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Reliability Is Gold Meet The Experts At
MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
The Capacity Assurance Conference!
APRIL 26-29, 2011 MARTS 2011 Attendees Will Enjoy... • A four-day educational experience created exclusively for reliability professionals
• 30 hour-long Conferences over two days – Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 28 – kicked off by international reliability expert and best-selling author James Reyes-Picknell • 7 full-day Workshops on Tuesday, April 26 • 6 full-day Workshops on Friday, April 29 • Two professional certification opportunities Now entering its eighth year, MARTS is an exciting learning event in a great location that helps reliability professionals at all levels improve their skills and excel on the job. Pricing and attendance options for every budget make it easy for individuals or groups to share the MARTS experience. Registration is open at www.martsconference.com
The Capacity Assurance Conference! MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
APRIL 26-29, 2011
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Contents
M A I N T E N A N C E
TECHNOLOGY
®
MARCH 2011 • VOL 24, NO 3 • www.MT-ONLINE.com
YEARS
Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS
FEATURES 14
©rook76; Rjordje Radivojevic; red150770; hedgehog— FOTOLIA.COM
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: EP SYSTEMS Rx For Emergency Power Reliability Just because EP systems are out of sight doesn’t mean they should be out of mind. Many facilities don’t know theirs are unhealthy until they really need them. David Stymiest, P.E., CHFM, FASHE, CEM, GBE, Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: TOOLS & TECHNIQUES 20
Investigating Power Outages At A ‘Mud’ Plant Investigators needed a number of tools to determine the actual causes of a mysterious electrical problem. Frank Healy, FLUKE Corporation
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: VOLTAGE MATTERS 24
Dual Voltage: Twice As Much To Go Wrong?
The issue is not as simple as you might have thought. Here’s what the experts have to say about dealing with voltage ratios and wye/delta connections. Chuck Yung, Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA)
THE FUNDAMENTALS 27
■ Maintenance New Year’s Resolutions Raymond L. Atkins, Contributing Editor
32
■ Improving Operator Care: Checklist Fundamentals Sam McNair, P.E., CMRP, Life Cycle Engineering (LCE)
www. www.MT-online.com • exclusive online-only content • late-breaking industry news • 12 years of article archives
MARCH 2011
DEPARTMENTS 6 7 8 12
My Take
30 34 36 38 39 40
Boiler House Rules
Motor Decisions Matter Uptime Don’t Procrastinate… Innovate! Technology Showcase Marketplace Information Highway Supplier Index Viewpoint
Your Source For
Capacity Assurance Solutions
• suppliers/products/services • comprehensive events calendar • professional development opportunities and more. . .
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“Thanks...to the ComRent team... (we accomplished) successful completion of an aggressive two day full systems integration testing regimen with full design load...” Ron Vysma Project Manager/Engineer Community Health Network
TECHNOLOGY
®
YEARS
Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS
March 2011 • Volume 24, No. 3 ARTHUR L. RICE President/CEO arice@atpnetwork.com
BILL KIESEL Executive Vice President/Publisher bkiesel@atpnetwork.com
JANE ALEXANDER
Editor-In-Chief jalexander@atpnetwork.com
RICK CARTER
Executive Editor rcarter@atpnetwork.com
ROBERT “BOB” WILLIAMSON KENNETH E. BANNISTER RAYMOND L. ATKINS Contributing Editors
RANDY BUTTSTADT
Director of Creative Services rbuttstadt@atpnetwork.com
GREG PIETRAS
Editorial/Production Assistant gpietras@atpnetwork.com
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Maintenance Technology® (ISSN 0899-5729) is published monthly by Applied Technology Publications, Inc., 1300 S. Grove Avenue, Barrington, IL 60010. Periodicals postage paid at Barrington, Illinois and additional offices. Arthur L. Rice, III, President. Circulation records are maintained at Maintenance Technology®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Maintenance Technology® copyright 2011 by Applied Technology Publications, Inc. Annual subscription rates for nonqualified people: North America, $140; all others, $280 (air). No subscription agency is authorized by us to solicit or take orders for subscriptions. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Maintenance Technology®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Please indicate position, title, company name, 12/17/10 5:04 PM company address. For other circulation information call (630) 739-0900. Canadian Publications agreement No. 40886011. Canada Post returns: IMEX, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5, or email: cpcreturns@ wdsmail.com. Submissions Policy: Maintenance Technology® gladly welcomes submissions. By sending us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technology Publications, Inc. permission, by an irrevocable license, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned.
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
exclusive online-only content • late-breaking industry news • 12 years of article archives • comprehensive events calendar enhanced training pages • business directory
“Maintenance Technology®” is a registered trademark of Applied Technology Publications, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
MARCH 2011
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MY TAKE
Jane Alexander, Editor-In-Chief
Get Ready To Share: The Gist Of Things To Come
A
s I edited my way through the March issue, I got a kick out of seeing my September 2010 column referenced in the “Viewpoint” by Jay Burnette of Inpro/Seal (pg. 40). Speaking for his very innovative company, Burnette’s “view” is that use of technology can play a major role in helping industries deal with disappearing knowledge and experience bases. His message is spot on, and one that fits well with the mission of the “2011 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year Award” that MT’s parent company, Applied Technology Publications, has launched. Although we’ll be rolling out this program with a big bang at next month’s MARTS Conference (www.MARTSconference.com), here, in 500 words, is the gist of how you can participate and what’s in it for you if you do: Starting in May, you can submit your innovations (one entry per person) for judging through a special Website set up solely this purpose. (Full details on this and what to include in your submission package will be published in the April 2011 issue and on www.MT-online.com.) Your idea must be original—not plagiarized from other sources. You’ll also need to sign a publication release that will allow us to share your idea with the public at large. If your idea is currently in use at your facility and/or if you have an employment condition requiring you to disclose all ideas to your company, you will also need to provide a release from your employer that would permit us to publish your submission. Ideally, your submitted innovation should be capable of being used by others. The judges will expect you to explain why you came up with your innovation; what it does; and what impact it has in terms of reliability, uptime, availability, throughput, safety, environment, efficiency, etc. Ideas will be categorized in one of three groups: n Innovative devices, gizmos and gadgets n Innovative process and procedures n Innovative use of outside resources (i.e. third-party tools, including software) We’ll accept entries from May 1 to December 31, 2011, and score them based on practicality, simplicity and impact. Don’t wait until the last minute: There’s too much on the line. For one thing, starting with the upcoming June issue and running through December, we’ll be featuring six “Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Month” winners selected from all entries that have been received. And why should you bother to enter? In early 2012, you could be named as one of three category winners (see above). Or, you might find yourself being honored as the whole-ball-of-wax, grand-prize “2011 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year”—and enjoying all the bragging rights and other things that come with it. (Award presentations, including prizes, will be at the 2012 MARTS, and we’ll want you there.) Speaking of prizes, since I’ve exceeded my allotted 500 words, you’ll have to wait until next month to learn what some of them are. Let’s just say that Applied Technology Publications and sponsors of the “2011 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year Award Program” (including those busy innovators at Inpro/Seal) have some great things to share with YOU. MT
jalexander@atpnetwork.com
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maintenance technology
MARCH 2011
BOOSTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE
Getting The Most Out Of An Energy Assessment
I
n the January issue, we discussed how to determine if and when an energy assessment is right for your plant. An energy assessment is an on-site study of your facility that captures how energy is used and identifies potential savings. If you’re practicing motor management, an assessment may be the next step to managing your energy use. Alternatively, an assessment may point to a motor-management program as a means to capture future energy savings What can you do to maximize the value of an energy assessment, and ensure that the money and time invested are well spent? The following three steps will help you get started: Develop a plan Understand your goals in advance of the assessment and capture these in a plan that’s accessible to plant staff and management. After the assessment, use these goals to guide follow-up activity. For example, you might commit to saving energy by implementing all measures below a certain payback or all measures with safety or reliability benefits. Support this plan with a commitment of financial resources to advance specific corporate or plant-level goals identified in the plan. Consider the opportunity to bundle measures together to enhance the cost-effectiveness of “deeper” savings measures. For example, an air compressor replacement may not qualify under your company’s capital improvement requirements. Bundling this measure with a cost-effective lighting change-out may reduce the overall project payback to an acceptable range, and increase your overall savings. Assign clear roles Make sure key personnel and their managers understand their roles in supporting the energy assessment. This means involving management in development of the assessment plan. To help ensure their support, invite them to walk the floor and see the savings opportunities—this is more
MARCH 2011
compelling than simply reading about them in an assessment report. Once measures are identified and prioritized according to the goals, assign clear responsibility for their implementation. Communicate the value Communicate to all involved that energy is a manageable cost, and that their efforts to continuously implement energy-saving practices and identify new opportunities are valued by plant management. Communicate to management— as well as to the segment that financed savings measures—the amount of energy-cost savings those projects produced. Finally, look beyond savings for other benefits that the assessment of follow-up measures may have yielded (i.e., improved safety, reliability, operator comfort, etc.). Such benefits may be as important as energy savings to certain decision makers and should not be overlooked. MT Additional resources 1. ENERGY STAR® offers guidance for industrial companies at www.energystar.gov/index. cfm?c=business.bus_energy_strategy, and industry-specific tools and resources at www.energystar. gov/index.cfm?c=in_focus.bus_industries_focus. 2. Motor Management tools and case studies are available from the MDM campaign at www. motorsmatter.org. For more info, enter 66 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
The Motor Decisions Matter (MDM) campaign is managed by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), a North American nonprofit organization that promotes energysaving products, equipment and technologies. For further information, contact MDM staff at mdminfo@cee1.org or (617) 589-3949.
