Specialized Services
Process Planning & Development
Process Improvement
Process Documentation
Process Modeling & Mapping
Lean Surface Finishing
Toxic Use and Toxic Waste Reduction
Energy Use Reduction
Make vs. Buy Analysis
Activity Based Cost Analysis
Material Utilization
Opportunity & Risk Assessment
Approaching Zero Discharge
Constructability, Operability, and Maintainability Reviews
Renovation Planning
Value Engineering
Sustainable Manufacturing
Tooling Design
Environmental, Health, & Safety
Process Improvement
Process Documentation
Process Modeling & Mapping
Lean Surface Finishing
Toxic Use and Toxic Waste Reduction
Energy Use Reduction
Make vs. Buy Analysis
Activity Based Cost Analysis
Material Utilization
Opportunity & Risk Assessment
Approaching Zero Discharge
Constructability, Operability, and Maintainability Reviews
Renovation Planning
Value Engineering
Sustainable Manufacturing
Tooling Design
Environmental, Health, & Safety
Process Planning & Development
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) works interactively with our clients to review client and/or customer specifications, client policies and government regulations, and product and production requirements, in order to plan current and future process requirements. ITI will develop process sequences, define process chemistries, and establish critical process control parameters. Our work normally includes development of process flow diagrams, process chemistry and solution schedules, solution contaminant limits, rinsewater quality requirements, analytical methods and schedule, identification of tooling requirements, part database design, and documentation of process rules and procedures. Effective process planning is essential to a successful process engineering project. Contact us at info@processengineer.com to discuss your requirements.
Process Improvement
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has supported our clients on hundreds of projects to improve processes for 23 years. Projects include kaizen event facilitation, process troubleshooting, opportunity assessments, compliance audits, pollution prevention studies, continuous improvement planning, value stream mapping, and implementation of SPC and six sigma methodologies. ITI utilizes proven methods and process modeling software to support our process improvement projects. We bring significant theoretical and operational knowledge of chemical processes to process improvement projects, and we can validate improvements with process laboratory support and development of methods and procedures. We specialize in optimization of material handling and process flow, and smart integration of environmental, health and safety systems…lean and green process improvement. Contact us at info@processengineer.com to discuss your requirements.
Process Documentation
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has audited hundreds of surface finishing facilities over the past 23 years; inevitably we find that actual process procedures vary between operators, shifts, and with production demands. Process Documentation is often written to comply with customer or third party specifications; therefore, many companies miss a critical opportunity to improve their processes by not writing effective process procedures. These process procedures should be designed to instruct not just to comply. Effective process procedures and documentation can include process rules to error-proof processes and/or automate corrective action. Effective process procedures can also reduce supervision requirements. ITI will audit your facility and develop and document effective process rules and procedures. Contact us at info@processengineer.com to discuss your requirements.
Process Modeling & Mapping
Process Modeling is an extremely effective process engineering tool for optimizing complex processes and systems. Surface finishing facilities are complex systems; and small process changes can impact water, energy, and material usage, labor requirements, dilute and concentrated waste streams, ventilation, and air emissions. Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has also developed Plato’s Process Planner™ (PLATO) to model process water, chemical, material, energy and labor usage, and environmental costs and to generate activity-based cost, and other process reports, in order to prioritize process improvement. PLATO models process rinsing, solution dumps and bleeds, material usage, ventilation, waste streams, and air emissions. Process Modeling facilitates visualization of process relationships that would otherwise be hidden.
Process Mapping also facilitates visualization of process relationships. Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) utilizes process mapping to evaluate process adjacency and work flow, and to visualize value streams (value stream mapping). ITI also maps process sequences and flow (process flow diagrams), and process rules (logic diagrams). Process mapping is an essential process engineering tool.
Contact us at info@processengineer.com to discuss your requirements.
