Master Planning Engineering Project Management Internal/external P&ID & piping reviews ... Agricultural Commodity Processing AMG, Inc. ... And the spent biomass finds a profitable

AMG, Inc.www.amg-eng.com

Master Planning

Engineering

Project Management

Procurement

Commissioning & Start-Up

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion

1497 Shoup Mill Rd. • Dayton, OH 45414 • Phone: 937.274.0736 • Fax: 937.274.3870

3-D Digital Modeling


3-D digital modeling offers an easy way to review the current status of a design. All disciplines and all levelsof management – not just engineers – can benefit from using 3-D digital modeling as a planning tool. Further,a 3-D model effectively demonstrates most aspects of a project or the impact of changes in immediate, easilyunderstood images.

Real-time walk-throughs in the digital model allow for comprehensive understanding of the facility prior toconstruction.

AMG, Inc., has utilized the highly practical and exciting 3-D digital modeling tool for more than a decade.When this modeling software provides an animated walk-through, the resulting 360° orbit is spectacular. Evenmore impressive, technically, is the software’s ability to image a project’s systems or features so realisticallythat the computer-generated image and a photograph of the final construction are essentially identical. Thus,3-D digital modeling offers an easy way to review the current status of a design.

3-D digital modeling – one more of the AMG, Inc., innovative professional services – is regularly used towork with clients to:

• Communicate concepts• Review details• Detect interference• Review preventive maintenance efforts• Perform QA/QC checks

Component-specific information, such as equipment numbers, valve tag numbers, line numbers, and pipingspecifications, can be available during a virtual walk-through session to facilitate verification of process design.

Features & Benefits:With over 10 years’ experience in 3-D modeling, AMG, Inc., provides:

• 360° views of project models• Easier reviews of design status• Animated walk-throughs• Facilitated planning within & across all disciplines• Communication tools for non-technical management staff• Lighting studies • Internal/external P&ID & piping reviews• Interference detection• Preventive maintenance reviews • Quality assurance• Quality control

Periodic downloads of the model are available to the client for review via email.

AMG, Inc., uses 3-D models in the field during construction to enhance the client’s and contractors’ ability tounderstand design intent and details.

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Agricultural Commodity Processing


In the 1980s, AMG, Inc., serviced only the corn wet milling industry.

It wasn’t long before their rapidly expanding project list included design and engineering services for the fructose, glucose, and modified starch processing industries. Now, AMG, Inc., has designed and constructednumerous corn wet milling and soybean processing plants that extract oils and produce protein. More recently, they’ve designed and constructed rice, wheat, and barley processing facilities, as well.

In the 1990s, the ethanol industry came to life. Since ethanol is derived from corn, it was a natural for AMG,Inc., to design and build corn processing plants that produce fuel ethanol and its coproducts – carbon dioxideand dry distiller grain (DDG).

Today, AMG, Inc., has merged its experience in corn wet milling with an entrepreneurial spirit – to lead the way in developing and proving a viable alternative to the traditional dry corn milling process. Morespecifically, AMG, Inc., is collaborating in a new venture to develop a modified corn wet milling system that produces:

• Corn germ – for edible oils & high-protein meal • Corn protein concentrate (CPC) – for a higher-protein livestock feed product that can be used for

cattle, pork, & poultry • Fiber – for a low-carbohydrate product that can be further purified for human consumption • Carbon dioxide • Ethanol

The new system has been pilot-plant tested. The very promising results demonstrate how AMG, Inc., ethanolproduction expertise has evolved into the ability to produce higher-value products that are more:

• Refined • Environmentally friendly • Profitable

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Biotechnology


Today’s biotech industry is all about imitating nature.

Based on the fermentation process, companies are striving to develop proprietary organisms and optimizedproduction processes based on those organisms to produce a variety of end products.

For example, a company produces biomass using its proprietary variety of sea algae. Nourished on dextrose,the organism grows, multiplies, and excretes an oil of great interest. Grown in sufficient quantity, it is economically advantageous to treat the biomass with a solvent to extract the oil. This particular oil, known as“DHA” (docosahexaeonic acid), when purified, has U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval foruse in baby formula to enhance memory and sight. This high-value product is uniquely positioned for successin the marketplace.

AMG, Inc., engineered a processing system to ferment organisms under pressure in aseptic and sterile environments. Basically, after fermentation is complete, water is removed from the biomass. The remaining concentrated broth material is spray-dried. Dry biomass then undergoes a solvent extraction process that liberates precious oil as the end product. And the spent biomass finds a profitable use as pet food.

Similar operations can produce the amino acids L-Lysine and L-Threonine, and the sweetener Erythritol.

AMG, Inc., can center your processing plant design and construction planning around your company’s technology and proprietary organism(s). AMG, Inc., will:

• Design the process • Select equipment • Design instrumentation & controls • Procure equipment • Procure instruments • Procure materials • Select contractors • Manage construction • Oversee commissioning & start-up

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion

1497 Shoup Mill Rd. • Dayton, OH 45414 • Phone: 937.274.0736 • Fax: 937.274.3870AMG, Inc.www.amg-eng.com

Capital Cost Estimating

Frequently, AMG, Inc., is challenged to determine how much a project is going to cost. Prospective clientssometimes provide very minimal information – literally the amount you could scribble on a napkin. From this starting point, the AMG, Inc., team typically extracts key pieces of information from the prospective client during a brief meeting, and then develops the rest of the needed data through a process known as capitalcost estimating.

