When it comes to upgrading conveyors, it’s important to move deliberately. For starters, you’ll need to assess the space, infrastructure, and equipment in place. Because a conveyor expansion or modification represents a substantial capital investment, you’ll also want to carefully analyze all available options. You need to weigh benefits against costs and assess your tolerance for risk.

At Crow, we are continuously involved in projects to help customers achieve and exceed their expansion goals. In our experience, when designing conveyor layouts, it’s important to consider the following during the conveyor design process. Going through these simple considerations can greatly reduce design mistakes and help you avoid costly operational downtime in the future.

• Material
  What is being conveyed? What is the product size, composition, flowability? How will the material behave as it is being handled or processed? These questions help you figure out the best type of conveyor and chain to choose for the uses you have in mind.
• Operation
  Here, we consider operational requirements around function and performance. A key metric is the amount of material you intend to convey in a specified timeframe. Knowing the demand for such material at each process or operation point will guide your decision-making from the start. Also consider hours of operation. How often do you expect the conveyor to run?
• Environment
  Every conveyor runs in some type of environment. What is your environment like? Can it withstand the rigors of relevant environmental extremes – such as temperature, humidity, corrosion, vibration, etc.? Another important question: Are their open sources of ignition? Will the environment be flammable or explosive? Answers to these questions might lead you to consider explosion-proof motors, corrosion-resistant bearings and shafts, or other design choices.
• Footprint of conveying system
  Your conveyor needs to fit in the space allotted. When designing new or modified conveyor equipment, particularly when some portions of the system already exist, important considerations include infeed/discharge elevations, centerlines, and the operational speeds of existing machines that work with the conveyor. Also, is anything in the way? Do you have to avoid columns, ceilings, walkways, mezzanines, material staging areas, or pedestrian or forklift traffic?
• Maintenance
  How easy will it be to perform regular preventive maintenance? Can you quickly swap out chains, bearings, motors, belts, shafts, sprockets, etc.? These are important design considerations with an obvious goal – to maximize maintenance efficiency and minimize the potential for costly downtime that comes with machine failure.
• Conveyor components
  Is your conveyor designed with components that are easily sourced? Can they handle the environment? Are they available from local distributors? Are they cost effective? The last thing you want is for operations to come to halt for want of an essential part that’s difficult to find.
• Safety
  Does your conveyor design follow applicable OSHA requirements and local laws? Does it have proper guarding at pinch points or known hazardous areas? If pinch points/hazards cannot be guarded, could you fence off the conveyor or system to restrict access and potential accidents?
• History
  Be sure to listen to the experts. They’ll provide insight into what has and hasn’t worked in the past. When replacing existing equipment, the importance of functionality, reliability, and service history should not be overlooked. At the same time, your own history is critical. If conveyor reliability or functionality has been an issue for you in the past, understanding these issues can lead to suitable design changes and countermeasures. The result is more satisfactory results for your material flow goals.

Trust in Crow

By considering the questions discussed here – and by remaining in constant communication with the customer – Crow has helped many customers achieve their conveyor design goals. We provide full design or on-call engineering for small and fast-track projects that need to be handled quickly with a minimum of expense. We manage the initial design and can also support the project throughout construction.

If you have conveyor modification, upgrades, and expansion plans, be sure to tap the kind of expertise that can help you avoid mistakes, minimize costs, and ensure success. Give Crow a ring at (503) 213-2013. We’d be happy to talk. 

Structures and equipment don’t last forever. At some point, they begin to exhibit signs of wear and tear. Eventually, you need to take action.

The enemy is procrastination. Last minute repairs are costly – particularly when equipment has already failed and production has come to a halt.

Neither do you necessarily want to rip and replace. New equipment is nice – but a simple cost-benefit analysis often shows that keeping existing equipment up and running (perhaps with modifications) makes the best financial and business sense.      

Which is what ‘brownfield” plant modernization is all about. There’s a lot of value in the equipment you already have – and with plant modernization, you can keep on generating value for years to come.

