PILOT MANUFACTURING PLANT

A pilot manufacturing plant is the general name for a system of small-scale experimental equipment that provides information on how a production process behaves before major investments are made, thereby minimising investment risk. The main purpose of building and operating pilot plants is usually to advance R&D work, to understand or explore a new technology, and to take a process developed in the laboratory to industrial scale.

What Does a Pilot Manufacturing Plant Provide?

Data from a pilot manufacturing plant reveals aspects of process behaviour that cannot be predicted in the laboratory. Parameters such as heat transfer, mixing, reaction time, product quality and raw material consumption are measured under near-real conditions. This information makes it possible to design safer, more efficient and commercially viable full-scale production plants.

A pilot manufacturing plant acts as a bridge between the initial development of a new product or process and the investment in a full-scale plant. At this stage companies can produce samples and trial batches to test the product on the market, and can identify and correct design and organisational errors that could affect profitability before the main investment is made.

Advantages of a Pilot Manufacturing Plant

• Reliable process data for scale-up from laboratory to industrial scale
• Reduced technical and commercial risk before investing in the main plant
• Sample and trial production for customer approval and market testing
• Low-cost testing of recipes, process conditions and alternative raw materials
• Generation of the data needed for licensing and quality documentation

Turnkey Pilot Manufacturing Plants by Makfen

Makfen designs pilot manufacturing plants around the customer's process and trial programme, using solutions that reduce energy and raw material consumption and take environmental impact into account. Engineering, manufacturing, installation, instrumentation, piping, insulation, electrical installation, performance testing and commissioning are all carried out on a turnkey basis. Stainless steel equipment is manufactured at the Dilovası facility, and carbon steel equipment and industrial systems at the Gebze facility.

• Small-volume jacketed reactors, agitated vessels and separation equipment suited to the process
• Flexible piping and modular skid-mounted construction that can be adapted to different trials
• Detailed instrumentation for parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow and level
• PLC/SCADA automation with data logging and recipe management
• Precision weighing and dosing systems
• CIP applications for fast cleaning between product changes
• AISI 304L/316L stainless steel or special alloys where the process requires, certified materials
• Design of pressure equipment in line with the PED 2014/68/EU directive, complete operation and maintenance documentation

Contact Makfen for information and a quotation for a pilot manufacturing plant.