AMG, Inc., has developed and successfully applied a database-driven, customizable line-item, capital cost estimating software program for construction projects. The software, which runs on Microsoft® Access, generates a project-specific database with revision control features. The capital cost estimating software alsomaintains a historical database that includes such information as unit labor, unit material, project location, primary discipline, and comments specific to each selectable line item.

Depending on need, the level of detail can range from very minimal to highly significant. The estimator cangroup line items for ease of viewing. Another feature is the ability to assign a bid-package number to eachline item in a bid-package report – thereby allowing calculations for total costs per contract and total units(e.g., tons of steel, yards of concrete).

A realistic contingency of any percentage can be applied to the estimate at any time during the estimatedevelopment activities. Also, the program can calculate work-hours for items that require installation labor.The software’s reporting structure makes it easy to produce and submit professionally generated and formatted capital cost estimates for any stage, from budget submission through budget tracking.

Creating even more calculating/tracking/reporting flexibility, the software can export the estimate intoMicrosoft® Excel and Microsoft® Word.

The AMG, Inc., capital cost estimating software can generate the following reports:

• Summary for overall plant • Summary by plant areas • Summary by unit operations • Line-item detail by area & discipline • Line-item detail by area/group/discipline • Equipment list by plant area or by type • Notes for specific areas • Notes to communicate assumptions and clarifications

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Design/Bid/Build


All projects progress through the following phases: design, equipment and materials procurement, contractor selection, construction, and commissioning and start-up.

A company that chooses full design/bid/build services from an outside firm (usually an enhanced engineeringfirm) shifts the repeated management and oversight activities of all plant building/expanding phases to thatoutside company. A design/bid/build firm brings experience in years, relationships, negotiating expertise, anda wide variety of challenges – usually far beyond what the client and its own staff have – in the complexitiesof new/expanded plant projects.

AMG, Inc., can provide project oversight, and:

• Deliver selective packages as needed, even after construction has begun • Manage contracts, or time & materials bids • Add flexibility to the project timetable • Advise you how to get the best cost & quality within time constraints • Manage vendors for effectiveness & efficiency

AMG, Inc., is ready to assume whatever role makes sense for the best project results. AMG, Inc., can be thesingle entity that executes the entire project, or can provide only the project design. The client has the choiceof taking full responsibility for the entire project, schedule, and construction quality, or of delegating some orall of that responsibility to the AMG, Inc., team. Either way, clients can count on AMG, Inc., experience anddesign/bid/build savvy to maximize project needs and timelines.

AMG, Inc., knowledge of, and long-term relationships with, competent contractors and vendors bring additional value to each design/bid/build project.

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Design/Build


Design/build means that every step of a project – from the initial idea until the finished project is commissioned and ready to go online – can be provided by AMG, Inc. Every engineering and procurementservice needed from concept to completion is available in-house or can be managed by the AMG, Inc.,design/build staff. Further, by consolidating the project into a single contract, AMG, Inc., can speed the totalproject time by as much as 10%, with all the accompanying savings in capitalized interest and potential for afaster return on investment.

For the company planning a processing plant, AMG, Inc., can take full responsibility for finding an outstanding and cost-appropriate vendor for each category of task or material in the entire design/buildeffort. AMG, Inc., will first go to its list of known and trustworthy vendors, and can expand the search forappropriate vendors and suppliers – all without taking up the plant owner’s valuable time. A precise andwell-documented short list of final bids is always available to the plant owner at every key decision juncture.Also, one of the advantages of having close and trusted relationships with vendors allows AMG, Inc., to askthose vendors for suggestions and conventional wisdom when questions about constructability issues becomeevident.

A major benefit of design/build is that the plant owners/client doesn’t need to provide a project manager. Theclient can go about their business, meeting with AMG, Inc., and receiving detailed reports on a predeterminedbasis – so the project can be monitored in detail without heavy involvement from the client’s busy staff.

When AMG, Inc., participates in a design/build project, it is not a "black box." It is not a situation where theclient neither gives nor gets much input. Quite the opposite is true: AMG, Inc., enjoys engaging the plantowner in the design/build process at whatever level of involvement the client chooses. Every fact about theproject is always available to the client because no corners are cut, no second-quality work is performed.The level of communication and the quality of work are always honest, open, and available for scrutiny. It is exactly this work ethic that has built the great reputation that AMG, Inc., has established with its clients.

Benefits of design/build include:

• Flexible contract options – firm price or cost-plus • Flexible purchasing options – purchases managed through AMG, Inc., or client sources • Project tracking – job-costing detail • Experienced, professional personnel • Communication – honest, open, & frequent • Compressed schedule

Design/build includes:

• Planning • Detailed engineering • Equipment & materials procurement • Construction scheduling • Monitoring & reporting • Construction • Safety program • Commissioning & start-up services

Further information on design/build can be found in the AMG, Inc., Marketing Brochure.

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Intelligent P&IDs


Intelligent process & instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) are graphical representations backed by a databasecontaining all project management data. This pairing of sophisticated electronic tools allows useful organization and timely retrieval of process and facility data.

The bi-directional dataflow between P&ID graphics and the centralized database provides a powerful designand management tool – especially during the initial stages of process and instrumentation design. Engineersand/or clients can see updated graphics and reports immediately, as project team members, facility technicians, and maintenance personnel provide input and changes. P&IDs thus form a solid foundation on which to build process management systems and procedures.

