Major
Areas This Search Applies To: Aerial Lift Manual
A Field Note: It
Appears To Us You Have Selected Aerial Lift Manual - The Following Is Provided Because There Exists Instruction On Making Lift
Bucket Repairs And Upgrades A More Cost Effective But Safe
Item
Introduction: While you may not have thought about it
much (or even really considered it) in your search
for Aerial Lift Manual, this alternate topic has triggered
questions by many into other related
areas of inquiry. What
follows is an example of one of these issues that you may
need to consider in the future:
When there is damage to a lift truck bucket, a
temptation to make the repair as fast as
possible is always there. Not often a great
decision.
There are many ways to cosmetically repair the bucket
that leave the lift truck owner open to potential
catastrophes. For instance, physical repairs must
take into account the underlying structure. If damage has
been done there and is merely patched over (or dealt
with in any less than structurally responsible manner)
by a repair source such as a body shop, mechanical/engine
repair or even a custom molder, then the bucket could
give way at a critical time it is being loaded, often
high above the ground. There can, as an
example, be breaks in the electrical insulating
properties of the bucket that are created during a
surface only type of repair. And finally, if the
repairing company does not carry insurance for this
specific type of application, liability for any accident
could rest solely upon the bucket truck owner/operator.
While this may or may not seem important to those
who are currently investigating Aerial Lift Manual, this issue is
critical enough that we suggest you forward it to those
whose primary task is the maintenance of
bucket truck lift mechanisms.
Because this
situation involves human life,
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.
The structural strength requirements for
fiberglass upper booms and lower boom insulators .
The real insulating
capabilities provided by the fiberglass bucket
itself, although the bucket is not officially
recognized for insulating capability by ANSI
A92.2.
The
requirements for structurally sound
mounting of the bucket to secure its attachment to
the boom..
More Than Aerial Lift Manual: The Critical Assessment Of The
Abilities Of A Repair Facility For The Most Important Fixup
You'll Ever Do
So, here is a potentially life-saving
checklist to evaluate any group that undertakes
an aerial lift
repair:
Does the product liability insurance carrier
used by this group know that it is doing repair or
replacement work on aerial manlift components?
Are any of its people certified by the American
Composites Manufacturing Association as Certified
Composites Technicians?
Also to be evaluated:
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 Lift Manual, a consultation
with those in your organization who actually purchased your aerial lift products are a
good idea to gain their perspective.)
Further Than Aerial Lift Manual: 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.
We have seen
all of these situations come into being.
No Obvious
Damage, Now What?
Those responsible for repair have been in some way notified. Through either shipping or
pickup, they are in possession of an
upper boom in fairly good condition for surface
refinishing and rehabilitation. Here are the
steps:
1. Start to visually examine the boom for any evidence
of damage. Any
problems require the action indicated in the manual.
2. If the boom is dirty inside, the shop should
ask 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 is nothing else on the repair
agenda, the boom
should be cosmetically repaired and refinished as needed.
4. Then, the boom should be dielectrically tested
again and structurally tested -at a load of more than
double its rating. If no flaws are
found, the boom should be waxed properly to help
shed water and dirt, to ensure its insulating effect,
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 Obvious Cause For Concern
What happens when you know there
has been damage?
Strip away
protective coatings that could potentially get in the way of any type of structural or other critical, underlying
concerns.
Internal and external visual and
sometimes touch inspection.
Check of
manufacturer dictates for proper repair.
Can it be repaired back
to factory spec?
Repair using approved means
to increase overall strength and appropriate
material adhering properties.
Stress testing to required standards.
Electrical
testing.
Putting a protective and visually
appealing coating and perhaps identity
on.
Make sure
the item is carefully protected for delivery.
Using An Instructive
Example To Illustrate The Dangers Of Proceeding With
Improper Repair And Returning A Component To Full Field
Use
1. A well used fiberglass enclosed operator containment platform comes in.
2. The bucket mount consists of a
number of studs protruding from the bucket wall. 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
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 at the location of the holes.
3. The
bucket probably should not be repaired
Where It Looks Worse
Than It Is, But It Really May Not Be That
Bad
Now that we have created
circumstances where critical repairs should be made
and/or where it is beyond being reasonable to move into
that direction at all, 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. Consider a series of
material separations on the edges of the bucket retainer,
but no apparent problems with the actual bucket-boom
connection area. It is very likely that this apparatus
can be returned to many years of active service. 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, structural only or structural plus
cosmetic, is the appropriate response.
Tags: Aerial Lift Manual