MT-ONLINE .COM | 7
UPTIME
Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor
Growing Your Own: Part III Recently released unemployment figures tell us that the overall U.S. job picture remains bleak. Yet despite reports of so many Americans seeking work, manufacturing and maintenance skills shortages are at an all-time high. Skills and knowledge required in our arena differ significantly from most other jobs. The shortages we’re confronting stem from decades of dwindling vocational-technical education and an overemphasis on “college” diplomas, coupled with increasing numbers of retiring/aging Baby Boomers. The really bad news: Things will get worse before they get worse. That’s because of two generations that have not been seriously exposed to careers in manufacturing and maintenance, and a troubling decline in apprenticeship programs in maintenance trades and crafts. “Growing Your Own: Part I” (MT, January 2010) explored proven ways to define entry-level requirements, look for candidates, interview and check references and assess for demonstrated ability. As part of assessing for demonstrated ability, we outlined a straightforward process that can be developed in your plant or facility to see if the candidates can actually demonstrate the skills and knowledge with a “potential to succeed” as a maintenance technician in your maintenance job roles. “Growing Your Own: Part II” (MT, February 2010) covered the next step: where to start, planning and preparing for training and conducting on-job basic maintenance-skills training program using in-house talents. Here in Part III, the focus is on the nuts and bolts of defining job-specific maintenance skills and knowledge that will form the final stage of a resultsoriented training and qualification process for your plant or facility. Breaking down the job Maintenance jobs are huge—with activities all over the plant on all types of equipment. Many maintenance people will say, “You just have to work here to get the experience of working on all of this equipment. That’s how we learned in the first place.” Sorry, but that approach to building maintenance skills and knowledge is inefficient, ineffective and truly misses 8|
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
the mark. In today’s fast-paced, global marketplace, we need reliable equipment and processes to help us compete. To get there, we need very efficient resultsoriented training and qualification processes. The key here is to FOCUS. Exactly how do we keep training “focused?” Start with the job description for a targeted position. Look for a “job-safety analysis” for maintenance duties. The goal here is to define what the maintenance technician MUST know and do as part of the job. These are “job-performance requirements.” Then, look for specific equipment that the person must master to become a qualified maintenance technician— if not in the documents describing the job role, look in the equipment manuals. Consider this excerpt from a maintenance technician’s job description:
“The maintenance employee must be able to use all maintenance shop equipment, including horizontal band saw, pipe cutter/threader…” Let’s take training for operating the horizontal band saw as an example. The job role is “maintenance technician;” the activity is “shop work;” the duty is “operating a horizontal band saw.” For training and qualification purposes, the duty should then be broken down into tasks and eventually into a procedure. Breaking the job into these smaller units makes an excellent foundation for training employees, as well as for trainees demonstrating when they are qualified. For example, a maintenance technician’s job dutytask listing would look like the following: Job Role: Maintenance technician Activity: Shop work Duty: Operating a horizontal band saw Tasks: 1. Identify the type and shape of material to be cut. 2. Select and install the proper blade. 3. Cut the material. 4. …
MARCH 2011
UPTIME
We must have reliable equipment and processes to compete in a global marketplace. To get there, we need efficient, results-oriented training and qualification processes. Each of these three tasks can be broken into a specific step-by-step procedure. Be sure to include specific procedures in your training. The following example defines the procedure for HOW the task is accomplished: Job Role: Maintenance technician Activity: Shop work Duty: Operating a horizontal band saw Task 3. Cut the material. Tools & supplies required: Material support stands, pencil, tape measure, gloves, safety glasses… Safety note: Wear safety glasses when operating this equipment. Wear gloves when handling material. Do not touch the moving saw blade. Comply with safety placards on the equipment… Procedure: Step 1: Get support stands if material being cut is more than 4 feet long or weighs over 10 pounds. Step 2: Make sure the vise is set to the proper angle to be cut. Adjust the angle by loosening the bolt on top of the fixed jaw, adjusting the angle, then tightening the bolt. Close the vise to assure the movable jaw aligns with the fixed jaw. Step 3: Mark material to be cut. Step 4: Tightly clamp material to be cut in the vise. Make sure blade aligns with the cut mark on material. Step 5: Raise the saw blade above the material. Step 6: Start the saw. Step 7: Slowly lower the blade onto material. Step 8: Allow the blade to cut through the material. Do not add pressure. Step 9: When the cut is finished, turn off the saw, unclamp and remove the material. Step 10: Clean up any saw-cut debris and remaining materials. Standard: The cut will be made at the proper length (+/- 0.03 inch) and the proper angle (+/- 1 degree). When a task is defined in this manner, it makes training of employees extremely consistent. It also makes the training very efficient and effective and—this is extremely important—provides a template for determining when the employee is truly QUALIFIED to perform the task on his/her own. MARCH 2011
Beware of “common knowledge” Sometimes there will be detailed procedures on file in the plant. Other times, there are “assumed” procedures— common-sense procedures. This is where trainees can get into trouble. What might be common knowledge to a skilled maintenance technician is often a total unknown to a trainee. Or the trainee may have seen someone somewhere else perform a similar task and, consequently assumed (now assumes) that method to be the proper way of doing things, or at least close enough. Beware of those “we’ve always done it that way” procedures. Reinforce the need to “do it right the first time, every time.” Training should strive for consistency of task performance and avoid individual variations when carrying out critical tasks on critical equipment. Define a “best practice” procedure based on experience in your plant or follow the OEM’s recommended procedure. Concentrating on results Remember to FOCUS your training and qualification processes on results rather than merely on setting up a training program. Here are six critical success factors for keeping your maintenance training focused on results: 1. Training must address skill gaps in your workforce. 2. Training must address the most critical equipment and processes first. 3. Training must address specific equipment needs, problems, causes and corrective action(s). 4. Training must show a return on the investment: Equipment runs better, problems are eliminated, productivity is increased, safety is improved, etc. 5. Training must improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the maintenance technician: Mean time to repair (MTTR) is reduced, rework calls are eliminated, injuries and accidental damages are eliminated, etc. 6. Training must make sense; build on skills and knowledge the employee already has; and develop person-to-person and crew-to-crew consistency of task performance. Continued on next page MT-ONLINE.COM | 9
UPTIME
Improving job roles Many times, we see maintenance job roles and responsibilities based on tradition—i.e., we’ve always done it that way. Job descriptions often remain unchanged (and on file) for decades. Meanwhile, plant-floor performance expectations, activities and equipment have changed, sometimes radically. This disconnect can hurt individual technician productivity, prolong maintenance and repairs and increase operating costs. Are your job roles and responsibilities outdated? At the risk of stirring up things with some traditionalists out there, the question must be asked: “Why do we still have ‘jurisdictional boundaries’ around maintenance jobs— between mechanical and electrical, for example?” Sometimes the separation is defined in labor agreements. Other times it’s based on the differences between hardware and electron flow. Then again, the separation between an electrician’s work and that of a mechanic often is based on worker safety. Regardless of the original reasons for jurisdictional types of boundaries, they can result in severely reduced productivity and increased costs for a business. (IMPORTANT NOTE: I merely said they “CAN” result…)
I‘ve had this discussion with tradespeople, craftworkers, maintenance mechanics, electricians, managers and union leaders for three decades. Now, in our efforts to recapture our nation’s competitiveness, it’s time to dredge it up again: When an employee is trained to do a job properly, the risk of damage and injuries is reduced significantly. Think about it. The infrastructure to deal with the growing maintenance skills shortage has virtually disappeared from our educationalsystem landscape. Why, then, can’t we train and qualify today’s maintenance technicians and those of the future using an up-to-date model—“multi-skill maintenance”—for example? To me, this type of maintenance, which blends skills and knowledge across traditional boundaries, makes perfect sense. Actually, much of America’s industry has run with “multi-skill” maintenance workforces for generations: It’s nothing new. Growing your own multi-skill maintenance technicians might make sense to you, too, if you consider the evolution of the technologies in our plants, facilities and integrated equipment. Next month, in “Growing Your Own: Part IV,” we’ll discuss how to develop multi-skill maintenance job roles. MT RobertMW2@cs.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
MARCH 2011
TOUGH MOTOR
PROTECTION FOR A SMOOTH
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This compact relay protects motors from overload, undercurrent, overcurrent, jam, overtemperature, phase loss, phase reverse and phase unbalance. Integrated CTs and an optional 40-character LCD display make the PGR-6150 extremely flexible.
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Littelfuse POWR-GARD速 offers a wide range of motor protection relays for small, medium and large applications, including advanced, multifunction motor protection relays for large and critical motors. To learn more about our complete line of protection relays and how they can help you optimize your processes and reduce downtime in your facility visit www.littelfuse.com/protectionrelays or call 800.832.3873. For more info, enter 68 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!
Ken Bannister, Contributing Editor
Selling Innovation To Management Justification is a basic human need. Think about a child demanding something from his/her parents: “I WANT…!” Some children eventually learn the value of rationalization and, provided their wants are reasonable and achievable, attain success by prefacing their requests with “I need this, because…” Rationalization tones down the demand, the “want” is now a “need,” and the “because” is the justification. With the “because” factor being the clincher, to ensure success the requestor must provide the approver with adequate information through which to make an educated “yes” decision and defend that decision to others. The information must include a Cost/Benefit statement and be presented in language that appeals to the request approver, along with a favorable ROI (the approver’s Return on Investment). For example, your child says, “I need $25 for a field trip to the history museum next week because it will boost my grade and help me win that scholarship we always dreamed of.” This request is justified in that it: 1) establishes the trip’s importance with respect to current studies; 2) reflects immediate ROI based on good grades; and 3) makes the case for future ROI in the form of a desired scholarship. The proposal appeals to you in language that you understand and highlights benefits that far outweigh the cost. Steps to innovation-selling success Proposals and requests are integral parts of everyday life. Our success depends on how well we present our ROI arguments. Here, we discuss the first three of seven steps for developing and selling a successful proposal. Step #1: Establish the need… Making your project a winner is about positioning your idea as one that fulfills many needs simultaneously. For example, you may have established that your current manual lubrication practices are the cause of premature
12 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
bearing failures resulting in excessive downtime. Your proposal is to put in place an engineered automated lubrication system that will triple the current life cycle of the bearing and solve an immediate department need to reduce maintenance costs, while increasing asset uptime. To improve your chances of selling this initiative, you must be innovative in searching for and positioning your project as a resolution to corporate and/or departmental needs. In this case, establish what the total annual downtime cost amounts to and present it as a sustainable financial benefit to the organization. This initiative can also provide asset energy savings of up to 20% that can be calculated as both a financial and a measurable environmental benefit in reducing your CO2-emission carbon footprint. One simple project can meet the needs of many departments and corporate initiatives. Step #2: Know your audience… In preparing your project proposal, build and present it to appeal to the person(s) who will approve and sponsor it. Audiences differ in how they view and respond to things. Maintenance pros think in terms of asset availability. Financial types like to talk about the money. Operations people want to know the impact on productivity throughput. You’ll need to know if your intended sponsor is detail-oriented or a “big-picture” manager, and prepare accordingly—be sure to have all the details ready. Seek ways to prepare your justification argument based not only on your needs and requirements, but also on those of your sponsor: Marry your goals. In other words, make it easy for the sponsor to defend a “yes” decision! Finally, anticipate sponsor objections and develop your effective response to them. (Remember, too, that you may have to sell your project to several sponsors and present your proposal in a number of different ways based on your audience at a given time.)
MARCH 2011
DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!
