Plant construction projects

Mechanical and plant engineering are often mentioned in the same breath. This could lead to the assumption that projects in plant engineering do not differ significantly from those in mechanical engineering. However, this is not the case and requires different approaches. However, software that is intended to support plant engineering projects also has to meet special requirements, as does software for projects in mechanical engineering.

Difference between mechanical engineering and plant engineering

The best way to separate the terms mechanical engineering and plant engineering is to describe their relationship: The mechanical engineer supplies the products and equipment to the plant engineer, who then assembles them into complex systems. Of course, in practice the world is never so clear-cut. For example, a machine builder quickly becomes a plant builder when its products are integrated at the customer's as a complex system. Or a company in the plant engineering sector also acts as a mechanical engineering company because it designs and produces parts of its plants itself.

Projects in plant engineering or mechanical engineering - remain projects

No matter whether you want to build projects or mechanical engineering projects to be considered as such, the definition given in the DIN standard should apply. DIN 69901 is described:

Project that is essentially characterised by the uniqueness but also the constancy of the conditions in their entirety, e.g. target, time, financial, personnel and other limitations; differentiation from other projects; project-specific organisation'.
DIN 69901

Almost 100 % of the work in plant engineering can be described by this definition. In mechanical engineering, project work is usually only one aspect of the organisational spectrum of tasks. Projects in mechanical engineering usually deal with the development of products. Plant engineering projects, on the other hand, aim at the conception of processes. They often use already existing components for this purpose.

The differences between projects in plant engineering and mechanical engineering

Plant engineering projects almost always take place at the customer's premises. Product development projects in mechanical engineering, on the other hand, are usually carried out in-house.
The requirements of a plant engineering project are determined by the customer and their specific needs. The mechanical engineering project derives its requirements from the market requirements. Ultimately, however, the company defines the goals of the project for itself.
In the process, the mechanical engineering company must ensure smooth communication within the project team. In the plant engineering company's project, they operate two-way communication internally and externally to the customer.
Plant engineering projects must take into account the processes in their own company in coordination with the customer's operational processes. In the internal project of the mechanical engineering company, one can concentrate entirely on one's own processes.
The planning team in product development in mechanical engineering usually also accompanies the implementation of the project as a project team. A project in plant engineering is often first developed and offered by a team. Then a long time passes due to an often complex selection process. The team carrying out the plant project is then often completely different from the planning team. This results in special requirements for the documentation and transparency of all project steps.

Significant difference in planning costs

Special attention must be paid to the costs. And specifically those that are incurred even before the project begins. Planning is also necessary for a project in mechanical engineering, but this takes place in the certainty that, as a rule, what is planned is also to be implemented.
A plant constructor always plans and calculates a share of projects that he will not implement because he did not win the bid after his offer. However, he had to make the effort to be able to bid at all. The costs incurred are usually not insignificant.

Software for plant engineering projects

The different requirements that projects in plant construction have in contrast to those in mechanical engineering also point to some special requirements for software that should support such projects. The consistency and transparency of all data and information in the system play a major role. But all communication within the company and with the customer should also be integrated and affordable. The be-all and end-all, however, is constant progress and cost control.

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