Wednesday, June 12, 2019

What Is A Custom Maintenance Inspection Window?

Electrical maintenance is extraordinarily hazardous in the workplace.  Hundreds of electrical workers are killed or injured annually due to an arc flash, arc blast or by electrocution while performing maintenance tasks.  New safety regulations have been published to minimize the risk of injury or death in the workplace.  Companies are purchasing new equipment and replacement panels to comply with the new regulations from NFPA 70E (2018 Edition).  However, your company has switchgear that varies in both size and shapes.  You are wondering if Electrical Maintenance Safety Devices such as maintenance inspection windows or replacement panels with installed windows are available in different sizes and shapes?  The good news is YES!

Time based electrical inspections are being replaced with Condition Based Maintenance Programs whereby energized electrical assets are inspected in a safer closed and guarded condition. These procedures are made possible by the utilization of electrical maintenance inspection windows which safeguard the maintenance team while collecting critical inspection data.  Maintenance inspection windows are available in routine shapes such as round, square and rectangular and in standard sizes such as 2”, 3”, 4”, 6”, 12”, 18” or 24”.  However, for an IR camera to measure accurate temperatures, the IR camera must physically “see” the target.  One manufacturer has developed innovative technology that enables any size or any shape maintenance inspection window to be produced allowing more targets to be visibly “seen” by the IR camera.  Plus, these inspection windows can provide infrared only or a combination of infrared and ultrasound testing capabilities!

                                                              IRISS 3D Scanning Capabilities Put to Work At Aerospace Manufacturer to Create Custom Solutions

IRISS offers many types of custom maintenance inspection windows.  Let’s review the options that are available that make previously “un-inspectable” assets “inspectable”:

• Any Size Window
• Any Shape Window
• Any Size Replacement Panel with Window(s)
• Any Shape Replacement Panel with Window(s)
• Infrared Windows only or a combination of infrared and ultrasound window testing capabilities
• Color Matching to existing equipment is available

IRISS has an extensive library of custom panel designs for many common OEM equipment configurations including switchboards, panelboards, transformers, load centers and switchgear.  If not part of our library, IRISS can create a prototype based on OEM drawings, site measurements or 3D scanning.  Our advanced manufacturing operation team can create prototype custom windows or panels of any size or shape quickly.   IRISS is the only manufacturer of custom maintenance windows or replacement panels incorporating maintenance inspection windows that are UL Listed, another key benefit ensuring your peace of mind.

To learn more about our capability to manufacture custom inspection windows or custom replacement panels, please contact us at info@IRISS.com.

Conclusion:

Maintenance inspection windows or panels are now available in custom sizes, shapes and colors to meet your needs for electrical asset inspections.  These custom products make previously “un-inspectable” assets “inspectable” enabling your company to achieve compliance with recently published safety regulations.  Custom maintenance inspection windows play a critical role in Condition Based Maintenance models.