2009 Bob Griffin (1) Toronto, ONOct. 26 - 28, 2009 A Case Study in Standards Development Interim Report on the ISTA's project on Equipment Stability Safeguards.

2009 Bob Griffin (1)

Toronto, ON Oct. 26 - 28, 2009

A Case Study in Standards Development

Interim Report on the ISTA's project on Equipment Stability Safeguards

Bob Griffin,

IBM Corporation

2009 Bob Griffin (2)Toronto, ON Oct. 26 - 28, 2009

Abstract

• Status of IT industry’s development activities with the ISTA to produce a voluntary industry-wide test procedures and criteria for shipping large IT products on casters or pallets.

Improve the reliability of transportation stability for large IT products

Develop physical safeguards (and test procedures) for Equipment where possible Develop instructional safeguards (documentation, recommended handling practices and the like. )


History

• Background – Damage or replacement costs, risks of injury and

logistics' insurance rates associated with the movement of large high value IT equipment are increasingly important parts of the overall product delivery plan.

– The environment between the long distance Carrier and Installation location is particularly important and is not generally addressed by either the product or the transportation standards

• Product Safety Standards cover “as installed” equipment. For example IEC60950-1.

• Transportation, Shipping and Handling Standards cover the high volume, long distance shipping environment.


History

• Background – Damage or replacement costs, risks of injury and

logistics' insurance rates associated with the movement of large high value IT equipment are increasingly important parts of the overall product delivery plan.

– The environment between the long distance Carrier and Installation location is particularly important and is not generally addressed by either the product or the transportation standards

• Product Safety Standards cover “as installed” equipment. For example IEC60950-1.

• In between? • Transportation, Shipping and Handling

Standards cover the high volume, long distance shipping environment.


Participants


Typical Rack Products


Marketing and Business Trends

• Rack Systems are getting taller and heavier (42U max height is growing to 50U)

• Broad spectrum of pre-configured racks systems completed prior to delivery (Center of Gravity is difficult to determine)

• Third world developing markets (BRIC countries) have less experience and handling equipment typically


Marketing and Business Trends

• Rack Systems are getting taller and heavier (42U max height is growing to 50U)

• Broad spectrum of pre-configured racks systems completed prior to delivery (Center of Gravity is difficult to determine)

• Third world developing markets (BRIC countries) have less experience and handling equipment typically

• The last mile can be very challenging!


And the result


Incident History

• Tip-over incidents continue to occur

– Potential for serious personal injury– Potential for extreme financial loss ($M’s)

• Typical Root Causes:– Handling by inexperienced or untrained

individuals, subcontractors, etc.– Failure to consistently execute known

safer handling practices– Business Partners (clients) not adhering

to product configuration limits– Improper handling equipment, general

carelessness, excessive speed, etc.


Project Scope • GOAL - Improve transportation stability and reliability for

products such as racks and storage systems when shipped, relocated or returned.

– Produce a voluntary industry-wide test procedure and criteria for shipping large individual IT Products on casters, cushioned or regular pallets and or in shipping crates.

Focus on the local movement of equipment to and from truck to installation sites. (Not to include large scale, large volume move environments such as containers, air, sea)


Refrigerator versus the Rack System


What needs to be moved?

• Large individual units that must be moved as a single unit.

– 1m wide, 1.5m deep, 2m tall– Heavy – 2000 kgs– 4 Casters (fixed or swivel)– Unpredictable center of gravity

• Wood or Thermoplastic crates and pallets

– Permit use of mechanical assistance

– Added protection and stability– Added weight and dimension – Unpredictable center of gravity


What needs to be moved?

• Large individual units that must be moved as a single unit.

– 1m wide, 1.5m deep, 2m tall– Heavy – 2000 kgs– 4 Casters (fixed or swivel)– Unpredictable center of gravity

• Wood or Thermoplastic crates and pallets

– Permit use of mechanical assistance

– Added protection and stability– Added weight and dimension – Unpredictable center of gravity

>$1M replacement cost

And

Mission Critical


Over what surface is it moved?

– Supporting Surfaces – Concrete, brick pavers, tile, plywood, raised flooring, diamond plate sheets, carpet

– Flooring Obstructions – Floor gaps (3.8cm negative obstruction) and thresholds, ramp edges, steel plates (2.5cm positive obstruction).

• Dock lifts are of particular interest


Over what surface is it moved?

– Building Ramps – Almost every move involves movement up or down a ramp.

• Frequent use of ramps 4.75 degree ADA compliant ramps

• Some regions report as much as 7.1 degree grades are common.


How is it going to be moved?

– Move Distance • Commonly between 15m and 30m

– Move Speed – Moving in straight lines or around corners• As high as 1 m/sec with lighter equipment (typical walking speed) with

corning at 0.5m/sec on 1m radius. – Moving Equipment - Fork Lifts and pallet jacks are common

• Fork lifts and pallet jacks have typical loaded speeds are related to ASTM D6055 which sets speed limits at 5.5 km/h in straights and 3.5 km/h in turns. Observed speeds have been much higher!

