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Contents
M A I N T E N A N C E
TECHNOLOGY
®
AUGUST 2011 • VOL 24, NO 8 • www.MT-ONLINE.com
YEARS
Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS
FEATURES 13
© YABRESSE/FOTOLIA.COM; © EKY CHAN/FOTOLIA.COM
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2011 A Special Executive Roundtable Jay A. Burnette, Waukesha Bearings Corporation Welch Goggins, Cleaver-Brooks Andy Gravitt, Schneider Electric John Grillos, NTT Workforce Development Institute Barbara Hulit, Fluke Corporation Poul Jeppesen, SKF North America Ron Martin, Emerson Process Management Jagannath Rao, Siemens Industry, Inc. William J. Stevens, Motion Industries Andy Teich, FLIR Tribby Warfield, Gates Corporation
DEPARTMENTS
THE RELIABILITY FILES 28 30
6 8 11 52 54 54 55 56
New Generation Of Smart Meters Lets You Do More With Less
Your workload has increased and may get even heavier. Shouldn’t your tools be able to do more as well?
Automated Supply Technology: Reducing Consumption, Inventory And Downtime
Easy access to MRO and safety supplies coupled with usage controls can do great things for productivity.
UTILITIES MANAGER 33
■ Big Money Talks William C. Livoti
34
My Take Uptime For On The Floor Compressed Air Challenge Classified Information Highway Supplier Index Viewpoint
■ Building An Effective Steam Trap Station Management Program Kelly Paffel, Swagelok Energy Advisors, Inc.
CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK 40 41 42 44 45 46 48 48 50
Automation And Control Electrical Systems Testing And Analysis Lubrication, Lubricants And Other Fluids Information Technology Mechanical And Hydraulic Equipment Maintenance Equipment Maintenance Management MRO Equipment & Supplies
AUGUST 2011
Your Source For
Capacity Assurance Solutions
www.MT-online.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 3
M A I N T E N A N C E
TECHNOLOGY
®
YEARS
Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS
August 2011 • Volume 24, No. 8
International Maintenance Excellence Conference October 5 to 7
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
The Experts are in Toronto this Fall
RICK CARTER
Executive Editor rcarter@atpnetwork.com
ROBERT “BOB” WILLIAMSON KENNETH E. BANNISTER RAYMOND L. ATKINS Contributing Editors
RANDY BUTTSTADT
The 2011 International Maintenance Excellence Conference IMEC October 5 to 7 in Toronto, Canada
Director of Creative Services rbuttstadt@atpnetwork.com
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.
Editorial/Production Assistant gpietras@atpnetwork.com
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.
GREG PIETRAS
ELLEN SANDKAM
Direct Mail 800-223-3423, ext. 110 esandkam@atplists.com
JILL KALETHA
Reprint Manager 866-879-9144, ext. 168 jillk@fostereprints.com
Editorial Office: 1300 South Grove Ave., Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 847-382-8100 / FAX 847-304-8603 WWW.MT-ONLINE.COM
Subscriptions: FOR INQUIRIES OR CHANGES CONTACT JEFFREY HEINE, 630-739-0900 EXT. 204 / FAX 630-739-7967
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:
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, 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®” is a registered trademark of Applied Technology Publications, Inc.
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AUGUST 2011
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MY TAKE
Jane Alexander, Editor-In-Chief
Cooling Off With Some Cooler Heads
I
can’t tell you how great it has been to compile this month’s issue. Against the ongoing, extremely heated backdrop and “noise” of our national production of The Battling Bickersons Do Washington (aka politicians considering the debt ceiling), it’s been WONDERFUL to immerse myself in ideas coming from cooler heads (aka thought leaders participating in our “2011 Executive Outlook”). As in past years, the 2011 installment of our annual Outlook section features insight from top executives of leading suppliers to industry—this time, 11 of them, to be exact. You’ve seen and heard from some of them and/or their companies in previous Executive Outlooks; several are new this year. The questions we asked them are also new and, we feel, just as relevant to the issue of our economic survival as the debt ceiling controversy et al (maybe even more so). Here they are:
1. “As a top corporate executive, what did the respondent think should be done to address the growing shortage of technical skills and knowledge in operations, maintenance and engineering job roles in industry?” 2. “What, if applicable, was the respondent’s company doing to help address such shortages with regard to its own operations and/or how was it helping end-user customers stay up and running despite the same types of shortages in their operations?”
We only had a couple of carved-in-stone guidelines for our invited participants: Try to answer the questions in a straight narrative style using 550 words or less; and keep your own voice. They all did. (Well, I guess we did let in a few more words here and there…) What’s so refreshing about the answers we received is the lack of “agenda” or “jockeying for position” or “politicization” in them. To a person, each of these executives appears to have written from his/her heart and offered suggestions for the good of industries and end-users everywhere, regardless of whose customers they might be. As I alluded to in my first paragraph, it’s been a real treat for me to work on this editorial—and now it’s a real honor to present it to you. I trust you’ll take time to read our entire 2011 Executive Outlook (which starts on page 13). The companies represented in this section aren’t just working for themselves. They’re working for all of us. MT jalexander@atpnetwork.com
P.S. Please join the discussion. If you have your own suggestions for what industry can do to overcome the loss of knowledge, skills and experience in operations, maintenance and engineering, please send them on in. I look forward to receiving your emails.
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AUGUST 2011
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UPTIME
Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor
Learning From Toasters Although we don’t always notice it, we rely on technology in almost every part of our lives. Throughout our homes, schools, businesses, means of transportation, etc., it’s everywhere. So, what happens when taken-for-granted and/or invisible technologies go rogue? It happens routinely… For example, in June 2011, one manufacturer found itself recalling 300,000 toasters. The reason: Consumers reported the products could remain “on” indefinitely, igniting the contents and posing fire hazards. Be careful out there. We’ve also begun seeing new failures in some of the simplest technologies in the workplace! The truth about toasters My own research has revealed that toaster problems aren’t new. In 1999, one brand-name supplier in the U.S. was fined $575,000 for failing to report toaster defects that led to burns and property damage. Since 2002, nearly 3.4 million toasters sold in the U.S. have been recalled for similar problems. These recalled units included products from 12 well-known manufacturers. In fact, almost every major brand of toaster sold in the U.S. since 2002 has had a recall. It’s shocking! The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that from 2002 through 2007, “appliances” caused the largest number of electrocutions of the 24 product categories over which the agency keeps watch. Small appliances (mostly toasters and blenders) electrocuted 27 people. But, that’s not what really captured my attention: The huge increase in electrocutions did. In three years, from 2002 through 2004, we averaged two electrocutions per year in the U.S. Then, from 2005 through 2007, we averaged seven per year. That’s a significant change by any measure—more than a 300% increase in deaths in three years from small appliances. Interestingly, almost 10 times more men were electrocuted than women. The CSPC notes the most common of these deadly scenarios involved a small appliance and a consumer attempting to repair it. Sound familiar? “Don’t worry, honey, I can fix it. Stand back.” Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) report on “Home Fires Involving Portable Cooking or Warming Devices” details a significant increase in fires, deaths and inju8|
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
ries since 1999. The report also states that toasters and toaster ovens were the largest cause of home fires from 2002 through 2005 (to the tune of more than $34 million in property damage). The business cost In less than 10 years, U.S. consumers spent over $271 million on toasters that were later recalled for “potential fire hazard, burns and electric shock” according to the CPSC. Imagine if you were in the business of making or selling toasters in America. What would be your business cost for the recalls? First, you would have the cost of notifying all consumers by snail-mail, email and advertising. Don’t forget the expense of making replacement toasters (let’s hope they would be better than the original products), plus shipping, distributing, increased product liability insurance rates, etc. And what about the cost to recover from negative publicity? It really does go on and on… Back to the question: Who pays for all of this unexpected increase in the cost of goods sold? Probably the consumer, through a price increase for the new toasters. (Aren’t you glad you’re NOT in the toaster business?) Made in America While toasters are one of the most common small household appliances in America, try to find a toaster that’s actually made in the USA. Where have all the toasters gone? Gone to China, every one! All of the 12 major brand-name toasters sold in the U.S. then recalled since 2002 were made in China. Why? Manufacturers report that making small appliances in China has saved tons of money in labor costs. The real picture is quite different: nearly 3.4 million recalled toasters and millions of dollars of lost profits. Where’s the money actually being saved by making our toasters offshore? Beats me. Let’s make ‘em in America again Why can’t we make toasters here anymore? We can. Then, why don’t we? The reasons are many and the problem complex. Let me generalize my answers based on experience in hundreds of plants over the years. The overarching issues goes well beyond toasters that are no longer made in America. Here are eight points to ponder: AUGUST 2011
UPTIME
We’ve begun seeing fresh failure modes in newer equipment systems in our workplaces and recurring failures we thought had been eliminated years ago. #1. We became complacent… This complacency started after World War II, when most of the world’s industrial capacity was bombed out of existence. U.S. manufacturing was still strong. Our products were in demand worldwide. We had very little competition. Complacency set in and really began hurting American manufacturers when England, Japan and Germany regained and strengthened their industrial capacity. #2. Attitudes of “entitlement” spread far and wide… They spread through some of our large company workforces, labor unions and company managers that began to feel entitled to high-paying jobs and all the benefits and perks, while actual “work” became a low priority. #3. Investors demanded faster, stronger returns on corporate profits and stock dividends… The almighty dollar became the goal of businesses. Down-sizing and right-sizing followed. #4. Customers wanted better value for their purchasing dollar… That included better quality, better service, better (faster) delivery and better (lower) pricing. This was followed by an explosion in corporate improvement “programs” in the 1980s and 1990s. A veritable “program-of-the month” syndrome settled in to America’s businesses. #5. New manufacturing technologies, fueled largely by microprocessors, computers and PLCs, entered our plants in the 1980s and 1990s… Many of the big companies responded with significant employee training for the operation and maintenance of these new “smart machines.” Productivity increased. #6. We ran head-long into a skills shortage… Fewer young people pursued jobs in maintenance, manufacturing and utilities. The 1980s and 1990s saw rapidly declining vocational-technical and career education programs in our schools. This movement was accelerated by the obsessing over “college degrees” and “higher test scores” by our politicians and educators. Meanwhile, businesses were noting a decline in basic employability skills among high-school graduates. The “forgotten half ” of non-college-bound students found themselves entering the job market totally unprepared. AUGUST 2011
#7. “Smart machines” came down in price… This meant they were readily available to most manufacturers. In the 2000s, these new technologies began invading mid-sized companies and then moved into smaller operations. One of the big differences this time was the small degree of employee training that was needed to master the newer technologies. Training, spare parts and documentation were additional costs that some companies “could not afford” (at least that’s what they told me). #8. Labor costs continued marching onward and upward… Wages, salaries and benefits (healthcare, retirement, vacations and other paid time off) increased the overall cost-of-goods-sold balance sheet. Turning things around Complacency, entitlement, bigger ROI, programs-ofthe-month, advancing technologies, obsessions with a college education and test scores, lack of employee training and increasing labor costs came together and made manufacturing in America appear to be a virtually insurmountable challenge. That misperception wasn’t too much of a stretch. Third-world countries flaunted insanely low labor costs, which, in theory meant more profits. U.S. companies started off-shoring manufacturing to the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Taiwan, Korea and then China. Companies operating in high-wage countries like ours found these emerging, low-wage industrial economies hard to resist (conveniently overlooking the fact that low-wage environments often translate into low productivity). I maintain our bleak manufacturing situation can be turned around if we want it bad enough! To quote the late U.S. industrialist Henry J. Kaiser (1882-1967), “Problems are just opportunities in work clothes.” Permit me to explain… What many businesses did NOT expect were the “hidden costs” of offshore manufacturing: longer lead times, increased and different quality problems, goods damaged in shipping, increasing costs of transportation as fuel prices climbed, larger finished-goods inventories in the marketplace and slower response to updates and market changes. In the end—truth be told—overall costs of offshore manufacturing actually increased over what they would have been here. mt-online.com | 9
UPTIME
Around your operations today, you’ll probably see examples of machinery components and parts that used to be made in America, but are now being produced elsewhere. Be vigilant. Pay close attention to early warning signs of failure. Lessons learned What can we learn from the toaster example? “Rogue technologies” similar to those that caused nearly 3.4 million toasters to be recalled in the U.S. are quietly entrenching themselves in our plants and facilities. We’re seeing fresh failure modes in our newer equipment systems—and recurring failures that we thought had been eliminated years ago. We’re also seeing differences in the quality, workmanship and compositions of some of even the simplest hardware that we have come to trust over the years. Look around your operations—including your parts rooms. You’ll probably see many examples of machinery, components and parts that used to be made in America and are now being produced elsewhere. In many cases,
what you’re running are brand-name equipment systems incorporating major components and parts that were outsourced to low-wage countries to save money. Be vigilant. Pay close attention to early warning signs of failure. Borrowing from another great American, the following Bob Dylan lyrics would seem to be truer today than when they were written in 1965: “The line it is drawn, the curse it is cast, the slow one now, will later be fast, as the present now, will later be past. The order is rapidly fadin’, and the first one now will later be last. For the times they are a-changin’.” To that, I might add, “but chickens always come home to roost.” MT RobertMW2@cs.com
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FOR ON THE FLOOR An outlet for the views of today’s capacity assurance professionals Rick Carter, Executive Editor
On With The Show There’s nothing like meeting an expert face to face, having a beer with a peer and posing tough questions to an anxious vendor while you hold his/her product up to the light. These are the types of encounters that routinely take place at live, off-site conference or training events, which Maintenance Technology Reader Panelists say, are vital for team development and exposure to cutting-edge information. With near uniformity, our Panelists feel that, despite challenges in getting off-site, attending live training events—like our own Maintenance and Reliability Technology Summit (MARTS), for example—can be worth the effort and cost. While their management may not always agree, they believe the show must go on. Here’s why. Attend and learn “Learning off-site always seems better,” says a New England-based corporate engineer who attends trade shows about twice per year when he finds the content to be “interesting.” His only complaint about such events, other than the occasional “$8 hot dog,” is when they’re located too far away. “I don’t like to fly anymore,” he says. “Too much hassle.” A production support manager in the Midwest feels off-site events are “very valuable” because of the chance they offer for one-on-one interaction with experts and peers. “There are many times you read about how to do maintenance and you give it a try,” he explains, “but I believe that going to these seminars reinforces what you may have learned from other outlets. It gives you access to the people who are the leaders in redefining how we should perform maintenance.” He attended his first event this year, and was pleased with what he got out of it. “In the past,” he reports, no one attended events like this from our company, but moving forward we hope to participate more.” Others say that in addition to educational and networking opportunities, live events are valuable for getting details and guidance from vendors. According to a facility manager in the South,
AUGUST 2011
“Two good reasons to go are: (1) If the event has OEMs displaying new products so attendees can follow the future of their industry, and (2), if OEM decision makers are present to listen to people’s problems and can make an effort to solve these problems with technology.” This Panelist says he usually attends two or three conferences annually “if they will enhance my knowledge of new software or products.” Getting there is half the battle Panelists’ strong support might suggest that liveevent attendance is flourishing. In fact, according to conference-industry surveys, attendance at such events across most sectors is down. Reasons for the trend include a tight economy, lean staffing and reduced budgets. Some Panelists might add one more reason: a misperception among decisionmakers about the value of attending off-site events.
