Machinery & Equipment MRO April 2016

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

OVERHAULING AN ONTARIO FOOD PLANT’S MAINTENANCE SYSTEM STREAMLINE PARTS MANAGEMENT AND ORDERING SYSTEMS

Vol. 32, 31, No. 2 1

APRIL 2016

COUNTERPOINT – IS OPERATOR-DRIVEN RELIABILITY A HANDOFF OF THE INSPECTIONS TASK? A SMART SOLUTION FOR REMOVING RUST AND CORROSION FROM VALVES, PUMPS AND MOTORS.

CRANE GAMES

12 ways to improve maintenance and safety inspections

Mail Agreement #40065710

WHAT’S NEW BEARINGSPPE BELT DRIVES WHAT’S NEW BEARINGS & CHAINHARSH DRIVES ENVIRONMENTS SPARE PARTS

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in this issue

Finding Fault / 40 Vibration-based condition monitoring is not enough to identify roller bearing failures in centrifugal pumps.

Counterpoint: Operator-driven reliability versus Lubricator-driven reliability / 22

18

COVER STORY – Crane Games Checklist for keeping overhead cranes working well and safely.

Departments Editor’s Notebook / 4 Industry News / 6 Business Briefs / 10 Maintenance 101 / 34

Smooth Operator / 12

Value Generation / 14

A flexible hone makes quick work of corrosive or high points.

Target reliability efforts where payback potential is highest.

What’s Up Doug? / 42 Spare Parts / 50 Mr. O, the Practical Problem Solver / 50

MRO Inventory 101 / 24

Simulation Testing / 28

MRO parts management is critical to maintenance productivity and reliability.

Hire employees for their proven, validated skills.

Product News What’s New in Bearings / 44 What’s New in Safety / 45 What’s New in Belt & Chain Drives / 46 Product Spotlight / 48

Feel the Pulse / 32

Food Plant Wrap-up / 36

Enhance your predictive maintenance system by viewing data on your mobile phone.

A last installment in the series of an Ontario food plant’s maintenance systems overhaul.

Cover Photo Credit Carol McCormick

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MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

Don’t overlook MRO

W

hen the Conference Board of Canada downgraded its 2016 growth forecast in February, we learned that Canadian oil supply is expected to outpace demand and oil prices are likely to remain below the US$50 threshold until the end of 2017.

We were also informed by analysts in a recent Reuters poll that the U.S. benchmark will average US$41 a barrel in 2016, which is also the threshold where most Canadian oilsands projects can break even. In line with this trend, large cuts in the energy sector will mean business investment will decline for the third consecutive year.

In mining, external business conditions have been slow to recover from the downturn, however, the Mining Association of Canada reports that the mining industry’s economic contributions to Canada remain strong. MAC estimates that about $140 billion in potential new mining investments will be realized over the next decade.

Even if the MAC forecast provides hope for those in mining, the industry still needs to refocus by taking action to attract new investment and getting ready to seize growth opportunities.

For those working in the maintenance and reliability trenches, cost reduction and operational efficiency are seen as the value drivers. The course ahead will demand a sustainable approach for effective cost reduction and operational initiatives. As we look into the 2016 horizon, we know that there is work to be done to help stem the challenges.

We can be sure that oil and gas producers are looking for ways to improve operational margins while maintaining production volumes. In achieving their goals, they need to focus on asset management programs to help address these challenges. An often-overlooked aspect of asset management programs is MRO inventory optimization. Ensuring the right spare parts and supplies are on hand as needed without carrying costly excess inventory is the fastest way to improve asset management performance, argues a whitepaper produced by LNS Research.

The pressure is on to minimize inventory at the expense of freeing up capital and operating dollars. If a plant does not have a spare part when a piece of critical equipment fails, the chances of taking an economic hit on profitability are heightened and, in a worst-case scenario, may cause a prolonged shutdown, argues the whitepaper.

Contributor Kris Bragadia might agree with this perspective. In his article, “MRO Inventory 101” (page 24), he says that properly managed MRO inventory can save 10 – 30 per cent of annual inventory dollars.

Regardless of whether you work in the mining, oil and gas sectors, you are likely on the hook to control costs during these trying economic times. Contributor James Reyes-Picknell’s feature (“Value Generation,” page 14), recommends a few ways to deliver value so plants can get the highest payback in their initial maintenance and reliability efforts.

Optimizing your MRO inventory is an asset management task that solves multiple problems – a risk assessment will serve to back up this idea.

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OPERATIONS

APRIL 2016 Volume 32, No. 2

Established 1985 www.mromagazine.com www.twitter.com/mromagazine EDITORIAL Rehana Begg, Editor 416-510-6851 rbegg@annexweb.com Mark Ryan, Art Director Contributing Editors Carroll McCormick, Peter Phillips BUSINESS Jim Petsis, Publisher 416-510-6842 jpetsis@mromagazine.com Jay Armstrong, Sales Manager 416-510-6803 jarmstrong@mromagazine.com Tracey Hanson, Account Coordinator 416-510-6762 Beata Olechnowicz, Circulation Manager 416-442-5600 x3543 bolechnowicz@annexbizmedia.com Tim Dimopoulos, Vice-President Annex Business Media tdimopoulos@canadianmanufacturing.com Mike Fredericks, President & CEO Annex Business Media Machinery & Equipment MRO is published by Annex Business Media Inc., 80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9; Tel. 416-442-5600, Fax 416-510-5140. Toll-free: 1-800-268-7742 in Canada, 1-800-387-0273 in the USA. AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE

Subscription rates. Canada: 1 year $61.50, 2 years $97.95. United States: 1 year $105. Elsewhere: 1 year $120. 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, 80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Silva Telian 416-442-5600 ext. 3636 stelian@annexnewcom.ca © 2016. 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.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40065710. 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 Dr., Toronto, ON Canada M3B 2S9.

Rehana Begg Editor

PEMAC

We acknowledge the [financial] support of the Government of Canada.

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Help for SMEs in oil and gas sector Calgary – Export Development Canada (EDC) announced it will make up to CAD $750M of financial capacity available to Canadian companies to help support the Canadian oil and gas sector (O&G) during this challenging time.

“The prolonged downturn in the price of oil has had a profound impact on Canada’s smaller supply and service companies,” said Mairead Lavery, Senior Vice-President, Business Development.

“Our goal is to make sure that well-run companies have the financial tools they need to get through this downturn. We want them to be ready to take advantage

of the turnaround when it happens.”

The focus of the CAD $750 M effort will be on SMEs, where the additional liquidity can be most effective in sustaining employment and strengthening the economy.

Particular emphasis will be placed on helping companies making investments in four key areas: increasing a company’s productivity, infrastructure that will increase market access for resources, investing in new technology that can help diversify their products to different industries, and building the sector’s environmental sustainability.

Mark Senn, Regional Vice-President,

Western Canada, will oversee the CAD $750 M envelope. “We know there are many smaller companies across Canada with solid fundamentals that are financially stressed, and those are the companies that we can really help to make it through this period of lower oil prices,” Senn said.

“EDC is open for business in Canada’s O&G sector, and we want to help as many export-minded companies as we can.”

Canadian companies in the O&G sector that are looking for commercial financial solutions are invited to contact Senn directly at msenn@edc.ca or 1-403-817-6704.

For more information, visit www.edc.ca.

LOW OIL PRICES PUT ALBERTA ON TRACK FOR $10B DEFICIT

U.S. DEMAND FOR MIDSTREAM OIL & GAS EQUIPMENT WILL DECLINE

Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci says the prolonged cratering of world oil prices is expected to saddle his province with a $10.4-billion deficit in the next budget.

“That is simply the reality of our circumstances,” said Ceci.

In last fall’s budget, the province projected a $5.4-billion deficit for the 201617 fiscal year. Ceci said the new $5-billion figure would be on top of that.