Lean Surface Finishing
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has been designing superior process and plant layouts for over 23 years. We understand good systems design, and we are experienced in value stream and other process mapping techniques. We have observed many failed Lean Surface Finishing projects because clients focused on work cell optimization without first mapping and understanding facility work, people, material, tooling, and information flows. Lean implementation requires a holistic approach. Superior process planning and layout can result in not only improved work flow and reduced labor costs, but also improved maintenance (lean maintenance), as well as reduced material, energy, and environmental costs. It is sometimes more important to optimize information flow than work flow and material flow (chemical additions, anode replacement), and tooling flow is often much more cumbersome than work and people flows. ITI would be pleased to provide you with a Lean Assessment of your facility. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Toxic Use and Toxic Waste Reduction
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) brings deep surface finishing knowledge and experience to both Toxic Waste Reduction (TWR), or Pollution Prevention, and Toxic Use Reduction (TUR) projects. Integrated Technologies, Inc. was founded over 23 years ago with the mission of integrating chemical, environmental, and industrial engineering know-how to optimize client processes and facilities and create lean and green chemical processes. TWR and TUR are usually synergistic, but also sometimes are mutually exclusive. ITI brings an integrated approach to TWR and TUR, which also includes a serious commitment to sound hazard management. ITI would be pleased to provide you with an Environmental, Health and Safety Assessment of your facility. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Energy Use Reduction
Energy Use Reduction is essential to all industrial facilities. Energy costs are volatile at best and rising rapidly in recent years. Carbon emission regulations are on the drawing board in the US and already being enforced in many countries. Surface finishing operations consume significant energy for process and facility heating, cooling, and ventilation; process electrolysis; agitation and filtration; material handling equipment; ovens; air compressors; paint guns; thermal spray systems; vacuum pumps; vapor deposition systems; and fluid transfers. Energy use contributes up to 25% of operating costs in surface finishing operations; however, energy use can be reduced by an average of 30% to 50% at most facilities. Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) can help your company realize these savings with an Energy Use Reduction Assessment. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Make vs. Buy Analysis
Over the past few decades, manufacturers have focused on core competencies in their manufacturing operations. Surface finishing operations have often been scrutinized for both outsourcing and insourcing opportunities. Many companies outsource some surface finishing but also have internal operations for critical processes where they possess intellectual capital. Outsourcing is never an all or nothing commitment. Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has worked with many companies to evaluate their surface finishing requirements, supply chain, and/or operations to assess the feasibility of outsourcing or insourcing surface finishing. ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to improve your business with a Make vs. Buy Assessment. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Activity Based Cost Analysis
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has developed advanced Activity Based Cost (ABC) analysis and reporting capabilities for surface finishing processes and operations. ABC analysis builds off our Process Modeling capabilities and we can help you visualize process or part specific labor, material, energy, and environmental costs, and evaluate profitable and unprofitable processes and programs or jobs. ITI can develop process models of supplier processes, as well, and determine lowest achievable cost for specific processes or parts. ABC analysis can help you prioritize improvements, rationalize outsourcing or insourcing decisions, negotiate reduced supply chain costs, and develop hedging strategies to manage volatile material and energy costs. ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to improve your business with an Activity Based Cost Assessment. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Material Utilization
Nobody predicted nickel at $30.00/lb, gold at $1000.00/oz. or copper at $4.00/lb. Material costs contributes 25% to 50% of operating costs in many surface finishing operations; however, material utilization can be improved by an average of 25% to 75% at most facilities. Opportunities to improve material utilization include dragout reduction and recovery, process solution life extension, tooling redesign, over-plating reductions, over-spray reductions, over-cleaning reductions, wastewater treatment improvements, and rework and scrap reductions. Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) can help your company realize these savings with a Material Utilization Assessment. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Opportunity & Risk Assessment
Most manufacturing companies are so focused on day-to-day operations that they miss important opportunities for process improvement. Some companies are conversely suffering from too many ideas competing for scarce resources. Every company has unseen opportunities and hidden risks. Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) can help companies realize these opportunities and minimize these risks.
Process and Facility Opportunity Assessment (PFOA) is a powerful and cost effective process and facility improvement methodology designed to efficiently identify opportunities and risks. Please review our White Paper for more information on this service. ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to improve your business with a PFOA Assessment. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Approaching Zero Discharge (AZD)
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) developed a Capsule Report, Approaching Zero Discharge in Surface Finishing for US EPA in 1999. We have discussed zero discharge with many companies over the past 23 years, and, while true zero discharge may be technically feasible for a limited number of facilities, it will almost never be economically feasible unless you distort the meaning of zero discharge. Most companies define zero discharge as zero industrial wastewater discharge, and off-site transfers of dilute and concentrated waste streams and air emissions are not counted. Even extremely well-operated processes generate some wastes, such as filter cartridges, sludge, still bottoms, etc., and well-designed ventilation scrubbers will not normally do better than 99% removal of process emissions. Most industrial wastewater can be technically recycled; however, recycling requires the use of various separation technologies, which will generate metal sludge and salt brine waste streams. Zero discharge follows the rule of diminishing returns; as recycling approaches 80% to 90%, operating costs begin to climb rapidly, and the return on investment begins to become very unattractive.