Proposals and requests are integral parts of everyday life. Our success depends on how well we present our ROI arguments. Step #3: Prepare your ROI documentation… Authoring a successful ROI proposal document requires detailed preparation. The audience analysis in Step #2 provides the basic informational requirement framework for building the ROI proposal. Justification details will differ according to the challenges your project presents. For example:
◆ Availability and proactivity (i.e., diagnostic ability to predict or prevent potential failure[s] and help eliminate downtime)
A project often can be justified in multiple ways. For example, an automated lubrication system will affect asset availability, production throughput and provide a more efficient lubrication process that adds value and boosts savings. Once justification is determined, we investigate the existence of any current funding initiatives: Does your company, for example, give automatic approval to any initiative that can prove payback (pay for itself) within six months? Does it place a caveat in which payback on projects must be derived from energy savings? There also may be government and/or utility funding programs for initiatives providing energy or environmental savings that can be leveraged. If no official funding guidelines exist, the ROI author could research similar previously approved applications for assistance. The final ROI preparation step is the Cost/Benefit analysis details and calculations—to prove that the proposed purchase is a good business decision. Cost is a combination of purchase price, training fees, relevant support fees and shipping/insurance fees. Benefits can be both tangible and intangible. The tangibles are usually calculated as both direct and indirect savings (refer to purchase-justification criteria) resulting from the project. Tangible benefits are best presented in terms of the actual benefit— such as safety, time, throughput, uptime, availability, etc., and their comparative dollar values. Intangible benefits, including corporate reputation, employee morale, etc., may be more difficult to measure, but are no less important. If a payback timeline exists, benefits and savings derived within that period must equal or be greater than the total cost. However, the true impact or realized sustainable benefit of a project can be amortized over a longer period. The full amortized period is determined by type of purchase and circumstance of use—such as purchased equipment life, manufactured product run or life, program or project life, etc. MT kbannister@engtechindustries.com
◆ Energy savings (i.e., ability to identify energy inefficiencies via leak detection, thermal losses, etc.)
Coming Up: In the May issue, we continue on this topic by discussing the actual presentation and ROI proposal for management.
n Component or equipment replacement/ redesign can be justified under: ◆ Technology depreciation (i.e., old technology and unavailability of parts) ◆ Consequence of failure (i.e., based on criticality, low tolerance for failure) ◆ Availability, output or throughput design deficiency (i.e., seriously diminished reliability, or output and/or throughput demands that surpass original design specs, resulting in multiple premature failures and downtime occurrences) ◆ Maintenance cost level (i.e., old, complex design that’s too costly to maintain in comparison to a newer, simpler design) n Process change can be justified under: ◆ Efficiency (i.e., an old procedure/process that is no longer adding value) n New tool purchases can be justified under: ◆ Labor savings (i.e., reductions in maintenance “wrench” or “travel” time)
MARCH 2011
MT-ONLINE.COM | 13
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: EP SYSTEMS
Rx For Emergency Power Reliability Just because EP systems are out of sight doesn’t mean they should be out of mind. Many facilities don’t know theirs are unhealthy until they really need them. As some unlucky operations have learned, that’s too late.
W
hat is emergency power (EP) reliability? It’s having EP available to power WHAT it needs to, WHEN it needs to, FOR AS LONG AS it needs to. That’s quite a tall order, but one that can be satisfied with a comprehensive approach.
David Stymiest, P.E., CHFM, FASHE, CEM, GBE Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
MARCH 2011
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: EP SYSTEMS
Codified: Emergency Power The term “emergency power” (EP) used in this article refers to the entire Essential Electrical System as defined in the National Electrical Code®, including the generators and their supporting auxiliary systems all the way downstream to and including the final connections to the lighting and equipment components that are powered by EP. (National Electrical Code® and NEC® are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association.)
How do we make emergency power systems more reliable? It’s a matter of holistic management, including: EP system master planning for future flexibility and load growth. Designs that facilitate shutdowns, maintenance, reliability and regular testing. Commissioning and comprehensive installation acceptance testing. A management program that includes determining the maximum demand loading, fuel management and accurate, useful documentation. A rigorous inspection, testing and maintenance program. Emergency preparedness for both internal and external power failures. Continuous quality improvement with both maintainer and user education. A process to investigate and resolve systemic issues. Master planning EP system master planning can address generation and distribution deficiencies, backup feeders and redundancy, optimal locations for generator(s), fuel tanks, distribution or support equipment and both horizontal and vertical utility corridors. Other master-planning examples include allowing for planned load growth, installing empty conduits at opportune times—such as when ceilings are down and when slabs are poured—avoiding choke points and planning for a future electrical-power management system when new generation and distribution components are installed. Designing for reliability Designing for EP system reliability includes consideration of operational flexibility, load growth, susceptibility to damage from both internal and external causes and facilitating testing, shutdowns and maintenance. It also includes having a power system with selective (protective) coordination that works effectively. MARCH 2011
Equipment and feeder locations, of course, are a major issue. It’s important to avoid designs that are susceptible to common mode failures. Consider areas where equipment (or even EP feeders) might be subject to flooding from internal causes—i.e., broken water mains, risers and sprinkler piping—as well as external ones. Designs should facilitate maintenance. Examples of this include having enough room for maintenance to occur, and using draw-out power circuit breakers, where practical, for ease of maintenance and primary injection current testing. One design feature that can improve operational reliability during testing is using uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) for building-management system panels and air-temperature control panels. Some operations are also installing UPSs on the output sides of selected transfer switches to ease regular testing and maintenance. Using more transfer switches—and smaller ones at that—is usually a more reliable overall approach than using fewer (and larger) ones. Although increasing the quantity of devices increases system complexity, the “many eggs in one basket” issue and longer load-side distribution feeders associated with fewer transfer switches can have a negative effect on overall system reliability. Locating transfer switches closer to their loads increases reliability because transfer switch load side feeder failures, such as from core drilling, are very problematic. Designs also should facilitate shutdowns for maintenance. Many EP systems operate 24/7/365. Since they’re often difficult to shut down due to facility operational concerns, they may not be adequately maintained in some plants. If not shut off on a pre-planned basis and maintained, however, these systems will shut themselves off unexpectedly when they fail. System specifications should take the following points into consideration: Designing in system redundancy and using backups can make shutdowns easier to conduct. Using vision ports for major distribution equipment facilitates infrared thermographic evaluations of equipment interiors. Using door-in-door panel trims leads to easier access for maintenance during shutdowns. MT-ONLINE.COM | 15
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: EP SYSTEMS
Permanent load banks sized at 30 - 50% of generator ratings are very helpful for troubleshooting, maintenance and testing. Multiple distribution pathways, such as main-tie-main switchboards or overlapping receptacle coverage patterns, can help provide operational flexibility. Switchboard rooms, electric closets and mechanical equipment rooms need extra EP lighting and EP outlets for maintenance and troubleshooting during normal power shutdowns. Management processes Updating infrastructure documentation benefits reliability because inaccurate documentation can lead to incorrect decisions. Project as-built drawings can lose their usefulness because of overlapping renovations. A main one-line diagram, updated regularly with renovation-related changes, is an extremely useful disaster-management tool. Usefulness is enhanced when this diagram includes updated demand loading at generators, transfer switches and switchboards. It is necessary to understand your facility’s peak EP demand load at each generator and transfer switch. Because of the time of day that monthly testing occurs, the test loading on the generator(s) is unlikely to be the real peak demand load during normal power outages. Familiarize yourself with National Electrical Code® paragraph 220.87, entitled “Determining Existing Loads,” for further guidance on this topic. EP-system commissioning can improve reliability by ensuring that the design intent is realized during the procurement and construction process. The NFPA 110 Installation Acceptance Test in new unoccupied facilities forces a new facility to operate only on EP—thereby verifying that equipment needing to be on EP is in fact connected to EP. Consider the lessons learned from planned outages and unplanned outages. These lessons can help identify opportunities to improve the infrastructure, the management systems and the processes, which, in turn, enhances EP system reliability. Proactive use of utility failure incident reports, including assessment of random electrical “glitches” or nuisance events, also can enhance reliability. These seemingly random events can be precursors of incipient catastrophic events. Proactive facility managers understand that when it comes to electrical systems, odd things typically happen for a reason. They investigate such events to determine possible generic relevance. Several actions can be taken to prepare for extended generator runs: Obtain and follow all manufacturer recommendations. Design features can include dual fuel filters and transfer valves, as well as inlet and outlet fuel pressure 16 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
gauges to monitor fuel clogging. Checks should be made of secondary filter elements, fuel oil system, lube oil level gauge, air filters and control systems. (The list of references on page 18 includes an article on extended generator runs by John Diamond that contains numerous worthwhile suggestions.) EP system maintenance EP systems and equipment should be maintained in order to continue performing reliably. Maintenance should generally be in accordance with the equipment manufacturer’s recommendations. This is an area where some sites fall down: They consider shutting down emergency power systems to be a facility operations problem. Considering the difficulty of scheduling EP shutdowns, why should they be maintained? The answer is simple: Maintenance allows electrical equipment to continue to perform as it was designed. Working “hot” is a dangerous activity and can even compromise the infrastructure— as many unfortunate individuals and facility owners have discovered when unplanned outages are accompanied by destructive short circuits. Sites that do not shut down their power systems for maintenance are actually practicing a high-risk “run-to-failure” or “breakdown” style of maintenance that has no place in the electrical-system arena. The purpose of rigorous electrical inspection, testing and maintenance is to improve operational reliability by finding and fixing incipient failures before they occur. Facilities that do not maintain their electrical systems have higher equipment failure rates. In fact, lack of maintenance has been cited as the most common cause of EP system failures. Fuel-oil system maintenance is another area where EP system reliability can be improved. NFPA 110 Annex A.7.9.1.2 includes a comprehensive discussion on fuel-oil contamination issues and maintenance recommendations. This area will become more important as fuel-oil storage capacity increases. Remember that electrical-distribution system failures occur for many reasons. Chief among them are: ■ Aging systems; ■ Human error; ■ Construction/renovation activity; ■ Deferred maintenance (or plain lack of maintenance); ■ An unwillingness to accept planned shutdowns; and ■ The combination of conductive concrete dust and
high humidity. What proactive steps can you take to help deflect or eliminate potential problems? Take advantage of construction/ renovation (C/R) project shutdowns of electrical risers, panels, MARCH 2011
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: EP SYSTEMS
switchboards, etc., and schedule maintenance on equipment while it is de-energized. This should be discussed with design engineers at the schematic design stage to ensure that shutdown planning allocates sufficient time for maintenance to be conducted. The lessons learned (i.e., temporary wiring) from C/R shutdowns should be documented for future emergency planning. Testing and training NFPA 110 requires weekly inspections, monthly load testing, annual load testing for some generators and extended-run load tests every 36 months. Continuous quality improvement in the EP-system management process can include the cross-training of testing personnel and providing ongoing competency training for maintainers and users. Effective training would incorporate findings and lessons learned from the testing program. Competency training for EP-system maintainers can include responses to various internal failures, responses to simultaneous multiple utility failures, operation of different equipment during tests instead of just the same equipment every month and understanding EP-test-related interactions with other systems and equipment.
Slightly used workhorse
Obtain results on efficiency estimation and torque analysis with the SKF Dynamic Motor Analyzer-EXP4000.
