Simple Yet Hits the Spot: Saying Goodbye to "Assumption-Based Checking" with MIIDEL's Precise Results!

About Pacific Consultants Co., Ltd.
For over 70 years since its founding, Pacific Consultants has been a leading construction consulting firm deeply involved in the development of social infrastructure both in Japan and overseas. Utilizing high-level civil engineering capabilities, the company supports the construction of highly public facilities such as roads, transportation networks, ports, and airports. For this interview, we gathered team members who are engaged in the design of road structures, including bridges, across Japan.

MIIDEL (hereafter M): To start, could you tell us about your roles and how you use MIIDEL in your daily work?

Mr. Hashimoto: Our primary responsibility within social infrastructure services is transportation infrastructure—specifically, the planning and design of structures like bridges for roads and transit facilities. Once the design is finished, general contractors handle the construction. However, in recent years, it has become mandatory to conduct close visual inspections of these structures every five years.* Therefore, we also handle maintenance inspections and repair design.

M: So you play a vital role at the design stage, which ultimately determines the direction of these massive infrastructure projects.

Mr. Takeguchi: Since I mainly design bridges, I handle blueprints frequently. I use MIIDEL to check whether revision requests—such as fixing discrepancies between the blueprints and the calculation sheets—have been correctly implemented. Previously, I used to print out the blueprints and check them like this...

M: By "print out," do you mean you went out of your way to print them on paper?

Mr. Takeguchi: Yes. It's easier to compare numbers and intricate details on paper.

Mr. Hashimoto: We would have them printed on paper, check if everything matched using a red pen, and write down instructions if there were errors. Then, we’d send it back to the CAD operators, check the revised parts again... and repeat the process. It was a time-consuming task that required reviewing every minor detail.

Mr. Ozawa: However, since we started using MIIDEL, we’ve been able to spot errors in unexpected places. Conversely, when we discuss those spots, it opens up new discoveries, like understanding the other party's intent when they say, "I fixed it this way for this reason."

　[Photo] We visited the Kyushu Branch to conduct this interview. (From left to right: Mr. Hashimoto, Mr. Ozawa, Mr. Takeguchi, and Mr. Oya)

M: I see. So it's not just about finding errors anymore; the way you review and provide feedback has evolved.

Mr. Oya: Depending on the project, the blueprints we handle can range from hundreds to thousands of pages. Since we must deliver results within a fixed schedule, we want to streamline the checking process as much as possible. This directly impacts whether we can secure time for creative work and further refinement. With MIIDEL, we can compare files digitally, and more importantly, it eliminates human bias. I think it's fantastic that it highlights differences objectively.

M: "Human bias" is an interesting phrase. Do you mean that comparison results vary depending on the person?

Mr. Oya: When you check your own work, you naturally operate under the assumption that "it must be correct." That's how things get overlooked. Because of this, a "third-party check" is always necessary. By utilizing MIIDEL, we can conduct reviews that completely eliminate these assumptions.

M: We often hear praise from other clients about how MIIDEL rationalizes checking tasks that used to consume a vast amount of time and effort for many people.

Mr. Takeguchi: After all, checking blueprints isn't the only thing we do. We manage multiple tasks in parallel alongside drawing reviews.

Mr. Oya: Simply put, everyone is extremely busy. Our challenge was how to secure enough time for checking while also optimizing working hours and meeting strict deadlines. We have departments identical to ours all over the country, each responsible for bridges in their respective regions. Through our internal network, developing technologies for quality assurance became a shared objective. We decided to first try out existing software and technologies, and that's when we found MIIDEL through an online search. MIIDEL offered a free trial period, which we gladly and thoroughly took advantage of.

　[Photo] The entrance is decorated with various awards and plaques (partial view).

M: After trying it out, what were the key factors that led to the full adoption of the software?

Mr. Oya: It automatically rearranges the order of the blueprints and identifies layout differences, yet accurately pinpoints only the discrepancies in numbers. It’s incredibly user-friendly yet hits all the right spots. It was also great that it supports the software applications we frequently use. Since we also frequently check differences in document files like reports and calculation sheets, we have high expectations for the newly released "Docs" (MIIDEL Docs).

M: So comparison tasks aren't limited only to blueprints?

Mr. Takeguchi: With blueprints, the pages being compared are usually clear. However, with structural calculation sheets, if a row is added, text quickly overflows to the next page. We are eager to utilize Docs in the future because it can search for the comparison target across the entire document before and after changes.

Mr. Ozawa: Come to think of it, when I previously checked a report using MIIDEL, I was amazed that it even detected differences in fonts. It showed me things like, "Only this single character is in Gothic font!" [laughs]. Yet, at the same time, you can set it to appropriately ignore differences in blueprint line weights. I think it's incredibly convenient. I really don't have any complaints. In fact, when I shared MIIDEL's comparison results with a client, they were highly interested and asked, "What software is that?"

M: Thanks to all of you utilizing it so effectively, word is naturally spreading to those around you.

Mr. Oya: Currently, MIIDEL has been introduced to departments handling road structures nationwide, from Hokkaido to Kyushu. Whenever I introduce it within the company, many people say, "We definitely want to adopt it too." Other departments are brainstorming different ways to utilize it, so we look forward to your support when they consider implementing it!

M: We are honored by your recommendation! We will continue to do our best to provide even better support through useful features and software, including MIIDEL Docs. Thank you very much for your time today.

* Following the 2012 Sasago Tunnel ceiling slab collapse, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism amended the Road Act. It made close visual inspections mandatory once every five years for all tunnels and bridges measuring 2 meters or longer.

* Click here for the official website of Pacific Consultants Co., Ltd.