A weights and measures contractor came to us looking for assistance with steel fabrication and installation for a new scale system at the Frank E. VanLare Wastewater Treatment Facility. They needed four steel beams, each of which weighed 800 pounds, installed to the side of an existing storage tank. Underneath each of the beams, Boulter needed to replace and install new load cells to monitor the tank weight, essentially letting the facility know when the tank was full.
While the scale replacement was a complex project involving coordination with the VanLare Facility, the scale manufacturer, Fairbanks Scales, and the contractor overseeing the project, the desired goal was straightforward. VanLare needed a more accurate weighing system for their storage tanks. The challenge was rigging, hoisting, and installing these beams and cells in a tight area, high up off the plant floor, without disrupting the day-to-day facility operations. As a single-source provider of rigging, fabrication, and industrial transportation services, Boulter was brought in because we were able to complete all facets of the project without additional sub-contractors to further complicate the project.
Timing Is Everything
Considering the size of the beams to be installed and the prime facility location where the installation had to take place, VanLare’s biggest concern for the project was potential disruption to their facility operations. Since we would be working in an area directly above where the plant’s tractor-trailer trucks enter and exit the facility throughout the day, we chose a start date when the plant was shut down. This allowed us to get all materials up off the plant floor and into the work area high above the truck entrance without any disruptions to operations.
With all materials successfully in the work area, our ironworkers were able to install new steel beams onto the sides of the existing tank and the new load cells under the beams to monitor the weight of the tank. Our expert personnel were able to complete the job quickly and ultimately deliver what our customer needed a more accurate weighing system.
Success Weighed on Results
With the project started during a plant closure, we were able to get the project moving much faster than anticipated. We were given eight days to install the new beams and load cells. We were able to complete the job in half that time, finishing the whole project in four days, without disrupting plant operations. VanLare was thrilled to have their tank measurement system up and running ahead of schedule and that all project components were completed on budget without facility interruption.