Machinery & Equipment MRO December 2013 by Annex Business Media

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

SPECIAL SECTION Oil/Gas/Mining MRO Delivering energy savings to Alberta oilfield operations Online surveillance enhances vibration monitoring for mill

Vol. 29, No. 6

DECEMBER 2013

Economic impact of oilsands on the MRO supply chain

Hands-on tips for a better belt drive experience Improving communications between maintenance and production Critical selection criteria for synthetic lubricants Understanding automatic lubrication systems

Mean, Green& Clean Effective cleaning and degreasing

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CLEANING/DEGREASING

LUBRICATION

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P R O D U C T

SP TLIGHT

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Hose sleeving protects by containing burst energy

standard interior diameters and sold in 50-ft. reels. Parker Hannifin Hose Products Division Online Reader Inquiry No. 597

SKF has extended its range of Energy Efficient (E2) deep-groove ball bearings to target larger electric motors, up to 350 kW (500 hp). In testing, a saving of 150 watts on a new 7.5-kW motor was achieved, and the saving potential is larger in motors of bigger frame sizes. Expected to increase the service life of the motor, the bearings reduce friction losses by at least 30% compared to standard SKF bearings. They are designed for light-tonormal load applica-

tions such as electric motors, pumps, gearboxes and conveyors. SKF Canada Online Reader Inquiry No. 594

Compact device provides mobile troubleshooting in harsh conditions

Deep-groove ball bearings increase life of larger electric motors

A hose protection sleeve designed to prevent worker injuries and equipment damage from high-pressure hose bursts has been introduced by Parker Hannifin’s Hose Products Division. Partek Defense features high-performance materials and an enduranceboosting weave pattern to contain pressurized hose bursts and dissipate media within hose assemblies. It can be an integral element of worker safety programs in industries where operators work in close proximity to high-pressure hoses, including mining, construction and agriculture. The MSHA-rated protective sleeving contains hose bursts at up to 12,000 psi, and has been tested and approved to meet the requirements for ISO 3457, ISO4413, EN 414 and MDG41. It is available in five

December 2013

Designed to conduct short-term analyses and diagnoses, the Vibguard portable troubleshooting device from Prüftechnik enables users to conduct targeted troubleshooting even on machines that are critical for production and have highly dynamic processes. This compact, rugged system, which is enclosed in a sturdy aluminum case, continually and simultaneously records machine signals on 20 measuring channels. Its efficient heat dissipation makes it

suitable for a wide temperature range, and it weighs 11 kg to 14 kg, depending on the configuration. It measures and saves data without a PC, but an industrial PC can be integrated into the case. Viewer software is used to configure the measuring tasks and evaluate the data collected. Prüftechnik Online Reader Inquiry No. 596

Primerless retaining compounds perform at high temperatures

Henkel has enhanced three Loctite anaerobic retaining compounds to allow primerless performance on oily or contaminated surfaces at operating temperatures as high as 180°C. Used in combination with interference fits to secure bearings, bushings, gears and cylindrical assemblies into housings or shafts, Loctite 638T, 648T and 680T retaining compounds allow higher load transmission, better performance with existing designs, relaxed machining tolerances and reductions in the size, weight and overall

The First Name in Power Transmission cost of an assembly. These improved adhesives make joints stronger, distribute stress evenly, prevent corrosion and fretting and reduce or eliminate expensive machining and surface-finishing operations. The products are for use on applications with gaps of 0.25 mm to as large as 0.38 mm. Henkel Loctite Online Reader Inquiry No. 595

Cold circular saw’s laser marks a precise cutting line

The GCD 12 JL Professional cold circular saw from Bosch enables precise and virtually spark-free sawing of metal. Discoloration and burr formation are minimized, removing the need for reworking. The low level of spark formation makes work easy and ensures a clear view of the cutting line. Accurate cut control is en-

Baldor•Dodge® power transmission products offer reliable service and low maintenance to help reduce your total cost of ownership. Our innovative bearings, gearing and power transmission products have solved the toughest applications for over 130 years.

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Our technical sales team can help you with the most challenging applications, and our worldwide distributor network ensures immediate delivery.

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• Superior Reliability

sured by the integrated laser, which shows where the saw will cut, enabling the cut to be made on the marked line. A 2,000-W motor with a no-load speed of 1,500 rpm provides a fast work rate on the jobsite or in the workshop. Straight cuts in 100-mm wide and 100-mm high rectangular steel hollow profiles are no problem. Chips fall directly into a drawer provided for easy disposal. Bosch Power Tools Online Reader Inquiry No. 598

MRO

Obtain free additional information about any of these items by using our online reader reply card at www.mromagazine.com/rsc.

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 116

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C O N T E N T S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

in this issue The Clean Machine / 10

Tips for safe and effective cleaning and degreasing of your machinery and equipment. Parts cleaning goes ultrasonic / 12

Manufacturers can replace toxic parts cleaning with simple ultrasonic tanks.

Industrial Lubrication Special Section

departments

A guide to automatic lubrication systems / 21

Clean and Green / 13

Montreal’s Leesta Industries benefits from an environmentally friendly parts washing system.

There are eight main reasons to automate your machinery lubrication.

On the beltway / 14

Key criteria for selecting synthetic lubricants / 22

Here are some great hands-on tips for a better belt drive experience.

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Editor’s Notebook / 6 Industry Newswatch / 7 Business Briefs / 8 Mr. O, The Problem Solver / 9 The Safety File / 25 Maintenance 101 / 26 MRO on the Road / 27-30

Expert suggests four imperatives for selecting lubricants.

Product News

What’s new in lubrication / 23

Product Spotlight / 2

New products and services for industrial machinery and equipment.

Focus on Oil & Gas and Mining / 20 Focus on Lubrication / 23

columns

Focus on Cleaning and Degreasing / 24

Mr. O, the Practical Problem Solver / 9

The benefits of constant-level oilers. What’s your duty? / 25

The Safety File: What employers and supervisors must know and do. Assessing operations / 26

Maintenance 101: Communication between maintenance and production is a key problem to be solved. MRO on the Road / 27-30

We take tours of Timken’s bearing manufacturing facilities and SKF Canada’s new Solution Factory, plus report on the Canadian Bearings Sales Conference, the CanWEA Wind Power conference and exhibition, and Toronto’s CMTS show.

Oil/Gas/Mining Special Section Industry Reports / 15

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• Growth in oilsands activity to outpace economy • The digital oilfield: Wireless solutions to expand • Oilsands owners to spend $50 billion per year on MRO Choosing vibration monitoring methods / 16

Grinding mill finds continuous online surveillance of vibration to be cost-effective.

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What’s new for oil/gas/ mining industries / 20

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‘Knowing which cleaner to use makes a huge difference in safety. Sometimes people use harmful cleaners without needing to.’ Myriam Gheriani / 10

‘A technician can easily calculate the fiscal cost of energy waste due to poor power quality, and quantify before-and after-installation improvements in energy consumption.’ David Melligan / 18

Technologies, products, components and services for mining, oilsands and oil & gas operations.

Cover Cover photograph courtesy Walter International, Montreal.

editor’s selections

‘Use a pulley gauge to inspect for pulley wear, but plan on replacing the pulleys every five belt changes as a general rule of thumb.’ Dave Bayne / 14

Delivering energy savings to oilfield operations / 18

Edmonton firm helps companies profit from energy analysis.

‘The cost of synthetics is generally four times that of mineral oils. So the choice of whether to use mineral or synthetic lubricants must be guided by a decision of which type best satisfies the basic requirements of a machine lubricant.’ Dean Belovari / 22

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 117

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E D I T O R’ S

N O T E B O O K

Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

Managing Change

e strive to get an early start on mation in your work. detecting trends in the various inYou’ll specifically be interested in our dustries we follow. Recent reSpecial Section on Oil/Gas/Mining search really piqued our attention – the MRO, which starts on page 15. We plan forthcoming burgeoning of mainteto include this section in several more isnance, repair and operations (MRO) in sues through 2014. the oil & gas, and mining industries. We’re always tweaking our circulaThese are industries we’ve always tion list – as startups grow, we add their reached, but looking ahead, we think maintenance, reliability and asset manwe can serve a larger number of readagement staff, and as companies close ers with our targeted industrial MRO down (like many manufacturers have in content. To that end, we’ve added 1,700 Ontario), we remove those names and renew readers with this issue who work place them with others who are active specifically in this area in the oil & gas members of our target audience. By the way, if you happen to be readindustry. We’d like to welcome all of you, and hope you find MRO Magazine ing someone else’s copy of this issue, MRO_Mag_Full-Page_Movie-Ad_April_2013.pdf 1 4/4/13 4:08 PM a useful and engaging source of inforwe’d be happy to send you your own

personal copy. You can sign up online at www.mromagazine.com/subscribe/ update.aspx. It’s free for qualified industry personnel. As a subscriber, you may hear from us from time-to-time to ensure you’re still in the same job and want to continue receiving the magazine. That’s because our circulation is audited twice a year by an independent, third-party agency called the Alliance for Audited Media. This kind of scrutiny ensures our magazine is delivered to the audience and the numbers of people we claim. It’s important to us and also provides proof to advertisers that we reach who we say we do. It’s a big challenge to keep track of all our readers – roughly 18,000 of you are on our distribution list to receive the each issue of our publication. And our research tells us you like to share. We know that copies passed along to others in the workplace bring our total print-edition audi-

ence to more than 54,000 each issue. And then there’s a large and growing group of you who prefer to read us online, subscribing to the digital edition of the magazine – an exact electronic copy of the magazine you’re holding. Also, every article since the year 2000 is available on our website; if you want to find an old article you recall had helped you out in the past, it’s likely there, so you don’t have to scrounge through the shop for your gritty paper copy. Unfortunately, our earliest editions, from 1985 to 1999, were made in an era of analogue publication production, so those are not online. But back then, we couldn’t provide you with daily news reports and weekly electronic newsletters to keep you informed, as we do today. This reflects how we’ve changed over the years, and as with this issue, the change continues. Bill Roebuck, Editor/Associate Publisher

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OPERATIONS

DECEMBER 2013 Volume 29, No. 6 Established 1985 www.mromagazine.com www.twitter.com/mromagazine www.twitter.com/mroontheroad EDITORIAL Bill Roebuck, Editor & Associate Publisher 416-510-6749 broebuck@mromagazine.com Ellie Robinson, Art Director Contributing Editors Simon Fridlyand, Steve Gahbauer, Carroll McCormick, Peter Phillips, Robert Robertson, Angela Webb BUSINESS Jim Petsis, Publisher 416-510-6842 jpetsis@mromagazine.com Eric Achilles Cousineau, Adv. Sales Manager 416-510-6803 eachilles@mromagazine.com Kimberly Collins, Advertising Production 416-510-6779 Melinda Marasigan, Subscription Enquiries 416-442-5600 x3548 Machinery & Equipment MRO is published six times a year to help improve the effectiveness, productivity and practical knowledge of maintenance professionals in Canada’s manufacturing, utilities and resource industries. AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE

Editorial & sales office: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9; tel: 416-442-5600, 1-800-268-7742; fax: 416-510-5140. Subscription rates. Canada: 1 year $58.95, 2 years $94.95. United States: 1 year $85.95. Elsewhere: 1 year $87.95. Single copies $10 (Canada), $16.50 (U.S.), $21.50 (other). Add applicable taxes to all rates. On occasion, our subscription list is made available to organizations whose products or services may be of interest to our readers. If you would prefer not to receive such information, please contact us via one of the following methods – phone: 1-800-668-2374, e-mail: privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca, fax: 416-442-2191, mail to Privacy Officer-Business Information Group, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9. ©2013. Contents of this publication are copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without written consent of the publisher. The publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of claims in items reported or advertised. Machinery & Equipment MRO is published by BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Bruce Creighton, President, BIG; Alex Papanou, Vice-President, BIG; Tim Dimopoulos, Executive Publisher, BIG. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240. Return postage guaranteed. ISSN 0831-8603 (print). ISSN 1923-3698 (digital). Return undeliverable Canadian addresses and change of address notices to: MRO Circulation Dept., 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9. MRO, USPS 012-846 is published six times per year by Business Information Group. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14304-0357. Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US postmater: Send address changes to Machinery and Equipment MRO, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls NY 14304.

PEMAC

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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I N D U S T R Y December 2013

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Better times in store over next two years

©ilucielang/Thinkstock

INDUSTRIAL FASTENERS MARKET TO REACH $14.8 BILLION Cleveland, ON – Demand for industrial fasteners in the United States is expected to increase 4.3% per year to $14.8 billion in 2017. Gains will be supported by rebounding levels of motor vehicle manufacturing, a segment that makes up roughly one-quarter of all fastener demand. The fastest growth in fastener sales will be found in the construction market, as construction activity – both residential and non-residential – makes a strong recovery from the declines posted during the 2007-2012 period. These and other trends are presented in Industrial Fasteners, a new study from The Freedonia

Group, a Cleveland-based industry market research firm. The original equipment manufacturing market (OEM) for industrial fasteners will outpace growth in the maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) market, as US manufacturing output continues to recover from the 2007-2009 recession. Machinery and aerospace equipment shipments are forecast to expand at improved rates. US fabricated metal product output will rise, and the ongoing trend of ‘reshoring’ in a range of industries will support increases in fastener demand. Growth in fastener sales in MRO applications will improve from the performance registered during the 2007 to 2012 period, as fixed investment rises and fastener-containing equipment sees more use with expanding production. Competition from alternative joining technologies, such as adhesives, clinching and welding, will prevent further gains in a number of applications. Moreover, fasteners are a mature product; while opportunities for value-added technological improvements certainly exist, they tend to be limited in many markets. Externally threaded standard fasteners will remain the largest single product category, posting the fastest gains, along with application-specific products. Industrial Fasteners (published 10/2013, 260 pages) is available for US$5,100 from The Freedonia Group Inc. at www.freedoniagroup.com.