“This is the steepest and most prolonged slide in oil prices in recent history, dropping more than 70 per cent in the last year and half,” he said.

“Projections for a quick recovery have proven wrong. This is a once-in-a-generation challenge.”

Oil and gas have long been the mainspring of Alberta’s economy, delivering multibillion-dollar surpluses earlier this decade. But the benchmark price for oil has fallen from a high of more than US$100 a barrel in June 2014 to around US$30 in March. Every $1 drop in the average price of oil over the course of a year drains $170 million from Alberta’s coffers.

Ceci also said he can no longer promise to balance the books by 2020 and added he can’t set a new target date for when that might happen. He emphasized the province will stick to its plans to avoid cuts in frontline jobs and critical services, to find savings where possible and to take on debt to create jobs in the construction of roads, schools, and hospitals.

The government won’t create new tax-

Demand for equipment used in midstream oil and gas applications in the U.S. is expected to decline to $10.5 billion in 2019 as a low oil and gas price environment limits production growth and U.S. midstream infrastructure becomes better adapted to the recent shifts in energy production within the country, according to “Midstream Oil & Gas Equipment,” a new study from Cleveland-based industry research firm Freedonia Group. The study, published in February, finds that spending on equipment for use in both crude by rail and gas processing plants will fall from elevated 2014 levels, but pipeline construction and liquefied natural gas (LNG) activity will continue to support a high level of equipment demand through the forecast period.

Pipe will remain the largest product category in midstream oil and gas equipment, with demand expected to fully recover and post modest gains by 2019 despite sharp declines in 2015 and 2016. Demand for equipment associated with natural gas infrastructure, including gas treating and processing equipment and compressors used in pipeline and other applications, will continue to be strong by historical standards, although it is not expected to return to 2014 levels in the near future.

Market fundamentals will drive the eventual construction of a number of LNG export facilities in coming years, several of which are likely to remain under construction in 2019. These facilities, all major investments, will boost the overall market for a range of equipment, including compressors, valves, and pumps. Additionally, several new projects will require construction of LNG storage tanks, which can make up a large part of total project costs due to their size and heavy engineering requirements.

For more information on the study, visit www.freedoniagroup.com.

es, increase existing ones or introduce a provincial sales tax, Ceci said. Nor are there plans to use any of the $19-billion in the Heritage Savings Trust Fund to reduce some of the red ink.

Alberta is now almost $19 billion in debt. Most of that money is being used for capital projects. The plan is to continue borrowing in the coming years to pay for capital and, if necessary, operating costs. The debt by decade’s end had already been projected to hit almost $48 billion, but that was before Ceci’s additional $5-billion budget deficit bombshell.

Ceci said the 2016-17 budget is to be introduced in early April, but he wouldn’t give a date.

Oil and gas investment is expected to slow by 20 per cent in 2016.

Alberta also expects to see a net population outflow of 6,000 to other parts of Canada this year – the first such decline since 2010.

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STEEL MANUFACTURING PLANT OPERATES IN MAINTENANCE MODE, EXPECTED TO CLOSE A steel manufacturing facility in northeastern Nova Scotia that received $56.3 million in provincial money is shutting down, ending an ambitious plan to create hundreds of jobs in the wind energy sector.

Business Minister Mark Furey said that the board

of directors for DSME Trenton, known as DSTN, had informed government that the company is ceasing oper-

ations permanently.

“DSTN’s future prospects have not improved over the past year, and the domestic wind tower market is well below expectations,” Furey said in a statement.

“Government has few options except to prevent the risk of further loss while ensuring all assets are returned to Nova Scotians.”

Furey said that after more than five years in business,

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DSTN did not make money on any contracts or achieve job targets.

He said DSTN has indicated it has several million dollars in cash, equipment and property, which could “minimize the potential cost to taxpayers for any environmental cleanup or receivership fees.”

Furey said that with the province as the primary secured creditor, it will file for receivership to try to recover as much of its investment as possible.

Trenton Mayor Glen MacKinnon said the closure of the plant that dates back to the late 1800s is a big blow to the community of about 2,600 people.

“Obviously, it is not good news for the town,” he said.

“It means less jobs in Pictou County. Any economic hit to our area is very concerning and we will try as hard as we can to bring a new entity into that facility.”

The company has indicated it has no customer orders, is operating in a maintenance mode with 19 employees and is paying about $400,000 a month to stay open.

The decision to close comes less than a month after the province said it wouldn’t put any more public money into the manufacturing plant that had hoped to develop the capacity to produce 250 wind turbine towers and 200 blade sets per year.

At the time, the company said it was trying to secure orders in heavy steel fabrication in the wind, oil and gas and rail sectors.

The previous NDP government announced in 2010 it had taken a 49 per cent equity stake in the firm, committed $60 million to the manufacturing plant and predicted 500 jobs would be created within three years.

DSTN told government it cannot start payment on the repayable loans, which was scheduled to begin in early 2018.

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DETERIORATION IN MANUFACTURING BUSINESS CONDITIONS According to the RBC Canadian Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), adjusted for seasonal influences, the index registered 49.4 in February, up fractionally from 49.3 in January but below the neutral 50.0 threshold for the seventh month running. Nonetheless, the latest reading was the highest since August 2015, largely reflecting a softer decline in production levels during February.

Manufacturing output has now declined for seven months running, but the latest fall was only marginal and the slowest over this period. Where a drop in production levels was reported, survey respondents commented on falling new business intakes and, in some cases, efforts to streamline stocks of finished goods. Volumes of new work dropped for the sixth consecutive month in February, which is the longest continuous period since the survey began in late-2010. Anecdotal evidence pointed to subdued underlying client spending and an ongoing decline in sales to energy sector clients.

Stronger export sales helped to offset some of the reduction in domestic demand in February. A number of manufacturers noted that exchange rate depreciation against the U.S. dollar had boosted new business intakes from export clients. Survey respondents generally noted that a lack of pressure on operating capacity had resulted in hiring freezes and the non-replacement of voluntary leavers. At the same time, manufacturers reduced their stocks of finished goods in February, in part reflecting efforts to improve cash flow through tighter inventory management.

April 2016

CALL FOR PAPERS: STLE’S 2016 TRIBOLOGY FRONTIERS CONFERENCE The STLE Tribology Frontiers Planning Committee invites you to submit an abstract for the 2016 STLE Tribology Frontiers Conference (TFC). Join hundreds of colleagues and peers for this unique conference that highlights how tribology research can solve future scientific, engineering and societal challenges. The 2016 conference will be held at the historic Drake Hotel, located on downtown Chicago’s “Magnificent Mile.” The TFC will feature more exciting invited speakers, unique presentations from the very popular Tribology Letters Beyond the Cutting Edge Tribology Session. In addition, new tracks

were added, specifically focused on research in tribochemistry, machine tribology and mechanics.

The committee welcomes paper in nine technical tracks: • Surface and Interfaces • Biotribology • Fluid Lubrication • Lubricants • Machine Elements & Systems

• Energy/Environmental/ Manufacturing • Tribochemistry • Materials Tribology • Other

For more information, visit https://2016stlefrontiers.abstractcentral.com/

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Business Briefs

News and views about companies, people, product lines and more.

• Vancouver and Amsterdam – Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc., the world’s largest industrial auctioneer, has acquired Mascus International Holding BV, a leading global online equipment listing service. The acquisition expands the breadth of equipment disposition and management solutions Ritchie Bros. can offer its customers. Mascus operates an online equipment listing service, with over 360,000 items for sale and 3.2 million monthly website visits across 58 countries and in 42 languages.

The business also provides equipment sellers with a turnkey suite of business tools and software solutions.

• Peterborough, ON – Swish Maintenance Limited, a leading manufacturer and distributor of facility solutions and cleaning supplies is pleased to announce their move to a new distribution and CleanIt centre at 1288 Cliveden Avenue, Delta, BC V3M 6Y1.