Let’s take a look at four reasons for moving forward:

Safety

When a worker becomes sick or injured, the business feels the effect. But potential safety risks can be anywhere – in degraded equipment or outdated building structures; in ventilation, electrical, and waste management systems; or even in manufacturing production processes.

A plant modernization initiative can focus on the present and future conditions of equipment, buildings, and manufacturing processes to help minimize safety risks. You can also assess when to replace, upgrade, and expand operations before it is too late. Modernization can be a big step forward when it comes to ensuring workers are operating in safer conditions.

Cost Savings

One big advantage of plant modernization is the financial savings – and these can be realized surprisingly fast. When scheduling and executing retrofits, upgrades, and expansions, it is important to consider downtime, mill flow, operating budget, and other factors. The goal is to maintain what’s working correctly, extend the life of existing equipment, and modify only what will provide ROI with minimum risk.

Direct replacement is an option – but when modernizing a process or a facility, a holistic, creative, and innovative approach that integrates old and new in an existing environment can pay far higher dividends. All different options should be examined and considered before starting demolition and pouring concrete.

Reliability

To serve customers consistently and maintain manufacturing productivity, having reliable systems in place is a must. Equipment lifespans of 30 years or more are common, and many facilities maintain operations for 40 to 60 years. Up-to-date equipment improves overall reliability by eliminating the faults that may occur as equipment ages. Unplanned power outages, costing thousands or millions of dollars, can be avoided with a well-designed upgrade plan that minimizes downtime to just a few hours or less.

Digital Capabilities

As technology continues to develop and improve, plants can benefit from integrating modernized equipment that facilitates cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. Many digital components of electrical equipment tie directly into enhancing facility management – enabling plant managers to make smarter decisions. The result is actionable insights for managing and maintaining critical systems and avoiding unplanned downtime.

Getting Started

Plant modernization starts with a functional assessment to address issues in a quantitative way that considers business investment and ROI. Sometimes, such an assessment simply reaffirms your intuition about what is best for the facility from both physical and financial perspectives. Other times, it can uncover hidden issues you may not have seriously considered beforehand.

During this assessment, it is important to review existing building plans for the facility. If contemplating an addition, you may require a site survey. It is also important to gather and generate documents related to the age of the building. This documentation can be useful when it comes to resolving any environmental or code issues and evaluating existing mechanical systems.

For more than 50 years, Crow has provided plant modernization design services to help our customers avoid the costs associated with last minute upgrades and unplanned downtime. During a plant modernization project, we assist clients through the estimation, design, and construction phases. Design input is taken from plant, project, and maintenance managers, and floor personnel. Together we hold team meetings with all stakeholders across the organization and act as the primary point of contact for manufacturers, designers, engineers, and vendors. We are very flexible and can manage any and every individual task throughout the project.

Take, for instance, a recent sawmill modernization project that Crow helped to manage. By going brownfield – repurposing the current facility at the mill – the customer saved half a million dollars in capital expenses. This savings allowed us to significantly increase the roof capacity, add a bridge crane system that was more than 2.5x the capacity of the current system, and increase the span and reach of the crane system. In parallel, we engineered the support systems needed to fit all new saw equipment into the new space. Crow achieved 5% accuracy in project estimation costs. More importantly, the customer was able to get more value from its modernization effort – thanks to a brownfield approach that helps deliver better ROI.

Call 503-213-2013 or email us at inforequest@crowengineering.com to assess your modernization goals

by Brett W. King, PE, SE;
Structural Engineering Department Manager

In the first part of this article, we looked at the basics and dimensions of metal buildings for industrial settings. In this second part of the article, we explain the design criteria and specifications of pre-engineered metal buildings.

Design Criteria and Specifications

Design criteria are commonly specified by the building buyer to meet their specific needs. Specifications for buildings are usually a combination of drawings and written documents that provide the information needed by the metal building manufacturer. These documents can be used to get multiple bids for a building or to contract with a preferred vendor.

