Frequently Asked Questions

Question:  I own a service company that has been doing business for years without this equipment. We are doing all right. Why do I need it now? Answer:  For some of your customers you don’t. However, many of your customers are taking a hard look at their plants and processes trying to maintain their quality and competitiveness in difficult markets. Others are carefully examining their plants for safe operation.  These customers will soon ask you to demonstrate the quality of your work. Will you be able to?

Question:  Ok, so I test my valves. How do I know when they are operating properly? Answer: BenchMark is an industrial tool. It is designed to test and gather data efficiently and allow your technicians to determine quickly whether the valve meets yours and/or your customer’s standards. Individual Pass / Fail comparisons can be made on all engineering parameters. Our effective and practical approach to diagnostics training helps you quickly and accurately diagnose control valve problems.

Question:  Do I need external Control Valve Diagnostics?  My control valves are equipped with Smart Positioners and I have an Asset Manager?  Does the Smart Positioner eliminate the need for external valve diagnostics testing? Answer: The function of critical process components must be verified to meet modern reliability engineering and industrial maintenance best practices. Consider the following: 1. Valve Positioner is Part of System Being Tested 2. Smart Positioner is not a calibrated, traceable device. Its accuracy, resolution and sensitivity are unknown 3. Positioner is Aging and Exposed to Harsh Environment and Functional Wear and Tear 4. On-line Diagnostics are Limited.  Comprehensive Diagnostics are Only Available Off-line 5. Control Element Motion Not Really Measured 6. Linkage Play, Wear and Deadband Cannot Be Determined by Smart Positioner 7. Input Signal Delays Cannot be Determined 8. Auto-Setup Requires Verification 9. Auto-Tuning Require Verification  

Question:  I’m not a computer expert and I can’t afford to hire one.  Can my valve technicians really learn this? Answer: This is a no-nonsense industrial tool and has been designed for the real world.  It has been designed for operators of all computer skill levels and we support it with a full program of training and support.  You’ll find it really is easy to learn and easy to use.

Question:  I work in Maintenance. Our budget is always shrinking and we are constantly pressed to reduce expenses. Why would I want to spend our limited resources on this tool? Answer: There are several good reasons. First, by using an  Incoming Performance Inspection program, many of the valve problems will never enter your plant. Second, you will be able to identify control valve problems faster and implement solutions sooner without trial and error and the resulting delay and expense. Thirdly, if you test your valves on receipt from your vendors and then prior to overhaul on outage, you will be able to evaluate whether your outage interval is sound.

Question:  Is the testing time consuming? Answer: The Baseline test itself requires about 3-4 minutes on average. From start to finish, setup and testing requires typically 15 to 30 minutes (See test videos). Obviously, setup time varies depending on whether the testing is taking place in the shop or the field and whether the repair, adjustment or tuning takes place at the same time. Shop testing can be optimized by fixturing to minimize time impact to production. Connection to the valve is most efficient by using quick connect fittings at the positioner gauge ports and with the use of our new L6 Transducer Mount Kit. 

Question:  We have lots of test data from another valve diagnostics system. Is it compatible with BenchMark? Answer: We know that your data represents a significant investment to your company and its lack of portability can lock you into a particular vendor’s technology. This limits your ability to stay current and can be frustrating. With specifics, we can help you assess your situation and im most cases can economically convert your data to the BenchMark format. By the way, BenchMark data are stored in public formats and can be easily exported to them most interchangeable formats used by all modern information systems.

Question:  Can BenchMark test valves with digital positioners? Answer: Yes, BenchMark can communicate with HART, Foundation Fieldbus and Profibus networks.  Our policy is to always use properly licensed communication modems in the creation of digital and HART networks.