• Northbrook, Ill. – UL Performance Materials, a division of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced that it has issued its first ‘Marine Use’ Marking & Labeling certification to Avery Dennison, a supplier of labelling materials. Label and label materials covered under this certification program are intended to be used to durably mark dangerous

• Toronto – Management advisory firm StraNexus has confirmed the appointment of David Berger, P.Eng (Alta.), MBA, as the inaugural Executive Partner and President effective immediately. Berger, a frequent contributor to MRO magazine, is a recognized, sought-after expert in North America in Strategy, Operations Management, and hazardous goods (such as chemical containers or drums) for marine transport in international waters. The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code are internationally accepted codes that address the safe transportation or shipment of dangerous goods or hazardous materials by water on vessel. Under these codes, it is

IT and Asset Management. His previous roles include National Managing Director of Western Management Consultants and Managing Director of Management Consulting at Grant Thornton.

Berger is the Founding President of the Plant Engineering & Maintenance Association of Canada, and a Past Chair of the Executive Board of the Council on Industrial and Systems Engineering. a requirement that packaging containing dangerous goods shall be identifiable and withstand immersion in the sea for three months.

• Cambridge, UK – Siemens has opened a production facility for metal 3D printed components in Finspång. The investment of around 200 million Swedish Krona (€21.4 million) is the first step in the company’s plans for the mass manufacture and repair of metal parts with additive

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manufacturing. Siemens already uses rapid prototyping as a standard procedure and rapid repair in some commercial applications. This is a long-term investment to build up the skills and experience to lead to new ideas and developments in the field.

• Denver, Colo. – Gates Corporation, a global diversified manufacturer of industrial, automotive, and heavy-duty aftermarket products, has expanded its extensive Original Equipment (OE) quality automotive products line with 283 new part numbers.

• Milwaukee, WI – CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the largest international gathering in the Western Hemisphere for the construction industries, revealed its theme for the 2017 exhibition: Imagine What’s Next.

The theme reflects the vision for the 2017 show as it fully embraces applied technologies that help the construction industries reduce downtime, maximize efficiency at job sites and minimize waste while increasing bottom line profits and enhancing safety. CONEXPO-CON/AGG will continue to provide attendees access to the newest products from every major construction-related industry, including asphalt, aggregates, concrete, earthmoving, lifting, mining and utilities.

Co-located with the IFPE exhibition for fluid power, power transmission and motion control, CONEXPO-CON/AGG will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas on March 7-11, 2017. CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE are produced by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which also is a show owner.

• MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., a global communications and information company, announced that it has been awarded three contracts with undisclosed customers in the oil and gas sector. MDA will deliver RADARSAT-2 surface movement monitoring products and ser-

April 2016

vices that accurately measure ground movement. MDA’s RADARSAT-2 satellite generates data that, when processed using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques, delivers surface movement measurements. Oil field and pipeline operators use this information to safely manage operations, comply with regulatory reporting requirements, and reduce risks to the environment.

• Montréal – Montréal-based Ficodis Group is announcing the acquisition of H.T. Technologies, a Terrebonne company serving eastern Canada that specializes in the distribution of cutting tools. Known for its top-notch customer service and its team of experienced technicians who provide personalized after-sales service, H.T. Technologies will become the seventh Ficodis point of sale. This acquisition is

part of Ficodis Group’s expansion strategy, which involves entering into partnerships with major players in industrial supply distribution throughout Quebec. The H.T. Technologies management team, including President Robert Renaud and Vice President Alain Parent, will remain in place to ensure the continuity of operations and to share their expertise with everyone at Ficodis Group.

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SMOOTH

OPERATOR Flexible cylinder hone makes quick work of high points, cross-hatching or removing cut or folded metal.

I

n the oil and gas industry, ongoing maintenance is often required to remove rust, corrosion and other accumulated material from the inside diameter (ID) of valves, pumps, piping, diesel engines, motors, natural gas compressors and other large bore equipment. Failing to do so can have severe consequences including reducing equipment service life, causing unplanned shutdowns and degrading performance.

But corrosion – even at the staggering total estimated annual cost of $1.372 billion to the industry, according to NACE International – is only part of the equation. For much of this equipment, critical ID tolerances of cylinders and bores must be maintained to ensure proper performance of everything from hydraulic cylinders used in pumps to big bore engines.

Nowhere is this illustrated more clearly than for two relatively ubiquitous pieces of equipment in the oil and gas industry: reciprocating natural gas compressors and sophisticated pipeline flow meters. Reciprocating compressors require a tight seal between piston rings and cylinder bores to maximize compression while pipeline flow meters require a fine microfinish on the ID of piping to ensure accurate readings.

Gas & Air Compressors Petroleum refineries, as well as natural gas processing plants, petrochemical and chemical plants utilize natural gas compressors to pump intermediate and end-product gases in pipeline service or within the refinery.

Although there are varying types of compressors, common reciprocating compressors utilize an electric motor to turn a crankshaft that causes a piston to rise and fall within the cylinder to compress the air or gas. To create a proper seal, piston rings are required. Depending on the type of gas, these rings are made of Teflon, high carbon, low carbon, or non-metallic ringed.

As in any motor or engine application, it is particularly important that the piston rings maintain 100 per cent contact with the walls of the cylinder bores. Otherwise, performance problems such as compression blow-by and oil leakage can occur, reducing efficiency.

Providing the needed consistent contact between piston rings and cylinder almost always requires honing, either because the bores are not perfectly round, have been damaged by previous ring or piston failure, or due to other wear factors.

This type of work is often completed by

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shops like H & S Valve Services, a company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, and that manufactures and repairs the component parts of most major brands of reciprocating natural gas compressors, including valves, rods, liners and starters. The majority of that work involves reconditioning worn, undersized or scratched cylinders from 2” - 32” inches and replacing the piston rings.

“If there is a bad seal or the cylinder is out-of-round and you install a set of piston rings they will run unevenly and you can lose compression and reduce the overall efficiency of the compressor,” says Joe Salinas, shop foreman at H & S Valve Services.

In a repair situation, this typically means boring out the cylinder to a larger size and installing a cast-iron liner. To complete this work, the repair shop utilizes an industrial hone to get to size and then completes the finishing work with the Flex-Hone, from Los-Angeles-based Brush Research Manufacturing.

Characterized by the small, abrasive globules that are permanently mounted to flexible filaments, the Flex-Hone is a highly specialized abrasive tool available in many sizes as well as abrasive types and grits.

Whether for smoothing out rough areas and high points, deburring, edge blending, cross-hatching or removing cut, torn or folded metal, a flexible cylinder hone can be an indispensable tool.

Furthermore, the tool is ideal for field applications because it can be operated using a standard drill and is self-aligning and self-compensating for wear, which facilitates close-tolerance finishing work.

According to Salinas, the Flex-Hone tool was recommended by Sheinberg Tool Co., a local distributor of hand tools, power tools and accessories. Due to its location and proximity to the Port of Corpus Christi, many of Sheinberg Tool’s customers are in the oil and petrochemical industry.

H & S Valve utilizes Flex-Hones in various sizes to accommodate the range of cylinder diameters and achieve the required RMS finish. In addition, the tool produces a cross-hatched surface, which is integral to ensuring that proper oil retention will be maintained in the cylinder bore walls at all times.

Salinas says that achieving the proper surface finish, ensuring the cylinder is true, and that the piston rings are seated properly can keep a compressor in service for a very long time.

“Our customers expect these compressors to remain in production for a long time after the repair,” says Salinas. “They don’t want to be putting in new piston rings every few months.”

April 2016

Ensuring Accurate Flow Measurements Flexible hones also play a critical role in ensuring that flow-metering equipment produces consistent, accurate gas flow rates and volumes for custody transfer.

For many flow meters, even small flow disturbances inside the diameter of the fitting bore or the straight run piping can cause a measurement error. This includes the viscous drag along the pipe wall due to “roughness” of the ID of the piping.

