Experience has demonstrated that the most likely point of
failure in any FRP ducting system is the joints made by the installing
contractor. The SMACNA FRP duct Construction Manual recommends that “properly
trained personnel be used for field work”. Southwest Fiberglass, LLC’s field
technicians provide hands on training and instruction in field joining
procedures as well as FRP quality control procedures, material handling and
safety.
Southwest Fiberglass, LLC’s field technicians are competent, capable Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) trained FRP specialists with confined space training.
Our field technicians are available 24/7 for emergency
repairs.
A partial list of our field service clients includes:
- Freeport-McMoran Sierrita
- Freeport McMoran Morenci
- Freeport McMoran Miami
- Chevron Mountain Pass
- Ina Road WTP
- Roger Road WTP
- Leprino Foods
Each field technician is a Company Certified Laminator and Secondary Bonder with practical hands-on experience inspecting existing FRP equipment as well as retrofitting, modifying, repairing, or relining existing fiberglass reinforced plastic structures. All repairs are made in accordance with the applicable sections of industry standards such as RTP-1, ASTM D-4097, D-3299, and/or D-3982. The applicable quality standard is ASTM D-2563.
Our field technicians make field wraps; install manways and flanged nozzle connections, repair cracks and other shipping/handling related damage, and reline and re-gelcoat existing equipment to prolong the service life of existing FRP ducts, hoods, tanks and scrubbers.
The expected service life of properly designed and fabricated fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) equipment operated in accordance with its design parameters is essentially indeterminate with service lives exceeding 20 years commonplace. However, there are two key steps that the end user should follow to assure the continued serviceability of their FRP equipment.
The first requirement is to schedule regularly scheduled inspections of the equipment, especially the internal corrosion barrier. The second is to reline and/or re-gelcoat as required. Inspections and refurbishing of existing equipment will extend the service life of FRP equipment and result in less expense than that associated with changing out and replacing existing equipment.