Minimizing Downtime in Automotive Paint Ovens

The Challenge…

DOWNTIME - that unexpected failure that shuts the assembly line down cold. The event where your accountant becomes a timekeeper just to remind you, in case you didn’t know, of how much money you’re losing. In your plant, there are many critical process heating systems whose failure will shut down a production line, or even worst, the whole facility. These systems operate reliably for years, until some random 10:47 PM breakdown creates an unwelcomed emergency. When this happens, you ask yourself…

· Could I have anticipated this potential breakdown and replaced the faulty part before the crisis occurred?

· Do I have qualified people standing by, who are trained on the system and can quickly complete repairs, or am I left scrambling to get a qualified service person to respond? 

· Do I have the correct parts on hand, or will I have to move heaven and earth to get the part from a warehouse in another state?

· Is the system designed to be repaired or do we have to dismantle half the fuel train because of a lack of unions?

An Answer…

You can deploy new systems that are more reliable, easier to repair and that will self-diagnose many problems before a major shutdown occurs.  Discovery, Diagnostics and Repair (DDRtm) is a family of standards and software intended to minimize combustion system failures, anticipate a failure before a system shutdown when possible and always provide the minimum time for repair. How is this accomplished?

· It all starts with the fundamentals; deploying control hardware designed and built to be compliant with the standards you define (NFPA 85, 86 EN 746.2, etc.), systems that support your process requirements such as turn down, accuracy and consistency, and finally, selecting components that perform reliably.

· By performing a procedure derived from Predictive Component Failure Analysis – We develop logic tables describing the effect of various failure modes of critical (and likely to fail) components. From these logic tables – online (control system based) and offline (manual inspections and measurements) procedures are defined and programmed into the DDRtm system. The value of the approach is only maximized when we leverage your experience with our own. Finally, the repair steps are defined and programmed.

Each component is also analyzed for Mean Time for Replacement or Repair. This analysis dictates how / where a component is mounted on a system, the availability of unions, electrical connections, etc. Within reasonable (economical) constraints, the Mean Time for Replacement / Repair is minimized.

· In the end, you achieve superior reliability when you embed advanced controls with the logic necessary to Discover and Diagnose potential failures so they can be Repaired before an outage occurs. Our DDRtm not only diagnoses problems, but immediately communicates the component ID, the nature of the failure or future failure, and the proposed corrective action to operations and maintenance people. 

Why You should select Combustion Innovations as your partner…

Our philosophy is simple- repairs should be anticipated when possible, and all systems must be designed to be repaired. Systems are returned to service most rapidly when your maintenance personnel are provided with a clear description of what needs to be done, how to do it and have access to the necessary parts to complete the repair.

We can certainly provide service people to come to your facility, but this should be the exception, not the rule.

Examples…

How does this work in the real world?

Example 1 In conventional systems, a first out annunciator would indicate a Low Gas Pressure Switch has tripped, shutting off the burner and the oven. Your system employing DDRtm would first of all measure the performance of the switch at every startup and alert maintenance if there was a determined chance of failure. If a switch failed without warning, our system would not only identify the fault, but provide maintenance instructions as to the part number of the switch that failed, where to find it in consigned inventory and provide illustrated, pictures or videos, of the repair procedure. The ultimate goal is to empower a competent mechanic with everything he or she needs to affect a repair as fast as possible.

Example 2  A typical direct fire system has numerous pre-ignition purge permissive components – components that collectively indicate no fuel flow and adequate air flow is present to purge any combustibles from the system prior to ignition. In most designs, these components are monitored only when the burner is not operating, yet their functions are critical the next time the burner is ignited. Your system employing DDRtm monitors these components continuously and provides the heads up needed to correct problems so the next system start goes smoothly. In some cases, the components can be repaired on the fly.

Example 3  Typically, the intensity of the signal from a flame rod or UV scanner is used for a go / no go indication only. In general, the system works well, until it doesn’t. A detected failure can be as a result of an actual loss of flame, or it can be the result of a dirty flame rod, or an excessively rich flame resulting from a sticking regulator, or it can be a breakdown of the UV scanner. Each failure has a different cause and requires a different repair, however, in the conventional system the indication of failure is the same. When you deploy a DDRtm compliant system, the intensity of the flame signal is monitored and alerts the operator and/or maintenance person of the problem before the system trips. Diagnostic / Remedial steps are recommended to your staff through an interface using text, embedded photos or videos. They might include the instructions to remove and clean the flame rod before the next system startup, observe the flame to see if it is excessively yellow / orange, or perhaps the next step might be to measure the pressure of fuel and air delivered to the burner, etc. The objective of DDRtm is to Empower your on-site personnel – to provide a competent maintenance person the information they need to make the repair, even without specific training on the system. 

Sleep Soundly Tonight… We will walk with you to Reduce the Risk of Crippling Failures and minimize the time to complete repairs when one occurs. Call or see us at (260) 918-6777

Combustion Innovations, Inc.

4422 Airport Expressway

Fort Wayne, IN 46809

(260) 478-1000