MT Sept 2010 by Applied Technology Publications

Take a vibration expert along

New Fluke 810 Vibration Tester: When you need an answer now… Control unplanned downtime, prevent recurring problems, set rep repair priorities and manage your resources with an entirely new approach to vibration vibratio testing. The new problems and prioritize Fluke 810 helps you locate and diagnose common mechanical pro repair actions in three simple steps.:

SETUP

Vibration testing has never been easier

The 810 asks for basic machine information you already know. Its onboard Info measurements like a pro. feature gives you field tips for setting up and taking measuremen

MEASURE

Fluke 810 fits easily into your maintenance routine.

Use it to quickly troubleshoot problems or monitor machine conditions.

DIAGNOSE

No more guessing your machine’s condition.

With the press of a button, the Fluke 810 identifies the root cause, its location, and how severe it is. Fix it right the first time. The Fluke 810 is the most advanced troubleshooting tool for mechanical maintenance teams.

See for yourself at www.fluke.com/machinehealth or call 1-800-44-FLUKE

For more info, enter 61 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Fluke. Keeping your world up and running.®

For more info, enter 62 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 62 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

For more info, enter 63 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

more info, 63 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For moreFor info, enter 63enter at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Contents

M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010 • VOL 23, NO 9 • www.MT-ONLINE.com

YEARS

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

FEATURES CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES 14

Part I: From Good To Great With Lean Maintenance © IGORS LEONOVS — FOTOLIA.COM

How far have you gotten with lean? This review of concepts and steps to success is aimed at helping your organization move higher and higher. Christer Idhammar, IDCON, Inc.

FIELD NOTES 22

When Increasing The PM Period Improves Reliability As this case study from a power plant shows, timing is everything. Randall Noon, P.E., Cooper Nuclear Station

DEPARTMENTS

MAINTENANCE LOG 28

Good Specs, Good Shops Here’s a good strategy for identifying quality motor-repair operations. Greg Davison, Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OGE)

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS 32

Optical Gas Imaging Redeﬁnes Industrial Gas Leak Detection Gas leaks have been affecting peoples’ lives since ancient times. Nowadays, there’s no excuse for many of them. Jane Alexander, Editor, with David Francoeur, FLIR Systems, Inc.

PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS 35

Determining Moisture Levels In Oils At A Power Plant Technology has marched a long way since development of the “gold standard” Karl Fischer titration method of oil analysis.

6 8 12 27 38 40 41 46 46 47 48

My Take Uptime Communications Motor Decisions Matter The Green Edge Solution Spotlight Marketplace Information Highway Classiﬁed Supplier Index Viewpoint

R.C.J. Wilson, CEnv. IEng. MEI, MRSC, Ferrybridge C Power Station

www.MT-online.com • exclusive online-only content • late-breaking industry news • 12 years of article archives SEPTEMBER 2010

Your Source For

Capacity Assurance Solutions

• suppliers/products/services • comprehensive events calendar • professional development opportunities and more. . . MT-ONLINE.COM | 3

M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY

Your Source For

CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

TECHNOLOGY

YEARS

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

September 2010 • Volume 23, No. 9 ARTHUR L. RICE President/CEO arice@atpnetwork.com

BILL KIESEL Executive Vice President/Publisher bkiesel@atpnetwork.com

JANE ALEXANDER

Editor-In-Chief jalexander@atpnetwork.com

RICK CARTER

Executive Editor rcarter@atpnetwork.com

ROBERT “BOB” WILLIAMSON KENNETH E. BANNISTER RAYMOND L. ATKINS Contributing Editors

RANDY BUTTSTADT

Director of Creative Services rbuttstadt@atpnetwork.com

GREG PIETRAS

Apply for a FREE, one-year subscription at

www.MT-online.com

Editorial/Production Assistant gpietras@atpnetwork.com

ELLEN SANDKAM

Direct Mail 800-223-3423, ext. 110 esandkam@atplists.com

EDWARD KANE

Reprint Manager 800-382-0808, ext. 131 ekane@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

Achieving Efﬁciencies Through Practices & Products

Apply for a FREE, one-year subscription at

www.LMTinfo.com 4|

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

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 2010 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. Printed in U.S.A.

SEPTEMBER 2010

Save thousands of dollars by dramatically cutting energy costs! It’s a worldwide problem that can’t be fixed with a bandage, a piece of chewing gum, or duct tape. If you follow these easy steps, EXAIR can help you make your system energy efficient so your company pays the lowest price possible for compressed air.

1 2

Six Steps To Optimizing Your Compressed Air System

Measure the air consumption to find sources that use a lot of compressed air.

Find and fix the leaks in your compressed air system.

Upgrade your blowoff, cooling and drying operations using EXAIR engineered compressed air products.

Turn off the compressed air when it isn’t in use.

Use intermediate storage of compressed air near the point of use.

Control the air pressure at point of use to minimize air consumption.

11510 Goldcoast Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45249-1621 (800) 903-9247/fax: (513) 671-3363 www.exair.com

For more info, enter 64 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

EXAIR’s Digital Flowmeter™ accurately measures compressed air usage and monitors waste. Trends can be monitored to find excessive air use. Detects leaks at compressed air fittings when the machinery is off. Regular monitoring can detect leaks that develop as the machinery ages. Summing Remote Display available. • Easy to install - No adjustments or calibrations needed • Digital readout displays actual airflow through pipe www.exair.com/48/4dfm.htm EXAIR’s Ultrasonic Leak Detector can help you identify costly leaks in your compressed air system. Leaks can account for 30% of total compressor output! In many cases, finding one small leak can quickly pay for the leak detector. • Detects leaks up to 20’ (6.1m) away • Accurate in noisy industrial environments www.exair.com/48/496.htm EXAIR’s award winning Super Air Knives™, Super Air Nozzles™, and Super Air Amplifiers™ entrain large volumes of room air using only a small amount of compressed air as the power source. They dramatically reduce air consumption and noise. • Low cost - Replaces noisy blowers • Improves blowoﬀ performance and safety www.exair.com/48/423.htm EXAIR’s EFC™ is an electronic flow control that minimizes compressed air use by turning off the compressed air when no part is present. For use on blowoff, drying, cooling, conveying and static elimination operations.

4 5 @EXAIR

• Easy hook up 100-240 VAC with compact eight function timer • Photoelectric sensor withstands water and dust www.exair.com/48/4efc.htm An EXAIR 60 gallon Receiver Tank can be installed at the point of high demand so there is an additional supply of compressed air available for a short duration. Meets ASME pressure vessel code. • Eliminates fluctuations in pressure and volume • Vertical, space saving design www.exair.com/48/4tank.htm EXAIR Pressure Regulators permit easy selection of an operating pressure that will allow the air product to work properly without using excessive amounts of compressed air. Reducing the air pressure from 100 PSIG to 80 PSIG reduces energy use by almost 20%. For more info, enter 65 at www.MT-freeinfo.com • Modular design pressure gauge • Many sizes available www.exair.com/48/4reg.htm For more info,

enter 66 at www. MT-freeinfo.com

MY TAKE

Jane Alexander, Editor-In-Chief

Secrets Revealed

f it weren’t so scary, it would be amusing. The mainstream media seems to have finally discovered our dirty little secret: There aren’t enough skilled workers to maintain the critical infrastructure and processes that civilized societies and healthy economies depend on. Moreover, this mell of a hess isn’t just “our” problem, it’s global! Too bad it took the recent horrible disasters in the Gulf and Big Branch mine to spark interest in the maintenance field. While these tragedies don’t appear to have resulted from a lack of qualified workers, they have, in a way, helped give “legs” to the skills-crisis story. I’ve noticed it being touched on by several sources lately, including The New York Times, CNBC.com and Yahoo News. What took ‘em so long? Our neck of the publishing woods has been documenting the progress of this perfect storm for years. Shortly after being thrown into this line of work 11 years ago, I found myself reporting on the threat to the process industries from the loss of countless treasured “old pump guys” (industry jargon, not mine). These were the highly skilled and respected individuals that organizations relied on to keep the hearts of their plants up and running, no matter what. Their wide-scale departure from the workforce— for whatever reasons—was deemed catastrophic due to the fact that most engineering schools weren’t providing the practical “hands-on” training that would lead to the successful management of crucial pumping systems. Not until I joined Maintenance Technology in 2005 did I learn that this pumpworld problem was just one of the first bands of a deadly storm that will be raging for years to come. While most of this discussion has focused on growing the skilled trades, what about those who might be managing the work of these trades in the future? What’s coming out of our colleges and universities? If my recent conversation with a freshly minted mechanical-engineering grad doesn’t frighten you, I don’t know what will. Let’s hope it reflects an isolated case. (Please, don’t ask me. God as my witness, I can’t recall what institution gave an engineering degree to this nice young man; I was too stunned by what he shared with me to remember. ) What was he going to do now? “Get an MBA,” he proudly announced, “start and run a business.” He asked if I had any recommendations. What an opening! I immediately suggested that ensuring the reliability, safety, efficiency and environmental compliance of essential industrial equipment systems and processes would be a noble and recession-proof way to go. Alas, over the five years he had spent pursuing his degree—for which his parents evidently sacrificed greatly—he hadn’t co-oped, interned or even visited an actual plant. He hadn’t put his hands on a compressor, pump, motor, valve, bearing or seal, as far as he could remember. And don’t get me started on the courses he didn’t take. But then again, he really only wanted to start and run an engineering-based business… Yup, its pretty scary out there. I’m delighted others in the working press have torn themselves away from the more popular and weighty matters of the day (i.e., where Kate Gosselin and her over-exposed brood are going; who’ll be on next season’s Dancing with the Stars; and what Snookie has been tweeting) to help the rest of us cast some light on a truly awful secret from the real world. MT jalexander@atpnetwork.com

maintenance technology

SEPTEMBER 2010

Any way you mold it, productivity equals success.

In plastics manufacturing, progress demands productivity. That’s why we’ve assembled a technical support team of highly trained engineers and sales representatives, who can work with you to keep the machines you depend on running trouble-free. After all, you’re not just manufacturing plastic, you’re manufacturing success. We don’t just make industry run, we make it fly. Visit www.mobilindustrial.com for more.

For more info, enter 65 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

UPTIME

Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

Billy Ray Motorsports: A Parable…Part II In last month’s column, we documented the rise and fall of the fictional Billy Ray Motorsports team. A new organization with the potential to win was hit with spotty reliability and declining performance. Management responded by cutting costs, reducing staff, reorganizing and eliminating “unnecessary” work processes. Still, the company continued to lose money! Billy Ray had to make some carefully calculated decisions that could either turn the team around or put it out of business. Billy Ray’s enthusiasm was crushed but he couldn’t let his investors and team see how he felt. While he knew he personally was tough and could persevere, he had to admit that this “spending-less-and-losing-more” strategy was probably NOT the best business model. He spent lots of sleepless nights with one thought on his mind: “What can I do to turn this serious decline around?” In due time, he finally concluded that he didn’t have a realistic “vision” or a “strategy,” let alone a “plan” to stop the losses and begin generating a few wins. “That’s it!” he shouted. “We need a strategy and we need a plan!” What Billy Ray was referring to was a strategic direction that would make sense to the investors AND the race team. To that end, he studied up on a few models about leading change and making focused improvements. In the course of this research, he discovered proven principles for successful transformation that should really work for him. “How could I have missed something so fundamentally sound?” he mused. Turning around Billy Ray immediately called his upper-management team together for what was likely the most important discussion they would ever have: “What went wrong and how can we turn our big losses into big wins?” He explained the need for a vision, for strategic planning and for focused improvements in ways that engaged those closest to the problems—the race team. They came up with the following: Billy Ray Motorsports Mission: To please our sponsors, provide rewarding employment and assure profitability for our investors.

