Dewayne Galyon, Basebuild Technical Specialist at SSOE, spotlights the value that computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a simulation software that models airflow, offers when designing a cleanroom environment in this Assembly Magazine article. Dewayne urges readers to avoid trial and error methods to keep characteristically high construction costs at bay, while starting the project off right with clean, complete data within the model. He drives his points home with project examples throughout the article, including an overview of a fast-track multi-basebuild, ISO 4 cleanroom installation project that helped SSOE solidify our ongoing relationship with Micron Technology. Continue Reading →

Gavin Kaleta, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Mechanical Department Manager at SSOE, recently authored an article published in Area Development Magazine discussing the advantages of preliminary project planning, concise scheduling, and front-end loading (FEL) when renovating an existing manufacturing facility. Even experienced teams benefit from deliberate, phased steps early on in a project, which alleviate productivity issues and inefficiency later on. Gavin’s advice for creating significant savings: spend early. By creating room in the budget for early FEL, you’re investing in up-front engineering that consistently delivers long-term cost benefits, while avoiding unplanned downtime and the dreaded shut down. Continue Reading →

Act fast to solve complicated issues in semiconductor cleanrooms. Gavin Kaleta, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Gavin Kaleta, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Mechanical Department Manager at SSOE, recently authored an article in Controlled Environments Magazine on how to resolve the ever-present issues that go hand-in-hand with semiconductor cleanrooms. Whether dealing with the demands that go along with initially constructing and certifying a cleanroom or maintaining it, Gavin recommends working with an experienced project team to help determine quick solutions to avoid any hitches in productivity. Continue Reading →

Alan Liddy, AIA, NCARB, Senior Project Manager at SSOE, was recently published in Product Design and Development Magazine on the topic of cleanrooms. Alan explains that keeping cleanrooms clean can come at a lower cost, depending on the cleanroom’s classification, while offering strategies to cut costs without cutting corners. Clean standards continue to climb, but with a few operational enhancements, you can avoid contamination economically. Continue Reading →

Gavin Kaleta, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Mechanical Engineer at SSOE, recently authored an article in New Equipment Digest discussing the benefits of zero unplanned downtime, or ZUD, and how it increased the success of a high-stakes semiconductor research fabrication facility (fab) project. By forecasting and planning for the challenges in construction execution — and because of our design team’s experience in advanced technology and complex projects — SSOE was able to avoid unplanned downtime, which can lead to very costly repercussions, especially as it relates to critical chip development. Gavin details how to build the best team possible for a high-pressure facility renovation. Continue Reading →

A thorough process definition lays the foundation for a successful greenfield project Dale Feldhaus, department manager in Industrial Process Controls at SSOE Group, was recently published in Chemical Processing Magazine. In his article, he discusses the importance of the preliminary phase of a greenfield project, which Feldhaus refers to as the “process definition phase.” Feldhaus has nearly 30 years of experience, specializing in the design, specification, and coordination of controls and instrumentation for projects within the industrial industry. Continue Reading →