PEMAC ANNOUNCES CAPSTONE AWARDS Calgary – Completion of the Maintenance Management Professional (MMP) certificate program offered by the Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada (PEMAC) is a significant commitment, requiring 225 hours of class time and an equal amount of reading, assignments and exam time. It culminates in an applied project called the Capstone project.

Richmond, BC – Inspectors are heading back to 150 British Columbia sawmills to ensure the operations are doing everything possible to reduce the build-up of potentially explosive wood dust. WorkSafeBC said that a team of 10 officers will inspect the mills between Nov. 1, 2013, and Jan. 31, 2014, as part of a drive to reduce dust levels aggravated by the processing of pine beetlekilled timber. “We’ve been into these mills before a number of times and we just want to ensure that the progress we’ve seen in the mills to address dust continues, and the compliance with wood-dust management really is being sustained,” said Al Johnson, vice-president of prevention services at WorkSafeBC. This is the third white-glove inspection for the mills since dust accumulation was implicated in an explosion and fire that killed 45-year-old Robert Luggie and 42-year-old Carl Charlie at the Babine Forest Products operation in Burns Lake, BC, on Jan. 20, 2012. The blast levelled the mill and injured 20 other people. An investigation conducted by WorkSafeBC concluded that dry wood dust,

FAKE CRANES PUTTING PURCHASERS AT RISK Westport, CT – Terex Corporation is warning customers to be wary of fake Terex/ Demag crawler cranes that take short cuts with regard to quality and safety. The company said it has received a number of reports of counterfeit models, originating from China, that are being sold as second-hand Terex cranes. A similar incident affected the company in 2009, with the most recent wave of reports occurring in China, South Korea, Singapore, India and Pakistan. The counterfeits – most commonly CC2500-1 lattice boom crawlers – are usually painted red and use the manufacturer’s legacy Demag brand. Klaus Meissner, director of product integrity for Terex Cranes, said: “We are aware of three different ‘designs’ of the CC 2500-1 crane on the market, and of at least nine or 10 fake cranes that have been sold, all originating from China.” The fakes are typically assembled from a blend of older and newer technology and a mix of components that were never designed to work together and can usually be identified by “poor weld quality, inferior steel structures and improperly fitted tracks,” said Terex. Many of the standard safety components are also missing. “This is a serious situation, not only because this infringes on our intellectual prop-

Growth in fastener sales in MRO applications will improve.

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erty but, more importantly, it poses a serious safety risk for our customers,” said Meissner. “The use of these inferior, counterfeit cranes can result in deadly consequences.” Terex notes that checking serial numbers is no guarantee of authenticity as the plates they are stamped on can also be fake. The company stressed the importance of conducting a thorough inspection of any used cranes by a qualified individual prior to purchase, especially in vulnerable markets, and has also set up an e-mail address for worried customers at terexcranes.brandcheck@terex.com.

BC SAWMILLS TO BE CHECKED AGAIN FOR EXPLOSIVE DUST

Photo: Bill Roebuck

Ottawa – Following subpar growth in 2012 and 2013, Canada’s economy is expected to grow by close to 2.5% annually over the next two years, according to the Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Outlook-Autumn 2013. Highlights from the outlook include: • Real gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by a tepid 1.8% in 2013. • Although risks to the global economy remain elevated, an acceleration in Canada’s export volumes is expected to power higher GDP growth in 2014 and 2015. • The federal government and every province except Saskatchewan ran a fiscal deficit last year. All jurisdictions have plans to restore a balanced budget in the medium term, but rebalancing the books is not automatic. The federal government announced in October that its 2012-13 deficit had come in at $18.9 billion, $7 billion less than its target. Yet, balancing the books in 201516 will remain a challenge. Low inflation means that the federal government is likely to take in lower-than-forecast revenues during the 2014 to 2016 period. As a result, the federal government may have little or no revenue cushion to meet its balanced budget objective, and will have to maintain its program of spending restraint in government operations. “The federal government is essentially a year ahead of its deficit-reduction schedule,” said Pedro Antunes, director, National and Provincial Forecast. Stronger growth in real gross domestic product is expected to come in part from an acceleration in export volumes. The export sector started strongly in 2013, but weakened as the year went on – overall growth in exports is expected to come in at just 1.4% this year. Better times are in store over the next two years, due to improved outlooks for the US and global economies. Total exports are forecast to grow by 3.7% in 2014 and 4% in 2015. In addition, the domestic economy should keep humming along in 2014 and 2015, thanks to low interest rates and improving business and consumer confidence.

N E W S W A T C H

PEMAC’s Capstone Award winners were honoured at MainTrain.

“The Capstone Awards have been initiated this year by the PEMAC board of directors to encourage and recognize excellence in MMP program participation, as demonstrated by excellence in the Capstone project,” said Cindy Sneddon, PEMAC’s executive director, at an awards ceremony that was part of the association’s MainTrain conference in Calgary Nov. 18-21, 2013. The award is open to both individuals and teams and there are two categories for the Capstone award: business process focus and technical focus. The winner of the Capstone Award for a business-focused project was Ross Markowski. His project was called ‘Cabin Gas Plant Maintenance Structure & Workplace Leadership’. The winners of the Capstone Award for a technical focused project included Larry Roy, Murray Keough, Dave Hennessey, Ray Majerus and Dan Cox. Their project was titled ‘Maintenance/Service Strategy and Program New Shaft and Headframe for the 1D Deep Ore Body Vale Base Metals North Atlantic, Manitoba Operations’. For more information on the MMP program and a list of institutions that offer it on-site and online, visit www. pemac.org, call 1-877-523-7255 or write to MMPprogrammanager@pemac.org.

which had accumulated from pine beetle-killed wood, fuelled an explosion ignited by machine parts. A second fatal mill explosion occurred in April 2012 at the Lakeland Mills in Prince George, BC. Two workers, Alan Little and Glenn Roche, died in the fiery blast. The cause of that disaster hasn’t been revealed by investigators, as WorkSafeBC has asked the Crown to review whether the companies or any individuals could be charged for violations of the Workers Compensation Act. The organization’s officers have carried out more than 1,000 inspections of sawmills and other wood processing operations since the combustible dust safety initiative began in late April 2012. Johnson noted all sawmills in BC complied with an order to cut build-up, and he said the upcoming round of checks will also focus on preventive maintenance of equipment and machinery, and dust control. “We want to make sure that those dust collection systems, where they’re removing dust mechanically and then transferring it through piping into a collection system … are working as they should,” he said. (Canadian Press) MRO

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013 Photo courtesy Bill Starr

Business Briefs

News and views about companies, people, product lines and more Photo: Lafert NA

• Richard Haines has joined nance, FT Services. The partnerLafert NA, Mississauga, ON, ship relates to the execution and as the company’s new product optimization of reliability and manager for gearing. He has maintenance activities and projseveral years of experience in ects, implying a stronger maintepower transmission, motor nance offer to industrial customdistribution and automation. ers to optimize the life cycle Lafert NA offers a complete management of their physical range of metric motors, pumps assets. FT Services provides inand gearboxes with inventories tegrated maintenance, turnRichard Haines throughout North America. around and project services solujoins Lafert NA. • A partnership between SKF tions using a collaborative conCanada Ltd., Scarborough, tracting approach. ON, and FT Services, Calgary, AB, was • The annual Guns ‘n Smurfs Golf announced at the MainTrain maintenance Tournament, which follows each year’s and asset management conference by João Industry Summit of the Power TransmisRicciarelli, president, SKF Canada, and sion Distributors Association (PTDA), took Chad Thompson, vice-president, mainteplace this year at the La Quinta Golf Re-

Participants in the 2013 Guns ‘n Smurfs tournament included (l-r): Bob Marshall, FAG (retired); Jude May, Nord Gear; Chip Myer, Oilite; Harold Benz, Global Bear; John Grainger, Cooper Grainger; Marek Nesvadba, Motion Canada; Joe Racine, Gopher Bearing; Sean Hazelton, Emerson; Steve McCauley, Motion Canada; Terry Tillsley, Transmission Supply (retired); Keary Bott, Leeson Canada; Gerry Brownrigg, BC Bearing (retired); Don Freitas, Motion Canada; Rod Machtmes, Motion Canada; James Ashby, JBA Packaging; James Bartsch, Servus Credit; Bill Starr, RBI Bearing; Robby MacPherson: BC Bearing (retired). Not pictured are Scott MacPherson, Motion Industries, and Pierre Bouchard, General Bearing Service.

Photo: KSB Pumps

You work hard producing the best product in the industry, without compromising on performance or safety.

sort in La Quinta CA. The tournament was attended by 20 guys from the Canadian and US bearing and power transmission industry and also featured an East vs. West Ryder cup tournament. The winner of the prestigious OLIM stick was Steve McCauley of Motion Canada and the Ryder Cup tournament was won by the western team. • The Calgary sales operations of KSB Pumps Inc. and GIW Industries have relocated to new shared office facilities. This arrangement will provide new opportunities for synergies between KSB Pumps, specialists in industrial pumps for water recovery, transport and treatment, and GIW Industries, a supplier of slurry pumps used for mining operations and oilsands processing. Both companies are members of the international KSB Group. Staff in the new office will include

When

will do.

KSB and GIW join forces in Calgary. TM

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 119

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VIDEO

Keyvan Heydari, KSB Pumps regional business development manager for Western Canada, and Bill Hope, project sales manager for GIW Industries. • Schaeffler’s US operation, based in Troy, MI, was recently awarded General Motors (GM) Supplier Quality Excellence Award for demonstrating some of the highest levels of quality performance. The plants receiving the award are Plant 3 in Fort Mill, SC, which supplies thrust bearings, and Plant 2 in Cheraw, SC, which produces hydraulic lash adjusters. With 180 locations in over 50 countries, including Canada, Schaeffler is one of the largest German and European industrial companies under family ownership. • C&U Americas, Plymouth, MI, the North American subsidiary of The C&U Group, China’s largest bearing producer, has moved its operations to a new and larg-

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1 B

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Machinery & Equipment MRO Photo: C&U Americas

December 2013

C&U Americas moves into a new facility.

Photo: Rexnord

er facility in Plymouth. The relocation was necessitated by the company’s growth in the US market and aggressive plans to expand its bearing business throughout the entire NAFTA region. “This new facility will provide our team with over 31,000 sq. ft. of much-needed office and warehouse space. This will give us a far greater capacity for inventory and make it easier to distribute bearing products to our OEM and aftermarket customers,” said Bill Childers, president of C&U Americas. • Rexnord, Milwaukee, WI, has completed the manufacture of its largest Falk Ring Gear in weight and horsepower – 250,000 lb. (113,000 kg) and 24,000 hp (18 mW). In terms of weight and horsepower, the ring gear is one of the world’s largest. The six-part ring gear will be used to refine material in a gold mine in the southwestern United States. MRO

Mr.0 The Practical Problem Solver

The benefits of constant-level oilers Problem: Some of our equipment loses oil, despite the fact that we see no leaks. What’s up? Solution: Some equipment naturally depletes fluid through use, wear, friction or evaporation. Bearings, gearboxes and pillow blocks typically require oil replenishment, especially when used in environments that are dirty or where heat is a factor. The solution is to use a constant-level lubricator to maintain t he oil level in such pieces of equipment. A constant-level lubricator operates without a power source or moving mechanical parts. It relies on the liquid seal principle to maintain a fixed liquid level in a bearing housing or gearbox. It can function reliably over long periods with little or no monitoring. However, you need to do the installation carefully for it to work properly. There is a fluid connection on the side and bottom of each constant-level lubricator. The one best suited to the installation should be used. A pipe plug is factory-installed in the bottom connection. The air vent on the lubricator should be piped into the main equipment above the fluid level to equalize the pressure between the lubricator and the main equipment. When piped to a bearing, gearbox or similar piece of equipment, the height of the constant-level oiler is critical. The oil level line inscribed in the base of the lubricator must align with the optimal fluid level in the main equipment. The correct level is the lowest level at which the bearing operates perfectly.

With certain equipment, oil is carried to the upper portion of the housing. This may be due to rotation speed, the oil viscosity, or other factors inherent to the equipment. Upon shutdown, this oil surges back to the lower chamber of the lubricator and the oil level may exceed the inscribed line. It is also possible for surplus fluid to reach the air vent under these conditions. Venting back into the equipment housing handles any overflow. The lubricator is typically installed on the side of the housing with the higher oil level. If installed on the low oil side, the lubricator will react to a persistent low oil level and the equipment housing may overfill. Mr. O thanks the technical experts at Oil-Rite Corp. for this tip. The company has designed and manufactured lubrication equipment since 1933. Do you have a solution for a maintenance problem? Send it in and if it’s published, we’ll send you a Mr. O Problem Solver T-shirt. Include your address, telephone number, print complete details and, if possible, add a sketch to help explain your tip. Send your tips to Mr. O, Machinery & Equipment MRO, 80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON M3B 2S9.

Giant ring gear weighs 250,000 lb.

MAXIMUM SPEED. MAXIMUM LIFE. MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE.

Angular Contact Ball Bearings. NSK angular contact ball bearings are designed for the rigorous demands of pump and compressor applications. Our innovative products feature optimized internal geometry to promote increased load ratings and limiting speeds as well as advanced cage design to improve strength and lubricant distribution. High dimensional and running accuracies ensure stable, smooth and energy-efficient operation. For maximum speed, performance and extended bearing life, Think NSK.

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TECHNICAL SERVICES

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C L E A N I N G

D E G R E A S I N G December 2013 Photo: Carroll McCormick

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Clean Machine BY CARROLL MCCORMICK

leaning projects should be thought of as part science and part self-preservation. Cleaners differ in how they react with materials, how quickly they work and how they should be disposed of. Some are dangerous and others are nontoxic. Here are some tips for their selection and use, and for staying healthy too.