Verify the motor circuit and insulation with the Baker/SKF Static Motor Analyzer - AWA.
Monitor motors online from your office with the SKF Online Motor Analysis System - NetEP
NFPA 110 also requires that every transfer switch be exercised monthly. Despite this mandate, some operations still do not regularly exercise all of their transfer switches due to user resistance. This approach is a mistake because it masks potential latent defects that can reduce operational reliability during utility outages. Rigorous EP-system testing catches failures before normal power outages occur—which is when we want to catch incipient failures. Rather than being problems, failures during testing are valuable opportunities to correct deficiencies that would have occurred anyway during the next unanticipated normal power outage. These failures are not problems; they allow the facility to avoid much worse future problems. Written test procedures increase EP operational reliability because they can reduce the potential for incorrect actions by testing personnel and provide documentation for later reference and analysis. Analysis of monthly testing considers the secondorder consequences of that testing and follows up on lessons learned to discover incipient failures and take corrective action. Use databases or spreadsheets as management tools to analyze your EP-system testing. Doing so will improve EP reliability by highlighting surprises and hidden trends in the interactions between the EP system and its loads, not just the
Reliability, durability and longevity are properties worth looking for in test equipment.
Through the years Baker Instrument has been known for developing test instruments that hold up and saves money in the harshest environments. We pride ourselves in continually following that tradition and developing analyzers to provide maintenance professionals with the right tool to efficiently keep rotating electrical machinery operating without downtime.As we transition to SKF durability, reliability and longevity will continue to be our focus. To obtain more information on these instruments contact us at 800/752-8272 or at our website at www.bakerinst.com.
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MARCH 2011
MT-ONLINE.COM | 17
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: EP SYSTEMS
engine mechanical parameters. This, in turn, can help identify training and systemic issues requiring further investigation or resolution. Keep in mind that maintenance can help design for EP system testing. Tell your design engineers how your tests are conducted, what problems sometimes occur, what lessons have been learned from the testing and what design features would make them easier. Emergency management There have been hundreds of lessons learned from the natural disasters and other events of the last two decades—and they’re clearly too numerous to list here. The referenced 2009 ASHE monograph [Ref. 1, next column] lists many of the lessons that affect EP-system reliability. By applying them to the management of your own EP system(s), you can boost system reliability. Proactive risk assessment of internal electrical failures is best accomplished before they occur. Such planning should consider different failure points—and not just at the normal power mains or generators. This is an essential part of disaster planning because, in many cases, the responses will be different for each type of failure, and it will be too late to formulate a response after the failure has occurred. Thus, your planning should include not only the generators, but also the transfer switches, paralleling switchgear, risers and branch panels or motor control centers. Performing an EP-system vulnerability analysis improves reliability by identifying vulnerable areas to address. The issues these analyses take into account include (but aren’t limited to): system and equipment condition, placement, capacity, failure history and redundancy and susceptibility to potential external and internal disasters; staff preparedness and training; accuracy of documentation; and potential for common mode failure. Conclusion Boosting EP system reliability calls for a holistic approach. Think of the recommendations in this article as a prescription for healthier emergency power. As a maintenance and reliability professional/facility manager, you have more influence on the well-being of these critical systems than you might have thought. Be proactive. Make your concerns regarding system maintenance heard during the specification and design process. Moreover, never let emergency power become an “out-of-sight/out-of-mind” matter at your site. MT
A senior consultant at Smith Seckman Reid, in Nashville, TN, David Stymiest specializes in facilities engineering and regulatory compliance. He also has a background in health facilities management. E-mail: DStymiest@SSR-inc.com. References Need more information on emergency power system reliability? The author used the following resources in the preparation of this article. 1. “Managing Hospital Emergency Power Systems – Testing, Operation, Maintenance and Power Failure Planning,” David Stymiest, ASHE Management Monograph, American Society for Healthcare Engineering, Chicago, 2009, www.ashe.org. [Note: this document contains references to several dozen additional documents pertaining to this topic.] 2. NFPA 70-2008, National Electrical Code®, (NEC®) National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA: NFPA, 2008, www.nfpa.org. 3. NFPA 110-2010, Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA: NFPA, 2010, www.nfpa.org. 4. “How to Prepare for Extended Generator Runs, John Diamond,” Electrical Construction and Maintenance, July 1, 2000, © 2007 Penton Media, Inc., http://ecmweb.com/ mag/electric_prepare_extended_generator/. 5. “Full power – Guarding against electrical malfunctions with preventive maintenance,” David Stymiest, Health Facilities Management, Chicago: Health Forum, Inc., November 2004, http://www.hfmmagazine.com/ hfmmagazine_app/jsp/articledisplay.jsp?pf=true&dom ain=HFMMAGAZINE&dcrpath=HFMMAGAZINE/ PubsNewsArticleGen/data/Backup/0411HFM_FEA_ Electrical 6. “A Practical Guide to Electrical Reliability, Wally Vahlstrom,” Electrical Construction and Maintenance, New York: October 1, 2004, ©2007 Penton Media, Inc., http:// ecmweb.com/mag/electric_practical_guide_electrical/. 7. “Ideal Reliability,” Douglas E. Stover, ConsultingSpecifying Engineer, New York: © 2007, Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved, July 2005, http://www.csemag.com/ index.php?id=1398&cHash=081010&tx_ttnews[tt_ news]=24000.
NFPA Disclaimer Although the author is Chairman of the NFPA Technical Committee on Emergency Power Supplies, which is responsible for NFPA 110 and 111, the views and opinions expressed in this article are purely those of the author and shall not be considered the official position of NFPA or any of its Technical Committees and shall not be considered to be, nor be relied upon as, a Formal Interpretation. Readers are encouraged to refer to the entire texts of all referenced documents. NFPA members can obtain staff interpretations from www.nfpa.org.
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ELECTRICAL ISSUE: TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
Investigating Power Outages At A ‘Mud’ Plant Investigators needed a number of tools to determine the actual causes of a mysterious electrical problem. Frank Healy FLUKE Corporation
V
ariable-speed drives (VSDs) turn processing equipment at a plant that makes “mud” (joint compound) for finishing interior drywall. The facility is almost fully automated: It depends on the smooth operation of its electrical system—no hiccups. That hasn’t always been easy to achieve. Here’s an account of a particularly troubling event and how its root cause was uncovered and dealt with. Experiencing a mysterious event The power suddenly went off at one of the mud plant’s electrical panels; some outlets went off, others stayed on. Lighting supplied from the same board showed a similar pattern. Because this incident didn’t cause immediate disruption, plant operators were uncertain how long the power was truly off. They only realized there was a problem when they noticed that displays were no longer updating. While the PLCs continued to work, there was no display information to help determine what was happening. The operators eventually discovered that both the server running the SCADA system and the fiber optic switch connecting the PLCs had lost power (both devices are “protected” by a 20-minute UPS).
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
MARCH 2011
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
Power to the circuit was restored before electrical consultants (“the investigators”) arrived at the site. Their preliminary evaluation revealed that a contractor in the adjacent building had, by agreement, fed a ground cable to the ground bar in the affected building. Initial measurements showed that the cable was carrying 2A of ground current. The investigators also discovered that the water pipe—which had numerous cables bonded to it—had eroded due to electrolytic action and was, consequently, leaking. Conducting a detailed investigation The first part of the detailed investigation was to measure the ground current on the system. The investigators confirmed, by using an earth ground tester, that there was 2A on the neighboring building’s cable and 1 or 2A on some of the mud plant’s own ground cables. The interconnecting bonds at the ground bar had clearly been installed at different times over many years, resulting in a “rat’s nest” of cables. The investigators then tried to make measurements of ground current at the building’s ground rods. As is usual in most such cases, understanding a buried ground system is very difficult unless you are prepared to dig and investigate. After a short time, the investigators gave up and decided to look into the ground system at the main breaker outside of the building. They had to suit up in PPE (personal protective equipment) so they could make the measurement. At the same time, while the covers were off the switchgear, they carried out an infrared survey. The infrared survey showed that the main switchgear and cable connections were running at a completely normal temperature—no hot spots were visible. The investigators then took the opportunity to check the voltage and current harmonics that were present using a three-phase MARCH 2011
Suiting up with PPE protected the investigators from the possibility of arc flash. MT-ONLINE.COM | 21
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
This almost fully automated plant depends on the smooth operation of its electrical system. That’s not always been easy to achieve. power-quality analyzer. Readings showed very low levels of distortion; the supply looked very clean. The investigation continued inside the building—at the service panel where the power had been lost. With the help of a current clamp meter, more details on the ground currents were confirmed. The investigators then decided to disconnect the neighbor’s ground connection. When this was done, the ground currents were measured once again, at which point it was found that the disconnected ground cable was not having any effect on the circuits within the problem building. The investigating team then elected to carry out an infrared survey on the small distribution transfer in the service closet where the ground bar was located. When they removed the front panel of the transformer, the thermal imager showed hot spots on the transformer connection of phase C. This was the circuit that had failed. The loose connection was so bad that during the survey the connection sparked due to a small disconnection. In response, the investigators arranged to power the local panel down so repairs could be made. This, in turn, caused a disruption in the office facility and the production area because the local displays could no longer connect with the SCADA system.
Crisp, clear images on the Fluke Ti32 thermal imager helped narrow down the possibilities fast.
Eliminating future hiccups Solving problems related to the mysterious power outage at the mud plant was straightforward: All connections in the transformer needed to be tightened. The panel feeding the transformer was also checked and major issues discovered—more than 50% of the connections were loose. While the neutral was connected to ground at the correct point (according to NEC code), the panel was not properly grounded due to a loose connection on conduit. There also were many supplementary grounds on local circuits, again not in line with code. The main breaker in the panel was cracked and, thus, required immediate replacement. 22 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
The investigation that ultimately uncovered the causes of the outage and led to their elimination required several pieces of test equipment. Each tool was used to detect a different aspect of the situation: The earth ground clamp meter and the current clamp meter both showed high levels of ground current. Most likely, these results were due to the VFDs in both plants being connected to the same transformer. The power-quality analyzer showed that the voltage and current harmonics at the service entrance contained very little distortion. MARCH 2011
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
The thermographic imager indicated hot spots in an internal distribution transformer on one phase, which was the phase that had previously been exhibiting the problem. Remedial work, including replacing two panels and bringing the associated wiring and grounding up to code, was carried out based on this detailed— and successful—investigation. MT Frank Healy is a power quality specialist with Fluke. He has advised and consulted on many aspects of instrumentation for electrical engineering, including installation testing, earth/ground testing and power, for more than 20 years. E-mail: frank. healy@fluke.com.
Troubleshooting with the Fluke 435 power-quality analyzer went quickly with on-screen display of trends and captured events, even while background recording continued.
