New Test Bay Facility

By Jason Webb, P.Eng.

Kraus has always tested each dispenser manufactured for safety, function, and accuracy before it leaves their facility. Kraus also rigorously tests the general reliability of all new Dispenser product lines. As dispenser production and product line innovation have both increased over the last several years, so too has the necessary testing work. Fortunately for the hard-working Testing personnel at Kraus, things have just gotten a lot less crowded in the dispenser testing schedule. Kraus Global is proud to announce an increase to its Dispenser Test Bay capacity with the addition of a new Test Bay. The new Test Bay area design was managed by Manny Mandilaras, with installation supervised by Kent Nagorski, during the spring and summer of 2009. The Test Bay became officially operational on June 1.

The new Test Bay facility is over 800 ft^2 (75 M^2). This is more than double the size of the original dispenser Test Bay, which remains in operation for additional capacity. The new Test Bay has three independent test cells, which can be configured for any required test, and a large common area. The new Test Bay also has high ceilings and a large overhead door to allow easy access to the newly expanded floor area. The room features a blow-out door, a pneumatically actuated louver ventilation system, 3-bank gas storage connections, a gas detector, and fully explosion proof electrical systems.

The new Test Bay has been a great help for the entire Production group. Three new test cells allow multiple dispensers to be tested for leaks at the same time, consolidating a time-consuming process. This parallel testing capability eliminates potential bottlenecks and allows greater flexibility for the Production Scheduling team. The larger entrance to the test bay also enables taller dispenser cabinets to be pulled in while still on their assembly carts, further reducing the total time required to get a dispenser through the testing process.

The facility has also greatly expedited the work of the Product Development and Design teams. Extra test cells have allowed test dispensers to remain set-up between tests, significantly reducing the number of set-ups and tear downs required. In addition, the expanded facility has made it easy for the team integrating the Kraus Hydrogen dispenser into the Gilbarco Encore-S cabinet line to work with the large cabinet.

In past years, it was a tight squeeze to ensure the Test Bay was able to meet the testing schedules of both the Production team (for immediate customer requirements) and the Product Development team (for long-term customer requirements). Now, thanks to the new Test Bay facility, scheduling Dispenser product testing has never been easier.