be enlarged, printed, and physically carried to where they are needed. This reduces the number of full plan copies required and allows on-site people to print relevant portions of the plans as they need them, cutting waste and costs.

The ev-i project goal was to create a fully electronic management system geared toward delivering a practical and transparent construction planning and audit process with the following features:

• An effective interface for over 600 participants—contractors, engineers, and architects—many of whom require review and commenting ability
• The latest version of documentation is accessible at all times
• A highly visible decision-making process on planning and quality issues
• Accelerated handling of project changes and design contingency planning
• Frequent project status updates to all participants to improve communication and cooperation
• Ready access to fully searchable, archived plans, with a simple and intuitive interface
• Correct, updated hard-copy plans available on site and when required
• Clearly defined audit process to identify unfulfilled tasks quickly
• Automatic conversion of all lists and forms to a reliable, universal format

Results: web based system, compact transmission
The solution for ÖBB-IB, delivered by ev-i and Adobe, is a web-based electronic document platform that also leverages electronic signatures. Adobe PDF files are enabled to allow authorized recipients to receive documents and information that is reliably displayed and approved by electronic signature. The exact assignment of users and their tasks is managed through individual logins and passwords. This process of identification and digital signatures is possible on any Internet-connected PC, without additional specialized software.

Specific benefits include:

• The distribution of original plans is now possible via an electronic deposit system; plans are downloaded by authorized users using robust security standards.
• Plans no longer need to be sent by mail or fax and wait for authorization, shaving days from the old paper-based process.
• Faxing thousands of audit protocols is now unnecessary, resulting in time savings of at least a one-person year.
• Review audit trails and results are summarized onto a single web page and made available as an Adobe PDF file.
• Real-time status reports highlight unfulfilled tasks to help project managers accurately track progress.
• Modifications to the original plan are easily identified and proactively managed. Cost implications are therefore apparent much earlier in the construction process.

This project is being carefully observed by the other sections of ÖBB responsible for the other Austrian regional railways. As a result of the success in this initial program Brenner Eisenbahn, a subsidiary of ÖBB, has already ordered the Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions solution for 100 users.

"The Adobe solution enabled ev-i to optimize the planning, audit, and implementation process through automation," says Dipl.-Ing. Karl Schmid, ÖBB Infrastruktur Bau AG, Geschäftsbereich Projekte. "Project team member’s ability to access updated information as Adobe PDF files during all stages of the construction project has led to a pronounced shortening of audit and authorization times—typically saving us 25 out of the 40 days it used to take. We are now down to 15 working days—sometimes only 5 days—to complete a project planning phase. The resulting system reduces time requirements, minimizes error, and improves the production of high quality solutions through to the finalization of actual construction."

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