| The Importance of Support Performance & Inspection
The term "Pipe Support" may be applied to a basic structural shape utilized to suspend or support a segment of piping.
On the other end of the spectrum, the term may be used to describe a complex assembly involving the use of springs, levers, and a number of precise components. Depending upon the load and temperature of the suspended equipment, the support can have a significant impact on the overall safe and continued reliability of the equipment.
Where effective and meaningful maintenance or inspection programs are absent, the propensity for failures tend to increase dramatically. Thus, piping reliability can also be compromised by improper pipe support performance.
At the same time, recognizing the concerns over costs, OST Services has developed a practical approach to confirm the integrity and performance of pipe support systems or to outline the need for repairs, adjustments, or general servicing.
In general, the approach involves regular inspections supplemented by specific programs directed at components or areas subject to failure. In addition to ensuring the short-term performance of the support system, this approach also allows the development of budgeted funds to address long-term or chronic problems.
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