Product category:
Electrical and Electronic Testing and PAT Equipment
News Release from: Megger | Subject: PAT4 and PowerSuite
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 05 February 2003
Customised operating software simplifies
PAT tests
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer approached Megger to find ways of helping its technicians to deal with the company's enormous portable appliance testing workload.
Greatly improved testing throughput, easier documentation storage and retrieval, and more flexible reporting are among the benefits that pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, is enjoying after approaching Megger to find ways of helping its technicians to deal with the company's enormous portable appliance testing (PAT) workload The first challenge faced by Megger was how to handle the large volume of testing
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 1 Aug 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Pfizer's team of 11 test technicians is required to test, on average, 1000 new items of equipment per month.
This is in addition to the routine retesting needed for existing equipment, and on-demand testing for equipment suspected of being defective.
Megger's second challenge was to accommodate the unique equipment identification system used by Pfizer, which is specifically related to the location in which the equipment is used.
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This system is essential, as Pfizer's rapid growth means that premises are frequently reorganised and expanded, which results in electrical equipment being relocated.
Megger provided a solution based on its PAT4 portable appliance testers, and its PowerSuite PC-based asset management software package.
As Pfizer was already using both of these products in their standard formats, this approach meant that best use could be made of the company's existing investment in test equipment.
The key to reducing Pfizer's test workload was Megger's flexibility in offering fast and cost-effective customisation of the PAT4 operating software, and of the PowerSuite package.
"It's refreshing to find a test equipment supplier that is willing to customise its products", said John Slater of Pfizer.
"All too often, it's a case of 'this is what our products do, take it or leave it'.
Pfizer has special requirements, and standard products just don't provide an effective solution, but Megger's willingness to develop a unique solution to our problem was undoubtedly the key to success".
The most important of Megger's software modifications allows the equipment to operate in a special "unassigned client mode" which means that test results can be recorded without specifying where the equipment under test will be used.
In addition, special reports were developed, and existing test data was converted so that it could be integrated with the new system.
Lifetime test reports can, therefore, be produced for equipment, without the inconvenience of having to use two separate reporting systems.
Megger provided comprehensive on-site training at Pfizer for all of the test technicians, and will continue to provide direct support via its software support service.
The new system has now been in operation at Pfizer's Sandwich site for three months. Request a free brochure from Megger ...
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