August 2022 Volume 4

MAINTENANCE

Economic Drivers There are several key items that can significantly affect the total cost of your new foundation. Making smart decisions regarding these items will ensure the greatest return on your investment. The size and depth of the main pit itself, in addition to the soils conditions and water table, are key components that will drive total cost. The earth retention system used and the need for a dewatering system while constructing the pit will also impact cost. Other items that might increase costs include the number of auxiliary pits required, such as scrap conveyor or product handling pits, embedded steel items, the concrete geometry including elevation changes, necessary troughs and pockets, the amount of overhead building height, and access to use the owner’s overhead cranes during construction. Finally, selecting the right designer/contractor can have the biggest impact on the cost of your project. There are many designers and contractors, but not all have experience designing and/or constructing foundations for heavy industrial equipment. Your selected designer/contractor should be able to anticipate problems, suggest practical solutions for your unique situation, and do so with economics in mind. Be aware that the lowest-price designer/ contractor may not always be the best choice. The reduced lifecycle cost from poor quality and/or poorly designed foundations will far outweigh the cost of designing and constructing it correctly the

first time. There also is a cost to meeting challenging construction schedules such as overtime, worker inefficiencies, and fast-tracking material lead times. There are always trade-offs when it comes to industrial equipment and their foundations. Typically, the more automation you have (or are planning to use) in your production, the greater the construction costs will be in all areas mentioned here, but the larger the return on investment. Conclusion Deciding to invest in your plant to better serve your customers, become more efficient, and make you more competitive in the marketplace is a major decision, and there is much at stake. Therefore, it’s important to have a decent understanding of the design and construction process for equipment foundations and which of its components can most greatly impact total cost. A trustworthy and experienced design/construction partner can be invaluable in leading you through this process. Jim Raffin, P.E. Raffin Construction Company Phone: 773-785-3055 Email: jimr@raffinconstruction.com

FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2022 19