The world’s largest chemical company asked Element6 to resolve a capacity issue at a filling operation. Element6 responded within one day with a solution that the client was willing to try. Within four weeks the equipment was in place resulting in a production increase of 10,000%.

Element6 was approached by one of largest global chemical distributors to resolve an ergonomic issue impacting employees in a production work cell. The issue was impeding the client’s progress in meeting growing customer demand. Element6 designed, fabricated and installed a custom equipment module that resolved the ergonomic issue and eliminated double handling. The solution generated a production increase of 200%.

Element6 was engaged by a global specialty chemicals manufacturer to assess a combustible dust hazard. Working closely with the plant team, Element6 performed the assessment to identify areas of concern. While discussing remedial options, several productivity improvement options were identified. Turning an EHS project into a productivity improvement opportunity is a favourite trick at Element6.

A veteran client, a global leader in sealants, was growing its business in Australia by transferring product technology from the USA. As the North American engineering partner, Element6 was a natural fit to bring our knowledge and experience to the table. We bridged the Pacific Ocean gap using 3D laser scanning bringing the plant in Australia right into our office. We engaged a local service provider to capture the data. The spin-off benefit is a virtual plant that serves as a collaboration hub with the project teams in Canada, Australia, Malaysia and the USA.

Element6 was approached by a major chemical company intrigued by our Virtual Plant Design approach. They had grown tired of traditional 2D engineering. Their indoor tank farm required the removal of two existing tanks and the installation of a new one. The challenge was twofold – how to get the tanks out while removing the least amount of existing infrastructure and determining what was the largest tank they could install.

Element6 responded by quickly deploying our in-house laser scanning technology to gather the as-built condition, then simulating the removal and installation process. This was all accomplished using point cloud data only. The clash-checking technology highlighted obstacles in the travel path that required temporary removal.

Working with a leading producer of EIFS to consolidate two plants into one, an early obstacle was uncovered. The building height for the new plant was four feet lower than the existing building, which already had a tight equipment stack up. The fear was that significant building modifications would be necessary.

As part of our Virtual Plant Design workflow using in-house laser scanning technology, Element6 quickly and accurately captured the as-built condition of the building for the new plant. We also captured point cloud data on the existing equipment to be relocated. Modelling the existing equipment in the point cloud for the new plant gave a clear picture of exactly where the issues were. Working collaboratively with the client and equipment vendors, the existing equipment was fit in the new plant without raising the roof or building a penthouse.