Creative problem-solving and interdisciplinary collaboration resolved coronavirus-related challenges in brake tester calibration.
The coronavirus situation has presented various challenges in society over the past year. When the brake tester manufacturer was unable to send the necessary technical assistance across national borders due to the risk of infection, new solutions had to be considered across different departments at Mantena.
It all began when the ToruPro brake tester fell out of its calibration interval, and there was no way to carry out the necessary calibration at the freight wagon department in Grorud. The challenge was to get the device approved without sending it offsite and without stopping production.
Plans for a permanent system
At the forefront of this particular project was skilled worker and group leader Erling Flage from the freight wagon department. To solve the case, he had to design and weld together an entirely new tool that made it possible to test the device in the workshop. So far, only the device at Grorud has been calibrated in this way, but the plan going forward is to implement a permanent system for the calibration of all ToruPro devices at Mantena, without the calibration manager from the manufacturer needing to visit the workshop.
Different departments involved
Flage praises the interdisciplinary collaboration at Mantena.
– This project is a good example of how we at Mantena think outside the box and solve cases in innovative ways through interdisciplinary collaboration. We can never compromise on safety requirements, no matter what challenges may arise. In this project, we in the freight wagon department collaborated with, among others, Petter Lefoka from the technical department and Einar Johnsrud from the ventilation loft, says Flage.