Wire Pulse Inc., a technology company that provides digital solutions to the utilities, industrial wire supply and installation industries, launched Reel Sense, a cloud-based platform that delivers accurate, real-time data to track the supply, logistics and installation of electric cables, which transport the electricity and information that drives the global economy. Developed in close partnership with Exelon, one of the largest cable fleet operators in the U.S., Reel Sense operates with nearly 99 percent accuracy to provide cable manufacturers, operators and installers up to 20 percent savings on material and labor costs, which also results in decreased environmental impact due to less material waste.
“Wire Pulse has the potential to create cost savings and operational efficiencies for electric utilities by improving the management of reel and cable assets,” said Sunny Elebua, vice president of corporate strategy at Exelon. “This is a great advancement for our industry, and we look forward to seeing Reel Sense help our operating companies get the opportunity to experience these cost savings, operational efficiencies and sustainability benefits.”
“Using Reel Sense, we have gained greater visibility into our partial reel inventory, giving us the ability to issue otherwise scrapped reels back into our electrical operations,” said Matt Tassone, director of supply at Chicago’s Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), the largest of Exelon’s four electrical utility companies.
Electric cables are widely used all over the world. Although they are most often visible in powerlines overhead, today, they are usually installed underground in which utility companies are then able to harness them to power homes, businesses, cell phone towers and anything else that requires electricity to operate. Because they are so widely used to keep the world’s power grid up and running, materials for these projects including cables, which are hundreds of electrical wires braided together, and large spools, reels or drums that the cables are wrapped around, are in high demand. Due to the enormous length of the cables and large circular format of reels, exact cable volumes are difficult to manage accurately. This often leads to unnecessary labor and material waste that, for example, can increase the cost of electric cable installation projects to up to 25 percent in many cases.
“As unit costs of cable continue to rise, along with the volatility of underlying metals prices, there is an increased need among utility companies for innovative solutions that improve the total lifecycle management of these vital materials that keep the world up and running,” said Jason Zielke, CEO and founder of Wire Pulse. “Exelon operates one of the largest cable fleets in North America, and we are thrilled that they saw the benefits of a solution like Reel Sense and partnered with us to provide this valuable tool to their industry.”
Reel Sense is an Internet of Things (IoT) hardware that is mounted directly onto the cable’s reel. The interchangeable sensor then uses data analytics and physics-based algorithms to transmit real-time information, such as how much cable has been used, the amount remaining and which reel it’s located on, to the Reel Sense Cloud for easily accessible analysis and insights. With a complete tracking and tracing profile for all cable and installation projects throughout the entire supply chain, Reel Sense improves inventory control, increases operational efficiencies for owners and installers and expands value-added services opportunities for original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and distributors.
“Reel Sense is simple and easy to use. With minimal support needed from Wire Pulse, my team was able to use the Reel Sense app and hardware to create a trackable inventory of over 1,400 reels of cable in no time,” said Fred Johnson, manager of materials and logistics at ComEd.
Wire Pulse was founded by Zielke in 2017. Upon learning that the utilities industry often struggled to keep track of materials being used on hundreds of projects each year, he began prototype development in a garage laboratory. In 2019, Exelon and Wire Pulse partnered to bring a commercialized solution to market for the utility industry to address these challenges. The company attributes its success to passion, failure, tenacity and committed partners like Exelon.
For more information about Wire Pulse and Reel Sense, please visit www.wirepulse.io.
