Design Systems, Inc. continues to be a leader in assisting the manufacturing community with plant specific safety programs to ensure employee safety and company compliance. One such area that can literally mean the difference between life or death is compliance with regulations NFPA 70E and CSA Z462 dealing with Arc Flash Safety
Design Systems Arc Flash Analysis Services:
Design Systems’ talented group of electrical engineers will lead your organization through the entire Arc Flash process to ensure your plant employees are safe and your company fully meets all the OSHA and industry consensus standards. Programs are comprehensive and may include:
Written electrical safety program
Employee training program or ‘train the trainer’ class
Electrical power system analysis and panel labeling
Up-to-date one line drawings
Mitigation reports
Arc Flash Hazard Category reduction; reduce cost of maintenance
Energized electrical work permits
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements
Engineered solutions and installed solutions
Electrical safety audits and maintenance
Ongoing Arc Flash training and electrical safety program training for your employees.
Proper fastening is a major issue concerning the quality of vehicles leaving the plant. Torque testing prior to launch and as an ongoing quality validation tool, could significantly reduce downtime and warranty costs.
Torque testing is used to measure multiple criteria determining the quality of a connection:
Dynamic Torque -measured by an Electronic Torque Transducer during the tightening process.
Dynamic Angle- – revolutions required to secure a fastener
Residual Torque- – Torque required to restart a tightened fastener
Purpose of Torque Validation:
Ensure process repeatability
Validate that engineering specifications are met
Track repeatability of each tool during production
Reduce repair/warranty issues.
Provide supporting data for torque related issues
Torque Validation Surveys are performed:
Design Systems provides all tools and services necessary to gather, report and file valid data.
Database driven analysis allows for results reporting in a consistent format.
Statistics revalidated on a frequent basis for comparison analysis.
Data can be used to show negative or positive trends necessary for prompt resolution.
“BOTTOM-LINE” RESULTS:
“First time” quality assurance at launch
Customer satisfaction assurance
Mitigate warranty claims costs
Improve product reliability results
Second audit verifies and documents that specifications have been met
Dedicated personnel allows “Lower Task Cost” and a higher degree of accuracy
“Real time” statistics will be documented
Daily reporting for immediate notification of out of spec processes
Heat is a common indicator of abnormal equipment operations and is often indicative of premature failure. Inspecting equipment using infrared technology before there is a major problem will significantly reduce the premature failure and the costs associated with downtime.
Infrared Thermography provides a detailed photograph of each piece of operating equipment, indicating its “Heat Signature”. The amount of temperature rise over the normal operating temperature as well as an understanding of the equipment’s criticality to the operation, provides a good indicator of the severity of a problem. Typical applications include:
Electrical
equipment / systems to detect abnormal overheating from loose connections, corrosion, load imbalances, etc… in high and low voltage equipment.
Mechanical
systems to identify heat build-up associated with friction, misalignment or mechanical stress in equipment, including gear sets, pumps, motors and compressors
Energy Management
to locate areas of energy loss or gain to optimize insulation or design efficiencies (building envelopes, roof moisture surveys, boilers, chillers).
Process
applications to image and diagnose thermal patterns in industrial process equipment (presses, forming machines, welders, furnaces.)
Surveys are Performed:
While equipment is operating and under full load.
Using non-destructive testing that does not interrupt operations.
Without contacting the target object.
A safe distance from energized electrical equipment, rotating equipment, or equipment in hazardous locations.
DSI Solutions:
25 years of facility and equipment experience
Design Systems hands-on engineering staff has the experience to define a solution after diagnosing the problem
The Infrared survey can be performed in conjunction with the Conveyor and Equipment Health Assessments.
Continuous Improvement initiatives can have several interpretations, but the results make the difference. Design Systems is recognized for quality performance on engineering, design and program management projects. Continuous improvement are an integral part of all of our assignments, but it is becoming more and more often a specific task assignment to identify continuous improvement opportunities in existing facilities.
Design Systems, Inc. provides comprehensive engineering, facility design and re-engineering services that enable you to maximize the productivity of your people, equipment, control systems and your facility. Using lean principles we will help you identify needs, create processes and implement strategies that increase bottom line profitability.
Lean is the philosophy that shortens the time between customer service and customer satisfaction by eliminating the sources of waste. Typically, 90-95% of total “in process” time is non-value added.
The “seven wastes” are commonly defined as:
Errors
Waiting
Inventory
Over-processing
Over-capacity
Transportation
Motion
An “eighth waste” can be identified as under-utilized personnel.
To embrace the lean philosophy and reduce the high cost of waste in the food and beverage industries we:
Baggage Handling Equipment & Systems Engineering Services
Design Systems, a full service material handling, conveyor engineering system integrator and project management company, can and will provide the best solution for your specific requirements. Our staff of over 300 engineers can address every aspect of your conveyor project from concept development and appropriation requests, to system control design and real time baggage tracking through field start-up and commissioning. If your organization is looking to improve current operations, implement a new “Brownfield” strategy or considering a new “Greenfield” installation, Design Systems will provide the engineered solution to meet your needs.