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Billy Ray Motorsports Vision: We will have reliable and high-performing racecars competing in the premier race series in America, with teamwork and leadership focused on common goals. Because the upper-level managers were NOT the people who worked on or in the racecars, they chose to leave the decisions of HOW to achieve these new goals to the shop teams and pit crew. Billy Ray called the next meeting with his upper- and mid-level managers to explain the new corporate Mission and Vision. The “Management Planning Session” was held off-site because of space needs (and to get away from the day-to-day activities and gloomy atmosphere of the shops). Once everybody was seated around the big table, Billy Ray explained the Mission, Vision and Goals for Next Year. Everyone nodded in agreement— everyone except the crew chief, that is. Billy Ray asked him what the trouble was. After all, the crew chief was also the team manager, which meant he held most of the keys to productivity with his supervisors and their shop crews. Affectionately known as “Skeeter,” the crew chief pondered the question a bit before making some potentially “career-limiting” statements: “I agree with everything. It makes sense. We’ve fallen into a deep depression, our performance sucks and it’s hard to see light at the end of the tunnel. But how do we communicate a compelling sense of hope to the entire organization? What are our real goals?” How insightful! Billy Ray now realized that the organization needed GOALS—real attainable goals that were built on what the team was really good at doing. So, the next discussion focused on the BIG question: “What are we really GOOD at and why?” Together, the upper- and mid-level managers looked at racecar performance history and found that the team was “really good” at tracks of one mile or more. (Performance at road courses and super speedways really sucked.) The short tracks historically booked the second-best performance. Armed with this information, the management teams began defining some goals that would satisfy their MISSION and steer them toward their VISION. SEPTEMBER 2010

UPTIME

Billy Ray Motorsports Goals for Next Year: Sustain our superior performance at tracks bigger than one-mile. Improve our short-track performance. (The managers further defined “performance” as qualifying in the top half—21st or higher—of the field and finishing among the top 10.) More was needed, though. Anguishing over Skeeter’s comment about “a compelling sense of hope,” Billy Ray remembered something he had read about making a “compelling business case for change.” That was it! He now understood that no matter how many new words management could put into print and post on the walls, without a COMPELLING reason to improve there was likely NO HOPE for improving performance. Again, he asked his managers to put their thoughts into words… The Compelling Business Case for Change: We are a good race team struggling to compete, with high costs and declining revenues. Our remaining sponsors are willing to stick with us through next year. To be successful, we must earn more than we spend. We must focus on making only those changes that lead to improved performance. We must organize for success rather than for controlling employees. We must FIRST race to the green flag before we can ever think about racing to the checkered flag.” “That’s it,” everyone shouted! “That’s what we missed! The race to the GREEN flag…” The Race to the Green Flag: Everything right the first time, every time, on time, qualifying for the race, dialing in the setup to win and everyone focusing on being the best you can be. The managers openly discussed how to organize for success—how to knock down barriers to rapid and sustainable gains. While they recently reorganized for what they thought was “success,” it was NOT working. The racecars HAD to be the focus of the organization. They were the ONLY source of income (i.e., sponsorships and race winnings). That was another breakthrough in management’s thinking: organizing for success and winning the race to the green flag. “Organizing for success” meant putting the race team back together. Everyone who touched the racecar would report to Skeeter, the crew chief/team manager. He and the supporting organizations of Human Resources, Engineering and Finance would report to Larry the general manager. Critical roles and responsibilities aligned with the Mission, Vision and Goals for next year were defined for each manager and his/her organization. Everybody had to pull in the same direction. As Billy Ray put it, “This is like having a compass to stay oriented. We all must know where the North arrow points.” SEPTEMBER 2010

The next steps The next steps were critical: Middle managers explained and discussed the new Mission, Vision, Goals for Next Year and Compelling Business Case for Change with all departments. Unfortunately, despite the new direction and enthusiasm of the management teams, most folks didn’t appear to be very fired up: They didn’t seem to GET IT. What was missing? Luckily, Billy Ray remembered a couple of other things he had read: “Focus on results and change the culture along the way” and “goals need actions.” The management teams had forgotten all about developing Action Plans that focused on specific results to address their Goals. They also had forgotten about a workplace “culture change” that was required to achieve rapid and sustainable gains. Not to worry. Billy Ray was all over this. Who could he get to help his organization turn its big losses into big wins? He talked to Skeeter. The next Monday morning, a newly hired consultant (or “coach”) who went by the name of “Buffalo” showed up for a discussion with Billy Ray and the management teams. Buffalo was quickly brought up to speed on everything past and present, including the new Mission, Vision, Goals for Next Year and Compelling Business Case for Change. “What’s next?” Billy Ray and his managers wanted to know. Buffalo mulled over the team’s plans, then recommended the following steps: 1. Focus actions on specific rapid and sustainable improvements leading to Next Year’s Goals. 2. Identify how these improvements will be measured over what period of time. 3. Identify what level of resources will be available to support the improvements (i.e., time and schedule; money; employees, including shop-floor and management). 4. Form and charter “Focused Improvement Teams” to address specific changes within their areas of responsibility. Set clear expectations. Include shop employees and their supervisors. 5. Empower the “Focused Improvement Teams” to develop a specific four-part action plan for their manager’s review and approval: 1) Why Change; 2) Current State; 3) Future State; 4) Action Plan & Schedule. 6. Support and resource this team as they proceed with their approved action plan. Knock down barriers. Upon getting buy-in from the management teams, Buffalo began to train and coach the “Focused Improvement Teams” on their roles in the overall improvement process. “Bubba,” the shop supervisor, and Skeeter participated in these team kickoffs to re-communicate mt-online.com | 9

UPTIME

the Mission, Vision, Goals for Next Year and Compelling Business Case for Change. Team members had countless ideas for improving their performance and the performance of the racecar. As their supervisor, Bubba was pleased that these ideas were being heard and were now part of their improvement action plan. At last! Someone in upper management was prepared to hear and allow them to act upon their ideas. Fast forward Realizing that it would not be competitive during its reorganization process, Billy Ray Motorsports pulled out of several mid-season races that year. The sponsors agreed. In the final races of the season,

though, the team was a “quiet,” yet steady competitor. It was making small improvements to its racecars in support of the Goals for Next Year, refining its ideas and putting them to the test on the race track. To the delight of all concerned, the improvements began to take hold. The team definitely had HOPE for the future! The next year’s race season came and went. While Billy Ray Motorsports did not win the championship, it finished 8th overall and grabbed the attention of several big sponsors. It also attracted a few top mechanics and fabricators from other teams. The Billy Ray pit crew was holding its own with the best in the business!

Before long, the sorry financial situation had turned around. Sponsors were willing contributors to the team and it was finally making money again. Leading to a happy ending Billy Ray’s enthusiasm for winning coupled with his ability to step back and see the bigger picture helped him salvage a business on the verge of destruction. Leadership is the key to unlocking teamwork. What Billy Ray, Skeeter, Larry, Bubba and Buffalo did to turn big losses into big wins can work for almost any type of equipment-intensive business. Study their model carefully. Look at your opportunities. First: Prepare to win your race to the green flag! Then: Get out there and do it! MT RobertMW2@cs.com

www.nskamericas.com 1.88ThinkNSK

When you think about “Performance”, you think about products that can increase service life and reduce energy consumption. NSK’s EM series cylindrical roller bearings feature high load ratings and smooth, quiet rotation. With a wear-resistant machined brass cage, the EM series delivers excellent performance and up to twice the bearing life. When it comes to world-class performance in electric motor applications, Think NSK.

B A L L

B E A R I N G S

R O L L E R

B E A R I N G S

L I N E A R

M O T I O N

P R O D U C T S

T E C H N I C A L

S E R V I C E S

For more info, enter 66 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

10 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

69 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 67

communications

Ken Bannister, Contributing Editor

Preparedness Partnerships For Planned Downtime Events

12 |

With full or partial downtime being the costliest type of event for a plant, shutdowns, turnarounds and planned outages must be conducted with precision at an accelerated pace by specialist teams working around the clock. In the popular 1980s TV series The A-Team, an unlikely band of fictional characters was charged with a seemingly impossible task on a weekly basis. Luckily, they pulled off each assignment —and John “Hannibal” Smith would light a cigar and declare “I love it when a plan comes together!” The key to the team’s success? A high level of preparedness going into its assignments. Shutdowns/turnarounds/planned outages also are seemingly impossible events that must be completed in a set time frame, within budget. They require careful planning and teamwork. Adequate preparedness is to anticipate the worst and have contingency plans ready to roll at any time. While this approach might seem fatalistic, redundant and over-compensatory, it doesn’t need to be onerous. A successful shutdown and turnaround starts with the maintenance planner, who must now think and behave as a shutdown planner— i.e., as a multi-tasking event coordinator managing at a macro level. This “big picture” thinking must be tempered with a cognizance for detail and the ability to empower and work with respective team members to achieve a successful outcome The following 10 steps will lead to a higher level of preparedness and confidence and help ensure that the event plan comes together.

#2: Establish a shutdown team and assign roles… A shutdown is an action-packed one- to threeweek event requiring multiple management decisions before it begins. Building and empowering a shutdown team by assigning roles will ease the management and decision-making process. Typical areas of responsibility are:

#1: Post a work-request submission cut-off date… Most people are natural procrastinators (and don’t recognize the amount of preparation required to plan and execute a work request). Posting a workrequest submission cut-off date will drive awareness of an upcoming event date and assure that a high percentage of requests will be received in good time. Let requestors know they are partners in this event and that their cooperation is greatly appreciated.

With roles and responsibilities established, a regular pre-event meeting schedule is developed so the team can perform strategic planning for the event.

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

n Purchasing…Work with Purchasing to ensure specialized purchase agreements and purchase orders are provided to vendors in good time. n Receiving…Work with vendors to ensure that full shipments are received prior to the event or staged through it in a timely manner. Assign accessible “lay-down” areas for large items and construction materials. n Security…With so many outside contract personnel on site, security clearances and access passes to sensitive areas must be managed before the event. n Supervision…Once the event begins, someone must be assigned responsibility for managing the logistics of parts movement to contractors, equipment readiness, tool management, work sign-off, etc. n Permits…Depending on the nature of work, certain jobs will require permits for confinedspace, lockout, hot work, insurance, etc. These permits must be readied prior to the event.

#3: Establish your back-up plan… Contingency planning is crucial if your event is to be successful, as contractors/vendors might turn up late—or not at all. Once contractors are

SEPTEMBER 2010

communications

on site, make sure they can access materials, parts and tools. (Your back-up plan must be innovative and directed at keeping the workflow moving at all times.) Some tactics used by best-practice companies include: n Set up a reward/penalty clause in purchase agreements whereby contractors receive a bonus for arriving at the site, on time and completing the job on time per the scope of work. If a contractor is late or doesn’t show, a payment penalty can be imposed. n To counteract contractor no-shows, set up “on-call” agreements with secondary contractors where “standby” fees are paid. Bonus rates can be negotiated if a secondary contractor is brought in to perform work. n Place on hold, or bring on-site, extra inventory parts that may or may not need replacement. Negotiate a 1-2% restock agreement for this convenience if the parts are not required. n If rented equipment is expected to be used on more than one job, and for over 50% of the shutdown period, rent two pieces. n Never schedule back-to-back jobs requiring the same crew or rental equipment. n Prioritize jobs so if work does not get started, at least the most important work is completed first. n Include your contractors and vendor partners as part of your strategic planning team and solicit their contingency ideas. #4: Improve workflow efficiency… In the typical high-stress environment of an outage, time is precious. Reducing wasted time can be accomplished in a number of ways: n Strategically place portable toilets and wash-up facilities throughout the plant. n Make free bottled water and coffee available throughout the plant. n Organize makeshift lunch or rest areas throughout the plant and engage a caterer or lunch truck offering hot meals. Provide refrigerators at rest areas for packed lunches.

