by Lucky Balaraman,  CEO, TMG

It is common knowledge that the Chinese are outstandingly successful in anything they set their minds to. Indian IT firms take note: the Chinese have now decided to become leaders in providing IT services.

An informative report in PCWorld makes one realize that Chinese IT firms are perfectly mimicking Indian IT powerhouses today in order to decimate those powerhouses tomorrow.

• The Chinese are shoring up revenues from domestic customers (to the level of 45% of total revenue)
• They are taking the best practices learned from international customers (like GE) and using them for other customers
• They have decided to move towards developing enterprise product solutions
• They are expanding their nearshore offices in Europe and the US

The buzz in India is that the Chinese will overrun India’s software export business in around five years. Hopefully by that time Indian IT firms would have moved further up the value chain to a place of temporary safety.

by Lucky Balaraman, CEO, TMG

The three-part expose is complete! With the below episode a regular reader now has very good idea of how a solar designer plans all aspects of a solar power system.

The expose will benefit solar panel installers, property owners and the engineering community. In case you want to view the first two episodes, they are on our video channel at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TMGvblog

Here’s Part 3/3:

In case you are a solar panel installer, learn more about our solar design service here.

See you there,

by Lucky Balaraman, CEO, TMG

If you ever wondered how solar designers designed the solar panel arrays you see on so many rooftops nowadays, this article tells it all.

The solar designer needs these inputs about the target site to start on a design project:

• A dimensioned view of the roof
• Dimensioned locations of protuberances like vent pipes and chimneys
• Rough positions of the proposed solar panel arrays
• The make and model number of the solar modules to use
• The expected power output of the system
• Information about rafter width and spacing
• Preferred locations for supporting components such as the sunrun meter, the load center and the inverters

THE PROCESS

The solar designer then performs the following steps:

1. He decides where to place the arrays. This can be broken down into several subordinate activities:

a) He drafts the roof to scale, and incorporate all the protuberances at their exact locations (if the drawing looks cluttered, he drafts a callout view for individual roof slopes)

b) He chooses slopes which will have maximum exposure to the sun during summer and winter. This is usually a South-facing slope. He could also choose the East or West-facing slopes, but there would be a small loss in efficiency when compared to arrays mounted on the South-facing slope.

c) He tries to avoid locating the arrays on a North-facing slope since there is considerable loss of efficiency in doing this.

d) He also considers shadows from tall elements (like trees) adjacent to the proposed installation and avoid placing arrays in them.

NOTE: Usually the site engineer provides a sun study, and simply following his recommendation for the proposed location and orientation of modules is enough to satisfy the above conditions.

Solar modules can be divided into two types, DC and AC. Multiple modules are assembled into arrays on metal frames. These arrays are called strings in the case of DC modules and branches in the case of AC modules.

e) A string can have between 7 and 12 modules per array, whereas a branch can have between 8 and 15 modules.

f) Within an array, we ensure modules have around 1” clearance between them in the horizontal direction and around 3” clearance in the vertical direction (this may differ with respect to the make and model of solar modules used).

g) The solar designer positions arrays on the roof with sufficient clearance from the ridges, eaves and other edges of the roof. 12” is usually enough, but this can differ depending on the make and model of modules and the mounts used.

h) After orienting the solar modules, the solar designer locates and plots the position of the attachment points on the roof, and defines the attachment mounts that have to be used. He positions the attachment points on the roof to be located on the centers of rafters. Normally the solar designer positions them at 48" O.C.

NOTE: There are different types of attachment mounts the designer can use; the choice depends on the type of roof. For instance, he would use “Flatjack” for composite shingle roofs and “Fastjack” for virtually any roof that requires a flashed install.

The solar designer estimates the location of the rafters by offsetting a line 24" from the right or left edge of the roof, then offsetting multiple lines at distances of 48" till the end of the roof.

He takes care not to position a module on a single attachment point and not to let the unsupported edge of a module be more than 16".

