Exchanger Cleaning
Safer, Smarter Industrial Cleaning – This Manufacturer’s Motivation towards Automation
Advancements in automation have transformed operational productivity and are helping save the lives of industrial, frontline workers around the world. As asset owners and contractors face demands for increased output with decreased risk and resources, equipment manufacturers, like StoneAge, are responding with automated systems that drastically improve the safety and productivity of industrial cleaning operations.
As a leading industrial equipment manufacturer for over 40 years, the immense risk of manual, hands on cleaning equipment is all too familiar. The demand from asset owners and contractors for safer, more effective cleaning methods has driven manufacturers to integrate tools and equipment with modern technology and connectivity capabilities. At StoneAge, automation is a key priority because we firmly believe that hands free, automated cleaning equipment significantly reduces industrial accidents and saves lives.
Using a hand-held waterjetting gun is extremely dangerous— even for experienced operators who have received adequate training. Coming into contact with the high pressure water or inhaling debris can cause detrimental physical impacts and infections, often leading to serious injury and death. Today, these tragedies can be mitigated by utilizing intelligently engineered automated solutions- which is why it’s our responsibility as a manufacturer to provide the latest, safest technology through hands free automated systems.
As asset owners and contractors collectively explore ways to implement safer cleaning methods, manufacturers have been focused on delivering automated cleaning equipment that can be controlled from safe distance without a line of sight. Confined space entry poses an especially high level of risk; these applications require an individual to physically climb into a constricted area, such as a chamber or tank, to clean chemicals, waste, and other hazardous substances with a hand-held, high pressure waterjetting tool. Automated products significantly reduce the need to perform confined space entry by safely removing operators from the hazardous area and away from any high pressure hoses and guns.
A tractor equipped with Sentinel Automation Technology completed an exchanger cleaning application that normally takes 16 hours
in a mere 4 hours.
In comparison to conventional hands-on methods, automated cleaning equipment provides contractors and operators with reliable variable hose feed rates to ensure a consistent clean even through prolonged high pressure cleaning periods. StoneAge has manufactured automated equipment that cleans multiple heat exchanger tubes simultaneously, complete with intuitive user interfaces and advanced features such as machine learning and performance analysis. For example, a tractor equipped with Sentinel Automation Technology completed an exchanger cleaning application that normally takes 16 hours in a mere 4 hours. The system’s data and analytics enabled thorough, consistent cleaning results with minimal pump downtime during the operation.
This level of efficiency also saves valuable labor and energy resources. Automated systems provide crew managers and asset owners a realistic solution for navigating labor shortages and turnover in roles that have traditionally required extensive training. New operators can be trained how to control an automated system safely and expertly in a short amount of time. This ensures confidence, competence, and consistency throughout an entire crew’s experience with operating the automated cleaning equipment.
As a manufacturer, we are focused on delivering innovative automated solutions that enable ease on the job, and ultimately reduce the potential for injury and death. We’re committed to helping asset owners and contractors become more aware of technologies that can improve their operational efficiency, and ultimately help them return home safely each and every day.
