Maintenance – what is it good for? Some companies invest the very least, or in some cases no time or funds at all in shutting down equipment for servicing. Other businesses have robust maintenance programs, making it part of their regular working schedule. Which is better? The following will discuss some of the reasons why flow meter calibration should be included in your operations.
For Long Life
Keeping equipment in excellent working order extends its life. When components are well-maintained, it saves your business money in the long run. The following are some of the industries that rely on flow meter calibration:
- General Industry
- Chemical and Petrochemical
- Energy
- Laboratory
- Aerospace and Aviation
- Pharmaceutical and Food
In each of the above sectors, well-made equipment and infrastructure can last many years beyond the manufacturer’s warranty, but because fabricated parts do not take care of themselves, they must be maintained.
To Promote Consistency
Each industry produces a product that consumers or businesses rely on. Take the energy industry as an example. Refineries and processing plants continuously produce a product that meets certain specifications. Flow meter calibration is one of the ways they can continue to provide a product of the same grade, octane or viscosity. Anything inconsistent in this industry can lead to machine failure or even dangerous outcomes.
To Meet Regulation
As you can tell from the industry list above, each field comes with its own set of regulations. The pharmaceutical sector is regulated by the FDA, and any failure to meet standards can result in consequences that end in significant profit losses and sometimes even a close of the business. There is no need to fear regulators if your operations are under compliance and in good working order.
For the Safety of All
Passenger airlines have gone out of business because of safety breaches, and bankruptcy is not even the big issue. Safety does not so much have to do with business as it does with lives. If a cargo plane goes down because of preventable equipment failure and a couple of lives are lost, it may not make as many headlines, but it is still unacceptable.
Why Let an Outside Firm Handle Calibration?
The best servicers do everything they can to prepare your flow meters for use in your facility. This usually means:
- Testing and calibrating units under steady state flow
- Using recognized standards and measurements rather than standards created “in house”
- Controlling environmental factors such as temperature and pressure to match as closely as possible that of where the equipment normally operates
Outside firms perform rigorous inspections on units that can improve calibration results. They are capable of handling industrial cleaning such as removing mineral buildup or corrosion without damaging the equipment. If results still are not satisfactory, they can troubleshoot at a level that exceeds most persons outside of the calibration industry.
Maintenance can extend the life of flow meters, prevent unnecessary repairs, and improve safety, quality and consistency. A flow meter calibration company should be able to handle servicing for any brand of unit you may own. No matter the industry you work in, it is clear that keeping equipment in great working order is an investment that is worth every penny.
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