Advantages of intelligent P&IDs:• Input data only once, & then retrieve the data for use throughout the facility life cycle• Populate the database with interactive drawings (i.e., from AutoCAD®), a customized database

application (i.e., Microsoft® Access), or both concurrently• Store facility data in an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) compliant database• Break down large projects into multiple smaller projects while maintaining one database• Generate process data designed for direct application to OSHA 1910, EPA, & ISO compliance &

reporting

AMG, Inc., uses intelligent P&ID data for: • Automatic report generation • Reports during design, construction, maintenance, & management of the facility, including:

– Equipment lists – Equipment specification sheets – Line lists – Manual & automatic valve lists – Motor lists – Instrumentation lists

• Customized reports in formats defined by the end user • Flexible, expandable databases as part of a customized Microsoft Access database • On-line updates to existing reports – to reflect the most recent data revisions • Bi-directional updating of drawings & the project database • Single data entry automatically applied throughout project database

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Pilot Plant


AMG, Inc., is completing the proof-of-principle testing to confirm that a proprietary wet milling process technology for the ethanol industry can yield a new suite of products with higher market value.

For this venture, AMG, Inc., formed Corn Value Products (CVP), LLC, with Centrisys Corporation, known for their specialized processing equipment, and Quality Technology International (QTI), known for their market grains and specialty grain products. To this collaboration, AMG, Inc., brings tremendous expertise inprocessing plant design in the conventional corn wet milling industry. The intended outcome of this venturewill be to produce such higher-value end products as corn oil, corn protein concentrate (CPC), and a low-carbohydrate fiber product.

The Monroe, Wisconsin, pilot plant has now made enough sample product that companies interested in theconcept can have samples for analysis. CVP, LLC, will license the process to interested parties.

While the initial client for this process is the ethanol industry, the process itself and its related technologiesvalidated in the Monroe pilot plant can be applied to processing other agricultural commodities. AMG, Inc.,stands ready to tailor pilot plant ingenuity to your company’s specific product needs.

Related to the Monroe pilot plant processing technology, AMG, Inc., is performing these tasks:

• Designing, building, & operating the plant• Managing the collection of samples• Arranging for sample analysis• Summarizing production results• Proving the technology

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Commissioning & Start-Up


Commissioning and start-up is the final step before production runs in a processing plant. AMG, Inc., isuniquely poised to perform commissioning and start-up and the accompanying trouble-shooting and problem-solving activities, whether as part of a design/build project or as a final step in an ongoing project.Essential tasks include:

• Commissioning & start-up preparation • Mechanical completion audits • Piping check-out • Electrical & instrumentation calibration & check-out • System sterility • Equipment trouble-shooting

Preparation for Commissioning & Start-UpUnderstanding that each project/process is unique, the AMG, Inc., staff takes the following approach:

• Meet with client to determine specific needs & concerns • Create a customized checklist based on the client’s needs • Assemble all information collected during the project’s planning, design, & construction • Sort project data from the Intelligent P&ID design database into the appropriate areas:

– Equipment – Piping – Valves – Instrumentation

Mechanical Completion AuditsThe audit includes such activities as:

• Confirm correct equipment installed • Confirm correct installation procedure for each piece of equipment • Check type & amount of lubrication • Check rotation

Piping Check-OutAn AMG, Inc., team will perform a walk-down in addition to functionally testing the entire piping system.Activities include:

• Confirm complete installation of all required parts • Perform hydro test • Perform pressure test • Problem-solve all issues with gaskets, welds, & valves • Perform system cleanout

– Caustic wash/surfactant to remove oil, grease, & other contaminants – Detergent flush – Acid wash to complete the cleaning process & remove elemental iron from stainless steel

surfaces – Visually inspect tanks & piping to verify that clean-in-place (CIP)

systems are adequate • Perform system passivation • Chemical wash to protect cleaned stainless steel from chloride attack


Electrical & Instrumentation Calibration & Check-OutSince many new processing plants install state-of-the-artcontrol systems such as DeltaVTM, commissioning and start-up include such activities as:

• Check hardware, including wiring, to ensure that each motor starts from the correct motor control center (MCC)

• Check software addressing to ensure each motor& instrument responds from the correct icon onthe display

• Start all pieces of equipment • Check power supply & functionality • Check safety & software interlock sequences

using – AMG, Inc., written documentation and/or – Client-written documentation reviewed by

AMG, Inc. • Perform system trial runs with water or sacrificial

product • Tune process control loops, such as temperature,

pressure, flow • Train operators • Perform turn-over

System SterilityInitially, a system is sterilized by direct injection of low-pressure steam. Equipment, piping, and sterile barriersurface temperatures are checked and documented.

When necessary, a sterility challenge is performed. The system is inoculated with sterile media, and bacteria growthis monitored for several days. If contamination occurs, thesystem is completely disassembled and inspected to identifythe root cause.

Sometimes, the system later shows evidence of contamina-tion after a successful sterility challenge. AMG, Inc., can becalled in to identify the source of contaminants and suggestactions that will prevent future contamination.

What can cause repeated contamination of a previouslysterilized production system?

