While everyone wants to reduce project lead time, designing a heat tracing system can be overwhelming. Adding control panels on top of that can complicate matters and potentially delay projects even further if they are not delivered on time. Let’s explore how simplifying panel and skid design can help reduce overall lead time during project kick off.
What Makes Up an Electric Heat Tracing System?
An electric heat tracing system is comprised of three main sections:
- Heat tracing cable
- Connection kits, temperature sensors and other components
- Controllers
Controllers play an important role in the entire heat tracing system by acting as the “eyes and ears,” providing control and monitoring to help improve process control to improve yields. It also provides data to review for trend analysis and predictive maintenance.
Choosing the Right Control System for Your Project
There are many things to consider when choosing a control system. You need to understand what type of environment it will operate in (hazardous, non-hazardous), technical specifications such type of voltages, operating temperature, communications protocols, and more. All these are key elements in building a control panel that takes time for production.
When ordering a control panel, it typically ends up being customized, and one slight change could affect the production timeline of the panel. The production schedule usually involves creation and reviewing of IFA drawings, ordering the materials once those drawings are approved and parts are identified, assembly lead time and QA testing. This process does take time.
How Can Flex Panels Reduce Project Lead Times?
Here’s where the nVent RAYCHEM FLEX Series come in, to simplify panel and skid design to help reduce project lead times.
The FLEX Series takes advantage of standard components including Hazardous area C1Z2 circuit breakers, Type 4X stainless steel enclosures, hazardous rated transformers and steel skids for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas. The FLEX series panels and skids make the design and procurement process simple and easy.
Some Key Features Include:
- Standardized designs and components reduce lead times
- Uses internal encapsulated breakers for hazardous applications, eliminating the requirement for separate explosion proof panelboards or Z-Purge Systems
- Panel can be pre-wired to a transformer and skid mounted, drastically reducing construction time in the field
- Panels of up to 20 circuits can also be wall mounted, minimizing installed footprint
If you have a project that requires heat tracing control panels and time is of the essence, consider the nVent RAYCHEM Flex Series. It could be the right solution that will help reduce your project lead times.
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