TIP 1

TIP 4

CLEANER SAFETY “Knowing which cleaner to use makes a huge difference in safety. Sometimes people use harmful cleaners without needing to. Brake clean-

Tips for safe and effective cleaning and degreasing of your machinery and equipment.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CLEANER There are many kinds of cleaners, but they fit in two categories: solvent-based and water-based. “Solvent-based cleaners should only be used for very tenacious contaminants, like paint, glue, ink and wax. These are the only contaminants that are difficult to remove with water-based cleaners,” says Myriam Gheriani, junior production manager – MRO Solutions, Walter International. “Looking at water-based cleaners, there are two kinds: Acidic cleaners are used to remove, scale, mineral deposits and rust, but cannot be used to remove grease and oil. Alkaline cleaners are used to remove grease, oil and fats.”

TIP 2

THE CLEANING MATRIX Four key variables have a big effect on cleaning projects. In no particular order of importance, they are: (1) Temperature. This plays an especially important role with waterbased solutions. Raising the temperature of the cleaner will increase its effectiveness (but this is not recommended for solvents). (2) Strength or concentration: Sort of like the Three Bears’ porridge, some cleaners are too strong. Some are too weak. Adjust the dilution to match the toughness of the job. (3) Application time: You can exhaust yourself scrubbing and chipping, but letting your parts soak so the cleaner can react with the grime as it is designed to, is more pleasant. If pressed for time, increasing the cleaner concentration or temperature should speed up the job. (4) Mechanical action: To soak or to scrub, that is the question. Scrubbing may damage the way a part looks, but simply soaking may not be enough. “Look at the technical data sheets or labels for instructions,” Gheriani suggests.

Photo: Walter Surface Technologies

The

TIP 3

COMPATIBILITY “To choose the right cleaner, you must correctly identify the contaminant in order to get the best reaction and desired result without affecting the material underneath,” says Rob Collier, sales representative, Environmental Solutions, Walter Surface Technologies. “Say you have heavy-duty, water-resistant grease and the object to be cleaned has some plastic parts. So you can’t use a water-based cleaner because the grease is water-resistant. Some people may think they need to use a solvent, but it might affect the rubber and plastic. You

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they don’t see the effects immediately, they think that the cleaner is safe,” Gheriani says. There are immediate effects of using solvents, such as respiratory irritation and skin irritation. Long-term solvent use is related to cancers. There is even a risk of becoming addicted to them, Gheriani notes. “It is sad, because a lot of workers like working with solvents because they get a high from them.”

TIP 5

TIP 6

RUST PREVENTION Cleaning and degreasing brings with it the risk of rusting. For example, says bearing specialist Chris Mackenzie, “As a general precaution, I would say that having cleaned a bearing, oil it immediately. Be sure that the oil is compatible with the grease you will use to relubricate the bearing. Bearings are highly reactive with air and the inevitable humidity.” Anecdotally, Mackenzie, who is the owner of Advanced Machine Services LLC, Oxford CN, says industry has found that in as few as 15 minutes after a bearing has been cleaned, rust could be seen on it under a microscope. This means having to junk a high-precision bearing. Gheriani comments, “If you are using water-based cleaners, you have to be sure the cleaner contains anticorrosion additives if the parts you are cleaning are not stainless. But even if they do have anti-corrosive properties, it is always advisable to dry them. An air hose drying is enough. It is a good practice to do this. This reduces the risk of corrosion.”

TO RINSE OR NOT TO RINSE Some cleaners are residue-free. Others leave a residue, which must be rinsed off. “If it leaves a residue, there are many water-based products for finishing. You spray the part with it and wipe it off to remove residue. You can use solvents, but that is not advised. If you have a choice, go with products that are water-based,” Gheriani explains. Some people, however, see a downside to using cleaners that leave residues that need to be removed, although the concern may be shortsighted. “The choice of cleaner will determine the number of steps you have to take. This is why some people do not want to move to water-based cleaners. They don’t think the health and environmental benefits are worth the additional steps,” Gheriani says.

TIP 7 |

Above left: Greasing this pump bearing is easy. But what is the best way to remove spilled grease? Above: Read the labels to learn more about what cleaners can and cannot do.

have to choose a cleaner that is effective, but is safe to use on rubber and plastic. Some natural solvents are safer than petroleum-based solvents. Having the right information is critical for finding the safest and quickest solution,” Collier says. Another example of a material that surfaces on lists of incompatibility is aluminum. It does not like high-alkaline cleaners. “Look for low or no alkalinity, or look for specific compatibility with aluminum. In the past we used to think that the higher the alkalinity, the better the cleaner. This is true, but there are alternatives,” says Gheriani.

er, for example, is not safe at all. People often do not know that there are safer alternatives. Water-based cleaners are safer than solvent-based cleaners. They are not flammable and have very low levels of volatile organic compounds,” Gheriani explains. In Gheriani’s experience, many people are unaware of the dangers that some cleaners, mostly solvents, pose. Some who do know the risks cannot be bothered taking precautions. “Some people won’t wear the safety equipment or ensure proper ventilation when using solvents. It is as simple as this: If

EDUCATE YOURSELF AND TAP INTO OUTSIDE EXPERTISE Information abounds for anyone who wants to bone up on choosing cleaners, what they work best on, safe practices and proper disposal. Read labels and product brochures. Go online. Sales people or manufacturers are great sources of guidance. For example, says Collier, “Customers may say that toxic products work well, but they may object to the smell. We can suggest alternative solutions that will work as well or better, but with little or no odour. I’ve replaced toxic, high-alkaline or acidic products with our own products that will do the same job, but without the health and environmental risks.” MRO Carroll McCormick, MRO Magazine’s senior contributing editor, is based in Montreal.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

BY BRUCE BOYERS

Photo: Omegasonics

Parts cleaning goes ultrasonic

Manufacturers can replace toxic parts cleaning with simple ultrasonic tanks.

arts cleaning in industrial machining and manufacturing has traditionally necessitated costly, time-consuming and dedicated labour and the use of toxic solvents. As well, it has often required special chemical handling and disposal. Traditional cleaning has also not been thorough – with cracks and crevices that have been missed or could not be cleaned with conventional equipment. Many manufacturing concerns, large and small, are now discovering a great labour, time

and toxic-solvent saving device: the ultrasonic tank. Instead of specially outfitted personnel scrubbing and washing for hours on end, they can simply place parts to be cleaned in a tank, flip a switch, and go attend to other matters. “Our plant can’t afford to be slowed down or stopped,” says Bud Greener, manufacturing engineer at Eaton Aerospace in Jackson, MI. The company produces stainless steel, carbon steel and titanium tubing for conveying air, oil, water and Freon in a variety of aircraft and marine vehicles.

An ultrasonic tank can be used to clean a variety of parts and can clean cracks and crevices than can be missed with conventional equipment.

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Eaton began saving 20 hours labour per week as soon as it implemented ultrasonic tanks. “Prior to the ultrasonic systems, we cleaned tubes manually. Now, we put them into the cleaning systems, adjust the settings and walk away to do something else while the parts are being cleaned.” The tanks utilized by Eaton are manufactured by Omegasonics of Simi Valley, CA. They use specialized, environmentally friendly but effective cleaning solutions: heat, water, and ultrasonic sound waves for cleaning. Users have not only found the method to be more cost-effective in terms of labour and time, they’ve also found it to do a more effective job of cleaning, due to cavitations within the liquid reaching areas unable to be cleaned by human hands or other devices. Eaton Aerospace has been in business since 1940, originally providing fluid power components for military aircraft. Today the company’s products are used in aircraft such as the Airbus 380 – the world’s largest passenger jet, the F-22 Raptor and F-35 JSF fighter jets, and also extend to marine applications. Straight tubing arrives at the factory in diameters ranging from 3/4 in. to 3 in., and must be twisted into complex shapes for utilization. Tube sections are cut to length and bent with a lubricated tool called a mandrel, which is inserted into a tube to prevent kinking. Prior to the mandrel’s use, the tubes must often be cleaned of dust and particles. After bending, oils and tube-bending lubricants must be removed. “People are fussy about how their tubes look,” says Greener. It takes a clean, well-machined product to meet manufacturers’ tough quality standards. For many years, Greener and his team at Eaton cleaned tubing with mineral spirits and Stoddard solvent, a petroleum mixture that requires special storage, usage and disposal considerations. Then, at a trade show, Greener and his supervisor discovered ultrasound products. Impressed by what they saw, they commissioned the company to retrofit two 300-gal. tanks. Omegasonics supplied generators and other components as well as floormodel machines. Ultrasonic parts washing has become an evolutionary step in industrial manufacturing, greatly reducing time and labour, performing a better job of cleaning than manual methods, and improving MRO that all-important bottom line. Bruce Boyers is a freelance writer.

13-12-04 7:25 AM

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Clean & Green E

ven with today’s knowledge and understanding of toxic compounds in the workplace, thousands of industrial workers are needlessly exposed to them daily. The clinical evidence is alarming and well-documented: prolonged exposure to solvents has a direct impact on worker health. Short-term exposure can cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, skin rashes and even burns, reducing a worker’s productivity. Long-term exposure can affect cognitive function, and has the potential to damage internal organs and interfere with human reproductive function, according to government studies. Both highly flammable and toxic, solvents remain a workplace safety hazard. And what about the potential environmental damage? While solvents can be recycled, not all of them are. The Bio-Circle Solution from Walter International targets these problems. Bio-Circle is a parts cleaning system that uses bioremediation, a natural process where microscopic organisms ‘digest’ oils and greases and convert them into water and carbon dioxide. Industrial workers who use Bio-Circle no longer have to worry about their health, says Walter, while employers see lower operational costs. Case study A manufacturer of aircraft components, flight control systems, hydraulic systems and landing gear, Leesta Industries of Montreal is a family-owned Canadian company that’s been operating since 1964. The challenge that the company continually faces is cleaning parts after manufacturing. Prior to discovering Bio-Circle, it was using kerosene mineral spirits to clean the parts. Materials cleaned by the company include aluminum, stainless steel, nickel, titanium, brass and bronze. Using kerosene for cleaning resulted in several problems for Leesta: getting rid of the solution after it had been contaminated, health issues with employees and leftover residue on the parts – which is not acceptable in the mission-critical aircraft industry. What is acceptable is that there is no residue, no particles and no contaminants on the item itself. “A few years ago, when we bought our first Bio-Circle washer, we thought it was a great concept,” says Leesta’s maintenance manager, Howard Case. “It leaves no residue on the part, it is environmentally friendly, it is warm on the hands, its health rating is excellent, we can use it with bare hands and there is no need for special precautions to be taken.” Leesta presently use 12 Bio-Circle washer units and plans to add additional units in other departments. MRO

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Photo: Walter International

Photo: Omegasonics

December 2013

Montreal’s Leesta Industries benefits from an environmentally friendly parts washing system.

D E G R E A S I N G

Leesta Industries switched from using kerosene mineral spirits to clean its manufactured parts to the Bio Circle Soluiton, which is better for the health of employees.

TAKE CONTROL

WITH REAL RESULTS BELT DRIVE UPGRADES THAT DRIVE EFFICIENCY At Veyance Technologies, we created REAL RESULTS – an interactive end-user web site designed to drive preference for valueadded services and our premium belts and drive components. By highlighting case studies of successful results delivered with Goodyear Engineered Products, REAL RESULTS can empower you toward greater belt drive efficiencies – and grow your sales, too.

See for yourself at www.realPTPresults.com The GOODYEAR (and Winged Foot Design) trademark is used by Veyance Technologies, Inc. under license from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Goodyear Engineered Products are manufactured and sourced exclusively by Veyance Technologies, Inc. or its affiliates. ©2013 Veyance Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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TIP 5

On the

Beltway HERE ARE SOME GREAT HANDS-ON TIPS FOR A BETTER BELT DRIVE EXPERIENCE. BY CARROLL MCCORMICK A screen, instead of a solid shield, improves ventilation, lowers the belt temperature and may solve a high-temperature failure issue.

odern belt drives are reliable and long-lasting, if they are properly chosen, installed and receive a bit of maintenance care. Here are a few tips that can help avoid failures and downtime.

TIP 1 |

Beware misaligned belts

Misaligned belts can vibrate, show excessive sidewall wear, roll over, fail and otherwise spoil your morning. Several things can throw belts out of alignment. They even have names. Angular misalignment is when the drive shaft and driven shafts are not parallel. Parallel misalignment is when the drive shaft and driven shaft pulleys do not line up. Two-plane misalignment is when a pulley is tilted on a shaft, due to a problem with a bushing. V-belts can tolerate as much as six degrees of misalignment without rolling over. A rule of thumb several sources offer is that misalignment should not exceed a half of a degree, or one-tenth of an inch per foot of span between the pulleys, to wring the full value out of a belt. Other kinds of belts, such as joined V-belts, have different misalignment tolerances. There are several short and helpful videos on the Internet that explain how to align belts. The search phrase ‘belt drive alignment procedures’ will take you to plenty of them.

TIP 2 |

Dealing with hightemperature failures

Three possible causes for belts heating up and failing are slippage due to

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insufficient tension, high ambient temperatures or even running the wrong belt profile for the sheaves. Typical symptoms of overheating in modern belts include wear and glazing or melting of the polyester cord and belt failure, or otherwise oddly short belt life. Check the belt tension and correct it, if necessary. If you believe that the ambient temperature is too high, replace solid belt guards with ones having screens. This will increase airflow. Take care not to create new problem though. For example, advises Dave Bayne, engineering manager at Jason Industrial Inc., “A screen over a belt drive is not so good in an aggregate environment.” Consider switching to a belt built with higher temperature materials. “When people have problems with temperature, we recommend they go to the upgraded ‘X’ designated belt. It is a higher performer. The material we use for the X belt has a higher temperature resistance – about 20 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit more temperature resistance,” Bayne says.

TIP 3 |

Get a belt and pulley gauge

The belt and pulley gauge is the equivalent of a set of feeler gauges for spark plugs and valves on your car. It is great for detecting worn pulleys before they cause premature belt failures, identifying belt cross-sections and making sure replacement belts match the drive pulleys. “You can buy the wrong belt; for example, one company sent me a banded

belt that was an untouchable, unidentifiable melted pile of goo. The complaint was that the new belt did not fit. [But] the user had not checked the pulley grooves for profile. The user had assumed that it was a particular profile, but it was another profile with approximately the same dimensions. “All United States/North American profiles have a particular spacing and top width for the groove. If you don’t have the right spacing, the belt will roll up. Misidentifying the belt happens more than I like,” Bayne says.

