Temperature Mapping is a critical procedure in highly regulated industries where the product is subject to strict storage controls. BONNER carry out Temperature Mapping services in order to safeguard your stock and keep your business compliant.
As we begin the Temperature Mapping process with a client, we ask: “What are your expected outcomes from this study? And why are you carrying out the process?” This gives us an understanding out what the expectations are, and allows us to make sure the outcomes meet their needs and requirements.
Sometimes, there can be issues highlighted during a Temperature Mapping exercise – some of these issues have simple explanations and fixes that clients can work on to improve results for the next mapping process.
What causes Temperature Mapping issues during a mapping exercise for clients?
Most of the problems arising from a Temperature Mapping Study are caused by human interference, and the inability to follow or miss procedures.
The most common problem is opening doors that lead to an exterior environment and not completing a Door Log Entry Log. If this simple record is completed, we are able to reference the event and rule it out as an ongoing risk. Clear communication and signage with staff, contractors and visitors will help to reduce these issues.
Clients should carry out a comprehensive risk assessment looking at possible exterior and interior issues that may affect temperature change prior to a study, and also take into account the season. Such risks should be eliminated where possible, and clearly documented and assessed.
It’s the unknown elements that clients should be looking out for – those once in a million occurrences that normally only ever seem to happen during a Temperature Mapping Exercise! They key to any process is documentation – record everything and gain as much evidence as possible in all reports.
Something else we like to emphasise during a mapping is for the client to relax! Clients can become stressed and hyper-aware while a Temperature Mapping exercise is taking place, but our advice is to continue to run your manufacturing, logistics or distribution services as normal. Again, document everything, the study is supposed to reflect a normal working environment.
Why do we perform Door Opening, Power Failure and Ambient Loading Tests during Temperature Mapping Studies?
To give an example of how this process is utilised:
You have upgraded, built or redesigned, a Standard Cold Room Enclosure (+2.0°C-+8.0°C). You have then gone to the time and effort to perform a complete Temperature Mapping Exercise, which will provide a wide range of data for determining optimum storage locations, maximum/minimum and average temperatures, and further information about the performance of your systems, (normally 2 chillers per system) – but we need to remember this is while the door is closed and under test conditions of a normal working operation.
But what happens when the door opens? How does this affect the system? How does human interaction affect the system?
By performing a number of tests during the temperature mapping process, we can answer these questions and work on ways to improve operations and eliminate errors that could be costly.
A Door Opening Test will determine how open doors have an effect on the system and will also measure how long it takes the system to return to its setpoint once the door is closed again. This is based on real time measurements and not predicted data.
An Ambient Loading Test, will show how bringing items from an ambient environment, to a chiller environment (in the instance of this example) will affect the system
A simulated Power Failure Test shows how long the room can hold its thermal integrity, while providing the client details of potentially how long the installation will have in the event of complete failure. We can subsequently measure recovery time for temperatures to return to normal.
The data provided by Temperature Mapping and inclusive tests can help with planning, emergency procedures, loading requirements and system integrity. All of these processes can be continually created and monitored, alongside Temperature Mapping Exercises that are recommended to be performed twice per year.
Contact us to arrange Temperature Mapping and Environment Monitoring within your facility. We’ll be happy to talk through your requirements and any questions you may have.