Different industries have various hazardous locations in warehouses and workspaces. The reasons could be chemicals that release flammable gasses or vapors. Paint fumes and vapor protection are also important. That’s why having scales and intrinsically safe electrical equipment can improve quality control, compliance, and safety.
How To Keep Employees Safe In A Hazardous Environment, Especially With Paint Or Electrical Equipment
The finish on the outside of a vehicle is very important. For one, it’s a key factor in fostering a memorable first impression for prospective buyers, so the color must be aesthetically pleasing.
In addition to providing the look and shine of a premium car, the coating also supports corrosion resistance for the life of the vehicle. Such material can provide sun protection and increase protection from roadside debris. These attributes make it vital for the paint to remain consistent from batch to batch.
As with any large manufacturing operation, there is constant monitoring of productivity, quality, and efficiency with paint installation. The amount of material used must be quantified for operational purposes, to determine when it must be replenished, and to assess the overall performance of the process.
Utilizing SAW Technology In High-Precision Applications
Unfortunately, for this specific manufacturing process, operational effectiveness isn’t the only thing at risk. Paints and solvents, and the fumes they produce, can be flammable, explosive, or otherwise hazardous. They can contribute to explosive atmospheres, which risk workplace injury.
Therefore, the materials must be used efficiently, and the user must be carefully monitored. Furthermore, any equipment used in the production of automotive paint must be properly rated for those environments.
Fortunately, for our Client, that needn’t be a concern. In collaboration with Arlyn Scales, they were able to determine the perfect solution for their specific industrial concerns.
Client Overview: Manufacturer of Premium Electric Vehicles
One of the world’s largest manufacturers of premium electric vehicles uses factories located all over the world to produce its products. This meant that it was critical for their supply chain to be properly outfitted to calculate weight with exceptional accuracy, maximal consistency, and intrinsic safety.
The Problem: Reliability Between Minute Weight Readings
As you can imagine, the manufacturing process for a passenger car is very complex. It includes welding the frames, installing the seats, assembling the door handles, and everything in between.
A Necessity For Intrinsically Safe Painting Equipment
Similarly, the automotive painting process must be exceptionally well controlled. Because paint must be manufactured in production quantities, the colors must remain consistent, even if various panels were painted at different times and in different facilities. That way they meet quality control regulations.
To summarize, the Client needed industrial scales that are:
- Extremely Precise
- Super Sensitive
- Abundant in Capacity
- Capable of Exporting Weight Data
- Suitable for Hazardous or Classified Environments
The Solution: Intrinsically Safe Scales With Ultra Precision
To address their specific needs, this electric car manufacturer opted for the Model S1000-XL, the largest of our Intrinsically Safe Ultra Precision Scales. Using the proprietary Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) transducer, these scales are over 10-times more accurate than any other scale in their price range.
The products in this line offer many of the same, great benefits as our Ultra Precision Scales, but this particular customer needed scales that utilize very large load cells to accommodate heavier loads. They’re also very rugged, making them ideal for use in high-speed production lines, and painting areas with exposure to flammable materials and fumes.
In fact, this line of scales is rated as ‘Intrinsically Safe’ for use in a wide range of hazardous environments. This means that they may be safely used in many manufacturing applications that require specific safety classifications.
The client chose our Intrinsically Safe Scale because of the Arlyn S1000-XL. This scale has the following features:
- Boasts a capacity of 1000 lb to easily accept heavy painting equipment and paint tanks;
- Measures ultra-low weight increments of just 0.01 lb — or 1/100 of an lb)!
- That is a factor of 1:100,000 of full scale.
- This resolution is 20x higher than most industrial strain gauge weighing scales!
- Can be equipped with a Zener Safety Barrier.
- This allows the weight data to be communicated out of the hazardous area.
- A module in the safe area can accept this data and forward it to other systems within the manufacturing facility.
- The amount of paint remaining can be monitored, and replenished as needed.
- By using Arlyn’s AxChange software, it can even make the data available on the cloud!
Conclusion: Implement Proven Solutions For Improved Productivity In Hazardous Locations
The production of battery-powered electric vehicles presents a myriad of challenges, but Arlyn’s Ultra Precision Scales provide new and important tools for the automotive paint industry. The best solution to this manufacturer’s specific needs was an industrial weighing platform that could accurately formulate and dispense automotive finishes in hazardous production locations.
You may note that our incredibly accurate scales weren’t the only resource made available to this Client. The first steps they made toward optimizing their infrastructure came when they decided to reach out for assistance from those in the industry.
Find Intrinsically Safe Equipment At Arlyn Scales
When it comes to weighing equipment for hazardous areas, Arlyn Scales has you covered. Find explosion-proof devices for hazardous locations, and protect employees and paint fumes. Get access to our many systems that reduce unwanted ignition.You’ll find more than just products at Arlyn Scales. Here, you’ll find a diverse team of passionate people who get excited about sharing their knowledge with other professionals. If your operations require incredible precision in hazardous environments, then it may be time to consider an upgrade. For more information about our Intrinsically Safe Scale line, reach out to our team today. We can provide enough energy and safety to ensure safety by example in any hazardous area.
