SCIMA Service and Support
A successful and safe operation of gas analyzers for process monitoring require services concerning the design, commissioning, training, maintenance and repair. In most cases the user cannot acquire and maintain the necessary qualifications for these tasks, in particular when considering the regulatory requirements. SCIMA provides these services with experienced personnel and a comprehensive supply of spare parts.
SCIMA provides comprehensive consulting for solutions for your process monitoring application already in the design phase. Following a precise survey of the requirements of the application we suggest a solution which meets these requirements optimally and cost-effectively. Our experience of more than 20 years helps us to suggest proven analyzer systems that actually work in the field and under the demanding requirements of process monitoring.
SCIMA is represented in standardization panels and expert committees for LEL monitoring and can use this expertise to assist you to conform to the current regulations and requirements.
The commissioning of a gas analyzers is an important requirement for the correct and long-term operation of the analyzer. It includes much more than just switching the analzer on and calibrating it. The preparation of the commissiong already requires a detailed knowledge of the application and the function of the analyzer within the whole system. The optimal configuration and calibration settings of the analyzer must be discussed and agreed upon with the user. The functional testing of the analyzer itself includes also an inspection of the installation, a test of the peripheral devices and the alarm processing.
A briefing of the operating personnel on the function and the operation of the analyzer is also part of the commissiong.
A training of the operating and maintenacne personnel for the operation and maintenance of the analyzers is a prerequisite for an effective and preventative maintenance of the optimal analyzer function. A training usually consists of a theoretical and a practical part and is preferably performed on-site in the users’s plant. This has the advantage that the particular analyzer system and the installation on-site can be addressed in the training.
Process gas analyzers require regular maintenance, especially of those parts that come into contact with the process gas. The intervals for the service depends very much on the type of application, the type of analyzer and the properties of the process gas.
Usually it makes sense that the simpler maintenance tasks (e.g. automatic calibrations, changing filters, …) is performed by the user (of course, after a training of the service personnel). The interval for the preventative service can be chosen based on experience with similar applications or by analyzing analyzer performance after some time of operation. Central data acquisition and recording of events and analyzer diagnostic data in operator panels with SCADA functions can be instrumental for the determination of optimal service intervals, thus helping to minimize maintenance costs and analyzer downtime.
Yearly analyzer service includes more advanced service routines and functional checks than a simple preventative service. Especially for analyzers which form part of a safety instrumented system, such as the PrevEx FTA or AcuPro IR analyzers, regulators usually require a yearly functional test by competent persons. Because these tests require extensive knowledge of standards and experience with the analyzer we recommend that these tests be performed by SCIMA personnel. Our field service engineers have the necessary training, experience and tools for these tasks. This helps users to optimize their analyzer performance and also to conform to regulatory requirements.
We support our customers concerning all questions and problems regarding the analyzers, via telephone and all modern communication options. Complex diagnostic procedures or remote diagnostics via the Internet are also part of our services. An effective diagnosis of problems can help to avoid expensive service visits by our field service engineers.
A defect analyzer should be repaired by SCIMA technicians who have the necessary competence and experience. The repair is best performed on site since in any case the analyzer must be re-installed and re-commissioned after the repair. In some cases, e.g. when the necessary repair is too extensive or when the conditions on site do not allow the repair to be performed, it is better to send the analyzer back to SCIMA for a full analysis, repair and functional checkup.
A detailed and informative description of the observed failure and the failure conditions is a necessary basis for any efficient diagnosis of the underlying problem and the subsequent repair. If SCIMA has performed regular service on the analyzer then we will already have valuable application and installation information, as well as historical analyzer data.
We recommend that a set of consumable and spare parts be stocked on site. This ensures that parts are available on site in case of routine maintenance or repairs. Ask SCIMA for a suggestion of wear-and-tear parts to stock which match your application and analyzer type.
SCIMA maintains an extensive stock of spare parts to ensure that parts can be made available quickly, especially for those analyzers whose proper function is essential to the process.