Search = Sector During
Session: Aerial Lift Boom
A Field Note: It
Appears To Us You Have Selected Aerial Lift Boom - The Following Is Provided Because There Exists Wisdom On Making Lift
Bucket Repairs And Upgrades Within The Reach Of Any
Organization
While we certainly
respect the fact that you are spending your time on the
internet
with a clear focus of attention at this time on
Aerial Lift Boom, this
other theme or issue
(which may become a focus of attention for the
industry as a whole)
may come up as well:
While a
non-certified or
specifically-experienced
body shop or a custom molder
of fiberglass
parts
could certainly
have the skills inventory
within their organization
to
make a
repair look
allowable to pass a visual
inspection,
often the group
can't guarantee the
aerial
lift components truly safe. Nor will they likely have the
product liability insurance.
[Added
note:
Understandably, even
though the priority is for
Aerial Lift Boom,
the information below should
be passed on to your service-repair
organization.]
Looking at the situation from the most
responsible viewpoint possible, these are some of the
issues:
What the official
specifications are for making sure the upper boom is
dielectrically separated from the lower boom, and how
this separation can be compromised.
The level of tension and damage the insulators for the upper and lower boom can safely withstand.
Sometimes
the final line of defense in preventing electrocution is
the bucket itself. And while there are no formal
standards for this level of dielectric separation,
this ability must be checked
during any refurbishment.
The
requirements for structurally sound
mounting of the bucket to
the boom..
If You Are Already
Thinking About Aerial Lift Boom, It Is A Short Step Over To An 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:
Does the company carry product
liability insurance specifically for
doing aerial lift repair?
Are any of its people certified by the American
Composites Manufacturing Association as Certified
Composites Technicians?
Here are
some other considerations as well:
Aerial man lifts are a very
specialized subset of the fiberglass products industry.
Experience and knowledge of this applicaiton are
critical.
How does a customer know
if the insulating properties of bucket and boom have been
maintained during repair? By using an approved testing
device. In this situation it becomes the next
evaluation point to check. (Again, we realize your direct interest is in Aerial Lift Boom ,so there may be varying levels of need for this.
Further Than Aerial Lift Boom: Repair Scenarios And The Right Way
To Deal With Them
Look here to see how this might play
out.
Sometimes You Have
To Look A Bit Deeper Because ,
There Is Often Not Much That Is Apparent
Scenario: The repair facility is shipped the
upper boom section for basic rehab . Most shops should include a cleaning. This enables correct dielectric
testing, following recommended
procedures. If problems crop up, further
operations should be done with
such equipment as a conductivity meter and/or an
ultrasonic tester. The boom
should be inspected to see if any type of cracks or dents. The specifications for that particular boom section
should be consulted directly from the lift platform
OEM and the
damage evaluated against those guidelines. If there
are specific remedies suggested by those
guidelines, the
customer should be consulted. Structural testing is next. If it
withstands this test and no other issues are found, a
final waxing to protect the boom should occur.
It should then be sealed and protected for shipping with tamper-proof certifications with the results from the testing phases.
Here Is A Time When More Care Is Needed From The
Very Beginning,
The right diagnostic
approach:
Strip away
protective coatings that could in effect form
a cover over any type of structural problems or
issues.
Internal and external visual and
sometimes touch inspection.
Check of
manufacturer mandates
concerning remanufacturing.
Can it be repaired back
to factory spec?
Repair using approved means
to increase overall strength and appropriate
material adhering properties.
High capacity stress testing to required standards.
Electrical
testing.
Resurfacing/painting, and related tasks.
Make sure
the item is carefully protected for delivery, and include
all appropriate reports concerning the repairs and
testing.
Using An Instructive
Example To Illustrate The Dangers Of Proceeding With
Improper Repair And Returning A Component To Full Field
Use
When there is
quite an obvious or intrinsic structural defect, there may be pressure on the repair entity to attempt
servicing and
return it to use. There are many scenarios where this is very
clearly the wrong choice. For instance, we have witnessed an operator boom bucket where the actual bucket mounting bolts have pulled away from the supporting laminations in the bucket itself. This is put back in shape by recompressing and then
gluing or remolding the mounting into the fiberglass laminations. The problem with this is the
potentially high basic
deadweight. Repair in this
situation is not likely to produce a safe, dependable
platform. These connections, which hold the bucket
to the boom, are primary and must be an integrated
part of the platform integrity. Our professional
opinon would be to opt out of any type of attempts to return this item to the field.
When The Basic Bonding Gives Way
A glimpse into this particular
case:
1. A bucket is received for repair. It mounts to the lift arm via a section of
the bucket in which a covering material made of glass
fibers in resins creates a housing for the connecting
hardware.
2. It is determined that there are cracks in the ribs.
3. The prudent determination which
should be reported back from the repair group: The
bucket probably should not be repaired
Now, a more normal state is where
wear and tear have taken their toll, but have not yet pushed the item out of its service
range. It is very likely that this apparatus
can be returned to many years of active service.
Communication with whomever sent the device in is
appropriate . The key question is
whether it is mainly restoring the holding capability of
the bucket or in addition whether surfaces need to be put
back to near OEM levels of feel and look. In this
case, providing levels of pricing for each approach
action is the appropriate response.
Tags: Aerial Lift Boom