With near uniformity, our Panelists believe that, despite challenges in getting off-site, attending conferences and live training events can be worth the effort and cost. “I definitely believe in conferences for maintenance professionals,” says a maintenance manager in New England. “But I have not been to one in more than 10 years because my employer does not feel they are beneficial. Our company sends representatives from engineering to these events and expects them to spread the word when they get back. So far, that has been a dismal failure.”
MT-ONLINE.COM | 11
FOR ON THE FLOOR
This Panelist explains that those not chosen to attend from his plant are expected “to have enough information to keep us on top of our game.” He points out, however, that based on his own experience, they’re years behind. “The finance people who run the business are missing great opportunities to redeem value from an up-to-date and highly trained maintenance department. The expense to send people to these events can be returned in knowledge and experience,” he says, “and there will always be a positive result.” According to him, over the course of his career, he’s never left a conference without gaining knowledge and information that will help him make better decisions later on. “One of the main problems,” he says, “is that no one at the top understands the value of maintenance. They see it as a black hole where we spend a lot of money. Sooner or later, the light will have to come on.” A maintenance manager at a utility in a western state notes that while his operation still sends a dozen or so workers to off-site conferences annually, it’s had to “cut back a lot in the last couple of years,” due mostly to cost. Yet he still believes in the value of off-site events “as long as you know what to look for and what to expect going into it.” He cautions that if a conference is based solely on presentations by vendors and consultants, the value will be lower than if the majority of speakers are end-users presenting findings or research on work they’ve done at their own facilities. Another Panelist laments that his numerous personal requests to management to send personnel to a particular off-site program have been “shot down due to financial reasons.” This PM leader in the upper Midwest tells us that since his company now operates independently, “I will again approach management and explain the benefits of this type of program. If there is an opportunity to come away with information that can improve output,” he adds, “I don’t see why you would not want people to attend.” Maximizing value Most Panelists agree that the value in attending off-site events comes from absorbing new information and taking it back to the plant. And while it may be an honor to be chosen to attend, it’s usually not perceived as a perk. The implied
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
responsibility is to learn. One Panelist suggests that if employers took steps to coordinate this responsibility, they would quickly see the advantages of attending. “Off-site events provide a wealth of information and give insight into how other companies look at different problems,” says this journeyman at a nuclear facility in the Northeast. “Regretfully, the company that sends the representatives does not always get a bang for its buck. I am a firm believer that if you go, you owe the company a full report, what you saw, what you learned and what you thought.” He thinks that after networking, the most important value from these conferences is in the new ideas and takeaways they generate. This Panelist also believes that to be in the best position to absorb new information, attendees must be familiar with their operations and have knowledge of their processes. While this might seem obvious, his point is that if an attendee doesn’t fully understand the key concepts related to the operations at his plant, such a concept “will never be more than an idea.” If an attendee knows and understands the concepts, “presentations at the event will only increase his understanding,” he says, “and help bring value back to the organization.” MT
About the MT Reader Panel The Maintenance Technology Reader Panel is comprised of working maintenance practitioners who have volunteered to answer bimonthly questions prepared by our editorial staff. Panelist identities are purposely not revealed, and their responses are not necessarily projectable. The Panel welcomes new members: Have your comments and observations included in this column by joining the Reader Panel at www.mt-online. com. Click on “Reader Panel” under the “MT Resources” header, and follow the instructions. If accepted, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a cash prize after one year of active participation.
AUGUST 2011
© PAMANES—FOTOLIA.COM
Crucial technical knowledge, skill sets and experience in operations, maintenance and engineering roles are disappearing at an alarming rate from our workplaces. How will we be able to keep critical infrastructure up and running? How will businesses be able to survive, much less compete? We asked executives from leading supplier organizations how they’re overcoming these challenges in their operations, and how their companies are helping end-user customers do likewise.
To learn what these 11 corporate leaders told us, read on. . . .
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2011
Challenges Mean Opportunities Jay A. Burnette, President, Waukesha Bearings Corporation
E
arlier this year, I wrote about challenges facing industry, including the loss of highly specialized engineers and technicians. While finding and retaining key talent has always been a key part of the growth strategies at Waukesha Bearings and its business unit Inpro/Seal, the task has become increasingly difficult in recent years. As part of Dover Corporation, we’re committed to an ongoing investment in both people and tools—with the aim of improving productivity and driving operational excellence. For example, when a CNC mill needs replacing, we don’t just swap it out with a like-for-like unit: We invest in a multiaxis machine or one with advanced control capability. Such investments, combined with robust processes and our continuous-improvement culture, have helped us be as efficient as possible with the resources we have. Inpro/Seal’s products are custom-designed to meet the unique needs of each application, so optimizing our engineering teams’ efficiency is vital. One way we’ve done that is by incorporating automation into our engineering processes. Over time, we’ve developed proprietary design tools that let us easily reference previous designs that can be customized or used to establish a design baseline for a completely new solution. These tools have become our way of institutionalizing the vast knowledge that exists across our organization. By leveraging this technology, our engineering resources are able to support our same-day shipment promise to our customers. We’ve also increased our efforts to develop and retain key talent. We see this initiative stretching across our entire organization and touching all functional areas. For example, we’ve partnered with local high schools and technical colleges to create apprenticeship programs that help meet our need for skilled machinists. In addition, we support our employees in seeking further education that makes them more effective in their current roles and helps them develop to meet their future aspirations. We’ve sought out
high-performers within our organization and created opportunities for them to assume more responsibility and train new employees. Continued investment in our most valuable assets— our people—will ultimately keep us competitive and drive our growth over the long term.
Investing in development of key talent before it’s needed gives an organization a big advantage. We know our customers are confronting many of the same challenges in finding qualified resources for critical strategic areas that we’re facing— and we’re there for them. When a pump or motor comes down for maintenance, decisions are being made to upgrade traditional lip seals to more productive sealing technologies that offer permanent bearing protection. Organizations everywhere are seeking advantage in traditional repair or “break-fix” operations in order to free up limited resources and be able to focus on more strategic system-level reliability and efficiency efforts. Our objective is to have the right structure in place to meet those customers’ everchanging needs. This structure includes not only the products that improve reliability and efficiency, but also the highly capable people necessary to sell, engineer, produce and service them. What’s next? Industry must continue to proactively plan for an even higher-level human resource challenge. As many of us have seen, growth in demand doesn’t necessarily come in the form of a subtle ramping-up. Sometimes, it’s a relatively large step-change. Organizations that plan ahead and invest in developing key talent— before it’s needed—will have a significant advantage when that step-change hits. MT For more info, enter 1 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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AUGUST 2011
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Invest In Tomorrow’s Workforce Welch Goggins, President & CEO, Cleaver-Brooks
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n a recent Congressional hearing, Georgetown University Public Policy Professor Harry Holzer stated, “The ratio of job vacancies to new hires in manufacturing is higher than we find in any other major industry group.” Manufacturers are finding it difficult to fill positions today because the industry has evolved. Years ago, many manufacturing jobs required nominal skills—they could be performed by those with a high-school education. Today’s jobs, however, are highly specialized, and the U.S. talent pool isn’t deep enough to fill the growing void. Leading companies are working to fill the gap and ensure the availability of a skilled workforce for years to come. Among their priorities: building educational alliances, investing in continuing education, establishing a mentoring program and supporting programs to attract young people to the field. One of the best ways to ensure the availability of a well-trained workforce is for a company to build educational alliances with local universities and technical colleges. An experienced facility engineer can help recruit students into industry-specific degree programs based on their aptitude and interest. Company engineers or technicians also can serve as advisors or instructors to help students obtain realworld skills. In addition, they can assist in curriculum planning to ensure students have the knowledge base necessary to succeed in the workplace. The NationalAssociation of Manufacturers (NAM) encourages manufacturers to think of employees as investments rather than expenditures. The association specifically recommends that companies invest at least 3% of their payroll in training. Many manufacturers recognize the need for continuing education and offer an array of training programs to meet the growing need. These classes and seminars help ensure that engineers and technicians are educated about new and emerging technologies to stay competitive. Within the next 15 years, the majority of today’s skilled workforce will retire. One way to combat the loss of experienced technicians is to implement a
mentoring or in-house training program. Engineers who have been in an industry for decades should be paired with younger workers and share their knowledge with them, thus shortening the learning curve.