Since even small variances in measurement accuracy can have a major impact on profitability, metering system manufacturers and integrators use flexible hones to achieve the AGA-recommend microfinish, prior to delivery to the customer.

According to meter technician Frank Curry, the piping used typically arrives with a microfinish rated at 80-90 μ inches (micro-inches) so it requires honing to meet the maximum recommended surface roughness specifications. This can range from 100 - 250 μ inches, depending on the size of the pipe.

“We hone it using a cylinder hone to make sure there are no imperfections before it is inspected by the customer,” says Curry. “The pipe has to be nice and smooth because if it has any obstructions or corrosion, it won’t produce the most accurate measurements.”

To achieve the required finish, Curry utilizes a two-step process beginning with a coarse grit Flex-Hone, then a finer grit tool.

The Flex-Hone tool is also used when maintenance is required in the field. If a metering device is not producing accurate measurements, the technician will re-check the surface finish in the field and, if needed, utilize the hones to recondition the pipe or remove any corrosion.

For metering technicians like Curry, the ease-of-use of the tool is another benefit, given that to conduct field repairs the pipeline system must be shutdown completely until the work is completed.

“Usually we have a window of so many hours to get the work done and they want us out of there as soon as possible so they can test the system and bring it back on line,” says Curry. MRO

This article was submitted by Brush Research Mfg. Co., Inc. For more information, visit info@brushresearch.com or visit www.brushresearch.com.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

April 2016

V alue Generation Doing the right maintenance, the right way and at the right time delivers value in many ways. Target your initial efforts where payback potential is highest.

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BY JAMES REYES-PICKNELL

f you can’t sell all you can produce, then reducing costs is often the only way to improve margins, but that simplistic accounting perspective is not always the case. Cost control is often thought to be key to attaining profitability but in the case of maintenance it can get you into trouble. Cost control can have a big opportunity cost if you don’t take advantage of the opportunities you have.

Figure 1 shows the basics – as production increases, revenues and costs both increase. Revenue is zero at zero production and increases to 100% at 100% output (if you can achieve it).

Fixed costs (e.g.: depreciation lease payments, energy to heat offices, someone to answer the phone, etc.) keeps the start point for the cost curve above zero. In Figure 1 we show costs increasing as production output increases. At some point revenues eclipse costs and you are making money.

Production levels must be kept above the 60% breakeven point in order to generate a margin (earnings before taxes).

Margin is represented by the gap between the revenue and cost lines to the right of the breakeven point. Here we show production level at 80% of full capacity. At that level of capacity the margin as shown is 5% of revenues.

Businesses exist to maximize earnings. They can produce more, increasing revenues (assuming the market will absorb your production) and they can reduce costs. Cost reduction moves the cost curve down (vertically) if you can reduce fixed costs. Cost reduction also reduces the slope of the line if variable costs are reduced. The example shows a “worst case” scenario where fixed costs don’t change. We only reduce the slope of the cost line by lowering operating costs. Any cost reduction (fixed or variable) moves the breakeven point to the

left and increases margins. The gap between revenue and cost lines gets larger. That improved cost line is shown in Figure 2 with a new breakeven point at 50% of production capacity.

In this lower-cost scenario the operation produces a profit margin at lower production levels and the size of the gap between revenue and costs increases. Even if production levels remain unchanged at 80%, the margin increases from 5% to 9% – a substantial improvement in profitability.

Let’s say we can use increased production to either sell more product in a healthy market, or to reduce the number of shifts needed to meet the diminished demands of a tight market.

What sort of maintenance improvements will help us? Top level performers in maintenance often achieve 90% availabilities compared with an average of 80%. Assuming we can utilize that capacity, then if we increase production levels from 80% to 90%, our margin increases to 12%! What can we do to achieve that?

We need a more reliable plant to pull that one off because cost reductions alone won’t deliver more output capacity.

Let’s assume that our maintenance performance has been more or less “average.” In that case our availabilities will be around 80%. If our production staff can utilize full availability then our maximum output will be 80% of full capacity as shown in Fig. 1. Maintenance costs vary from 5% to 50% of operating costs, depending on the industry, with an average around 20%. For illustration let’s assume they are at 20%. If we increase our maintenance performance to levels achieved in benchmark studies by high performers then we can reduce that cost by about 25%, taking it down to 15% of operating costs. Our “improved” line on the graph illustrates that reduction at full capacity.

What sort of benchmark performance do high performers achieve?

Labour utilization (wrench time) increases through better work management practices. You get more work done with the same number or fewer people and manage work backlogs better. Wrench time is up to 52%, not the average of 31%. For that to happen, you must get scheduled work done on time.

More work had to be scheduled, it had to be fully planned, materials had to be available and there had to be fewer disruptions from unexpected breakdowns.

High performers do a better job of planning and co-ordination of material requirements. They don’t schedule without plans nor without knowing materials are available. They suf-

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fer fewer breakdowns because they are doing more proactive work without over-maintaining. Doing too much of the wrong work can induce failures. They rely more heavily on condition monitoring than preventive work. They know that relatively few failures are purely age or usage driven. All that translates to fewer shutdowns, fewer overhauls, fewer infant mortality failures and overall more uptime.

Choosing the right proactive maintenance approach requires thought about failure modes, their consequences and how they are best managed. The best approach for that is Reliability-Centered Maintenance but there are other methods that work well, too. For critical assets they use RCM, elsewhere, they use others methods.

High performers invest in planning, scheduling, materials co-ordination and RCM. They treat these as investments, not costs, and that thinking had to grow. Like many of us, many have gone through periods of running to failure in a breakthen-fix operating mode. They struggled with lack of budget and a lack of cooperation from their operators. They had to find ways to justify the proactive spending.

They had to recognize that you cannot achieve these improvements by focusing only on one area of improvement.

Planning, scheduling, materials coordination, PMs and RCM all work inter-dependently for best results – like a meal with many ingredients. Each ingredient provides some benefit on its own, but it is the combination that really delivers the best results. Fixing one alone, like planning, won’t give you big savings. Similarly, don’t believe the hype that RCM is the answer to all your reliability woes. A CMMS will not deliver a high return on investment – it actually adds to costs. You need to take a balanced and gradual approach. Use pilot projects to demonstrate that real returns are achievable while proving that you have a working plan for delivering more availability.

Focus on your worst performers first. Improvements there can pay back quickly and often help fund more improvements.

You can usually do this within existing budgets by redirecting your budgeted funding from reactive repairs into PMs and the analysis needed to identify them but don’t forget that you also need to plan, coordinate materials and schedule effectively.

Confidence in your abilities is needed. Without it, you won’t take this risk of reallocating money within your budgets. If you won’t do that, then you probably don’t have what it takes to pull this off. After all, if you don’t believe you can do it, then why should anyone else?

You won’t leap to top performance benchmark levels quickly.

Target your initial efforts where payback potential is highest.

Focus reliability improvement on your worst performers. Plan the most commonly occurring jobs. Don’t fret about spare parts inventory levels or turns. That can come later. The cost

April 2016

of downtime while you wait for deliveries is almost certainly greater than the cost of keeping parts on the shelf. Don’t try to be perfect. Be better tomorrow than you are today and continually improve.

It might take a few years to improve all the way to benchmark levels but all that time you are generating increasingly greater savings and earning potential.

At an electric utility we achieved a 34% cost reduction over eight equipment pilot projects saving almost $1M a year beginning in the next budget cycle. That took us roughly six months from the start of training until the results of those analyses were put into practice. The cost for outside help was roughly $250k over that period. In a large mining operation we achieved increases of 20% in production over a six month period. Revenues in that case were on the order of $100M. The cost of that effort was only $750k! In both cases, waiting for the next budget cycle (and regulatory approvals in the case of the utility) would have been foolish. Cost control in the pure accounting sense wouldn’t have worked, but investing did.

