Overview

One of the cornerstones of culture at Endra is to seek the core truth of things. Technology benchmark is no different. Endra wanted to benchmark towards a real world project - with real man hours spent and thoroughly logged - to see and understand the real efficiency gains of Endras platform. 

So we partnered up  with a fire alarm design consultant firm, and got access to labour data for a major logistics hub recently built in Sweden. We also got the end result of this consultant firms design documentation to compare. And we are happy to disclose the results. 

Project data

Building Size: 185,000 m² (Approx 2.000.000 ft²)
Occupation type: Logistics Center / Warehouse
Class: Class A (full coverage)

Quantity of System Components

Smoke detectors: 2.130 pcs
Heat detectors: 185 pc
I/O Units: 96 pcs
Pull stations: 343 pcs
Annunciators: 4 pcs
Total elements designed: 2.758 pcs

The Challenge

Projects of this scale present multiple critical challenges. First, ensuring comprehensive coverage across all areas while maintaining precise unit placement is essential. Second, all design documentation components must be perfectly synchronized. The coordination becomes particularly crucial in projects of this magnitude.

Furthermore, these large-scale projects generate extensive data that must be accurately processed into various documentation, including riser diagrams, wiring diagrams, detailed drawings, and load & voltage drop calculations.

The Solution 

After spending around 15 minutes or so importing the model files & setting up the project with client name, details and adding the data needed, it was time to process. Endras engine is follows a multi-step-by-step-process to ensure quality, this is the high level backbone: 

1. Project data & info input
2. Model input & review
3. Placement of units
4. Zone mapping
5. Cable routing
6. Documentation export

After a total of 5 minutes of these processing stages, Endra was able to produce the following documentation: 

Shop drawings (Installation drawings)
Riser diagrams (Schematic overview)
Wiring diagrams
Load calculations
Battery balculations
Voltage drop calculations
Zone plans (Orientational drawings for fire department)
Product matrix (List of all units installed)
Sequence of operations (How the system acts at alarm)

Quality - Endra vs. Consultant

Measuring all units placed vs. the one manually changed by the the human operator at Endra, a staggering 98,8% quality in design vs. the consultants human design was achieved. 

Results & Time Savings

This project took this  consultant 304 billed hours to complete a first preliminary version before review. Review time is not being showcased in this example - either for the consultant, nor for Endra. 

Placing of equipment: 
The consultant firm: 89 hours
Endra: 6 minutes

Cable routing: 
The consultant firm: 82 hours
Endra: 12 minutes

Riser diagrams (4 buildings): 
The consultant firm: 28 hours
Endra: 30 seconds

Wiring diagrams: 
The consultant firm: 15 hours
Endra: 30 seconds

Sequence of operation: 
The consultant firm: 25 hours
Endra: 5 minutes

Zone maps: 
The consultant firm: 44 hours
Endra: 2 minutes

Calculations: 
The consultant firm: 12 hours
Endra: 2 minutes

Written narrative: 
The consultant firm: 9 hours
Endra: 1 minute

Total hours spent for the consultant firm: 304 hours
Total hours spent for the Endra: 0,5 hours 

Conclusion

Endra processed the same project with a 98,8% rate vs a humam designer in quality, almost 600 times faster. 

This is only the beginning. Endra is on a mission to scaling this groundbreaking technology to support a wider range of projects, increase quality and support even more designer areas.