TIP 4 |

Ensure belt efficiency

A properly tensioned V-belt has a peak efficiency of 95% to 98% when it is installed. Efficiency drops if a belt is under-tensioned, since the belt is slipping. In an example provided by the United States Department of Energy, a 5% loss translates into an increase in power consumption of 26,888 kWh/year in the case of a 100hp supply-air fan motor. There are excellent videos on the Internet that explain how to properly tension V-belt drives. The search phrase ‘belt drive tensioning tubes’ will take you to plenty of them. After installing and tensioning a new V-belt, the belt will seat into the pulley groove and elongate slightly. So run the drive under full load, stop, check the tension and re-tension the belt. This runin time, which is shorter for severe applications, can range from 15 minutes to 45 hours, according to the Gates Technical Information Library.

A little preventive maintenance goes a long way

These days, belts do not need checking like they did in the days of rayon cords. “A once-a-month tension check is not necessary any longer. We have polyester tensile members (cords) in the belt. Polyester cords don’t lose their tension like previous cord materials. Tension checks at normal PM points will usually suffice after a correct installation,” Bayne recommends. Use a pulley gauge to inspect for pulley wear, but plan on replacing the pulleys every five belt changes, as a general rule of thumb, Bayne advises. “When worn pulleys are not caught by inspection, poor drive performance will slowly develop.” For insurance against downtime, consider scheduled belt replacement, stocking spares of special types and sizes, such as silicone-free belts, or having a special relationship with a supplier who will stock the belts you use and can rush them to you in an emergency.

TIP 6

Consider buying a vibration meter for belt tensioning

In a plant with a large number of belt drives, tensioning belts by using springtype gauges and the force-deflection method can gobble up a lot of time. According to Bayne, testing tension with a vibration meter, once having determined the correct vibration frequency for that belt, is as simple as going midway between the pulleys and thumping it with a finger. It vibrates and the meter indicates whether the belt is correctly tensioned or not. “Vibration meters are the way to go, but the user needs to understand the cost,” Bayne says. “The least expensive ones cost US$400 to $500. But it can be worth it, as it can take as little as 15 seconds to take a measurement. “Once you get into really high horsepower drives, a vibration meter, to me, is the best way to get it done. [After all] it takes at least two people, one person pushing and the other holding the straight edge to measure the deflection, to set the tension on a banded six-belt drive – six belts, times 20 lb. per belt, for the 120 lb. deflection force required.”

TIP 7

Stop squealing and other annoying noises

According to the Gates Technical Information Library, belt squeal is usually caused by belt slip. Here are some possible causes of slipping and squealing: Replacing one belt in a multibelt drive may leave the remaining belts under-tensioned, causing them to slip and squeal their discontent. Worn sheaves and belts can cause noise. Sudden, high-torque startups can cause slipping and squealing, as can grit, oil or grease on belts. It also could be that the noise is not coming from the belt at all. It could be bearings, a loose guard or mounts, pulleys spinning too quickly (above 6,500 feet per minute, according to Gates) or a happy pig just passing through. MRO Montreal-based Carroll McCormick is MRO Magazine’s senior contributing editor.

13-12-02 11:59 AM

Oil, Gas & Mining MRO

December 2013

©Phototreat/iStock/Thinkstock

©Janet Koelling/Hemera/Thinkstock

Growth in oilsands activity to outpace Canada’s economy

BY DEBORAH JAREMKO New study examines the economic impact of oilsands production and the MRO supply chain.

BY BILL ROEBUCK

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within Canada can be strengthened. “Oilsands operations and investment result in billions of dollars worth of imports, with most of them consisting of manufactured goods. These international imports represent considerable opportunities for further development of interprovincial supply chains related to the oilsands. Potential opportunities are apparent in industries like motor vehicle parts, equipment, primary metals, and chemicals industries, as well as measuring and control instruments.” Since changes in technology can be disruptive to established supply chains, they

too can potentially provide opportunities to further develop domestic supply chains, Burt said. Key technological developments include changes in the extraction process, ways to improve the environmental footprint of the industry, and techniques to reduce the development costs of oilsands projects. These objectives can often overlap, Burt says. “For example, efforts to reduce the steamto-oil ratio in steam-assisted gravity drainage projects can simultaneously reduce operating costs, decrease the use of water and natural gas, and shrink the amount of equipment needed at the well head.” O/G/M

THE DIGITAL OILFIELD

Wireless solutions to expand BY BILL ROEBUCK

Photo: Rockwell Automation

Calgary – The Conference Board of Canada has just completed a study on the economic impact of oilsands operations – i.e. the production, maintenance, repair and operation requirements of the oilsands industry over the next 20 years. The highlights of the study were presented at the National Supply Chain Forum in Calgary on Nov. 13, 2013, by Michael Burt, director, industrial economic trends group, Conference Board of Canada. Oilsands operations (as opposed to capital construction) generated $49.3 billion in revenues in 2011, which directly supported 30,700 jobs in Alberta, said Burt. In addition to its own operations, the industry generates supply chain effects associated with businesses that supply oilsands operators, and induced effects that result from people spending the wages they earn in jobs supported by direct and supply chain effects. The end result, said Burt, is that 226,400 jobs were supported by oilsands operations across Canada in 2011, equivalent to 1.3% of total Canadian employment. It accounts for an even larger share of national GDP, at 2.7%, when all three effects are included. Looking forward, the economic footprint of the industry is expected to grow with the increase in oilsands production. In fact, with oilsands production expected to rise from 1.7 million barrels per day in 2011 to 5.1 million barrels per day by 2035, total employment associated with oilsands operations is expected to rise to 664,500, Burt reported. In addition, there will be employment supported by oilsands investment (construction) over this period. When the two are added together, oilsands related employment across Canada is expected to reach 731,400 by 2035. As a result, total oilsands-related employment (including operational and investment effects) is expected to rise from 2.4% to 3.5% of total Canadian employment, as growth in oilsands activity will outpace the economy as a whole. Given the outlook for continued strong growth, Burt says it is a worthwhile exercise to identify areas where the supply chain linkages

Oilsands owners to spend $50 billion per year on MRO

Milwaukee, WI – Rockwell Automation Inc. has agreed to purchase vMonitor, a supplier of wireless solutions in the oil and gas industry. The company has thousands of wellheads currently under constant supervision at remote control centres and is a pioneer in Thousands of wellheads digital oilfield implementation and are remotely controlled remote operations worldwide. by centres like this. It provides monitoring and control solutions for wellhead and upstream applications that combine wireless instrumentation Gebert, vice-president and general manager, and communication, with visualization software Rockwell Automation Global Solutions. to help customers make more informed decisions “Equally important, vMonitor’s capabilities and improve production. will accelerate our development of similar The vMonitor company says it has the process solutions and remote monitoring world’s largest installed base of wireless services for water/wastewater, mining and wellhead monitoring systems for natural and other industries globally,” said Gebert. artificially lifted wells, with more than 6,000 The company’s technologies include an well sites for major oil and gas companies all-wireless portfolio of wellhead sensors and around the world. transmitters, remote terminal units, gateways “Strategically, vMonitor’s world-class digital and modems, as well as turnkey monitoring and oilfield technology and services, combined control systems and services. These offerings with our comprehensive portfolio of solutions, cover a broad range of applications, from strengthen our ability to deliver end-to-end oil and gas wells, pipelines, pumping and lift projects for the oil and gas sector,” said Terry stations, to refineries and tank farms. O/G/M

Calgary – For oilsands producers, investing in new projects is big business. But keeping those projects running over their lifespans of decades is much, much bigger, and the forecast for associated cash inputs continues to rise. According to the latest figures from the Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI), oilsands owners will spend $1.4 trillion between 2012 and 2046 on maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) – the combined forecast of sustaining capital requirements and operating costs. CERI’s new report, Oilsands Supply Costs and Development Projects (2012-2046), increases the MRO figure from last year’s analysis by $137 billion over the period. The new forecast also for the first time suggests that oilsands MRO will eventually exceed $50 billion per year, in this case reaching that level in 2037. By 2025, CERI indicates that the MRO spend will have more than doubled from the 2012 figure of $19.8 billion to $42.7 billion. The magnitude of oilsands MRO, which encompasses everything from work gloves and coveralls to heavy industrial cleaning and replacement vessels, is unique to this sector of Canada’s energy industry due to the size and complexity of the operations. Reflecting the increased focus on in-situ oilsands projects instead of mining installations, CERI’s forecast shows MRO related to drilling production beginning to exceed that for trucks and shovels around 2030. Due to the continued expected low level of investment in new upgrading projects, associated MRO is anticipated to remain steady near 2012 levels through the forecast period. While the CERI figures are impressive, it is important to note that actual investment both in new capital and MRO could be significantly higher. CERI acknowledges that its forecast for new projects becomes less clear after 2019, which also impacts its expectations for future MRO. “The total costs increase from the beginning of the forecast period, 2012 until 2019, at which point initial capital starts to fall significantly, and hence the total costs flatten for the remainder of the forecast,” reads the new CERI report. “Initial capital starts to decline and approach zero by the end of the projection period. This does not reflect a slowdown in the oilsands, merely a lack of new capacity coming on stream, and relates back to CERI’s assumptions for project start dates, and announcements from the oilsands proponents.” O/G/M

13-12-03 7:27 AM

O I L / G A S / M I N I N G

M R O

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Choosing vibration monitoring methods S Grinding mill finds continuous online surveillance of vibration to be cost effective after conversion from offline system.

BY FLORIAN BUDER

emi-autogenous grinding mills, also known simply as SAG mills, grind materials from large chunks into small, usable pieces for processing. The ones used in mining operations in Canada are essentially autogenous, but use grinding balls to aid in grinding, like in a ball mill. A SAG mill is generally used as a pri-

December 2013

mary or first-stage grinding solution. Attrition between grinding balls and ore particles causes grinding of finer particles. SAG mills are primarily used at gold, copper and platinum mines with applications also in the lead, zinc, silver, alumina and nickel industries. These mills are characterized by their large diameter and short length, as compared to ball mills. The inside of the mill is lined with lifting plates to lift the material inside the mill, where it then falls off the plates onto the rest of the ore charge. The monitoring of this type of equipment is crucial for modern mining operations. Breakdowns lead essentially to a complete shutdown of the operation, unless enough redundancy exists. Most mining operations have moved away from breakdown maintenance to reliability-based maintenance concepts. Aside from ultrasound, oil analysis and visual inspections, the vibration monitoring of rotating equipment plays an important role among these modern programs. Handheld FFT analyzers are commonly used and routebased data collection programs help a modern reliability engineer to keep track of the health status of his machine park. In times of tight money, the biggest challenge remains the management of resources. To collect vibration data in a route-based monitoring program requires a big portion of a maintenance employee’s time, meaning they are not available to work on something else. For this reason, more and more companies have recognized that modern continuous monitoring concepts are more cost-efficient; they free the time of employees, increase the amount of monitoring data, reduce reaction time and eventually increase the reliability of a plant’s equipment. Online monitoring system prices have dropped over the past decade and have become affordable for most companies. They also lead to direct cost savings by eliminating route-based data collection time. As well, they also increase the consistency of the vibration data as the sensors are permanently mounted and data is always recorded at the same position on the machine in a much more frequent manner than using offline, manual methods.

Case study

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Let’s have a look at a tangible example. A Canadian mine that runs a couple of SAG mills was struggling with breakdowns of its gearbox over and over as its route-based monitoring concept was not sufficient enough to capture the fault in time. The staff missed important information between the data collection intervals, and the fault developed faster and more unexpectedly than the route and time-based measurement program could follow. As a consequence, the maintenance team started to collect data on a weekly instead of monthly basis – and at the end, even on a daily basis. Another difficulty remained to capture data during the same load and rpm conditions – under similar operating states.

13-12-03 7:27 AM

O I L / G A S / M I N I N G

M R O

Machinery & Equipment MRO

This waste of manpower and energy lead to neglecting of other parts of the plant. Eventually it was decided to convert this offline-based data collection method to an online condition monitoring concept. To evaluate the new system, three accelerometers were installed on the machine train, along with an RPM sensor, so the mine could compare vibration amplitudes to the actual RPM. A 4-20 mA or 0-10 V load signal was available, which was tied into the online system as well. The monitoring and processing unit was installed close to the machine to minimize the cable length between sensors and the online system. Linked into the company’s local area network (LAN), the unit can be accessed via Wi-Fi or an Ethernet connection, as it has a specific static IP address, which had been assigned by the mine’s information technology (IT) department. After the evaluation of the system, the plant equipped the monitoring system and machine with nine additional accelerometers to use the full capability of the online system. Data now is recorded on up to 12 channels in a multiplexing process. FFTs, time signals, demodulated envelope spectrums, as well as high-frequency acceleration spectrums, help to determine common faults, such as bearing problems with the outer and inner races, balls and cage. Gearbox tooth wear, misalignment between motors and gearboxes, as well as others — such as unbalance, resonant states and looseness — can now be tracked and monitored sufficiently. Data is automatically pulled into an SQL database residing on a local server, which is backed up on a regular basis to avoid data loss. The users can open the Omnitrend administration and analysis software from any PC in the plant where the software is installed,

Images: Prüftechnik Canada

December 2013

Lifting plates carrying the material up the side of the SAG mill

Material and balls fall back down

Here’s how semi-autogenous grinding mills work.

Direction of rotation of mill

This installation setup is for the online system and accelerometer.

log in with their credentials and monitor the machine status at any time. At the same time, the control room has the overall vibration values and alarm states (Blue = Good, Yellow = Warning, Red = Alarm) permanently on their screen to notify them, or even to stop the machine in time if a fault was detected. Another key feature is that the system sends

This is a SAG mill installation in a Canadian mine.

warning and alarm e-mails to several configurable receivers in case of a threshold violation. The return-on-investment (ROI) calculation for the mine was positive after several months of system operation. It has been decided that the most important machines of the plant will be equipped with online systems step-by-step. The modernization of the predictive main-

tenance program from route-based vibration analysis to continuous online surveillance has been successfully started to make the plant state-of-the-art and competitive. O/G/M Florian Buder, Dipl-Ing (FH), is managing director of Prüftechnik Canada in Laval, QC. He can be reached at fbuder@pruftechnik.ca.