Zero Discharge or AZD can be economically attractive if you take an integrated and systematic approach that includes process optimization, point source recovery & recycling, smart waste stream segregation, off-site treatment of select waste streams, and even selective outsourcing of problem processes. ITI brings our considerable knowledge and experience, and an integrated approach, to approaching zero discharge projects. ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to improve your business with an AZD Assessment. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Constructability, Operability and Maintainability Reviews
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) can support you and your construction project with constructability, operability, and maintainability reviews. We will review project planning and design documents at any level of completion, from conceptual to detailed designs. We will then consolidate our review findings and facilitate a workshop where we present alternative project planning and design recommendations. ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to optimize your construction project. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Renovation Planning
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has planned dozens of plant renovations. We understand the conflicting demands to minimize production disruptions, manage construction logistics, and simultaneously transform aging and obsolete facilities to meet the competitive demands. ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to renovate your facility with a Feasibility Study. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Value Engineering
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) brings deep surface finishing experience from project planning, design, construction management, commissioning, operations, and maintenance to Value Engineering. In Value Engineering, our objective is assist both the designer and the owner in realizing a superior project at a reasonable cost. ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to optimize your construction project. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Sustainable Manufacturing
Conventional surface finishing practices create risk for the manufacturing enterprise. Environmental releases and associated costs, occupational exposures and associated costs, material and energy cost increases, water demands, inefficient labor practices, inefficient facilities, ineffective process control, supply chain changes, technological change, and regulatory changes place tremendous demands on enterprise resources. Sustainability is much more than environmental stewardship; it is enterprise stewardship. Sustainable enterprises manage both opportunities and risks.
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) has unparalleled experience in implementing sustainability in surface finishing. ITI provides opportunity assessments, design services, and management consulting to clients who wish to go beyond conventional manufacturing approaches and embrace sustainability.
The elements of sustainability in surface finishing include:
• (Kn) Knowledge – undocumented knowledge is just the ability to troubleshoot!
• (Pr) Productivity - productivity requires efficient use of labor
• (Ca) Capability - sustainability requires capable processes, equipment, and systems
• (Cp) Capacity - sustainability requires balancing capacity to meet customer demands and control fixed costs
• (Cl) Capital – the sustainable enterprise must be well capitalized
• (Pr) Process – sustainable enterprises are superior at process engineering
• (Tc) Technology - the sustainable enterprise must manage technology
• (Re) Reliability – the sustainable enterprise requires reliable facilities, equipment, and systems
• (Ef) Efficiency - the sustainable enterprise minimizes all wastes
• (Vi) Viability – location, approvals, customers contribute to viability and sustainability
• (Pf) Profitability - the sustainable enterprise must be profitable
• (Po) People - the sustainable enterprise hires and cultivates great people
• (Mg) Management – sustainability requires great leadership
• (Cu) Culture – sustainability is a culture
• (Pe) Performance = sustainability and performance is a function of systematically managing all of the elements
ITI can help your company evaluate opportunities to improve your business with a Sustainability Opportunity & Risk Assessment. Contact us at info@processengineer.com for a proposal.
Tooling Design
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) is teamed with Elsyca, Inc and Advanced Tooling Corporation in the design and fabrication of electroplating and anodizing racks, conforming anodes, and fixtures. Our experience includes Tooling Design for specialty cadmium, nickel, chromium, and anodizing applications. Contact us at info@processengineer.com to discuss your tooling requirements.
Environmental, Health, & Safety Services
Integrated Technologies, Inc. (ITI) was founded in 1987 with the idea of integrating chemical, environmental, and industrial knowledge and technologies to create synergistic and sustainable solutions for complex manufacturing problems. ITI has been at the forefront of waste minimization or pollution prevention, process substitution or toxic use reduction, zero discharge, inherently safe design, environmental stewardship, and sustainability. ITI understands the trade-offs of pollution prevention and pollution control, and we developed the concept of integrating pollution prevention and pollution control in 1989. A few years later we realized that it was necessary to integrate energy efficiency in environmental technology decision analysis. Our experience extends to air pollution control, industrial wastewater treatment and recycling, water conservation, and energy management. ITI has consulted with US EPA on effluent guidelines, sustainability, air emission standards, and environmental technologies. ITI staff have implemented environmental management systems, created decision support and process optimization software, conducted EH & S compliance audits, managed permit applications and renewals, and worked at plant and corporate EH&S Management levels. ITI staff also brings deep experience in site remediation, risk assessment, cost analysis, and decision support. Contact us at at info@processengineer.com to discuss your requirements.