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ELECTRICAL ISSUE: VOLTAGE MATTERS
ABC ELECTRIC MOTORS HP KW
100 75
HZ
50 230∆ 400Y 380Y 415Y
RPM 1465
60 230∆ 460Y 480Y
1758
Fig. 1. A motor nameplate like the one shown here might imply that a unit can operate at all listed voltages and frequencies.
Dual Voltage: Twice As Much To Go Wrong? The issue is not as simple as you might have thought. Here’s what the experts have to say about dealing with voltage ratios and wye/delta connections. Chuck Yung Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA)
I
n the world of three-phase electric motors, the use of motors with more than one voltage rating seems to cause great confusion. Especially today, with so much international commerce, misunderstanding of the simple term “dual voltage” often leads to premature motor failures.
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
MARCH 2011
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: VOLTAGE MATTERS
Maintenance professionals in the U.S. are accustomed to “dual-voltage,” 230/460-volt ratings. This 1:2 ratio lends itself to 9-lead windings that are connected externally as either 1 & 2-Y or 1 & 2-delta. The high-voltage (460v) connections are the same for both; the 230v connections are not. Internally, the winding connection can vary, but always with that 1:2 ratio between circuits. The common factor is that the circuits and possible operating voltages have the same 1:2 ratio. Using two circuits at 230 volts produces the same magnetic flux density—and therefore the same torque— as using one circuit at 460 volts: 230v x 2 circuits = 460v x 1 circuit That makes off-the-shelf electric motors more versatile. (We use 60 Hz power in North America, Brazil and parts of Japan—albeit not all use the same voltage systems.) The rest of the world uses 50 Hz power, and is accustomed to the Y/delta dual-voltage system, which is wye-delta for a ratio of 1:1.732. Common voltage ratings for these machines are 220/380 and 230/400. The same ratio applies to the medium-voltage (2300v delta/4000v wye) machines in North America. The ratio is derived from the square root of three (√3) and results in the Y-connected motor producing the same torque at 400v as it would when connected delta for 230v. Table I. For a wye-delta dual voltage, the ratio of low- to highvoltage is 1:√3.
Low voltage (Delta)
High voltage (low V x √3)
220 230 550 2300 1740
380 400 950 4000 3000
Table II. U.S. dual-voltage typically means a 1:2 ratio of low to high voltages (230 x 2 = 460).
Low voltage 230
High voltage 460
It is understandable that a person accustomed to one system might not realize the differences in the other. Based on reported winding failures, that is indeed the case. Let’s look at the reason for the confusion, and why many motors successfully operate on the other system—the one they were not designed for. North America generates and uses 60 Hz (Hertz or cycle) MARCH 2011
power, while most of the rest of the world uses 50 Hz power. The history behind this is fascinating, but that’s for another article. Let’s just say there used to be a lot of competing frequencies, and like Apple versus PC, both have advantages, disadvantages and loyal followers. The relationship between voltage and frequency is straightforward: The volts/Hertz ratio must be constant to produce the same torque. The speed of the motor (rpm) is proportional to the frequency, so a motor operating at 60 Hz turns 1.2 times as fast at it would on 50 Hz power (50 x 1.2 = 60): 60/50 x 50 Hz voltage = the 60 Hz voltage that will produce the same torque For example, 400v x 60/50 = 480v—meaning that a 400v 50 Hz winding is equivalent to a 480v 60 Hz winding. In other words, a 400v 50 Hz motor, applied to a 480v 60 Hz power supply will operate at the same magnetic flux density and, thus, produce the same torque. Since it is rotating 20% faster (60/50), however, the output power (measured as Hp or kW) also increases by 20%. Understandably, someone might look at the 400v 50 Hz/480v 60 Hz issue and feel safe in using a 230/400v 50 Hz motor on a 60 Hz system. After all, when the motor is connected wye, and operated at 460v 60 Hz, it produces the correct torque. So what’s the problem? Consider what happens when a supplier produces a nameplate with an array of voltages and frequencies like those shown in Fig. 1. Here, the implication is that the motor can operate at 380-410v 50 Hz, 460-480v 60 Hz, and 230v 50 or 60 Hz. There is a logical ratio between the 50 Hz and 60 Hz “high voltage” rating, but what about that 230v rating for both frequencies? When that original 6-lead, 230v 50 Hz motor is operated at 230v 60 Hz, it is likely to fail prematurely. That’s because the equivalent 60 Hz voltage would actually be 276v. Using the same volts/Hz ratio as before: 230v x 60/50 = 276v That means the 230v 50 Hz delta connection can operate successfully at 276v 60 Hz—not at 230v. In too many cases, somewhere between the manufacturer and the motor user, someone decided that 230 volts is 230 volts, regardless of frequency. They assumed that a 230v 50 Hz motor would work just as well on a 230v 60 Hz system. But a motor operating at lower-than-rated voltage experiences a reduction in torque proportional to the square of the ratio of the applied voltage to the rated voltage. When delta-connected for 230v 50 Hz, but operating at 230v 60 Hz, the motor produces only 70% of rated torque. MT-ONLINE.COM | 25
ELECTRICAL ISSUE: VOLTAGE MATTERS
Since the motor is operating at 60 Hz instead of 50 Hz, it rotates 1.2 times as fast, offsetting some of the lost power. But 1.2 x 0.7 is still only 0.83, so the motor only delivers 83% of rated Hp. Under the radar In North American industrial applications, more dual-voltage motors operate on 460v than 230v. We’ve seen that 400v 50 Hz is equivalent to 480v 60 Hz, so a motor will operate on either system and produce the same torque. It is only when the motor is connected for low voltage that it produces less torque. Because many motors operate below their nameplate rating (Hp/kW), the 230v 50 Hz motor operating on 230v 60 Hz power may not be so drastically overloaded as to fail immediately. That reinforces the notion that an IEC 230/400v 50 Hz motor can be operated successfully on 230/460v 60 Hz systems. When only the motors operated at 230v 60 Hz lose torque, and only the ones sized for the full load torque requirement fail, it is easy to understand why those responsible for application considerations do not recognize the problem.
For your industrial motor information: www.TheMotorSpecialist.com
The lesson here is to consider the operating voltage any time a 6-lead, dual-voltage motor is labeled for 230/460v use. If the motor is being used on a 230v 60 Hz system, it should be connected with 9 leads for 230/460v. For example, if a 6-lead motor is labeled for 230/400v 50 Hz operation, the connection is a Y/delta. To operate successfully on 230/460-volt systems, the winding connection must be changed to a 9-lead, dual-voltage connection. An EASA service center can raise the winding connection and reconnect the motor for this purpose. If the nameplate lists multiple voltages, it gets even more confusing. People often assume that motor manufacturers know everything about their products, so they accept nameplate data at face value. But the nameplate markings may have been dictated by an equipment manufacturer who is buying the motor for international use—with little or no input from motor design engineers. Manufacturing groups like the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) have done a tremendous job of standardizing frame sizes and ratings, but the internationalization of voltage and frequency ratings has added confusion to the mix. Summing it up If you remember these basics, you can head off a lot of application problems and make your life easier. ■ Volts/Hz ratio must be constant to produce same torque. ■ Torque is proportional to the square of the magnetic flux density. ■ At constant frequency, the effect of voltage on torque is squared. ■ There is a linear relationship between torque and Hp (kW). If a motor is labeled as a 6-lead, wye-delta connection, and is marked for dual voltages, the ratio of the voltages must follow that square root of three ratio. Contact a qualified service center when you recognize a conflict between the voltage rating and connection method. Sharing this knowledge with your staff is a force multiplier that’s likely to head off other potential problems—the type that could lead to late-night emergency phone calls. MT Chuck Yung is a senior technical support specialist with the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA), in St. Louis, MO. Telephone: (314) 993-2220. EASA is an international trade association of more than 1900 firms in 56 countries that sell and service electrical, electronic and mechanical apparatus. Web: www.easa.com
For more info, enter 72 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
For more info, enter 02 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MARCH 2011
Maintenance New Year’s Resolutions It’s not too late to tackle this list. Improvement is always in style. Raymond L. Atkins Contributing Editor
T
hose of you who are thinking that it’s a little late for a New Year’s Resolution article need to look at the subject from my point of view. If you had been offered this article back in January, I would have been competing for your attention with all those other resolutions you made. But now that the rush is over and you’re no longer skipping dessert, jogging at 6 a.m. or trying to read the Harvard Classics, we can get down to serious business. Specifically, we can look at some strategies you can employ if you want your maintenance reality to be different this year than it has been in the past.