SEPTEMBER 2010

n If a lunch-area option isn’t available, rent a golf cart to transport workers to/from the cafeteria at scheduled times. #5: Bring in runners… Assign radio-equipped runners or “go-for” staff to work in conjunction with supervisors to quickly pick up/deliver parts or tools. #6: Facilitate the startup process… When equipment is ready to be started and tested, utilize your regular equipment operators to assist in the process and be part of the sign-off process. #7: Assign clean-up crews… Assign dedicated clean-up crews to clean equipment before and after the event. This will reduce contractor costs—and allow the contractors to concentrate only on the work requirement. #8: Prepare your contractors/vendors… Prior to shutdown, send out a work-management flow sheet to all contractors/vendors detailing internal procedures on how paperwork is to be completed; how to take parts out of stock; how to borrow internal tools; etc. Prior to contractors/ vendors coming on-site, prepare and send out kits to them detailing security and safety procedures and requirements; permit procedures; insurance requirements; etc. #9: Insure your event… Verify all workers’ comp, operating and other liability certifications prior to the event. #10: Review lessons learned… Review previous shutdown event history with your team and analyze why things went wrong in the past. At the event conclusion, schedule a debriefing to review “what went right,” in preparation for the next event. When a plan comes together The hallmarks of an adequately prepared shutdown/turnaround/planned outage usually are not seen or acknowledged by the participants— success is typically measured by how smooth the event seemed. Then again, that’s what preparedness is all about. With better preparedness, you can make sure your future planned downtime events are real-life A-Team successes! MT kbannister@engtechindustries.com

MT-ONLINE.COM | 13

Stepping on up…

Part I :

From Good To Great With Lean Maintenance How far have you gone with lean? This review of some concepts and steps to success by a world-renowned expert is designed to help you move higher and higher. Christer Idhammar IDCON, Inc.

14 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

ong a guiding principle in U.S. and European industries, the concept of “lean” (manufacturing and maintenance) seems to have vastly increased in popularity over the past five years. Simply put, the idea behind lean is that those things that need to be delivered are to be produced on time with fewer resources. In other words, you need to be eliminating waste wherever you can. In the area of lean maintenance, cutting out waste is all about executing the basic elements of good maintenance management better.

SEPTEMBER 2010

CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

To become “lean,” all losses in the processing of raw material and delivery of products to customers must be eliminated. For readers of this magazine, that translates into preventing maintenance needs and performing remaining maintenance more effectively. The payoff? Production reliability will rise and production costs—including maintenance and storage costs— will fall. The biggest improvement opportunities include: ■ Manufacturing Reliability Dealing with loss of quality Dealing with stop times Dealing with loss of speed

■ Integration And Application Of Increased Knowledge And Skills Educating/training craftspersons to enable multi-crafts or multi-skills Implementing flexible work systems ■ Over-Manufacturing Not making more than what’s been sold Not manufacturing too early

■ Partnership With Operations/Maintenance/ Engineering Reliability- and maintenance-related design Operator-based maintenance

■ Over-Maintenance Performing the right amount and the right type of preventive maintenance Performing preventive maintenance when it is needed Prioritizing and performing corrective maintenance in the right order

■ Elimination Of Root Causes Of Problems Choosing problems to eliminate Eliminating problems Educating and teaching

■ Use Of New Technology Needing fewer resources for maintenance Improving maintainability Deploying smart tools and methods

■ Storage Reducing store value while preserving service level to maintenance

Before exploring these points in more detail, it’s important to review some fundamental concepts of manufacturing reliability (refer to Figs. 1 and 2).

Fig. 1. Basic Reliability Mathematics. Work In Progress It’s not always clear where the most cost(WIP) Finished effective place to implement improvements Product WIP WIP in a manufacturing chain will be. Product flow is the result of Capacity x Reliability. At first glance, you might think that C is the bottleneck in the production chain. A B C Capacity 333 Capacity there is 316 pieces per/hr Capacity 356 C 316 compared with the higher capacity in A (356) and B (333). If you calculate the flow, 73% Reliability 71% Reliability 78% Reliability you’ll find that the bottleneck is at manuThroughput 260/hr. Throughput 236/hr. Throughput 247/hr. facturing stage B. This is compensated for Throughput maximum 236/hr and hidden by increasing storage of Work In Progress (WIP), which can sometimes makes it seem as though throughput isn’t a problem. WIP is a big hidden cost for many companies. With low reliability throughput of product in the manufacturing chain, WIP takes longer and its costs are increased. Fig. 2. Additional Basic Reliability Math. By raising the reliability in step C to 83%, the increased throughput is 260 per hour. The WIP is reduced since the manufacturing steps are now balanced. Other solutions include procurement of increased capacity through investing in a parallel machine for C. This would lead to unnecessary high capacity in step C. Moreover, the cost of buying more capacity is at least 10 times higher than investing in measures that will increase reliability. SEPTEMBER 2010

Work In Progress (WIP)

WIP

Finished Product

WIP

Capacity 356

Capacity 333

73% Reliability Throughput 260/hr.

78% Reliability Throughput 260/hr.

C C 316

83% Reliability Throughput 262/hr.

Throughput maximum 260/hr

MT-ONLINE.COM | 15

CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

To become “lean,” all losses in the processing of raw material and delivery of product must be eliminated. For us, that translates into preventing maintenance needs and performing remaining maintenance more effectively.

Lean manufacturing’s sub-target is to reduce WIP and speed up throughput in the manufacturing chain. Reliability includes quality, time and speed. Lean maintenance has a crucial key role in raising the part of reliability that is affected by the manufacturing equipment. Since the manufacturing process is more and more dependent on automation, good maintenance becomes more and more important. Availability or reliability? Many organizations use availability as a key measurement for manufacturing efficiency, but availability encompasses only the percent of planned time— or available time—that a production process produces. Availability excludes the quality of that which is produced. To produce something that isn’t up to quality standards is often more expensive than to not produce at all. To slow down a process because, for example, a part of the process can’t operate at full speed is also expensive. So we must focus the improvement initiative on all elements of what we call manufacturing reliability: quality, time and speed. Manufacturing reliability can be measured in various ways. The most simple way is to calculate how much is manufactured at the right quality, divided by how much could have been manufactured at the right quality (% Quality x % Time x % Speed). Overall, nothing should be manufactured before it has been sold and is to be delivered. In many heavy process industries, people are still living with the idea to always produce as much as possible. That’s not “lean thinking,” which says nothing is produced until it needs to be delivered because it has been sold. However, having a lean production process and being able to produce things “Just in Time” is possible only if the production reliability is very high. With a raised automation level, a company becomes more and more dependent on reliable equipment— and the maintenance that ensures the reliability of that equipment. Reliable production equipment is the most important result a maintenance organization generates. It can be seen as the maintenance department’s income-generating section. For an organization striving to be lean, it is important to know where the greatest benefits are. What is the worth of reducing the difference between how good you are and how good you could be? In a market situation where you can sell everything you can produce the equation is simple. Consider the following: In certain industries, the sales price of what you are selling can drastically fluctuate. Thus, let’s base our hypothetical manufacturing example on the average sales price and variable cost of a product over five years. Average sales price / ﬁve years

$510/unit

Average variable cost / ﬁve years

$340/unit

Beneﬁt per produced, sold, delivered unit

$170/unit

The value of producing and delivering a sold unit is $170. If you produce/deliver 25,000 units a year and production reliability is 88%—but it could reach 94%— then the value of increasing manufacturing reliability would be 6%.

1500 units x $170 = $255,000 per year The next questions you should ask are these: Can you achieve even better results by lowering maintenance costs? Would it be beneficial to lower maintenance costs if you can maintain manufacturing reliability at 88% without lowering them? The answer seems to be obvious, but it isn’t unusual that some are so focused on lowering visible costs they don’t see the large, invisible opportunities that are concealed in increased production or faster throughput of product. An idea worth repeating— as we are doing here—is that when you increase manufacturing reliability, production costs (including maintenance and storage costs) will decrease. Continued on page 18 16 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

Based on you. Built by Fluke. The scars and sweat of pros like you are the inspiration for every innovation we put into Fluke tools. Nothing wasted. Nothing unnecessary. Just the perfect tool built to help you work faster, safer, and smarter. In the real world. See the innovations you’ve inspired, www.fluke.com/GetReal

For more info, enter 68 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Fluke. Keeping your world up and running.®

CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

It is common to use the Overall Equipment Efficiency when measuring manufacturing reliability, but that’s only one part of the reliability concept. The other part is Overall Process Efficiency. If you can’t sell the increased volume that you reach via higher manufacturing reliability, then the savings most often lie in more reliable and faster delivery of goods sold, less energy expenditure, improved safety and less overtime. Consider the following example from the pharma sector, which also shows the importance of including the quality component of the reliability formula. The XYZ Pharmaceutical Company had a lot of overcapacity. As a result, manufacturing reliability wasn’t considered to be “that important.” After all, it was assumed that the plant could make up losses with the extra capacity and turn to overtime to compensate for any production losses. Management reasoned that it was much more important to have lower maintenance costs. When manufacturing efficiency was measured, the only thing really taken into account was availability. Alas, one day a tumbler broke in the end-stage of a tablet-manufacturing process. (Tablets in the tumbler were covered with a coating before packaging and shipping). The breakdown of the tumbler was caused by a burned, wornout V-belt. Although the resulting shutdown lasted only 45 minutes, plenty of expensive medicine had to be scrapped— to the tune of over $62,000. Since a similar costly incident had occurred two years before, management realized it needed to change the way it thought about some things. That’s why instead of talking only in terms of availability, this plant now also considers the aspect of quality performance when it identifies losses and measures manufacturing reliability. What is “good” manufacturing reliability? Increased manufacturing reliability will increase product throughput and reduce the time between incoming raw materials to the finished product. Better reliability is the foundation to a faster and safer manufacturing flow. This will result in fewer losses from delayed deliveries, overproduction, work-in-progress and energy consumption. Here lie the biggest gains if you can’t sell everything you produce. Remember, though, these gains won’t materialize if you don’t have highly reliable equipment. If you do have this type of equipment, you will be able to apply the “Dell model” or “Just-In-Time” manufacturing principles very 18 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

successfully. In addition, work-related injuries are always positively affected by high reliability. As to the question of what constitutes “good manufacturing reliability,” the answer has a lot to do with your process and equipment quality. Note that we aren’t only talking about equipment efficiency here. It is common to use the OEE—Overall Equipment Efficiency—when measuring manufacturing reliability, but that’s only one part of the reliability concept. The other part is Overall Process Efficiency, which is the manufacturing process or chemistry that goes into making your product, including raw materials, pressures, temperatures, chemical mixtures, packaging material, operating practices, etc. What this boils down to is OMR— Overall Manufacturing Reliability. From the maintenance point of view, there are three elements that affect how good OMR can be: 1. Equipment quality 2. Number of components that can cause a problem 3. Efficiency of the maintenance organization Equipment quality. . . Equipment quality, including issues associated with designing for maintainability and reliability, is beyond the scope of this article. This element affecting OMR is such a complex (and crucial) topic that it requires an entire article unto itself. Number of components that can cause a problem. . . As a consultant, I often use paper machines as a guideline when projecting reliability in processes for which I don’t have data. The most reliable paper machines produce, for example, towel and tissue paper. They often incorporate one or two driers—so-called “yankee” cylinders or driers—each with a drive unit. A paper machine with several layers and surface coatings, however, has many more components that can cause problems. Such a machine can incorporate 100 drier cylinders. Thus, OMR differs between 96% for a tissue/ towel machine and 82% for the more complicated units. SEPTEMBER 2010

CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

A package line with good OME can reach 85-90%. (All of these calculations are based on 8760 hours per year.)

Shaft Alignment

& Geometric Measurement

Efficiency of the maintenance organization. . . One of the best indicators of effective maintenance is still the degree of planned and scheduled maintenance. This is because it greatly affects both manufacturing reliability and maintenance efficiency. Furthermore, a high level of planning and scheduling cannot be reached without the support of all of the other elements of good maintenance, including maintenance prevention, preventive maintenance, storeroom support, root-cause problem elimination, etc. Studies have established a strong correlation between high manufacturing reliability and a high degree of planning and scheduling of all maintenance and operations work (see Fig. 3).

Rotalign® ULTRA

38 process lines making same product

Maintenance costs per ton

Vibration Analysis

& Balancing

Process Line Efﬁciency % Quality x UpTime

% Planned and Scheduled Work

h WatcOS E VID ine Onl

VIBXPERT® II

Easy-to-use solutions for your maintenance needs! copyright IDCON.com

Sales • Rentals • Services

Fig. 3. A study by IDCON, Inc., evaluated the manufacturing reliability of 38 similar process lines. The blue line shows the lowest to the highest manufacturing reliability. The only correlation to higher manufacturing reliability was the level of professional planning and scheduling. Depending on what items different plants included in their maintenance expenditures, the cost of maintenance appeared to be lower the higher the level of manufacturing reliability and level of planning and scheduling.

