For a project – Process Engineering, Functional Engineering, Plant Engineering and Product Engineering are 4 pillars which give stability to the whole scope of work. Engineering Manager puts together their inputs into a whole.
These are discussed below.
Project-enabling Role of ‘Process Engineering’
Process Engineers are specialists of a process.
- If we take the case of Iron making – helping make a choice between HIsarna, Blast furnace, DRI is the role of process engineering.
- Their role is not deciding where the Blast Furnace will be fitted.
- Nor does their role involve coordination between functions. It is the job of the Engineering Manager.
Clarifying their role of generating technical options for the process:
EG: If there is ‘x’ type of raw material available, and we need coke of ‘y’ quality, process engineering is able to enlist all the processes available worldwide; their pros and cons from a technical feasibility perspective, to make a choice. The actual decision is made at a Tata Steel level (e.g. Choice of Stamp Charge). Process Engineering plays the role of an enabler to facilitate the right decision making at appropriate levels.
Clarifying their role of evaluation of technical options and recommendations:
EG: In Coke Oven, Blast Furnace or CRM, before making a technical evaluation report, 3-4 options are generated – e.g. ASRS helps project team know the total cost of ownership. If there are choices how do you compare them? This is the job of process engineering.
However, 60% of Process Engineering is covered in P0
To go for scheme approval, in the BUPRG you have committed to the board that 60% engineering is over. When asking for money, the BOQ is very clear, because for estimate the BOQ is required. That cannot happen unless a large chunk of the Process Engineering is complete.
Deliverable Map
Visioning
Specification
Technical Specification of Process including –
- Input in the specification from Process Flow & Material Balance
- Input in specification from Fuel/Gas balancing & Energy balancing
- Modularization decisions / standardization /MOC
- Technical inputs Docs for statutory clearances – PFR, DPR for EC, etc.
- Past learnings
- Plant specification
- Technology supplier finalization
- Testing of raw materials and firming up KPI’s
Develop PSSR document.
P&IDs & PFDs Finalization.
Functional control description.
Integration of sub processes.
Preparation of Process commissioning manuals
Build
Handover
In the build phase, process engineering has a role in review and approval for CTQ, QAP – interface management.
Project-enabling Role of ‘Functional Engineering’
(Civil, Structural, Piping, Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation & Control, Power Systems)
Clarifying the role: Providing technical design support to the project by generating technical/design options
EG: Power Systems -Based on the load requirement, Power Systems has to decide at what KV the power should be at the 2 ends. Depending on the layout from the source to destination, the Functional Engineering person has to come up with the technical possibilities – whether it should come through cables or overhead wires, etc. and design for the chosen option. For example, if the choice is cable – they have to choose i) what core, ii) how deep will it go, etc.
EG: Civil Engineering – If Process Engineering has decided to make 5,800 cu. meter, it has to sit on a civil foundation. Generating the feasible design options for the civil foundation depending on the soil conditions, load data, etc. is the job of Functional Engineering.
In some cases (e.g. ASU) both Pile foundation & Open foundation are feasible options. These options are provided to the project manager who can gauge the time, cost, value, safety and take a decision that is best for the project.
In LF, time was an overriding factor. While taking a shut-down, the impact on production is much more than any additional cost of handling equipment for pre cast.
Therefore engineering’s role is technical decision support for collective decision making.
Deliverable Map
Visioning
- Mapping project requirements
- Generating design options and recommendations
- Provide effort estimate
Specification
- Technical Specifications & BOQ
- Basic Engg./Assignment Drawings
- Vendor technical offer evaluation & recommendation
- Release of detail Construction/fabrication drawings (WHAT)
- Construction Visualization (using 3D models) (HOW)
Build
- Engineering Change Management – on demand
Handover
- As-Built Drawings
Visioning Phase:
Map and signoff on Project Requirements, so our understanding of what each other wants is identical. This act can be seen as a contribution or just as documentation – depends on how you look at it. It is a handshake on what you will deliver (SLA). This will include scoping.
Effort Estimate: Number of engineering man hours needed will be a useful input for planning. It will tell them whether to do it in parallel or not, etc.
Design basis is NOT part of the deliverables. It is internal. Eg: environment design basis has been done across the board for E&P. Process Engineering has to start with that. What will a PM do with that? Design Basis is usually across projects in E&P – it is based on standards.
Build Phase:
When predecessor activity is not done properly, then it goes into a change management process.
Potential reason: The problem comes when specification runs along with build, rather than build running along with specification. The specification must lead and build must follow. As long as specification is treated as some document, but the main activity is build, there is a chance of re-work.
Plant Engineering
Deliverables Map
Visioning
- Formulation of design basis for functions/system/eqpt
- General Spec/Standards for plant/ Color codes
- Compilation of input/output requirements & specific consumptions
- Formulation of area layout with Interface points between facilities.