In some cases, a building buyer may frequently purchase metal buildings – with purchasing decisions often based on a very limited set of specifications. This may happen after a vendor has provided a number of buildings to a particular buyer and an understanding has been developed for just what the customer wants and what the vendor should deliver.

In other cases, organizations such as the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) provide model specifications that can be used to order buildings with ordinary common specifications created by the MBNA. These specifications cover the most common criteria for siding and roofing material, design codes and structural loading, coatings, and more.

Building Layout and Finishes

It may be possible to specify simple buildings in text format via written specifications. However, it is usually more effective to prepare drawings that show the layout and dimensions of the building needed. This requires that the buyer to prepare drawings themselves or hire the services of an engineer or architect.

The advantage to this approach is that the building layout can be thought through carefully. Building dimensions, door and window sizes and locations, structural loading requirements, material types and colors, and much more can all be specified in advance. Issues such as inside clearances, eave height, and building width can all be worked out in detail prior to engaging bidders who may be interested in winning the project.

This effort is most critical when there are tight limit or requirements for inside clear height – for instance, to enclose equipment or to provide for the support of cranes.

Standard metal buildings will be delivered typically with a shop-applied coat of primer only. During development of the specifications, prior to bidding, is the time to determine if more appropriate and capable coatings are required. For buildings that may be subject to high humidity or corrosive materials, as may be the case for many industrial environments, special coatings should be considered. Frequently, these will not be provided by the manufacturer of the building but will be applied to the building after erection. It is important, though, to specify the proper primer for the coating intended for use after erection. The building manufacturer must be required to use any specified primers and include the product in their bid. 

Building Loading

Pre-engineered metal buildings must meet the requirements of the building code of the jurisdiction where the building will be built. Most of the loading criteria will be the minimum loads specified by ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. This building code specifies all of the required environmental loading for wind, earthquake, and snow that will occur at the site.

The gravity loads, or dead load weight of a building, are calculated directly from the dimensions of all components including rafters, purlins, insulation, and metal roofing. It is common to add an artificial superimposed dead load of 5 pounds per square foot (psf) to the design of roof purlins and rafters. This load is intended to accommodate additional weight of items such as lighting, sprinkler systems, and HVAC duct work of an ordinary nature. It should be noted that some manufacturers may use only 3 psf for this purpose. This will reduce costs but limits allowable loading by the building owner and is not usually recommended by specifying engineers.

Where a building buyer has special needs, additional loads must be clearly specified for the building manufacturer to consider while bidding and for design. Some examples of special loads that must be specified include cranes, hanging mechanical equipment, roof top supported equipment, and just about anything else that may exceed a 3 to 5 psf superimposed load. In some cases, it is helpful to simply specify a superimposed load that’s higher than 5 psf in order to provide a more robust oof structure.

Summary

In summary, this article provides a limited view into the design and specification of pre-engineered metal buildings. Please contact us to achieve the best results and receive a building that closely meets your needs. Crow can help you to develop drawings and written specifications that you can use to submit bids that meet your space, clearance, and load requirements.

If you’re in the lumber business, it’s hardly news that demand has been outstripping supply – largely due to a pandemic housing boom that few saw coming. With new home building reaching a 15-year high, demand for new building materials such as 2×4 lumber is through the roof.

Here at Crow, we count among our customers many sawmill operators who are working tirelessly to support this wave before it’s gone. Many have had to play catch-up. After curtailing production like so many other industries in response to the pandemic, inventory began to fly off the shelves. Demand increased unexpectedly, sending lumber prices to an all-time high.

But these operators are extremely savvy. They’ve been around for years, they know that this current boom is cyclical, and they know how to ramp up. To lend a hand, Crow has been called upon to support everything from small maintenance projects to mill upgrades and expansions – all while ensuring the mills remain running at current capacity throughout each project. At the same time, Crow has helped customers save millions of dollars in capital expenses by re-purposing current facilities and equipment on site.

