Overview: Large-Scale Conveyance Power & Control System Installation
FTI was contracted to install 480-volt, three-phase conductors, raceways and motor control centers to power and control a large-scale conveyance and process system for Novelis, an aluminum recycler. The system included over 40 conveyors, 18 control panels, three modular electrical rooms and a dual-motor reversible hammer mill, along with five additional pieces of process equipment. Each conveyor included multiple motion sensors and belt alignment sensors, and every control panel needed a 480V power supply with internal control transformers that must be routed out to each conveyance system.
The team installed remote monitoring cables from connecting input/output panels to all devices and secondary control panels. To withstand ambient temperatures reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit, they used high-temperature-rated conductors and heat sleeves. All devices, motors and raceway layout were installed onsite.
Challenges: Conduit Rerouting and Component Adjustments
Underground conduits were installed sporadically by the structural contractor, resulting in some conduit needing to be abandoned or rerouted above ground to reach the required panel locations. During commissioning, adjustments to moving parts and hinge locations were needed due to incomplete motion range details during initial installation. Significant delays with electrical equipment led to out-of-sequence work.
Solutions: Meeting Deadlines Through Collaborative Project Coordination
Weekly sync meetings with the mechanical and electrical project management teams were held to keep everyone informed and maintain the construction schedule amid field challenges. To meet project deadlines, the team implemented several solutions:
- Developed a live equipment tracker to coordinate shipment and installation timelines so an accurate project schedule could be created.
- Formed specialized teams to improve efficiency by dividing scopes across equipment in alignment with field resource strengths.
- Installed troughs and junction boxes near missing control components to install raceways and conductors while awaiting electrical equipment.
- Used multiple conduit bending and cutting stations to maintain the required production rate, allowing team members to focus on primary tasks as the project’s square footage expanded.
Results: On-Time Completion and Leading ORM Practices
Despite facing challenges and delays, the team maintained efficiency throughout the length of the project to meet schedule deadlines ahead of plan. FTI completed over 18,000 hours on this project with zero safety incidents. The general contractor used FTI’s Operational Risk Management (ORM) boards as an example of a best practice of how to monitor for risk awareness in daily tasks.