Examples include:

• Equipment design or maintenance • Staff procedures or practices • Stainless steel integrity

• Sterilizing equipment failure • Clean-in-place equipment failure • Building contaminants, such as airborne

particulates & organisms

Equipment Trouble-ShootingAMG, Inc., has a broad base of know-how related to equipment design, installation, and operation. Understandinghow a piece of equipment should function in a specificprocess environment allows outstanding problem-solving tooccur for such equipment as:

• Bulk conveying • Pneumatic conveying • Aspiration • Cookers • Centrifuges • Screening • Pressing • Fermenters • Evaporators • Dryers • Pumps • Heat exchangers • Solvent extraction systems • Wet processing systems • Dry processing systems

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Detailed Engineering


Detailed engineering encompasses the design and configuration of various engineering systems that form the internal workings of a facility, including:

• Process design & specification • Mechanical design & specification • Piping design & specification • Structural design & specification • Electrical design & specification • Instrumentation design & specification • Control system design & specification • Programming & configuration • Architectural design & specification

Project Management As an important part of every project, AMG, Inc., tracks and regularly reports on:

• Detailed proposals• Project monitoring & weekly/monthly reporting• Design coordination• Labor utilization• Cost estimating & overall analysis• Scheduling• Document control

Process Design & SpecificationProcess design & specification tracks and regularly reports on:

• Conceptual design• Process design criteria development• Process functional description • Design & development

– Process flow design (PFD)– Mass balance– Heat & energy– P&IDs

• Continuous/batch processing• Equipment sizing• Process safety management

Mechanical Design & Specification

Mechanical design & specification tracks and regularly reports on:• Layouts designed for constructability, reliability, operations, & maintenance• HVAC, including ventilation & hood design• Dust control & aspiration• Sheet metal & spouting• Equipment specification development


Piping Design & SpecificationPiping design & specification tracks and regularly reports on:

• Layout• Stress analysis• Aseptic & sanitary design (ASME BPE)• Plumbing • ASME B31.1 reviews• Underground systems

Structural Design & Specification

Structural design & specification tracks and regularly reports on:

• Field supervision• Facility planning & evaluation• Facility expansion• Value engineering• Structural design analysis

Electrical Design & Specification

Electrical design & specification tracks and regularly reports on:

• Low- & high-voltage design• Design criteria development• Single-line design• XFMR, switchgear, & MCC design• Electrical grounding• Heat tracing• Power system studies• Lighting design• Power-factor coordination studies• Lightning protection

Instrumentation Design & SpecificationInstrumentation design & specification tracks and regularlyreports on:

• Design criteria development• Instrument specifications & selection• P&ID control-loop design & layout• Instrument loop diagrams• Control & input/output panel design• Input/output check-out

Control System Design & SpecificationControl system design & specification tracks and regularlyreports on:

• Instrument specifications, tailored to each job• Design calculations • Fieldbus installation, designed to specification• Control & interface panel design • Electrical power system design, 4.5 kV & below• Electrical system analysis

Programming & Configuration

Programming & configuration tracks and regularly reports on:

• PLC & DCS systems• HMI graphics development• UPS & back-up systems• Networked control systems• Automation

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Engineering


At AMG, Inc., engineering encompasses a wide variety of related disciplines. Technical specialists providesuperior, comprehensive engineering services, including:

Preliminary Engineering Studies

Preliminary engineering studies involve:

Detailed EngineeringDetailed engineering encompasses the design and configuration of various engineering systems that form theinternal workings of a facility, including:

Value EngineeringValue engineering means AMG, Inc., helps your project maximize every dollar in the budget. Here’s whatAMG, Inc., does:

• Preliminary engineering studies • Detailed engineering • Value engineering • 3-D digital modeling • Intelligent P&IDs

• Engineering QA/QC • Code compliance • Advanced electronic design tools

• Concept development • Process flow diagrams • Schedule development • Equipment selection • Equipment layouts

• Building conceptual design development • Structure type • Design options • Capital cost estimates based on agreed-

upon concepts

• Process design & specification • Mechanical design & specification • Piping design & specification • Structural design & specification • Electrical design & specification

• Instrumentation design & specification • Control system design & specification • Programming & configuration • Architectural design & specification • Full-service engineering

• Solicits input from contractors during thedesign phase to select the best means ormethods for construction

• Looks at different constructibility issues:Does it make sense to use masonry, concrete, and/or steel? How best can weutilize local construction techniques?

• Develops cost scenarios to help determinethe best value

• Collaborates with the client, other consultants, & contractors to optimize the project team

• Tries to find the most economical, fastest,& best way to accomplish each task orprocurement throughout the project

• Minimizes field fabrication • Combines building structure with utilities

support • Sequences construction to maximize

manpower loading & minimize craft overlap

• Optimizes contracting strategies to reducemanagement functions


3-D Digital Modeling3-D digital modeling offers an easy way to review the current status of a design. All disciplines and all levels ofmanagement – not just engineers – can benefit from using 3-D digital modeling as a planning tool. Further, a 3-D modeleffectively demonstrates most aspects of a project or theimpact of changes in immediate, easily understood images.

Real-time walk-throughs in the digital model allow for comprehensive understanding of the facility prior to construction.