MARCH 2011
MT-oNlINE.CoM | 27
If you feel there’s nothing more you can do to enhance your efforts, turn the page. If, however, you want to break the cycle of reactive maintenance at your site, consider adopting one or more of these resolutions as your own. Of course, if you’re entirely happy with the way your plant is running and feel there is nothing more you can do to enhance your maintenance efforts, read no further. If you enjoy sleepless nights and the staggering pressure of process breakdowns, feel free to turn the page and scan the rest of the magazine. On the other hand, if you want to break the cycle of reactive maintenance, you might consider adopting one or more of the following “Maintenance New Year’s Resolutions” as your own. #1. Perform preventive maintenance. According to Dictionary.com, maintenance is “the act of maintaining.” The definition goes on to state that maintenance is care or upkeep, as of machinery or property: “With proper maintenance the car will last for many years.” This is a simple and clear definition, yet it highlights a problem that too many maintenance managers face. In the reactive mode of maintenance, a large percentage of your maintenance assets—both in personnel and in capital—are devoted to putting out fires. The predicament then becomes one of priorities: You can’t maintain your plant because you’re spending all of your time and budget fixing your plant. You have to do this because your processes are in failure mode. Consequently, since you’re not able to maintain your machines, they will continue to fail, thus bringing about the need to use more and more maintenance time and energy to address process failure. This cycle of process misery is a hard habit to break, but you must find a way. Start small, address one machine center at a time and put reactive maintenance behind you. #2. Staff for success. Have you ever heard the old saying that “there are only so many hours in the day?” It’s true: there are exactly 24, which are usually enough, unless you’re trying to make do during hard times by combining necessary jobs. If you are running your maintenance organization with a short staff—either in the office or out on the plant floor—then you’re creating an environment in which failure will take hold and eventually thrive. Unfortunately, in a sluggish economy, upper management may decide to freeze hiring or to cut out maintenance positions altogether. The answer to that argument is so common-sensical that it shouldn’t have to be repeated every time the economy takes a dive. 28 | MAINTENANCE technology
Positions such as planner, scheduler, maintenance clerk and even reliability engineer all pay for themselves. They are a wise investment, not an unnecessary expense. It isn’t the case that a maintenance department really OUGHT to have these positions staffed. Rather, it is a documented fact that no maintenance organization can be completely successful without filling these roles—the tasks associated with the various positions MUST be performed. Consider for a moment what happens when you don’t fill one of these positions. What are the consequences? Do you pay overtime for the work? Do you pull another employee off of his/her job to cover the labor shortfall? What happens to that person’s job as a result? Or, do you simply let that part of your maintenance effort slide while hoping for the best? #3. Plan and schedule. If you’re not planning and scheduling, I can’t do much for you other than offer my sympathies. (OK, I’m kidding, but only a little.) You’ve read it here before: If you are going to succeed as a maintenance manager, then you must plan and schedule your work. Planning and scheduling are the methodologies by which you gain and keep control of your maintenance processes—you can’t be successful without them. Consider the analogy of the car trip. Imagine that you want to visit the Grand Canyon. Do you just walk out, get in the car and head out? Not if you want to have a good trip. To ensure a successful journey, first you drag out the road atlas and decide which route to take. Then you tune up the car, rotate the tires and make hotel reservations. You’ll surely develop a travel budget and withdraw adequate cash for the trip. You will also decide who is going to accompany you, when the trip is to be made and how long it should take for you to reach your destination. In other words, you plan and schedule the excursion from start to finish. Your visit to the Grand Canyon cannot be successful without these two vital functions. Neither can your journey to maintenance reliability. #4. Measure your processes. If you’re not keeping key performance indicators (KPIs)—also known as metrics—it’s as if you are driving on a curving road on a foggy night: You have no idea where you are going and where you’ve been, and you’re MARCH 2011
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
not quite sure where you are right now. You may be making great strides toward maintenance reliability, or you may be losing ground every day with respect to that goal, but you’ll never know either way if you don’t measure your performance. You must compare your maintenance performance against your own historical data over time and against industry benchmarks. Remember: If you can’t measure it, it doesn’t exist. As we’ve discussed in previous articles, you must collect timely, consistent, meaningful and honest data concerning your efforts. Then, you must develop a set of KPIs that have meaning for your particular process. You can’t make the journey to maintenance reliability without a system in place to measure your progress. #5. Train your employees. Years ago, I worked as a line mechanic in an automobile dealership. I’ll never forget the first time I got to troubleshoot a car with solid-state ignition. The brand-new model had just come in on the transport, but it wouldn’t start. Employing my usual diagnostic protocol for vehicles with suspected ignition problems, I determined fairly quickly that the thing probably just had a bad set of points. Imagine my surprise when I popped the distributor cap and discovered it had no points at all—it didn’t even have a place to put any! My next step was to quietly slip out to the sales lot, look back over both of my shoulders, pop the hood of another new car, and take a peek under its distributor cap. As it turned out, this one also had no points. Sensing a trend, I made inquiries and learned the ignition system for the entire vehicle line had been changed. Sadly, we technicians had received no training on the new system. Even worse, the dealership had not purchased any of the rudimentary diagnostic tools that were then available for vehicles with solid-state ignitions. The analogy should be clear: Regardless of the jobs they perform, if your team members aren’t adequately trained, they won’t be able to give you the results you seek. #6. Encourage teamwork. Organizations are complex and multi-faceted entities—it’s a rare one that doesn’t have one or even several personnel dichotomies. This is the natural outcome of the predilection of human beings toward the “us versus them” mindset. Some of these divisions include production versus maintenance, management versus labor, day shift versus night shift, union versus non-union, blue collar versus white collar and probationary versus permanent. Yes, a little intramural rivalry can bring about a spirit of healthy competition within an operation. But if it goes MARCH 2011
too far, conflict and negativity—to the detriment of the organization—can be the result. All members of an organization (and particularly management and supervision) should strive to hold this type of activity to a minimum. Regardless of who is harnessed to the wagon, it can only be pulled in one direction at a time. As one of my old bosses used to say, “If they shut this place down, we’ll all be standing in the unemployment line together.” #7. Practice accountability. The concept of accountability is difficult for many maintenance managers to embrace. Perhaps this is because in the world of reactive maintenance, it is often hard to determine the reason for a failure. Did the bearing fail because it was installed improperly? Did the bearing fail because it was not lubed? Did the bearing fail because the machine was operated beyond its rated capacity? Did the bearing fail because it was stored improperly? When a process is out of control and a failure occurs, it is very difficult to determine the cause—but you must get to the root cause or the process will fail again. The key to establishing accountability is to develop work processes that have documentation (and therefore accountability) built in. Train maintenance employees on how to install the bearing and document that training. Train reliability personnel on how to lube the bearing and document that training. Train production employees on how to operate the machine and document that training. Train storeroom employees on how to store the bearing, and document that training. Then follow up: Get to the root of the failure when it occurs. If human error is found to be the cause, hold the appropriate person responsible. Keep in mind, though, that accountability is not about punishment. It’s about progress. Reality check I’ll admit that this list of Maintenance New Year’s Resolutions reflects an ambitious undertaking. It wouldn’t be easy to cross off all seven items from it by December 31, 2011. Tackling one or two, however, would still generate benefits for your maintenance organization. If you don’t actively set out to change your maintenance reality, it will not change. It’s not too late. Now is the time to begin. MT Ray Atkins is a retired maintenance professional (and awardwinning author), based in Rome, GA. He spent his last five years in industry as a maintenance supervisor with TempleInland. Web: www.raymondlatkins.com; e-mail: raymondlatkins@aol.com. MT-ONLINE.COM | 29
BOILER HOUSE RULES
The Fundamentals of Steam
Boiler Training:
Boiler and System Training Maximize your Steam and Hot Water System’s Efficiency, Sustainability, Reliability and Safety Cleaver Brook’s dedicated Training Department uses its 100(+) years of instructors experience to assist you in achieving optimum system performance regardless of boiler manufacturer. • Boiler & System Fundamentals • Basic Electrical: Troubleshooting • What supervisors need to know about the boiler room and the system • Custom tailored on-site programs • Web-delivered programs
Learn more or register: cleaverbrooks.com/training.htm
For more info, enter 73 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 81 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
30 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
A Business Perspective By Cleaver-Brooks
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e’ve all heard that “knowledge is power,” and it truly is with boilers. But how does this phrase apply from a business perspective? To begin with, an average high-pressure steam boiler consumes four times its initial cost in fuel the first year of its operation. Sound amazing? Then you also need to understand that the average cost of fueling a boiler operation in an average process industry already exceeds $1,000,000 per year. This is real money—which adds significantly to the operating cost of the business. Additionally, given the fact that boilers are the heart of a process: If they fail, thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars can be wasted in product loss or extended downtime. Remember, too, that boilers are a key safety concern. If compromised, they can cause substantial harm to life, limb and property, thereby driving capital and insurance costs to the extreme, to say nothing about the physical and emotional human impacts that responsible businesses strive to avoid. On top of all this, as the cost of fuel continues to escalate, your already high fixed and variable boiler-system operating costs are growing. Note, however, that you can substantially reduce such costs (by as much as 15-20% on average)—that is, if there is the knowledge and desire to implement necessary change(s). Where does that type of knowledge and desire come from? Soundly constructed and professionally delivered training programs aimed at various levels of operating personnel can make a dramatic difference in reducing costs and exposure by simply raising the awareness level of operating personnel. We are looking for behavioral changes here, and it begins with heightened awareness of the boiler, its supporting accessories and their impact on the costs associated with energy, sustainability, reliability and safety. The heightened awareness then blossoms into understanding and appreciation of the importance of boiler-room knowledge and the key role that the individual plays in effective use of this knowledge. This includes having an understanding of the nuances of boiler operation, as well as the cost impacts that boilers, accessories and systems have on a business if they’re not operated and maintained in the best way possible. Here is where the behavior change begins to occur—with a favorable shift in attitude once people understand and appreciate what they are responsible for. That’s why comprehensive, effective training is so important. Whether delivered over the Web, in open regional courses, at dedicated training facilities or through specifically tailored on-site programs, it can positively impact the bottom line. Isn’t it time to get serious about a boiler training program for your company (and begin capturing the economic benefits it will surely power)? MT Cleaver-Brooks is a world-renowned provider of efficient boiler-room products and system solutions for any size application. As the pioneer of packaged boilers, we’re the only manufacturer in the world to offer an entirely integrated boiler-room solution backed by a worldclass representative sales and service network. Learn more at www.CleaverBrooks.com. For more info, enter 03 at www.MT-freeinfo.com Sponsored Information
MARCH 2011
Get Ready!
Get Set!
Get Going!
Put MARTS 2011 On Your Calendar Now!
Education, Networking, Solutions To Your Problems!
APRIL 26-29, 2011
Know any good books? CALL FOR ENTRIES:
We thank all attendees, presenters and exhibitors for helping us make MARTS 2010 a rousing success. MARTS 2011 promises to be even bigger and better! Check regularly on www.MARTSconference.com for event news and scheduling updates.
Reliability Keeps Giving Voice To Autism As in 2010, MARTS 2011 will kick off with another “Reliability Gives Voice to Autism” (RGVA) charity event. This gala evening of fun, food and entertainment at MARTS 2010 was this year’s #1 industrial contributor to the Autism Society of Illinois. Stay tuned for details on how you and your company can be part of this great cause. “I am forever grateful for the efforts made by the organizers and volunteers of RGVA on behalf of the Autism Society - Illinois. With the success of the inaugural event, I am looking forward to the 2011 Reliability Gives Voice to Autism with exuberant anticipation.” … Michael Gallivan, President, Board of Directors, Autism Society - Illinois
We’re grateful, too… Applied Technology Publications is delighted that others across the reliability community have chosen to join us in the battle to raise awareness and funding for autism. To all of you, thank you for your contributions and good luck in your fight. For more information, contact Bill Kiesel at bkiesel@atpnetwork.com
MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
Reliability Gives Voice to Autism
Book Awards
Calling all authors and publishers of reliability, maintenance and autism-related books! Submit your entries for the first Reliability Gives Voice to Autism (RGVA) Book Awards. Honoring the best titles in each category, these awards are co-sponsored by Applied Technology Publications and SUCCESS by DESIGN, with proceeds going to the Autism Society of Illinois.
The RGVA Book Awards competition is open to all writers and publishers who produce books written in English that are intended for the reliability, maintenance and autism genres. Independent spirit and expertise comes from publishers of all sizes and budgets, and books will be judged with that in mind. Awards will be presented during the Reliability Gives Voice To Autism dinner on April 26, 2011, at MARTS (Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit),
The Capacity Assurance Conference!
at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago, Illinois).
