Modern Tooling Takes Refrigeration Plant Maintenance to the Next Level

Plant maintenance has been totally transformed by modern tooling technology according to Star Refrigeration, the UK’s largest aftercare provider.

Cold Chain Federation member Star Refrigeration is making used of the latest smart engineering technology and modern tooling techniques available in the market to take refrigeration plant maintenance to the next level. The aftercare service offered by the company now goes way beyond traditional planned, preventative maintenance (PPM).

Across their nine UK branches, Star’s aftercare team is able to deliver a more proactive and predictive service, thanks to the modern engineering tools and techniques that are central to today’s plant maintenance programmes. Maintenance engineers provide a highly specialised service to protect each customer’s key business asset, by improving reliability and boosting efficiency to help reduce running costs and maximise the operational life of the plant.

Star Refrigeration Regional Manager – South East, John Simpson, says: “The technology behind modern tooling has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past five years. Leading maintenance companies have invested in sophisticated technology that allows engineers to perform a range of highly valuable diagnostic tests on site.”

“Our team of over100 field engineers are now equipped to undertake services previously deemed specialist, such as vibration analysis, thermographic scanning and laser alignment. High tech electronic gauges and diagnostic devices linked to transducers, sensors and probes, are now an essential feature in our refrigeration engineer’s toolbox.”

High tech modern tools accurately measure and record plant data, transmitting information direct to a smart phone app. Data is immediately sent for off-site analysis, with actions recommended in order to improve plant performance and reliability.

Combined with the development of remote monitoring technology, modern tooling has revolutionised plant maintenance for the benefit of customers and service providers alike. Remote monitoring of plant operation 24/7 enables many issues to be resolved quickly and effectively online, with engineers dialing in to perform a technical adjustment or reset.

John Simpson adds: “Modern tooling techniques enable early diagnosis of potential issues to help minimise plant downtime, whilst remote monitoring ensures minimal disturbance and reduces the need for costly call outs. Together this increases efficiency and generates significant cost savings for customers.”

With the advent of modern tooling, more refrigeration customers are seeing a marked increase in plant reliability and substantial cost savings. Many are reaping the benefits of these once specialist techniques being included within regular maintenance programmes, with fewer site visits, minimal disturbance and less downtime required.

For maintenance providers, modern tooling techniques have improved service delivery in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness, saving engineering time and resources. Technology has advanced to the point that it is highly affordable and simple to employ, allowing engineering companies to deliver the next level of service for customers.

For more information visit https://www.star-ref.co.uk/smart-thinking/modern-tooling-takes-refrigeration-plant-maintenance-to-the-next-level/