The Hidden Cost of Downtime: How In-Line Industrial Valve Testing Reduces Production Risk
Safety valve testing plays a critical role in high-pressure industrial environments, ensuring regulatory compliance and uninterrupted production. Yet, the method used to perform these tests can significantly impact plant availability and operating costs.
Unplanned downtime—whether caused by equipment failure, inspection procedures, or maintenance delays—remains a major challenge for plants striving to optimize output.
This blog explores how different approaches to industrial safety valve testing, particularly in-line testing, can reduce production downtime and improve overall efficiency.
Understanding the Impact of Downtime in Industrial Environments
Downtime affects more than output—it disrupts schedules, strains personnel, and often leads to cascading delays throughout the production chain. For many facilities, the cost of lost production time can reach tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour, depending on the industry and scale of operations.
Safety valve testing is essential for ensuring system integrity and meeting industry standards. But traditional industrial valve testing approaches often require:
- Shutting down systems
- Removing valves from service
- Transporting them for off-site testing
- Reinstallation and requalification
While effective, this process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and for facilities trying to optimize throughput, the operational cost of testing this way can be high.
What Is In-Line Valve Testing?
In-line testing refers to verifying the set pressure and functionality of safety valves while they remain installed in their operating position. This method uses specialized equipment to simulate conditions that cause the valve to lift, allowing technicians to record opening pressure and confirm performance—without disassembly or removal.
Because valves remain in place, in-line testing reduces the logistical complexity of inspections and minimizes disruption to surrounding equipment or systems.
Operational Advantages of In-Line Testing
Though not suitable for all valves in all conditions, in-line testing offers several practical benefits when used appropriately:
- Reduced production downtime: Valves can often be tested without taking the plant offline.
- Improved scheduling flexibility: Testing can be performed during short maintenance windows or while adjacent systems continue running.
- Lower labor demands: Less mechanical work is required to access and remove valves.
- Reduced risk of transport damage: Valves remain installed, eliminating the need for handling and shipping.
These benefits can add up to a meaningful improvement in equipment availability and overall plant efficiency.
A Proactive Approach to Maintenance
In-line testing also supports a more proactive maintenance strategy. When combined with digital data capture, results from each test can be stored, reviewed, and compared over time, helping maintenance teams detect trends, identify at-risk valves, and prioritize replacements more effectively.
Rather than reacting to failures or relying solely on fixed schedules, this data-driven approach enables more informed decisions and better allocation of maintenance resources.
Is In-Line Testing the Right Fit For My Business?
While in-line testing offers clear advantages, it is not universally applicable. Factors to consider include:
- Valve type and application
- Accessibility
- Process conditions during testing
- Regulatory requirements
A hybrid approach is often most effective, combining in-line testing with traditional methods.
Ready to Reduce Risk and Boost Efficiency With In-Line Testing?
Safety valve testing is critical to plant safety and reliability, but the method used can significantly impact operational efficiency. In-line testing offers a practical way to reduce downtime, support compliance, and improve maintenance planning, particularly for facilities aiming to maximize uptime and reduce unnecessary disruptions.
Facilities evaluating their testing programs may benefit from exploring in-line methods as part of a broader strategy to align safety, efficiency, and performance.
About AccuTEST Systems
AccuTEST Systems is a leading provider of automated, in-line safety valve testing solutions for industrial plants across North America. With more than 30 years of experience, we help operations teams streamline valve testing, improve compliance, and minimize downtime—without removing valves from service.
Interested in seeing how in-line testing could benefit your facility? Contact our team today to learn more or schedule a demo.
