A client from Singapore implemented RLS test on about 76,000 steel poles. Not only had RLS saved them millions of dollars, RLS had ensured that safety were not compromised. Here is the brief summary of the project.
Planted steel pole tested:
76,068 poles
Safety aspect:
Dangerously corroded poles identified= 370 poles (recommendation: immediate removal)
Rapid corroding poles identified = 19,421 poles (recommendation: retest at shorter interval)
Cost Saving aspect:
Instead of replacing poles older than 20 years (5,851 nos.), only 86 nos. needed actual replacement. The rest could continue its service life with routine retest interval with RLS.
Replacement cost (>20 yrs) = 5851 x S$2000 = S$11,702,000
Actual Replacement (>20 yrs) = 86 x S$2000 = S$172,000
Cost saving for client = S$11,530,000
The above was just the saving from the unnecessary replacement of aged assets, however, there was another tangible cost saving from the fact that many poles deemed corroded through visual inspection previously was not necessary to be replaced after quantification by RLS. It amounted to approximately another S$10 Millions.
All the above should compel asset owners to seriously consider adopting RLS corrosion detection.