305-591-8935 • www.ludeca.com

SEPTEMBER 2010

For more info, enter 69 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

MT-ONLINE.COM | 19

Get Ready!

Get Set!

Get Going!

Put MARTS 2011 On Your Calendar Now!

Education, Networking, Solutions To Your Problems!

APRIL 26-29, 2011 We thank all attendees, presenters and exhibitors for helping us make MARTS 2010 a rousing success. MARTS 2011 promises to be even bigger and better! Check regularly on www.MARTSconference.com for event news and scheduling updates.

Reliability Keeps Giving Voice To Autism As in 2010, MARTS 2011 will kick off with another “Reliability Gives Voice to Autism” (RGVA) charity event. This gala evening of fun, food and entertainment at MARTS 2010 was this year’s #1 industrial contributor to the Autism Society - Illinois. Stay tuned for details on how you and your company can be part of this great cause. “I am forever grateful for the efforts made by the organizers and volunteers of RGVA on behalf of the Autism Society - Illinois. With the success of the inaugural event, I am looking forward to the 2011 Reliability Gives Voice to Autism with exuberant anticipation.” … Michael Gallivan, President, Board of Directors, Autism Society - Illinois

We’re grateful, too…Applied Technology Publications is delighted that others across the reliability community have chosen to join us in the battle to raise awareness and funding for autism. To all of you, thank you for your contributions and good luck in your fight. For more information, contact Bill Kiesel at bkiesel@atpnetwork.com

What’s next? Over-manufacturing can be defined as making more than what has been sold and before it needs to be delivered. This is one of the biggest sins in lean manufacturing. The same view should be taken when it comes to maintenance. To perform more maintenance than is needed— or before it is needed—should be considered a waste or an opportunity to improve. The biggest improvement opportunities lie in: ■ Optimizing old PM (preventive maintenance) systems ■ Deciding if work that’s to be performed during scheduled downtime really needs to be done ■ Prioritizing, planning and scheduling work in a disciplined way These topics and more will be explored in the second (and concluding) part of this article coming in November. MT Highly respected, award-winning reliability and maintenance-management expert Christer Idhammar is the founder and executive vice president of IDCON, Inc., based in Raleigh, NC. For more information, e-mail info@idcon.com. For more info, enter 01 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT

The Capacity Assurance Conference!

APRIL 26-29, 2011

Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago), IL

www.MARTSconference.com For more info, enter 70 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

20 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

Are your chains quietly eating your profits? Chesterton® lubricants will improve your chain reliability... and lower your operating costs. Chain lubrication is often overlooked as an opportunity for lowering energy costs and improving reliability. Poorly maintained chains use far more energy than well-lubricated chains. Depending on your operating conditions—high temperature, high load, dirt, water, corrosion, dust and fibers—Chesterton has the lubrication solution for you. Our chain lubrication program reduces chain wear, improves productivity and results in immediate energy savings. Stop gnawing away at your operating profits. Ask how Chesterton chain lubricants can help. For more information go to www.chesterton.com

For more info, enter 71 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

FIELD NOTES

The case of the breaking breaker…

When Increasing The PM Period Improves Reliability This generator field breaker at a large power plant failed to open as needed. What was the problem?

As this discussion of a power plant’s repeated generator-field-breaker failures seems to prove, timing is everything. Randall Noon, P.E. Cooper Nuclear Station

n some quarters, if an equipment item fails too often, a frequently chosen first solution is to shorten its preventive maintenance (PM) period. This entails either removing the component from service and replacing it with a new one from inventory or perhaps refurbishing the component to a like-new condition and performing a number of tests to verify that its condition meets specifications. This stock solution, however, is not always the best solution: It may actually worsen the item’s reliability, and the degraded condition may not be noticed for years. Consider the following real-world account.

Situation A large power plant uses a motor-generator set to drive a high-pressure, high-volume pump that runs whenever the plant is operating. When the plant reduced power for a scheduled down-power—wherein the pump had to be turned off—the breaker for the field current for the generator failed to open. The circuit for the generator field then had to be opened (at a great inconvenience) farther up-line.

22 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

FIELD NOTES

The troublesome breaker had been installed 12 months earlier during the previous outage. It had only been opened and then re-closed one time before. Thus, in terms of operation, this breaker had failed the second time it was opened. Several breakers of this model are used within the plant. None of them are opened or closed more than once or twice every 18 months. Therefore, operational wear and tear is insignificant. A check of maintenance records at both the plant in question and in some similarly designed power-gen facilities found that this model breaker has a checkered history of internal linkage drag and alignment problems. When the breaker fails, it more often does so the first or second time it is opened. Interestingly, if this type of breaker doesn’t fail the first or second time it’s opened, it often provides good service for many years before being refurbished: The most commonly reported PM period is 16 years or more. That’s why, when this power plant first came online, a PM period of 16 years was established for these units. Due to failures, though, the PM period was at first shortened to nine years, then to 4.5 years. Unfortunately, these changes didn’t improve the service reliability of the breaker in question. In fact, a close review of performance data indicated that it was now failing more often. Why didn’t the shorter PM improve reliability?

based on the fact that the curve’s statistical distribution plot resembles a cross-sectional view of a bathtub.) Phase I, the “Infant Mortality” portion of the curve, reflects the failure rate due to installation errors, assembly errors made at the factory or similar deficiencies. As all the initial problems and “bugs” are found and fixed, the statistical failure rate decreases quickly with time to a minimum level. Phase II, the “Random Failure” area of the curve, is where the item that has passed through the failures related to assembly error or installation error, operates as designed. Usually this part of the curve is nearly flat and failures are due to statistically random defects and problems. Phase III, the “End of Life” portion of the curve, is where the item is approaching the end of its useful service life and begins to suffer from wear, age, component breakdowns, environmental degradation and the general curses of entropy. In depicting the bathtub curve, most textbooks cut the curve off when the Phase III portion is about the same height as the Phase I, “Infant Mortality” portion (as was done below in Fig. 1). Most textbooks also stretch out the time in the Phase I and Phase III portions of the curve, and compress the lapsed time in the Phase II portion. This not only makes the curve appear symmetric (and similar to a bathtub in shape), it makes the curve fit on the page better. A more realistic bathtub curve is shown in Fig. 2. Note that the Phase III portion of the graph is much higher than the Phase I portion. Statistically, if an item is used long enough, its failure rate, given enough time, approaches 100%, while assembly and installation errors are usually an order of magnitude lower than 100%.

Bathtub curves Before the answer to the problem can be given, several things need to be explained, including, for example, bathtub curves. A bathtub curve—known formally as a Weibull Distribution Curve—is a plot of the statistical failure rate of a part, component or machine versus time. Fig. 1, which also labels the various parts of the curve, depicts a typical bathtub curve usually shown in textbooks. (This widely used nickname is Fig. 1. Failures depicted in a generalized bathtub curve

Phase I - Infant Mortality

Phase II - Random Failure

Phase III- End of Life Failure

Time

Fig. 2. Failures depicted in a more realistic bathtub curve

Failure Rate

100% Failure Rate

Phase I Infant Mortality

Phase II - Random Failure

Phase IIIEnd of Life Failure

Time- Compressed Scale

SEPTEMBER 2010

MT-ONLINE.COM | 23

FIELD NOTES

The breaker failure description indicated that the equipment wasn’t failing due to end-of-service-life effects. In reality, it was experiencing an infant-mortality failure. This distinction is important. Note in Fig. 2 that the high point of the Phase I region is marked with a horizontal line. An equal failure-rate point is similarly marked with a horizontal line in the Phase III region. When an item has been in service for a long time and is in its end-of-life phase, high reliability is maintained if the replacement or refurbishment period is chosen to be equal to or a little more than the peak infant-mortality failure rate. In other words, don’t replace an item if the potential for failure due to installation mess-ups or a factory error is greater than just running the item a while longer. Wait until the chance of failure due to service time equals or exceeds the infant-mortality failure rate. With this information in mind, let’s now re-examine the problem with the breaker. Revisiting the problem The conditions cited in the breaker’s failure description indicate that the equipment was not failing due to end-ofservice-life effects. Parts were not wearing out, nor were they degrading due to age or environment. Furthermore, the facts indicated that if the breaker made it past the first few times it was operated, it would statistically operate in good order for 16 years or more. Thus, the breaker was not experiencing an end-of-life failure; it was experiencing an infant-mortality failure. This distinction is important. If an item experiences failure due to end-of-life effects and its service life is at the far right on the bathtub curve, shortening the PM period may certainly improve service reliability. As shown in Fig. 2, appropriate shortening of the PM period can shift the PM time from a high failure rate area on the far right to a point on the curve where the failure rate is significantly lower. With some historical data in hand, perhaps the PM can even be shifted to a point where the overall reliability over time is optimized.

Importantly, a shift to the left on the curve only improves reliability if the item is failing due to end-of-service-life effects. In this case, failures were occurring due to infant mortality effects. Thus, shortening the PM period actually increased the failure rate. Here is why: As was learned by checking industry failure statistics for this model breaker, the average refurbishment period is 16 years. This is 3.55 times longer than the 4.5-year PM period the plant was using! If the failure rate due to infant mortality is considered to be P(f), then in 16 years the chance of success with respect to failures caused only by infant mortality factors is [1-P(f)]. If, however, the same breaker is overhauled every 4.5 years, resulting in three refurbishments in that 16-year period, then the expected success rate due to infant mortality is [1 – P(f)][1 – P(f)] [1 – P(f)]. For example, if the infant mortality rate due to errors in refurbishment or installation is 10%, then the success rate for one breaker for 16 years is 90%. But if the same breaker is refurbished and reinstalled in exactly the same way three times in 16 years, the success rate for that breaker (i.e., no failures occurring) is 73%. As the number of “shots on goal” increases, the chances of a goal being made also increase. Consequently, shortening the PM period for an item that has an infant-mortality problem—such as this breaker— actually decreased overall reliability. Conclusion In this case, the solution to the failure problem was NOT to shorten the PM period: Doing so seemed to worsen the failure rate. Since the failure is not a result of end-ofservice-life effects, and the characteristics match those of an infant-mortality failure, the solution lies in either fixing the underlying installation or refurbishment deficiency—or changing to a different model breaker with a lower infantmortality failure rate. MT Randall Noon is a root-cause team leader at Nebraska’s Cooper Nuclear Station. A licensed professional engineer in several states, he’s been investigating failures for more than 30 years. Noon is the author of several articles and texts, including: The Engineering Analysis of Fires and Explosions; Forensic Engineering Investigations; and, most recently, Scientific Method: Applications in Failure Investigation and Forensic Science (published by CRC Press). E-mail: rknoon@nppd.com.

24 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED. ALL IN ONE PLACE.

North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Largest Metal Forming, Fabricating, Welding and Finishing Event

When it comes to getting the tools you need to improve productivity, increase profits and find new ways to survive in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitive business environment, nothing compares to FABTECH. One week, one convenient location, one opportunity to keep your business on the cutting edge.

November 2-4, 2010 GeorGia World CoNGress CeNter | atlaNta, GeorGia For more info, enter 72 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

REPRINTS: Design your marketing Take Advantage of Your Editorial Exposure Reprints create a powerful marketing tool of instant credibility and endorsement. Use this resource to amplify exposure of a product, company, or service that has been featured in this publication. Customize your reprints to create a sharp message for your media kits, conference materials, direct mail pieces, and more. Profit today from this costeffective method of personalizing your marketing content.

