Tips to Minimize Downtime during Pipe Lining Operations with Modern Equipment

Introduction

At the moment, our society is greatly dependent on good operating pipe networks. Outdated pipes cause sewer and drain pipe leakages due to deposits, ground movements and wear. This is financially inconveniencing and also an environmental hazard. Here are the tips to minimize downtime during pipe lining operations with modern equipment. Downtime refers to lost productivity and revenue together with increased stress during pipe lining operations.

5 Tips to Minimize Downtime during Pipe Lining Operations

1. Well-Trained Personnel

The human factor cannot be overlooked on the discussion on how to minimize downtime during pipe lining operations in order to increase productivity. Regardless of the technology, regular training of the personnel is critical to reducing downtime. The equipment they use should be upgraded regularly and relentlessly. Employees directly handle the equipment. Their input should be encouraged and considered, especially on upgrade and retrofit options. Integrate employee evaluations and performance review. Offer incentives to the productive employees in order to impact positively to the productivity.

2. Use of Modern Technology

According to a research carried by the OG21 technology group, technologies may reduce the pipe lining operations cost and the downtime by about 20%. To minimize downtime, Inpipe systems used for sewers; laterals, pressure pipes, gravity pipes together with rail and road culverts employ UV technology and heat curing . Integration of tracking technology is very instrumental in spotting when downtime occurs hence quickly fixing the problem.

3. Routine Equipment Maintenance

Investing in modern equipment is not all it takes to improve productivity. This equipment should be maintained regularly and not just when it stops working. Retrofitting state-of-the-art controls on a piece of equipment can lead to dramatic productivity gains. Manufacturers ought to create a preventive maintenance routine. This is replacing, remanufacturing or overhauling at a fixed interval regardless of the condition. Cleaning, lubrication, and routine adjustments are some of the minor preventive maintenances that are essential for continued fundamental operation of the equipment. Neglecting routine equipment maintenance will result in downtime during pipe lining operations despite the use of modern equipment.

4. Carefully Track Downtime

An important tip to minimize downtime during pipe lining operations with modern equipment is paying attention to less obvious productivity killers. Study indicates that most downtime in an operation is not caused by the easily noticeable big problems. However, the negligence on the little problems’ is the true inhibitor to minimizing downtime in operation productivity.

Environmental factors can be included in this category. The working environment has an impact on the workers morale. A noisy, too hot or cold environment makes workers to lose the ability to focus and enthusiasm in the task at hand. Proper material handling can produce meaningful gains. This can prevent healthcare expenses by reducing injuries. High efficient operations easily notice and address such problems to increase their productivity.

5. Use of Inpipe Systems

Digging up of the old pipes in order to replace with the new ones has proved to be a strenuous activity. The process is expensive, time consuming and environmentally unfriendly. Using light and air to renovate the pipes from inside is perceived as better alternative. The installation is undertaken between existing manholes, shafts or openings. Using UV light technology, a glass-reinforced, flexible liner is winched in place and pressed tightly against the old pipe wall by compressed air. Below are accrued benefits of using the inpipe systems;

1. Suitable for most pipes and dimensions. It is possible to renovated dimensional differences in the same pipe.
2. Minimized impact on environment.
3. Regardless of outdoor temperature, pipe lining operations continue.
4. Off road equipment can be used in inaccessible areas.
5. Less time is consumed in the renovations.

Conclusion

Every manager has a goal to significantly reduce downtime and boost productivity. It is common knowledge that disruptions experienced during production require quick reactions to minimize time loss. For instance, use a local delivery service to bring replacement parts to the production floor instead of relying to the traditional shipping options which are much slower. The technology of pipe renovation from the inside has numerous benefits to the operating firm and society. The inpipe liners have high mechanical strength and hardly shrink during installation. While minimizing downtime during pipe lining operations, quality assurance of the process should not be undermined. It pays up to train and retrain the employees. Necessary measures ought to be taken to avoid leakage of environmentally hazardous contents into the ground water.