The solar designer takes into account the load-bearing capacity of attachment mounts when deciding the total number of attachment mounts needed to support an array.

2. The next step is to draft the electrical connections from the solar arrays to their electrical support components, including the metering panel.

For this, the solar designer finds the shortest route (avoiding diagonal crossings that create unpleasant aesthetics) on the roof and draws a single line to connect the arrays to a junction box, then on to the sunrun meter, inverter, load center and metering panel. He also follows any special instructions that our installer-customers had noted on the site survey document.

The solar designer places the junction boxes at a convenient location near the modules and in such a manner as to use a minimum length of wire from each string or branch. He ensures there is sufficient clearance around the sunrun meter, load center and inverter for easy service access.

He adds an earth electrode to the drawing if it doesn’t exist near the metering panel.

THE RESULTING DRAWING SHEET SET

A typical design sheet set consists of:

An index page drawing containing:

• A site plan showing roads adjacent to the site
• A satellite view (in color) of the site
• A map view showing the adjacent areas

A second sheet containing:

• A dimensioned roof plan showing the locations of the solar arrays and attachment points
• An attachment detail
• A GA drawing of the electrical metering area

A third sheet containing:

• An electrical schematic
• Instructions for signage
• A materials list
• Notes

(A placard layout may also be needed to conform to local laws)

All the above sheets are converted to PDF format for the convenience of users who do not have access to or expertise in the specialized CAD software used to create all the above sheets.

IN CONCLUSION:

As in the case of any seemingly complex activity, solar design is easy to perform if one has procedural knowledge and ample experience. (TMG, of course, possesses these qualifications. If you are interested in sampling TMG’s design capabilities, please go to our solar designer page.)

To your excellent solar design,

by Lucky Balaraman, Executive Director, TMG

I just read an interesting news report on how Intel has used BIM (building information modeling) for laying out the machinery in its new plant in Oregon (http://www.sparpointgroup.com/News/Vol09No06-Intel-using-BIM-for-tool-install-at-new-Oregon-facility/)

BIM represents a game-changing advance in technology, albeit one that has been slow to catch on. It is refreshing to see a world technology leader adopting it. Hopefully many will follow.

According to the above report, Jason Hosch, senior industrial engineer at Intel, said,  "and you can’t buy software for BIM.”  I think he should have phrased this more appropriately, since purpose-built software is very much a part of the BIM picture (talk Revit, ArchiCAD, for instance).

I would have said, "BIM software is not all there is to BIM."

By the way, if you would like your BIM work done at Asian rates, send the work to TMG. To know more about our BIM activities, go to:

 http://themagnumgroup.net/building-information-modeling.htm

Best,

by Lucky Balaraman, CEO, TMG

Yes, in our latest blog post we spill the beans on how to design solar photovoltaic cell array installations. The post is in two parts to make it easily digestible. Have a look:

If you are a solar panel installer and want to discover how we can drastically reduce your design costs, go here:

http://themagnumgroup.net/solar-designer.htm

More soon —

by Lucky Balaraman, Executive Director, TMG

I just read an excellent article on CIO.com listing 11 New Year’s resolutions every outsourcer should make. They are:

Resolution #1: I will be realistic.

Resolution #2: I will follow the Golden Rule.

Resolution #3: I will dream big.

Resolution #4: I will keep it simple.

Resolution #5: I will say what I mean.

Resolution #6: I won’t believe the hype.

Resolution #7: I will create rules and live by them.

Resolution #8: I will pay attention to my bills.

Resolution #9: I will measure what matters.

Resolution #10: I will seek out the best partner for me.
Simply going with a three-letter brand name outsourcer or advisor isn’t always the best move. In fact, it can be a costly mistake. "There is lots of competition in the outsourcing market today," says EquaTerra’s Ayling. "You will always find a supplier who has the right capabilities for you, and, where what you spend with them will make you important to them." Take an unsparing look at your vendors and advisors, says Baker & McKenzie’s Hansen. If they don’t share your core values, show them the door.

