UNIT Module

Concept

The concept of the Unit module stem from the idea of providing field operators with a simple, usable, and interactive tool to play with and help them in:

Clarifying the doubts they face while operating the process unit they are assigned to
Learning quickly how to face awkward and risky situations associated with a specific process unit
Improving their skills by means of the serious gaming approach (already applied in flight simulators and military battle field)
Diminishing complacency and increasing risks awareness

Unit is

a 3D immersive and interactive engineered reproduction of a specific single process unit (e.g., compressor, distillation column, turbo expander, turbine, etc.)
a stand-alone solution
typically a general-purpose solution (but can be even customized)

Thanks to its limited dimensions, Unit can be placed in all those areas where people normally talk about what they have experienced during the shift.

Unit, despite its compact dimension, might be equipped with all the features of the Master and Replica modules

Unit can be placed (to mention few):

just outside the dressing room, to allow people to use it at the end of the shift when colleagues of the shift are around
outside the cafeteria, to consolidate ideas they have talked about during launch
in the meeting room, to communicate quicker what people have in mind

Unit, when needed for a more formal and structured use, can even be placed in the control room and/or in the briefing room according to needs.

Uses

Unit is designed to be used in two ways:

Informally by operators
Formally by trainers and managers

Operators can use the Unit module informally, alone, with a colleague or their supervisor, every time they need and have time to and in order to:

Clarify to themselves what might be the behaviour of the process unit if they would perform some (wrong or correct) actions
Perform and get used to infrequent tasks they never came across but might be needed to know, such as start-up and shut-down procedures, emergency shut-down procedure
Live the consequences of their actions on the process unit and on their health in a quantified and measurable way
Self-assess themselves in operating the process unit they are assigned to in a measured way (scoring)
Learn how to improve their skills and performance without negatively impinge on safety
Communicate to colleagues specific safety issues

Trainers and Managers can use Unit to:

Perform individual training
Perform individual assessment
Plan for individual training and assessment programs
Identify and keep track of which tasks are harder to cope with and why
Test different solutions to improve HSE

Versions

Unit comes in two versions:

Standard
Customized

In both cases Unit is a stand-alone, 3D immersive and interactive application that does not require a Virtual Reality Lab.

UNIT Standard

Unit Standard is an engineering reproduction of a generic process unit such as a compressor, a distillation column, a gas turbine, a furnace, and the like.

Unit Standard does not replicate the exact process unit present in the plant but a generic one operators can play with and learn quickly leveraging on the “driving license” concept.

People when get their driving license do not learn how to drive a car in the exact car they will drive. Despite this, everybody is capable to drive another car as the concepts of driving are very much similar.

Unit standard version uses the “driving license” concept.

Unit standard version is suitable to address and convey into people mind standard issues of a typical, generic process unit.

UNIT Customized

Unit Customized is an engineering reproduction of a specific process unit present in the plant.

Unit Customized version is suitable to address and convey into people mind specific issues associated with the specific process unit present in the plant.