Controlling cost is still important. Identify where you have real financial pain that is caused by equipment reliability problems and make those your first targets. You probably don’t embark on major improvement programs all the time – get help from someone who does. Retired help from your own organization is probably the wrong way to get it. No matter how good they may be, they really only know what you already know. You want new ideas and perspectives.

Other benefits will also show up in reduced safety incidents, fewer environmental non-compliance events (fines and cleanup costs), and more predictable business results (on time delivery and meeting targets consistently), less capital investment (the older assets last longer), lower insurance premiums, improved quality performance, improved employee morale and fewer sleepless nights. You probably can’t estimate these up front, but you can track them as you make your changes.

Doing the right maintenance, the right way and at the right time delivers value in many ways. Focusing only on maintenance costs to improving profitability will ultimately get you into trouble or prevent you from getting out of it. Ill-conceived and poorly informed cost reductions often come in the form of reduced training, reduced headcount and less proactive maintenance – the only discretionary spending you can really “control.” But smarter managers know that by increasing some of that discretionary spending wisely will actually generate a reduction in non-discretionary spending on repairs.

Controlling cost wisely in maintenance is far more than an accounting exercise or the slashing of budgets. Good maintenance cost control begins with a focus on how you can deliver the greatest value through the activities you control. Focus on those that result in reductions in activities you don’t control directly. You can start now, within your current budget constraints, to deliver quick wins and savings. You’ll need to look at planning, scheduling, coordination with your stores, your proactive maintenance program and reliability methods like RCM. It might seem like a lot to do but incrementalism, one method at a time, won’t work well. Hit all those areas gradually but in parallel, going after the “low hanging fruit” and you’ll find it is doable, even in tough times. MRO James Reyes-Picknell is president of Conscious Asset and the author of Uptime – Strategies for Excellence in Maintenance Management (Productivity Press, 2015). Reach him by phone at 705-719-4945, email: james@ consciousasset.com or visit his website at www.consciousasset.com.

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CRANE GAMES Tips for keeping overhead cranes working well and safely CARROLL MCCORMICK

T

tify areas that need attention, servicing, upgrading, or replacement and also take care of any minor adjustments, or needed lubrication issues,” says Marty Walters, Safety Manager, Konecranes Canada.

Tip 1: Crane regulations make good reading. While regulations vary somewhat from province to province, the CSA B167-08 (R2015) - Overhead travelling cranes - Design, inspection, testing, maintenance, and safe operation spells out what is required for crane care and maintenance. For example, a crane inspector, or an inspection team, needs 10,000 hours of experience. Repair personnel need 8,000 hours. Legislated inspection intervals vary; e.g., annually, quarterly, or on special schedules.

Required annual inspections are spelled out in the Occupational Health & Safety regulations for lifting equipment.

“A thorough annual inspection will iden-

Tip 2: Do visual inspections. While regulatory training requirements put periodic inspection and repair work beyond the reach of most in-house maintenance departments, trained operators can, and in fact, are required to do operational inspections. Things to look for include oil stains under the cranes, bent or cracked hooks, broken safety latches and suspicious wear or deterioration of the operator controls or general equipment operation. “Daily, documented pre-use inspections can help to identify upcoming safety or maintenance issues with the equipment,” Walters says.

“Only trained operators should be performing daily inspections, as the operator’s job is an important one. His [is] the

he good working of cranes, from small workstation jib cranes to overhead monsters in production areas, are often taken for granted. Here are 12 expert tips that will lift your cranes’ spirits.

last line of defense to prevent damage to potentially millions of dollars of equipment and the safety of other employees,” says Dan Pryma, owner of INDOC Cranes in Dalmney, Sask.

Among other things, operators should watch for wire rope damage, such as kinks or birdcaging (a short section of rope where the wire has become untwisted and the strands are spread open). If the rope looks bad, stop. Quit using the crane.

Tip 3: Test-drive your crane. Every morning, crane operators should run their cranes in all directions, with no load. While raising the hook, listen for strange noises. “If you hear a grinding sound, why wouldn’t you think that a gear was worn or broken?” Pryma asks.

Carefully raise the hook to see if the upper limit switch, which prevents the block from running up into the hoist and wreaking havoc, is working. “If it fails, you will have huge repairs,” Pryma says.

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Beware of traffic jams when there is more than one crane in the room.

Operators should be trained in rigging and estimating load weights.

photo: McCormick, Konecranes

Legislation requires that inspections be done by highly trained specialists.

The lower limiter, if the crane has one, keeps the hook off the floor, the rope taut and staying in the drum grooves.

If your crane has slow limiters, which keep the crane from hitting the sides or ends of the building, test them to make sure they are working.

Debris from work higher up, like roof repairs, has been known to fall on the runways in the paths of the trolley wheels, so look to see that the trolley is running smoothly on the bridge.

Walters recommends testing the emergency stop control, the warning control system; e.g., warning lights, horns and sirens, and looking for skewing of the trolley or bridge structure as it rolls along.

Skewing could mean that one of the drive motors has failed.

Tip 4: Shock loading is bad. Dropping a load even a few inches on a slack rope creates a shock load. If this happens, regulations require that the crane be

taken out of service until it is inspected.

“Shock loading affects the sheaves, wire, hook, block, drum … you’ve only shocked it for a second, but you’ve done damage,” Pryma warns.

While calculating a shock load requires playing with eight variables; e.g., length and diameter of the wire rope, amount of slack and the static load, here’s a sample result (formula and values courtesy Wire Rope Corporation of America and Macwhyte Wire Rope Company, respectively) to chew on. Dropping a paltry 500-pound load six inches creates a 3,529-pound stress at impact. Ouch!

Tip 5: Jogging is bad for you. Who hasn’t seen a crane operator rapidly thumbing the down or up button in the pursuit of some precision load handling? Referred to as jogging or control plugging, this is a big no-no. “Control plugging can easily cause the load capacity of the crane to be exceeded and puts the wire rope in a

condition of impending failure. There is a huge list of associated issues and possible damage to various mechanical and electrical components,” Walters says.

There is, fortunately, a cure for this harmful practice. “If you have to be precise, you should put in variable speed drives [VSD] or timers,” Pryma says. Timers limit how rapidly the buttons will respond to the operator.

Tip 6: Look up, way up. It is a healthy habit to see what’s going on above you before pushing the crane button. “Operators look ahead, at the load and controls, but they never look up to see if there is another crane in the path, or obstructions,” Walters has observed.

Tip 7: Drive patiently. Wait for the crane to stop before asking it to change directions. With older cranes you may be able to spin the wheels, but with an inverter it is impossible to have the crane run-

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ning at high speed in one direction, and then reverse direction. Inverters can be retrofitted to most overhead cranes. Another healthy practice is to reduce the cranes to slow before stopping, and start out slow for either travel or hoisting motions. This reduces shock loading.

the runway to break up the frozen oil inside, your crane could be telling you it isn’t dressed for the weather. This is not good for the crane or hoist.

Cranes have to be spec’d for the conditions, whether it is a corrosive or wet indoor environment or working outdoors.

“We have a lot of snow, sleet and ice,” Pryma says. “A lot of the problems [outdoors] occur in the electrical controls, and with the types of gearbox oils. I put synthetic oil in our outside cranes. It has a lower freezing point. A lot of guys will move their cranes outside and think that they will work there, but that isn’t so.”

Some things can be modified to make the crane work better outdoors, but getting a quote for a crane properly out-

Tip 8: The cure for side pulling. Pulling loads sideways with cranes is a no-no.

They are not designed for that, and the damage isn’t pretty. It will destroy the rope, rope guide and the drum grooves.

It may cause the wire to overlap, which is bad. Side pulling can make the rope miss a groove, which will destroy the rope. Chain is more forgiving, but even chain manufacturers say not to side pull.

