Planning and engineering

The planning and engineering process of a plant is the first, and most important, step towards a complete plant.

The main goal during this phase is to tailor the plant to the customer’s requests, to correctly configure all plant components, and to define all interfaces.

While Siempelkamp in Krefeld is responsible for supplying the forming and press lines, the subsidiary Sicoplan in Belgium is in charge of the planning and engineering of complete plants.

The following services are provided:

• Technological consulting regarding the application of raw materials as well as appropriate production process technology (material flow diagram)

• Testing of raw materials (wood, wood-resembling raw materials, resin, additives)
• Project studies, including:  
  • raw material consumption calculation for several board types
  • proposal for the machine layout
  • list of machinery to be used for the process
  • heat consumption calculation
  • personnel requirement planning

• Design of complete production plants or plant sections, including:
  • technical specifications for the machines
  • building and foundation plans
  • drawings for structural steel work
  • energy supply and consumption plans
  • plant safety concept
  • technological operating instructions

• Technological startup and optimization of the production process including the elaboration of setting parameters for the specific machines
• Trouble shooting in existing plants (including plant safety concepts)
• Expansion, modernization, optimization of existing plants
• Design of plants with second-hand machinery
• Economic evaluation
• Technological training

Total Lifetime Cost

During the planning phase, Siempelkamp attaches a great importance to cost effective analyses of a plant. The keyword Total Lifetime Cost (TLC) points out that plants should not only be measured by their purchase cost, but to the same degree by their total operational lifetime cost!

When buying a plant, a plant operator should consider the TLC because a low purchase price for a plant is no indication for a low total lifetime cost.

The technical design of our machines and plants, as well as the maintenance and services we offer, assure low operational costs during the entire lifetime of a plant.

An optimization and reduction of operational costs can be achieved in the following areas:

• Raw material use
• Use of service mediums such as energy, lubricants, etc.
• Use of personnel: as a result of high startup curves during assembly and startup as well as low maintenance during the operating phase

We support our customers in calculating the cost effectiveness of their plants with simultaneous consideration to their plants’ Total Lifetime Cost.