Seeking Boom Bucket Truck? We Would
Like To Become Involved
As Your Advisor Concerning
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'll show
you the best practice
for this type of
admittedly
critical repair.
(This should
be of value even to those who were attracted to this page
by
Boom Bucket Truck.
If in this situation that is not the case, we would ask that you find the most appropriate person in your organization 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, distort the dielectric performance of the boom itself . The repair organization may
not be aware of it unless they are focused on this
particular type of evaluation and restoration process,
however there do exist formal standards issued by the government
on this type of device, for which repair practices must be
followed.
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. Specifically, we are
looking at the insulators themselves and how much
stress and strain they can withstand over time without
breaking down. And the bucket
itself, although no standard for insulation
exists, 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.
The idea of having a conductive
bucket in situations where power line exposure is a
potential is not wise, and using a non-conductive personnel enclosure versus a wire or
other metalized platform may be an alternative or at the very
least an alternate choice.
Third, a point of common wear, are the
mountings that in a sense form the primary
structure bridging the bucket to the boom. No slacking here
lest a potential decoupling of the lift
superstructure - or its crticial support components - occur in the
future. (Again, if you were brought here by
researching Boom Bucket Truck, and this does not apply directly to
your area of responsibility, express its importance to the correct person in your maintenance or
management group.)
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 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 .
The real insulating
capabilities provided by the fiberglass bucket
itself, although the bucket is not officially
recognized for insulating capability by ANSI
A92.2.
One of the most critical
aspects of the repair is the 100% dependable linkage of the
bucket and the boom.
More Than Boom Bucket Truck: 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 that claims authority 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?
Are any of its people certified by the American
Composites Manufacturing Association as Certified
Composites Technicians?
There are other steps that
should be taken, if one was serious about this potential
problem. A competent selection process for any
supplying repair/restoration vendor of this type should
also cover:
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?
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 Boom Bucket Truck .
Please consult manufacturer specs to determine
applicability.)
Beyond Boom Bucket Truck:
Examples of Specific Component Repair/Rebuild Issues and
How the Repair Company Should Handle Them
Here are some real world situations that occur. They
are instructive because they illustrate the steps a
qualified repair facility would typically undergo. While the situations
they represent may seem a bit one dimensional, by
broadly interpreting them, you can get a grasp of the
best practices of repair that should be applied.
We have seen
all of these situations come into being.
Sometimes You Have
To Look A Bit Deeper
Here we find that a boom
section that connects to the bucket shows up with little or no instruction from the owner except - to do a general check-over and servicing. A
lower end repair shop may do no more than a basic
visual inspection . However,
when the real uses of the component are considered by
a specialist, its clear they have a mandate that would do
more, including the following items:
Communication with - and gaining permission - from
the entity in authority before commencing
repairs.
A thorough cleaning inside and outside, followed by a
visual inspection with instruments that can help to
view into the inner cavity of the boom itself.
Initial dielectric testing to determine unwanted
continuity for any potential grounding that may
otherwise occur because of damage.
Load or stress testing.
Resurfacing and additions of protective coatings.
Final electrical testing.
Documentations and certifications of all tests and
servicing done.
Highly protective packaging to endure shipment.
Here Is A Time When More Care Is Needed From The
Very Beginning,
The right diagnostic
approach:
Remove anything that could potentially get in the way of any type of structural problems or
issues.
Internal and external visual and
sometimes touch inspection.
Check of
manufacturer mandates
concerning remanufacturing.
Determination of
repair suitability per guidelines.
Repair using approved means
.
Stress testing to required standards.
Electrical
testing.
Resurfacing/painting, and related tasks.
Full package documentation and
shipment.
Using An Instructive
Example To Illustrate The Dangers Of Proceeding With
Improper Repair And Returning A Component To Full Field
Use
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. There are
various ways that this main support can be
accomplished. In this case:
The main attachment
was accomplished through threaded rods into the side of the bucket.
From a visual inspection, it was clear
that there were fissures in the actual fiberglass
layering that supported
these mounting rods.
It is apparent that no amount of
reinforcement would make for a safe operating position.
Structural
Issues
While the
owner ultimately makes the call as to repair, they
need good advice. So here is
a piece of advice we gave.
Buckets can be
attached by creating an assembly out of the actual
fiberglass, formed from thick, redundant layers of
resin and the glass strands.
Gaps, damage
or stress lines
can form in these material-based attachment
points.
Under
this scenario, it is pretty difficult to ensure the safety of the person
who is operating the equipment will not be
compromised.
A competent facility would recommend replacement.
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. In most
cases, the latter option is chosen.
3. An
estimate is made first, and then the appropriate repair action should
be taken.
Tags: Boom Bucket Truck