Our commitment to educating and properly training future generations is key to our global competitiveness. A mentoring program can have a positive effect on company morale as well. The more experienced workers feel their expertise is appreciated, while the younger employees appreciate the company’s investment in their future. Attracting young people to pursue a career in manufacturing is critical to the long-term success of industry. A recent poll revealed that 52% of teens have little or no interest in a manufacturing career— another 21% are ambivalent about it. Turning these statistics around will take some work. It’s vital that we educate young people about the many benefits of pursuing a career in manufacturing. Last year, Nuts Bolts & Thingamajigs and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship started a summer camp that combines elements of manufacturing and entrepreneurship. The program is expected to grow to 300 locations throughout the country. During the camp, students tour local manufacturing facilities to learn what types of jobs exist, what skills and training are required and how different businesses developed. Our country’s competitiveness in the global economy depends upon our commitment to educate and properly train today’s younger generations. If your company isn’t supporting an industry training or educational program, make it a goal to get involved in one by 2012. MT For more info, enter 2 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2011
Closing Industry’s Knowledge Gap Andy Gravitt, Senior Vice President, Industry Business, Schneider Electric
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ncreasingly, the industrial sector faces a shortage of skilled workers that’s a result of two simultaneous trends: a disproportionate number of aging workers nearing retirement, and a declining pool of college graduates equipped with the skills to maintain, progress and innovate the industry. This shortage will have a profound effect on businesses seeking candidates and on the national economy, which is why we must combine industry programs with public-private educational partnerships to correct the situation. To overcome the aging worker dilemma—the “Silver Tsunami”—companies must implement concerted efforts to retain knowledge and mentor new employees through formal informationmanagement systems. This ensures that employers retain skills within the organization and provides a framework to equip new employees with the expertise they need. Advanced education is more important than ever in the industrial sector. Workforce shortages are most closely aligned with positions requiring highly technical skills. Industrial automation, control, software/computer literacy, process management and energy efficiency are all critical capabilities for new workers. The focus on lean manufacturing, energy-constrained operations and sustainability make many of the growing opportunities in manufacturing part of the “leanand-green collar” workforce. Industry can’t do this alone. Public-private partnerships are essential to successfully train the next generation. The Obama Administration’s Framework for Revitalizing Manufacturing recognizes this, and we must actively partner with and inform training programs at colleges to ensure new workers can compete in the evolving economy. Additionally, in conjunction with the Automation Federation and the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), we actively support creation and evolution of the automation competency model. This model helps define core roles and competencies required for success in the field and can guide
and define 2- and 4-year technical curricula to ensure graduates succeed in the industrial automation profession. At Schneider Electric, we believe our long-term viability relies on implementing knowledgetransfer processes in areas critical to our success. Historically, we would replace staff after other workers retired. Now though, we hire new staff months prior to expected retirements and incorporate job shadowing and mentoring to support retention and knowledge transfer. Similarly, managers follow a structured on-boarding process with new employees. Our company creates highly skilled positions, so developing new sources of talent is crucial. Like many manufacturers, we focus on university relationships—hiring interns, offering co-ops and defining career tracks to entice graduates into manufacturing. We sponsor test and lab environments on campuses and local competitions to demonstrate the opportunities Schneider Electric offers. This starts in high school: We support Dream It, Do It to show young students the types of opportunities available to them in the skilled trades. For more advanced students, we’ve partnered with the Automation Federation and the USDOL’s Employment and Training Administration to develop a comprehensive competency model for careers in automation, giving structure and clear growth paths to careers in industrial process fields. Moreover, we partner with individual universities to define our expectations for present and future workers—and help those institutions optimize curricula for tomorrow’s engineers. As a global energy-management specialist, we also want our customers to be energy literate. Our online “Energy University” gives manufacturers a deeper dive into plant-related efficiency topics, from industrial insulation to waste-heat recovery. The more our customers understand the benefits of energy management, the more opportunities we have to deploy efficient solutions across the industry. MT For more info, enter 3 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
AUGUST 2011
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Keeping America Skilled John Grillos, Executive Chairman, NTT Workforce Development Institute
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e’ve all heard the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Retirees exiting today’s workforce may result in a potential shortage of nearly 10 million skilled workers by 2012. Our mission is to help America maintain a highly safe and proficient skilled workforce, and to play a role in developing the supply of talent required to meet the demand. Few providers are equipped to help companies find—and properly train—skilled workers. For example, companies are asking community colleges to design more sophisticated training programs to meet business demands. Ironically, state governments are cutting funding for more and more of these schools, diminishing their ability to support the business community when it’s needed most. Clearly, American industry needs to adopt a more strategic and integrated approach in its management of skilled labor recruitment, training, knowledge transfer and retention. At NTT Workforce Development Institute, our objective is to replenish the diminishing supply of skilled workers, and to improve their proficiency. We accomplish these goals by supporting companies throughout the lifecycle of their workforce. First, our client-sponsored apprenticeship programs help enterprises recruit and train workers for permanent job placement. Then, we provide training and hands-on skills development with our Skill Circuit™ Training System, which includes over 60 courses for maintenance workers in the areas of electrical safety, National Electrical Code®, electrical work, compliance, HVAC, fluid power and mechanical systems. We also intend to “archive” decades-old wisdom from the most experienced skilled workers so that their knowledge may be transferred to younger generations. We plan to do this with the mobile technology that we’re developing for maintenance support. Workers will carry a device that delivers real-time access to technical information, as well as operations-specific advice from more experi-
enced employees. This is critical, because every company’s operating environment is as unique as a fingerprint that’s shaped by its specific equipment, facilities and staff. There’s accumulated wisdom about what works—and what doesn’t—in your environment. This knowledge often resides only within the minds of a small handful of “master” employees who understand and can explain the quirks and nuances of your company’s specific equipment, facilities and procedures. Our technology will capture, and then share, your company’s operational cultural wisdom with all relevant employees, significantly increasing production reliability and uptime. Training and maintenance are typically treated as separate activities funded by separate budgets. NTT believes they should be viewed as interdependent, because proper training and worker qualification help to mitigate the risks and costs of maintenance. We believe that a strategic convergence of training and maintenance can really improve productivity, safety and compliance. NTT also believes it can be beneficial to outsource the management of skilled-labor recruitment, training, retention, knowledge transfer and maintenance support. This allows companies to focus on their core competencies while simultaneously establishing a stronger training and compliance program. For nearly three decades, our organization has conducted instructor-led hands-on training programs for almost 1,000,000 employees at American companies and government agencies around the world. We have witnessed—first-hand—the improvements that organizations can achieve with an expert partner. The skilled labor shortage, along with increasingly stringent compliance mandates, will cause greater pain in the future for companies that don’t take proactive steps now. We want companies to know: You don’t have to take those types of steps alone. MT For more info, enter 4 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2011
Harnessing Technology For Tomorrow Barbara Hulit, President, Fluke Corporation
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oday’s maintenance and operations technicians and engineers hold their facility in the palm of their hand. Compared to even 10 years ago, a far smaller number of technicians are now responsible for a significantly more complex workload—and the stakes are high. Fluke Corporation has extensively studied the availability and need for skilled operations, maintenance and engineering professions in the industrial workforce. It’s our mandate to design and deliver the particular test and measurement capabilities that today’s workforce requires to keep its facilities up and running. There are, at this point, many, well-documented phenomena occurring simultaneously, including the retirement of highly skilled baby boomers, a marked difference in interests and skills of new technicians coming into the job market, the pace of systems automation and the lingering impact of the Great Recession on team size and composition. These factors are having enormous impact on the workforce and the way it works. It’s unlikely that facility operations teams will return to previous sizes. Some of that will be made up for by automation. The rest of the gap has to be cleared by what smaller teams are prepared to do on the floor. They need a broader set of applications and system training. They need to think systemically. They need information at their fingertips. Unfortunately, newer technicians probably won’t have the same equipment-specific knowledge as their predecessors. So, how do they close the gap? They might call on outside experts, but with costs still closely managed, that might not be an option. The real answer is better technology and training, in-house. Fluke is actively helping both the existing and incoming technical workforce bridge these two gaps. We support technical and vocational schools, colleges, universities and apprenticeship programs across the nation with tool donations, discounted tools, tool loans and supplemental curriculum, to ensure that apprentices as well as
continuing-education participants have the chance to train on current technology. We are working alongside other business, community and education leaders in our area to help make advancements in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education to ensure that today’s students are well-prepared for their future.
We count on customer feedback to spark our next innovation. In addition, Fluke has increased the amount of training it offers directly, especially on the newer, more advanced tools required for troubleshooting automated systems. Technicians and engineers are taking advantage of self-paced Webinars on predictive maintenance, vibration analysis, thermal imaging, power quality, field calibration and digital signal analysis all from Fluke.com. We also offer in-person training in cities across the nation on thermal imaging, power quality and motor/drive troubleshooting—with more topics to come. And, to help technicians and engineers facing problems right now, Fluke innovation has delivered multiple new tools with the new workforce in mind: Digital multimeters and clamp meters with remote displays that only require one person— not two—to take a measurement…Diagnostic vibration testers that mimic the capabilities of a knowledgeable consultant or mechanical expert… Portable oscilloscopes tough enough for the industrial environment and easy enough for troubleshooting control signals. The list grows on. At Fluke, our end-user customers are an integral part of our product-design process. We count on their feedback to help spark our next innovation—just as they count on our tools to help them through whatever maintenance curveball their day serves up. We’re all in this together. MT For more info, enter 5 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
AUGUST 2011
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Cultivating Valued Assets Poul Jeppesen, President, SKF North America
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anufacturers today are under tremendous pressure to provide the highest possible quality at the lowest possible cost and to manage and maintain assets efficiently, productively and profitably. In striving to meet these critical objectives, however, operations face strong headwinds, especially with a growing shortage of experienced-based workers who possess the necessary technical skills and knowledge. The exit of U.S. manufacturing jobs, for example, has exerted a huge impact for reasons well beyond the basic economics. The next generation of engineers and maintenance professionals likely wonders where and when opportunities—if any—will present themselves. This is occurring at a time when the effects of attrition in the workforce and resulting lost expertise have imposed even greater burdens on operations. One positive way to address—and help fill— existing and anticipated vacancies in the areas of engineering and reliability is for the manufacturing sector to pursue sustained educational partnerships with colleges and universities. Such partnerships can open a wider window into career opportunities for the future workforce and, in the process, impart real-world knowledge, generate interest in particular fields and motivate qualified candidates to become part of the solution. SKF has engaged in educational-partnership endeavors for years and has benefited in kind. Within our organization, we place significant emphasis on training and energizing our own people. Internally focused SKF “colleges” around the world have been established to educate our workforce about leadership qualities and the skills that can help move associates to higher levels. In addition, our people are encouraged to gain new perspectives and new experiences by serving in a variety of successive working opportunities during the course of their careers—including opportunities that sometimes involve totally different technologies and venues than what they may have been used to. Along the way, individuals have been equipped to enhance and broaden their skill sets.
Many operations, of course, will continue to struggle with an evolving marketplace and a changing workforce. Where can they turn for help? For many, the “SKF Reliability Maintenance Institute” (RMI) plays a substantive and ongoing role in cultivating asset knowledge and efficiency through training on scores of topics. The RMI conducts more than 100 training programs annually and addresses needs from shop
Industry partners can help end-users optimize both equipment and human assets. floor to top management. Experienced instructors offer comprehensive tailored courses covering all aspects of machine reliability and competence development. As a result, higher levels of efficiency can be achieved both for personnel and machinery, plant safety can improve and an organization can underscore its commitment to its people. Technology, too, has become an important factor in supporting today’s manufacturing operations, in general, and the needs of maintenance professionals, in particular. Technology to perform various—and often historically complex—tasks has evolved steadily with the development of highly sophisticated and increasingly user-friendly tools. The continuous rollout of advanced technology intends to equip operators with as much knowledge as possible delivered in clear and understandable ways, while accommodating differing experience levels. Many challenges will persist for manufacturers on the road to reaching their particular operational, maintenance and reliability objectives. But with support from willing and experienced industry partners, every challenge can present opportunities to optimize asset efficiency and cultivate the people who represent an organization’s most valuable asset of all. MT For more info, enter 6 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2011 2010
Looking To Technology Tools Ron Martin, VP & GM, Asset Optimization and Life Cycle Care, Emerson Process Management
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chieving peak performance and high reliability has always been tough, but with the added—and now escalating—difficulty of trying to keep, find and train top-notch technical personnel, it’s even tougher. That’s where we are today: In developed countries, baby-boomer employees are reaching retirement age and taking with them a wealth of knowledge and experience. In developing countries, it’s hard to find workers with the educational background and expertise necessary to maintain and run today’s complex manufacturing facilities. Fortunately, automation companies can help manufacturers deal with widening gaps in knowledge and skills by making it easier to access process and equipment information and leverage available expertise. In other words, technology and expert services can help fill the void. Users don’t have to deal with the cost, time and complexity of finding and bringing new workers on board and up to speed. For example, wireless technologies can bring more information to central locations so trained personnel no longer need to wander the facility to troubleshoot problems. The ease and affordability of adding wireless instrumentation also permits sensors to be placed in more areas than before, expanding the effective reach of limited maintenance and operations personnel. The emergence of industrial wireless tablet computers allows senior operators to leave their control rooms without losing the ability to monitor, control and keep the facility running even during some upset conditions. Providing a complete operator interface on such devices can shorten reaction times and ease communications between field and control-room personnel—or even eliminate that distinction. Today, technology has advanced to the point where a lightweight portable PC can give operators insight into the operation wherever they are. The best workers understand how to keep equipment and processes running at their best, but they often lack the means or opportunity
to share what they know with others. Now though, it’s possible to capture that valuable expertise and distribute it broadly throughout a facility—and beyond—by using wiki-like features built into operator interfaces and maintenance tools. Comments by a senior operator about the cause and remedy for a problem can guide others facing the same situation in the future.
Human-centered design can help ensure that technology makes work easier, not more complex. Affordable high-speed communications also enable companies to share expertise globally. These days, for example, an expert in North America can monitor the startup of a turbine in South America, thus helping protect expensive capital equipment from failure. Using online realtime diagnostics this way not only saves travel time and costs, but also lets more facilities benefit from one individual’s expertise. Automation providers need to ensure that their maintenance and diagnostic tools enhance productivity by making employees’ work easier, not more complex. Given the possible proliferation of features and capabilities of today’s modern automation system, that’s not necessarily an easy task. The human-centered design discipline, however, can guide the way—i.e., by shaping a software interface to feature the most-often-used elements first and then allowing users to “drill down” into the depths of the tool only as needed; or by streamlining work processes to eliminate unnecessary tasks. Growing gaps in experience and expertise is a problem that will be with industry for some time. Technologies like those mentioned here, however, can be powerful tools in meeting the challenge. MT For more info, enter 7 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
AUGUST 2011
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Emphasizing Education And Support Jagannath Rao, President, Industry Solutions Division, Siemens Industry, Inc.