For example, Crow has been involved in several log yard evaluation and design projects. These have included complete turnkey designs for outdoor log decks that incorporate overhead bridge cranes and hydraulic log loaders. Design packages have included equipment layouts; foundation, building, and machine designs; and the installation of conveyors, debarkers, bucksaws, and more.

Other services during this demanding time are related to equipment relocation projects. Here, Crow works on site for the estimation, design, and construction phases of the project. Our engineers take design input from plant and project managers and floor personnel. We also hold onsite team meetings for client personnel and vendors. In addition, Crow supports mid and long-term planning projects where clients know the goal they want to achieve, and Crow helps them design the best route forward.

All of these services are designed to help sawmills get the most out of their equipment and facilities. In fact, recent data shows that U.S. and Canadian sawmill capacity has increased by 1.4 billion board feet in the past twelve months, with even more expected in the second half of 2021. Certainly, Crow can’t claim credit for this increase, but we’re pleased to be part of the effort. With over 50 years of experience, it continues to be our honor and privilege to serve mills and lumber companies as a resource to help increase productivity and profitability throughout the industry.

From maintenance process improvements
to green- and brownfield opportunities,
no project is too big or too small.

Let us help you achieve success on your next project.
Call us at (503) 213-2013 or send us an email at inforequest@crowengineering.com.

by: Chad Corkern
A Risk Based Inspection (RBI) is a risk analysis of operational procedures for a plant or facility. Other three- and four-letter acronyms tend to be associated with RBI – including Risk Based Asset Management (RBAM), Risk Based Integrity Management (RBIM), Risk Based Management (RBM), and Risk and Reliability Management (RRM).

As should be abundantly clear, the main theme here is “risk” – and at Crow we offer a range of services to help you minimize that risk. The focus is on safety and plant integrity. Minimizing associated risk has multiple benefits. It helps you maintain compliance and avoid fines with regulations from OSHA and elsewhere. It also helps to ensure plant uptime by identifying potential issues before they cause problems – and addressing them without interrupting operations.

Choosing the right partners to support your project often determines the success of that project. What’s needed are vendors with subject matter expertise and a proven track record of success. 

Take, for example, our client (a lumber mill in North Carolina) needed to modernize its log yard. Needing seasoned subject matter experts, they chose to work with Crow Engineering and KM Machine out of North Carolina. The project was to design a new stem processing line that would run parallel to the site’s existing debarking and merchandising line. 

To help ensure success, Crow focused on the following elements: 
•    Smooth, consistent, and synchronized cooperation between partners
•    Direct and honest communication
•    Alignment of all stakeholders to each milestone throughout the project
•    Formal scheduled performance reviews throughout the process

This project had its complexities. Our clients wanted to reuse an existing stem feeder as part of the project. This required Crow to incorporate the stem feeder into its designs and work with KM Machine to produce highly detailed custom metalwork. 

Our clients also had the foresight to have Crow design a debarker and conveyor that would reuse their existing Cambio debarker. One goal here was to produce a design that would make the machine work now while also making it easy to replace at end of life.

Together, committed teams from the client-side, Crow Engineering, and KM Machine completed a design that integrated their existing portal crane layout while also rerouting log truck and traffic flows to optimize space and improve safety throughout the yard.

The result was a customized merchandising system built to maximize the log yard output. 

Ultimately, the key ingredient for a successful project when partnering with several companies is trust. Trust that each of your partners are competent enough to meet your expectations. Crow Engineering is incredibly proud of the reputation we have built throughout the industry over the past 53 years. Integrity, trust, honesty, and a desire for success are the pillars we are built on. We look forward to partnering with you. From maintenance process improvements to green- and brownfield opportunities, no project is too big or too small. 

From maintenance process improvements
to green- and brownfield opportunities,
no project is too big or too small.

Let us help you achieve success on your next project.
Call us at (503) 213-2013 or send us an email at inforequest@crowengineering.com.

As the saying goes, what the customer wants, the customer gets. Here at Crow, many of the great customers we work with want something in particular: protection from the elements. 