Intelligent P&IDsAMG, Inc., uses intelligent P&ID data for:

• Automatic report generation • Reports during design, construction, maintenance,

& management of the facility, including: – Equipment lists – Equipment specification sheets – Line lists – Manual & automatic valve lists – Motor lists – Instrumentation lists

• Customized reports in formats defined by the end user

• Flexible, expandable databases as part of a customized Microsoft® Access database

• On-line updates to existing reports – to reflect themost recent data revisions

• Bi-directional updating of drawings & the projectdatabase

• Single data entry automatically applied throughout project database

Engineering QA/QCTo ensure outstanding quality at all steps within a project,AMG, Inc., builds quality assurance and quality control intoa project with these activities:

• Staffing – includes the most qualified staff as partof a project’s human resources

• Concept peer review – reviews design conceptswith senior-level designers & engineers for suchissues as constructibility, alternative solutions, &analysis methods

• Document checks – prior to their final release,reviews drawings, calculations, & reports for accuracy & completeness

• Mentoring – assigns mentors at the beginning ofthe project to provide a critical link & criticalanswers to the project team

• Independent project review – expects the continuous improvement team to perform projectreviews at 30%, 60%, & 90% of project completionto assure that progress and quality are on-track

Code ComplianceAMG, Inc., organizes and conducts meetings with codeofficials to enhance their understanding of each project.

AMG, Inc., has experience in the following standards andcode compliance areas:

• HazOps – hazardous operations • NFPA 101® – Life Safety Code® & other NFPA

requirements • NFPA 30 – Flammable & Combustible Liquids • NFPA 36 – Solvent Extraction Plants• Aseptic, sanitary, & hygienic fermentation design • EPA • OSHA • IBC® – International Building Code®

• UBCTM – Uniform Building CodeTM

• IMC® – International Mechanical Code®

• IPC® – International Plumbing Code®

• SBC – Standard Building Code (most oftenapplied in the southern U.S.)

• NEC® – National Electrical Code®

The AMG, Inc., Electronic Tool Box

• AccuRenderTM – for photo-realistic renderings & 3-D lighting studies

• B-Line – for 3-D cable tray • Intelligent P&ID – provides automatic reports &

lists of, for example, instruments, valves, & lines • Mechanical desktop® – for equipment design &

fabrication modeling & drawings • MultiSTEEL® – for 3-D structural steel

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, Database-Driven Software

• Bentley® Autodesk® platform: AutoCAD® – forsolids & surfaces modeling, and 2-D & 3-D construction drawing creation

• Bentley AutoPIPE® – analyzes standard pipe stress • Bentley AutoPLANT® AUTO-ISO – generates

piping isometrics with bill of material & bill ofmaterial lists

• Bentley AutoPLANT® Equipment – provides auto-matic nozzle information for Bentley AutoPLANT®

2D Piping • Bentley AutoPLANT® Specification Generator –

compiles client specifications for plant design • Bentley AutoPLANT® 2D Piping – provides piping

& electrical conduit layouts • Bentley®ExplorerTM – generates animations &

walk-throughs • Bentley®ExplorerTM Interference Detection –

detects interference

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Industries Served


Although AMG, Inc., originally provided excellent engineering services primarily to agribusiness, industry specialties have expanded to include:

• Fermentation • Material handling systems • Packaging systems • Agricultural commodities processing • Food & beverage • Nutraceuticals • Biotechnology • Energy • Manufacturing

FermentationFor companies requiring fermentation as part of their production process, AMG, Inc., has competence in:

• Aseptic, sanitary, & hygienic fermentation piping design • Agitator & air-lift fermentation systems • Valve selection & installation • Material finish selection • Steam blocks & barriers

Material Handling SystemsFor companies that require material handling systems as part of their production process, AMG, Inc., has aquarter-century of experience in:

• Truck & rail receiving & load-out • Scalping & screening • Dust control • Bulk storage & handling systems • Belt, drag, & screw conveyors • Bucket elevators & towers • Sampling, weighing, & blending • Bagging, packaging, & palletizing • Pneumatic conveying

Packaging SystemsWhen a client needs to include packaging systems in a production process design, AMG, Inc., can applyexpertise in selecting and/or installing equipment for:

• Bagging • PET container, drums, & totes systems • High- & low-speed lines • Manual, semiautomatic, & fully automated systems • Dry solid, granular, powder, & liquid materials equipment


Agricultural Commodity ProcessingAMG, Inc., has designed and constructed rice, wheat, barley, and corn processing facilities. They have alsodesigned and built corn processing plants that produce fuelethanol and its coproducts – carbon dioxide and dry distiller grain (DDG).

Today, AMG, Inc., is collaborating in a new venture todevelop a modified corn wet milling system that produces:

• Corn germ – for edible oils & high-protein meal • Corn protein concentrate (CPC) – for a higher-

protein livestock feed product that can be usedfor cattle, pork, & poultry

• Fiber – for a low-carbohydrate product that canbe further purified for human consumption

• Carbon dioxide • Ethanol

Food & BeverageAMG, Inc., has built processing plants that produce:

• Meats • Rendering products • Sugar, fructose, & sweeteners • Salt • Pet foods & animal feeds • Edible oils • Starches • Citric acid • Lactic acid • Chemical & agrichemical products

NutraceuticalsWith a substantial track record in various agricultural andconsumable products, AMG, Inc., is now applying theirexpertise to building processing plants for:

• Food supplements • Feed supplements

BiotechnologyToday’s biotech industry is all about imitating nature.

Based on the fermentation process, companies are strivingto develop proprietary organisms, optimized productionprocesses based on those organisms, and a variety of endproducts.

AMG, Inc., engineered a processing system to fermentorganisms under pressure in aseptic and sterile environments. Basically, after fermentation is complete,water is removed from the biomass. The remaining concentrated broth material is spray-dried. Dry biomassthen undergoes a solvent extraction process that liberatesprecious oil as the end product. And the spent biomassfinds a profitable use as pet food.

Similar operations can produce the amino acids L-Lysineand L-Threonine, and the sweetener Erythritol.