Resolution #11: I will have fun.

I have reproduced the detail of #10 because I have, in the following video, expanded on it by describing what you need to do to find that best partner. It’s only 2:20 minutes long… play it now.

Go to the original article at CIO.com

Happy Outsourcing in 2011!

by Lucky Balaraman, Executive Director, TMG

All the outsourcing bluster on the web has disappeared! As a consequence, so have all the Indian opinions on the subject. Since TMG now provides an outsourcing consulting service, it is but natural that I say a few words on the aforementioned phenomenon. Take a look:

Outsourcing is still an excellent solution in a wide variety of circumstances. In case you want to explore setting up a processing center at Chennai, India, check out the above link and contact us.

Have a great holiday season,

by Lucky Balaraman, Executive Director, TMG

Here’s a video a consulting civil engineer client sent us a day ago. There’s a great lesson in it for anyone in the construction industry. I won’t say what it is… please watch the video to find out!

Click here to watch this unusual video.

Have you figured out where the crew went wrong? Hope so!

Better safe than sorry,

 by Lucky Balaraman, Executive Director, TMG

Listen in on my interview with one of the world’s top experts on BIM (short for both “Building Information Management” and “Building Information Modelling”), Bob Weygant. Bob has authored books on the subject and will be coming out with a new one in April 2011. He has created over FIFTEEN THOUSAND models using BIM for over 250 clients. Here’s the interview:

Leave a comment below if you have any questions for Bob, or go to http://SumexDesign.com and message him there directly.

Enjoy!

by V. Anandarajan, Architect, TMG

Chennai architecture depends upon the architect, the client’s requirement, the latest architectural trends and the materials available to Chennai’s building industry. The latest architectural trends play the major role, and these trends are to an extent influenced by local developments in information technology, communication and transport facilities.

Chennai’s latest architectural trends are:

1. Self-sustaining townships in suburban areas

2. Green buildings

3. Large retail outlets

4. Sizeable landscaped areas

After land costs skyrocketed in urban Chennai, migration started towards suburban areas and townships started to proliferate in those places. Townships are developments with large open spaces and all basic living requirements including schools, offices, shopping complexes, theatres, hospitals and clubs.

A closer look at a typical Chennai township features reveals that:

• Multistory residential complexes are developed with clusters of 5 to 10 dwelling units in each block.
• Drawing on elements of modernism, these townships also contain open spaces and low-rise (single or two-storey) blocks.
• No decorative elements are used and the emphasis is on functionality.
• Open planning in these townships creates larger spaces as well as space into space circulation.
• Inside dwelling units, other than private spaces, spaces are open and differentiated by levels, flooring and furniture styles.
• Living areas lead to semi-private areas so that inhabitants do not feel they are in an enclosed structure.
• Existing water bodies are upgraded to aesthetic elements by surrounding them with landscaped parks incorporating pedestrian paths.
• Car parking areas are planned based on the area of dwelling units.
• Green building concepts are incorporated in most buildings. Chennai has the distinction of housing the largest number of green buildings in the country.

In the recent past several malls with up to seven stories have also opened in Chennai with different styles of architecture (examples are gothic, formalism and modernism). These malls encapsulate retail stores, offices, multiplexes, restaurants, large lounges and. multilevel basement car parking.

Chennai has also an abundance of multistory IT Parks in postmodernism style, providing anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000 square feet of carpet area. Their facades are typically enhanced with aluminum composite panels and glazing, and the interiors fitted out with modular workstations, optimal lighting, filtered power, generator backup and centralized HVAC services. At the time of writing this article, a large portion of this IT space is unoccupied, since many of these buildings were constructed in the pre-recession Indian IT boom, and many fell vacant as tenants downsized or closed down.

Because of the high price of urban land, owners of single-family independent homes are currently flocking to developers to forge joint-venture projects. Hopefully the developers will thoughtfully landscape these new projects to keep Chennai the pleasantly green city it has always been.

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