APRIL 26-29, 2011
For complete rules and guidelines on submitting reliability, maintenance or autism-related books for judging (including entry-fee info), visit:
Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago), IL
www.MARTSconference.com
For more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
www.MARTSconference.com
© IROCHKA - FOTOLIA.COM
Improving Operator Care:
Checklist Fundamentals Sam McNair, P.E., CMRP Life Cycle Engineering (LCE)
et real about this: Make-work is simply not a good way to increase operator engagement. That said, just how can you optimize your operator-care program and data-collection activities? Consider the following: 1. What’s the best operator-care/data-collection method for your site: electronic or paper? The electronic approach has many advantages over paper, including efficiency in both collection and analysis. If you need to enforce the collection of data, the electronic method is more workable, but if you have to enforce participation, you may be missing the boat. Whether your operators take a paper or data-logger approach, it is ultimately the effectiveness of the data utilization that matters. Before you put a system in place, answer the next three questions: 2. What will you use the data for? If you don’t have a clear plan for turning the data into action, why do it? Organizations tend to gather data like squirrels gathering nuts in the fall: because they can. Some look on it as a way to keep their operators moving around. Both rationales are weak. 32 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
MARCH 2011
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
A good way to disengage your workforce is to require it to collect data that has no value for the business or disappears into a black hole from which nothing emerges. Collected data either needs to be something required to manage the process or to improve equipment reliability. This implies that every piece of data is added to some type of database (manual tank inventories in refineries or WIP cycle counts in discrete manufacturing come to mind) or that some analysis and action will be required of the person capturing the data (such as adjusting a coolant flow to maintain a bearing temperature within limits). It doesn’t matter if data is being collected for further processing or as something to be acted upon immediately: Your collection system must be able to set clear limits beyond which some action is required. Let’s say you’re looking at a bearing temperature. Whether it is recorded electronically or on paper, it should express the normal limits and the point at which action must occur. (Actions could be anything from adjusting the coolant to writing a work request.) 3. Who’s doing the analysis, when and why? If data analysis is not being carried out by the individual(s) collecting the data, you need to ensure that someone is, in fact, conducting appropriate, timely analyses— and that he/she is initiating action(s) based on any discovered deviations. Remember: If there is no clear plan to turn data into action, you’re wasting time and alienating your workforce by collecting it. People know when you’re wasting their time and resent it. As the author Stephen Covey wrote, “Start with the end in mind.” 4. Why are you really collecting all that data? To recap: If data is not firmly associated with some requirement(s) pertaining to process efficiency or equipment reliability, don’t bother collecting it. Many organizations go to great lengths in creating tasks that are “easy” or “simple” enough to give to operators without considering whether such tasks are really necessary. No matter how well-intentioned your efforts may be, trying to improve operator involvement by creating tasks for them to do is not an effective strategy. One way to disengage a workforce is to add to its workload and require it to gather information that has no value for the business (or disappears into a black hole from which nothing emerges). This sends a clear message to personnel that you don’t value their time or trust their judgment— you just want to see them look busy! MARCH 2011
Check here for success If you want to increase the level of operator engagement at your site, implement your operator-care program with these actions in mind: Ensure that the data you collect or the tasks you ask your operators to perform add true value to your business. Make sure personnel understand why they’re collecting such data. Is that inspection task you put on the list needed for some reliability analysis—such as an FMEA—or is it just make-work/busy-work? Provide feedback systems so personnel know the work they are performing means something. How many significant “finds” or “saves” resulted from the added inspection tasks? What happened to a work request the operator submitted for that leak last week? Set up clear responsibility and accountability. If you had assigned a task to a maintenance craftsperson, you would have expected him/her to complete it accurately and in a timely manner. His/her supervisor would have been aware of the activity and accountable for the individual’s completion of the assigned work. Expect no less from operators and their supervisors. Train people to do inspections and gather data properly. You typically wouldn’t send a craftsperson to inspect a piece of complex machinery without first training him/ her on the specifics of the job. Don’t send out unprepared/ untrained operators. Furthermore, don’t “dumb down” the task so that just anyone can do it without training. This type of approach creates a non-value-added task that is likely to cause disengagement. In the end, keep in mind that it’s the psychology— not the technology—that will define the success or failure of an operator-care program. Good luck with yours. MT Sam McNair is a senior consultant with Life Cycle Engineering (LCE), where he specializes in reliability engineering with a focus on the integration of maintenance and manufacturing functions. E-mail: smcnair@LCE.com For more info, enter 04 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 33
TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE
Looking at leading suppliers to industry…
MARTS Exhibitors ...What’s up?
T
his Technology Showcase focuses on the earlybird exhibitors you’ll see at this year’s MARTS —Maintenance And Reliability Technology Summit— set for April 26-29, in Rosemont, IL. Representatives from companies listed here are among those who will be discussing their products and services in the tradeshow area, Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 28. One of these companies is Ivara (www.ivara.com), a Silver Level MARTS Sponsor. Ivara helps asset-intensive companies reduce operational costs, increase production, maximize capacity, reduce unplanned downtime and achieve operational excellence. The company’s end-to-end software solution enables implementation of a proactive asset-performance management process for long-term, sustainable equipment reliability. Among other things, Ivara is sponsoring all MARTS refreshment breaks this year. Infraspection Institute (www.infraspection.com), which is the world’s oldest independent infrared training and certification firm, is yet another MARTS Sponsor. Founded in 1980, Infraspection Institute has trained and certified nearly 10,000 thermographers worldwide and shaped the infrared industry through technical consulting, publications, research, standards development and software publishing. Other “Must-See” 2011 MARTS Exhibitors Include: ■ Dreisilker Electric Motors, Inc. (www.dreisilker.com) provides electric-motor solutions to commercial, industrial and municipal customers. It specializes in MotorSafe™ Repair methods using non-burnout stripping, accurate and precise rewinding, advanced varnishing, dynamic balancing and thorough testing. ■ Ludeca (www.ludeca.com) supplies laser precision-alignment systems that extend rotating-machine availability and increase MTBF. They protect assets and increase product quality by reducing vibration to low levels. Accurate shaft alignment contributes in more ways than one to great savings and a cleaner environment.
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
■ MAPCON (www.mapcon.com) stands for MAintenance, Planning and CONtrol software—a state-of-the-art CMMS that operates on personal computers. Today, this 100% employee-owned company offers CMMS products for every size organization and takes pride in its long-term product support and personal service. ■ NEC Avio Infrared Technologies (www. SoltecCorp.com) will demonstrate its line of high-performance thermal imaging cameras and data-acquisition recorder systems. Camera types include modules, handheld and fixedmount. Data-acquisition units include new, portable, low-cost 4- and 8-channel compact designs for high-speed analog signal measurements. ■ PdMA Corporation (www.pdma.com) will highlight its more than 20 years of commitment to the predictive maintenance industry and electric-motor testing. Dedicated to continually challenging current industry standards, PdMA Corporation’s industry-leading role is built on a hands-on management approach combined with a highly experienced leadership team. ■ T.A. Cook (www.tacook.com) is an international management consulting firm focusing on asset performance management. Its core competence is the sustainable implementation of asset, operations and service-oriented excellence. T.A. Cook delivers value-enhancement and bottom-line productivity gains. ■ Wilcoxon Research (www.wilcoxon.com) has manufactured predictive maintenance equipment for 40 years, including piezoelectric sensors, vibration transmitters, signal conditioners, accelerometers and vibration monitoring sensors. Company goals include a commitment to ongoing research in vibration instrumentation and impeccable customer service. For full details on MARTS, go to www.martsconference.com.
MARCH 2011
TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE MARTS SILVER SPONSOR
Leading Technology, Leading Methodology, Proven Solution Ivara is the leader in asset performance management software solutions for companies in capital-intensive industries. With our advanced software, seasoned reliability practitioners and proven implementation methodology, Ivara customers prevent equipment failure, increase production and lower costs to improve business performance.
Ivara Corp. Burlington, Ontario Canada Toll Free: 877.746.3787 ext. 312 (North America only)
Or Call: 905.632.8000 ext. 312
www.ivara.com
Shaft Alignment World Leaders In Machinery Health Information Systems We lead. Others follow. Commtest is committed to driving the leading edge of condition monitoring technology. . . We look ahead at global industrial and economic trends and emerging technology to build solutions that will continue to solve customers’ problems in the future.
Commtest, Inc. Knoxville, TN Toll Free: 877.582.2946
www.commtest.com
Visit Us In Booth #08 MARTS SILVER SPONSOR
Visit Us In Booth #01
For more info, enter 75 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
For more info, enter 77 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
The NEC/SOLTEC Connection NEC Avio Infrared Technologies (NEC) acquired CA-based SOLTEC Corp. (SOLTEC) on January 1, 2011. Since that date, NEC, a manufacturer of high-tech Thermal Imaging Cameras and Digital Recording Systems has been selling its entire line through SOLTEC’s ongoing operation. SOLTEC, which has served the Test & Measurement industry for 45 years, continues to sell other products, including Strain Gauge Measurement Systems from Kyowa Electronic Instruments, Ltd.
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies, Ltd. SOLTEC Corp. San Francisco, CA Ph: 800.423.2344 ext. 411 www.SoltecCorp.com
Visit Us In Booth #09 For more info, enter 76 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
MARCH 2011
& Geometric Measurement
Rotalign® ULTRA
Vibration Analysis
& Balancing
Since 1980,
Infraspection Institute has provided training, certification and support services for thousands of thermographers worldwide. Staffed by highly experienced, Level III Certified Infrared Thermographers, we provide Real World Solutions for today’s challenges. Make sure to visit us at booth #11 at MARTS, April 26-29, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont (Chicago), IL.
h WatcOS VIDEine Onl
VIBXPERT® II
Easy-to-use solutions for your maintenance needs! Sales • Rentals • Services
MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT
Infraspection Institute Burlington, NJ Ph: 609.239.4788 www.infraspection.com
For more info, enter 78 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
305-591-8935 • www.ludeca.com
See us at MARTS Booth #10 For more info, enter 79 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
MT-ONLINE.COM | 35
CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE
Advanced, High-Noise Communication System
Smart Access To Crucial Asset Reliability Info
Electronic Torque Wrenches
S
T
T
Sensear Pty Ltd. Larkspur, CA
24/7 Systems, Inc. Louisville, TN
Stanley Proto Industrial Tools New Britain, CT
ensear says that its Intrinsically Safe Smart Muff provides an advanced level of hearing protection along with a highnoise communication system. The company’s SENS™ (speech enhancement/noise suppression) technology enables clear, safe communication in loud environments.Features include two-way radio and Bluetooth.
For more info, enter 30 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
ango™ Reliability Information Management from 24/7 Systems offers a single source for maintaining invaluable equipment data. Now, with the help of Tango™ Mobile, you can retrieve that information via your Smartphone. Installing Equip ScanTango™ QR codes on machinery like pumps, motors, gearboxes, etc., allows users to scan the equipment with their Smartphones and obtain details on condition, repair history, design specs and more. The company offers prepurchase “test-drives” of this product.
For more info, enter 31 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
hree new Fixed Ratcheting Head electronic torque wrenches from Stanley Proto accept standard Proto sockets. They come in 1/4”, 3/8” and 1/2” drive versions with torque ranges from 25 in-lb (2.8 Nm) to 250 ft-lb (339 Nm). All models feature easy-to-read LCD displays, fast sampling rates and visual and audible indicators to show when targets have been reached or overtorqued.
