Old car stacker in need of routine maintenance
A body corporate with a 30-year-old fully automatic car stacker contacted Optipark about the regular breakdowns they were experiencing with their car stacker. Cars were frequently being stuck in the stacker and stacker users were complaining. The stacker was being serviced occasionally by a tradesman, who was not addressing the wear-and-tear on key stacker components.
Optipark was engaged to commence a program of preventative maintenance, which included systematically replacing end-of-life parts, testing key components and building-up a store of critical spare parts. As this program progressed, breakdowns became much less frequent resulting in a significant improvement in the experience of stacker users.
Luxury apartment owners benefitting from 24/7 callout service
The owners of a high-end residential building were concerned that stacker breakdowns may leave them unable to retrieve their vehicles when they were needed most. The stacker operated at a high tempo with a large number of vehicle movements occurring in the morning and evening peaks. However, residents were also concerned about vehicle access on weekends.
The owners’ corporation engaged Optipark to provide a rapid 24/7 response service to breakdowns whenever they occurred alongside a program of routine maintenance. As a result, breakdowns has been kept to a minimum and the users benefit from high levels of stacker availability.
Computer failure fixed by Optipark
The computer system operating a car stacker failed, leaving the stacker inoperable with several vehicles stuck inside.
The owners engaged the Optipark team to bring the stacker back online, which was done using our in-house diagnostic control computer software packages and software trouble-shooting skills. The car stacker is now operational and is regularly maintained by Optipark. As part of this service, Optipark arranges for routine back-ups of control software to be taken to guard against future issues.
Software and electrical problems overcome
Nearby construction work caused a power outage which wiped the control software of a fully-automatic stacker when the backup battery failed, leaving the stacker inoperable. The owners did not have a backup of the software and had no electrical schematic drawings.
The owners contacted Optipark for help, and the Optipark team rewrote the control software code using the existing control computer and connected electrical equipment. The car stacker remains in operation today using control software rewritten by Optipark.
Training delivered to staff and users to increase safety and reduce breakdowns
The owner of a third-party stacker was frustrated by breakdowns caused by user error and engaged Optipark to increase the capabilities of staff and stacker users. Optipark designed and delivered a comprehensive training course with training manuals to building security, property management staff and stacker users.
Optipark trained the users in the safe, efficient use of the stacker while the building security and property management staff were trained to apply the initial steps in fault-finding stacker problems. This meant that basic stacker faults could be rectified remotely, reducing the need for on-site callouts. The result of this training was a safer system with higher uptime and lower running costs overall.
Obsolete components replaced with the help of Optipark
The owners of a large, aging fully-automated car stacker were unable to obtain spare parts for the motor drive power electronics subsystem, which was obsolete by 20 years. The risk was increasing that a critical failure in this subsystem would mean that the entire stacker would need to be replaced at considerable cost. The Optipark team was engaged to help the owners review their options, and a solution was developed collaboratively that met the needs of the owners.
With the support of the owners, the Optipark team designed, procured and installed a modern replacement drive system and interfaced it to the existing control computer, including modifying the control software. The old stacker communications network was upgraded to digital at the same time to improve system resilience and future upgrade flexibility. This repair and upgrade project was undertaken with minimal disruption to the everyday use of the stacker and the risk of a critical failure was mitigated.