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he general shortfall of resources in the area of operations, maintenance and engineering is due to a combination of factors. They include: resource consumption by emerging markets; an aging workforce; the attractiveness of other job areas in industry for the younger generation; and a reliance on the limited experts available for these jobs. We believe several things can be done to attract new talent and retain existing talent so that these job areas are resourced with the right skills. While the content of operations, maintenance and engineering roles remains the same, the way these jobs are executed has changed dramatically over the years. We must recognize that there is a higher degree of sophistication in terms of automation, innovative methods and techniques and use of technology than in the past. Consequently, we need to package and present such jobs to make them more appealing for young engineers and technicians and encourage them to become engaged with the necessary skills. Another key step involves the defining of career paths to make these roles attractive. Candidates want well-paying jobs— with growth potential—that prepare them for cross-functional activities. We have to market these elements. It’s also important for companies to work closely with universities and technical schools on this particular aspect of the industry. It has been my experience that early engagement with educational institutions always helps in shaping programs to produce the required skill sets that we seek in candidates. Since one of the major reasons for the erosion of technical skills is an aging workforce— coupled with a lack of replenishment when workers retire—it’s critical for organizations to develop a structured and focused plan of know-how to transfer to the next generation. Although an operation might have limited available resources, making time for such a transfer is crucial.
Siemens has a clear focus on talent retention and skill development. Therefore, many of the topics mentioned above are actively carried out within our operations. We put substantial emphasis on training at all levels—from the service technician to the engineering manager—and we are constantly developing job skills in new individuals, knowing they will reach a level of proficiency over time. We utilize dedicated in-house training academies, and we recruit heavily from universities and technical institutions. We emphasize career development and growth within our company and develop plans to ensure our employees’ success.
Young workers want well-paying jobs with growth potential. We have to market these elements as they apply to industry roles. The growing shortage of technical skills and knowledge will not disappear overnight— and we still have to continue serving industry. Siemens tends to use the resources of its diverse businesses across the board so that the cyclical nature of many of the businesses can help in alleviating some of these issues. We work diligently with end-users to understand their resource requirements for keeping their operations running. To that end, we often embed our engineers in customers’ plants on a long-term basis to help maintain uptime. Thus, we are staying as close to our customers as possible to be aware of their needs. Furthermore, we continue to build dedicated service organizations with the sole purpose of addressing customers’ requirements in their operations. MT For more info, enter 8 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2011
Learning Keeps Industry In Motion William J. Stevens, President & CEO, Motion Industries
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s we look around us, one constant is this: Things change! Over the past decade, we have gone through two industrial recessions and have seen many changes in our customer and supplier base. These include changes brought on by mergers and acquisitions; changes in the ways we do business electronically and via the Internet; and changes in the technical skills and knowledge of those who work for our customers and suppliers, as well as those who work for Motion Industries across North America. Many of these changes have led to improvements in the processes we use daily and productivity in the workplace. The downside of such changes, however, is a growing shortage of technical skills and knowledge in operations, maintenance and engineering roles in many of the industries that we do business with today. Almost without exception, the exiting of the baby-boomer generation from the workforce is taking a toll with respect to the experience of the remaining workers and the knowledge base leaving with the retirees. Companies are faced with the mission of effectively handling this dilemma, while at the same time figuring out how to keep their staffing at the right levels and their bottom lines healthy. It’s a challenge for all of us. As a supplier to a broad and diverse group of industrial companies, it is our goal and objective to provide customers the best product information in every situation. The challenge of retaining product knowledge and determining the most efficient method for providing this information to our customers has become very important as individuals retire. Motion Industries is committed to the type of training for our employees that will enable them to convey and transfer product information to our customers. Accordingly, we find ourselves conducting more training and education internally—and we are also offering more training to customers than ever before. We’re fortunate at Motion Industries to have the “Motion Institute,” our own version
of an “industrial products university.” The Motion Institute supports our employees and our customers by providing specific product training, troubleshooting and even repair, in some cases, on the products we sell. One of the major changes we’ve noted over the years involves desired methods of receiving product training and education—from frequent hands-on labs in a central location, to Web-based training that’s conducted at a specific time or sessions that can be presented at the customer’s convenience. We believe that the Motion Institute is certainly an investment in our future.
We are continuously identifying and developing new and creative ways to educate both our employees and our customers. In addition to our own efforts, we support and encourage our suppliers to host training courses on their products for our sales people and our customers. Many times, part of our service offering to a valued customer is providing the education or the means to get that customer’s personnel educated by our supplier partners. This is a win-win opportunity! The challenges of ensuring a skilled industrial workforce will likely continue—and we at Motion Industries will continue identifying and developing new and creative ways to educate and train our employees and customers to overcome those challenges. We know continuous learning keeps industry in motion, and Motion Industries is committed to education! MT For more info, enter 9 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
AUGUST 2011
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Re-Envisioning The MRO Model Andy Teich, President, Commercial Systems Division, FLIR
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espite high unemployment numbers, our industrial base is dealing with a substantial shortage of skilled technicians. In particular, the skills gap has made it difficult to fill an increasing number of MRO roles, including non-destructive testing. Many factors are at play, not the least of which is a rolling exodus of well-trained baby boomers heading for retirement. Expect skilled technician shortages in the millions, just in the U.S. Several strategies can address this dilemma. First: training, training, training. It needs to be a key strategy for companies—one that’s protected and defended, even in adverse times. Training improves productivity, quality and job satisfaction. Continuing education keeps skill levels matched to advancing technology and cuts turnover and downtime. Job training and apprenticeship tax credits for companies offering training will go a long way in sustaining this priority. Fresh thinking about MRO training will drive real progress on this front. Companies can increase access to training by de-emphasizing four-year degree requirements and increasing the role of tiered training certifications and twoyear programs. Look beyond formal schools and consider training centers with MRO-specific programs, as well as business and trade organizations— places where a “learn by doing” approach is thriving. Innovative online education coupled with field training can help workers build skills at their own pace at considerable savings to the company. By providing an achievable path for substantially improving skills, employers can enable MRO workers to take more control and ownership of their professional futures and increase job satisfaction. The other key strategy involves a wholesale review of existing MRO roles and functions. Here’s the tough question: “Are your roles outdated?” As specialized MRO roles have
become harder to fill, there’s also been tremendous progress in making powerful, sophisticated technologies (once reserved for in-house or third-party specialists) more accessible, not only through lower costs but through increased ease-of-use. Roles must evolve with technology. Now’s the time to evaluate moving aspects of diagnostic work from a specialist model (i.e. “We only have two people trained to diagnose that equipment”) to an empowered, distributed and interconnected model. How? Tools like today’s infrared (IR) cameras employ state-of-the-art, productivity-enhancing technology that’s many times more powerful than that of a decade ago, and it’s available at a fraction of the cost. The goal is to empower more technicians with the right tools and training to perform frontline diagnostic work so that limited specialist resources can focus on escalated, critical issues. FLIR infrared cameras are at the forefront of this effort to transform MRO. For example, by enabling Wi-Fi connectivity between our E-series cameras and mobile devices like iPads, personnel can instantly send IR images of problems to decision-makers. Bluetooth connectivity with test equipment accurately captures and pairs electrical readings of failing equipment with IR images for a big-picture diagnostics approach. IR cameras are more intuitive and easier to use than ever, and with many productivity-oriented capabilities, they represent an exciting shift in how we think about tools we use. Interconnected tools are helping companies implement today’s emerging interconnected MRO team. Organizations like the “Infrared Training Center,” with alternatives to four-year degrees, will quickly and painlessly expand the number of qualified MRO professionals in highgrowth areas such as thermography. With solid training geared to this new model, companies will be better equipped today to tackle tomorrow’s scarcity of skilled resources. MT For more info, enter 10 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2011
Education Drives Progress Tribby Warfield, President, North America Commercial, Gates Corporation .
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hen we ask children what they want to be when they grow up, they never say “an engineer.” The chances of meeting a teenager who’s even uttered the words “improved efficiency” or “production uptime,” much less “power transmission,” are slim. These terms simply aren’t part of the vernacular like “doctor,” “pilot” and “teacher” are. While some might see this as a problem, I see an opportunity for business leaders and educators to bring about change. Without an education system that elevates math, science and engineering, we won’t raise generations that aspire to innovate in these fields, and without an ongoing commitment to fostering technical skills, we can’t adapt to the demands of the modern world. In his 2011 State of the Union Address, President Obama acknowledged, “Revolutions in technology have transformed the way we live, work and do business.” He noted that nations like China and India are adapting, educating their children earlier, longer and with greater emphasis on math and science. The U.S. isn’t keeping up. We need to train teachers in these subjects—teachers who not only spark interest but inspire new ways of thinking. Because Gates Corporation sees education as a critical lever in innovation and advancement, we support the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition. Inventor Dean Kamen founded the program to help students from all over the world experience the excitement of science, technology, engineering and math and discover the potential rewards a career in these fields can offer. As a Crown Supplier for the FRC, we provide volunteers to counsel teams on technical challenges and donate over $500,000 worth of power-transmission products. It’s exciting for us to see the next generation of engineers mix technology with a hands-on approach to learning. After all, at Gates we have a passion for education, and our value proposition is built upon a 100-year foundation of advancing the science of motion performance.
A key way we show our commitment to the ongoing development of technical skills is through the instructive resources we offer customers and end-users. We know that every engineer and maintenance manager has a unique way of learning and is under pressure to evolve an increasingly broad skill set. Our objective is to deliver support that efficiently meets these needs, and we use a variety of media to accomplish it.
Without a commitment to foster technical skills, we won’t be able to innovate nor adapt to a modern world. Our product application engineers are available to help—onsite or off—and can be reached easily via email, telephone and online chat. They provide invaluable support as companies look for solutions that are energy efficient, increase productivity and eliminate machinery downtime. Furthermore, we’re always launching new educational materials using industry publications and Websites, video, onsite training sessions, e-Learning Webinars, conferences, tradeshows, even virtual tradeshows. As one example, we offer a Preventive Maintenance Kit complete with DVD-based tutorials, maintenance manuals and practical tools like tension testers and sheave gauges, all of which help end-users keep belt drives running efficiently. In addition, our social media channels and engineering blog create new avenues for direct communication with Gates, while providing quick hits of information for today’s busy end-users. Even when resources are spread thin and time is a premium, we know education drives progress. Yes, it has to start early. And no, it can’t ever stop. MT For more info, enter 11 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
AUGUST 2011
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more info, enter68 69at at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.MT-freeinfo.com For For more info, enter
Volume 1 Number 8
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New Generation Of Smart Meters Lets You Do More With Less Problem As your workload continues to increase, it’s only right that your tools should do more. That includes your trusty multimeter, which should allow you to carry fewer tools and still get the job done faster and better. Solution Agilent Technologies—the world’s premier measurement company—has introduced that type of harder-working tool specifically for you: It’s the new U1233A Handheld Digital Multimeter. At any work site, you first must determine if live voltage is present. Then, you can set up to measure properly. The U1233A Handheld Digital Multimeter with built-in Vsense non-contact voltage detection makes this easy. By sensing the magnetic field around any live voltage—in HI and LO scales—it helps you establish the safety domain around the work area. The meter also has a ZLOW function to detect ghost voltages, easily eliminating non-energized cables from live ones. One meter does all these jobs. While the U1233A has 11 functions and 36 ranges—better than most multimeters—it also incorporates features that used to be exclusive to meters twice the price. It measures temperature, frequency and capacitance and can perform a “test and hold” and store the reading hours and days later. Skip the pencil and paper: The meter remembers readings for you. It’s also capable of periodic data-logging, babysitting and catching of intermittents. And, if you find yourself stuck doing testing at/in a dark corner, the U1230 series Handheld DMM has a builtin LED flashlight to help illuminate the test area, as well as a backlit LED for the LCD display. In fact, the same
28 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Long-term data-logging is available as soon as you connect your U1233A Handheld Digital Multimeter to a computer via an IR/USB cable (offered separately).
backlit display will flash to indicate continuity—even if the beeper can’t be heard over ambient noise. That’s more than any other meter can offer. Beyond the immediate measurements at hand, you may be interested in Agilent’s corporate commitment to bring communication and connectivity to all its Handheld Digital Multimeter product offerings, including the U1230 series. Via an IR/USB cable (offered separately), the meter can be connected to a computer. Long-term data-logging is immediately available. Using the same connectivity, calibration can be mostly automated, thus reducing the long-term support cost for those plants that require continued valid calibration certification. Agilent’s meters are all calibrated by software with the instrument case closed—no fussing with screws and screwdrivers. In the near future, Agilent will begin offering an IR/Bluetooth adapter for all its meters, including the U1233A. Wireless connectivity eliminates the cable tie-down—and the device can be up to 10 meters away.
