For decades, McElroy has led the world in fusion innovations and technology within the plastic pipe fusion industry. In the past year, the company has continued its commitment to digital development of its quality assurance tools with several new features to improve user experience.
The DataLogger® 7 captures and records all pertinent data related to each fusion joint, including pressures, the fusion standard being used, and the joint’s GPS coordinates. For many of the most technologically integrated machines in McElroy’s lineup, the DataLogger is the operator interface for the fusion process itself.
Working in tandem with the DataLogger is the Vault™, McElroy’s powerful cloud-based data storage platform. Operators can share reports with supervisors, owners, and inspectors for closer evaluation to ensure each fused joint conforms to industry standards and is ready for service.
For inspectors or pipeline owners, the Vault is a valuable tool for inspection and archival. The Vault allows storage of photos for each fusion joint on a job, allowing for closer inspection and review to ensure a quality joint, every time.
McElroy introduced new Vault notifications that allow operators to take better control of their fusion operations. These notifications, tailored toward exception reporting are sent directly to the user’s Vault dashboard and can be sent to users’ inboxes as well.
An exception report highlights events that deviate from normal or expected results. For example, if the heat soak phase was terminated prematurely, or an incorrect pressure used during the fusion itself, then an exception report would be created.
“Exception reports are invaluable from a quality control standpoint,” said McElroy Digital Strategy Director Chris Zenthoefer. “On our end, we wanted to make sure there was a way to highlight what exactly was done that didn’t line up with accepted best practices, and to make sure that information is delivered quickly to the correct person.”
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