For more info, enter 32 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
Asset Management Consulting and Training Services
Customized Reliability Solutions
You Talk We Listen
PIP IS SIMPLE. How can we support you? Watch this Video... www.marshallinstitute.com/we-listen For more info, enter 80 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
36 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Let PIP’s harmonized engineering Practices simplify your next project.
ask@pip.org
www.pip.org For more info, enter 81 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MARCH 2011
CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE
Adjustable-Speed Pump Drive
High-Load Fastener System
T
he new Toshiba P9 self-calibrating adjustable-speed drive is designed to reduce pressure buildup and energy consumption of pumps and pumping systems, thereby maximizing their efficiency and service life. Incorporating proprietary Virtual Linear Pump (VLP™) Technology, it directly, precisely and linearly controls pressure or flow. Toshiba says the ARRA-compliant P9 eliminates many pump control problems, including that of load balancing over multiple pumps. Toshiba International Corp. A Toshiba America Inc. Group Co. Houston, TX For more info, enter 33 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
T
he Hytorc® Clamp-Nut™ connection device for high-load applications is available as an integrated system that includes a torque wrench, driver and the Clamp-Nut fastener. The Clamp-Nut is a three-piece fastener that prevents galling and has a load range up to 1.5 million pounds. The system creates a self-contained force system that eliminates damage because no torque is transmitted to the bolt.
Hytorc Mahwah, NJ
For more info, enter 34 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
Extreme-Duty Steam-Line Connector
T
he IS-4 Stainless Steel Universal Connector from Armstrong International is intended for high-pressure and super-heat steam lines. Its design enables quick and easy access for replacing steam traps in process applications without disturbing piping. The connector, with integral strainer, is rated for Class 900 service and up to 1245 psig at 900 F (86 bar at 482 C).
Armstrong International, Inc. Three Rivers, MI
For more info, enter 35 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
7-Step Best Practice Lubrication Program Professional Self-Directed Implementation ToolKit
Tap into your Liquid Gold for less than $20 per day!* Looking to increase asset utilization and maintainability, reduce contamination, downtime, energy consumption and/or your carbon footprint? You’re ready for a 7-Step Best Practice lubrication Program! For more information on this “expert in a box” approach, contact ENGTECH Industries
at 519.469.9173 or email info@engtechindustries.com * Amortized over one year For more info, enter 82 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
74 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 77 MARCH 2011
For more info, enter 83 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 37
INFORMATION HIGHWAY For rate information on advertising in the Information Highway Section Contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 / E-mail: jpreston@atpnetwork.com Web Spotlight: Grace
Engineered Products
PIP is a consortium of process plant owners and engineering construction contractors harmonizing member’s internal standards for design, procurement, construction and maintenance into industry-wide Practices. PIP has published over 450 Practices. A current listing of published Practices is available on the PIP website at: http://pip.org/practices/index.asp. For more info, enter 85 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.pip.org
Increase Productivity and Safety with Mechanical LOTO
Workers performing mechanical LOTO procedures must isolate electrical energy. Externally-mounted voltage detectors provide a means of checking voltage inside an electrical panel. Without these devices, a mechanic performing mechanical LOTO would be required to work in tandem with an electrician using a voltmeter to physically verify voltage inside an electrical panel. In this case, the electrician is exposed to voltage. With The Combo Unit, the mechanic can single-handedly check for zero electrical energy without any exposure to voltage.
For more info, enter 84 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.graceport.com/3mt_informationhighway
LUDECA, INC. - Preventive, Predictive and Corrective Maintenance Solutions including laser shaft alignment, pulley alignment, bore alignment, straightness and flatness measurement, monitoring of thermal growth, online condition monitoring, vibration analysis and balancing equipment as well as software, services and training. For more info, enter 86 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.ludeca.com
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For rate information on advertising in the Classified Section Contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 e-mail: jpreston@atpnetwork.com
MARCH 2011
Index ADVERTISER
20 YEARS
M A I NM TA EI NNT EA N NA NC C EE
TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY ®
March 2011 Volume 24, No. 3 •
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YEARS
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FX 847-304-8603
A.W. Chesterton Company ....... www.chesterton.com/bearing ..................................61......................IFC Baker Instument Co.................... www.bakerinst.com....................................................69........................17 CleaverBrooks .............................. www.cleaverbrooks.com/training.htm...................73........................30 Commtest ..................................... www.commtest.com ..................................................77........................35 ComRent® International, LLC.. www.ComRent.com ..................................................64.......................... 4 CRC Industries ............................ www.crcindustries.com/ei.........................................71........................23 Electrical Reliability Services...... www.electricalreliability.com....................................70........................19 Engtech Industries Inc. ............... www.engtechindustries.com ....................................82........................37 Exair Corporation ....................... www.exair.com............................................................65.......................... 5 Fluke............................................... www.HiddenPowerProblems.com..........................88.......................BC Grace Engineered Products. Inc....www.graceport.com/3mt_informationhighway.......84........................38 Infraspection Institute ................ www.infraspection.com ............................................78........................35 IMEC ............................................. www.imec.ca................................................................87..................... IBC Ivara................................................ www.ivara.com ...........................................................75........................35 Littelfuse ........................................ www.littelfuse.com/protectionrelays.......................68........................11 Ludeca Inc..................................... www.ludeca.com ........................................................79, 86 ...........35, 38 Marshall Institute, Inc ................. www.marshallinstitute.com/we-listen ....................80........................36 MARTS- Applied Technologies ..www.martsconference.com........................................ 63, 74 ..............2, 31 Motion Industries........................ www.TheMotorSpecialist.com ................................72........................26 NEC ............................................... www.SoltecCorp.com ................................................76........................35 PdMA Corp.................................. www.PdMA.com........................................................67........................10 Process Industry Practices.......... www.pip.org ................................................................81, 85 ...........36, 38 Schneider Electric ........................ www.SEreply.com.......................................................62.......................... 1 Strategic Work Systems, Inc....... www.swspitcrew.com.................................................83........................37
Access MT-freeinfo.com and enter the reader service number of the product in which you are interested, or you can search even deeper and link directly to the advertiser’s Website. Submissions Policy: M T gladly welcomes submissions. By sending us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technology Publications, Inc., permission, by an irrevocable license, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned. Reproduction of Materials: Materials produced by Maintenance Technology may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without permission. For Reprints: Contact the publisher, Bill Kiesel - (847) 382-8100 ext. 116.
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MT-ONLINE.COM | 39
viewpoint Jay A. Burnette, Vice President & General Manager, Inpro/Seal
A Shift In Experience: Opportunity And Challenge
I
n her “My Take” column in the September 2010 issue, Maintenance Technology’s editor Jane Alexander focused on the threat to industry due to the departure of experienced engineers and technicians. When these people go, they carry years of valuable knowledge of rotating-equipment maintenance and reliability out the door with them. No matter the causes of this widespread loss of skills and talent, the situation is leaving the maintenance and reliability community with a serious shortfall in hands-on experience. Is it possible to supplement this crucial—and unique—expertise in the maintenance and reliability of rotating equipment? The most positive indication that progress is being made is the deployment of highertechnology solutions that address the need to keep rotating equipment up and running. We’re now seeing industry-wide evidence of the switch from conventional reactive maintenance methods of fixing rotating equipment when it fails, to employing state-of-the-art bearing protetion technology aimed at maintaining rotating equipment—without failure. Such technology has been successfully implemented in a large number of process plants around the world, where up to 90% of rotating-equipment failures have been eliminated. Utilizing technology as a supplement for job experience should not be viewed as disruptive. Just like every other sector, the process industries are employing as much technology as possible to remain competitive on the global stage. Our customers are doing “more with less” and placing even more emphasis on controlling costs by improving the useful life of investments. In these cases, applying reliability-focused technology reduces the day-to-day tactical maintenance headaches and allows for valuable resources to be redeployed into areas of strategic importance to the company’s long-term success. This will, of course, be a subtle shift, since the application of
advanced technologies will happen over time as equipment (pumps, motors, gearboxes, etc.) is upgraded or refurbished.
Just like every other sector, the process industries are employing as much technology as possible in order to remain competitive on the global stage. The process industries are no different than any other type of business facing competitive pressures—and trying to hire and develop talent to fill the void left by experienced predecessors. However, the unique skill set of engineers and technicians who are entrusted with responsibility for the capacity assurance of rotating equipment (i.e., keeping those assets available and running reliably, safely, efficiently, profitably, etc.) magnifies the challenge. Organizations that respond by shifting their focus from that of simply finding a “quick-fix” to one of implementing innovative solutions that address longer-term reliability issues and provide the greatest ROI will ultimately be the most successful. The American workforce long prided itself on being among the most productive on the planet—and that productivity has not been based solely on the number of hours worked per week. U.S.-based companies have embraced the importance of investing in technology as a means of driving productivity, efficiency and quality forward. Let’s hope this trend continues. MT Jay Burnette is the vice president and general manager of Inpro/Seal LLC, located in Rock Island, IL. For more info, enter 05 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
The opinions expressed in this Viewpoint section are those of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect those of the staff and management of Maintenance Technology magazine.
40 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
MARCH 2011
International Maintenance Excellence Conference October 5 to 7
The Experts are in Toronto this Fall The 2011 International Maintenance Excellence Conference IMEC October 5 to 7 in Toronto, Canada Expand your knowledge in unexpected ways by joining maintenance and asset-management professionals from around the world at the seventh-annual International Maintenance Excellence Conference. IMEC’s two days of keynote presentations and one day of in-depth workshops are presented with academic and industrial perspectives that deliver well-rounded interpretations of modern issues. Hosted by Dr. Andrew Jardine of the University of Toronto’s Centre for Maintenance Optimization & Reliability Engineering and co-produced with Maintenance Technology magazine, IMEC 2011 takes place at the University’s convenient, full-service conference venue located in the heart of beautiful downtown Toronto. Don’t miss this unique, multi-dimensional learning opportunity for maintenance professionals everywhere! Learn more about IMEC at www.imec.ca or contact Bill Kiesel at bill@imec.ca / 847-382-8100, ext. 116
IMEC is organized by:
For more info, enter 63 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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What is your electrical system hiding?
Power problems can cost you time and money. A computer locks up. Lights flicker. A motor overheats. Just random events? They could be signs of power problems—which can cause costly downtime, data loss, excess power consumption, and equipment repair and replacement. Problems no one can afford. Learn how to recognize the symptoms of power related problems and discover our easy-to-use Fluke power quality tools, information resources, and training. With them, you can quickly and confidently diagnose causes, implement solutions, and prevent problems in the future.
Go to www.HiddenPowerProblems.com and see what your electrical system may be hiding.
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