Arlington, Texas – When Trinity Sling customers think of the Gangline™ flow iron restraint system for pressure pumping and hydraulic fracturing, many don’t think about the process that differentiates the system from competitors and ensures that the system restrains the 1502 flow line or other pipe as it was intended: the recertification process.

Recertification takes place daily at our Arlington, Texas headquarters. The process is a necessary part of Gangline™ system rental or ownership, making sure the pipe restraint system performs to manufacturer specifications. Recertification, a necessary process, is a quick turnaround for customers, for Trinity Sling employees understand that those slings that we receive for recertification are needed for a job to continue. Our employees move the Gangline™ components we receive through the thorough recertification process and out the door as quickly as possible.

What is recertification? Recertification is an annual process in which we at Trinity Sling examine the Gangline™ (or other Trinity Sling-manufactured) components for damage that has occurred since the prior year’s examination/certification. We also test the strength of the sling or other device in a pull test to ensure it still performs to the listed specifications for that device as noted on its tag. In the image above, Carlos Bernal, our Shop Foreman, is recertifying the Gangline™ using InfoChip® technology. New Gangline™ slings are created with an InfoChip®, an RFID chip embedded in the sling to facilitate easy testing and recertification. Listed below is the process that Carlos or other trained employees go through annually either to recertify or initially inspect and certify a Gangline™ sling.

First, we begin the testing and recertification process for a Gangline™ component sent to us by a customer for recertification. We scan the sling with a Bluetooth scanner, and the individual sling’s information pops up on the screen. In this case, the sling Carlos is testing is the yellow 7/8” HD short sling pictured on the testing device.

Once this sling’s information pops up onscreen, our employees edit and verify the information in the InfoChip® system, comparing it to what we see on the sling tag.  We pull test all slings to make sure they pass our manufacturers’ specifications.

Once the sling passes the pull test, then it is sent to our nylon department, where it is retagged with a new recertification tag that lists the current date and expiration one year hence. If it fails, the employee marks that the sling failed the test, the sling is retired from service immediately, and the customer is notified of the failure by one of our sales team.

All slings are tested before they are recertified and shipped. Once testing is complete, we pass/fail the sling, upload the Passing slings’ recertification papers (Certificates of Test) to InfoChip® for each serial number, and ship them back to the customer. Typically, depending on demand, our turnaround time for pull-test and recertification is a couple of days in the shop plus time spent in transit. Our trained employees recertify numerous slings each day.

The testing process is equally rigorous for newly-manufactured Gangline™ system components. Trinity Sling’s Gangline™ department manufactures Gangline™ system components (slings) daily in our facility. We make slings in several sizes, including RD (1/2”), HD (7/8”), and XD (1 1/8”). We also manufacture slings in several lengths: short, long, and extra-long.

All new slings are inspected and certified, receiving certificates of conformity once they complete the certification process. They are shipped according to customer need and are listed in the InfoChip® system by serial number, just as the recertified ones are.

The chains on the floor at the bottom of the picture (above) are customers’ property that has been sent in for recertification, as well.  This recertification process is conducted via InfoChip® Bluetooth scan and verification against existing data, as well.  Each Trinity-tagged, individually-identifiable chain is visually inspected by our employees. The employee notes the length, size, and grade of the chain, comparing the information in the system to what he sees on the chain itself. Chains are brought annually by customers or sooner if there is an immediate failure, a break, or bent hardware. We repair and replace the non-working item(s), pull test each leg to two times the working load limit for that chain, and return the chain to the customer.

Pull test and certification information is always available for new or recertified tagged Gangline™ restraint system slings, chains, or other equipment manufactured by Trinity Sling. Customers can log in on our website to see by serial number the usage location, performance on the test, upcoming due dates for recertification, ownership, and our manufacturer’s information.

We receive slings via freight from Canada, national US customers, and drive-up customers. No order is too small or too large for us to handle. The Gangline™ restraint system is frequently recertified for temporary pipe in fracking or pressure pumping performance. The Gangline™ restraint system helps make sure customers get the job done smoothly and on time. For more information about renting, purchasing, or recertifying Gangline™ restraints, contact 855-471-5482 or visit www.thegangline.com for more information.