866.879.9144 sales@fostereprints.com For more info, enter 73 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

BOOSTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Make Energy An Asset, Not An Afterthought

n an April 2010 survey of leading businesses entitled “From Shop Floor to Top Floor: Best Business Practices in Energy Efficiency,” the PEW Center on Global Climate Change describes a shift in how companies such as Dow, IBM and Toyota approach energy. The authors’ conclusions? Setting ambitious long-term energy-saving goals saves money, avoids greenhouse-gas emissions and improves employee morale. Ultimately, survey participants have boosted their bottom lines by approaching energy as a core asset to be managed, rather than as an expensive afterthought. Traditionally, however, efficiency opportunities have been addressed through incremental improvements. While such savings are notable, managing efficiency on an organization-wide basis greatly expands the potential. In this new paradigm where energy is viewed as an “asset,” more comprehensive changes are pursued. This paradigm shift can be viewed in the context of how your facility approaches energyintensive equipment, such as motors. Imagine the effects on your bottom line from upgrading to premium-efficiency motors one by one, versus an approach based on a comprehensive motormanagement plan. For example, a proactive motor-management plan would involve maintaining an inventory of all motors and ensuring that energy was included in the analysis of when and how they are to be repaired or replaced. Incorporating the motor-management plan as a business strategy assures that all personnel contribute and adhere to it. What’s the impact to your bottom line? It’s likely to be a very large number: Multiply the savings you would achieve by upgrading one motor by the number of motors in your facility—the U.S. Department of Energy has estimated this could be $900/year for a 75 hp motor—and add to that the avoided productivity losses associated with being unprepared when critical motors fail.

SEPTEMBER 2010

Another important finding of the PEW study was that at leading companies, senior management supports managing energy as an asset. This approach permeates all levels of the companies’ organizational charts. As a result, the benefits extend beyond the bottom line to include improved productivity by stimulating technical and process innovations, such as reductions in water use, materials waste, labor costs and production downtime. Where to start? If the successes achieved by companies in the PEW Center survey seem to be beyond your company’s budget, resources or manpower, you may want to try something simple that can still have plenty of impact: Start managing your energy asset by managing your motors. If your facility is like most others, motordriven systems consume a large portion of your energy use. The sponsors of the Motor Decisions MatterSM Campaign have developed a suite of resources to help you and your team be more effective in managing those systems and, in turn, your energy asset. Visit the MDM Website (www.motorsmatter.org) to access these resources and begin making energy an asset, not an afterthought. MT For more info, enter 02 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

The Motor Decisions Matter (MDM) campaign is managed by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), a North American nonprofit organization that promotes energysaving products, equipment and technologies. For further information, contact MDM staff at mdminfo@cee1.org or (617) 589-3949.

MT-ONLINE .COM | 27

MAINTENANCE LOG

Good Specs, Good Shop Here’s a way to help identify the types of motor-repair operations you really want to work with. Greg Davison Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OGE)

good vibration specification is essential in accurately identifying a good motor repair and, for that matter, a good motor-repair shop. An operation consistently able to meet a good vibration spec has proven that it has a professional staff with the proper training and the precision equipment needed to make quality repairs:

28 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

MAINTENANCE LOG

■ It will have the test equipment and procedures in place for determining a scope of work resulting in a motor that meets the desired vibration specification. ■ It will have a staff capable of accomplishing the required scope of work in a manner that will meet the desired vibration specification. and ■ It will have test facilities capable of verifying that the motor does indeed meet the vibration acceptance criteria before leaving the shop. The Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OGE) standard for allowable vibration on new or rebuilt Large Motors is 0.05 in. per second. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) standard for Medium and Large Motors with special requirements is 0.08 in. per second, (MG1-1993 rev1). (The OGE standard of 0.05 in. per second is approximately equivalent to the ISO G1.0 Balance Specification for special precision.) By specifying 0.05 in. per second as an acceptance standard, OGE is assured a motor has been balanced to the capability of most widely available balancing machines— and to the ability of most competent motor shops. Moreover, any mechanical fault or assembly error will result in a vibration level above the OGE specification. While it is extremely difficult to detect electrical faults in a motor that is operating under no-load conditions, the OGE specification leaves very little room for any type of fault—electrical or mechanical. Win/win Since OGE began using this spec, NO motor leaving a repair shop having met the specification has been found upon commissioning to have a warrantable problem. The specification has been a win/win for both OGE and the shops: ■ OGE receives a better product that lasts longer and eliminates delays during commissioning. ■ The motor-repair shops have fewer motors returned for re-work. Reality check Experience has shown that the OGE specification is consistently achievable by well-run repair facilities with the proper equipment and a professional work force. At least two such shops exist in Oklahoma City; both have agreed to meet this spec. Whenever either of these shops receives an OGE motor for repair, a scope of work is agreed upon before the SEPTEMBER 2010

work begins. If the motor is operable, a test run may be used to establish an “as received” vibration reading on the motor shop’s test bed. Otherwise, the motor is disassembled and inspected for damage. A scope of work is developed to meet the OGE specification—and an OGE representative reviews the damage and the proposed scope of work. The scope of work is then either agreed to, or amended and agreed to. The process works splendidly up until the point at which a motor fails the acceptance test. Then the fingers come out and the pointing begins. If the scope of work was modified, the motor shop claims it was not allowed to repair the unit properly. If, however, no scope is ever amended, cost creep occurs, and eventually the scope is seen as a blank check protecting the motor shop from any eventuality. The reality is this: The scope of work that the motor shop and the customer agreed to—in advance—is complete, but the motor will not meet the also-agreed-to—in advance— vibration specification. Who pays? Is it the scope or the spec that’s causing the problem? The vibration specification can’t be waived after the fact. That defeats the purpose of having one. Both the scope and the spec were agreed to in advance. If the scope is changed but the specification isn’t, the motor shop agrees that the new scope is sufficient to meet the specification. If the shop cannot agree that the amended scope is adequate to meet the specification, then further negotiations may resolve the issues. Otherwise, the shop can be paid for its efforts thus far to produce the scope of work and the repair can be let out for bid to competing motor-repair shops. The original shop may also decide to bid the repair in a way and at a price it feels will meet the original spec. After all bids are evaluated, the customer can go with the lowest bidder or decide that meeting the specification is too costly. The customer might choose to replace the unit— or just decide to accept a degraded performance at a lower cost (in which case, the vibration specification could be modified). BUT whatever the decision is, it is always at the customer’s discretion and agreed to in advance of any repairs. To say that the scope of work is complete and the motor will not pass acceptance is unacceptable. Either the scope of work was insufficient to effect the proper repair or the acceptance criteria are too stringent. There is, of course, one other possibility. The scope was sufficient but improperly performed. This is the reason for the acceptance criteria in the first place—to ensure proper repair. If the acceptance criteria are too stringent, is it safe to say that no motor would ever pass (or, at the least, very few motors would pass)? Actually, the opposite is true. Most motors meet or exceed the vibration specification. Very few fail. This is further evidence that not only is the specification attainable, it is an effective way to identify a defective motor. MT-ONLINE.COM | 29

MAINTENANCE LOG

Separating wheat from chaff The OGE motor specification will separate merely average repair shops from operations that are above average. One intent of our specification is to identify those shops that we want to do business with. OGE needs a good, quality repair to ensure the reliability of its generation assets. Shops that are capable of consistently meeting this specification are the quality shops OGE looks for. Admittedly, the majority of motors failing the acceptance test are typically units that are inherently more difficult to repair—such as vertically mounted motors, two-pole motors and motors running above the first critical. Here again, the ability to effectively repair these difficult units is what separates the average from the above-average business. To be sure, there is always the possibility the work might be done properly, but that the test facilities are inadequate. For example, the power supply might not be capable of running the motor at full voltage, or the power supply might not be balanced across all three phases. In these cases, the ability to detect any type of electrically induced fault goes from being very difficult to impossible. On the other hand, the test bed might not be substantial enough to adequately support a motor as a rigidly mounted machine—in which case, the motor

CRC Capabilities 7x4.875

2/15/10

10:42 AM

Page 1

has hardly any chance of meeting the specification. Even if the shop has performed a quality repair, without adequate testing facilities, there is no way of knowing the quality of the repair. (Adequate testing facilities are one more hallmark of a quality motor repair shop. Don’t overlook this important element.) Remember this A good vibration spec will never replace an on-site inspection when identifying a quality motor-repair shop. Nor will it substitute for a certification from a standards organization such as NEMA. Over time, though, a good vibration specification CAN help your operations positively identify those shops that excel by routinely and consistently providing quality repairs (even when dealing with complex problems). These are the shops OGE seeks—you should, too. MT Greg Davison is supervisor of Reliability Technologies with OGE Electric Services, a business of OGE Energy Corp. An ISO Category III Vibration Specialist, he has 27 years of experience in the reliability and predictive maintenance fields. Davison holds a B.S. in Organizational Management from Oklahoma Christian University. Telephone: (405) 553-4463; e-mail: davisogd@oge.com.

Your Best Solution

Whether you are looking for a precision cleaner, degreaser, lubricant, or sealant product, CRC will always provide solutions that work. CRC has been the brand of choice in the Industrial market for over 50 years! Go online to www.crcindustries.com/ei to see our entire product offering of MRO maintenance chemicals. Use our online product selector guide to easily find the perfect solution for your individual application needs.

CRC’s Breadth of Line

Patented MSDL™

Factory Trained Sales Force

On-line Educational Resources

www.crcindustries.com/ei For more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

30 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

For more info, enter 75 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

A boon to safety…

Optical Gas Imaging Redefines Industrial Gas Leak Detection Gas leaks have been affecting peoples’ lives since ancient times. Now, there’s no excuse for many of them. Jane Alexander, Editor with David Francoeur FLIR Systems, Inc.

n ancient Greece, people traveled from far and wide to listen to the Oracle of Delphi, who claimed to be in direct contact with the god Apollo. They came in hopes of gaining special knowledge about themselves and their futures (including, for example, when to plant their crops). What would those trusting knowledge-seekers have thought if they had known that instead of speaking to and for Apollo, the Oracle had simply been exposed to harmful ethylene gas? This is just what modern-era researchers discovered: The Oracle’s prophecies and popularity were associated with an ancient gas leak. These days While we no longer seek the council of Apollo, as a global society, we are still using a great deal of ethylene. Wikipedia defines ethylene glycol as an “organic compound, widely used as an automotive antifreeze and a precursor to polymers. In its pure form, it is an odorless, colorless, syrupy, sweet-tasting liquid. There appears to have been no commercial manufacture or application prior to World War I.”

32 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

For the first time in history, we have a means by which to see what had previously been invisible: colorless gas vapors. Prior to the advent of optical gas imaging, the Toxic Vapor Analyzer (TVA) was about the only tool available for the task.

Some of the characteristics of ethylene—a greenhouse-gas emission that is both odorless and colorless—are common to many other industrial gases, thus making leaks hard (some would say tricky) to find. That’s why a chemical called mercaptan is added to methane (perhaps the most widely used gas) to give it that sulfur-like or rotten-egg odor with which many of us are familiar. But often times, natural gas sold to industrial facilities does not contain mercaptan and remains odorless. Industrial gas leaks tend to occur within a mass of valves, flanges and piping. It is not uncommon to have thousands— sometimes tens of thousands—of potential leak points that stretch for miles. Adding to the difficulty is the highly flammable nature of many of these industrial gases. From one of the world’s worst industrial gas leaks ever (the 1984 explosion in Bhopal, India), to the more recent Texas City Refinery explosion in 2005 in which 15 workers died, industrial (and even residential) gas leaks continue to cause large-scale financial and human losses. Game-changing technology In June 2005, FLIR Systems introduced the GasFindIR infrared camera, today called the GF-Series and referred to by industry and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “optical gas imaging.” Why is optical gas imaging such a game-changer for maintenance and reliability professionals? The answer is simple: For the first time in history, we have a means by which to see what had previously been invisible—colorless gas vapors. Prior to optical gas imaging, the Toxic Vapor Analyzer (TVA) was about the only tool available for the task. Using a point contact-sensor or wand, a TVA would be placed near a suspected gas leak or next to a valve or flange. The instrument would then absorb a portion of the gas and provide a reading—which explains why TVAs are still commonly referred to as “sniffers.” While relatively effective and widespread in its use, TVA technology has some significant limitations. SEPTEMBER 2010

With a TVA, the wand must be placed fairly precisely to where the gas is blowing. If there is wind or air movement and the wand is even just a bit off, the instrument will not detect the leak. More importantly, since operators frequently don’t know the exact locations of gas leaks, this “sniffer” method involves a great deal of guesswork. The optical gas imaging infrared camera operates much like a consumer video-camcorder. It provides a real-time visual image of gas emissions or leaks. One simply scans an area and watches the video. Gas leaks will appear as black smoke on-screen. In this manner, gas leaks can be seen even if the camera is 30 feet away. Moreover, the GF-Series camera can see exactly where the leak is occurring, helping to pinpoint its source. For a TVA to pay off, a worker must position the wand next to hundreds of valves and flanges, and do so with pinpoint accuracy—yet there may be no feedback or knowledge as to whether a leak even exists. Such efforts can require significant amounts of manpower and time, coupled with considerable room for error. With gas imaging, however, a worker just pans and scans to instantly see leaks. (Refer to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to see what different leaks look like through optical gas imaging.)

