Audiovisual installations are rarely as easy as they might seem to those who experience the end result. For instance, the thousands of AAA members who walk through the doors of the AAA Minneapolis headquarters in St. Louis Park to experience the wonder of a nine-screen, 13-foot, 4-inch by 8-foot, 6-inch, 1080p video wall have no idea of the coordination and planning that went into the digital signage system. “It’s not as easy as walking into a space and putting nine monitors on the wall,” says Trent Fettig, Tierney Brothers’ Project Management and Engineering Manager.
Minneapolis, MN-based integrator Tierney Brothers needed the best tools and technology to execute the digital signage installation. This included the D-Tools System Integrator (SI) software solution to facilitate more comprehensive system design, documentation, and project management.
D-Tools System Integrator is an end-to-end core business platform for commercial electronic integrators that substantially improves operating efficiencies and increases profitability by streamlining the entire project workflow — initial client contract through ongoing service, all through a data-driven process that leverages an extensive, integrated product library.
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Installing the Wall: It’s All About the Planning
The video wall project presented several day-to-day engineering and construction challenges, Fettig points out. The lobby had wooden studs, not metal, so the integration team had to ensure the structure was strong enough to support the mounts and screens. They did so by providing plenty of reinforcement to secure the structure.
The Tierney Brothers team used D-Tools to plan the AV and electrical conduit installation and the signal flow from the server to the monitors. “The monitors were recessed into the wall, and the cable paths were very challenging,” says Fettig. “The space above the video wall was an open structure, so getting the cable feeds and electrical up there was an upfront process.”
D-Tools helped Tierney Brothers map out the process and signal flow; Fettig explains, “so that when we’re on-site working with the general contractors, electrician, and IT staff, we can be proactive instead of reactive.”
This is a huge benefit in any project, and especially a complex digital signage installation. “The project’s success is a testament to the upfront planning process,” says Fettig. “On a successful project, we’ll spend 75% of our time upfront, discussing plans, so that when the rubber meets the road, installation and coordination runs smoothly.”
“The success of this project was a direct correlation of the D-Tools software and our success in using the software,” adds Tierney Brothers engineer Jared Kelsey. “It also helped us make sure to catch the small parts and pieces—like the cables and connectors—that sometimes get missed,” he says.
A Stepping Stone to Greater Efficiency
The video wall at the AAA St. Paul headquarters is certainly a marquee project. It is also an important stepping stone for Tierney Brothers, as the commercial integration firm learns more about using D-Tools to the full extent of the software’s capabilities. “This was one of the first designed we created using D-Tools, and it’s an important first step in bringing parts and projects into D-Tools and creating a companywide standard process,” says Fettig. Ultimate, he says, the end goal is to quote every project using the software.
According to Kelsey, the net impact on the project was an efficiency improvement between 15 – 20%, as the process improved communication throughout the team, reduced the length of time spent in meetings, and the detailed drawings helped reduce questions and unnecessary back and forth during the implementation of the project.
In addition, Tierney Brothers’ onboarding and training process was decidedly a team effort. Kelsey creates documentation for standard processes in D-Tools. “We want everyone on the same page—from engineer, to installer, to programmer—so it’s a smooth workflow throughout the process,” he says. “D-Tools is helping us build efficiencies, and that’s the most important part.”
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