Turnaround Inspection Service
What is a turnaround inspection service? Any inspection service that occurs during a plant turnaround. A “turnaround” is a planned downtime period, typically at a large plant, during which operations in all or part of the plant cease so that maintenance-related services can be performed. In most cases, plant turnarounds are performed to ensure regulatory compliance regulations regarding safety, environmental or other factors are being met within the facility.
Why Are Plant Turnarounds Important?
These turnarounds allow plant managers to shut down their plant, or a portion of it, to schedule inspections, preventative maintenance & repairs. One of the main goals of a plant turnaround is to minimize the amount of unplanned downtime, typically caused by machine failure or dangerous conditions, by performing these inspections, maintenance & repairs during planned downtime. A plant turnaround is expensive, and in order to make these periods of planned downtime as productive as possible, managers should do their best to ensure all essential services, including turnaround inspections, are scheduled to occur during the given time frame.
Preventative Maintenance During a Turnaround
Proper preventative maintenance can help prevent expensive emergency repairs and unplanned downtime later. Unforunately, in some cases, preventative maintenance activities in large scale operations can get overlooked or postponed, as the costs to shut down operations to perform the maintenance can be quite high. However, what is important for managers to remember is that the costs associated with planned downtime pale in comparison to the costs associated with unplanned downtime.
Improper Equipment Maintenance Costs More in the Long Run
Failure to perform preventative maintenance, or performing improper equipment maintenance could end up costing large sums of money and time. For example, if a department needs to cease operations to have equipment serviced, not only do they need to pay the employees already scheduled to work, but they will need to pay emergency service fees to have the equipment repaired. In addition to those service fees, if the repair requires a replacement part, the part may not be available immediately. If that’s the case, the plant could experience long lead times, and/or incur high fees for expedited shipping. Then, there are the additional service fees involved with having the service provider return to perform the repair. Meanwhile, operations would need to be postponed until the repair could be completed. By contrast, if a plant manager schedules a turnaround inspection service, it gives the service provider time to diagnose a minor problem before it becomes a catastrophic one, and order any replacement parts in advance, avoiding expensive rush fees.
All things considered, it just makes the most sense to plan turnaround inspections & other preventative maintenance services during scheduled downtime to avoid unplanned shutdowns and unecessary expenses.
Main Benefits of Proper Weighing & Measurement Equipment Preventative Maintenance:
- Extension of usable life of equipment
- Reduction in unplanned downtime
- Helps to ensure accuracy
- Helps to decrease safety risks caused by improper use
- Allows operators to budget and plan for repairs
- Fewer interruptions in operations
Risks of Improper Weighing & Measurement Equipment Preventative Maintenance:
- Reduction in equipment productivity and/or efficiency
- Reduction of usable life of the equipment
- Increased safety risks caused by undetected dangers such as improper use, bent or broken parts, etc.
- Increased risk of inaccurate measurements
- Increased risk of unplanned downtime
Michelli Weighing & Measurement Turnaround Inspection Service | How We Can Help Ensure a Productive Turnaround
Unfortunately, in the commotion of scheduling large-scale inspections and projects, sometimes weighing & measurement equipment inspections are forgotten. However, by incorporating Michelli Weighing and Measurement plant turnaround inspection service into the list of essential services performed during planned downtime, plant managers can optimize their chances of the seamless continuity of operations. The Michelli team offers comprehensive services that focus on the meticulous inspection and optimization of truck, rail, hopper, and other industrial scales at a convenient time. Proactively identifying and addressing minor issues with an industrial plant’s weighing or measurement equipment before those issues escalate into significant problems is imperative in preventing expensive and substantial unplanned downtime later.
Increased Value of Plant Turnaround Inspection Service versus Standard Inspection Service
During planned downtime, our team has the extra time required to provide an even more thorough inspection service than traditional or standard inspection services. This extra time allows our service team to provide additional preventative maintenance tasks such as removing and greasing load cells, checking, cable connectors, and more. Please see the table below for a complete comparison.
Service |
Standard PM |
Turnaround |
Load Test and Calibration |
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Visually Check Anti Creep |
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Visually Check Rail Gaps |
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Visually Check Approach Rail Condition |
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Viually Check Checking * |
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Visually Check Load Cells * |
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Visually Check Load Cell Receivers * |
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Visually Check Base Plates * |
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Visually Check Cables * |
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Remove and Grease Load Cells |
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Remove, Clean, & Grease Checking |
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Remove, Clean, & Lubricate Cable Connectors |
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Replace Bad Parts ** |
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Tie Up All Loose Cables |
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Clean & Retorque Base Plate Bolts |
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Replace Bad Hardware ** |
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Electronically Check Load Cells |
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* Pit Entry May Be Required
**Up to Approved Dollar Amount
Schedule Turnaround Inspection Service Today
So why plan preventative maintenance services separate from plant turnarounds? It just makes sense to have weighing & measurement equipment serviced during planned downtime to increase the efficiency & productivity of the planned downtime during the turnaround.