Owens Corning pushes for better insulation education

The 22 000 ft² training facility is located near some of the Gulf Coast’s largest energy sites and showcases insulation’s capacity to conserve energy, contribute to process efficiency, and support jobsite safety. According to Brandon Stambaugh, Director of Technical Services, Technical Insulation at Owens Corning, the Pasadena training centre is part of a holistic approach to delivering education to customers and industry professionals through the learning channels that best meet their needs. “Our approach extends beyond material science to help customers analyse energy usage, support safe applications and make informed decisions that contribute to process efficiency,” he said. “Whether a customer wants insulation education delivered at our facility, at their location or through digital learning, Owens Corning is committed to delivering training relevant to customers’ needs and situations.”

Technical insulation at Owens Corning facilities

The Pasadena training facility can deliver in-person or digitally integrated training. The space is equipped with large- and small-diameter pipes, spheres and ducts, along with many industrial and mechanical assets that require insulation to operate properly in the field. A material science area demonstrates how the performance properties of an insulating material – such as its permeability, compressive strength and thermal conductivity – help support performance in the field. Onsite capabilities make it possible to simulate and demonstrate challenges such as vapor drive, cryogenic temperatures or exposure to chemicals over time.

Beyond providing training on cellular glass, extruded polystyrene (XPS), fibre glass and mineral wool insulating materials, the centre also delivers education on designing and installing the overall insulating system, including use of adhesives, sealants, jacketing and more. “In industrial applications, various components, such as vapor barriers, jacketing, sealants and adhesives, work as a system to support processes,” commented Stambaugh. “This facility demonstrates how the composition of different insulating materials works with accessories and expert installation to support a high performing insulating system in the field.”

Onsite fabrication facilities support material assembly that mimics jobsite conditions. “By doing the application together in our training centre, an engineer can learn how fabrication techniques may help to lower the installed cost of different insulating materials in a process application,” said Bill Tolliver, Product Technical Manager, Pipe and Insulation at Owens Corning. He noted that the facility is equipped to conduct time and motion studies, as well as various simulations, so that insulating systems can be cost-effectively vetted before they are installed in real-world applications.

Learning at the customer site

Hands-on training can also be conducted at the customer site. “Installing a cryogenic vapor stop on a pipe or applying a vapor retarder jacketing system might seem pretty straightforward when you read about it, but when engineers actually do the hands-on work, they have a better appreciation for how much skill is required to do the job right in an actual install,” added Bobby Ferrell, Technical Services Engineer at Owens Corning.

Digital learning

Digital resources including e-books, specification guides and project profiles from around the globe deliver on demand information to help inform insulating decisions. A newly updated website focused on mechanical and industrial insulation delves into industrial applications involving piping equipment, tanks, vessels, spheres, ovens, boilers, furnaces and other industrial infrastructure.

Owens Corning’s focus on training comes at a time when many engineers are retiring from the industry and new entrants have often received little information on the role insulating systems play in industrial processes. “As specifying engineers, installers and inspectors retire, we have a responsibility to help prepare the next generation of workers,” said Ferrell. “Customers need people with the expertise to specify, install and maintain insulating systems designed to stand up to the extreme conditions involved in industrial processes.”

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/21082024/owens-corning-pushes-for-better-insulation-education/