Installing an anti-side pull device is the perfect gift for those operators Tip 12: Don’t forget the NDT. Cranes require not who “never side pull.” only electrical and mechanical inspections Tip 9: Improve weight estimating and rigging skills. Overweight or improperly rigged loads are accidents and damage waiting to happen. “One of the basics of crane operator training is to be able to estimate the weight of the load. A lot of people who are allowed to operate a crane have no real formal training in rigging and crane operation. Ensure all operators are qualified and have attended operator training with education on load estimating and rigging,” Walters says.

but also non-destructive testing, performed under the supervision of a professional engineer.

Tip 10: Fair-weather cranes and foul. If you have to hook a truck up to your crane every winter morning (true story) and drag it up and down

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fitted for the weather is better. Some companies build shelters so their cranes can at least be parked under cover when they are not in use.

Tip 11: Repair or replace? If you call in a specialist to repair your wooden crane (true story) it could be time to replace it. Properly maintained cranes will last a long time, but they can get to a point where they cost more to repair than to replace. Repair estimates may be misleading, since hidden problems may reveal themselves during a rebuild. “My rule of thinking is that if the repair estimate is over 60 per cent of the cost to replace it, I recommend replacing it,” Pryma says. In any case, he notes, “When an old crane is repaired, you still have an old crane.”

It is also a fact that crane aging is more than the simple passage of time.

“In the old days cranes were made to last 30-50 years. But now, a crane made to operate in a Class C environment might last only 10 years. So what is old?” Walters asks. “We recently inspected a riveted crane from the 1940s and it passed the inspection.”

Is the crane being used in the duty classification for which it was designed, or are the loads it shoulders, or the number of hours it is being operated, pushing it into a different performance classification? Adding, say, a third work shift, could reduce a crane’s life by a third. “A crane can become an old crane very quickly if it is not being used in the class for which it is built,” Walters says. MRO

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

April 2016

Operator-drivenreliability or Lubricator-drivenreliability

BY MARK BARNES AND JEFF SMITH

In this millennium it is well recognized that assets require inspection and basic care, but who owns this task? In our world of TLAs (three-letter acronyms) a new one emerges daily. We may need to start numbering or indexing them. One acronym that has been in the forefront is ODR, or operator driven reliability. This is a handoff to operations of the inspection tasks. Is the operator the go-to person for reliability enhancing inspection tasks? In this conversation Mark Barnes and Jeff Smith discuss the pros and cons of various approaches to the valued task of machine inspections.

Jeff Smith: The case for skilled lubrication personnel

My preference in asset inspections is to utilize the lubrication personnel; this is irrespective of whether lubrication tasks are conducted by dedicated lubrication Jeff Smith personnel or trained millwrights. The luAcuren bricators are key personnel that physically interact with the assets. It is their assigned task to be at the asset when they are checking or applying lubricants. The inspections they conduct should be formatted to easily report any deficiencies. The inspection should drive the eyes of the inspector to the components inspected. For example, “check motor” is generic whereas “inspect base bolts” or “inspect cooling fan” prompts the inspector to look for the potential failure mode.

The inspection should be conducted utilizing handheld computers or tablets – after all it is 2016. This enables the data to be used for more than go/no-go conditions. A key example of data utilization would be consumption tracking. Some assets can leak into the process, therefore it is not obvious that an asset is leaking but knowing the volume added can trigger the correct responses.

The personnel conducting the lubrication program should be up-skilled to collect and evaluate any inspection or CBM data-collection required. Ultrasound would be a key tool to manage grease lubrication. Another base tool a lubrication technician can use is temperature trending.

The inspection itself should utilize solid work ID logic (RCM, FMEA, PMO) to be developed. But in contradiction to RCM logic, if the person is at the asset to address the lowest frequency requirement, he is positioned to have a look around anyway.

Yes, the asset will be over-inspected based on some failure

modes but, in my experience, any qualified inspector will look over an asset even if he is just walking through the vicinity.

My reasoning for not utilizing operators for inspection is actually quite simple: in most cases their primary job is not the inspection but the operation of the plant. The field operators have the responsibility of ensuring the process is functioning, lookouts are applied and systems and process blocks are started safely. It is not that I feel there is any lack of ability on the part of operations; I believe the core competency of operations should be process reliability not asset integrity. In many cases I have seen operators under-trained in their key tasks. For example, one issue of seal failures in a nitrogen seal system was simply a lack of understanding of starting sequence.

My personal preference is to upskill maintenance personal to conduct any asset inspection tasks and devote operations to optimizing the process reliability. As with most reliability efforts, there is no wrong answer as long as the required tasks are executed.

Mark Barnes: Support ODR and break down silos

While I’ve seen both approaches work, my personal preference is to empower operators to do basic inspections and simple maintenance tasks such as lubrication. While it’s generally true that most Mark Barnes mechanics or millwrights typically have Des-Case Corp. greater mechanical aptitude to perform these tasks than the average operator, I believe that ODR helps to break down one of the biggest barriers to reliability that I see, which is the siloing of the operations and maintenance functions.

When organizations function in different silos, the common

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mantra, at least in theory is “operators operate the plant, maintainers maintain the plant.” But if you ask each group, you often get a different response. If you’re in the maintenance “silo” you’ll hear, “operators run the equipment into the ground causing it to break,” while the operators will respond, “our maintenance guys don’t fix things properly so they are always breaking.” In reality, there’s an element of truth in both camps.

In the reliability field, we often have reliability mangers, technicians, etc. reporting through the maintenance department and while this makes sense from a skill-set perspective, it tends to suggest that reliability is purely a function of how we fix and maintain assets. In reality, reliability is a shared responsibility of the whole organization including maintenance, operations and even sales in some industries, such as food and beverage, where product mix and equipment changeovers can affect overall process reliability.

The key to breaking down any functional silo is to create a shared common goal and ODR is a great way to do this. Instead of an operator retiring to the break room when a breakdown occurs, within an ODR mindset they’re far more likely to stick around and report critical observational data to the mechanic.

Knowing that a knocking sound was heard from one component or the system has been running hot for a few days is critical information a skilled mechanic can use to better determine the cause of the problem. Similarly, if operators are helped to feel part of the solutions as opposed to always being blamed when things go wrong, operational issues such as valving off filters that have gone into bypass to defeat flow-rate sensors or failing to follow specified start-up procedures can be avoided.

Where most organizations go wrong with ODR is to have very generic work instructions (grease all bearings) and presume that a simple half- or one-day training on basic mechanical inspections or lubrication will suddenly turn an operator into a skilled maintainer. Work instructions need to be specific and prescriptive (apply five shots of ABC grease to all 10 greased bearings) and visual (see visual lubrication management drawing for location of grease fittings). Once the “how” has been documented in the form of written work instructions and procedures, the “why” can then be taught through basic training classes so operators understand the importance of the tasks they’re being asked to perform.

For these reasons, I think a properly designed and executed ODR program will ultimately provide a more cohesive workforce, which in turn should deliver greater asset reliability.

Smith – Rebuttal Mark, your comments about silos and reliability being everyone’s responsibility are absolutely correct. Reliability is everyone’s game. Maintenance, irrespective of who is conducting it is only a piece of the puzzle. Attaining optimized value in your efforts requires process reliability, (optimized, understood and controlled operational envelopes), it requires people reliability, (skills development, cognitive training, succession planning), and supply reliability, (critical spares, acceptance standards, in storage maintenance).

Regardless of who you choose to conduct your asset basic care, design a balanced inspection program – Value/Effort – train the personnel to conduct it, utilize the findings and feed back to the originator. The only wrong way to conduct basic care is to not do it. MRO Mark Barnes, PhD, CMRP, is vice president of Reliability Services at Des-Case Corporation. Barnes has published more than 100 articles and several book chapters on lubrication and oil analysis. His PhD is in Analytical Chemistry. Reach him at mark.barnes@descase.com.

