FLO’s advertising and marketing specialist, Gabriel Lopez explains: “At an asphalt plant, a truck drives beneath the silo and the asphalt is dropped into the truck physique, which is then trucked to the place the paving crew is laying down the asphalt. The silo has a door or “gate” on the backside, which has to have the ability to open and shut repeatedly because the plant fills the vehicles. The hinges or bearings on these gates have to be correctly lubricated, as a result of a caught gate might be catastrophic.”

“If it will get caught closed, you will have a truck beneath that can’t get materials to move over to the asphalt crew and all the things stops. Even worse, if the gate will get caught open, it can empty your entire silo of highly regarded asphalt into the truck (overfilling), onto the bottom and usually even onto the size. The truck has probably pulled away. Hopefully no person has gotten damage, however you might be left with quite a lot of clean-up and potential environmental and questions of safety, and once more, all paving stops.”  

There are critical prices and main downtime related to a caught silo gate. “If it is occurred to you, you’ve got felt that ache.” In keeping with Lopez, the prices incurred if a bit of paving gear breaks down on the job and forcing the crew laying down the asphalt to cease manufacturing, is over $2,500 per minute. A caught gate would equally shut down that lay down crew, incurring the identical prices or extra if repairs and clean-up are required.

At the moment on many silos, the factors needing grease are “remote-lined” out to the aspect of the gate, based on Lopez. “It isn’t only a case of strolling as much as a grease level and hooking up a grease gun,” he says. Vans have to have the ability to get beneath the gate, so these factors are usually 20′ within the air – a person raise, ladder or one thing else to raise the employee is required to grease these factors. This results in potential security dangers, use of harnesses and different security measures and rental of lifts. Moreover, greasing by way of distant traces cannot be performed throughout manufacturing, so it is both earlier than or after, doubtlessly inflicting employee additional time.

FLO’s resolution is to make use of an Automated Lubrication System to lubricate the 4 details of the gate. The ALS is a self-contained grease lubrication system that usually will get mounted on one of many assist constructions or I-beams of the silo. It’s a totally monitored system, with a grease reservoir and 120V pump at floor degree, a single provide line operating as much as a distribution valve mounted beneath the silo, and heat-resistant feed traces operating to the bearing factors. Operation of the ALS is tied into the beginning of manufacturing and is programmed to run on timed (adjustable) intervals. The pump comes on periodically and a small measured quantity of grease is shipped into the person bearing factors, whereas the silo is working.