Fig. 1. Gas valve leak MT-ONLINE.COM | 33

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Fig. 2. Leakage from a failed ruptured disk

The benefits Many industrial operations either use industrial gases as part of their process input or produce gas as a by-product (or even an end-product). Gas leaks are an ongoing concern for many reasons. From a regulatory perspective, companies must reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, and workplace safety/OSHA standards must be met. In many instances, the gases themselves are expensive—whether they’re a process input or final product. Gas leaks, therefore, are equivalent to lost profits. In addition to all the other reasons to find and stop them, companies also have a strong financial incentive to do so.

Gases That The GF-Series Infrared Camera Can See, With Minimum Detected Leak Rates (MDLRs) 1-Pentene - 5.6g/hr

Methane - 0.8g/hr

Benzene - 3.5g/hr

Methanol - 3.8g/hr

Butane -0.4g/hr

MIBK - 2.1g/hr

Carbon monoxide*

Octane - 1.2g/hr

Ethane - 0.6g/hr

Pentane - 3.0g/hr

Ethanol - 0.7g/hr

Propane - 0.4g/hr

Ethylbenzene - 1.5g/hr Propylene - 2.9g/hr Ethylene - 4.4g/hr Heptane - 1.8g/hr Hexane - 1.7g/hr Isoprene - 8.1g/hr MEK - 3.5g/hr

34 |

Sulfur hexafluoride - 0.026g/hr

Fig. 3. Leaking LPG treater

To date, many gases have been tested with this new optical gas imaging technology by an independent third-party testing laboratory (see Sidebar). In December 2008, the EPA issued a final ruling in the Code of Federal Regulations, specifically 40 CFR Parts 60, 63 and 65. In this ruling—often called the Alternative Work Practice to Method 21—the agency cited the fact that optical gas imaging can now be used instead of sniffer (or TVA) technology for leak detection. Acceptance among end-users, first in the petrochemical industry, has been swift. In fact, most large petrochemical facilities now make wide use of optical gas imaging technology. From the supplier side, FLIR is working to help accelerate the technology acceptance curve by making GF-Series infrared cameras available for short- or longterm rental. Looking into the future Having been introduced only five years ago, it’s not hard to envision optical gas imaging technology expanding in use across a wide range of industries, as well as into residential markets. It’s also not hard to imagine that new rules and regulations will be issued with regard to gas leaks and the deployment of this game-changing technology in detecting them more quickly than in times past. MT David Francoeur, director of Marketing for FLIR Systems, Inc., is based in Billerica, MA. Telephone: (978) 901-8227; e-mail: david.francoeur@flir.com. For more info, enter 03 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Toluene - 3.8g/hr Xylene - 1.9g/hr *Data not available

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS

An advancement over Karl Fischer titration...

Determining Moisture Levels In Oils At A Power Plant Technology has been marching on and on since development of the “gold standard” of oil analysis. Here’s how one British power plant has been benefiting from a leader of that parade. R.C.J. Wilson CEnv. IEng. MEI, MRSC Ferrybridge C Power Station

SEPTEMBER 2010

n modern conventional power stations, the overall condition of the fluids that lubricate large, high-value machinery is critical. In particular, moisture in the oil can wash out critical anti-oxidative compounds, contributing to lubricant oxidation and subsequent loss of lubricant performance. Although Karl Fischer (KF) titrations have been used over the years to measure the degree of water in oil, this analytical method does, in fact, have some limitations. Three years ago, the Ferrybridge C Power Station in West Yorkshire, England, began moving from its use of the KF method to use of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis to measure and control the level of water contamination in lubricating fluids. The result? Accurate data in less time—and with less complication—than the “gold-standard” Karl Fischer method.

MT-ONLINE.COM | 35

PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS

0.5 0.45 % Moisture in Oil

0.4 0.35

IR Pal A2

0.3

0.25 0.2 0.15 0,1 0.05 01/04/09

25/03/09

18/03/09

11//03/09

04/03/09

25/02/09

18/02/09

11/02/09

04/02/09

28-01/09

21/01/09

14/01/09

07/01/09

Date Fig. 1. Comparison between FTIR and KF titration in measuring moisture in lubricating oil

Lubrication monitoring at Ferrybridge Ferrybridge C Power Station is a 2000 MW coal and biomass co-firing power station. Its four enormous steam turbines and main feed pumps produce enough power for two million homes—or 4% of the United Kingdom’s daily electricity requirements. The power from one steam turbine would be sufficient to power six Queen Mary 2 cruise liners traveling at full speed. Each turbine shaft is over 170’ long and exceedingly heavy, with 12 support bearings lubricated by mineral oil. This lubricating oil serves more than one purpose: It is also the control oil for operating the turbine governor valves and steam admission valves. Thus, it is mandatory for the oil to be monitored and kept within the required specification. Since the level of moisture in the oil changes over time as a function of environmental and operating conditions, it is also imperative to rapidly obtain accurate analytical information. To do all this, Ferrybridge has turned to the A2 Technologies iPAl FTIR analyzer equipped with the TumblIR transmission cell system (see Sidebar). As shown in Fig. 1, testing the FTIR analysis against Ferrybridge’s KF titration method showed a good correlation between the two techniques. Since the trend in the amount of water present is monitored, absolute values are 36 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

not necessary. Even with KF measurements, absolute values are not measured, since results may be biased by the amount of sample used and the inherent immiscibility of oil and water. Therefore, repeat measurements are made with both FTIR and KF (many times with the KF). Because FTIR measurements are so quick, repetitive measurements are faster and easier. The small discrepancies between the two methods are not significantly different from those obtained by carrying out two KF tests on the same sample. Having gained confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the FTIR method, Ferrybridge has largely eliminated KF measurements. An example of how the plant uses FTIR can be seen in Fig. 2, where A2’s iPAL system tracked the level of moisture in both the turbine oil and the main feed-pump oil. When the moisture in the lubricating fluid is greater than the allowable specification, corrective action is taken to remove the water in the oil. There are two methods to adjust the moisture content of the turbine oil: 1. The turbine gland steam pressure is manually adjusted if the unit is to operate at a lower-than-normal load. 2. A mechanical device that separates water from oil is used to remove moisture from the turbine main oil tank. SEPTEMBER 2010

PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS

% Moisture in Lube Oil

0.14 0.12 0.1 0.08 0.06 Fig. 2. Measurements of moisture in lubricating oil for Unit 1 main turbine and main boiler feed pump, in 2009

0.04 0.02 0 18-Dec

28-Mar

06-Jul Date

In addition to monitoring the level of water in oil and alerting plant personnel to take corrective action when necessary, the iPAl FTIR analyzer is used to track the effectiveness of the methods the site uses to eliminate water and return the oil to acceptable moisture limits. The benefits of FTIR analysis There are numerous reasons why Ferrybridge has turned to FTIR analysis of its lubricating oils—eliminating much of its KF analyses in the process. FTIR is quicker and more straightforward than KF, no toxic reagents are required and it’s easy to train personnel on its use. As analytically accurate as KF (and in some cases, more so), the iPAL FTIR system can go beyond determining moisture levels in oil. Using pre-calibrated, on-board methods on the same sample, it can measure other important specifications, including additive depletion, overall condition/oxidation and oil in water for discharge purposes. One of this FTIR system’s greatest benefits, however, is the fact that it affords real-time analysis, on site. This, in turn, lets personnel immediately ascertain the condition of a

14-Oct

22-Jan

lubricating fluid. If an oil is found to be out of specification, on-site testing allows corrective action to be taken—and the effectiveness of such actions to be determined—virtually in real time. All of this can be accomplished before the initial results from an off-site testing lab could even be reported. The FTIR system is important for another reason: It increases Ferrybridge’s level of confidence in results that it does obtain from off-site testing labs. The plant has found that if lubricants are not sampled, packaged and sealed correctly for shipment, there can be a significant difference in moisture testing reports. In the past, results obtained from outside labs frequently were found to be, at best, suspect, and at worst, completely inaccurate. Carrying out on-site testing with the FTIR analyzer serves as an important cross-check on off-site lab testing. A2’s iPAL FTIR analyzer has become a vital part of the Ferrybridge on-site testing protocol. In fact, the plant has so much faith in this technology that its use is now being extended to more applications at the site. MT R.C.J. Wilson, CEnv. IEng. MEI, MRSC, is Environmental & Performance manager at the Ferrybridge C Power Station.

Using A2’s iPAL FTIR System To analyze a sample, the operator places a drop of neat used oil on the lower TumblIR window mounted in the surface of the iPAL FTIR analyzer, then rotates a second, gimbal-mounted window into place, thereby creating a reproducible 100-micron gap that holds the oil. The system comes equipped with a pre-calibrated, automated method for determining the amount of water in oil, and a simple command initiates the transmission IR method. The unit then collects, analyzes and reports the data. Since the system is capable of accurately analyzing water as low as 200 ppm (with no sample preparation), detection limits are not at issue. A2 has developed a surfactant-using method that allows quantitative detection of water in lubricating oil down to 65 ppm. For more info, enter 04 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2010

MT-ONLINE.COM | 37

THE GREEN EDGE

GREEN IS CARVED IN STONE AT NSK Already recognized as one of the most sustainable companies on the planet*, this leading bearing manufacturer has strengthened its commitment to the environment with a newly released corporate policy.

SK has released a new corporate environmental policy that reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the highest standard of sustainability throughout its North American operations. The document outlines NSK’s pledge to conduct business in a manner that protects human health, prevents pollution and protects the environment. It also outlines how employees and suppliers are encouraged to participate in the company’s efforts. For example, employees have and will continue to be educated on the effects their work may have on the environment, and what they can do to lessen that impact. Those effects can be substantial. In 2009, NSK employees in the U.S. contributed to environmental savings of: ■ 8952 barrels of No. 2 fuel oil ■ 15,137 mature trees

■ 5,694,000 gallons of water ■ 986,000 kW hours of electricity ■ 19,525 gallons of gasoline ■ 18,131 cubic yards of landfill airspace Marcia Fournier, NSK’s manager of Environmental Health & Safety, works to engage employees on environmental issues. She regularly travels to each of the corporation’s U.S. facilities to identify areas for improvement, develop initiatives to help each facility reach corporate green targets and report their progress. “NSK staff and management are very committed to acting in a green manner,” says Fournier. “We recently had a group of employees take it upon themselves to investigate their workplace and then work with their peers to significantly reduce the facility’s waste. It’s that type of initiative and commitment that is driving NSK to the forefront of

sustainability in both our products and our working practices.” According to the company, NSK has pledged its commitment to becoming even more sustainable in anticipation of increased customer demand. As a supplier of components for a broad range of industries, it continues to develop environmentally preferable offerings. A case in point is the NSK bearing-reconditioning program that allows customers to reduce waste and increase efficiency. The company is also actively supporting the electrification of automobiles. MT NSK Corp. Ann Arbor, MI *NSK has been recognized as one of the “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations” by the World Economic Forum. For more info, enter 30 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

DOES YOUR COMPANY HAVE A GREEN EDGE? E-mail your product and service news to: gpietras@atpnetwork.com For information on advertising in the Green Edge section, contact JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 / Fax: (480) 264-4789 / E-mail: jpreston@atpnetwork.com

38 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

THE GREEN EDGE

New HVAC System Delivers More Than Conditioned Air

rane notes that it’s no longer enough for HVAC systems to merely deliver “conditioned air.” That’s why the company has introduced its Performance Climate Changer™ air handler with cataloged capacities up to 60,000 cfm. It features energy-recovery, airflow-monitoring and advanced humidity-control options that improve building environments and better control temperature and humidity, all while optimizing performance. These options include Trane Cool Dry Quiet (CDQ™) desiccant-dehumidification wheels, energyrecovery wheels, direct-drive plenum fan arrays and dual-path split dehumidification units. These technological advancements enable a Performance Climate Changer HVAC system to deliver optimized performance with up to 30% fan-energy savings compared with the company’s previous generation of air-handling units.