Specification
- Detailed concept notes of every area/ sub area, Detailed Engg. schedules dovetailed from project schedule
- Specifications for systems & equipment and Tender/Vendor appraisals: Creation/Identification of Unique/Bulk items, Area/Shop Layouts formulation, Detailing of PFDs and P&IDs, Eqpt lists/Drive lists, Assignments for functions, BOQs validation/ updations, Drawings for Factory Inspector clearance
- Convert basic engineering to detailed engineering – Generating/compiling final inputs for detailed engineering from vendors , Preparing detailed engineering drawing to be used for construction of civil, strl, mechanical, piping, raw material handling & tribology, environmental and water & utilities.
- Inter disciplinary checks for conformity of assignments/ final deliverables
- Updated eqpt & drive lists
- Eqpt/Instrument installation documents/drawings
- Vendor drawings approvals
- Installation, testing & commissioning manuals (from vendors)
- Final BOQs
- Management of Engg. changes & controls
- Interface management and clarifications to all D&E dept. on issues/ concerns
- Integration of facilities and bridging gaps, if any Learnings
Build
- As built drgs
- Change management
Handover
- Final Learnings document
- Final Engg. document pack
Project-enabling Role of Product Engineering
Whatever is valid for Functional engineering is valid for Product. Instead of construction drawing it is fabrication drawings/ manufacturing drawings with CTQs and QAP.
Deliverable Map
Visioning
- Mapping manufacturing requirements
- Generating design options &recommend-ations
- Provide effort estimate
Specification
- Technical Specifications & BOQ
- Basic Engg./Assignment Drawings
- Vendor technical offer evaluation & recommendation
- Release of detail Construction/fabrication drawings (WHAT)
- Manufacturing Visualization (using 3D models) (HOW)
Build
- Engineering Change management – on demand
Handover
- As-Built Drawings
Make or buy decision is made by the project manager along with the commercial manager. For the PM, manufacturing is one of the options. If it is meeting his requirements, he will get work done from manufacturing, else he will do it elsewhere.
Project-enabling Role of Engineering Manager
Analog: Engineering Manager as conductor of the orchestra
In the process/ functional/ product engineering – the functional competency is a 90%+. The Engineering Manager is the matchmaker. Therefore, the Engineering Manager is like the conductor of the orchestra. He is making the difference between a symphony and cacophony.
Deliverable Map
Visioning
- Provide & Evaluate Master Plan options
- Mapping potential flash points & designing solutions & response protocols (to minimize ECM to zero)
- Mapping expectations with multiple stakeholders
Specification
- Detailing of selected Master Plan
- Alignment of intra-plant facilities & inter-plant facilities
- Engineering Co-ordination between multiple process engg., functional engg. and product engineering
- Ensuring availability of engineering inputs and outputs to & from all stakeholders as per project milestones
- Integrating multiple inputs into a revised specification
Build
- Engineering Change Management
Handover
- Master Drawings – Cataloguing, Documentation.
- Documentation of engg. lessons learnt.
- As built drawings
In the Visioning Phase:
Engineering Manager develops the Engineering Commitment Maps.
Providing master plan options: Any project can have several kinds of master plans. Therefore, in the visioning stage, one of the roles of an Engineering Manager is to provide Master Plan options and evaluate them. The chosen master plan is then detailed in the specification phase.
Also, one of the outcomes considered was to work towards making Engineering Change Management tend to Zero.
When the reasons for change management were mapped, it was found that it was due to execution flashpoints of different kinds such as –
i) the information that has to come from someone is not correct or
ii) information that has come has not been considered in the design, or iii) the design has been done callously/ passed on without checking. There can be information, co-ordination or execution failures.
Therefore, to prevent it, in the visioning stage, there needs to be a mapping of potential execution flashpoints encountered earlier (from learning documents) and counter it with inbuilt solutions designed and also response protocols for predictable and uncontrollable. This has to be updated on an ongoing basis.
EG1: In terms of earthquake zones, we know TSK and TSJ fall under which zones. If we design TSK foundation taking data from TSJ, then it will fail.
EG2: Similarly, even though don’t know when a cyclone or Tsunami will hit TSK, we have a clear understanding of what we need to do if construction is going on – we need to bring the boom down, tie in, keep loose sheets indoors, hook in unbalanced structures, etc. So, even though we don’t know when a cyclone will come, it is a given in this area and so we should be prepared for it with response protocols.
Engineering Change Management: Despite this, if there are some engineering changes, the Engineering change management is owned by the Engineering Manager in the build phase.
In the Specification Phase:
Alignment Role: From an engineering perspective, as we go discrete and there are several interfaces between packages, Engineering Manager is ensuring alignment of intra-plant facilities & inter-plant facilities.
Co-ordination role: In the specification phase, the Engineering Manager plays the role of co-ordination between multiple process engg., functional engg. and product engineering.
EG: For example, Process Engineering has given requirement of input condition and output conditions. Based on that the functional group will design. If there is any query, he will coordinate between them. This is a coordination role.
Making all engineering inputs & outputs available: Also Ensuring that all engineering inputs (e.g. assignment data from procurement) are available to engineering groups and outputs (e.g. Master Drawing List) is available to all other stakeholders like commercial, etc. as per the project milestones. This is a co-ordination activity.