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www.precisionequipmentrental.com Online Reader Inquiry No. 125

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 126

13-12-03 7:27 AM

Mech MRO

O I L / G A S / M I N I N G

M R O

Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

With the Fluke 435 II Power Quality and Energy Analyzer, classic active and reactive power measurements, unbalance and harmonic power are quantified to pinpoint the fiscal costs of energy losses.

‘A technician can easily calculate the fiscal cost of energy waste due to poor power quality, and quantify beforeand after-installation improvements in energy consumption.’ Readings are also made after an installation in order to verify results. “First we show them the harmonics and then do the test again, once the new equipment is in place,” Henderson explains. “The information spells out for them the changes in the power quality and how generating clean power back to the grid puts more money back into their pockets.”

Del ver ng energy sav ngs to o lf eld operat ons Edmonton firm helps companies profit from energy analysis to save power costs, reduce harmonics, and more.

nergy consumption is a major factor in oilfield production. Depending on the technologies being used, electricity can account for up to 50% of operational costs. CCW Energy Systems has been on a mission to help oilfield producers reduce energy consumption and costs through its energy-efficient motor technology. A starting point in its conversations with customers is an energy assessment and audit using the Fluke 435 II Power Quality and Energy Analyzer. CCW Energy Systems is an Edmonton, AB-based designer and producer of energy saving regenerative motor drive systems for oil, civil and manufacturing industries. It provides custom-designed power generation and other motor controls, as well as other components for oilfield operations throughout North America and the Middle East. CCW has the distinction of producing the world’s first patented green energy, low-harmonic distortion, UL 1741-certified

p15-20 MRO Dec13 OilGas&Mining1.indd 18

regenerative motor drive system manufactured specifically for oilfield pumpjack and beam pump applications. CCW also provides a range of consulting services to help customers minimize power consumption and maximize electricity credits and incentives from local utilities, while ensuring near zero harmonic distortion.

Measuring up for savings According to Ron Henderson, executive manager, regulatory and projects for CCW, the company’s mission is to help oil producers save production costs, while maximizing electricity credits with their utilities. As with any conversation of that nature, customers demand proof and the Fluke 435 II is an essential part of presenting its business case. The Fluke 435 II offers both advanced power quality functions and energy monetization capabilities. Of particular interest to the CCW team was the energy-loss calculator feature, which quantifies classic

Photo: Fluke Electronics Canada

Paying it forward

active and reactive power measurements, phase imbalance and harmonic distortion, to pinpoint the fiscal costs of energy loss. “We bought them shortly after the instantaneous calculation feature became available,” says David Melligan, sales manager for CCW. With this feature, a technician can easily calculate the fiscal cost of energy waste due to poor power quality, and quantify beforeand after-installation improvements in energy consumption. The testing process is straightforward. The technician simply hooks the analyzer up to a clamp meter and waits 10 to 15 minutes for the results. “In that space of time you can get 90% of the data you need and get a very quick snapshot of the monetary value for the energy a customer may be losing on the system,” Henderson says. With the data collected, CCW is then able to engage in economic modelling to demonstrate the economic payback of installing energy-efficient solutions.

Since many oilfield operations return excess power to the grid for credit, there is also a great deal of concern over power quality and harmonics. “They want to be sure that what they’re putting back on the grid is meeting the requirements for utility-grade interconnections,” Henderson says. The Fluke 435 II also provides data on harmonics and power factor to ensure they are meeting those requirements and maximizing their energy efficiency. “Everybody we deal with wants proof,” he adds. “With the power energy/loss calculator, we can instantly show them how many dollars a month they are losing because of inefficiencies within the system.” When it comes to energy-efficient operations, the compensation from the utility is icing on the cake, Melligan says. “The higher the power factor and lower the harmonics, the greater the credit.”

Playing it by the numbers CCW has helped oilfield operations realize significant savings in a number of places. Demand has been reduced by up to 70%, and consumption reduced up to 30%. In some cases, the generation of power being sold back to the grid has exceeded 25%. “All those pieces form the charge on a utility bill,” Melligan says. “Sometimes the price of power getting back on the grid is the same as what they paid for it.” The amount of savings varies depending on the size of the pumping equipment, and the physical properties of the downhole. Whatever the parameters, there is always a savings, he says. “We can guarantee at minimum a 15% reduction on their electrical bill.” As CCW continues to push its global expansion efforts, Melligan says Fluke equipment will continue to play an important role in supporting its selling proposition. “When we use Fluke meters, utilities know that data will be reliable. The quality of the data clearly shows what we are doing for our oilfield customers. Operators and utilities always know and trust the level of accuracy that Fluke products offer.” O/G/M For more information, visit www.ccwenergysystems. com and www.flukecanada.ca.

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Mech MRO layout:Layout 1

11/22/13

4:30 PM

Page 1

FLUORESCENT HI-VIZ

ORANGE FOR SAFER WORK CONDITIONS

ORHD® CR5 CUT-RESISTANT 4544

M-PACT® 3121

ORIGINAL® 4111

FASTFIT® 3121

MECHANIX GLOVES. THE TOOL THAT FITS LIKE A GLOVE.® US: 800.222.4296 CANADA: 877.278.5822 www.mechanixwear.ca Online Reader Inquiry No. 127

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13-12-03 7:27 AM

O I L / G A S / M I N I N G

M R O

Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

What’s new for oil/ gas/mining industries Technologies, products, components and services for mining, oilsands, and oil and gas operations. High-temperature bearings help oilfield flares meet regulations High temperature, self-lubricating Graphalloy bearings, suited to help control volatile gas burn-off flares at oil and natural gas production sites, have been introduced by Graphite Metallizing. The bearings’ graphite/ metal alloy material withstands the high heat of these flares, which has caused bushing lubrication failures and, as a result, caused flare control systems to fail, reducing maintenance and replacement costs. Custom bear-

ings have been retrofitted to many existing flares, and are now standard on new systems. Graphite Metallizing Corporation Online Reader Inquiry No. 605

Spring-energized seal is built for offshore LNG transfer operations

Saint-Gobain Seals Group’s sealing solutions include its OmniSeal Raco spring-energized seal for offshore LNG transfer. The company has been able to progressively increase the performance of this seal with improved reliability and ability to cope with big variations of groove depth and resistance to temperature cycling. Offering high load and resilience at cryogenic temperature, this custom-designed, springenergized seal is manufactured from Fluoroloy polymer materials energized by a high-load Raco spring with continuous spring contact along the entire sealing lip. It is commonly used in dynamic conditions, such as swivel joints in the case of articulated loading arms, or in static conditions in emergency release systems and couplers for cryogenic floating hoses. Saint-Gobain Seals Group Online Reader Inquiry No. 602

No-leak refinery pump assures long service life

Industry regulations exist to protect people from falling, but no such guidance exists for protecting individuals from dropped objects, the fourth leading cause of death in the workplace. The Tools at Height program from Snap-on Industrial Brands uniquely addresses this critical gap by enhancing both safety and productivity. All tools in the Tools at Height program are designed with a tethered system to maintain or enhance the tools’ functionality when used at height or near critical assemblies.

KSB has introduced the RPHmdp series of zero-leakage mag-drive pumps with back-pull out design. These horizontal, radially split volute casing pumps have been developed to reduce maintenance costs and to ensure a long service life. The pumps are primarily used for handling hazardous fluids, such as hydrocarbons containing benzene, which are subject to very strict emissions regulations. They are also well suited for the transport of clean, explosive, toxic and high-value fluids in petrochemical plants and refineries. Features include very low vibration levels, efficient heat dissipation and fast expulsion of any particles that enter the magnetic coupling chamber. The series is designed for flow rates of up to 300 m3/h and a maximum head of 270 m. Permissible operating temperatures range from minus 40°C to plus 300°C. KSB Pumps Online Reader Inquiry No. 600

Linear position sensors withstand drilling equipment’s high vibrations Macro Sensors LVDT linear position sensors are a replacement for potentiometers as a critical position feedback component on downhole drilling equipment. Installed on a rotary steerable drilling system as part of the steering mechanism, these long-life sensors provide feedback on

radial positions of the drill bit for proper geosteering and optimum wellbore placement for faster, more accurate and safer drilling operations. Providing reliable position feedback under the hostile conditions and high vibrations inherent to downhole drilling, they withstand high vibrations up to 20 G, temperatures up to 400°F and pressures up to 35,000 psi. AST/Macro Sensors Online Reader Inquiry No. 601

For more information please call 800-446-7404 or industrialbrands@snapon.com

Online Reader Inquiry No. 128

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Wrench suitable for adjusting valve wheels Snap-On has upgraded the original adjustable wrench it designed more than 100 years ago. The Essential Operator’s Tool, part number GADW10VLV, includes the traditional adjustable wrench head, but also a redesigned curved handle end that can be used wherever valves are adjusted for flow and pressure. The long tool is handy for a variety of applications anywhere valve wheels are found. Features of

this big-mouth, compact, 10-in. adjustable wrench include 1-3/4- in. opening, 3/4- in. valve wheel wrench opening, precision hardened and anticorrosion treatment, and an easy-to-read size measurement scale. Snap-On Industrial Online Reader Inquiry No. 606

Flanged ball valve finds many uses in petrochemical applications Assured Automation’s 150F and 300F series flanged ball valves are designed for process and petrochemical applications. These full-port two-piece ball valves feature a floating ball and protected seat design, O-ring backed seat, spiral wound body gasket with secondary metal-to-metal seal, and they are fire-safe-designed to API 607-5. The body is made from carbon or stainless steel and available line sizes are 1/2 in. to 8 in. Typical applications include biofuels and LNG industries, chemical and petrochemical bypass lines to service equipment, full port flow applications, steam lines to 150 psi, reactor isolation valves, hightemperature, high-cycle and vacuum applications, and pulp and paper plants. Assured Automation Online Reader Inquiry No. 603

Mobile separation equipment is for material recovery and recycling industry The Steinert complete mobile processing plant allows for precise recovery anywhere a power source and fairly level ground can be found, allowing for downstream material processing almost anywhere. The series includes CoarseMaster, for ferrous and non-ferrous recovery of material sized between 1/2 in. and 5 in., FinesMaster, for metal separation of material sized between 1/8 in. and 2 in., the all-metal sorter ISS

induction system, and NES eddy current system for recovery of non-ferrous material sized between 1/8 in. and 10 in. In addition, the units can be combined with an AEI bivi-TEC mobile screen for a complete mobile processing plant. Steinert US Online Reader Inquiry No. 608

Ball screw assembly plays key part in petroleum corrosion technology ARC Specialties has developed a cladding technology that controls corrosion in the extraction and processing of highly corrosive sour crude oil. The KladArc advanced TriPulse hot wire gas tungsten arc welding system leverages oscillation welding to deposit a metallurgically lined two-layer corrosion-resistant alloy overlay on clad pipe up to 20 ft. in length and I.D.s up to 30 in. The oscillation process is driven by ball screws manufactured by Nook Industries Precision Screw Group as part of its Power-Trac line of precision ball screw assemblies. Featuring a precision-rolled ball screw with a double bearing Ezze-Mount support, they provide a durable and efficient means of converting rotary motion to linear motion on the dualtorch oscillation axis of the machine. The assemblies are built to withstand the harsh oscillation process, which runs and repeats without stopping for hours at time. Nook Industries Online Reader Inquiry No. 604

Anti-impact oilfield glove features extra protection Superior Glove Works offers gloves designed especially for work in the oil patch. Their fabrication includes Armortex, which was developed as a bullet- and blast-resistant material in the security and defence sector. Extremely strong and tear-resistant, the gloves feature excellent protection against puncture and abrasion. Superior Glove Works Online Reader Inquiry No. 607 O/G/M Obtain free additional information about any of these items by using our online reader reply card at www.mromagazine.com/rsc.

13-12-03 7:27 AM

Industrial Lubrication

December 2013

Lubrication, Tribology and Hydraulics

©Hemera/Thinkstock

A guide to automatic lubrication systems

Automatic lubrication systems ensure the right lube gets to the right point at the right time.

