Radar-based technology recommended in insurance industry guidelines
FM Global, a leading multi-national commercial insurance company, updated data sheet 7-26, loss prevention guidelines for the glass industry, in July 2020.
These updated guidelines include radar-based technology among a list of minimum activities recommended for an asset integrity programme, found in section 2.5.13-D. PaneraTech reports that SmartMelter is currently the only technology that provides inspections that meet this action.
FM Global publishes exacting standards in the form of loss prevention data sheets for multiple industries to help manufacturers reduce property loss.
According to the insurance company’s website, these proven engineering guidelines are written and updated based on industry experience and outside input from sources such as manufacturers and standards committees.
The purpose of the data sheets is to reduce risk and help make businesses more resilient.
The FM Global Loss Prevention Data Sheet for the Glass Industry provides specific recommendations to supplement its general guidelines. Section 2.5 outlines standards for loss prevention in operations and maintenance.
The details of implementing an asset integrity program are listed in sub-section 13: ‘At a minimum, include the following maintenance, operating and remaining life assessment activities in the programme… (D) Consider employing emergency technologies to help assess refractory health. Radar-based technologies have been employed successfully for several years to monitor for thinning and/or glass penetration.’ To download data sheet 7-26, visit fmglobal.com.
SmartMelter by PaneraTech is a patented radar-based technology for monitoring glass penetration and residual refractory thickness.
This technology has been validated in multiple blind trials and used widely across the glass industry since its release in 2017. The company recently surpassed 500,000 measurements and more than 300 furnace inspections.