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Between Blogs

E-Commerce & NDT

IR is always seeking out the best ways to do business with you, and our e-commerce website is one of those ways.  Because of that we are always on the lookout for businesses who have been successful in e-commerce, so that we can discover ways to enhance what we do.  I recently came across an article on an on-line company named Brandless that is growing at a phenomenal rate.

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Brian’s Blog

Perception verses Reality in China

Several years ago I wrote an essay that was entitled Perception verses Reality. In that essay I discussed the CNSC’s problem of what was really true and what the world perceived as true. Governments and their respective agencies, or in this case our regulatory commission, tend to have to deal with their mandates in ways that not only satisfy  the truth of the problem but also the perception of the propaganda they have developed or has been developed by others.

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Warranty, Installation, Repair and Calibration (WIRC) Shop

I thought we should send out a short note about what’s going on at IR’s WIRC Shop lately. It’s been nothing short of crazy. We have ramped up our commitment to you, our clients, to service just about everything we sell and many things we don’t sell.  This includes competitor’s equipment and other NDT products that may not be part of our regular inventory.

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Iranian nuclear deal gets Trumped! But why now?

Trump has had several opportunities to back out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, (JCPOA), or the Iran nuclear deal, so why now? One theory is that American and Iranian interests, are no longer aligned since ISIS has been all but defeated. Iran wants to have influence in Syria, and has already solidified a presence in Lebanon.  It wants to continue to expand its influence into Iraq. Iran is in a position where it could become the dominant force in the Middle East, re-establishing the Persian Empire.  That would not be in the best interest of America or most of its allies.

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Between Blogs

At IR we often supply advice, (advice is always free at IR by the way), when there is a problem in the field with equipment or in cases where source retrievals are necessary. Luckily source retrievals are few and far between, but when they do happen it is usually a time consuming and stressful occurrence. Cable driven exposure devices have a lot less problems than the air activated devices that I was use to using just a decade and a bit ago. Air cameras, as we called them, were susceptible to stuck sources, mostly from too sharp a bend in the head hose (guide tube), and at times they could challenge your abilities to make them behave. For all their good points they were more problematic than today’s crank cameras but I find that retrievals were less difficult to deal with overall and this is strictly because when a cable driven exposure device won’t co-operate it is usually something fairly significant.

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Brian’s Blog

Is Change Coming, Again?

It has been some time since I sat down and mused on the macroeconomics of our planet. The reasons for this are many and I will go through some of them at the end of this letter but as we are seeing some major changes around the world that are and will have dramatic effect on our lives, so too have we seen great changes at IR. Perhaps not so dramatic as Xi’s consolidation of power in China or Donald Trumps suspected affair with a porn star, but we hope they will make an impact on the experiences you have at IR and in a good way.

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QSA Service Bulletin: Excessive Wear

We recently received a Service Bulletin from QSA Global regarding the Cobalt-60.  Specifically the bulletin advises users about the potential for excessive wear to the source assembly due to improper maintenance.  Please take the time to read this bulletin for specifics along with recommended preventative actions.

Read the bulletin here: Service Bulletin – QSA Dec 2017

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What You Need To Know About WD40

WD40: The Facts

From time to time our WIRC Shop sees equipment that has been lubricated with WD40. WD40, when exposed to large doses of radiation, turns into varnish. Those of you who remember the Pneumat-A-Ray devices may also remember that the transformation of WD40 to a hard varnish was discovered back then. Sources and guide tubes were becoming coated with the stuff and it was causing a lot of problems.

It is also not approved for any exposure device equipment that I am aware of, and should never be used with Sentinel exposure devices or related equipment.

WD40 Is NOT A Lubricant

WD40 is a solvent and rust dissolver. The name WD stands for “water displacement.” Any lubricating properties you may get comes from it dissolving the dried lubricants already present, along with any other foreign materials. Using WD40 creates a cycle of dissolving dirt and grime with some remaining lubricant, just to have it reform over time as more is added. When equipment gets dirty it needs to be cleaned properly and lubricated.

WD40 may get equipment working again but it is a dangerous, quick and temporary fix that will damage equipment and cause excessive wear over time.

Equipment that is not working freely needs to be removed from service for maintenance with approved cleaning and lubricating products only. We operate in some of the toughest conditions on earth, I understand that. But that only means controls and exposure devices need more maintenance than what is recommended by the manufacturer. We recommend, at a minimum, that every time you change your source you should perform a complete maintenance on both the device and the controls and guide tubes. It has been proven time and time again that manufacturers recommended maintenance is usually not enough and lead to premature wear of S-tubes and drive cables.

Contact us if you have questions about proper maintenance or upkeep.

— Brian

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QSA Service Bulletin: Source & Pigtail Connectors

IR was recently sent a bulletin by QSA Global. It describes the unusual wear of the source and pigtail connectors from using non-OEM equipment. Though we have not seen any competitor’s equipment in a long time, it is our policy to share this information with our clients as soon as we hear of it. It is, however, a good example of what can happen if equipment is not monitored properly and parts begin to wear.

IR is the only QSA/Sentinel authorized repair and distribution center in Western Canada. We are current on all the latest requirements and updates as a result. We urge you to contact us if you have any equipment questions at any time.

Read the bulletin here: Service Bulletin – QSA June 2016