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| Modular Construction for Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharmaceutical Facilities : |
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Modular Construction is a term that is used to describe 'factory production of pre-engineered building units that are delivered to site and assembled as large volumetric components or substantial elements of the building'. The modular units may be room sized or parts of larger spaces, which are combined together to form complete buildings. The structural frame of modules can vary, depending on the application.
Earlier this technology was used for building of student residences, hotels, fast-food restaurants, Telecommunication centers, etc. For the last 5-10 years the concept has picked up in the Pharmaceutical industry world wide and about 65 plants build on this principle around the globe. |
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| The main benefits offered by this modular construction are, |
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Improved Quality |
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Compressed Construction Time |
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Increased Safety |
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Reduced Weight |
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To Over come local skill shortages. |
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This technology has not made a valid entry in the Indian Pharmaceutical sector, the main reason being the cost of engineering and construction. The engineering of these projects is the backbone of the technology where every detail is plotted in 3-D design before it is taken for installation at vendors site. With this system even minor details are not missed out which we see today in any project in this part of the world. Lately this technology has entered Malaysia, Korea and China in the Asian region.
These projects also help organization reduce their own manpower used for project handling and construction activity at site. Companies involved in modular construction industry claim that site activity can be reduced by 30 40 % if modular technology is used. It is also claimed as a dry construction and dust generation is minimized.
One of the main advantages sighted in these type of activity is “Speed to the market with new products”. Where new product introduction requires a new purpose built facility, contraction must be carried out as rapidly as possible. This is particularity true for Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharmaceutical industries, which need to maximize the patent protection period after what is usually a long and expensive product development cycle.
Let us look into the basic steps involved in a modular constructed Bio-Pharmaceutical factory, |
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Post inquiry the first step is to have a “Pre Design - User Requirement Specification”. This is to understand from the user his requirements from the facility and the function of the same in detail. The leading modular contraction company takes this as a detailed interview with the various departments of the vendors and comes to conclusion on the URS. |
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Conceptual Design - The user defines the URS. After which the engineering division makes the conceptualization of the plant. The engineering consultants involved should have very good knowledge of the modular design construction.
Some times the user opts for a separate engineering company and a separate modular constriction company. This also helps keep a tab on activities of both, instead of giving one turnkey project including engineering to the Modular Construction Company. |
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Basic Design - The basic design starts after the user and the Modular Construction Company agrees upon the conceptualization of the plant. The engineering company then goes ahead with the basic design of the plant. In this step the time schedule and project execution is further developed and detailed. Typical outputs from basic design are Layouts, Process Flow Diagrams, P and ID's, Room Specifications, Equipment Specifications, HVAC Flow Control Diagrams, Qualification Master Plan, Risk Assessment, etc.
At this stage the final project cost is estimated and there might be small specification change depending on user requirements on the budget of the project. |
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Detailed Design - The detailed design has to e done by an engineering company proficient in 3-D CAD design. The standard 2D tools used for drafting does not help in these complex projects. Here the pipe work, HVAC ducting, Electrical Modules and wiring, etc, runs through a number of modules and this is impossible using 2-D design tools. Also the engineering involved is too extensive and hence this responsibility has to be given to a company having good experience in Modular Design and Development. |
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Procurement and Fabrication - All the equipments and material required for the modules are procured at the factory of the Modular construction company. The same are assembled together using the
design from the engineering company. This also includes clean room panels, piping, HVAC Systems, Electrical systems, etc. |
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Test Scale Runs - After the fabrication of the modules at the factory. They are assembled together as they will be at the users site. Then full-scale trials of this ready-made factory are taken. To ascertain minimum installation time and disturbances during final assembly and installation at site. |
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Delivery - These modules are then disassembled and delivered to the site, which may be thousands of kilometers, away by trucks and ship. A huge amount of planning goes in delivering the modules where extra care has to be taken for load limits of roads and bridges. |
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Reassembly at Users Site - The same crew that disassembled the plant at factory is used to assemble them at clients site using huge cranes on the foundation already prepared by the user. These foundations are also pre specified by the engineering company. |
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Final Installation, Qualification and Commissioning - After reassembly the plant is fine tuned, all the modules inter connections made. The final Commissioning and Qualification [IQ and OQ] starts at site by experienced team of the modular contraction company and the engineering company. When the qualification is complete the plant is handed over to the client for PQ tests and trail runs of the product.
These were the basic steps involved. The Engineering aspect in this Modular Construction is the most critical parameter and very few engineering companies can do this work, one of them being, Elomatic Oy Finland. They have been involved in major Modular Designed Factory projects with their modular construction partner, Pharmadule Emtunga AB, Sweden. |
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