Customer
A global appliance manufacturer of residential clothes dryers.
Application
End-of-line run testing of natural gas and propane fired residential clothes dryers requiring a connector to connect the fuel supply line to either the female thread of a gas regulator or to an extension pipe that projects out of the unit’s cabinet enclosure.
Challenge
The existing test solution required the line operator to manually thread the connectors on prior to running the test, and off after the test was complete. The manual process took a significant amount of time to complete and represented an ergonomic safety hazard to the operator. In addition, the existing solution required the operator to open a fuel supply valve prior to the test, and close it prior to disconnecting the test connector after completing the test. Failure to close the valve after the test posed a serious fire hazard. Finally, the fitting and valve components were made from steel and had the potential for causing a spark that could ignite a fire.
Project Goals
- Reduce connection and disconnection time
- Reduce or eliminate the potential for a fire
- Reduce or eliminate the ergonomic safety hazard
- Common connection solution for both internal female threaded gas regulators and external male threaded pipes
Solution
FasTest worked with the customer to implement FasTest’s GasMate connectors. Designed specifically for run testing of gas fired appliances, the GasMate connectors are sleeve-actuated for quick connection and disconnection, and require no twisting motion to operate. They are made from 100% non-sparking materials and feature an automatic internal shut-off valve to stop the flow of gas when disconnected.
Results
Implementation of GasMate reduced connection/ disconnection time by approximately 1 minute per test. In addition, the improved ergonomics virtually eliminated incidents of carpal tunnel syndrome experienced by the line operators. Finally, the automatic internal shut-off valve significantly improved overall safety by minimizing the risk of fire. The fact that GasMates were available in versions to fit both male and female threads made it possible to implement a safer solution in both applications.