Jeff Smith is the reliability subject matter expert for Acuren. Smith has served as senior advisor for the Association for Maintenance Professionals (AMP) and served on the U.S. tag for ISO 55000. Reach him at jsmith@acuren.com.

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Jeff, I definitely see the benefits you point out for having a dedicated, skilled resource doing basic asset care. I also agree with your point about having tablets or handheld devices to deliver information at point of use. Not only does this help ensure the information is available to those that need it, but with baby boomers being replaced by the Gameboy generation, this may also help to encourage the younger workforce to look at maintenance as a desirable career path.

Ultimately, whether you use dedicated maintainers to perform basic inspections or deploy ODR, I think one thing is clear. Each task must be clearly defined and documented in accordance with what you call the work ID logic and those that are charged with performing the task must understand the steps involved, how to perform them properly and the importance of the task.

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MRO INVENTORY

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Proper MRO parts management is a balancing act. On one hand, you want parts to be available in case of breakdowns. At the same time, you cannot have an excessive amount of money tied up in inventory.

By Kris Bagadia

E

ffective MRO parts management is crucial to maintenance productivity and reliability. If equipment is down and a required part is unavailable, that breakdown could cost you a tremendous amount of money because until the equipment is fixed, revenue is lost. Sometimes the part is in the storeroom, but you can’t find it; so you have to go through the process of locating a vendor, finding the part and ordering it. You’re losing a lot of money despite the part being there. Properly managing MRO inventory has proven time after time to save 10 - 30% of annual inventory dollars.

Quality versus price When locating parts, you want to ensure that you select a quality part at a reasonable price. There are a couple of ways that this can be accomplished.

Scenario one: Brand Name Or Generic Just like pharmaceuticals, the costs of generic parts are much lower than brand-name parts. In fact, one can often find the same part for a fraction of the cost under a generic name. The key for the MRO buyer is to focus on the specifications (HP, RPM, frame size, etc.) of the required parts. This allows the MRO buyer to comparison-shop the parts in order to find the ones that meet the specifications at the cheapest prices.

price of the original, it lasted six times longer. This initial cost yielded a savings of approximately $1,800 over the six weeks.

The above scenarios illustrate that the MRO buyer needs to think outside of the box when buying parts in order to find ways to cut costs and still maintain the quality.

Purchase material in the right quantity MRO buyers are notorious for randomly determining the quantity of parts to order. Some companies issue a policy to order a spare of every part ordered as a way to ensure that the part is on hand if it is needed. While this accomplishes one task, it results in an excessive amount of money tied up in inventory. If you overstock, you lose a lot of money. If you understock, you can have increased breakdowns, and the delay in procuring a part can result in a tremendous amount of monetary losses.

But the overstock/under-stock situation can be avoided.

Based on lead time, parts usage history and consequences of not having the part when needed, one can determine reorder points and appropriate quantities to purchase.

Receive material at the optimum time If the storeroom and inventory are well organized and re-order points are used, plants generally will do very well. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many operations.

Scenario two: Quality Of Part

Material Shipping

Although the low price of a part can be appealing, it may not always be the best choice in the long run. For instance, a construction company was using diamond cutters that cost $500 each. These cutters were poor quality and needed to be replaced every week. The MRO buyer decided to seek alternatives and eventually found a higher-quality cutter for $1,200.

Although the higher-quality cutter was more than twice the

Many operations are operating in a reactive mode where parts are usually rush-ordered as needed. This expedited shipping can result in excessive costs that may go unnoticed as long as the company is still profitable. These are often the companies that end up going under.

But with a Just-In-Time system, the ordering of the part is scheduled so that it arrives shortly before it is needed. This

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CASE IN POINT

The Consequence of Carrying Costs A buyer purchases 200 filters in order to receive a 10 per cent discount because it seems like a great deal. The problem is that the filters must now be stored somewhere, and they take up a tremendous amount of space. Because of this space and the associated carrying costs, the company actually loses a significant amount of money.

Minimizing the dollar value of your stored inventory While it is important to minimize the quantities so that the minimum amount of money is tied up in inventory, it is just as important that parts are on hand when needed. This seems like a contradictory statement, but by following the pointers below, it is possible.

• Keep everything organized • Have reorder points set (ROP should be calculated for each part based on the part’s criticality, the consequences of not having the part (money lost), the cost of the part, and the lead time) • Have reorder quantities set

is relatively easy for manufacturing because one can better schedule for when the parts are needed. Unfortunately, maintenance operations cannot schedule for an equipment breakdown. However, the concept of Just-in-Time applies to preventive maintenance and other planned tasks. For example, if preventive maintenance calls for filters to be changed on air-handling units, the filters can be ordered so that they arrive shortly before they are needed rather than being ordered far in advance and then stocking up. Space is saved and excess money is not tied up in inventory.

The actual cost of issuing a purchase order Many people overlook the fact that it costs money both to process and to issue purchase orders (POs). These costs come from labour (preparing PO, reviewing PO, approving PO, receiving and stocking parts, etc.), shipping costs and overhead for all related departments. We have seen costs as low as $30 but as high as $500 to issue a PO. The MRO buyer usually issues POs as soon as parts are requested. At the end of the day, the buyer may have issued 10 POs. If each PO costs $300, this is a total cost of $3,000. Every storeroom or MRO buyer should be aware of the fact that POs cost money and should know exactly how much they cost.

It is not that POs should not be issued; they should be consolidated. If they are not urgent, which they usually shouldn’t be (as this is a sign that something else is wrong), hold off on them. At the end of every day, every two or three days, or whatever frequency works depending on when they are needed and for what purpose, the POs should be consol-

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April 2016

idated. This way, instead of issuing six different POs to one company, after three days you might be able to issue one PO with six line items, saving a significant amount of money.

These kinds of tricks-of-the-trade don’t cost any money. By simply making some practical changes to the process, maintenance operations can save a significant amount of money.

Consider carrying (holding) costs It would seem that the cost of a $50 part is $50, but that is actually not the case. In reality, when the part comes in and is put on the shelf, the part now costs more than the initial $50.

These carrying costs consist of the following: • Building, storeroom, shelving; space costs money • Insurance • Utilities • Property tax (in certain counties) • Labour (storekeepers, etc.)

• Obsolete parts (shrinkage or scrap)

• A reorder quantity should be set for each item so that that the MRO Buyer knows how many of each part should be ordered • If the plant’s Inventory Record Accuracy (IRA) is 99 per cent or better, you will not be operating in a reactive mode.

The operation will run smoothly and the dollar value of stored inventory will be minimized.

• Work on reducing the lead time • Analyze supplier performance (Are suppliers delivering proper quality parts on time?)

• Check for obsolete parts so that they are not taking up critical space

Control the system

Evidently, one spends a lot more on the part than just the initial cost. Typical carrying costs are between 12-20 per cent of the purchase cost. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the optimum frequency and optimum time for ordering parts. MRO Kris Bagadia, President, PEAK Industrial Solutions, LLC is a longtime consultant and educator who has written several books on maintenance and CMMS/EAM topics. He can be reached at krisb@ peakis.com or visit www.Peakis.com.

The goal of maintenance-repair-and-operations (MRO) purchasing and the stockrooms is to have the right part at the right time for the planned work; however, managing MRO parts can be quite the challenge.

On one hand, you want parts to be available in the case of breakdowns. On the other, you cannot have an excessive amount of money tied up in inventory. By cutting costs when locating parts, purchasing in proper quantities, ordering parts so that they receive at the optimum time, reviewing the process of issuing purchase orders, and minimizing stored inventory, one can maintain control of parts inventory and improve asset reliability.

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April 2016

SIMULATION

TESTING How to hire talented technical employees based on proven, validated test success factors.

A

current poll on mromagazine. com asks how you would rate the effectiveness of maintenance at your facility for reducing machinery and equipment downtime.

