E-installation system and method for use in installation of power-plant equipment

A computer-based method For helping a user to install power plant equipment, the method comprising:

• executing on a computer, a software tool that provides the user with access to installation documents stored in any of a plurality of databases residing on plural further computers, the software tool displaying an installation schedule with milestone indices;
• allowing the user to select a milestone index;
• and
• in response to selection of a milestone index, displaying hierarchical set of tasks and subtasks associated with the selected milestone index, said set of tasks and subtasks having corresponding links to associated installation documents stored in said plurality of databases.

A system for providing access to documents for assisting at least one user in installing power-plant equipment, the system comprising:

• a plurality of databases, any of said databases storing installation documents;
• a server having an installation software tool for use by the user;
• a communications network communicatively coupling said server and said plurality of databases for enabling the user to access and retrieve installation documents from the server;
• and wherein
• the server including a table having a listing source locations of installation documents stored in said plurality of databases and correlating destination locations in said software tool.

A system for providing access digitized documents for helping a user to install power-plant equipment, comprising:

• a plurality of distributed databases for storing the digitized documents related to power plant equipment;
• an e-matrix database for storing a first set of data;
• a server having an application software tool stored therein, said server communicatively coupled to said plurality of databases and said e-matrix database via a communication network;
• said software tool when executed automatically populates the server with links to the digitized documents stored in the distributed databases;
• and wherein
• said server is supplied with a list correlating source locations of installation documents stored in said plurality of databases with Installation software tool destination locations.

In a computer system coupled to an electronic communications network, said computer system including a display and at least one user input device, an equipment installation wizard for assisting engineers in performing tasks relating to installation and/or maintenance of heavy machines such as power plant equipment, said equipment installation wizard including:

• a task scheduler that displays a predetermined sequence of plural tasks;
• a resource detailer that displays a list of resources associated with said selected task in response to said user input device indicating selection of said task;
• and
• a digital resource retriever operatively coupled to said resource detailer and responsive to said task selection and said user input device, said digital resource retriever allowing a user to select resources from said displayed list and automatically retrieving a digital version of said selected resources via the network,
• wherein the wizard includes an automatic populator that dynamically updates the list displayed by said resource detailer by importing resource descriptions and associated tasks from at least one file.