Sigma Thermal’s Project Process
From the initial design to the delivery of the final product, Sigma Thermal is a complete process heater manufacturer for a range of industries. Here, we discuss our typical project process and the ways in which our teams contribute to the final product.
Teams involved in the project process:
- Project management group
- Mechanical engineering group
- Process engineering group
- Electrical engineering group
- Commissioning group
Through open communication and airtight project planning, Sigma Thermal believes that collaboration and teamwork with the customer will lead to successful project outcomes.
The Project Process
Sigma Thermal’s project process consists of nine key steps that are critical to meeting the needs of our valued customers. Each step is discussed in greater detail below.
- Purchase order submission
- Project manager review
- Group review
- Documents and drawings stage
- Customer review
- Release to fabricate
- Fabrication of product
- Delivery of product
- Commissioning of product
1. Purchase Order Submission
When a customer submits a purchase order (PO), Sigma Thermal responds in-kind with an order acknowledgment in which we confirm that we have all the required specifications necessary for the completion of the job. The PO is then transferred to the project management team for further evaluation and task assignments.
2. Project Manager Review
Once received by the project management team, the designated project manager will review the PO to extract the essential requirements, the customer’s wish list, and the areas where the Sigma Thermal team may have room to make expert recommendations. During this stage, the project manager will also be watching for red flags that could impact the overall scope of work, such as liquidated damages, penalties, and the appropriate budgeting of all project factors, including significant costs like transportation and procurement.
3. Group Reviews
After the project manager completes an initial review, they distribute relevant sections of the PO to the mechanical engineering, process engineering, and electrical engineering groups for a final analysis of specifications and requirements to determine the best approach of creating the product the customer has requested.
4. Documents and Drawings Stage
At the conclusion of the group reviews, project documents are created, including piping and instrumentation diagrams (P & IDs) from the process engineering and electrical engineering groups, as well as a general arrangement (GA) drawing by the mechanical engineering group.
Based on current resources, our team can move from PO receipt to the documents and drawings stage in an average of approximately eight to twelve weeks, depending on project size, scope, and priority. Pre-engineered solutions are available sooner, whereas high-spec jobs may require additional time.
5. Customer Review
Next, P & IDs and GA drawings are submitted for customer review. Any changes that extend outside the agreed-upon scope of work or which alter the original specifications and requirements of the project will trigger a change order from Sigma Thermal. This document outlines updated project costs and timelines based on the details the customer provided in the review stage.
6. Release to Fabricate
As soon as the customer approves the P & IDs, GA, and related changes, the fabrication documents are generated. While Sigma Thermal’s standard jobs—those that are pre-engineered—rely on parts and components that we regularly carry in stock, the fabrication documents guide instrument and material procurement, as well as manufacturing, for high-spec jobs.
7. Fabrication of Product
After any procurement needs are addressed, the fabrication process gets underway. In most cases, products for North and South American clientele are manufactured at Sigma Thermal’s Marietta, Georgia facility. The 10-acre corporate campus boasts:
- 15,000 sq. ft. Engineering Office
- 5,000 sq. ft. Warehouse
- 1,500 sq. ft. UL Listed Panel Shop
- 40,000 sq. ft. Fabrication Facility
- 36′ under hook
- 50 tons lifting capacity in bay 1
- 60 tons lifting capacity in bay 2
- 40,000 sq. ft. outdoor work area, laydown, and storage
When necessary, Sigma Thermal has experience collaborating with partners across the country to complete high-spec, large-scale projects requiring more resources than the Marietta facility can supply.
The team also maintains offices in Dubai and England to provide regional support for project management, engineering, field service, and manufacturing to customers in the eastern hemisphere.
8. Delivery of Product
Once the product is fabricated, we deliver it to the customer by the agreed-upon means of transportation—most often via truck. For larger shipments, arrangements for other single and combination shipping methods can be made.
9. Commissioning of Product
Finally, once the product is delivered, installed, and fully operating, the commissioning team conducts on-site testing of the product to ensure it meets all the customer’s needs and industry standards.
Start a Project With the Sigma Thermal Team
Sigma Thermal’s finely tuned project process is just one part of the equation that allows our team to provide you with an exceptional customer service experience that sets us apart from the competition. From the submission of your PO to the commissioning of your product, our professional team lives by four guiding principles:
- Responsiveness
- Prioritizing the customer
- Effortless experience
- Providing guidance and expertise
Our team has diverse industry experience, designing, engineering, supplying, and servicing process heating systems for the following and more:
- Asphalt and roofing
- Crude oil production and processing
- Food and beverage
- Gas processing
- Petrochemical
- Power generation
- Textiles
- Waste and wastewater
- Wood products
We offer thermal fluid heaters, electric process heaters, direct-fired heaters, process bath heaters, biomass energy systems, high-pressure steam generators, molten salt heating systems, and waste heat recovery units, as well as system automation, parts, and retrofits/upgrades for applications including:
- Amine and glycol reboilers
- Ammonia Heating
- Calendar Rolls
- Condensate Stabilizers
- Dew Point Heating (Joule-Thomson)
- Edible Oil Deodorizers
- Freeze Protection
- Fuel Gas Conditioning
- Indirect Steam Generators
- Jacketed reactor heating and cooling
- Liquid-Gas Vaporization
- Molding and Extrusion
- Molten Salt
- Regeneration gas heating
- Process Air Heating
- Viscosity reduction and more
Since 2013, Sigma Thermal has maintained an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Certification, a designation that further highlights our commitment to quality, efficiency, and our customers.
To learn more about our full line of products and services, contact the experts at Sigma Thermal today.