• Special Equipment – Use of strapping equipment or mast stabilization tools may also be available.

– Lift Gates – Lift gates are a special case that pose some difficult challenges for non-palleted equipment.

• Width of lift gate is only slightly larger than equipment caster spacing• Lift Gates mover (flex, tilt) when loaded• Weight ratings• Immobilization of equipment while on the lift gate.

– Weather – Snow, rain, wet surfaces or windy weather can also contribute to instability or accidents


Who is going to move it?

• Warehouse Personnel• Professional Single Unit

Shipping Companies – Deliver via truck from warehouse

to installation site placing product as close to install location as possible.

– Trained to manage this type of equipment

– In some cases, subcontract to local movers (small truck delivery model) to installation site

• Equipment Integrators – Purchase standard equipment,

modify then deliver non-palleted equipment to installation site.

• Riggers – Special class of moving

companies that can assist with unique situations. Trained to understand unique products and challenges. Examples include

• Cranes used to lift equipment to rooftops

• Removal of door frames or provision of special moving equipment


And others


Equipment Safeguards


Caster Safeguards


Development of Requirements • Establish a “typical” worst case move environment combined with

expected movers and equipment to be moved. • Determine where physical (equipment, pallet design) safeguards can

be implemented to meet the expected performance level– Physical Safeguards are used to address probable situations (not all

plausible situations)

• Determine where behavioral (instructions, expected human reaction) safeguards can be implemented to address both the probable and the plausible situations.

– Behavioral safeguards include both • the expected and reasonable actions of a mover with a defined type of

training AND • the awareness of hazards through proper instructions, labels, and

equipment markings.


Development of Requirements • Establish a “typical” worst case move environment combined with

expected movers and equipment to be moved. • Determine where physical (equipment, pallet design) safeguards can

be implemented to meet the expected performance level– Physical Safeguards are used to address probable situations (not all

plausible situations)

• Determine where behavioral (instructions, expected human reaction) safeguards can be implemented to address both the probable and the plausible situations.

– Behavioral safeguards include both • the expected and reasonable actions of a mover with a defined type of

training AND • the awareness of hazards through proper instructions, labels, and

equipment markings.

• Critical Task – Establish the level of equipment performance (equipment safeguards) that can be achieved so that the mover can predict and manage the safe movement (behavioral safeguards) of the equipment to and from the installation site.


Behavioral Safeguard Development

• Behavioral Safeguards – Training – Labels and marking– Instruction or guidance

• The behavioral safeguards being considered for this project include the development and publication of

– A common set of symbols and icons for use on products and shipping materials

– Rack Handling Guide for movers and shipping companies

– Training guidance to ensure these guides and symbols are well understood.


Equipment Safeguard Development (Casters)

• Caster Design (Future work)– Caster impact on solid objects can destroy the caster or impact its ability

to roll or turn freely. – Supporting surfaces can impact the life of the caster under heavy loads

• Proposal – Develop a obstacle course with ramps and impediments that are frequently

found in the environment. – Validate on cabinets and develop a dynamic caster test

• Review and consider opportunities to validate static or materials pre-selection requirements


Equipment Safeguard Development (Stability)

• Model the dynamic stability of Rack system being moved in the defined worst case environment.

– Determine the performance and contributing factors to equipment instability

– Determine critical performance thresholds and analyze data.

• Develop a dynamic performance expectation that can be clearly communicated via

– A test standard for the equipment, and – Handling instructions for the mover.

• Develop a more cost effective and conservative “static tilt stability test” by:

– measuring critical static parameters of equipment that pass, fail and are at the threshold of the expected dynamic test performance expectations, and

– establishing test conditions including a minimum tilt stability angle that will ensure compliance with the dynamic performance expectations.


Next Steps

• Where are we now – Complete

• Environment characterization is complete• Rack Handling Guides and training materials

– http://www.ista.org/pages/resources/RTST.php

– In Process • Develop common symbol and icon use in the environment• Dynamic modeling of rack and cabinet movements in the normal

environments to refine minimum equipment performance expectations

– To be done• Develop and validate test standards and equivalent static tilt test

methods that will ensure compliance with dynamic expectations. • Validate methodology with the user/mover • Finalize development and release of final instructions, labels and

test standards


Questions?

Bob GriffinIBM Corporation

Interim Report on the ITSA's project on Equipment Stability Safeguards

[email protected]

Research Triangle Park, NC

2009 Bob Griffin (1) Toronto, ONOct. 26 - 28, 2009 A Case Study in Standards Development Interim Report on the ISTA's project on Equipment Stability Safeguards.

Documents

handling standards

sea slide

result slide

rack system slide

shipping large individual

installed equipment

large volume

delivery center of gravity