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The hopping-frequency mode avoids most wireless-connection problems in industrial plants. With this technology, remote testing becomes very affordable. Using free, downloadable software, test information can be accessed from a PC, Android phone or tablet. This means the operator can be around the corner or outside a hazard zone at a safe distance. There’s also no need for a tag team (i.e., someone to read the meter and call back so another person can make adjustments based on the readings). Return On Investment Agilent’s new generation of meters lets you do more with less. Extremely smart and well thought-out, they address many inconveniences that have hobbled maintenance professionals in the past. With these meters, maintenance work is more efficient and productive. Learn more at: www.agilent.com/find/AgilentU1230. MT Agilent Technologies, Inc. Santa Clara, CA For more info, enter 260 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
THE RELIABILITY FILES / AUGUST 2011
For more info, enter 280 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 280 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 280 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
THE
RELIABILITY F I L E S TECHNOLOGY M A I N T E N A N C E
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Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS
Automated Supply Technology: Reducing Consumption, Inventory And Downtime Problem When it comes to providing workers with MRO and safety supplies, maintenance operations have traditionally had two options: Leave products out in an uncontrolled area where workers can grab them, or have crib managers or supervisors hand them out. The first option makes it easy for workers to get what they need, but it leads to wasteful usage and makes it difficult to regulate inventory. The second option provides more control, but takes people away from core activities every time an item is needed. (In some cases, that means two people—the worker and the supervisor.) Both options typically involve stock-outs, excess inventory, unnecessary spending, lost productivity and other forms of waste. Solution Fastenal’s automated supply technology combines the best of each approach—easy product accessibility with usage controls— while eliminating the problems. The company has implemented thousands of its automated supply machines, known as “FAST 5000’s,” at industrial sites nationwide, providing workers with controlled, 24/7 access to high-use and critical supplies. The machines, which can be set up in a central area or throughout the facility, dispense everything from drill bits, thread locker, gloves and batteries to larger or checkin/check-out items like hard hats, power tools and aerosol cans. From the worker’s perspective, it is like operating a traditional vending machine, except that instead of inserting coins, you swipe an ID badge or punch in a key code before making a selection. Based on access controls set by manage-
30 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
In a traditional tool cabinet, products are either uncontrolled or require supervision to access.
The local Fastenal store provides the FAST 5000 machine and ensures it’s always filled with needed products.
ment, workers can only dispense products (and amounts) needed for their jobs. And because the system is Internetbased, detailed usage reporting is available online in real time—not only who dispensed it, but also why and when. The product in the machine is supplied through a fully automated ordering process: When stock for an item runs low, the nearest of 2500+ Fastenal stores receives an alert and comes out to refill the machine. Fastenal also provides machine installation, product packaging, training, technical support and service. Return On Investment This solution eliminates purchase orders, stock-outs and inventory costs (Fastenal owns the product in the machine until it’s dispensed). It also improves productivity, since supplies are always immediately available near the workers who need them. But for most organizations, the biggest savings driver is a sharp reduction in product consumption—
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typically 25 to 35% and often significantly more—as a result of the system’s controls and reporting capabilities. Because Fastenal provides, fills and maintains the machines, there’s no capital investment involved, so the cost savings go straight to the bottom line. “We’ve saved about, I would say, conservatively 60 to 75% over our expenditures from last year,” said Glen Shipman, a purchasing manager at Dakota Missouri Railroad Company. “I don’t have to worry about regulating inventory. I don’t have to look at who uses what and how much. It [the FAST 5000] does it for me. It couldn’t be a better system.” To learn more, or to arrange a free, on-site technology demonstration via one of the company’s display vehicles, please visit fastenal.com or call 1.877.265.8247. MT Fastenal Winona, MN For more info, enter 261 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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| 31 For281 more info, enter 281MT-ONLINE.COM at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter at www.MT-freeinfo.com
There’s more than just bragging rights at stake... Sponsored By The Innovators Of
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As Grand Prize Winner, You Could Win An Expense-Paid Trip To MARTS 2012 and more, including special prizes from the Innovators of Inpro/Seal, Royal Purple and Scalewatcher!
More About Our Monthly Winner For July... A team from Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) led by facilities manager Mike Quinlan was named as our July winner for its work, with third-party resource Doc Palmer, on a more efficient way to create weekly schedules for maintenance planners. Here’s some background on their successful innovation and how it came about. For several years, Sandia had been refining its maintenance planning and scheduling based on Palmer’s Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Handbook (McGraw-Hill). In 2010, the site documented a 15% productivity improvement. During the implementation, the team searched for a tool to improve the efficiency of creating a weekly schedule for its maintenance planners (but not in the form of a set of seven daily schedules with work assigned to individuals). The organization wanted an intermediate step that developed a weekly “batch of work” as a goal for each crew—and unlike an advance set of daily schedules that required overhauling for each remaining day of the week, it needed to be simple. Using this batch of work as an “optimized mini-backlog” for each crew, supervisors could focus on the week and stop worrying about the remaining backlog. Sandia had been working with Palmer, who mentioned that the idea of “schedule overkill” had compelled him to develop a simple Excel spreadsheet that would schedule weekly along the lines of Chapter 6 in his handbook. The site asked to “beta test” this spreadsheet, and the resulting product was the “MPSH Scheduler.” Palmer and Sandia worked throughout 2010 to finish and prove the spreadsheet. What they found was that a planner who used it could save up to three hours per week, especially when scheduling crews of multiple craft types. Palmer has since sold copies of the tool to others. (In today’s palance, it essentially can be an “App” for a site’s CMMS.) Interestingly, when one organization considered the spreadsheet for use, it characterized the tool as “too simple.” Simplicity, though, can be a mark of true innovation. Congratulations to the Sandia team and Doc Palmer for developing this one! To learn more about our July winner and the team that worked on it, please go to: www.ReliabilityInnovator.com
Presented By
Applied Technology Publications
WHAT ABOUT YOUR INNOVATION? All entries have a shot at the Grand Prize and three Category* Awards to be announced in early 2012. Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2011. Three more monthly winners will be announced through the end of the year.
Don’t Procrastinate. . . Innovate!
Announcing Our Monthly Winner For August...
Enter now. For complete details and submission forms,go to
Thomas M. Frail, a senior engineer tech in the Power Quality Group of Consolidated Edison, is our August monthly winner. Nominated by Jim Seffrin, Director of Infraspection Institute, Frail gets our nod in light of his innovative approach to (and benefits generated by) a streamlined procedure for infrared inspection reporting across ConEd. Read more about this innovative procedure in the September issue.
*Categories include innovative devices gizmos and gadgets; innovative processes and procedures; and innovative use of outside resources.
www.ReliablityInnovator.com
For more info, enter 85 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
BIG MONEY TALKS XX UM William C. Livoti
A Matter Of Survival
G
iven the surge in demand for electricity and a projected increase in global population (9 billion by 2030), the importance of available energy can’t be underestimated. In the United States, our nation’s economic growth and prosperity depend on plentiful, reliable and affordable electricity. For almost a century, coal has been our primary source of electric power—providing over half of U.S. electricity demand. Today, the power industry is being challenged by federal- and state-mandated environmental and energy regulations that will change the industry forever. Environmental concerns about the effects of burning fossil fuels have ignited a worldwide pursuit of renewable energy sources. At the same time, events in Japan have soured interest in nuclear power, leading to projected delays or cancellations of planned construction. The result of all this? We have effectively eliminated two primary sources of base load power (coal and nuclear)—sources that are responsible for approximately 75% of electric power generation in our country. Emerging technology for cleaner electricity production will play a vital role in our economic growth. How and when this technology is implemented—and at what cost—will determine the future of our existing base load fleet. But, what’s to become of our economic growth in the mean time? With the focus on renewable energy and the negative press surrounding fossil fuels and nuclear, the power industry has few options to meet the growing demand for power. One of those options (maybe the best one of all) has been staring us in the face for a long time: Efficiency is the future of power generation. Begging the question So, what has the U.S. power industry done to improve power-plant efficiency? Answer: For the last 75 years, little to nothing. Coal plants are still operating in the 33% range. New ultra-super critical units may be approaching 45%, but we can’t seem to get past the permitting
stage to build them. The short-term solution is “combined cycle.” Still fossil-fuel in nature, the upside of combined cycle technology is that it’s more efficient than coal (assuming the unit is operating at design point, since reducing loading or going to duct fire has a negative impact on the plant heat rate). Unfortunately, combined-cycle still doesn’t address the projected increase in power demand. TVA and Duke have both announced plans to decommission a number of aging coal plants (the main reason being the cost associated with meeting new EPA legislation). These operators can’t justify the cost of bringing their aging units into compliance. Other utilities are being forced to take similar action. A better way While we’re losing base-load generation due to an aging fleet and with no clear direction from the federal government (think energy plan), federal legislation is forcing utilities to build combinedcycle plants. This will most likely push natural gas prices up (remember the 90s?) the cost of which will be passed on to the consumer. It seems to me that the most cost-effective solution is to drive more out of our existing plants— not by pushing equipment beyond its design capacity, but by improving efficiency. There are several benefits to this approach, including the fact that with efficiency comes reliability. If a plant’s equipment is operating at optimum efficiency, reliability will be optimized, heat rates will improve, parasitic load will be reduced and net megawatt output will increase. And we would get it all for a lot less money and grief than what’s involved with the building of a new plant. I’ll explore this topic in detail in an article entitled “The Future of Power: Survival of the Efficient.” Look for it in September. MT Bill Livoti is a fluid power and power industry engineer with Baldor Electric Company. Telephone: (864) 281-2118; e-mail: wclivoti@baldor.com. For more info, enter 260 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
VOLUME VOLUME 62 // NO. NO. 32
UTILITIES UTILITIES MANAGER MANAGER || 33 23
UM RUNNING THE TRAPS
It’s an essential part of your overall steam system plan.
Building An Effective Steam Trap Station Management Program Don’t let steam manage you. Check out this roadmap to success. Kelly Paffel Swagelok Energy Advisors, Inc.
34 | utilities manager
I
n light of today’s energy costs and demand for production reliability, it’s more important than ever to incorporate a proactive steam trap station management program in your overall steam system management program. Here are some “must-do” and “must-have” elements associated with this comprehensive approach. A steam trap station failure rate must be below 3% annually. To achieve this type of reliability, root-cause-analysis methodologies must be part of your program. We simply can no longer accept failures of more than 3% with station components: The cost is too high. Today, plant operation mandates that a steam trap station should provide a reliable service life of at least six years. Why “steam trap station management” instead of “steam trap management?” A trap is just
one component in a proper steam trap station arrangement. Reviewing a trap by itself—instead of as part of an entire steam trap station—can hamper effective steam operations. Poor steam trap station management is a major cause of energy-dollar losses and significantly increases emissions in today’s steam system operations. A successful steam trap station management program can identify defective steam valves and steam traps, as well as strainer and blowdown valve failures. Additionally, with this information, the amount of energy and emission impacts for each valve or trap failure can be calculated. Benefits of effective steam trap station management include: ◆ Reduced energy losses ◆ Increased system reliability ◆ Minimized failure rates (below 3% p/yr) ◆ Decreased combustion emissions ◆ Decreased production downtime ◆ Improved steam quality Volume 6 / no. 3
RUNNING THE TRAPS UM Today, a steam trap station should have a reliable service life of at least six years.
A trap is just one component in a proper steam trap station arrangement. Looking at the trap by itself, instead of as part of an entire station, can hamper effective steam operations.
