Seeking Aerial Boom Lift? We Would
Like To Identify A Series Of
Lift
Bucket Repairs, Upgrades And Add-On Types Of Equipment To
Best Serve You And Your Equipment For The Long
Haul
If case this applies
to your
needs,
we will take you down a
pretty serious and sometimes neglected path
for this type of
troubleshooting sequence or cycle.
(This should
be of value even to those who were attracted to this page
by
trying to find information about
Aerial Boom Lift.
If in this situation that is not the case, we would ask that you find someone to give this information to.)
First, There is a need to establish the very basic
requirements the for evaluating boom insulators, and what can, in effect, potentially degrade or impede the dielectric performance of the boom itself . And yes, there is a basic but
established specification that must be consulted.
Second, we move to the physical strength of the entire
insulator structure -both upper and lower sections-
since the primary function of the device is to lift
and control aerial loads. Loads that we need to
remember are special human cargo, and deserve the highest
quality protection available. Specifically, how much
stress and strain they can withstand over time without
breaking down. With respect to this enclosed platform
that the rider controls and works from, and how it can be important to maintain a high
level of electrical separation, is still a
large part of the safety equation against personal shock.
(An example may be routine tree trimming
or tree removal where at some point, the operator may be
exposed to electrical power sources. In this case it may
be wise to have the capability at all times.)
Third are the
mountings that have
strong bonds coming in and out of the bucket to the boom. There must be a rigorous method of checking
of this important
functional aspect. (Should your travels have delivered you to this page from your interest in Aerial Boom Lift, and this does not apply directly to
your area of responsibility, to make a priority to transfer in some
way to the correct person in your organization.)
It is apparent,
this is not something that can be put in the category of
basic mechanical repair or restoration. It is
incumbent upon any operator to approach this situation
with more than simple production goals. So, some of
the special considerations involved in fiberglass repairs
and rebuilds of aerial manlift components
include:
What are the
technical needs to safely insulate the two sections of
the boom from one another.
How strength must be retained
in the fiberglass boom insulators, no matter how much
working abuse and loads they are subjected
to.
While there are no formal
standards, the lift bucket itself does provide
electrical insulation, so a check of these properties is
an important part of the repair.
Correct boom-bucket mounting
procedure.
If You Are Already
Thinking About Aerial Boom Lift, It Is A Short Step Over To An An Effective Evaluation Of Vendor Capabilities
So what capabilities are needed for the
entity that can safely complete a bucket truck lift
repair? Here are some of the key ones to look
for:
Is there an adequate amount
of fiscal protection, against any unanticipated risk
exposure by the group, that can fully support any
errors that might be made in providing aerial lift repair?
Have the
workers been adequately trained and experienced for this type of work,
carrying the appropriate certifications
such as those proffered by the ACMA?
In addition
to the above:
The components in aerial man lift units must perform
as life preserving conveyances with high levels of
criticality, often beyond other uses for fiberglass. Does
this supplier understand this unusual way of applying
fiberglass?
In addition to maintaining
physical integrity, after a repair has been made, a final
electrical insulation test should be performed to ensure
that the refurbishment process has not also created a potential for dangerous
circuit completion that could effect the operator. (For
situations relating specifically to Aerial Boom Lift, a consultation
with those in your organization who actually purchased your aerial lift products are a
good idea to gain their perspective on this important
checking phase.)
Further Than Aerial Boom Lift: Repair Scenarios And The Right Way
To Deal With Them
Let us take a look at
some steps a
qualified repair facility would typically undergo in
order to ensure safe and proper repair of the bucket and
boom parts under question. With
broadly interpreting them, you can get a grasp of the
best practices of repair that should be applied.
As a manufacturer of
buckets, and a re-manufacturer of booms, we have seen
all of these situations come into being.
No Obvious
Damage
XYZ group receives an initial request. They are sent an
upper boom in fairly good condition for surface
refinishing and rehabilitation. Here are the
steps:
1. The first thing that should be done is
to visually examine the boom for any evidence
of damage. Any such evidence should be compared with
boom damage criteria shown in the OEM manual. Any
problems require the action indicated in the manual.
2. If the boom is dirty inside, the shop should
ask permission to pressure wash
the inside. should
then be dielectrically tested . If there is a dielectric
problem, the boom should be analyzed with a conductivity
meter to identify the problem. .
3. If there are no additional problems, the boom
should be cosmetically repaired and refinished as needed.
4. Then, the boom should be dielectrically tested
again and structurally tested. If it passes, the boom should be waxed ,
and shipped back to the owner. The final phase is
creating some type of secure package in which it is
placed along with certificates showing the results of
the dielectric and structural strength tests.
An upper boom with some apparent cracks is put in an inspection area.
1. The cracks should be reviewed using the repair manual guidelines of the manufacturer. It will probably be necessary to sand the
coating off the boom to evaluate the cracks. The repairer
should quote the cost of the repair .
2. Once the go ahead to do the work is
received, the repair company
should complete the structural repairs, then do a structural test on the boom to make sure that the repair procedures worked.
3. The boom should then be cosmetically
refinished and dielectrically tested.
Cutting
Losses
1. A well used fiberglass enclosed operator containment platform comes in.
2. This particular design uses bolts to mount it to the arm. A simple
inspection reports a bolt from this assembly has punched
through the side of the operator area.
3.
The bucket probably should not be repaired because of
concerns about the possibility of the bucket later coming
loose from the boom.
When The Basic Bonding Gives Way
Here is how this
encounter unfolded:
1. A bucket is received for repair. The bucket mount consists of vertical
fiberglass ribs protruding from one side of the bucket.
2. An initial examination of the mounting holes in the ribs reveals that there are cracks in the ribs.
3. The
bucket probably should not be repaired
Now You Can Have A Bucket Or
Similar Item For Repair That Has Cosmetic Damage And
Yet Remains Remarkably Sound Otherwise
So, there are cases where competent skills can be applied on an aftermarket basis with good results such as in this case:
Bucket displays no damage with the boom coupling
mechanism.
However, there is deterioration
on non-supporting side
Yes, this can be
saved.
So moving forward with any
refurbishment is a go or no go decision, weighing the economics of both options, ,
and to await further instruction.
Tags: Aerial Boom Lift