Images: FLO Components

©iStockphoto/Thinkstock

the lubricant to the application points. There are several different ALS’s available, so when you’re sourcing a system, it’s important to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples and asking the right questions. The first thing to know is that there are different operating principles by which ALS’s are designed. Two of the most common types of ALS are Series Progressive and Parallel. In a single-line progressive system, a pump delivers the lubricant to the lubrication points via progressive metering valves that are customsized for each application point. Lubricant flows through a primary valve, which redirects to multiple secondary valves, and finally through feed lines to the ultimate application points. The nature of this system is such that if any line/bearing is not taking lubricant, the entire system shuts down and there is (in a properly

There are eight main reasons to automate your machinery lubrication. BY MIKE DECKERT AND GABRIEL LOPEZ

n a study conducted by a major component manufacturer, improper lubrication accounted for 53% of all bearing failures, meaning it was a major cause of machine downtime and resulted in significant maintenance costs. The majority of bearing failures were caused by contamination of bushings by dust, dirt and moisture; inadequate amounts of lubricant being applied to bearings; or over-lubrication of key pivot points. Direct costs resulting from inadequate lubrication include replacement bearings, labour to repair or replace bearings, unscheduled downtime and the impact on meeting customer delivery commitments. Indirect, but very real costs, include work safety and housekeeping issues, wasted lube, environmental issues, and higher labour costs related to inefficient manual lubrication practices. An automatic lubrication system (ALS) helps eliminate these unplanned and unnecessary expenses. Whether you know of it as an automatic lubrication system, an autogreaser or a centralized grease- or oil-lubrication system, an ALS automatically lubricates multiple points on a machine from a centralized pump/control unit that is mounted in an easily accessible location. The system dispenses small, measured amounts of lubricant at frequent intervals while a machine is operating, thus maintaining a uniform supply of grease in the bearing at all times. This also means there is a consistent lubricant seal to prevent dirt and contaminants from migrating into bearings. Compare this method to the feast and famine conditions often associated with manual lubrication, where lubrication is done not to a schedule, but whenever there’s time. In talking with people who don’t currently use ALS, we often hear statements like, “Even if I use an auto lube system, I still have to do a regular machine inspection on the system.” This is absolutely correct. An ALS will not replace your regular machine maintenance

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inspection. You still have to check for loose or damaged lines and make sure that everything is operating smoothly. What an ALS does is take the grease gun or oil can out of your hand and replace it with a wrench. Then, you can use the lube lines as a guide and have the opportunity to focus on making any necessary adjustments or repairs as you conduct regular inspections. So you might be asking yourself; “What’s the point of using an ALS?” There are eight reasons why you would want to use one. [1] Safety. An ALS helps to reduce or eliminate climbing over and under machinery or into difficult-to-reach areas. [2] Efficient lubrication. An ALS applies lubr icant while the machine is operating, so you don’t have to stop what you’re doing or set aside time to lubricate it. Furthermore, because the bearing is turning when it receives the lubricant, you get much better grease or oil coverage on the bearing. [3] Better lubrication. Applying grease or oil is often most effective when it is dispensed in small, measured amounts over short, frequent time intervals. Unfortunately, tight deadlines and manpower constraints – or in some cases the location of the machine – often make this method of lubrication impossible. Machinery gets lubed when the machine is available and when we have somebody available to do it. Clearly, this approach is not optimal for the point requiring lubrication. An ALS makes this problem go away. [4] Better housekeeping. How much grease or oil is too much? If you’re old-school, you keep pumping it in until you see it oozing out of the bearing. This is over-lubrication. Frequent and small, measured amounts will give bearings the best protection. In addition to no over/under lubrication, this also means that you get less spillage and leakage. The end results are less grease or oil wastage and less mess on your equipment and floor. Appearance aside, safety (the danger

Here is a typical automatic lubrication system.

of slipping) and environmental issues are even more important benefits. [5] Less downtime, reduced maintenance costs and reduced bearing replacements. Time and manpower constrains often make it nearly impossible to keep up with the lubrication requirements of machinery. The preventive maintenance provided by an ALS is a key to reducing maintenance costs and minimizing downtime by extending the life of the many pivots, bearings, bushings and other components on a machine. There are also fewer replacement parts to stock. [6] Increased overall productivity. This results from an increase in machine availability and a reduction in downtime from breakdowns or general maintenance. [7] Longer machine life. This results because bearing areas are consistently protected and the machinery in general is better maintained. [8] Help the environment. For the environment, less premature wear of bearings and other components means less landfill. Also, since you’re not over-lubricating, you’re depleting fewer resources from the environment.

System types ALS systems vary in quality and design by manufacturer, but typically consist of five main components: a controller or timer to run the system; a pump and reservoir to store the grease or oil; a supply line connecting the pump to the metering valves; metering valves or injectors to measure and distribute the lubricant, and feed lines and fittings to deliver

designed system) visual indication to the operator that there is a problem. This allows the operator an opportunity to take action before any damage occurs. In a parallel type system, lubricant flows from the pump through a single supply line to multiple branches of injectors. The injectors operate simultaneously but are independent of each other. Each injector serves only one lubrication point and may be accurately adjusted to deliver the precise amount of grease or oil required. The nature of a parallel type system is such that only main line pressure is monitored, so if any feed line or bearing is not taking lubricant, the remainder of the system will continue to function normally, but the lubricant-starved bearing may be lost. Note that in a properly designed system, there are indicator pins on each injector to allow an operator to visually confirm that each individual feed line is operating. In conclusion, an automatic lubrication system is a valuable tool in reducing the direct and indirect costs resulting from inadequate lubrication, but you need to understand how it works, the different types of systems available, and which type best suits your (or your company’s) operation style. To read a list of additional questions to ask a supplier when choosing an ALS, see the online article on mromagazine.com; link to it at http://bit.ly/1if6Tcj. IL Mike Deckert is vice-president of FLO Components, Mississauga, ON. Gabriel Lopez is the marketing specialist with the company. For more information, visit www.flocomponents.com.

13-12-03 7:28 AM

I N D U S T R I A L

Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

Key criteria for selecting synthetic lubricants ©Georgi Roshkov/iStock/Thinkstock

ynthetic lubricants are gaining traction as an alternative to mineral oils for machine lubrication. The reason is that many users perceive synthetic lubes to be a better lubricant. However, users must also be aware of the differences in synthetic chemistries and the difference in price, and must ask themselves what they are trying to achieve by using a synthetic product. To shed some light on the composition and characteristics of synthetic oils. and to provide some selection criteria, Dean Belovari, the regional sales manger for Canada at Klüber Lubrication North America LP, based in Ancaster, ON, presented a colloquium at the Hamilton, ON, section of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) at one of its technical meetings. Belovari has been working in the lubricants industry for 15 years. Here are the highlights of his presentation: The cost of synthetics is generally four times that of mineral oils. So the choice of whether to use mineral or synthetic lubri-

L U B R I C A T I O N

Expert suggests four imperatives for selecting lubricants. BY STEVE GAHBAUER

cants must be guided by a decision of which type best satisfies the basic requirements of a machine lubricant – minimizing friction, improving heat dissipation, binding wear particles or protecting against corrosion. Aging characteristics must also be considered. The major inherent properties of synthetic lubes are low pour point, high flash point, thermal stability and oxidation stability. They also have a longer service life than comparable mineral oils. In selecting one or the other, it is important to watch for compatibility, says Belovari. Don’t mix mineral and synthetic oils, and check out compatibility with thickeners. Points to consider when selecting a lubricant are the range of operating temperatures,

In general, synthetic lubricants perform beyond the limits of mineral oils, operate with a higher efficiency, allow for specific formulations, and offer a greater range of selection. machine speeds, extreme-pressure (EP) applications, fretting, and maintenance and relubrication intervals. Aside from operating temperatures and speeds, consider also specific load requirements, the type of motion (sliding or rolling) and the environmental conditions in which the lubricant must operate – moisture, vacuum, dust, vapours and chemicals. Special requirements exist for sintered bearings, selected seal materials and special applications, such as biodegradability in the food and beverage industries, pharmaceutical industry, and kosher production lines. Equipment design types to be evaluated include geometry and material. In general, synthetic lubricants perform beyond the limits of mineral oils, operate with a higher efficiency, allow for specific formulations, and offer a greater range of selection. Belovari suggests four imperatives for selecting lubricants: define the tribological system; know what you want to achieve; match the performance range; and work with the lubricant suppliers. IL Steve Gahbauer is an engineer, Toronto-based freelance writer, and regular contributor to Machinery & Equipment MRO. Reach him at gahbauer@rogers.com.

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13-12-03 7:29 AM

I N D U S T R I A L

L U B R I C A T I O N

December 2013

Machinery & Equipment MRO

What’s new in lubrication Sensor monitors lubricating grease in running bearings Schaeffler has developed a technology that analyzes lubricating grease in rolling bearings while they running. The FAG GreaseCheck sensor monitors the condition and quantity of the grease and sounds an alarm if levels fall too low. This change from time-based to needs-based lubrication allows action to be taken before a

temperature range, does not soften or run out and provides extended adhesion. Operating temperature ranges from minus 40°F to 800°F, and the nano-ceramic particles remain intact to 2,500°F. The product, which does not contain metal or silicone and is resistant to steam, acids and most chemical products, is used in industries such as construction and earthmoving equipment, agricultural, automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, general manufacturing, marine, material handling, stamping and fabricating, and more. Dayton Progress Online Reader Inquiry No. 482

Automatic wire rope lubricator reduces labour requirement bearing is damaged by insufficient lubrication. The sensor, developed for use with the company’s Arcanol rolling bearing greases, uses reflected infrared light to detect water content, cloudiness, thermal or mechanical wear, and temperature. It can be used in conjunction with the company’s SmartCheck system, which monitors vibration and other parameters, and a new lubrication system called FAG Concept 8 that has eight outlets that can be activated by conditionmonitoring devices to dispense variable quantities of lubricant. Together they form an integrated bearing monitoring and lubrication system. Schaeffler Canada Online Reader Inquiry No. 459

Lubrication Engineers of Canada has announced that it is an authorized distributor for Viper wire rope lubricator, an Australian-designed and -built lubricator that automatically lubricates wire ropes by forcing lubricant into the core of the

rope at a pressure of up to 6,000 psi. The scraper plates and groove cleaner remove any old lubricant and contaminants, while the seal design provides a thin film of outer coating. The lubricator resolves the issues associated with manual lubrication, such as the health and safety of workers, environmental concerns, lubricant waste and cleanliness. When used in conjunction with 451-453 Wirelife coating grease or 2022 Wirelife Almasol synthetic lubricant, the product significantly increases wire rope life. Lubrication Engineers of Canada Online Reader Inquiry No. 483

Biodegradable bearing grease is made from food-based ingredients NSK has developed a lubricant grease made from 100% food-grade ingredients. Registered as an NSF1 category H3 lubricant, the grease is

injected in rolling bearings that have been added to the company’s Spacea series stainless steel rolling bearings. Formulated entirely from food-based ingredients, including the base oil, thickening agent and additives, it uses food-grade vegetable oil with good heat tolerance as a base oil, while the thickening agent contains food additives with a fine three-dimensional network for good retention of base oil. The grease offers less leakage and better durability, even in environments that are exposed to water. It meets strict international standards for safety, and is safe for use in machinery, production facilities and medical devices that come in contact with foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It offers low friction loss and long life and is environmentally friendly and naturally biodegradable. A typical application is to prevent rust on trolleys or meat hooks used in meat processing plants. NSK Canada Online Reader Inquiry No. 502 IL

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Lubrication storage and dispensing system is versatile The IFH Group’s lubrication storage and dispensing system has two 65-gal. containers and one 130-gal. container, plus three-way product diverter valve assemblies, individual pumping systems and 10-micron filters. Oils and lubricants

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GO WITH THE FLO! Online Reader Inquiry No. 130 can be pumped in and pumped out and kidneylooped through the filters. In addition, individual pumping systems ensure no cross-contamination. The system can be customized to include containers of virtually any size. Capacities include 500, 300, 250, 130 and 65-gal. sizes. Optional equipment includes the company’s spill containment system that prevents costly cleanups. The IFH Group Online Reader Inquiry No. 486

DayLube high-performance grease from Dayton Progress, which uses nano-ceramic particles that act as sub-microscopic ball bearings to provide continuous lubrication to steel surfaces, is available in a full range of sizes, including 16-oz. tubes and jars, as well as 1-gal. and 5-gal. containers. Chemically inert and environmentally friendly, the grease maintains its viscosity across the full

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 129

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Electro Motors Co. Ltd. is independently owned and operated and is not an affiliate of Kato Engineering Inc.

Nano-ceramic grease comes in a wide range of containers

Motor/Generator Rewinds & Repairs

Online Reader Inquiry No. 131

13-12-03 7:29 AM

P R O D U C T

N E W S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

What’s new in cleaning and degreasing Weld cleaning system replaces hazardous pickling pastes

Walter Surface Technologies has introduced additional components for the Surfox weld electro-cleaning system that promote a cleaner, healthier and safer industrial work environment. These components include the Surfox H standard elec-

trolyte cleaning solution for regular use, cleaning up to 3 fpm to 6 fpm, the Surfox T electrolyte cleaning solution for heavyduty jobs, which has a higher pH than Surfox H, application pads with increased conductivity, passivation tester providing numeric values of state of passive layer, stainless steel grade ID tester, and marking kits, which use an electrochemical process to permanently mark stainless steel surfaces. The system cleans stainless steel without toxic pickling pastes, saves time for workers and is easy to use. Walter Surface Technologies Online Reader Inquiry No. 581

Cleaner/degreaser safely dissolves grease from equipment

Eco-friendly Oil Eater Original cleaner/ degreaser quickly cuts through grease, oil and grime from machinery, equipment, tools, concrete floors and more, and easily rinses away. It is particularly useful in parts cleaning and pressure-washing machines. Its formula eliminates the need for multiple cleaning products. A water-based, powerful cleaner that is biodegradable, non-corrosive, non-toxic and non-flammable, it contains no acids, abrasive or petroleum solvents, has a pleasant scent and will not harm the skin. It is available in 1-gal, 5-gal, 30-gal, and 55-gal containers. Kafko International

Aqueous parts washer designed for turbine blades

MecWash Systems’ BladeWash aqueous parts washers have been developed for cleaning the internal cooling channels in all types of turbine blades, as well as other parts with internal bores and complex geometries. Originally designed for turbine blades made of nickel-based super alloys, the system completely removes the casting media used in the manufacturing process so that the blades may be used in an engine assembly. The wash process features a high flow rate designed for flushing components. The components are held in a very confined wash chamber, while water is pumped through and around the components at 1,000 l/min to 1,800 l/min (265 gpm to 475 gpm). The system is built to a robust specification, yet occupies a small footprint. MecWash Systems Online Reader Inquiry No. 578

ing agent. Applications for this versatile product include cleaning and degreasing walls, floors and production equipment, removing spots from carpet, and general carpet cleaning, among others. Sizes range from a 32-oz trigger spray bottles to 55-gal. drums. With the ability to tackle multiple

Online Reader Inquiry No. 570

Degreaser enhanced to meet demanding applications

Mean Green Industrial Strength Cleaner & Degreaser has a blend of biodegradable detergents formulated for the most challenging applications. The company states that the enhanced formula features 40% more cleaning ingredients, 30% more solvents and 20% more surfactants for lifting stubborn stains off all surfaces, from metal, to painted surfaces, to fabric to concrete, carpet and more. In addition, the company has doubled the amount of chelat-

Online Reader Inquiry No. 573

Benchtop ultrasonic parts washer is compact and affordable

facility cleaning applications, the company can reduce the number of cleaning products required, saving inventory costs. CR Brands Online Reader Inquiry No. 577

Wipes protect skin while offering heavy-duty cleaning ability

Designed for easy and convenient heavyduty cleaning, Gojo Scrubbing Wipes are made of durable, dual-textured material that has been pre-moistened with a powerful cleaning solution. An extra-large size towel provides more cleaning capacity. The scrubbing side removes the toughest soils, while the smooth side quickly absorbs dirt. The wipes, which contain skin conditioners to help prevent dryness and irritation, are available in a 170-count bucket, and 72count and 25-count canisters. Gojo

302

The number of applications for Canadian Industry that are delivering cost savings.

