Mass Smart Meter Testing with Robotic Automation

A Case Study

The Client

As a leading player in the energy sector, The client is responsible for a critical national infrastructure project supporting the rollout of over 50 million smart meters across a developed nation. They focus on ensuring secure, efficient, and reliable network infrastructure for the meters and modernising the nation’s energy grid, enabling real-time energy monitoring, reducing energy consumption, and supporting sustainable development.

With a proven track record of delivering successful energy projects, The Client operates one of the world’s largest smart meter testing facilities, housing over 4,500 devices. Their state-of-the-art facility, equipped with remote testing capabilities, ensures that every smart meter adheres to rigorous compliance standards, guaranteeing a secure and reliable network infrastructure for millions of consumers and utility providers.

Faced with the daunting task of testing and deploying such a massive number of smart meters within a tight timeframe, They sought a reliable and efficient testing solution. SGBI’s robotic automation technology emerged as the ideal solution, offering unparalleled scalability, accuracy, and speed.

Project

Smart Meter Testing Infrastructure

Client

Leading player in Energy sector

What We Did

Infrastructure as a Service, Robotic Automation & Training

The Challenges

Operating a testing facility of this magnitude, housing over 4,500 smart meters presents several key challenges.

Particularly in managing manual interactions with devices. Tasks such as pressing buttons, reading displays, and toggling switches on smart meters were traditionally performed by lab operators, were labor-intensive and prone to inefficiencies.

1

Manual Dependency

The constant need for human intervention to operate the meters required round-the-clock staffing, increasing operational costs and limiting scalability.
2

Human Error Risk

Repetitive manual tasks increase the risk of human error, leading to potential inconsistencies in test results could lead to faulty devices and compromised network reliability.
3

Overwhelming Data

The sheer volume of data generated from testing thousands of smart meters can be difficult to manage and analyze manually.
4

Operational Costs

The cost of maintaining a large staff for manual operations added to the financial burden, especially when scaling up the testing capacity to meet the increasing demand for smart meters.
5

Slow Test Throughput

Manual testing, especially for such a large number of devices, was time-consuming and limited the number of tests that could be conducted simultaneously. This resulted in bottlenecks and delays in result generation.
6

Data Quality

Ensuring data accuracy and consistency is crucial for reliable test results, but manual data entry can introduce errors.

Fully Automated Robotic Solution Designed to Mimic Human Interactions

The Solution

SGBI provided a cutting-edge, fully automated robotic solution designed to mimic human interactions with smart meters while vastly improving speed, precision, and reliability. Our solution deployed 150 highly advanced robots capable of performing complex interactions like button pressing, meter reading, and switch toggling across multiple devices simultaneously.

Seamless Integration

The robotics system was fully integrated with the test automation framework, allowing smooth management of test cases, suites, and scenarios.

API-Controlled System

The robotic system is modular with APIs exposed for actions, enabling easy communication with the broader test management platform for real-time test execution and reporting.

Drag-and-Drop Calibration

The system included a user-friendly drag-and-drop calibration feature, allowing operators to quickly adjust the robotic actions to new meter layouts with minimal downtime.

Advanced Computer Vision

State-of-the-art computer vision technology allowed the system to calibrate and interact with smart meters from any vendor. This adaptive feature reduced manual intervention and allowed for faster onboarding of new devices.

Precision Robotics

The robots performed highly accurate actions, such as single and multi-button pressing, meter reading using high-resolution cameras, and toggling switches. Our precision reduced the likelihood of errors and improved consistency across tests.

Expandable System

The robotic solution was designed to be easily scalable, allowing the client to add more robots as needed to increase testing capacity and meet growing demand.

The Results

“SGBI’s robotic automation solution has proven to be a transformative force for the client’s smart meter testing operations. By automating repetitive tasks and leveraging advanced technologies, the solution has delivered significant improvements in speed, accuracy, and efficiency.”

95

Reduction in test execution time

100

Test coverage

70

Reduction in operational costs

Substantial increase in test throughput

Elimination of human error

Enhanced scalability and adaptability

Speed & Productivity

95% Reduction in Test Execution Time

By eliminating the need for manual intervention and operator wait times, the testing process is accelerated dramatically. Tasks that once required hours could now be completed in minutes, allowing for continuous, 24/7 testing cycles.

Significant Increase in Test Throughput

The automation allows concurrent testing across multiple devices, drastically increasing the number of tests conducted in a given period. This improvement in throughput enabled the client to handle greater volumes of devices without compromising quality.

Quality and Accuracy

100% Test Coverage

The robotic system ensured complete coverage of all test cases, reducing the likelihood of missed defects. This led to enhanced product quality, with fewer errors reaching production environments.

Consistency Across Tests

The precision of robotic actions eliminated the variability often introduced by human operators, ensuring that every test was performed with the same level of accuracy and thoroughness.

Early Defect Detection

The ability to run continuous, around-the-clock tests allowed for earlier detection of defects, reducing the risk of issues surfacing during production and improving the reliability of the devices.

Operational Efficiency

70% Reduction in Operational Costs

By fully automating the testing process, the client was able to significantly reduce their reliance on manual labor, resulting in substantial cost savings. This reduction in labor costs, combined with faster test execution, provided a higher return on investment.

Scalability without Additional Staff

The automation allowed the client to scale their operations without the need for additional staff, offering a more flexible and efficient testing environment that could accommodate growing demands as the smart metering project expanded.

Minimized Human Error

The automation mitigated the risk of human error, leading to more reliable test results and greater confidence in the integrity of the devices being tested.

Innovation and Future-Readiness

Adaptive to New Technologies

With the system’s advanced machine learning and computer vision capabilities, the client was future-proofed against the introduction of new meter models and technologies. The robotic system’s adaptive features allowed for easy recalibration and swift onboarding of new devices.

Continuous Improvement

The integration of AI and robotics facilitated continuous process improvement, enabling the client to refine their testing processes over time and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving smart metering landscape.

These remarkable results demonstrate the power of robotic automation in revolutionizing testing processes and driving operational excellence. As the smart metering landscape continues to evolve, SGBI’s solution remains at the forefront, providing a reliable and efficient path to success.