Special protection required in explosion hazardous production environments
The Dutch company SMART Asset Integrity Solutions helps customers all over the world to design safe and efficient process flows at their plants. To do this, the company offers a range of services for monitoring, testing and documenting the safety of their complex industrial systems. These inspections often take place in hazardous areas and test reports are required to document compliance with applicable safety regulations and to make statements about maintenance and possible replacement of the assets. As demand for these services has continued to grow, SMART AIS has now digitized its processes. Capestone, who is a distributor of i.safe MOBILE and provides solutions for 4G/5G mobile Internet, IoT networks and critical communications, therefore recommended SMART AIS to use ATEX-certified tablets from i.safe MOBILE. Due to their performance, robustness and special features, these are particularly suitable for use in potentially explosive industrial environments.
A big challenge: digitization in the testing area
Until recently, SMART AIS used Excel files and handwritten records to plan inspection and maintenance work and to create inspection reports. As this was very time-consuming, it was difficult for the company to continue to grow and meet the increasing demand for inspection services. For this reason, as well as to increase competitiveness, SMART AIS decided to renew and digitize their processes. The result was a time saving of 30% and an increase in inspection quality as well as better support for the customers.
Digitization successfully implemented
In order to digitize process flows and reduce paper, SMART AIS developed its own app: the Smart Asset Care Application - SACA.
Wall thickness measurements of pipelines or vessels in industry or on offshore locations can be carried out with this for testing purposes. These usually take place in locations with a potential gas and/or dust concentration, which is why the use of tablets that meet these special requirements is necessary. ATEX certification of the devices is therefore essential, which is why Capestone, as a specialist in the distribution of robust and explosion-proof ATEX devices and applications, decided to use i.safe MOBILE tablets. These tablets are specially adapted to the high safety requirements, so that no sparks can occur, and explosions are avoided. Decisive requirements for SMART AIS were also the screen size, the operating system and the price of the device. "Based on our needs and requirements, Capestone's ATEX Sales Engineer Patrick Eijsackers recommended the i.safe IS930.2 - a robust 8" tablet that is very powerful and offers many technical advantages, such as an 8,400mAh battery and an Android 9 operating system," said Martijn van 't Wout, Business Unit Manager at SMART AIS.
Focus on a holistic solution
During the inspection, the inspector records the results directly via the newly designed SACA app on the i.safe MOBILE tablet. For example, the condition regarding corrosion and insulation is checked. Wall thickness measurements are also carried out at predefined places where defects have occurred during the visual inspection. When the measurement is complete, the app automatically checks whether the value is within the standard. This ensures that the measurements are reproducible, which is a legal requirement. This documentation and the updated data are thus used to create a pipeline inspection report (LIR). A status document is then created together with the customer, which serves as proof of compliance with laws and regulations. With the explosion-proof i.safe MOBILE tablet and the web-based application, a total solution is thus available for the management and the traceability of inspections on customer assets and the compliance with valid safety regulations is ensured.
"Due to the short communication channels and the professional way of working during the entire project, the cooperation with Capestone was very pleasant", explains Martijn van`t Wout and also Jan Rieks Zonderman, Vice President Sales at i.safe MOBILE, emphasizes the special nature of this project: "We are also pleased that the project was implemented so successfully and that our solution partner Capestone was able to advise SMART AIS well and present a suitable system solution with our product, the IS930.2. There will certainly be further points of contact and successful project implementations in the future."
