1. CLEANING
We rely on the unique design of our meter base washer to assure tough bristles and clean water do the work of scrubbing each and every base. The glass and meter are separated after the base is washed and each cover goes to an industrial dishwasher similar to the restaurant dish

washers that sterilize glasses for reuse.  Each cover receives high pressure, heat and industrial cleaning fluid which leave the glass or polycarbonate clear for easy meter viewing once restored to field service. Tough agents like grease on the stabs or paint on the cover are removed through soaking and scrubbing to be sure every meter is at its best when it is returned to the customer.

2. TIME RUN BOARD
Most meters are time run before entering the meter shop’s retrofitting and testing areas. The time run test assures a properly functioning meter prior to retrofit.  It also provides an individual assessment of possible tampering and assures every meter returned to the customer is fit for service. At the time run board our metering professionals visually inspect each meter’s gear mesh and disk for irregularities, deformities, or tampering. They discern whether or not a potential link is present and install one if necessary. The time run board determines a meter’s eligibility for retrofitting or testing.

3. RETROFIT
Through professional partnerships Austin International, Inc. is able to provide Automatic Meter Reading modules manufactured by DCSI, Itron Comverge, Ramar, Hunt Technologies and others. Our sales managers are well versed in the benefits of each brand and will help you find the best system for your meter reading needs. Installation of the module is a process called “retrofitting”: the module is usually installed on meters that have been pulled from field service mid-life and returned within an AMR fitted system.

In the retrofit stage each meter has its name plate removed, its disk cleaned with an alcohol swab and paint applied on a small area which will allow the module to read rotations. The module is fitted below the name plate’s position and the name plate is re-installed over top of it. Each brand of module has its unique installation process. Our retrofit professionals are thoroughly trained on each available module.

4. RECEIVING
Our receiving station handles each and every meter. These detail-oriented professionals generate bar codes for each meter in accordance with the customer’s specific requirements. The bar codes are printed on mylar labels and applied directly to the meter’s name plate. The barcode allows the meter to be tracked through every process in the meter shop and provides for easy tracking once shipped to the customer.

5. TESTING
Meter testing is the most important function in our meter shops today. It is at our 6 WECO 2150’s, 1 WECO 1300, 10 WECO 2350’s and 46 RFL 5455’s that our meter testing professionals assure each and every meter performs within standards set by our customer. Each utility furnishes testing requirements and those requirements are visible at each testing station.

Process requirements are published per project and contain information such as acceptable meters, acceptable registers, test adjustments, and specific details designated by each utility. The process publication is available for review and approval of each customer. Test data is collected by PowerTrack Meter Shop Software throughout each process. Our in-house Software Engineer assures test data is formatted to a customer’s specifications and has the ability to present test results in whatever format a customer requests. This advantage makes data receipt and comprehension seamless as we transfer a customer’s meters back into their possession. After testing, each meter with an AMR module receives programming for that module.

6. PROGRAMMING
Once the meter is tested and cleared, the module is programmed in a process which takes anywhere from 5 to 12 seconds. Using a Read One Pro the programmers prepare the module to work as designed in the field.

7. BOXING
In boxing the meters undergo their final inspection. Each meter is checked to be sure that no cover is housing debris and every meter is without defects. All registers are assured to be at “0” with those that are not sent back into the meter shop for correction. Meters ready for shipping are packaged four to a box with cardboard stabilizers or six to a crate at the requirement of the customer. Each meter is scanned to flag the database that the meter is leaving the meter shop and is eligible to be added to the data file. Pallets are stacked carefully and stabilized with shrink wrap to assure safe delivery of each and every meter.