EnergyA variety of energy product processors are well representedin the long list of satisfied clients for whom AMG, Inc., hasbuilt plants, including:

• Ethanol & fuel alcohol • Biodiesel • Boilers

ManufacturingAMG, Inc., has built processing plants for many industries,including those that manufacture:

• Pulp & paper • Steel • Automotive parts • Adhesives • Truck assembly • Bulk material handling • Rubber

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Master Planning


The master plan for a project provides a detailed analysis and sequencing for the phases and completion ofevery project. Typically, a master plan begins with the project objectives and elaborates them with physicalrequirements; client needs; and budget, schedule, and materials considerations into a work–task sequence thatresults in a complete and fully functioning project.

Examples of the activities included in master planning are:

• Project development • Feasibility studies • Capital cost estimating • Engineering, procurement, & construction (EPC) scheduling • Site selection & analysis • Program management • Permit application assistance • Cost–benefit analysis

Master planning ensures a continuity of project management that can eliminate the deficiencies, delays, andbudget overruns that plague projects in which different entities provide some fraction of the total projectrequirements.

When the design/build management concept is utilized through a master plan, clients realize fewerheadaches, quicker completion, and lower costs.

Project DevelopmentAMG, Inc., listens.

Understanding clients’ wants and needs drives AMG, Inc., efforts in the development phase. Achieving a balance of time, cost, and quality provides a blueprint for project execution.

AMG, Inc., can provide comprehensive resources to support clients’ projects, or supplement clients’ projectstaffing, as required.

Feasibility StudiesFeasibility studies are used to systemically examine and evaluate the proposed project, identifying the mostappropriate methods and techniques, environmental concerns, infrastructure needs, and potential pitfalls.

As part of a feasibility study, AMG, Inc., includes:

• Process design • Facility layout • Conceptual design • Capital cost estimate • Economic evaluation • Working capital • Capitalized interest • Inventories • First-charge cost


Capital Cost EstimatingAMG, Inc., has developed and successfully applied a database-driven, customizable line-item, capital cost estimating software program for construction projects. The software, which runs on Microsoft® Access, generates aproject-specific database with revision control features. Thecapital cost estimating software also maintains a historical database that includes such information as unitlabor, unit material, project location, primary discipline, and comments specific to each selectable line item.

The AMG, Inc., capital cost estimating software can generate the following reports:

• Summary for overall plant • Summary by plant areas • Summary by unit operations • Line-item detail by area & discipline • Line-item detail by area/group/discipline • Equipment list by plant area or by type • Notes for specific areas • Notes to communicate assumptions and

clarifications

Engineering, Procurement, & Construction (EPC)SchedulingEPC scheduling uses ActiveProjectTM, Microsoft® Project,PrimaveraTM, and other software tools for:

• Critical path definition • Procurement planning • Bid planning • Construction planning • Commissioning & start-up planning

Site Selection & AnalysisImportant aspects to be considered for the location of a facility:

• Transportation • Utilities & infrastructure • Site preparation • Human resources & support • Services availability • Geotechnical & seismic considerations • Construction contractor support availability • Materials availability • Historic landmarks & Native American burial

grounds

Program ManagementAMG, Inc., assists in selecting the best approach for your needs:

• Design/build • Design/bid/build

Permit Application AssistanceThis service includes complete support from AMG, Inc., to secure local, regional, state, and/or federal permits:

• Construction • Air emissions • Pollution control • Wastewater • Solid waste • Other specialized permits, as required

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Procurement


AMG, Inc., can manage your project’s procurement process by obtaining needed equipment, materials, supplies, and installation services at the best price reasonably available through open and fair competition.Related services include:

• Vendor prequalification • Expediting • Bid specification development • Vendor technical support • Bid analysis • Receiving reports • Contract negotiation • Vendor compliance audits • Purchasing • Cash flow projections, monitoring, & reporting

Vendor PrequalificationA thorough, careful examination of all possible vendors is central to the prequalification process. AMG, Inc.,utilizes a 15-page prequalification form for each potential vendor, including such parameters as the vendor’s:

• Safety records • Size of work force• Quality assurance program • Workers’ Compensation & liability coverage• Sales & financial strength

Bid Specification DevelopmentTo tailor bids to each client’s specifications and match those specifications to the vendor’s potential strengths,AMG, Inc., works closely with each project owner to define bid specifications that are appropriately detailedso that maximized value results when materials, equipment, and services are procured.

Bid Analysis Careful bid structuring results in apples-to-apples comparisons for each client. AMG, Inc., strives to collect aminimum of three viable bids for each procurement effort. Bids are tabulated into a matrix that lists all vendors and fields of comparison. Each vendor is asked to submit bids with prices broken out for effectivecomparisons.

Once a procurement bid is won, AMG, Inc., will load the successful bid information into a tracking systemand set up a job-cost module.

Contract NegotiationAMG, Inc., takes the information used to assemble a bid, combines it with know-how about the technicalaspects of a project, and uses this collective intelligence to sit down with the client and a vendor, and negotiate a contract.

In this way, AMG, Inc., can help answer questions, offer advice on substitutions, negotiate project timelines,negotiate warranties, and often add spare parts, service contracts, or staff training into the bottom line.

The end result: Your contract is smart, solid, and acceptable.

PurchasingUsing a Microsoft® Access database tailored with a custom purchasing program that tracks purchase orders,AMG, Inc., tracks each vendor invoice as it flows easily through the financial management system.


