Diaphragm seal repairs have just gotten a lot more convenient with a drop box outside WIKA USA’s Houston office, conveniently located near the Houston Ship Channel.

Diaphragm seals are a must for protecting sensitive pressure instruments from high vibration, pulsation, corrosive and viscous media, and extreme temperatures. And by acting as a barrier between the medium and the pressure gauge, diaphragm seals (DS) and DS systems also prevent contamination in sanitary processes, especially when a facility uses an integrated diaphragm monitoring system (DMS).

But like all mechanical components, DS systems experience wear and tear with use, and over time do not work as well as when they were new. However, there is no need to buy a new assembly when this inevitably occurs. Repairing an aging or nonoperational unit is a smart move that saves companies significant time and money.

Why repair a worn diaphragm seal?

There are many reasons for opting to repair a diaphragm seal rather than buying a new unit.

1.     Supply chain disruptions

With worker shortages and other lingering effects of the pandemic, the supply chain for many products is struggling to return to pre-COVID norms. Manufacturing has been especially hard hit, leading to significant delays – as long as eight weeks – for new process transmitter assemblies. Individual replacement parts – diaphragm seals, capillary lines, flanges, lowers, flushing ports, etc. – are easier to source. WIKA USA has all these components on hand, even diaphragm seals made of exotic alloys and precious metals like gold.

2.     Lower cost

It is naturally less expensive to replace a worn or broken part rather than buying a new pressure transmitter system, especially when the other components still have years of life left in them. On average, a DS repair saves users at least 50% of the cost compared to buying a new unit.

3.     Environmental sustainability

We have seen instances where customers have thrown away non-functioning DS units, not realizing how easily they are to repair. Reusing perfectly good process transmitters and other components save not only money, but helps reduce a company’s carbon footprint.

4.     Convenience

The Diaphragm Seal Division of WIKA USA is located near the Port of Houston. Rather than sending it out of state or to another country, a customer in the oil and gas, chemical, or petrochemical industry could simply ship or drop off the DS assembly in northeast Pasadena, right off Highway 225, or call us for a pickup.

5.     Short turnaround time

Depending on the scope of the job, WIKA USA can repair a DS unit in 24 hours to five days for an expedited request. Standard repairs are quoted at 10 business days.

Drop Boxes: Making Diaphragm Seal Repairs Even Easier

We have recently added a drop box outside our Houston office, allowing for after-hours, no-contact dropoffs. The process is convenient and simple:

  1. Put the defective unit in a box or bag.
  2. At the drop box, located on the north end of the building, scan the QR code and fill out a short online decontamination form. After submitting the form, you’ll receive an acknowledgment email from the field services team.
  3. The next business day, we thoroughly evaluate the unit, then make the necessary repairs and replacements.
  4. We recalibrate the repaired unit and check the process transmitter.
  5. Once the repair is complete, the customer has several options, depending on how badly the unit is needed:
    • We can ship or hot shot it back to the client.
    • We can hand deliver it.
    • The customer can pick it up.

We have also begun installing drop boxes in customers’ warehouses at no extra cost. To request a pickup, simply call our Diaphragm Seal Division or fill out a decontamination form, and a WIKA USA employee will drive out to your location. The coverage area for this service includes the greater Houston area and Port Arthur.

WIKA USA, a Trusted Partner for Diaphragm Seal Repairs

We have been repairing diaphragm seal assemblies for more than two decades, first as RJ Global and then as WIKA USA Diaphragm Seal Division. We work on thousands of units per year, including an average of 8–10 rush orders per month. Diaphragm seals are all we do. As such, we have become a national and global leader in this niche specialty.

See this page for more information, and feel free to contact us with any questions you have about our DS Repair Service.

 


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