S&S Technical Truck & Railcar Loading Solutions
A Series on Design & Best Practices for Loading & Unloading Trucks & Railcars
When the Google search begins for a loading arm, the amount of information that pops up after typing a few words in the search bar can be a bit overwhelming. The results are filled with information from dozens of companies a particular loading arm manufacturer has set up as a distributor to sell their product as well as the manufacturer themselves. This can create confusion as you navigate through the noise of various rep companies and distributors looking to gain your attention with some having limited knowledge of liquid and gas handling and merely having a loading arm on a long list of items they sell. Many factors must be considered when selecting a loading arm such as the technology behind a particular manufacturer’s swivel joints, leak detection, correct seal material selection, vapor recovery, dry break coupler systems, breakaway devices, overfill prevention, pipe stress and nozzle load calculations, ease of maintenance, permissives to shut down loading if there is an issue, drive off prevention, arm heating, cold weather operation, load arm position indicators, welding and testing standards such as API 1104 & ASME B31.4 and ergonomics are but a few and often overlooked or never considered by a distributor. It’s a safe bet that selecting a partner familiar with liquid and gas handling who can take part in your team’s PHA and PSSR is a safe way to ensure you are choosing the best solution for your next loading arm need. A full look into loading arm design will be coming up soon in a future Spotlight.
