Report for Permali Ltd.
S F Bush
Summary
As part of a contract (finalised 5th May 1977) to supply a complete factory, Britannia (Cheltenham) Ltd undertook to provide a number of tanks, pumps and lines for storing and conveying liquid polyester resins to the compounding section of the factory. Some weeks after handover on 10th February 1978 the system blocked at various points with gelled resin. Approximately a year was spent in finding a way out of the problem, using the hardware installed under the contract.
The investigation reported below seeks to determine (a) whether the detailed design and installation executed by Britannia or its subcontractor (How) could be judged to be faulty, (b) whether the remedial actions proposed by Britannia (or subcontractor How) and steps subsequently taken have left the system in a usable state long-term, (c) what further measures, if any, could properly be demanded of Britannia to fulfil their original contract.
The broad conclusions of this report are that the detailed design and installation by the contractor were sufficiently faulty to precipitate the problems experienced, and that subject to certain safeguards and relatively minor changes, the system as found can be operated on a long-term basis.
Report to BTR Permali Ltd.
S F Bush
Summary
As part of a contract (finalised 5th May 1977) to supply a complete factory, Britannia (Cheltenham) Ltd undertook to provide a number of tanks, pumps and lines for storing and conveying liquid polyester resins to the compounding section of the factory. Some weeks after handover on 10th February 1978 the system blocked at various points with gelled resin. Approximately a year was spent in finding a way out of the problem, using the hardware installed under the contract.
The investigation reported below has been carried out in order to assess (a) whether the general principles of the design as conveyed by Permali or its Agents (PE Consultants Ltd) to Britannia were entirely appropriate to the duty Permali had in mind, (b) whether the detailed design and installation executed by Britannia or its subcontractor (How) were faulty judged against (a), and (c) whether the remedial actions proposed by Britannia and steps subsequently taken have left the system in a useable state long-term.
The broad conclusions of this report are that the general principles of the system design were in some respects unsatisfactory, in particular lacking a clear-cut definition of what it was supposed to achieve, the detailed design and installation by the contractor was sufficiently faulty to precipitate the problems experienced, and that subject to safeguards the system as present found can be operated on a long-term basis.