Combining your project’s construction master log into anAccess database, AMG, Inc., oversees bid specifications andtabulations, double-checks each transaction, ensures that alllegal requirements have been fulfilled, and makes sure thateach invoiced price meets project requirements.

ExpeditingThe key concept here is rapid deployment. AMG, Inc., staffdevotes a high level of personal attention to each purchaseorder being processed. Through phone calls and email,both vendors and clients maintain good communication.Questions are answered. Problems are solved. To facilitateproject purchases, AMG, Inc., staff performs three keyexpediting functions:

1. Sets & maintains reasonable expectations for purchase,bid, & delivery.

2. Ensures that delivery meets contract requirements, including schedules.

3. Visits sites, often unannounced, to ensure that vendorsdeliver quality items on time.

Vendor Technical SupportAMG, Inc., works with and in support of vendors approvedto provide materials and equipment for project owners. Forthe vendor, this means enhanced communication and rapidpayment of invoices. For the project owner, AMG, Inc.,manages approval of drawings, due-diligence related todesign activities, and productive questions/answers amongclients and vendors.

Receiving ReportsReports take many forms and can include:

• Site equipment tracking• Photos• Damage inspection• Compliance to certified drawings • Inspections • Documentation of any problems• Facilitation of problem solving

Vendor Compliance AuditsYears of procurement experience help AMG, Inc., staffknow the vendor universe and which vendors can beexpected to deliver quality at a good price. This experienceis passed along to all AMG, Inc., clients.

The goal is to procure quality equipment that is cost-competitive and arrives on schedule. AMG, Inc., useslocal vendors when it’s practical, and also works withclient’s preferred vendors when requested.

The AMG, Inc., auditing/verification process ensures thatequipment is in compliance with design documents andwill meet performance guarantees.

Cash Flow Projections, Monitoring, & ReportingAMG, Inc., produces a cash flow projection over time aspart of the Capital Expenditures Reports generated for eachproject. A software program tracks monthly allocations ofproject capital in reference to the corresponding workschedule. The software can compare spending, work performed, work schedules, and other factors – to evaluatehow well a project is proceeding.

Capital expenditure reports include such items as:• Categories of expenditure• Cost per category• Schedule of what is going to happen & when• Progress of each item on the schedule• Tracking of all expenses to maintain the "big

picture"

Budget-tracking software monitors and reports all aspects of financial activity in job-cost modules, as often as daily,using an interface that "talks" with data related to:

• Labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors,instruments, etc.

• Payroll• Accounts receivable• Accounts payable

The result is quick determinations of what is happeningand what needs to happen. AMG, Inc., uses software thatcan run reports on past and future activities, including subcontractor reports.

Scenario 1: The design of facility-defined power source specifications.

After the client decided to make some adjustments to the facility's footprint, the power source no longer fit the originallocation, and needed to be repositioned. AMG, Inc., engineersworked closely with the plant owner to suggest an alternativepositioning/orientation for the power source. Quickly, thisinteraction drove the decision to completion. The equipmentwas easily fit into a new space and the owner was very satisfied.

Scenario 2: A tank was originally specified in a facilityplan as a four-legged tank.

Upon further discussion, AMG, Inc., professional staff suggestedthat a skirted tank would ease the construction process, savetime and money, and simplify sanitation and maintenance concerns. The specifications were amended in favor of theskirted tank.

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Project Management


Each client benefits from the many years of experience and the latest software tools when AMG, Inc., projectmanagement professionals take responsibility for designing and/or building a facility. AMG, Inc., comprehensive capabilities and sophisticated project management software fulfill a single-team concept that includes clients’ own project staff.

AMG, Inc., begins with a detailed proposal that captures their efficient and effective strategies to maximizeand monitor each client project. AMG, Inc., monitors projects’ critical paths, and plans all phases of engineering procurement and construction.

Project management at AMG, Inc., includes these services:

• Constructibility reviews • Scheduling & tracking • Contractor prequalification • Monitoring & reporting • Construction management • Design & construction coordination • Detailed capital cost estimates • Procurement• Contract development • Web-based management reporting • Safety compliance & reporting

Constructibility Reviews Constructibility reviews include activities such as:

• Consultation with clients & their insurance underwriters in the conceptual phase to minimize construction & insurance costs

• Constructibility review meetings with the clients, engineers, & contractors • Sequencing • Means & methods • Design for construction simplicity • Contractor consultations

Contractor PrequalificationContractor prequalification includes reviews such as:

• Safety program & qualifications • Staffing structure• Safety records • Resource availability• Bonding capacity • Contracting options• Financial status or condition • Accounting practices • Management style • Jurisdictional compliance• Construction tools & capabilities

Construction ManagementConstruction management includes activities such as:

• QA/QC program & qualifications review • Vendor/contractor performance reports• Construction schedule development • Daily jobsite safety compliance checklists

& projections • Receiving reports • Construction bid packages • Contractor coordination meetings• Equipment procurement, delivery, • Management RFIs (requests for information)

installation, check-out • Cost projections & tracking• Weekly/monthly construction performance

reports


Detailed Capital Cost EstimatesDetailed capital cost estimates include developing suchitems as:

• Materials cost-estimating database • Equipment cost-estimating database • Construction cost-estimating database • Labor cost-estimating database

Contract DevelopmentStandard contract documents can be customized to aclient’s particular needs. Contract development is based onthe standards of such widely accepted sources as:

• AIA – American Institute of Architects • DBIA – Design/Build Institute of America

Safety Compliance & ReportingSafety compliance & reporting include such considerationsas:

• Safety programs • Safety records • Accident reporting • Near-miss reporting • Work plan review & analysis • Emergency action planning

Scheduling & TrackingScheduling & tracking include such functions as:

• Periodic updates scheduling • Resource allocation & scheduling • Manpower reporting • Progress reporting • Craft sequencing • Just-in-time deliveries • Supplier coordination

Monitoring & ReportingMonitoring & reporting to an AMG, Inc., client include bi-weekly meetings with AMG, Inc., management staff on suchtopics as:

• Labor utilization • Project progress • Billing • Planning • Procurement • Overall cost analysis

. . . all tailored to client requirements and standards.