Designing buildings to stand up to the elements requires detailed site analysis to determine weather patterns, climate, soil types, wind speed and directions, heat, path of the sun, and more. Solutions involving insulation, vapor barriers, and air barriers will vary radically depending on whether the site is in the cold and snowy north, the hot and humid south, or the arid desert. 

Snow and Wind

Crow has the expertise and experience to help. Take, for example, the structure images featured above and below. These facilities are in a remote locations subject to weather extremes. This is why Crow designed them to withstand conditions such as heavy snow loads, high drifts, extreme cold, strong winds, and more. 

Today, the customer below enjoys a 30,000 square foot facility that supports a staff of 30 employees – including field crew, management, maintenance, and dispatch. The structure includes offices, team rooms, locker rooms, and other personnel areas. It is also a mixed-use facility with ancillary maintenance and storage facilities for rolling stock and the storage of vehicles and equipment. 

And come what may, this structure is designed to hold up against whatever mother nature throws its way.   

Dewatering

Or take the structure below. For this project, the customer needed a dewatering system to remove water from fiber, dirt, and other debris collected from manholes and storm-water operations. Crow came up with a design that allows the customer to remove water from debris so it can separate the dried materials for a landfill. 

After the design was completed, the customer bought some used equipment from a closed facility – equipment that approximated what was called for in the original design. It then worked with a “Design-Build” contractor to install the equipment – while simultaneously completing the concrete for the building so that the entire project works as a single system.  

Fire

Still another example is fire. Crow has worked with many clients on the reconstruction of buildings and manufacturing areas after catastrophic fires. Designs have included pre-engineered metal buildings constructed on pile-supported foundations. 

No organization wants to experience a second fire. This is why Crow uses proven materials, technologies, and engineering practices that incorporate fire resistance into the buildings we design. And throughout each project, Crow takes pains to keep the customer in the driver’s seat. When it comes to selecting equipment layouts and designing material handling systems and foundations, the customer is in control. 

Here to help

Crow has helped many companies stand up to the elements. With licensed structural, civil, and mechanical engineers in-house, we deliver designs that are holistically complete – designs based on input from plant, project, and maintenance managers as well as floor personnel. We also hold team meetings on site with customers and key vendors. This helps keep the communication flowing so that our customers get projects that are delivered on time and within budget with minimal operational downtime.

Freres Lumber Co. Inc. is known for innovation. Take, for instance, its new-to-market patented, engineered wood product: mass plywood panels (MPP).

MPP is a unique product that competes directly with the popular cross-laminated timber (CLT) products – which were originally developed in Europe and are now produced by several manufacturers in the US and Canada. Where CLT utilizes dimensional lumber laminated in layers in alternating directions, MPP uses a thin veneer to fortify the wood and augment it with dimensional stability.

Recently, Freres worked with Crow Engineering to design an open-sided structure using its MPP product. The aim of the project was to infill a space between two manufacturing buildings at the Freres Plant 3 mill in Mill City, OR.

With the project complete, Freres now enjoys a structure that is 43 feet wide by 109 feet long, open on the ends to allow trucks and forklifts to pass between the buildings, while providing weather protection for materials being transferred from one building to the other.

The use of heavier MPP materials gives the infill building greater fire resistance than the adjacent light-framed timber buildings. The dimensions of the MPP materials used in this project would qualify it as a Type IV Heavy Timber building per the IBC code. However, since it is not separated from the adjacent structures by fire separation walls, it is still classified as Type V-B.

After modeling the structure in Revit, the Crow team created 3D files and shop drawings for Freres to import into their system. From there, Freres created the files to control the CNC machine to cut the parts. Freres also sent files to the contractor for cutting steel connection plates – while construction documents were prepared from the Revit model for permitting and construction.

For us here at Crow, this project demonstrates the viability of MPP as a high-quality building material that can serve as an alternative not only to CLT but to concrete and steel as well. We thank Freres for the chance to learn and contribute.

John Bradford. Sr. Structural Engineer