Trane A business of Ingersoll Rand Piscataway, NJ

Surge Protection For Alternative-Energy Applications

For more info, enter 31 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Green Insight At FABTECH 2010

he Surge Protection™ line from Thomas & Betts offers protection for alternative-energy sources from damaging effects of electrical power surges. Alternative-energy sources—such as wind farms, solar panels and solar collectors—typically are installed in remote areas, making them more vulnerable to lightning strikes and power-quality abnormalities than other assets. The company’s product line, including its Joslyn® surge-protective devices, helps provide protection from the component level up to complete facility coverage. Products are available with optional EMI and RFI filters to protect sensitive control systems from interference caused by variable-frequency equipment.

oes “going green” have to be drain on your bottom line? Quite the contrary. In a “Make Green by Going Green” discussion November 3, at FABTECH 2010 (www.fabtechexpo.com), in Atlanta, GA, experts will focus on ways manufacturers can gain a competitive advantage through sustainable practices. Led by Kristin Pierre, green supplier network manager for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with panelists from a variety of manufacturers, the presentation will provide insight on how implementing a practical lean and green approach to consuming water, gas, utilities and raw materials can benefit both a company and the environment. FABTECH 2010 will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center. It’s a fitting venue for what organizers note is the largest trade show in North America dedicated to a full spectrum of metal forming, fabricating, stamping, tube and pipe, finishing and welding equipment and technology. Admission is free with advance registration before October 30.

Thomas & Betts Corp. Memphis, TN

Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA) Rockford, IL

For more info, enter 32 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2010

For more info, enter 33 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 39

SOLUTION SPOTLIGHT

Optimizing Equipment Performance & Reducing Maintenance Costs DuPont’s Krytox has been delivering for more than 50 years.

any maintenance managers, particularly those with equipment operating under severe conditions such as extremely high or low temperatures and/or harsh chemicals, consider frequent equipment failures to be just another cost of doing business. Those failures, unfortunately, can have a devastating effect on a company’s bottom line. The good news is that many causes of equipment breakdown can easily be corrected—and many of the costs curtailed—with proper lubrication. Switching lubricants made the difference Since their first commercial application more than 50 years ago, DuPont™ Krytox® synthetic lubricants have delivered superior, extended performance in a wide range of applications across diverse industries. Today, with new additives for new challenges, Krytox lubricants are still delivering extreme performance under extreme conditions. Thousands of companies around the world have discovered the many advantages of switching to Krytox lubricants. Here are a few examples: ■ A major U.S. electric utility was able to schedule re-lubrication of the bearing in its hot gas fan-control louver once a year instead of once a month. This not only eliminated disruptive and costly monthly production shutdowns, it reduced the number of times workers would be exposed to hazards associated with this maintenance task. ■ A British titanium-ingot manufacturer was able to significantly extend the service life of the seals in the hydraulic rams it uses to remove large ingots from vacuum furnaces. 40 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Those seals are now replaced every 18 months in planned routine maintenance, instead of every four months. ■ A French airport authority was able to achieve annual savings of US$20,000 - $25,000 on the maintenance of its jet fuel pipeline. Maintenance is now performed every 30 months instead of every four to six months. Unscheduled shutdowns due to valve failures have been eliminated. ■ An American chemical plant was able to improve the performance of its anhydrous ammonia pumps by eliminating shaft wear and doubling the service life of the shaft seals. ■ An Indian manufacturer of textile stenters was able to help its customers extend the re-lubrication interval for the stenter chain bearings from every eight months to once a year. The Krytox value proposition Lubricant selection is key to improving equipment efficiency and uptime—and, ultimately, to saving money on maintenance and lost productivity. It also can help you in your quest to ensure safe operations. While some organizations are reluctant to invest in what they consider to be “more expensive“ types of lubricants, a cost-benefit analysis will quickly show how the right product can contribute to reduced downtime and optimized performance. DuPont Wilmington, DE For more info, enter 34 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2010

CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Upgraded Multimeter

B Stable And Reliable, Multi-Purpose D/P Gauges

shcroft® 1130 series d/p gauges are suitable for a wide variety of differential pressure measurement applications. According to the manufacturer, dial sizes from 2” to 6”, ranges from 0.6 In H2Od through 150 psid and an optional switch feature make these gauges practical for countless installations. Several case materials along with an optional explosion-proof housing allow 1130 series gauges to operate safely in hazardous environments. Their close-coupled magnetic rack-andpinion movements boost stability and reliability.

&K Precision’s upgraded 5491B Bench-top Multimeter provides true RMS precision with a 50,000-count display. AC+DC capability captures any DC effects within the measured voltage or current for accuracy of 0.02%. Other features/capabilities include a digital dual display that shows two measurements simultaneously; a measurement rate of up to 25 readings per second; threshold settings for quick Pass/ Fail testing; and the ability to download measurement values to a computer via USB or RS-232 interfaces using SCPI.

B&K Precision Corp. Yorba Linda, CA For more info, enter 37 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Ashcroft, Inc. Stratford, CT For more info, enter 35 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Expanded Flexible-Coupling Line

enta has added the “Series AR” Element to its CENTAFLEX Series A rubber-in-compression flexible-coupling offering. A patented split through one of the axial aluminum inserts facilitates quick installation without the need to disturb mounting or alignment of the driver and driven components. Available in a range of sizes, these products allow the simple radial exchange of coupling elements for any close-coupled system through approximately 2000 hp at 1750 rpm rating. CENTA Corp. Aurora, IL For more info, enter 36 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

SEPTEMBER 2010

For more info, enter 76 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

MT-ONLINE.COM | 41

CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Energy-Efficient AODDs

arren Rupp notes that its new AirVantage air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pump conserves energy, improves plant efficiency and reduces maintenance on both the supply and demand sides of compressed air systems. It saves energy by cutting air consumption at the pump, then adjusting automatically to maintain a constant flow over changing conditions. In Beta tests and field trials, these units provided energy savings of up to 50% compared to traditional AODDs. The new pump is available under the SANDPIPER® and Versa-Matic® brands. Warren Rupp, Inc. Mansfield, OH For more info, enter 38 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Bearing Protection For Severe-Duty Motors

lectro Static Technology’s AEGIS™ Severe-Duty SGR protects severe-duty motor bearings from harmful VFD-induced shaft currents with a shaft grounding ring and from contaminants with an IP56 non-contact isolation seal. By diverting VFD-induced shaft currents around bearings safely to ground, the ring protects them from electrical damage known as “bearing fluting” that can lead to noise and vibration and result in motor failure. Electro Static Technology A division of ITW Mechanic Falls, ME For more info, enter 39 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Alarm-Management Update

AS has issued a 2nd edition of The Alarm Management Handbook by Eddie Habibi and Bill Hollifield. It references ANSI/ISA-18.2-2009 Management of Alarm Systems for the Process Industries that sets forth work processes for designing, implementing, operating and maintaining modern alarm systems in a life-cycle format. It also includes practical information on benchmarking alarm-system performance, developing a comprehensive alarm philosophy, solving nuisance alarm problems, alarm rationalization, advanced alarmhandling techniques and improving operator HMI for optimum situation awareness and incident mitigation. PAS Houston, TX

74 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 77

42 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

For more info, enter 40 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2010

CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Human-Centered Power And Water Process Control

E Real-Time Measuring Of Machine Alignment Changes

udeca’s ROTALIGN ULTRA LIVE TREND, a shortterm continuous monitoring application, helps accurately determine relative positional changes between coupled machines during run-up or shutdown. Utilizing the company’s ROTALIGN 5-axis sensor, it continuously monitors, in real-time and simultaneously, both the vertical and horizontal parallel and angular displacement of rotating machinery, from cold to hot condition or vice versa. By applying these measured values, machines can be precisely aligned to reflect normal operating conditions.

merson Process Management has released the latest version of its Ovation™ expert control system for power and water applications. A redesigned operator interface features task-based toolbars that offer functionality based on the context in which the user is working. Now front and center, key functions no longer need to be accessed via separate properties selection windows. Operators can customize and save individual workspace settings, allowing them to view, for example, point information and alarms according to their individual preferences. Enhanced graphics-builder tools incorporate new color-management features, shape animation and application program wizards, among other things. Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions Pittsburgh, PA For more info, enter 43 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Ludeca, Inc. Doral, FL For more info, enter 41 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Brushless Electric Torque Screwdrivers

olverUSA’s small, lightweight, ergonomic Brushless (BRL) Series screwdrivers with brushless motors and clutchless torque control are designed for operator comfort, low noise, minimum vibration, maximum safety, lasting performance and maintenance-free operation. An electronic controller cuts the power supply to the motor as soon as the pre-set torque has been reached. All BRL drivers come standard with an ESD-safe body, 8.2’ connection cable and suspension bail. KolverUSA Westford, MA For more info, enter 42 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2010

For more info, enter 78 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 43

CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Efficient, Easy-Maintenance, SS Vertical, Multi-Stage Pumps

Equipment Connectors For High-Amp Applications

mphenol Industrial’s IP67-rated ePower 400A connectors are designed to eliminate bulky and space-consuming cable glands on motors, AC/DC inverters and converters and other high-amperage equipment. Rated to 1000V DC, they feature integrated EMI shielding and incorporate Amphenol’s patented RADSOK contact system. Based on a hyperbolic grid configuration, RADSOK helps lead to higher current ratings and lower temperature rise and contact resistance, as well as lower insertion forces/easier mating than standard contacts. Amphenol Industrial Sidney, NY For more info, enter 44 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Next-Generation Tool For Control-Valve Problems

ccording to ITT, the Goulds Pumps e-SV™ stainless steel, NSFcertified line exemplifies how superior efficiency rules the water. The “e” in the name of this new generation of vertical, multi-stage pumps stands for energy efficiency, easy installation and economical operation. Available in a range of sizes, they’re suited to a variety of demanding commercial and industrial applications. Among other things, they incorporate variable-speed adaptability and mechanical seals that can be maintained without tearing down the pump or removing the motor. Onboard i-Alert™ technology is offered on units of 10 hp and higher to continuously monitor both pump and motor vibration. ITT Residential & Commercial Water (RCW) Morton Grove, IL For more info, enter 46 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

New Supplier Website Launched

resser Masoneilan® has launched its next-generation ValScope®-PRO, a diagnostic tool for control valves with both conventional and digital positioners. This portable product helps identify problems by providing a scientific evaluation of valves in operation, enabling the troubleshooting of valves in-line and in harsh environments. A graphic interface lets users view valves as they are being tested, thus providing valuable real-time analysis. The ValScope-PRO is compatible with analog, Fieldbus and HART communication protocols.

Dresser Masoneilan Houston, TX

Inpro/Seal Co. Rock Island, IL

For more info, enter 45 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

44 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

npro/Seal’s new Website (www.inpro-seal.com) addresses each of the company’s leading engineered system- and bearing-protection technologies, including the Original Bearing Isolator, Air Mizer®, Current Diverter Ring™ (CDR®) and Motor Grounding Seal (MGS®). Visitors to the site can check the ROI of their Inpro/Seal Bearing Isolators, submit an electronic RFQ form, run new, informative product animations and much more.

For more info, enter 47 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2010

CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Tough And Reusable Nuts

Gear-Related Solutions

Fasteners Plus Inverness, IL

GAM Gear, LLC Mount Prospect, IL

esigned to withstand loosening from vibration, Hard Lock Nuts from Fasteners Plus are intended for critical applications, helping provide a secure connection for safety, as well as reduced maintenance and inspection costs. The nut incorporates a wedge principle to create a self-locking force, preventing screws from coming loose and bolts from breaking. Because there’s no abrasion between the concave and convex elements, the nut is reusable. These products have passed the American Vibration and Impact Test NAS 3350/NAS 3354.