A 16-step program for success The return on investment (ROI) from a complete and integrated steam trap station management program typically takes less than 12 months. As you review the steps to success, keep in mind that Step #1—one of the most important items on your “must-do” list—is to ensure that all personnel understand their roles in this success. Now consider the remaining 15. Step #2. Identify all components in a steam trap station. ◆ Isolation valves ◆ Strainer ◆ Blowdown valves ◆ Steam trap ◆ Test valve ◆ Check valve (in some applications) Step #3. Build a steam trap station management team. Be sure to include personnel from all levels of the organization on this team: ◆ Management (a program needs management commitment to provide resources) ◆ Energy person or department ◆ Environmental ◆ Maintenance management ◆ Maintenance personnel ◆ Utility department ◆ Plant engineering ◆ Corporate engineering ◆ Production ◆ Reliability ◆ Safety Step #4. Determine desired end results. ◆ Reduced energy usage ◆ Reduced emissions ◆ Increased reliability ◆ Increased production performance ◆ Improved safety Volume 6 / no. 3
Step #5. Select a steam team leader. The team leader has a number of responsibilities, including, but not limited to: ◆ Coordinating all aspects of the program ◆ Managing and coordinating efforts among team members ◆ Facilitating communication ◆ Arranging appropriate meetings ◆ Assuring proper documentation ◆ Leading benchmarking efforts ◆ Defining steam team work efforts ◆ Documenting project progress Step #6. Determine specific items for the team to address. Include timetables/schedules, where appropriate. ◆ Steam leakage detection and correction • To be carried out frequently • To be carried out every six months • Enhance proficiency ◆ Gas leak detection and correction • To be carried out frequently • Enhance proficiency ◆ Steam safety valve • Ensure data is captured in the database • Ensure preventive maintenance (PM) Step #7. Develop a training roadmap for plant personnel on various aspects of the steam system and its operation. Examples of topics include: utilities manager | 35
UM RUNNING THE TRAPS
◆ Steam traps ◆ Root-cause analysis ◆ Testing methods ◆ Problem-solving ◆ Correct sizing ◆ Piping ◆ Installation ◆ Condensate-recovery methods Step #8. Track the steam trap stations in a database. Do you know where your steam trap stations are located? All such stations need to be designated with a unique identification code. Critical information should be recorded on each station for future reference and entered into a database system for proper analysis. Examples of the information to be recorded during a steam trap station survey include: ◆ A map of all steam trap station locations ◆ Picture of the steam trap station, if possible ◆ Steam trap station number ◆ Location ◆ GPS location numbers ◆ Application ◆ Maximum steam pressure ◆ Minimum steam pressure ◆ Capacity • Maximum • Minimum ◆ Connection size ◆ Type of isolation valve ◆ Steam trap information • Manufacturer • Model number • Casting material • Orifice size ◆ Operational condition ◆ Type of condensate-return system Step #9. Benchmark steam trap station performance. A steam trap station survey can be performed either by company personnel or outsourced to an experienced firm. The survey should cover all elements listed here (and more to meet plant requirements). The information must be gathered on each steam trap station. If plant staff conducts the audit, auditing personnel should be certified as Level I or Level II Steam Trap Examiners. Step #10. Use proper tools to test steam traps.* The typical tools used for testing steam traps include the following: n Visual inspection... Observe the actual steam trap discharge by means of a block and test valve. Since the 36 | utilities manager
flash steam amount from a properly operating steam trap station can be confusing, experience is required to understand what is observed from the test-valve discharge. But a trap that’s leaking during the off cycle or is severely leaking or completely failed will be easily detected. Remember, though, that this testing method changes the operating conditions of the steam trap due to the elimination of backpressure in the condensate-return line, which can affect some steam trap designs. n Temperature measurement... Sense upstream and downstream temperatures with contact pyrometers or infrared detectors. This method will determine whether there is blockage (steam trap is cold), as well as provide an estimated operating pressure with a correlation of the temperature to steam pressure. n Ultrasonic detection... Ultrasound technology offers a simple—and highly accurate—means of testing steam trap stations. During proper operation, steam traps emit a distinctive high-frequency sound that can be picked up with an ultrasonic device. (*Important Note: All of these tools require training of the person assigned to do the task.) Step #11. Conduct in-depth testing and evaluation of existing steam trap stations to establish benchmarks. Add all components, including steam traps, isolation valves, letdown stations, etc., to a database. Steam profiling or a steam balance is typically added into the program to help users understand the dynamics of the steam and condensate system. Step #12. Review the benchmark data. Analyze results from Step #10, then set a roadmap for correction. Review data from the steam trap station study to identify unreliable components and deficient installations. The goal of the process is to obtain a 3% failure rate in the steam trap station population. The results of the analysis will provide necessary information on the steam trap stations that are leading to the highest energy losses, which, in turn, will help set the correction roadmap. All failed steam trap station components will be collected and factored into the root cause analysis. Step #13. Perform a root-cause analysis (RCA). RCA is a method of problem-solving aimed at identifying the root causes of problems or events that result in the failure of the steam trap station components. The practice of RCA is predicated on the belief that problems in the steam system are best solved by attempting to address, correct or eliminate root causes, as opposed to merely addressing the problem Volume 6 / no. 3
RUNNING THE TRAPS UM
by changing out the component with the same or similar component. The result of the latter action is that the failure will occur again. By directing corrective measures based on the RCA, failure recurrence can more likely be prevented. It is, however, recognized that complete prevention of the failure by one corrective action is not always possible. Conversely, several effective corrective measures (methods) may address the root cause of a problem. Thus, RCA is often considered an iterative process—and frequently viewed as a tool of continuous improvement. Still, RCA is one of the most powerful tools in a steam trap management program. Step #14. Evaluate steam trap stations in a selected area. Based on the RCA, you may want to re-evaluate steam trap station vendors—to determine which of them can best meet your plant’s requirements. The team leader should determine 6-10 steam trap stations for evaluation purposes. Select locations where it’s easy to monitor the stations’ performance. The following suggestions can help simplify the evaluation process:
n Ensure the use of Universal mount design steam traps (ease of changeout = 5 minutes or less). n A test valve arrangement should be used to inspect the steam trap discharge (steam, condensate, flash, etc.) during the evaluation process. n A video record of proper steam trap operation should be taken for evaluation, benchmarking and training purposes. n Select the operational design of the steam traps. n Set a standard for the operational design of the steam trap that will be used in the different applications found in your plant (i.e., mechanical, thermodynamic and thermostatic). If you need assistance, contact your vendor. Most plants need more than one operational steam trap design, but not more than two. n Proper steam trap sizing is the most important factor in obtaining efficient steam trap operation. Even though the
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Volume 6 / no. 3
4/5/11 8:32 AM utilities manager | 37
UM RUNNING THE TRAPS
correct operating design of a steam trap was selected and the installation was correct, improper steam trap sizing will cause either condensate to back up in the system or excessive steam loss into the return system. Be sure to review the necessary considerations in sizing steam control valves, steam piping, expansion and heat transfer. Take time to consider all the parameters and to evaluate the dynamics of the system while making the correct sizing and selection of the steam trap. Steam trap sizing is not just a selection based upon pipe size—it also involves sizing of the internal diameter of the steam trap discharge orifice. For low-pressure commercial heating systems, manufacturers have developed traps whose pipe size relates directly to the steam trap capacity (orifice size). For industrial steam traps, though, this is typically NOT the case. A 2” steam trap can have the same capacity as a steam trap with ½” connections. Only following the determination of the condensate capacity, maximum orifice pressure rating, operating steam pressure, pressure differential, and steam trap model can the pipe size or connections be selected. Example: • Steam line drip leg, unit heater, tracer or other small condensate loads will use a thermostatic design steam trap. • Process applications (heat exchanger, reboiler, reactor, etc.) will use a free float: float and thermostatic design steam trap. nSelect manufacturers for the evaluation process. n The plant needs to evaluate the steam trap station components that will be used in the plant. The best practice is to implement a methodical selection process for steam trap station evaluation and selection of vendors.
Even if the plant is using a specific manufacturer, there is a need to reevaluate. New steam traps will leak steam; the plant must select one or two manufacturers with the least amount of leakage. Step #15. Update your established standards for steam trap station installation. After the RCA, the plant may need to update its trap installation and connection standards to help reduce the steam trap station failure rate. A high percentage of such is due to an incorrect steam trap installation. (See sidebar for where to obtain standards.) Step #16. Take all benchmark data (after the corrections) and continue the steam trap station program on a PM schedule. Do not let the program stop. It MUST go on, based on the timeframes shown here: Recommended Schedule for Testing Steam Traps Process steam traps
Every 3 months
High-pressure steam traps
Every 6 months
Low- to medium-pressure steam traps
Every 6 months
Building heating steam traps
Twice per heating season
Conclusion It’s a safe bet that fuel costs for producing steam will only be going up from here on out. Now’s a good time to begin a proactive steam trap station program. These 16 steps to steam system success are a good place to start. They’ll help you be a true manager of the steam, instead of letting the steam manage you. MT Kelly Paffel is technical manager for Swagelok Energy Advisors, Inc., (SEA) based in Solon, OH. Telephone (888) 615-3559. Email: kelly.paffel@swagelok.com.
Steam Trap Assistance Where Can You Get Steam Trap Standards? The Swagelok Energy Advisors (SEA) Website has standard installation prints, which can be provided in AutoCAD format upon request. Standards allow plant personnel to better understand the operation of each steam trap station and proper installation techniques. This will help eliminate repair or replacement costs due to incorrect installation. To obtain these standards and/or to learn more about SEA’s services, go to http://www.swagelokenergy.com/practices/practices.aspx. For more info, enter 263 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
38 | utilities manager
Volume 6 / no. 3
1
AUTOMATION AND CONTROL PAGE 40
4
LUBRICATION, LUBRICANTS AND OTHER FLUIDS PAGE 44
7
MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT PAGE 48
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
5
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PAGE 45
8
MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PAGE 48
6
MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT PAGE 46
9
MRO EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES PAGE 50
PAGE 41
3
TESTING AND ANALYSIS PAGE 42
2011 CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK
1 AUTOMATION AND CONTROL The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Electronic components B. Process controls C. Sensors, transducers, transmitters D. Recording instruments E. Motion control F. Other
Baldor Electric Co. 5711 R. S. Boreham, Jr. St. Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 646-4711 www.baldor.com Categories: E
Chromalox 103 Gamma Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (412) 967-3800 www.chromalox.com Categories: A, B, C, D
Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc. 7390 Colerain Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45239 (513) 521-4261 sales@clippard.com Categories: A, E
CyberMetrics Corporation 1523 W. Whispering Wind Dr., #100 Phoenix, AZ 85085 (800) 776-3090 www.cybermetrics.com Categories: C 40 |
Delta T Eng. 136 Main St. Metuchen, NJ 08840 (732) 321-0560 www.deltatengineering.com Categories: A, C, D
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: B, C
Fastenal 2001 Theurer Blvd. Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-5374 www.fastenal.com Categories: A, C
Flir Systems, Inc. 25 Esquire Rd. North Billerica, MA 01862 (800) 464-6372 www.flir.com Categories: C
Gates Corporation 1551 Wewatta St. Denver, CO 80202 (303) 744-5904 www.gates.com/ptsave Categories: E, F
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
LUDECA, INC. 1425 NW. 88th Ave. Doral, FL 33172 (305) 591-8935 www.ludeca.com Categories: C
LumaSense Technologies 3301 Leonard Ct. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (906) 370-0232 www.lumasenseinc.com Categories: B, C
Siemens Energy, Inc. 1345 Ridgeland Pkwy., Suite 116 Alpharetta, GA 30004 (678) 256-1621 www.siemens.com/energy/ controls Categories: B, C
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: C, D
Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A, B, C, E
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: B, C, D
Process Industry Practices
Process Industry Practices (PIP) 3925 W. Braker Lane Austin, TX 78759 (512) 232-3040 www.pip.org Categories: B, C, F Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. Categories: B
SPM Instrument, Inc. 780 Bailey Hill Rd. Suite #3 Eugene, OR 97402 (800) 505-5636 www.spminstrument.com Categories: A, C, D
The RĂŠsumĂŠ Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: F The Timken Company Categories: C
Update International, Inc. 6320 W. Lakeridge Rd. Denver, CO 80227 (303) 986-6761 www.updateinternational.com Categories: C, D
AUGUST 2011
CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK 2011
2 ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Electric power and distribution B. Electrical control and protection C. Motors D. Generation and conversion E. Wiring and other devices and accessories F. Enclosures G. Other
American Trainco Inc. PO Box 3397 Englewood, CO 80155 (877) 978-7246 www.AmericanTrainco.com Categories: G
Baldor Electric Co. 5711 R. S. Boreham, Jr. St. Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 646-4711 www.baldor.com Categories: C, G
Chromalox 103 Gamma Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (412) 967-3800 www.chromalox.com Categories: A, B
AUGUST 2011
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. Categories: A, B, D, E, F Delta T Eng. 136 Main St. Metuchen, NJ 08840 (732) 321-0560 www.deltatengineering.com Categories: A, B, F
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: B
Fastenal 2001 Theurer Blvd. Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-5374 www.fastenal.com Categories: C, E, F
Inpro/Seal 4221-81st Ave. West Rock Island, IL 61201 (800) 447-0524 www.inpro-seal.com Categories: G