Design & Construction CoordinationDesign & construction coordination means that AMG, Inc.,staff is present and actively involved on-site throughouteach project, to:

• Coordinate design & construction in the field • Participate on-site at all critical stages • Establish a field office at major jobsites • Be present – each day – at major jobsites • Virtually eliminate the need for RFIs (requests for

information) • Facilitate immediate problem-solving • Maintain direct contact with the client • Maintain extremely free & open channels of

communication

ProcurementAMG, Inc., can manage your project’s procurement processby obtaining needed equipment, materials, supplies, andinstallation services at the best price reasonably availablethrough open and fair competition. Related services include:

• Vendor prequalification • Bid specification development • Bid analysis • Contract negotiation • Purchasing • Expediting • Vendor technical support • Receiving reports • Vendor compliance audits • Cash flow projections, monitoring, & reporting

Web-Based Management ReportingAMG, Inc., clients can receive Web-based project management interaction using such collaborative programsas SkireTM and ActiveProject®.

Engineering

from

Concept

to

Completion


Services Offered


AMG, Inc., offers a full spectrum of services for all phases of project development.

Services offered by AMG, Inc., include:

• Design/build • Design/bid/build • System & facility evaluations • Facility upgrades & retrofits • Grassroots facilities • Full-service engineering • Contract technical services

AMG, Inc., is a Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).

Design/BuildDesign/build means that every step of a project, from the initial idea until the finished project is ready foroccupancy and its intended use, can be provided by AMG, Inc. Every engineering and procurement serviceneeded from concept to completion is available and/or managed in-house at AMG, Inc.

Benefits of design/build include:

• Flexible contract options – firm price or cost-plus • Flexible purchasing options – purchases managed through AMG, Inc., or client sources • Project tracking – job-costing detail • Experienced, professional personnel • Communication – honest, open, & frequent • Compressed schedule

Design/build includes:

• Planning • Detailed engineering • Equipment & materials procurement • Construction scheduling • Monitoring & reporting • Construction • Safety program • Commissioning & start-up services

Design/Bid/BuildAll projects progress through the following phases: design, equipment and materials procurement, contractor selection, construction, and commissioning and start-up.

A company that chooses full design/bid/build services from an outside firm (usually an enhanced engineeringfirm) shifts the repeated management and oversight activities of all plant building/expanding phases to thatoutside company. A design/bid/build firm brings experience in years, relationships, negotiating expertise, anda wide variety of challenges – usually far beyond what the client and its own staff have – in the complexitiesof new/expanded plant projects.


System & Facility EvaluationsClients often contact AMG, Inc., when they have a specificproblem, such as not getting enough capacity through theplant, or needing someone to assess – and fix – a problemwith a drying system. To help solve your company’s problem, AMG, Inc., will:

• Take samples & field readings • Verify theoretical & actual equipment capacities • Make recommendations to obtain better results • Troubleshoot incorrect assumptions from the

original design, & then adjust equipment accordingly

• Bring in process specialists, as needed

Facility Upgrades & RetrofitsUpdating a facility and/or fitting new equipment into anestablished space can present unique challenges. When aclient wants to approach additional capacity, AMG, Inc.:

• Figures out how to achieve that goal with a zero-downtime

• Determines what it takes to bring in new technology; for example, how to adapt a newtechnology & fit that equipment into your facility

• Works in the facility using a "zero-spark concept"for explosive environments (in a situation wherethe plant can’t shut down during construction)

• Recommends equipment for specific needs

Grassroots FacilitiesWhen your plans involve starting with a bare piece of land– a "grassroots site" – and finishing with a functioning facility, AMG, Inc., can help with every task from conceptto completion. AMG, Inc., can help you site the land, buildthe plant, route utilities, design/build, supervise construction, and commission and start up your project –from the grassroots up.

Full-Service EngineeringAs the term implies, AMG, Inc., offers all disciplines ofengineering expertise for your project: civil, mechanical,structural, electrical, instrumentation/controls – everything.

The advantage AMG, Inc., provides: when AMG, Inc., manages a project, they provide comprehensive services –minimizing your need to coordinate the project. Clientswon’t need to hire a separate firm for all the engineeringdisciplines, and then coordinate them. AMG, Inc., has in-house capabilities for all engineering needs.

Contract Technical ServicesSometimes it makes sense to find an expert consultant andhire that person for specialized tasks. AMG, Inc., will:

• Place experts in client facilities to perform specificfunctions

• Bring in instrumentation & controls specialistswhen new equipment is installed, calibrated, orplaced on-line

• Find, hire, & coordinate the work ofspecialists/consultants on a contract basis

Documents

Master Planning Engineering Project Management Internal/external P&ID & piping reviews ... Agricultural Commodity Processing AMG, Inc. ... And the spent biomass finds a profitable