THE VAN RACKING SPECIALISTS
Racking in a Daily used for chemical testing
The photos shown here demonstrate how, with the right racking, a van can even serve as a well-equipped and efficient mobile science lab. In this particular case, the customer is a multi-utility company that manages a water mains network and plans to use this vehicle to carry out chemical and physical tests on water samples taken from points around the network.
Everything you need to convert a Daily into a mobile laboratory
To carry out proper tests on water samples without having to take them back to base, you need a vehicle that satisfies all the following requirements. It must:
- Be easy to clean and keep tidy
- Be well-lit and ventilated
- Be independent of mains power
- Have work benches and running water
- Have plenty of containers for the orderly and separate storage of accessories, sundries and equipment of all kinds.
Complete linings for the Daily
How can you make the van’s interior easier to clean? Simple! Just fit proper bodywork liners on the doors and walls and a good floor liner. This creates flat, even surfaces that are easy to wipe down. It also protects your van’s original bodywork against dents and scratches, greatly extending its useful lifetime. In the case illustrated here, the floor and bulkhead are covered with plywood panels with a marble-look finish, while the side walls and rear doors are protected by steel panelling.
Special equipment for a travelling laboratory: a workbench and sink
A large workbench with a marble-look top, complete with a raised rear edge, is installed along the Daily’s right side wall. Alongside it is a sink kit, a special accessory mounted in a double-door cabinet. Using a pump and two water cans, the system simulates the functioning of a normal, fixed sink. The tap and pump provide clean, running water from a can inside the cabinet while the sink collects waste water in a second can. Work on the bench is further facilitated by the presence of an LED ceiling light fitted to the underside of a cabinet of tilting transparent containers. A series of metal drawers stores all the equipment needed where it is immediately to hand.
The left side wall: another work station and plenty of storage compartments
Since two technicians may need to work inside the van at the same time, and since electrical equipment needs to be used at a safe distance from water and liquids, the left side of the van is fitted with a second small workbench served by a block of power sockets and illuminated by a second LED ceiling light.
This wall also serves as the van’s stores for materials, equipment and frequently used items. It is equipped with open and enclosed shelves, drawers, a lockable locker and a full-length top tray with rear access, ideal for carrying cable channels, pipes and other long items. The presence of a pull-out vice bench allows the van’s crew to carry out minor repair jobs as well as chemical and physical analyses.
An autonomous power supply
To ensure autonomy at all times, the travelling lab needs to be able to generate its own electrical energy and compressed air. A large compartment on the left of the Daily carries a generator and a small compressor. A second compartment, this time with its own door, houses an inverter and battery.
Accessories for the Daily’s mobile lab
The Syncro team also fitted this Daily with special equipment and accessories to satisfy the needs expressed by the customer:
Ultra racking can do anything the old system could and more! The Ultra system offers far greater flexibility in racking design and construction and permit’s the creation of totally PERSONAL racking systems!
- A roof-mounted air conditioning unit
- Two bar, hook and strap cargo retaining systems on the bulkhead
- A paper roll holder and a first aid kit at the rear of the left racking
- A handwash kit with soap dispenser on the left rear door
- Extra ceiling lights to ensure uniform illumination of the entire cargo compartment, in addition to the LED lights over the work benches