Like most high-functioning, long-term constructions, mezzanine systems need occasional maintenance. Whether that’s scheduled cleanings or just keeping an eye out for wear and tear, you can establish a routine focused on useful maintenance and inspection procedures.
If you’ve recently installed a KABTech-designed mezzanine system, look to us for expert assistance in maintaining its structure, balance, and overall functionality. We’re here to answer any questions and make sure that you have the tools you need to keep business flowing.
Our modular warehouse installations are designed to fill space where it may not be possible otherwise. Using a durable combination of high-quality steel and your unique vision, we build custom mezzanine systems with extensive durability and strength. This way, you won’t have to stop business to create more office space and improve safety.
So, how do mezzanine systems work? How do they shape thriving businesses for the better?
Read on to learn more about how to keep a mezzanine system in full working order with maintenance and routine inspection.
How Do Mezzanine Systems Work?
The goal in designing and installing a high-functioning office addition like a mezzanine system is to custom-fit it to each facility’s needs. From the space it will go into to the platform it will be used, you need to make sure that you’re choosing the right platform for your industry, current space, and production schedule.
Once installed, mezzanine systems play an integral part in your facility’s daily operations. So, how are they created? What are they made of? Here’s a quick breakdown of what goes into constructing an operations-read mezzanine system:
- Mezzanine Design: The first step in building your custom office solution. Work with a KABTech expert to pinpoint which areas of your business need industrial improvement and we’ll craft a personalized design complete with steel columns for maximum durability.
- Mezzanine Platforms: Platforms, constructed from that same high-quality steel, close the gap between your facility’s ground floor and the additional, vertical space available above. Even if your facility is compact, there are ways to put down a platform without touching the ceiling.
- Mezzanine Systems: With both a custom design and a new platform to install, it’s time to put the entire mezzanine system to work. Our experts effectively install each column with its accompanying beams and deck to form a ready-for-action multi-purpose office addition.
Curious about how to get started with your own? Contact us at KABTech to discuss your options.
Multi-Industry Applications
With so many ways to improve workflow, it makes sense that a wide variety of industries would benefit from a mezzanine platform or a full system. It’s not just warehouses that need the help of an elevated workspace to get the job done. Retail companies, processing plants, and other businesses that have a warehouse-style layout can use them too.
Here are a few common industries that work with a utilize KABTech for improved productivity:
Retail Stores
For retail stores, top-tier organization is pivotal for a smooth customer experience. Mezzanine additions, when implemented in line with a retail store’s unique business goals, could be the optimal space for storing new merchandise or reorganizing current stock in a way that benefits everyone.
Warehouses
Warehouses are at times overwhelmed by the fast pace of production and the demand for more space. This is why a durable mezzanine warehouse addition is an essential space-building piece in any well-operating facility. Where additional corner or floor-level space can’t go, mezzanine platforms provide it with half the amount of money, effort, and time.
Processing Plants
Processing isn’t a one-person job. It takes coordination between floor-level workers and management to get the job done right. Processing plants benefit from installing a full-service mezzanine system with a modular office installation because it allows supervisors to monitor or oversee the flow of production, pinpointing places where the process could be improved.
How will you improve your business with one of our state-of-the-art mezzanine systems?
What Does It Take to Maintain an Industrial Mezzanine?
Industrial additions are made up of many durable, long-term additions. Even with such high durability, parts can fall below standards, making what was once a favorable addition something you dread taking care of.
When this happens, refer to KABTech’s maintenance and inspection guide for a step-by-step look at how to inspect and maintain your facility’s mezzanine additions (platform, foundation, and overall working system):
Regular Inspections
Start by establishing an inspection routine that works for your facility. No need to go by the routines or actions of others when your custom mezzanine addition was designed to match your industry standard. If you find that your facility follows a universal structure, begin by conducting a comprehensive look at the system.
Have your facility manager ask comprehensive inspection questions like:
- Are foundational elements like beams or supports fastened correctly?
- Have these foundational pieces taken on any widespread damage?
- Has age impacted the durability of the system as a whole?
Piece by Piece Maintenance
If you find that the wear your system has taken on is impacting the speed at which your business is flowing, it’s time to take action. You’ll want to tighten your scope and move on to inspecting pieces in detail.
Whether it’s a single column or a floor that’s impacting the facility, you need to pinpoint the cause. This is where piece by piece maintenance becomes imperative.
While there are many pieces that fuel and stabilize a high-yield mezzanine platform, here are a few commonly damaged pieces that require frequent inspection and, in some cases, widespread maintenance:
Flooring + Decking
So many steps will naturally cause warping, cupping, or cracks in mezzanine flooring. It’s not something you can necessarily avoid with the right precautions, so expect to inspect floors for potential pitfalls on a regular basis. You can, however, remind workers that these platforms are built for long-term use, so they might tread lightly.
Additionally, floor panels can begin to pull up or fall out of place entirely, requiring immediate repair or replacement by our KABTech team.
Support Beams + Columns
Beams, columns, and other support pieces are the sole parts of a mezzanine system that employ durability. As a facility manager, it’s your responsibility to verify that these parts haven’t internalized foot, processing, or labor damage.
If beams start to collapse or columns lose their staying power, you could experience an uneven distribution of power. A great and easy way to prevent this type of damage is simple visual inspection.
Then, repair the broken beams (if you have enough space, power, and time to do so). For those with much to do and little time to do it, lean on KABTech’s experts to rebuild your system’s essential parts.
Connections
Much like support, mezzanines thrive on strong connections. Connections for an industrial mezzanine system include electrical and mechanical pieces like modular bolts and easily-integratable connective equipment. Talk to us about your facility’s unique electrical and or output needs, as these can impact the way each connection is installed.
Connections, when left untouched, can stockpile unwanted vulnerabilities like corrosion, deformation, or dents. Because connections involve both electrical and foundational securities, it’s two times as concerning to not locate and remediate any issues. Continually conduct visual and electrical inspections to minimize wear and unsafe conditions.
Testing
Another essential step in the larger inspection process is testing. Once you’ve identified the cause of damage, contact KABTech. We’re happy to walk you through the repair and or rebuilding process we follow and get it done quickly. Then, our experts will conduct a separate testing process in which we verify that the previously damaged pieces or foundation have been reformed successfully.
A few uniform tests we conduct in the case of damage include:
- Structural Testing
- Capacity Assessments
- Material Lifts
Inspecting a Warehouse System with KABTech
Once your business is finished conducting piece by piece inspections, look at the facility as a whole. Think back to weeks past, considering odd things such as any noises or lulls in production that you can’t attribute to operator error. These could be telltale signs of foundational, support, or whole-system failure.
Since 1985, KABTech has been designing high-quality mezzanine offices for businesses that want to reach greater business heights without complete renovation. Don’t compromise on quality for speed, convenience, and a low-cost installation.
Inspect and maintain your working mezzanine system (if you already have one installed) with our industry knowledge and keep building upon your thriving business’s preexisting success.
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