IRISS, Inc. 4914 Lena Rd., #105 Bradenton, FL 34211 (941) 907-9128 www.iriss.com Categories: A, B, C, E, F
LumaSense Technologies 3301 Leonard Ct. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (906) 370-0232 www.lumasenseinc.com Categories: A
Meggitt Sensing Systems 20511 Seneca Meadows Pkwy. Germantown, MD 20876 (301) 330-8811 www.wilcoxon.com Categories: F Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: B, C, F
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: B
PdMA Corporation 5909-C Hampton Oaks Pkwy. Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 621-6463 www.pdma.com Categories: A, C
Siemens Energy, Inc. 1345 Ridgeland Pkwy., Suite 116 Alpharetta, GA 30004 (678) 256-1621 www.siemens.com/energy/ controls Categories: A, B, D
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: B, C, E, F
The Résumé Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: G
The Snell Group 322 N. Main St., Suite 8 Barre, VT 05641 (802) 479-7100 www.thesnellgroup.com Categories: A, C, D, G
Process Industry Practices
Process Industry Practices (PIP) 3925 W. Braker Lane Austin, TX 78759 (512) 232-3040 www.pip.org Categories: B, C, E, F, G MT-ONLINE.COM | 41
2011 CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK
3 TESTING AND ANALYSIS The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Instruments, analyzers, measurement equipment B. Test equipment C. Infrared and thermography D. Vibration E. Ultrasound and ultrasonic F. Condition monitoring software G. Alignment H. Balancing I. Destructive and nondestructive testing services J. Other
American Trainco Inc. PO Box 3397 Englewood, CO 80155 (877) 978-7246 www.AmericanTrainco.com Categories: J
Baker/SKF 4812 McMurry Ave. Ft. Collins, CO 80526 (970) 282-1200 www.bakerinst.com Categories: A, B, F
Delta T Eng. 136 Main St. Metuchen, NJ 08840 (732) 321-0560 www.deltatengineering.com Categories: A, B, C, F, I
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I EXAIR Corporation 11510 Goldcoast Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45249 (513) 671-3322 www.exair.com Categories: A
Flir Systems, Inc. 25 Esquire Rd. North Billerica, MA 01862 (800) 464-6372 www.flir.com Categories: C
Infraspection Institute 425 Ellis St. Burlington, NJ 08016 (609) 239-4788 www.infraspection.com Categories: C
LUDECA, INC. 1425 NW. 88th Ave. Doral, FL 33172 (305) 591-8935 www.ludeca.com Categories: A, D, F, G, H
LumaSense Technologies 3301 Leonard Ct. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (906) 370-0232 www.lumasenseinc.com Categories: A, C, F
Meggitt Sensing Systems 20511 Seneca Meadows Pkwy. Germantown, MD 20876 (301) 330-8811 www.wilcoxon.com Categories: D Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A, C, D, F, G Mr. Shims Categories: G, H
Balmac Inc. Categories: A, D, H Checkfluid Inc. Categories: J Commtest, Inc. Categories: A, D, F, G, H 42 |
Fluke Corporation 6920 Seaway Blvd. Everett, WA 98203 (425) 347-6100 www.fluke.com Categories: A, B, C, D
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
PdMA Corporation 5909-C Hampton Oaks Pkwy. Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 621-6463 www.pdma.com Categories: A, B, F, I Predictive Service Categories: C, D, E, F, G, H, J
Process Industry Practices
Process Industry Practices (PIP) 3925 W. Braker Lane Austin, TX 78759 (512) 232-3040 www.pip.org Categories: A, D, I, J
Siemens Energy, Inc. 1345 Ridgeland Pkwy., Suite 116 Alpharetta, GA 30004 (678) 256-1621 www.siemens.com/energy/ controls Categories: A, D, F
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: A, B, C, D, I AUGUST 2011
TESTING AND ANALYSIS 3
SPM Instrument, Inc. 780 Bailey Hill Rd. Suite #3 Eugene, OR 97402 (800) 505-5636 www.spminstrument.com Categories: A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, J
The Snell Group 322 N. Main St., Suite 8 Barre, VT 05641 (802) 479-7100 www.thesnellgroup.com Categories: C, I, J The Timken Company Categories: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
The Résumé Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: J
Update International, Inc. 6320 W. Lakeridge Rd. Denver, CO 80227 (303) 986-6761 www.updateinternational.com Categories: A, D, F, G, H, I For more info, enter 71 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
For more info, enter 72 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
AUGUST 2011
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2011 CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK
4 LUBRICATION, LUBRICANTS AND OTHER FLUIDS The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Oil, grease and fluid analysis B. Contamination analysis and control C. Lubricating oils and greases D. Lubrication systems and equipment E. Coolants and other fluids F. Filtration G. Other
Abanaki Corporation 17387 Munn Rd. Chagrin Falls, OH 44023 (800) 358-7546 www.abanaki.com Categories: B, F
Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc. 7390 Colerain Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45239 (513) 521-4261 sales@clippard.com Categories: D
COT-Puritech 3713 Progress St. NE Canton, OH 44705 (888) 478-6996 www.cot-puritech.com Categories: A, B, D, F
Herguth Laboratories Inc. 101 Corporate Place Vallejo, CA 94590 (800) 645-5227 www.herguth.com Categories: A Insight Services 20338 Progress Dr. Cleveland, OH 44149 (216) 251-2510 www.testoil.com Categories: A, B Lubegard by International Lubricants, Inc. Categories: C, E, G
Royal Purple, Inc. 1 Royal Purple Lane Porter, TX 77365 (281) 354-8600 www.royal-purpleindustrial.com Categories: C
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: A, B, C, D
Memolub/PLI, LLC Categories: D CRC Industries 885 Louis Dr. Warminster, PA 18974 (215) 674-4300 www.crcindustries.com/ei Categories: C
Castrol Industrial North America 150 W. Warrenville Rd. Naperville, IL 60563 (877) 641-1600 www.castrol.com/industrial Categories: A, B, C, E
Fastenal 2001 Theurer Blvd. Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-5374 www.fastenal.com Categories: C, E
Des-Case Corporation 675 N. Main St. Goodlettsville, TN 37072 (615) 672-8800 www.descase.com Categories: A, B, F
Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A, B, C, D, E, F
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: A
SPM Instrument, Inc. 780 Bailey Hill Rd. Suite #3 Eugene, OR 97402 (800) 505-5636 www.spminstrument.com Categories: B
Checkfluid Inc. Categories: D
The Résumé Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: G
Cleanitup Technologies Categories: F
The Timken Company Categories: A, C, D
Predictive Service Categories: A
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: A 44 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Process Industry Practices
Process Industry Practices (PIP) 3925 W. Braker Lane Austin, TX 78759 (512) 232-3040 www.pip.org Categories: D, F, G AUGUST 2011
CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK 2011
5 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Commtest, Inc. The following categories fall Categories: A under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Maintenance software programs and systems B. EAM C. Networks D. Computers, hardware and accessories E. Other
Blue Mountain Quality Resources, Inc. PO Box 830 State College, PA 16804 (814) 234-2417 www.coolblue.com Categories: A, B
Eagle Technology, Inc. Categories: A, B
CyberMetrics Corporation 1523 W. Whispering Wind Dr., #100 Phoenix, AZ 85085 (800) 776-3090 www.cybermetrics.com Categories: A, B, C, D, E
Delta T Eng. 136 Main St. Metuchen, NJ 08840 (732) 321-0560 www.deltatengineering.com Categories: A
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: A
LumaSense Technologies 3301 Leonard Ct. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (906) 370-0232 www.lumasenseinc.com Categories: A Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A
MPulse Maintenance Software P.O. Box 22906/555 Conger St. Eugene, OR 97402 (800) 944-1796 www.mpulsesoftware.com Categories: A Predictive Service Categories: A, B Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. Categories: D
Siemens Energy, Inc. 1345 Ridgeland Pkwy., Suite 116 Alpharetta, GA 30004 (678) 256-1621 www.siemens.com/energy/controls Categories: A Category 5 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Continued on Page 46
A Leader in Electric Motor Testing
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AUGUST 2011
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2011 CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK
5
6 MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONTINUED
The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation.
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: A
A. Power transmission B. Bearings, seals and couplings C. Hydraulics and pneumatics D. HVACR E. Fluid handling F. Compressed air G. Material handling and equipment H. Filtration I. Fans and blowers J. Process heating and cooling K. System integrators L. Other
Smartware Group, Inc. PO Box 188 Center Harbor, NH 03226 (866) 858-7800 www.bigfootcmms.com Categories: A, B
SPM Instrument, Inc. 780 Bailey Hill Rd. Suite #3 Eugene, OR 97402 (800) 505-5636 www.spminstrument.com Categories: A
The Résumé Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: E
Update International, Inc. 6320 W. Lakeridge Rd. Denver, CO 80227 (303) 986-6761 www.updateinternational. com Categories: A 46 |
American Trainco Inc. PO Box 3397 Englewood, CO 80155 (877) 978-7246 www.AmericanTrainco.com Categories: L
Baldor Electric Co. 5711 R. S. Boreham, Jr. St. Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 646-4711 www.baldor.com Categories: A, B Checkfluid Inc. Categories: E Cleanitup Technologies Categories: E, G, H
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc. 7390 Colerain Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45239 (513) 521-4261 sales@clippard.com Categories: C
COT-Puritech 3713 Progress St. NE Canton, OH 44705 (888) 478-6996 www.cot-puritech.com Categories: E, H Des-Case Corporation 675 N. Main St. Goodlettsville, TN 37072 (615) 672-8800 www.descase.com Categories: E, H
EagleBurgmann EJS 10035 Prospect Ave. Santee, CA 92071 (619) 562-6083 www.keb-ejs.com Categories: B, L
EXAIR Corporation 11510 Goldcoast Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45249 (513) 671-3322 www.exair.com Categories: F, G, L
Fastenal 2001 Theurer Blvd. Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-5374 www.fastenal.com Categories: A, B, C, G, I Gardner Denver Categories: C, F, I
Gates Corporation 1551 Wewatta St. Denver, CO 80202 (303) 744-5904 www.gates.com/ptsave Categories: A, B, C, D, E, G, L
Inpro/Seal 4221-81st Ave. West Rock Island, IL 61201 (800) 447-0524 www.inpro-seal.com Categories: B, L
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: K AUGUST 2011
CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK 2011
6 MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT CONTINUED Lyon Workspace Products Categories: G Process Industry Practices
Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: D, G, K
Process Industry Practices (PIP) 3925 W. Braker Lane Austin, TX 78759 (512) 232-3040 www.pip.org Categories: B, G, I, J, L
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: A, B
The Snell Group 322 N. Main St., Suite 8 Barre, VT 05641 (802) 479-7100 www.thesnellgroup.com Categories: A, B, C, D, E, I, J The Timken Company Categories: B
Siemens Energy, Inc. 1345 Ridgeland Pkwy., Suite 116 Alpharetta, GA 30004 (678) 256-1621 www.siemens.com/energy/ controls Categories: B, C, K
The Résumé Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: L
Trust Ivara, the pioneer in reliability methodology, technology, and practices, to help you develop and sustain a high reliability organization. World renowned RCM2-based reliability practices will ensure you know what to expect, what to look for, what to do. The Ivara Work Smart® methodology will get Operations and Maintenance working as a team to ensure discipline to process supported by Ivara EXP Enterprise – the leading Asset Performance Management software. Become a high reliability organization today. Visit www.ivara.com or call 1-877-746-3787.
For more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
AUGUST 2011 jodene@condotta.ca | 519 936 4879
Client: Ivara Project: Maintenance Technology, Half Page Print Ad Date: July 13, 2011
MT-ONLINE.COM | 47 Size: 7”x4.875” Bleed: n/a Colour: CMYK
Contact: Sandra DiMatteo Email: Sandra.DiMatteo@Ivara.com Tel: 905-632-8000 ext. 271
2011 CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK
7 MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Tools and joining B. Storage C. Shop Equipment D. Other Abanaki Corporation 17387 Munn Rd. Chagrin Falls, OH 44023 (800) 358-7546 www.abanaki.com Categories: C
Baldor Electric Co. 5711 R. S. Boreham, Jr. St. Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 646-4711 www.baldor.com Categories: D
Cleanitup Technologies Categories: B
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: A, C
Inpro/Seal 4221-81st Ave. West Rock Island, IL 61201 (800) 447-0524 www.inpro-seal.com Categories: D Lyon Workspace Products Categories: B, C Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A, B, C
Fastenal 2001 Theurer Blvd. Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-5374 www.fastenal.com Categories: A, B, C Gardner Denver Categories: C
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: A
The RĂŠsumĂŠ Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: D The Timken Company Categories: A
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: A, C
8 MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Training and professional development B. Safety, health and environment C. Engineering and consulting services D. Facilities services E. Maintenance, repair, overhaul services F. Energy services G. Process safety H. Communication equipment I. Other
48 |
American Trainco Inc. PO Box 3397 Englewood, CO 80155 (877) 978-7246 www.AmericanTrainco.com Categories: A, B, D
Chromalox 103 Gamma Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (412) 967-3800 www.chromalox.com Categories: A, C, E, G Cleanitup Technologies Categories: I Commtest, Inc. Categories: A
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
CyberMetrics Corporation 1523W.WhisperingWind Dr., #100 Phoenix, AZ 85085 (800) 776-3090 www.cybermetrics.com Categories: A, B, C, D, E
EagleBurgmann EJS 10035 Prospect Ave. Santee, CA 92071 (619) 562-6083 www.keb-ejs.com Categories: C, E
Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Dr. Eden Prairie, MN 55344 (952) 828-3000 www.emersonprocess.com Categories: A, B, C, E, G, H
Fastenal 2001 Theurer Blvd. Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-5374 www.fastenal.com Categories: B, C, H AUGUST 2011
CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK 2011
8 MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT CONTINUED
Gates Corporation 1551 Wewatta St. Denver, CO 80202 (303) 744-5904 www.gates.com/ptsave Categories: A, C
LumaSense Technologies 3301 Leonard Ct. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (906) 370-0232 www.lumasenseinc.com Categories: B, G
Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A Marshall Institute 1800 Tillory Pl. Suite 1 Raleigh, NC 27604 (919) 834-3722 www.marshallinstitute.com Categories: A, C, D, E, I
Category 8 MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT Continued on Page 50
Infraspection Institute 425 Ellis St. Burlington, NJ 08016 (609) 239-4788 www.infraspection.com Categories: A, C
IRISS, Inc. 4914 Lena Rd., #105 Bradenton, FL 34211 (941) 907-9128 www.iriss.com Categories: A, B, F
Life Cycle Engineering 4360 Corporate Rd. Charleston, SC 29405 (843) 744-7110 www.lce.com Categories: A, C, E
Driving Your Operation's Productivity Phoenix, Arizona • November 14-16, 2011 Need to stay up to speed on the latest reliability trends and technologies? Don’t miss Asset Management 2011, a global conference focused on driving operational productivity through Asset Efficiency Optimization (AEO). This year’s conference will take place at a truly unique resort, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Chandler, Arizona (near Phoenix), located on an expanse of spectacular Arizona landscape surrounded by ancient vistas and roaming wild horses. To register or learn more, visit www.amcna2011.com
Register now and be SKF’s guest at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 13th!