Online Reader Inquiry No. 571

Parts washer uses hot water and detergent instead of solvents

2,685,771

Cuda’s automatic parts washers use environmentally safe cleaning detergents and hot water to wash engines, transmissions, machined parts and other items found in the transportation, construction and heavy industries. The use of water, rather than petroleum solvents, to wash parts is favoured by many environmentally and safety-conscious companies. The company’s parts washers clean parts automatically, saving money on labour, time and chemicals. Produced in two different styles and 40 model configurations, there is a washer for almost any application and industry. Cuda

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removing contaminants from the surface. The cleaner allows independent adjustment of all three process keys, CO2 particle flow, spray pressure and spray temperature. Larger, harder particles are used for heavy contaminants, including flux residues, while sub-micron particles can be gently brushed from fragile items with a slower, warmer spray. CleanLogix

Graymills has added the BTV series to its group of ultrasonic parts washers. This economical series is a small benchtop line for use in maintenance/service areas that have challenging small parts to clean, yet have to meet tight budgets. The washer is suitable for tight jobsite cleaning applications where a small footprint combined with fast, thorough cleaning is needed. Constructed of stainless steel, the corrosion-resistant tanks have a lift-off cover with handle and are available in five sizes, from 1/2-gal. to 8-gal. capacities. Features include digital controls which set and let the user monitor the ultrasonic and heater functions, control cycle times and temperature settings up to 80°C (175°F). Graymills Online Reader Inquiry No. 574

Tank/barrel/drum cleaner gets job done in minutes

The powerful TankJet 55 tank cleaner from Spraying Systems operates at low flows and fast cycle times to enable the cleaning of multiple tanks, barrels and drums in minutes. Easy to use and repairable in the field, the compact cleaner fits in openings as small as 44.5 mm (1-3/4 in.) and cleans units up to 1.5 m (5 ft.) in diameter. It is constructed of 316L stainless steel with carbon-filled PTFE seals. Two models are available: standard models for

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Spray system is for precision cleaning of delicate components

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faster rotation and shorter cycle times and slow, rotational models for cleaning tougher residues. The fluid-driven, turbine-driven unit cleans using narrow angle full cone sprays rotating in multiple axes for 360-degree coverage. Applications include cleaning 223-l (59-gal.) barrels, 208-l (55gal.) drums and small tanks, containers and totes in such industries as wineries, chemical processing, and food and beverage processing. Spraying Systems Online Reader Inquiry No. 579 MRO

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December 2013

What’s your duty? WHAT EMPLOYERS AND SUPERVISORS MUST KNOW AND DO BY SIMON FRIDLYAND

mployers and supervisors, do you know your duties? If you don’t know them, there can be fairly serious legal repercussions should you be found to not be following the law. For example, in a recent court decision, an Ontario judge imposed a $1,050,000 fine against Toronto-based nickel producer Vale Canada Ltd., the highest fine ever under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act. The employer (Vale) is also required to pay a victim fine surcharge of 25%, bringing the total to $1,312,500. The company was originally charged on nine counts and the mine supervisor himself faced six. The company and the Crown struck a plea deal to reduce the number of charges. The three remaining charges were related to the company’s failure to correct water issues and the hang-up of wet material in an ore pass. Unfortunately, two workers, Jason Chenier, 35, and Jordan Fram, 26, were crushed to death by muck, sand and water that had become trapped in an ore pass and then burst through a gate in an underground mine. Throughout my years of experience, I have noticed that many maintenance supervisors and their bosses really do

not know their duties and responsibilities as far as what occupational health and safely laws dictate. In Ontario, here are the duties and responsibility of employers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act: • instruct, inform and supervise workers to protect their health and safety [clause 25(2)(a)] • assist in a medical emergency by providing any information – including confidential business information – to a qualified medical practitioner and other prescribed persons for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment [clause 25(2)(b)] • appoint competent persons as supervisors [clause 25(2)(c)]. ‘Competent person’ is a defined term under the Act. A competent person is defined as one who must: – be qualified – through knowledge, training and experience – to organize the work and its performance – be familiar with the Act and the regulations that apply to the work being performed in the workplace – know about any actual or potential danger to health and safety in the workplace. An employer may appoint itself as supervisor if it meets all three of the following qualifications [subsection 25(3)]: • inform a worker, or a person in authority over a worker, about any hazard in

the work and train that worker in the handling, storage, use, disposal and transport of any equipment, substances, tools, material, etc. [clause 25(2)(d)] • help joint health and safety committees and health and safety representatives to carry out their functions [clause 25(2)(e)] • not employ or permit persons who are under the prescribed age for the employer’s workplace to be in or near the workplace [clauses 25(2)(f) and (g)] • take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker [clause 25(2)(h)] • post in the workplace a copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), as well as explanatory material prepared by the Ministry of Labour that outlines the rights, responsibilities and duties of workers. This material must be in English and the majority language in the workplace [clause 25(2)(i)] • in workplaces in which more than five workers are regularly employed, prepare a written occupational health and safety policy, review that policy at least once a year and set up and maintain a program to implement it [clause 25(2)(j)]. • post a copy of the occupational health and safety policy in the workplace, where workers will be most likely to see it [clause 25 (2)(k)]

• provide the joint health and safety committee or the health and safety representative with the results of any occupational health and safety report that the employer has. If the report is in writing, the employer must also provide a copy of the parts of the report that relate to occupational health and safety [clause 25(2)(1)] • advise workers of the results of such a report. If the report is in writing, the employer must, on request, make available to workers copies of those portions that concern occupational health and safety [clause 25(2)(m)] • ensure that every part of the physical structure of the workplace complies with load requirements prescribed in the applicable Building Code provisions, any prescribed standards and sound engineering practice [clause 25(1)(e)] • prepare policies with respect to workplace violence and workplace harassment and review them at least once a year [subsection 32.0.1(1)] • regardless of how many workers they employ, develop programs supporting workplace harassment and workplace violence policies and include measures and procedures for workers to report incidents of workplace harassment and workplace violence, and set out how the employer will investigate and deal with incidents or complaints. Supervisors also have very specific duties. A supervisor means a person who has charge of a workplace or authority over a worker. Here are the duties: • ensure that a worker complies with the Act and regulations [section 27(1)(a)] • ensure that any equipment, protective device or clothing required by the employer is used or worn by the worker [section 27(1)(b)] • advise a worker of any potential or actual health or safety dangers known by the supervisor [section 27(2)(a)], and • take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of workers [section 27(2)(c)]. Kelly Strong, Vale’s vice-president of Ontario/UK Operations, released the following statement on behalf of Vale with respect to this matter. “We have a responsibility to the families, our employees, our company and our community – all of whom have been deeply affected – to ensure we do everything we can to prevent this or any other tragedy from occurring in our operations again.” In my opinion, everything should have been done before this terrible accident. Should the employer know the requirements and comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, that would mean Jason and Jordan did not have to die. MRO Simon Fridlyand, P.Eng., of SAFE Engineering Inc., specializes in industrial health and safety concerns and PSR compliance. For more information, visit www. safeengineering.ca.

Online Reader Inquiry No. 133

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

ASSESSING

n an earlier column, we began with a new series of case study articles that revolve around a food manufacturing facility in Ontario. The plant manager asked us to complete an assessment and make recommendations on its operations – in particular the maintenance activities. During two days of preliminary assessment, we identified needed areas of improvement in both the Maintenance and Production departments. At that time, we broke the assessment results into two categories: 1) communications and planning, and 2) skills, knowledge and attitudes of Production and Maintenance personnel. Since writing the previous article (Maintenance 101, Nov. 2013, pg. 20, available online at mromagazine.com), we have been back to the plant and have conducted a more in-depth, five-day assessment. Our purpose for this extended assessment was to set a benchmark of base line information to measure progress later, and to implement remedial activities to alleviate immediate needs and wants. We used various assessment methods to identify the real issues that stand in the way of progress at this plant. Our assessment tools included: • Meetings with Maintenance and Production departments to get a better understanding of gaps in procedures, processes, training and communication. • Focus groups to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both the Production and Maintenance departments. • Surveys, including a Conducting Maintenance Effectiveness survey and a Plant Maintenance Customer survey, to measure the current service delivered by Maintenance and Set-up teams. • Flowcharts to identify problems in processes that are restricting both Maintenance and Production effectiveness. On the fourth day of this visit, we began tabulating the results of our findings. We again divided them into two categories: easy-to-fix problems that needed very few resources but would have immediate results, and issues that were more complex and would require time and resources from both Production and Maintenance. Here are some results of our assessment, including our analysis and recommended improvements. 1. Set-up: This plant has a group of three people that are responsible for the set-up of production lines on their shift. Our analysis showed that set-up is one of the most important activities in the plant. However, procedures and communications need to be developed to improve changeover, start-ups and adjustments.

OPERATIONS Communication between maintenance and production is a key problem to be solved. BY PETER PHILLIPS

Improvements needed include the following: • Set-up has a sense of not belonging. They have been passed back and forth from Maintenance to Production. Now part of Maintenance, they need to be included in meetings and other internal maintenance correspondence. • They have no means of communication with Production and fellow Maintenance workers; they require two-way radios. • They need specific set-up sheets for each product, as the current sheets are generic. • They need to communicate changes made to machines. Operation logbooks need to be placed on each line to document these set-up changes. • Production and Maintenance do not always know if the set-up is complete from shift to shift. Set-up sheets need to be placed on the line as a visible reference. • The Set-up team needs to communicate with Maintenance when they require its assistance on changeovers. Specific set-up activities need special maintenance skills. Radios will allow this communication. • Set-up needs to communicate the work that needs to be done by Maintenance on equipment. Set-up personnel need to be trained on the company CMMS so this can occur. 2. Production: Our analysis of Production showed the department has very knowledgeable people with many years

of experience on the equipment. They are looking for a means to communicate their needs to Maintenance and other production shifts. Improvements needed include the following: • They would like a way to easily communicate with Set-up. The provision of radios will solve this issue. • They would like a log book for each production line, so information can be passed on to other shifts regarding changes made to machines by operators, Set-up or Maintenance personnel. • They call Maintenance for help when it is required, and they would appreciate respectful communication on the radio. • They would appreciate an answer or radio response when they call Maintenance in regard to its status and availability. 3. Maintenance: Our analysis shows that Maintenance has a good team. What they lack in experience and knowledge, they make up for in wanting the line to run smoothly. Like all maintenance departments, they need fine-tuning to better serve the Production department. Maintenance strengths include the following: • They have good teamwork within the department and show a strong interest in keeping the line running. • PMs are specific with pictures and instructions. • The planner does a great job of schedul-

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ing and rescheduling work orders. • Maintenance personnel record their work in the CMMS. • The shop is clean and well-organized. • The storeroom requires work, but is showing progress. Improvements suggested for the Maintenance team include improving communication: • Maintenance must acknowledge radio calls from Production courteously and recognize that Production employees do not call unless they need help. • Production would like to know at morning meetings what was work done yesterday, what work is happening today, and when contractors are going to be on site. The maintenance planner needs to provide this information at the daily morning meeting. • Crew leads would like changes to machines to be documented in the new line logbooks. Maintenance needs to use these new line logbooks. Training is another area needing improvement. Maintenance requires machine-specific training. Arrangements need to be made with the machine OEMs to provide this training. Maintenance also needs training on setting up equipment in order to assist the Set-up crew when necessary. 4. Reoccurring problems: Reoccurring problems do take place and must be investigated for their root cause. Improvements suggested include the following: • Training needs to be provided to the maintenance crew on root cause analysis. • A Production and Maintenance team needs to be established to investigate and address reoccurring problems. • Select one problem and determine the root cause. • Take remedial action, and make a longterm plan to fix the problem forever. 5. Production line start-ups: Communication about quick-changeovers is a problem. Current thinking, procedures and communications need to change to ensure the line starts smoothly. Recommended improvements include: • Maintenance and Production use PreStart-Up sheets and complete them each day. These sheets need to be reviewed to see if the items that Maintenance and Production check off are accurate and the work is actually completed. • A way needs to be developed to quickly and visually display the status of the production line. Conclusions On the fifth day of our plant visit, we provided the plant department managers with a list of items to implement, with timelines for each item that must be completed before our next visit. Some items, such as providing Set-up personnel with two-way radios, were completed before the end of our visit. These small, easy actions will alleviate some immediate problems and will build confidence in the process of change and the improvements that will take place in the coming months. During this whole process, we have been very impressed with the professional attitudes of the staff. Often we contend with people using our assessments as a chance to vent their frustrations. Everyone at this plant is willing and able to move forward with the changes and improvements that will take them to where they want to be. MRO Peter Phillips of Trailwalk Holdings, a Nova Scotia-based CMMS consulting and training company, can be reached at 902-7983601 or by e-mail at peter@trailwalk.ca.

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Bearing plants focus on quality

arlier this year, Machinery & Equipment MRO had the opportunity to visit two Timken plants in South Carolina as part of a journey to that southeastern US state to attend the annual meeting of the Bearing Specialists Association (BSA). Touring these Timken manufacturing facilities – the Tyger River Plant in Union and the Gaffney Bearing Plant in Gaffney – was an eye-opening tutorial about how bearings are made, particularly the quality control processes, and the immense size of the operations. Timken operates more than 60 manufacturing plants and 10 technology and engineering centres globally, where associates collaborate to produce high-performance bearings that measure up to the same quality standard worldwide. In fact, each associate adheres to the Timken Quality Policy, which states that every Timken associate ‘understands the importance of the Timken brand’ (awareness), ‘consistently produces and delivers what we promise’ (execution), and ‘takes responsibility for decisions that impact quality’ (accountability).

