Endress+Hauser’s standardised instrument platform for pressure measurement not only helps save costs in production but also in the warehouse. Measurement instruments fitted by plant builders on skids, and other pieces of process equipment, can often overly complicate the field instrument installed base and spare parts supply system. As a result, inventory warehouses contain far too many instruments from too many suppliers. This offers the procurement manager considerable cost-cutting potential, as it costs money to maintain material master data for every storage point and every instrument in storage. The following pressure measuring instrument example clearly illustrates how inventories can be significantly slimmed down by adopting the standardised instrument platform from Endress+Hauser.
Regardless of the measurement parameter, every company is looking to standardise its instruments and keep the number of different types and models to a minimum. Therefore, it makes sense to define a factory standard that specifies uniform process connections, lengths and communication protocols.
Standardised spare parts, such as electronic inserts and display units, make for short repair times. The electronic insert is always the same, regardless of whether you are measuring pressure (Cerabar), hydrostatics (Deltapilot) or differential pressure (Delta bar), or are working in an Ex or SIL environment. Therefore all that is needed are just a few spare electronic units.
If several pressure measuring ranges are required (e.g. 4, 6 or 10 bar), it is advisable to use a HART pressure transmitter with an adjustable measuring range, such as the Cerabar or Deltabar M and S-series. This has the advantage that the ‘turn down’ – the ratio between the nominal value and the set span allows several measuring ranges to be grouped together and selected where needed.
Optimised inventory management
It often does not make sense to keep in storage simple, low-cost pressure transmitters, such as Cerabar T with a fixed measuring range, as several devices in storage and several storage points end up being more expensive than one pressure transmitter with an adjustable measuring range. If a situation arises where a spare transmitter is needed, an instrument can be ordered via e-direct and delivered within 72 hours (from Johannesburg and part of ‘Always in Stock’). The small extra charge for ATEX certificates per transmitter justifies general standardisation with appropriate versions.
It is certainly advisable to invest some time and search through inventory lists. This gives users the opportunity to identify potential cost-cutting measures and consolidate instrument types. Savings per device type can be easily calculated and are absolutely realistic. So it makes sense to analyse the warehouse inventory and optimise it with an instrument platform, such as Endress+Hauser’s Cerabar/Deltabar/Deltapilot, for instance.
One transmitter allows users to ‘turn down’ and serve several measuring ranges, such as 6, 10, 16 and 25 bar.
For more information contact Natlee Chetty, Endress+Hauser, +27 (0)11 262 8000, [email protected], www.za.endress.com
| Tel: | +27 11 262 8000 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
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