For example, one PaneraTech customer was able to avoid the error of a costly repair that would have been based on visual inspection alone. During a furnace audit, the auditor found glass oozing at sidewall block joints and bottom block joints. He also found cracking in the sidewall insulation. Many glass manufacturers would decide to overcoat the furnace based on those observations.
PaneraTech’s Asset Manager analyzed all the data collected from visual, thermal, and SmartMelter® inspections together to verify the initial conclusions. Anomalies were observed at two specific blocks. However, no wear was observed in the insulation on the SmartMelter® report. This showed the glass penetration was from the joint of the sidewall block only, and there was no need to overcoat. The customer could continue with some additional cooling instead of immediate overcoat.
This detailed report gave confidence to the customer to follow the recommended action plan and avoid spending money on an unnecessary action that would reduce the life of the furnace campaign.