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We get a personal tour, led by Frank Mascia, managing director of Timken Canada, of two Timken bearing manufacturing plants in the US.

Timken Tyger River Plant The Tyger River Plant, which opened in 1965 and covers 337,300 sq. ft. (31,335 sq m) or more than seven acres, produces a broad line of bearings, up to 84 in. (213 cm) outer diameter (O.D.) Specifically, the plant makes highly engineered, heavy-duty tapered roller bearings, thrust bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, spherical roller bearings, large ball bearings, ball bushings, self-aligning collars and pillow blocks. These are sold directly to original equipment manufacturers and some end-user customers, as well as though distribution channels. Production on the various lines starts with clean steel, brass and steel cages, rollers, seals and grease. Manufacturing encompasses green machining (turning and milling), heat treating techniques including through-hardening and case-carburizing, hard turning, grinding and assembly. Throughout the plant, associates use lean manufacturing tools and principles to continuously improve the quality and speed of service to customers. The site recently implemented high-tech flexible grinding cells and gauging equipment, along with lean work centres using advanced operator and inspection processes. It also maintains a strong environmen-

Machinery & Equipment MRO

1. Machined green cups for Timken tapered roller bearings stand ready for the hardening process, to be followed by carburizing. 2. Timken Canada’s Frank Mascia stands with an order from Arcelor Mittal Dofasco. Timken understands the extreme conditions bearings face – heat, water, contaminants and more. It works closely with Arcelor Mittal Dofasco through BDI, an authorized Timken distributor. 3. From right: Frank Mascia, managing director of Timken Canada, discusses surface finishing techniques with Bob Daniel, general manager for business communications, and Nicole Richardson Owens,

tal program, currently recycling or reusing 6.8 million lb. (3.1 million kg) of materials, including scrap metal, wood, oil, coolants and cardboard. Its efforts divert more than 87% of this scrap from landfills. Timken Gaffney Plant Just 50 km north of the Tyger River facility is the Gaffney plant, a massive facility that opened in 1971, with an area of 660,000 sq. ft. (61,316 sq. m) under one roof – that’s over 15 acres (roughly the area of 11 American football fields). The Gaffney plant supplies bearing cups, cones and rollers to dozens of major customers, in addition to other Timken facilities in North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and South Africa. Production encompasses bearing cups

Gaffney product manager. 4. ‘Naked’ cones for Timken tapered roller bearings head to the next precision operation in the Gaffney, SC, facility.

and cones for heavy truck, off-highway and industrial markets, as well as green and hard stock for the company’s North American plants, and bearing rollers for its global plants. This plant is well-equipped to produce cups and cones using single- and multiplespindle screw machines and CNC chuckers, heat-treating equipment for carburizing and hardening, and lines for grinding, assembly and inspection. Rollers are made using cold-forming headers, through-feed carburizing, through-feed hardening and 25 through-feed finish grinding lines. During both visits, it was clear that

these plants continually focus on both quality and environmental improvements through a variety of methods in support of the company’s stated mission to ‘make the world more productive by improving the efficiency and reliability of the machinery that keeps industry in motion’. Timken, headquartered in Canton, OH, engineers, manufactures and markets mechanical components, bearings, transmissions, gearboxes, chain, and related products and services. Altogether, the company employs about 20,000 people operating from 30 countries, and achieved MRO sales of $5.0 billion in 2012.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2013

BY BILL ROEBUCK

Toronto - SKF Canada has opened its second SKF Solution Factory facility in Canada, at its headquarters in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, ON. The other location is in Edmonton, AB. The SKF Solution Factory in Toronto will provide Canada’s industries access to SKF services and solutions by bringing together SKF’s five technology platforms: bearings, seals, services, lubrication systems and mechatronics, together with a wealth of industry knowledge and application experience. When customers face new problems or challenges, the Solution Factory can create customized solutions. The customer may need help with a specific machine or require a life cycle management program for operational assets but, whatever the challenge, the Solution Factory works to find the answer by assembling a dedicated project team using experts from the company’s five platforms. The application challenge and knowledge applied to create the solution is then shared globally across the network of facilities. This expanding database of solu3

tions helps customers to greater asset performance and reduced total cost of ownership throughout the life cycle of their operational assets. “We are proud to open this new facility, which has 100 employees,” said SKF Group president and CEO Tom Johnstone, who travelled from corporate headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, to help celebrate the official opening ceremony, which took place on Nov. 7, 2013. The Toronto Solution Factory offers expertise in machined seals, engineered plastics, remote diagnostic services, training solutions and applications, and combines the full range of SKF’s expertise with workshop facilities. “We help our customers improve performance, reduce energy use and lower their overall costs,” said Joao Ricciarelli, managing director of SKF Canada. The Toronto facility is the 24th Solution Factory globally, with other locations including China (Shanghai and Tianjin), Taiwan, India, South Africa, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Brazil, the MRO USA and France.

Photos: Eric Achilles Cousineau and SKF Canada

Second SKF Solution Factory opens in Canada 1

1. SKF Group president and CEO Tom Johnston addresses the audience. 2. Guests were taken on tours of the new Solution Factory after the opening ceremony. 3. SKF Canada’s Tom Karch welcomes visitors. 4. Guests await the start of the opening ceremony. About 250 attended throughout the day-long event. 5. SKF executives are joined by the Swedish ambassador to Canada for the ribbon cutting. 6. Ward 42 Scarborough-Rouge River Councillor Dr. Raymond Cho (right) handed over a plaque from the City of Toronto welcoming the new factory. He was joined by SKF’s Tom Johnstone (left) and Joao Ricciarelli. 7. The ability to cut and shape plastics is a key component of the new shop in Toronto. 8. Various solutions to tough bearing problems were demonstrated by Solution Factory staff.

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Distributor event builds enthusiasm Mississauga ON – Canadian Bearings (CB) held its fourth annual Sales Conference in late September at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel. The three-day event offered product displays and exclusive employee and customer workshops. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Elevate Your Game’, which supported many of the new initiatives CB has embarked on over the past three years. The event featured an impressive display of suppliers. MRO products were represented by 40 different manufacturers, who travelled to the event from as far as away as England. There was an assembly of traditional CB suppliers of bearing and power transmission products, along with many new suppliers to support CB customer needs for more innovative and effective integrated MRO solutions. Day one of the conference concluded with an event celebrating the 40-year partnership between CB and Goodyear (Veyance Technologies). Day two was dedicated to CB’s customers, where large numbers of them participated in workshops and visits with CB’s suppliers. Day three focused on CB’s state of affairs and how the company is overcoming the current economic challenges through the continuous execution of its business strategy. The final day also called for all 6

The Canadian Bearings 2013 Sales Conference offered product displays from 40 suppliers.

CB employees to elevate their game and featured one of Canada’s most prominent inspirational speakers, Mike Lipkin. Lipkin gave an inspirational talk on how good people really are, and how amazing they can be in every aspect of their lives. He demonstrated that extraordinary feats are accomplished through dedication and practice. Lipkin concluded his session by providing those in attendance with an autographed copy of his book, Star Power. CB’s 2013 conference also marked Roland Bissoon’s participation as the newly appointed president of Canadian Bearings. Bissoon’s message to ‘Elevate Your Game’ created an uproar when everyone was asked to make some noise to demonstrate CB’s strong presence as 3

Machinery & Equipment MRO

“one of the most innovative and leading distributors in Canadian industry.” Earlier, Ali Moghadam, vice-president of sales, had delivered a passionate and animated speech about CB’s destiny to economic independence, which illustrated the enormous progress the company has made in its journey to becoming the destination of choice for the Canadian manufacturing industry for integrated MRO solutions. The strength of the CB team was palpable in its participation and enthusiasm, and provided evidence that the company is well-positioned to face the economic challenges of its industry and continue to grow organically, even in tough economic conditions. MRO

Photos: Eric Achilles Cousineau

M R O

1. Claude Baltazar and Jeff Isowa of LPS Laboratories. 2. Andrew Hutton and Tom Tomaszczyk of NSK Canada. 3. Tony Lavalle and Mike Ashby of Gates Canada. 4. Mario Guarneri, Diana Ignagni, Frank Pallotta and Steve Mural of Goodyear (Veyance Technologies). 5. Philipe Campeau and Bob Eydt of Daemar Inc. 6. Darren Mac Ivor and Tom Orodi of Rexnord Canada. 7. Darrell Connor of Henkel Canada. 8. Cameron Butler and Theodore Leustean of Schaeffler Canada. 9. Mario Lacasse, Jean-Sebastien Lavigne and Ross Robertson of Baldor. 10. Michael Eskedjian, Trevor Schotsman (sitting, front), Mario Borsella (behind, left), Guillaume Thibeault (behind, right), Yvan Dion, Paul Meo, Phil Schmidts and Patrick Valiquette, all of NTN Bearing Corp. of Canada. 11. Jos Sueters, Jeff Murray and Karl Elliott of Tsubaki of Canada. 12. Pat Bellisle and Shawn Delsey of Gray Tools Canada. 13. Darrell McNeil of Snap-on, Lisa Ouwendyk of Bahco and Richard Simmons of Snap-on.

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Wind energy event blows into Toronto

December 2013

BY BILL ROEBUCK

advance the Canadian wind energy industry. Among this year’s honours was the Wind Energy Project Award. Awarded for the first time in 2013, it was presented to EDF EN Canada and Enbridge 1

for the Lac-Alfred Wind Farm in Quebec, Canada’s largest wind farm. This project, commissioned this year, has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to responsible and sustainable development

through its initial development, community engagement, permitting and construction. Details on other award winners can be found at www.canwea.ca. MRO Photos: Eric Achilles Cousineau

Toronto – The largest wind energy conference in Canada – the CanWEA Annual Conference and Exhibition – was held Oct. 7-10, 2013, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This year’s event hosted 1,500 attendees from the wind energy industry and accommodated 150 exhibitors. CanWEA is the voice of Canada’s wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy on behalf of its members, who include wind energy owners, operators, manufacturers, project developers, consultants and service providers. Each year, CanWEA presents awards that recognize organizations and individuals who have worked diligently to

4 1. Brogan Morton and Meg Stout of Renewable NRG Systems. 2. George, Anna and Stratis Gavrilidis of Sherwood Electromotion, with Amritpal Virdi of ABB and Mike Hardt of Sherwood Electromotion. 3. Mike Tate of Shemco Industries with Devin

Rosger of Magna Electric Corp. 4. Doris Klein-Hessling and Richard Nelsonof Winergy Drive Systems. 5. Tony Thompson of Ultra TorQ. 6. Michael Michaud and Dave

Photos: Eric Achilles Cousineau

McDougall of Beka-Lube Products.

CMTS brings new and old technology together

BY BILL ROEBUCK

Mississauga, ON – The 2013 Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS), said to be Canada’s largest manufacturing event, was held Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at The International Centre in 2

Mississauga, where more than 2.8 million lb. of equipment had been moved on to the show floor. “This is the largest and most comprehensive event we’ve ever organized, which is a testament to the growth of the Canadian manufacturing industry and increased industry confidence among manufacturers,” said Julie Pike, event manager for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the organizer of CMTS. The functioning manufacturing equipment on the show floor came from as far away as Japan, Germany, Turkey and Korea, she said. The event had more than 600 exhibits showing over 150 new products and featured expert speakers, interactive panel discussions and conference sessions.

A highlight of the show was the Canadian debut of the Festo SmartBird. The one-of-a-kind SmartBird – an intelligent robot designed and built in Germany by Festo to look and move like a herring gull – made its first-ever Canadian appearance at the event. Recognized on the international stage for its ability to decode the flight movements of birds, the SmartBird is considered a major breakthrough in automation technology and will be useful in future applications, such as hybrid drive technology and next-generation robotic aircrafts. Another attraction was the display of the Avro Arrow RL-203, the only fullsize replica of the aircraft in existence today. Considered one of Canada’s most remarkable manufacturing innovations, the original Avro CF-105 Arrow was built in the late 1950s as a twin-engine supersonic interceptor aircraft designed to destroy enemy bombers. It was capable of flying faster than the speed of sound. Overall, SME seems to have organized one of the most interesting CMTS shows ever held. MRO

6 1. The famous Avro Arrow came back at CMTS 2013. 2. At the Festo booth, from left to right, are Jaclyn Rand, Greg Smith, Michael Chung, Ross Bilton, Michael de Kok, all of Festo Canada, and Andrea Ziomek of Festo Americas. 3. Ron Tomson and Christine Tarr of Alfra USA LLC. 4. Mark Lampka and Pete Maduri of Dynabrade Inc. 5. Tapiwa Mupambawachi, Matt Aude and Jack Lacey of Nachi Canada. 6. Michael Jakes and Joshua Wheatley of Speedtap Industries.

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MRO Ad_Dec_2013_PulpPaper_Focus_Schaeffler 10/28/2013 10:58 AM Page 1

Of course not. With the high cost of running todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pulp and paper mills, downtime is not an option. The highly competitive nature of this vital industry makes efficient operation and reduced maintenance more critical than ever. This means that every bearingrelated aspect of the process - product selection, inventory control, technical service, training and support - must bring value directly to the mill; value that translates into efficiency and increased productivity. Schaeffler, with our INA and FAG brands, has set a standard that is unrivaled throughout the industry by offering a complete range of products and support services for pulp & paper mills that can help dramatically improve equipment performance. Case in point: our FAG split spherical roller bearing. In hard-toreach areas, its split design allows for quick removal and replacement without removing gears and couplings or cutting off the old bearing. From fiber production to processing stations, providing costeffective solutions and preventing downtime is our commitment to the pulp & paper industry - it is our commitment to you. Anything else is just run of the mill.

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