Design Systems, Inc. provides comprehensive engineering, facility design and re-engineering services that enable you to maximize the productivity of your people, equipment, control systems and your facility.
Using lean principles we will help you identify needs, create processes and implement strategies that increase bottom line profitability.
Lean is the philosophy that shortens the time between customer service and customer satisfaction by eliminating the sources of waste.
Typically, 90-95% of total “in process” time is non-value added.
Established in 1983 with headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Design Systems, Inc. is a multi-discipline manufacturing engineering and consulting firm with strategic office locations to serve the global marketplace.
For over thirty years, Design Systems, Inc. has provided engineering services, construction professional services, and full-service staffing for automotive, heavy truck, aerospace and defense, package handling, steel manufacturing, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, health care, and many other industries.
Since 2007, Design Systems, Inc. has provided over 400,000 hours of engineering services, construction professional services, and full-service staffing to our Powertrain Customers.
Powertrain Engineering Services and Construction Professional Services
Design Systems, Inc. provides engineering services and construction professional services for the removal, scrap, storage, relocation, retool, and installation of Powertrain process equipment.
Machining / grinding, coolant filtration, ATF, wash, and chip processing
Sub-assembly, mainline assembly, test, and button-up
Kitting areas, team areas, material areas, maintenance and support areas
Typical design packages include:
Identification of process equipment
Collection of OEM installation drawings, data sheets, and scope of work documents
Design of mechanical, electrical, and network utility connections
Routing of coolant supply and return piping
Design of mist collection, dust collection, and process exhaust systems.
Design of structural supports for utilities, coolant piping and tanks, mist / dust / exhaust systems, bridge cranes, service rails, tool rails, fall protection beams, and Andon boards
Compilation of master utility data matrix
Electric load study, balance, and arch flash hazard analysis
Drawings and documents required to solicit competitive bids
Construction professional services include:
On-site support: program managers, project managers, engineers, construction safety professionals, contract managers, document controllers, planners / schedulers, field coordinators, and clerks / administrative assistants
Project management
Bid and award management
Change control
Construction safety
Document control
Contract closeout
Additional services include:
Process equipment layout development
Industrial and material flow engineering
Laser scanning and 3D modeling
Simulation
Plant trades engineering (detailed engineering)
Electric power measurements
Integration of plant floor information systems
Launch support
Full-service staffing
“BOTTOM-LINE” RESULTS
Early involvement of key players
Early identification of facility / utility requirements
Early identification of facility / utility deficiencies (overload)
Whether you’re capturing measurements for manufacturing, buildings, paint shops, deep underground treatment plants, or a simple home renovation, the process has always been the same: Manual processes and 2D drawings would be marked up in the field and taken back to the office to be translated into AutoCAD files at a later date. This process is slow and leaves much room for error. The larger the area being reworked, the larger the task is to capture the “as is data”.
At Design Systems, Inc., we have a group of engineers working with laser scanning technology to capture as-built data for our internal engineering groups as well as our customers. The speed, accuracy and amount of data captured is unmatched by any other technology.
Laser scanning allows scans taken in the field to be captured and sent back to the engineering office in real time, which ensures engineers using the data have the information they need before the field engineers leave the site. This technology has allowed us to expand our footprint from regional to global while controlling costs and maintaining tight engineering schedules. As engineers and designers look to further improve processes, laser scanning will become as common as tape measures are today
Applications
Facility Design
Factory Layouts – 2D & 3D
Field Checking
Historic Preservation
Surveying
Reverse Engineering Applications
Building Renovation
As-Built Drawings
Clash Detection
Cross Section Creation
Training
Technical Support
Software Deliverables
2D / 3D Drawings
3D CAD Models
3D BIM Models
2D / 3D Install Drawings
Fly-Through & Renderings
Point Cloud Consulting & Training
2D / 3D Bid Package Creation
“BOTTOM-LINE” RESULTS
Risk Mitigation: Incomplete or incorrect as-built documentation. Improves project timing and budget planning.
Clash Detection: In plants this is critical to successful projects, locating upfront interferences will cut down on costly change orders.
Regulatory: Creation of “as-built” and “as-maintained”.
Design Systems, Inc. is an experienced multi-disciplined engineering company positioned to support your program needs globally. Since our beginning in 1983, Design Systems, Inc. has evolved into providing complete “Concept to Commission” services for manufacturing companies where precision engineering and efficient processing are key to your operations success.
Design Systems, Inc. provides turnkey systems integration and engineering services for manufacturing companies of all types and sizes. Our goal: to help you maximize the productive capacity of your people, equipment, and the facility itself.
World headquarters located in Farmington Hills, Michigan
Design Systems Canada Ltd. (DSC) headquartered in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Design Systems de Mexico headquartered in Saltillo, Mexico
Over 250 engineers and technicians
TSI – Affiliate company providing Turnkey Systems Integration
SRI – Affiliate company providing full service staffing