Project Management
Project management process
From the detail engineering documents, the individual trades involved in the construction of the production facility are identified and the services are requested. The work of a project manager can begin with the preparation or evaluation of tender documents. Discussions are held with possible suppliers and the right decisions are made according to a selection matrix that is as objective as possible. Even during the manufacturing process, the project manager is responsible for keeping an eye on the schedule of all suppliers and for checking the quality of the ordered goods and processes. Competent controls at suppliers with critical equipment parts are a matter of course.
Prefabrication – curse or blessing?
In parallel, the construction site develops and the installation of equipment is prepared. Mechanical and electrical assemblies are agreed upon, schedules are checked over and over again and adapted to the latest developments. It may even be possible to prefabricate some of the assembly work from the detail engineering plans, so that on the construction site the individual parts are simply connected by prefabricated components. This is an enormous time-saver – if the planning is so good and precise that the prefabricated piping and supports can actually be connected easily. This is where experience is needed. Changing on the construction site sets the project back.
“The construction of production plants involves a lot of management work, many talks, discussions and sometimes extremely fast solution finding. The project team must carry the work and be motivated to master the challenges ahead. In order to run the first batch ‘First Time Right’ at the end and have the right product in the correct quality in their hands.”
A long breath is needed at the end of the project
Experience shows that the project always drags on in the end. The 90% mark is reached relatively quickly. The last 10% takes time. The demand for complete documentation, all acceptance protocols of assembly services, commissioning cycles, authority acceptances. And the project manager is always responsible for handing over the complete documentation. Defining the documentation at the beginning of the detailed design is extremely important to avoid tedious discussion at the end of the project. The component documentation is just as necessary as the documentation of commissioning, installation quality and any necessary authority acceptances.
