One of the most important choices you will have to make is between stick building and super skiing. The optimal option will rely on a number of variables, including project complexity, financial limits, schedule constraints, site location and accessibility, and regulatory considerations. Each approach has particular benefits and drawbacks. Let us study both the topics in detail so you can decide with knowledge.
Building Quality Solutions
Super Skidding, the method of prefabrication major components off-site before assembly, has become the default method of building new capacity for its potential to expedite project timelines and improve cost predictability. Stick Building, the traditional on-site construction method, embraces a meticulous and phased approach. It allows for flexibility in design changes and adjustments during construction. In pharmaceutical projects, Stick Building offers the adaptability needed for facilities with unique specifications or those subject to evolving regulatory standards.
Facility Access
The facility is frequently the gating issue on the timetable when determining the fastest way to bring capacity online. Is this a greenfield (new construction), brownfield (existing), or rehabilitation of an existing facility?
It is not unusual for equipment to be planned and manufactured off-site when a structure is undergoing major construction or refurbishment. Nevertheless, stick-building is not advantageous in this situation. The majority of projects nowadays are carried out simultaneously, with the building construction or refurbishment taking place while the physical equipment is designed and built off-site at a supplier's facility.
Accessing an existing facility's interior may not always be feasible or feasible. Modular construction may not be a viable option when upgrading because of operational areas and existing infrastructure, which makes importing massive skids impractical. It is common for businesses to evaluate the rigging route in order to determine size constraints, and then to take subassembly modularization into account. These size restrictions can be used to adjust designs to account for shipping and rigging breakpoints, allowing for a level of prefabrication that reduces the amount of piping and wiring that needs to be done on site.
Costing
Although it is often known that labor in the field is more expensive than in a regulated manufacturing setting, it is not always evident why this is the case or how much the difference actually is between field and factory construction. Easily obtainable tools and equipment rentals at a typical factory include cranes and fork trucks.
Pharmaceutical facilities developed in accordance with current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) require highly specialized skill sets, which may not be widely available in the region where the facility is being constructed. This typically entails tradespeople making lengthy trips to the job site in order to finish the work. Travel expenses including hotel, transportation, and per diem are necessary for this. When labor rate and expenses are added together, the resulting "inclusive" hourly rate often surpasses 150% of the typical burdened labor cost in a production setting. This is made worse by how much it costs to send customized tools and equipment using trucks and cranes available at the factory.
The generally decreased efficiency encountered by field operations further compounds these additional expenditures. Among the difficulties are:
- Awaiting authorization to enter an area used by another trade or seller in order to do the task.
- Working in diverse areas of a building presents different setup and safety dangers than limited travel distances around a stationary skid on a production floor.
- Time spent on site gathering supplies from a locked shed or storage as opposed to equipped inventory that is brought straight to the shop floor.
- A controlled environment may be necessary for certain field fabrication processes, and this may not always be accessible close to the work area. Moving from a fabrication area to an installation area inside the same plant takes more time.
- A fire watch is frequently necessary for hot work both while and after the task is done. This creates extra labor requirements and a logistical challenge that are unnecessary in a production setting.
Although the inefficiencies will fluctuate depending on the trade, it is generally acknowledged that field construction will lower the activity's productivity. That might be as low as 10% or as high as 50 or 60%, depending on the particular difficulties that are faced, which can differ greatly from site to site and trade to trade.
Storage
Many businesses have recently questioned if stick-building, which involves having materials and components drop-shipped to the site and erected "on the fly," can shorten project timelines. In addition to the apparent difficulties in organizing supplies at a location that is not used to having high stock levels, it has been observed that this frequently results in significant delays and expenses because of incorrect inspections, misplaced paperwork, and inadequate material kitting.
All the infrastructure needed to transport material through receiving, inspection, documentation gathering, and kitting for assembly will be in place at a manufacturer's plant. Workers in fabrication and assembly have easy access to all the tools and equipment they need to transport and handle products, including pallet jacks, fork trucks, and cranes.
The factory's atmosphere is more strictly regulated and fits the needs of the related tasks (temperature, humidity, fire suppression, etc.).
Mother Nature has an opinion on the outcome of projects, too, so keep that in mind. Weather can have a significant effect on output, depending on the condition of the building and where designated work zones are located. OSHA mandates that workers, whether they are set up outside or under work tents, seek cover when: a) there are strong winds (such as >30 mph if operating material handling machinery; otherwise, >40 mph); and b) at the first sound of thunder or lightning for a predetermined amount of time (such as 30 minutes after the last sound or sighting), as specified by their Emergency Action Plan. This could be an hourly or two-per-person daily activity in some places, during specific periods of the year.
It just serves to highlight one of the many factors that can affect productivity when manufacturing is not taking place in a controlled environment, even if it will not have a significant effect on most projects.
Safety
As the industry's main priority, safety cannot be ignored in any conversation about work procedures. Since safety is usually the most important topic, I was inclined to start the conversation on this topic with the safety talk, but I did not want to discount the methods or approaches before we had even begun. Even though construction jobs are the second most deadly in the workplace (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' "NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN 2021"), they can still be safe if the right safety measures are followed.
Construction sites are extremely dynamic work settings where many different professions are vying for access and space while adhering to strict deadlines. The workplace, with its vast material motions and transient workstations, is by its very nature variable.
Employee risks are increased by the transient nature of the work environment and the lack of uniformity.
When to Stick Build
Contrary to popular belief, Super Skidding is not the sole method for completing projects that take cost, scheduling, and safety considerations into account. Recognize that both approaches' methods are typically used in all projects. Every process line cannot be 100% set and given "plug and play"; there must always be some degree of on-site integration. Even with the precision equipment that design and production tools can give, there are still small differences in stack-up and tolerances when integrating skids from one operation to the next, especially if those skids are provided by various vendors.
This approach works well for project retrofits as well. Modular construction is often made more difficult by a project's staggered adoption of changes. When routing piping and wiring following demolition and removal of existing equipment, certain situations need a certain amount of "game day" decision-making due to the precise dimensions or facility limits of the previous installation.
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing between Super Skidding and Stick Building. Several concerns, including project complexity, budget, schedule limits, site location and accessibility, and regulatory considerations, come into play.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Super Skidding and Stick Building present different benefits and difficulties. Stick Building provides more design flexibility and site specificity than Super Skidding, but Super Skidding is exceptional at accelerating construction and minimizing disturbances. The secret is to thoroughly examine the project requirements and choose a strategy that fits the project’s limits, budget, and timeline.
The ongoing argument between Stick Building and Super Skidding in the dynamic field of pharmaceutical facility projects highlights the industry’s dedication to efficiency and innovation.
At Sterinox Systems, we are committed to provide Stick Building as well as Super Skidding, depending on the project requirements. For more information, get in touch with us at – www.sterinoxsystems.com