SSOE was able to identify and suggest a 1/3 reduction in overall equipment costs for Phase II— translating to nearly $1.5 million in savings for the client.

To meet growing demand, a well-known electric vehicle manufacturer formed a strategic partnership with a leading battery manufacturer to construct a factory to manufacture electric motors and battery packs. The facility is being built in two phases, with the second phase involving the installation of additional battery production lines and associated utility system upgrades. SSOE was selected to provide engineering and design services for the second phase.

This project was uniquely challenging. Merging the battery manufacturing client’s improved technology with the vehicle manufacturer’s ongoing production capacity increase in one shared facility created a need for simultaneous site and equipment upgrades. SSOE’s crossfunctional team assisted with planning all aspects of the expansion, virtually eliminating the risk of design gaps. Using this cross-functional team dramatically improved the holistic design and minimized issues in the field.

SSOE provided support for the following critical functions:

• Utility Systems. Our team assessed system capacities, including compressed air, cooling water, dry room design alternatives, and production environment baselining. Once we understood these systems, we were able to determine which needed additions and/or modifications. Our focus then turned to the details around battery manufacturing. Beginning with raw material flow analysis, we then followed with space planning to ensure the production equipment would fit. The team confirmed that proper maintenance and utility spaces were incorporated into the design and that the equipment was in working order. SSOE also provided regeneration options for site HVAC systems and all water and water cooling systems.
• Safety. With safety at the forefront of all projects we execute, our team provided chemical process analysis and confirmed proper permitting and certification for chemical usage in various manufacturing steps. We also ensured overhead clearances, aligned beam attachments to catwalks, and confirmed proper electrical, egress, and operational clearances. SSOE’s design assured both people and equipment could move safely throughout the facility.
• Site Stability. SSOE’s structural team inspected site supports and analyzed how the equipment operated to ensure proper anchoring for safety and successful long-term production. Our team recognized that previous equipment installations had been insufficiently anchored, which caused damage to the slabs and cracked the foundation. We were able to mitigate these issues and provided suggestions for improvement. Additionally, SSOE partnered with both clients at the project onset to align on the optimal project approach. Through close collaboration during the construction and procurement stage and supporting the trade bid process, SSOE helped reduce overall equipment cost by about one-third of the project budget, translating to about $1.5 million in savings. With additional battery production lines slated for installation in the near future, SSOE’s practices will be replicated, with better documentation and a strong basis of information to copy, which will result in future operational savings.