For more info, enter 48 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

ccording to GAM Gear, its recently released 2010 Catalog of gear reducers/ torque converters and linear mounting kits featuring six new series of products showcases one of the industry’s broadest offerings of servogears. Featured items include a new line of planetary gearboxes (PE-Series); a complete range of bevel-gear reducers with or without an integrated motor mount (VC-Series and V-Series); a hollow-shaft, low-cost hypoid gearbox (DL-DH); two flange-style gearboxes (right angle DS-DF, and in-line FP-KB); and the Linear Slide Kit product (LSK), a line of motor-mounting kits.

For more info, enter 49 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

7-Step Best Practice Lubrication Program Professional Self-Directed Implementation ToolKit

Tap into your Liquid Gold for less than $20 per day!* Whether you’re looking to increase asset utilization and maintainability, reduce contamination, downtime, energy consumption and/or your carbon footprint, or simply cut your maintenance and operating costs, you’re ready for a 7-Step Best Practice lubrication program! For more information on this “expert in a box” approach to successful lubrication programs, contact ENGTECH Industries at 519.469.9173 or email info@engtechindustries.com * Amortized over one year

For more info, enter 79 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

SEPTEMBER 2010

MT-ONLINE.COM | 45

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

PROCESS MANAGEMENT

PIP is a consortium of process plant owners and engineering construction contractors harmonizing member’s internal standards for design, procurement, construction, and maintenance into industry-wide Practices. PIP has published over 450 Practices. A current listing of published Practices is available on the PIP website at: http://pip.org/practices/index.asp. For more info, enter 81 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.pip.org

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

LUDECA, INC. - Preventive, Predictive and Corrective Maintenance Solutions including laser shaft alignment, pulley alignment, bore alignment, straightness and flatness measurement, monitoring of thermal growth, online condition monitoring, vibration analysis and balancing equipment as well as software, services and training. For more info, enter 82 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.ludeca.com

CLASSIFIED Need Help? Need A Job? Contact Lisa – LISA LINEAL:

ATP List Services

LINEAL

Recruiting Services

TOLL FREE 877-386-1091

lisalineal@lineal.com www.lineal.com Electromechanical • Electronic Electrical Service & Systems Specialists

Se Habla Español

RENEW

In order for us to send

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY to you FREE,

we are required by the US Post Office to have a completed and signed renewal form once a year.

You may renew online at

www.mt-online.com 46 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Customized, Targeted Lists For Your Marketing Needs www.atplists.com Contact: Ellen Sandkam 847-382-8100 x110 800-223-3423 x110 info@atplists.com esandkam@atplists.com 1300 S. Grove Ave., Suite 105, Barrington, IL 60010

For rate information on advertising in the Classified Section Contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 e-mail: jpreston@atpnetwork.com

SEPTEMBER 2010

Index ADVERTISER

20 YEARS

M A I NM TA EI NNT EAN N A NCC EE

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

September 2010 Volume 23, No. 9 •

WEB

RS #

YEARS

Suite SOLUTIONS 105, Your1300 Source S. For Grove CAPACITYAve., ASSURANCE Barrington, IL 60010 1300 South847-382-8100 Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 FAX 847-304-8603 PAGE #

PH 847-382-8100

FX 847-304-8603

A2 Technologies...................................www.a2technologies.com ................................... 63 ........................ 2 A.W. Chesterton Company ...............www.chesterton.com ........................................... 71 ......................21 CRC Industries ....................................www.crcindustries.com/ei .................................. 74 ......................30 Emerson Process Management.........www.emersonprocess.com/fisher...................... 80 ......................46 Engtech Industries Inc. .......................www.engtechindustries.com .............................. 79 ......................45 Exair Corporation ...............................www.exair.com...................................................... 64 ........................ 5 FLIR .......................................................www.flir.com ......................................................... 67 ......................11 Fluke.......................................................www.fluke.com/machinehealth......................... 61 ....................IFC Fluke.......................................................www.fluke.com/GetReal ..................................... 68 ......................17 FosteReprints........................................www.fostereprints.com........................................ 73 ......................26 Inpro/Seal..............................................www.inpro-seal.com............................................ 84 .....................BC Ludeca....................................................www.ludeca.com .................................................. 69, 81 ..........19, 46 Marshall Institute, Inc. ........................www.marshallinstitute.com/we-listen .............. 77 ......................42 MARTS..................................................www.martsconference.com ................................ 70 ......................20 Mobil Industrial Lubricants...............www.mobilindustrial.com.................................. 65 ........................ 7 NSK Corporation................................www.nskamericas.com........................................ 66 ......................10 Process Industry Practices..................www.pip.org .......................................................... 76 ......................41 Schneider Electric ................................www.sereply.com .................................................. 62 ........................ 1 SME........................................................www.fabtechexpo.com ........................................ 72 ......................25 SMRP.....................................................www.smrp.org/conference/2010 ....................... 75 ......................31 Strategic Work Systems, Inc...............www.swspitcrew.com........................................... 78 ......................43 Sulzer Turbo Services..........................www.sulzerts.com................................................. 83 ................... IBC

Access MT-freeinfo.com and enter the reader service number of the product in which you are interested, or you can search even deeper and link directly to the advertiser’s Website. Submissions Policy: M T gladly welcomes submissions. By sending us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technology Publications, Inc., permission, by an irrevocable license, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned. Reproduction of Materials: Materials produced by Maintenance Technology may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without permission. For Reprints: Contact the publisher, Bill Kiesel - (847) 382-8100 ext. 116.

M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY

YEARS

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY/JANUARY 2007

Correction: In the August 2010 issue’s “Capacity Assurance Sourcebook,” Fastenal was inadvertently listed as “Fasteral.” MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY sincerely regrets the confusion. For more information on this company, please go to www.fastenal.com

SEPTEMBER 2010

ARTHUR L. RICE

SALES STAFF President/CEO arice@atpnetwork.com

OH, KY, TN MADDING 135 N. Rocky River Road Vice OH President Berea, 44017 tmadding@atpnetwork.com 440-463-0907; Fax 440-891-1254 JOHN DAVIS BILL KIESEL jdavis@atpnetwork.com Vice President, Publisher bkiesel@atpnetwork.com

AL, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, Business MS, NC, NJ, PA, SC,Staff VA, WV 1750 Holmes Drive TERRI WYMORE West Chester, PA 19382 Director of Creative Services/Production 610-793-3093; Fax 610-793-3094 twymore@atpnetwork.com JIM HANLEY jhanley@atpnetwork.com ELLEN SANDKAM Direct Mail esandkam@atplists.com

AR, AZ, NV, NM, OK, UT 3629 N.Sonoran Heights Sales Staff Mesa, AZ 85207 480-396-9585 AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, JERRY MI, MN, MO,PRESTON MS, NC, ND, NE, OK, SC, SD, TX, WI, Ontario Canada jpreston@atpnetwork.com 1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603 CT, ME, MA,BILL NH, KIESEL NY, RI, VT, ON, QC P.O.atpnetwork Box 1059.com bkiesel@ Osterville, MA 02655 KY, OH, TN 508-428-3331; Fax 508-428-2545 135 N. Rocky River Road VINCENT LeGENDRE Berea, OH 44017 vlegendre@atpnetwork.com 440-463-0907; Fax 440-891-1254 JOHN DAVIS jdavis@atpnetwork.com IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, AK, AZ, CA,OR, CO,TX, ID,WA,WI, MT, NM,BC NV, OR, MO, UT, WA,WY, British Columbia Canada 1300 South 1300 South Grove Grove Avenue, Avenue, Suite Suite 105 105 Barrington, Barrington, IL IL 60010 60010 847-382-8100; FaxFax 847-304-8603 847-382-8100 x108; 847-304-8603 TOM MADDING MADDING TOM tmadding@atpnetwork.com tmadding@atpnetwork.com CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV, Quebec Canada, IA, MT, NE, SD,Street WY, Space Age, 225ND, Fuller Brookline, MASK 02446 AB, MB, 617-232-2000; Fax 617-232-2951 1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 VINCE CAVASENO Barrington, IL 60010 vcavaseno@atpnetwork.com 847-382-8100 x106; Fax 847-304-8603 L. RICE Classified ARTHUR Advertising/Electronic Sales: 1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 arice@atpnetwork.com Barrington, IL 60010 847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603 TRACY RYLE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING tryle@atpnetwork.com 3629 N.Sonoran Heights Mesa, AZ 85207 480-396-9585 JERRY PRESTON jpreston@atpnetwork.com

MT-ONLINE.COM | 47

viewpoint Michael J. Eisenbise, CMRP, CPE, CPMM, P.E. Chairman of the Board, Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP)

Certification’s Competitive Edge

n these tough economic times, it’s important for maintenance and reliability professionals to have an edge on the competition. It also is important for companies to hire and work with qualified professionals who can support their businesses’ goals while keeping costs down and ensuring efficient and safe practices. Understanding the need for such qualifications, the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) created the “Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP)” certification program. The purpose is to foster a high standard of ethical and professional practice through a recognized, credible credentialing program and, therefore, assure the competency of practitioners of our profession. The SMRP Certifying Organization (SMRPCO) is a separate body formed to develop and administer the CMRP certification program. To build this program, volunteer SMRP members worked in conjunction with qualified outside experts— including a psychometrician, a professional who specializes in translating a body of knowledge into a testable format. The foundation of the CMRP and our Maintenance and Reliability (M&R) Body of Knowledge (developed by SMRP through an extremely rigorous process) is built on five pillars: Business and Management; Manufacturing Process Reliability; Equipment Reliability; Organization and Leadership; and Work Management. Since its establishment, the CMRP program has become the international measure of competence in the M&R field. It also has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for following ISO standards for a personnel certification program (ISO 17024). We are very proud, too, that the CMRP certification program has recently been added to the U.S. Government’s Department of Veterans Affairs list of certification exams for which current military personnel and veterans can be reimbursed.

Certifications are valuable to practitioners and organizations alike. Benefits (as noted by practitioners and companies, and reinforced by subsequent experience of those certified since 2001) include, but aren’t limited to: n Clearer path for career development and education n The dmonstrated commitment to professionalism that supports promotions and higher pay-scale considerations n Improved visibility and recognition within organization and profession n Greater on-the-job and outside training effectiveness n Differentiation of candidates in the hiring process While other organizations offer similarly titled certifications in this or related subjects, the CMRP is—as ANSI and the U.S. Government agree—especially valuable. The CMRP program is an independent, practitioner-based, non-profit entity without ties to any commercial venture. All revenue (100%) is reinvested back into the certification program and the body of knowledge. The result is a well-maintained and updated program that ensures that the most current and quality M&R best practices and information are included on this exam. All facilities are looking for ways to increase revenue and efficiencies. With CMRPs on your team—and by becoming one yourself—your operations are certain to run smoother and with less downtime, translating into greater productivity and cost savings. Today, there are more than 3600 CMRPs in over 40 countries around the globe. Don’t you think it’s time you joined them? Learn more about the CMRP program at www.smrp.org. MT To contact Michael Eisenbise directly, telephone (409) 945-1734; e-mail: Michael.Eisenbise@BP.com.

The opinions expressed in this Viewpoint section are those of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect those of the staff and management of Maintenance Technology magazine.

48 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2010

Advanced Technology Gas Turbine Field Overhaul.

Advanced technology is our daily business! Sulzer Turbo Services has the capability to perform field overhauls on the latest, most advanced technology gas turbine generators. Our field services are backed by a full service shop, capable of quick turnaround on parts repairs. Our in-house engineering department supports all phases of shop and field services to give you the most reliable equipment possible.

www.sulzerts.com For more info, enter 83 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Sulzer Turbo Services Z端rcherstrasse 12 CH-8401 Winterthur Switzerland Tel.: +41 (52) 262 34 44 Fax: +41 (52) 262 00 45 www.sulzerts.com

The Original Bearing isOlaTOr sTrOnger Than ever

As part of Waukesha Bearings and Dover Corporation, Inpro/Seal is stronger than ever…with the horsepower to deliver our high-performing solutions and superior customer service around the globe. Industry-leading bearing protection, unmatched experience and same-day shipments – only with Inpro/Seal. So don’t lay awake at night…trust Inpro/Seal to design and deliver your custom-engineered bearing isolator, right when you need it; our installed base of over 4,000,000 speaks for itself.

Trust Inpro/Seal, the clear leader in bearing isolators.

www.inpro-seal.com For more info, enter 79 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 84 at www.MT-freeinfo.com