Conducting
A Search Within This Noted
Classification: Articulated Boom
A Field Note: We Admit
That There May Be More Directly Related Information
To Articulated Boom - For Your Information There Exists Information
Transfer And Aid On Making Lift
Bucket Repairs And Upgrades Dependable
While we certainly
respect the fact that you are spending your time on the
internet
(and possibly other places),
with a clear focus of attention at this time on
Articulated Boom, this
subject of thought
is well worth
putting on the safety/operations agenda of your
company:
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
to make a favorable
impression on the uninitiated,
often the group
can't guarantee the
aerial
lift components truly safe. Nor will they likely have the
product liability insurance (to protect the company).
[Added
note:
For those searching for
Articulated Boom,
the information below should
be passed on to your service-repair
organization.]
Because this
situation involves human life,
this is not something that can be put in the category of
basic mechanical repair or restoration. So, some of
the special considerations involved in fiberglass repairs
and rebuilds of aerial manlift components
include:
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 structural strength requirements for
fiberglass upper booms and lower boom insulators in
view of the special stresses to which these items are
subjected.
The real insulating
capabilities provided by the fiberglass bucket
itself, although the bucket is not officially
recognized for insulating capability by ANSI
A92.2.
A certain component for
preservation of human life is the safe physical
connection between the
bucket and the boom.
More Than Articulated Boom: The Critical Assessment Of The
Abilities Of A Repair Facility For The Most Important Fixup
You'll Ever Do
The following questions should be asked
of any company being considered for aerial manlift
fiberglass work:
Is there an adequate amount
of fiscal protection, against any unanticipated risk
exposure by the group, specifically for
doing aerial lift repair?
Like any
professional, those who
actually do the work, they should have the proper
training and carry the proper certifications. A
notable source for this type of accreditation is known as
the CCT certification of
the American Composites Manufacturing Association.
In addition
to the above, points to also review
include:
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 and is very familiar with
(and we mean have experience and a strong sense of
mission and ethics about) this unusual way of applying
fiberglass?
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 Articulated Boom ,so there may be varying levels of need for this.
Moving
Away From Articulated Boom: How Repairs Can And Should
Unfold
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.
As a manufacturer of
buckets, and a re-manufacturer of booms, we have seen
all of these situations come into being.
Sometimes You Have
To Look A Bit Deeper Because On The Surface,
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, particularly if there is noticeable dirt buildup inside
the actual boom. This enables correct dielectric
testing, which should be done. 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 or if it has suffered any type of noticeable harm. The specifications for that particular boom section
should be pulled from the manufacturer guidelines and the
damage evaluated against those guidelines. If there
are specific remedies suggested by those
guidelines that may require extra effort, they should again be noted
for discussion with the owner. Structural testing,
usually at twice the rated load is next. If no other issues are found, a
final waxing to protect the boom should occur.
It should then be sealed and protected for shipping.
An Obvious Cause For Concern
We will continue with
boom repairs since a failure at that level can be
catastrophic. Looking once more at the uppermost member of the support boom. It has fractures that have been flagged in the field and also are confirmed by an initial visual inspection. There
is usually a cosmetic and visual coating on the boom
itself. This protective layer should be
stripped off and a full end to end inspection made
both on the outside, and also on the hollow
inner core of the boom itself. At this point the
potential harm from the fissures need to be determined if
they can be repaired and the boom
restored to full and safe operation. This is done by
consulting what the manufacturer has declared proper, and
also comparing the damage to the capabilities of the
repair materials. These typically include physical
reinforcement, using similar OEM products and suitable
bonding materials which are impregnated into the repair
base. At that point in time, a full
mechanical stress/tension test needs to be performed at
over the rated loading for the boom section.
Appropriate electrical testing would follow the same
pattern, but this would most likely be done
after surface finishing or layers are restored. Full
documentation needs to accompany the device back to its
owner/user.
When
It Is Not Safe To Even Consider Repair
There are not a lot of backup
systems with a bucket style lift mechanism, and that
goes double with the
attachment of the boom to the bucket itself. In this case:
The main attachment
was accomplished through threaded rods that are in
effect integrated into the side of the bucket.
From a visual inspection, it was clear
that there were fissures in the fiberglass
layering that surrounded and supported
these mounting rods.
It is apparent that no amount of
reinforcement would likely return this
conveyance to a safe operating position.
When The Basic Bonding Gives Way
Another
situation is when the
enclosed platform that holds the operator is formed into reinforced arches
into which studs or bolts are fitted that in turn
are used to connect the boom arm. When damage has
occurred, it
can compromise the actual boom mounting assembly. If
this is the case, it is more than a concern for the
safety conscious operator. While there are repair
techniques that can be used, the recommendation to the owner would be for replacement rather than remanufacture or some other type of restorative repair.
A fiberglass lift platform comes into this particular shop:
1. The
mount side is not damaged, but the front corners are
cracked through. With proper techniques and
materials, the bucket can be repaired.
2. The
repairer should determine whether the customer just wants
the bucket repaired structurally or wants the bucket to
also be refinished to a like-new condition.
3. An
estimate is made first, the
customer needs to express their wishes and wants back
first, and then the appropriate repair action should
be taken.
Tags: Articulated Boom
