Plant planning: Increasing Efficiency and Minimizing Risks with Integrated Concepts
Last updated: 04 February 2026
Plant planning is a methodology for the development of technical production plants and processes. It is based on a comprehensive planning process that ranges from requirements analysis to commissioning and optimization. The particular challenge lies in considering economic, organizational, safety-related, and technical aspects during planning.
Which goals are the primary focus?
Plant planning aims to create the best possible production environment based on specified objectives. In this context, the following sub-goals are particularly relevant:
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Ensuring functionality: Selection and coordination of equipment, parameters, and procedures so that (sub-)processes run smoothly and stably.
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Increasing process efficiency: Improved economic viability through efficient processes regarding plant utilization.
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Reducing costs: Cost reduction through the selection of suitable raw materials and technologies, as well as forward-looking planning and the application of calculation methods such as Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
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Adhering to specifications: Avoiding quality fluctuations by defining tolerances and controls.
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Providing adaptation possibilities: Ideally, plants not only enable flexible production volumes through extensive scalability but can also be adapted to new requirements.
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Ensuring safety and complying with regulations: The plant must provide safety and comply with legal provisions.
The phases of the planning process
The planning process can be divided into the following phases, which take place sequentially:
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Planning phase
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Design phase
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Construction phase
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Implementation phase
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Commissioning phase
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Optimization phase
Planning phase At the beginning of the planning phase is a requirements analysis based on internal and market-side requirements. The plans are initially of a fundamental nature and focus on theoretical feasibility. A distinction must be made here: while technical planning focuses on technical processes, specifications, and requirements, economic planning focuses on the financing and economic viability of the plant. In practice, planning often follows the V-model. A central component is the qualification of the plant, divided into Design (DQ), Installation (IQ), Operation (OQ), and Performance Qualification (PQ).
Design phase More precise designs are built upon these plans. This ranges from the architecture of the overall plant to the design of individual processes and components. Conceptual designs are followed by detailed elaborations that take all relevant framework conditions into account, as well as the coordination of sub-processes.
Construction phase Following the plans and designs, the actual construction of the plant takes place. It is not uncommon for new parameters to be noticed here that are relevant but have not yet received (sufficient) attention. Accordingly, adjustments to the previously created plans and designs may be necessary.
Implementation phase Plants rarely work in isolation today. Therefore, their integration into existing industrial architectures and systems is required. This happens during the implementation phase, where the focus is often also on the coordination and control of the various plants and processes.
Commissioning phase Before this phase culminates in the final commissioning of the plant, tests and preparations are still pending. These are intended to ensure that the constructed plant functions in continuous operation according to the specifications and meets all guidelines. To avoid operating errors, personnel training is also often required at this stage.
Optimization phase In line with the outlined efficiency goals, the process does not end here. This is because some optimization potentials only become apparent after commissioning or through new research results. To identify these potentials, an analysis of the actual processes and production results can also be helpful.
Relevant specialist disciplines and interfaces
Plant planning is an interdisciplinary process involving various specialist disciplines. Project management is responsible for execution that stays within budget and meets schedules. From a technical perspective, process engineering plays an important role. For the actual execution of the project, experts from the field of plant or mechanical engineering are also essential. The disciplines of occupational health and safety and safety engineering are also usually involved.
At the same time, there are interfaces with corporate sub-areas. For example, findings from internal research and development often provide an important basis. Simultaneously, the finance department is responsible for budgeting and financing. The procurement and human resources departments may need to provide required materials and specialists. Specifically for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, interfaces with cleanroom classes and media supply inevitably arise. This is because the technical requirements defined here form the basis for professional plant planning.
Tools of modern plant planning
The following tools, among others, are helpful for the efficient planning of plants:
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CAD/CAE: Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Engineering support precise planning in advance through visualizations.
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Digital twins: Virtual modeling of the plant as a basis for meaningful analyses.
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Artificial Intelligence: For the optimization and verification of planning processes.
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Machine Learning: For better results through the recognition of patterns.
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PLM systems: Optimally structure and manage data from Product Lifecycle Management.
Integrated Production & Inspection: Modern plant concepts rely on integrated systems to minimize interface risks:
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Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) technology: An aseptic process in which molding, filling, and sealing take place in a single operation, reducing plant complexity.
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Automated Optical Inspection (AOI): Fully automated visual inspection to identify particles or defects, which must be considered as an integral part of the quality strategy as early as the planning phase.
Safety and risk management
Safety is playing an increasingly important role in plant planning. This creates challenges for corporate risk management on several levels. The plant, individual processes, and the products manufactured with them must not pose a danger to any persons or the environment. Here, ICH Q9 serves companies as an important and recognized guideline for quality risk management and the core of the pharmaceutical quality system. A critical aspect is Container Closure Integrity (CCI). According to EU-GMP Annex 1, all containers closed by fusion must be subjected to a 100% integrity test to guarantee sterility until use. This requires the selection of suitable (automated) testing procedures as early as the planning stage. In addition, other safety aspects may play a role. For time-critical projects, ensuring extensive reliability can be important. If it is a novel plant, companies should also take security precautions. This can prevent innovations and competitive advantages from being lost through espionage or cyberattacks.