LUDECA, INC. 1425 NW. 88th Ave. Doral, FL 33172 (305) 591-8935 www.ludeca.com Categories: A, C
AUGUST 2011
www.skfusa.com For more info, enter 75 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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STOP! accessing panels needlessly
8 MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT CONTINUED NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: B, C, D, E, G
Be on the outside looking in...
Process Industry Practices
Process Industry Practices (PIP) 3925 W. Braker Lane Austin, TX 78759 (512) 232-3040 www.pip.org Categories: I Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. Categories: A, C, F, H
PdMA Corporation 5909-C Hampton Oaks Pkwy. Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 621-6463 www.pdma.com Categories: A, B, E, F Predictive Service Categories: A, C, D
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: A, B, C, E, F
SPM Instrument, Inc. 780 Bailey Hill Rd. Suite #3 Eugene, OR 97402 (800) 505-5636 www.spminstrument.com Categories: A
The Combo Unit: Thru-Panel Voltage Detection Visit Us At: info.graceport.com/2MT
For a Video Demo and Data Sheet!
The Thru-Door Electrical Safety People! For more info, enter 76 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
50 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
The Résumé Lady 7282 55th Ave. E. #159 Bradenton, FL 34203 (843) 906-2810 www.myresumelady.com Categories: I
The Snell Group 322 N. Main St., Suite 8 Barre, VT 05641 (802) 479-7100 www.thesnellgroup.com Categories: A, C, D, F The Timken Company Categories: C, E
Update International, Inc. 6320 W. Lakeridge Rd. Denver, CO 80227 (303) 986-6761 www.updateinternational.com Categories: A, C
9 MRO EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES The following categories fall under this section. For individual company offerings, please refer to the category notation. A. Tools B. Equipment C. Absorbents, Cleaners, Degreasers D. Remediation Products E. Misc. Supplies
Abanaki Corporation 17387 Munn Rd. Chagrin Falls, OH 44023 (800) 358-7546 www.abanaki.com Categories: D
Chromalox 103 Gamma Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (412) 967-3800 www.chromalox.com Categories: B Cleanitup Technologies Categories: C, D, E
CRC Industries 885 Louis Dr. Warminster, PA 18974 (215) 674-4300 www.crcindustries.com/ei Categories: C
Fastenal 2001 Theurer Blvd. Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-5374 www.fastenal.com Categories: A, B, C, E AUGUST 2011
CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOURCEBOOK 2011
9 MRO EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES CONTINUED
Fluke Corporation 6920 Seaway Blvd. Everett, WA 98203 (425) 347-6100 www.fluke.com Categories: A
NEC Avio Infrared Technologies 12977 Arroyo St. San Fernando, CA 91340 (800) 423-2344 www.necavioinfrared.com Categories: A, B, E
Gates Corporation 1551 Wewatta St. Denver, CO 80202 (303) 744-5904 www.gates.com/ptsave Categories: A, B, E
SKF USA Inc. 890 Forty Foot Rd. Lansdale, PA 19446 (267) 436-6000 www.skf.com Categories: A, B
Update International, Inc. 6320 W. Lakeridge Rd. Denver, CO 80227 (303) 986-6761 www.updateinternational.com Categories: B
PdMA Corporation 5909-C Hampton Oaks Pkwy. Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 621-6463 www.pdma.com Categories: A, B
Motion Industries, Inc. Categories: A, B, C
KRYTOX® FLUORINATED LUBRICANTS Asset Management Consulting and Training Services
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MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION BLEEDING the most? Download our FREE Maintenance Effectiveness Assessment to nd out!
Krytox® Fluorinated Greases and Oils are: Chemically Inert. Insoluble in common solvents. Thermally stable. Temperature range (-103°F to 800°F). Nonflammable. Nontoxic. Oxygen Compatible – safe for oxygen service. Low Vapor Pressure. Low Outgassing. No Migration – no silicones or hydrocarbons. Krytox® offers Extreme Pressure, Anticorrosion and Antiwear properties. Mil-spec, Aerospace and Food Grades (H1 and H2) available! Useful in Vacuum Systems. For technical information, call 203.743.4447 / 800.992.2424 (8 AM – 4 PM ET)
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Miller-Stephenson Chemical Company, Inc.
1-800-637-0120
www.miller-stephenson.com
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AUGUST 2011
California – Illinois – Connecticut – Canada Email: support@miller-stephenson.com
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Overcoming Your Challenges
Turn Your Air Compressor Into A Flowmeter By Ron Marshall, for the Compressed Air Challenge
W
hat’s your leakage level? How efficient are your air compressors? You can answer these questions with some quick and inexpensive tests involving a calculator and a stopwatch. The answers could surprise you. For compressors that use load/unload controls, there’s an easy way to estimate the amount of flow the compressor is contributing to a system. The unit will load and unload at a specific duty cycle corresponding to the percent loading necessary for maintaining the pressure to within its control band. Total flow (percentage) can be calculated as follows: Air demand on the compressor (%) = [(T x 100)/(T+t)] where: T = loaded time (seconds) t = unloaded time (seconds)
Flow will be expressed in terms of the percentage of compressor capacity. If obtaining the estimated volume flow per minute is your goal in the test, it can be roughly calculated by taking the rated compressor capacity in cubic feet per minute (from the model specifications) and multiplying by the percentage derived. To use this formula for calculating leak levels, start your compressor during a production shutdown (when there are no demands on the system) and bring it to normal operating pressure. All air-operated end-use equipment should be in the normal “as-left” position. If you don’t want to include open blowing applications, they should be isolated with shutoff valves. What leakage level did you find? In a wellmaintained system, the leakage percentage should be less than 10%. Poorly maintained systems can have losses from 20-40% of air capacity and power. Higher than this… well, you’ve got some work to do!
see the Compressed Air Challenge (CAC) Fact Sheet 7 at http://www.compressedairchallenge. org/library/factsheets/factsheet07.pdf. If you own compressors that run in load/ unload control strategy, you can do a quick system-efficiency test by looking at the ratio of total-loaded versus running hours in a given time period. For rotary-screw compressors, the loaded position is the only time when the compressor is actually producing compressed air efficiently. In unloaded running position, the unit will be consuming 20 to 35% of full load power, but producing no useful flow. A quick estimate of compressor efficiency can be done by taking the ratio of the total loaded hours divided by the total run-time hours. If the ratio is very low—say 50%—too many of the compressor hours are spent running unloaded. That’s costly and wasteful, and further investigation is warranted. On wellperforming systems, with adequate installed storage receiver capacity and good compressor control, the target for this ratio should be in the range of 90% or above. The CAC offers a wealth of free, downloadable information on leaks and related issues through the Library on our Website (see below). You’ll also find our manual, Best Practices for Compressed Air Systems, available for purchase in the site’s Bookstore. MT The Compressed Air Challenge® is a partner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Technology programs. To learn more about its many offerings, log on to www.compressedairchallenge.org, or email: info@compressedairchallenge.org.
Other control strategies? Leakage and other flow can be estimated in systems with other compressor control strategies. For instructions on how to do such tests, For more info, enter 12 at www.MT-freeinfo.com
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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
AUGUST 2011
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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: EMERSON
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Emerson Process Management is the knowledge leader in control valves and instruments— Fisher® brand products have remained the process control industry leader for more than 130 years. Emerson delivers time-tested and innovative solutions designed to help customers increase process availability and reduce plant maintenance cost. This is enabled by world class products from generalservice offerings to specialized solutions. Emerson’s process experience and worldwide research, engineering, manufacturing, and service operations serve the process industries worldwide. For more info, enter 80 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.EmersonProcess.com/Fisher
U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC is excited to announce the integration of KabelSchlepp America into its operations as part of the Tsubakimoto Chain Company’s global acquisition of the German-based Cable & Hose Carrier manufacturer. KabelSchlepp America will now operate as a division of U.S. Tsubaki and will expand Tsubaki’s presence in the U.S. market by adding cable & hose carrier systems to its already extensive product lineup.
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Agilent Technologies ...................................www.transcat.com/agilent .......................... 260, 280.......28,29 American Trainco........................................www.americantrainco.com ........................ 72 ......................43 Baldor Electric Company...........................www.baldor.com .......................................... 83 ................... IBC CRC Industries ............................................www.crcindustries.com/ei .......................... 70 ......................37 CyberMetrics Corp......................................www.cybermetrics.com .............................. 84 .....................BC Emerson Process Management-Fisher .....www.emersonprocess.com/fisher ............. 80 ......................54 Fastenal ..........................................................www.fastenal.com ........................................ 261, 281.......30,31 FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc.................www.flir.com/maintenance........................ 69 ......................26 Fluke...............................................................www.fluke.com/machineheal .................... 66 ........................ 7 Grace Engineered Products. Inc................info.graceport.com/2MT............................ 76 ......................50 Grace Engineered Products. Inc................www.graceport.com/3mt_informationhighway 81 ......................54 Grainger ........................................................www.grainger.com ....................................... 63 ........................ 2 IMEC .............................................................www.imec.ca ................................................. 64 ........................ 4 Innovator Of The Year Award ...................www.reliabilityinnovator.com ................... 85 ......................32 Ivara................................................................www.ivara.com ............................................. 74 ......................47 Marshall Institute, Inc .................................www.marshallinstitute.com ....................... 77 ......................51 Meggitt Sensing Systems ............................www.wilcoxon.com ..................................... 65 ........................ 5 Miller-Stephenson Chemical Co. .............www.miller-stephenson.com ..................... 78 ......................51 Motion Industries, Inc................................www.motionindustries.com ...................... 68 ......................25 National Technology Transfer, Inc............www.nttinc.com ........................................... 62 ........................ 1 NEC Avio Infrared Technologies/SOLTEC...www.necavioinfrared.com ......................... 79 ......................53 NSK Corporation........................................www.nskamericas.com ............................... 67 ......................10 PdMA Corp..................................................www.pdma.com ........................................... 73 ......................45 Process Industry Practices..........................www.pip.org .................................................. 71 ......................43 SKF USA, Inc................................................www.skf.usa.com.......................................... 75 ......................49 U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC ....www.ustsubaki.com/mt .............................. 61 ....................IFC U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC ....www.kabelschlepp.com............................... 82 ......................54
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A SPECIAL viewpoint Ken Bannister, Engtech Industries
O
Maintenance Rocks When Opportunity Knocks
n a recent trip to Paris, I reveled in the role of tourist. Among other points of interest, I visited the military academy/museum at the Place Invalides. There, I couldn’t help but chuckle when my electronic “guide” referenced the graduation report for one of this college’s most celebrated alums—Napoleon Bonaparte. The report writer had evidently noted something to the effect that “given the right circumstances,” Napoleon would be able to “make something of himself.” What an understatement! Although Napoleon was greatly disadvantaged due to his Corsican background, he was a master at recognizing opportunity. He used his savvy to open door after door for himself and, in just a few short years, became the legitimate Emperor of France. Fast forward several centuries to a Planning and Scheduling workshop I conducted three weeks after trekking around Paris… My introduction of the work-order backlog management section was met with an all-too-familiar refrain. Like similar groups before them, these attendees voiced great frustration over their inability to get at equipment assets and perform the most basic of routine maintenance tasks. This time, however, my response to all the venting was different from past workshops, in that I could flavor it with this classic Napoleonesque admonition: “Ability is of little account without opportunity.” The point of all this is that while we may know how to plan and schedule effectively, if we can’t get to the asset it is to no avail. Throughout the year, many non-controlled shutdown events will occur within a plant (i.e., operator-induced equipment/ line shutdowns, safety shutdowns, audit inspections, raw-material outages, etc.). There are also many short-term controlled shutdown events that occur on a daily basis (i.e., shift changes, product changeovers, break times, lunch times, manufacturing-target-completion shutdowns, etc.). Both non-controlled and controlled events represent a huge maintenance opportunity and the chance to introduce an Opportunity Based Maintenance (OBM) strategy and program.
For example, at one mining client’s site, when production would not give up its underground scoop-tram vehicles for basic lubrication, we identified an opportunity to introduce a “pit-stop” maintenance service program to service the lubrication needs of the vehicles during normal one-hour lunch periods—outside the drivers’ lunchroom. This “opportunity” resulted in handsome gains in both tram availability and productivity. The fundamental difference between traditional scheduling and OBM lies not only in the duration of the event, but how the work scope is identified. OBM takes advantage of very small time windows. Therefore, the Planner/Scheduler must scope out proactive work tasks that can be scheduled immediately, require just one technician and have job-plan durations suitable for scheduling in increments of 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, on up to a maximum of 2 hours. The scope of work that can be included in an OBM approach will include: n n n n n n n n n
Manual lubrication Oil/filter change Equipment cleanup Laser alignment Utility-system leak checks Calibration Wear checks Oil-analysis sampling Belt replacements
OBM program setup requires maintenance and production departments to develop a communication strategy that will inform maintenance immediately when a non-controlled shutdown takes place—and to agree on an understanding about setting up pit-stop-styled maintenance tactics during short-term planned outages. If you have the ability, find the opportunity! As the comedian Milton Berle put it, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” Good luck! MT kbannister@engtechindustries.com
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2011 issue of Lubrication Management & Technology magazine.
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AUGUST 2011
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