High performance plastic component
production facility

•  Problem / Situation:

A production facility needed to be developed for processing a new plastic for high performance applications in the agricultural equipment market. There was limited experience with the new system in actual production conditions. The polymer raw materials presented challenges for processing due to high viscosity and the two types of filler being used to enhance properties of the final polymer. So facility designs needed to be robust and based on the best data that could be obtained.

•  Solution and Approach:

Apogee Management Group had total responsibility for the multidisciplinary effort required for facility design, installation and achievement of production readiness. This project required considerable process engineering input along with rigorous project management support.

Engineering activities included the development of specifications for equipment performance, assessment of equipment options such as used equipment that could be modified to process the new polymer system, and detailed statements of work for contracted resources. The main challenge was to develop a robust facility to prepare and process the chemicals at a moderately high production capacity without having any empirical data on which to base designs and operating expectations.

Significant building structural and foundation modifications had to be designed due to the size and weight of the equipment. For example, the size and weight of the largest component, a hydraulic press, prevented moving it into the building through any established openings. Instead, the roof had to be opened and a crane used to lower it through the roof and position it on the foundation pad.

 Hands-on supervision was provided throughout the installation phase along with troubleshooting input during startup and debug of the completed facility.

The project management function required a heavy emphasis on procurement management as most resources were outsourced. Logistics management became a major focus due to the size and weight of the equipment. The hydraulic press referenced above was a super-load due to its size and weight (46 tons) and required special permitting for over the road transportation. During the execution phase, site management became a critical activity due to the nature of the work (demolition, electrical installation and structural modifications) taking place in a building in which production was in full operation.

•  Results / Outcome:

The facility was completed and met the demands of processing the difficult to handle polymer system. However, the developmental nature of the process left some longer term component issues to be resolved after the original project closure that were necessary to improve performance predictability.