Unfortunately, the results are not positive; at the time of publication, 41 per cent of respondents rated the effectiveness of their facility as poor, 41 per cent said adequate, 6 per cent said good and 12 per cent said excellent.

While the results of the poll are anything but definitive, they do echo a gap in the technical skill sets of employees.

Finding and retaining talented technical staff is a sustained challenge for plant leaders, maintenance managers and HR. The importance of hiring talented technical employees is an area that urgently needs to be improved significantly for manufacturers. Relying on a resume, past experience and a good academic background is no longer adequate. In order to solve this issue, HR and management executives have realized they need to strengthen their hiring process standards.

Today, employers recognize the importance of going beyond the basics to find talented employees and they are now searching for employees that have

high-performance potential and competencies: troubleshooting logic, technical aptitudes and an understanding of interactions between equipment parts are key skills that manufacturers are looking for. They also look for employees that perceive spatial dimension – something that paper or other theory assessments cannot evaluate.

By turning to a standardized hiring process, HR, production and maintenance leaders can identify prior to hiring, candidates that have this elite (or optimal) technical potential and talent.

Identifying and measuring performance capability prior to hire is the single most effective means to ensure a quality, highly productive hire in manufacturing.

Assess before you hire OptiTest is a company that assists manufacturers in identifying talented technical employees by providing mechanical and electrical troubleshooting tests on simulators. Prior to hire, organizations assess the aptitudes and competencies of the candidates with hands-on tests on real simulators.

OptiTest started in 2007 in Quebec and the demand has been growing ever since. The service recently arrived in Ontario to assist manufacturers who face

skills and talent deficits. To date, more than 100 manufacturers have included the simulator assessments as part of their standardized hiring process.

The assessments are for operators, adjustors, millwrights, mechanics, maintenance, electricians, engineers, electro-mechanical and instrumentation-control-automation technicians and maintenance supervisors. Depending on the job position, there are a series of distinct standardized tests of various complexities for mechanics, operators, and electricians. OptiTest certified administrators perform the tests on site at the client’s offices or plant locations with their simulators to assess the candidates.

The certified administrator spends approximately 10-15 minutes educating the candidate on the simulator’s functionality in order to bring all candidates of varied experience to the same level of preparedness for the test. The individual then has 10 minutes to become familiar with the simulator before the start of an assessment. Each test lasts about 90 minutes, whereby the candidate has to use her logic to troubleshoot and to resolve malfunctions created in the simulator. The certified administrator is present during the test to observe and

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note the proper or improper decisions and adjustments made by the candidate. The main factors that determine success of the test are the logic used and the speed in resolving problems created on the simulator.

“Clients like our assessment methodology as our tests have the capability to measure the performance potential and competencies of the candidates by giving a percentile ranking on their abilities. This percentile ranking measurement of the tests is based on proven, validated test success factors, therefore we recommend candidates that are equipped to perform,” says Philippe Mercure, general manager, OptiTest.

The mechanical assessments measure the level of mechanical and troubleshooting aptitudes while the electrical tests measure the level of competencies in the maintenance of electrical control systems. The percentile ranking allows management to make some clear differentiations between candidates or to compare them to the North American statistical population that was used to scientifically validate the tests.

The day following the assessment, OptiTest sends a report detailing aspects that were observed during the test. For instance, how many inappropriate or unnecessary adjustments were made by the candidate on the simulator, the num-

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ber of tasks that were resolved properly, the working method used or the analytical process of the candidates.

The report provides information on whether or not the candidate is recommended for the specific position. The percentile ranking methodology of the tests allows management to identify candidates that have strong aptitudes

and competencies. “We basically act as a consulting firm assisting organizations,” says Mercure.

“The information included in the report also gives the data management needs to make smart hiring decisions and to avoid the expensive bad hires.”

OptiTest’s assessments are the baseline established by many businesses that candidates must exceed in order to be hired or to get a promotion. This hiring process, applied over many years, generates significant production improvement.

Jerry Dover, director of Engineering at Give and Go Prepared Foods in Etobicoke, Ont., says that 95 per cent of their skilled trades hired in the past 10 years have been people trained in other countries. “Despite the good work done by regulators to assess the equivalency of their skills, we have discovered that resumes and interviews are not an accurate assessment of skilled workers’ abilities,” says Dover. “We are a high-volume manufacturer and have invested significant capital in automated production lines. As a result, we need fewer traditional electricians or millwright mechanics who can run wire and fabricate parts. We have a greater need for electro-mechanical troubleshooters who can follow a logical thought process to diagnose and quickly correct line stoppages.”

2015-12-15 3:18 PM

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Lucie Martin, corporate director, Talent Management at Kruger, a leading Canadian paper towel manufacturer, shared the benefits of the simulator assessment technology: “The assessments at OptiTest have helped us select employees with the right technical skills to continue our objective of improving efficiency in our operations. Our operating efficiency (OEE) has improved since the introduction of this assessment in our selection process, which is why we now include these assessments in all our operations in Eastern Canada and the U.S.” Organizations that use the tests in their standard hiring process have stronger operators and a highly effective workforce, says Mercure. With operators that have high troubleshooting aptitudes, the management team has the capacity to delegate more maintenance, start-up, adjustments and troubleshooting responsibilities to them. This benefit gives more latitude to maintenance employees to focus on the core of their responsibilities and to reduce the overall maintenance costs for manufacturers.

Operators handle more responsibilities independently and this eliminates the

April 2016

need to call in maintenance each time a problem occurs.

Martin says that since introducing OptiTest in Kruger’s operations hiring process, the company reports a more engaged workforce that is accountable for results and contribute to the success of the organization. “We would never have the quality of employees we have today without using the Optitest testing methods in our selection process,” says Martin.

The testing methodology is fast and efficient; manufacturers can identify candidates with high-performance potential in less than two hours without having to disturb employees or operations in the plant. The validity of the tests also allows companies to recruit with accuracy despite a shortage of qualified technical labour.

Jerry Dover at Give & Go Prepared Foods says that OptiTest’s testing methods offer the perfect combination of assessing both physical trades’ skills (use of tools) and thinking skills (troubleshooting approach). “The testing also led us to hire someone whom we now consider to be our best electrical and

controls technician. The impact of this one good hire, and cost avoidance of the others, has easily paid for the testing. Furthermore, within our existing skilled labour pool, using the results allowed us to move from a time-based pay structure, to an incentive-based system where trades people are compensated for their demonstrated skill level.”

The simulator tests are also used to assess incumbents. Many companies have assessed employees working on a specific line or assessed all of their technical employees working at their plant or in a specific technical service. Management uses the tool as a major strategy to reassign employees to positions that correspond to their potential and competency level.

Increasing productivity levels and reducing downtime by 0.25 to 2 per cent represents a huge impact on the bottom line of a company, says Mercure. “If you multiply this improvement by a good number of years, the strategy delivers impressive financial results.” MRO This article was submitted by Optitest. For more information, visit www.optitest.ca.

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Feel the

Pulse Knowing the health of your assets doesn’t require more spending.

M

any plants are required to have protection systems on their critical assets. But having prediction capabilities makes sense too because “it costs approximately 50 per cent more to repair a failed asset than if the problem had been addressed prior to failure,” claims the U.S. National Response Center in a recent study. If you want prediction data to monitor start-up and coast down of critical turbomachinery, you may not be able to easily get that from your existing protection system. And adding a prediction system would require a sizable investment. Even then you may not have easy access to view the data.

But what if you could see that data on your mobile device from anywhere in your plant network?

Emerson’s new CSI 6500 ATG protection system embeds prediction data into a standalone protection solution that allows users to introduce prediction monitoring of critical assets without adding a secondary prediction system.

This is accomplished through the use of multi-functional cards that can be setup in the field for a wide range of protection measurements and include embedded prediction capability.

“This CSI 6500 ATG has better capabilities right out-of-the-box, especially for measurements relating to gearboxes and rolling-element bearings, using Emerson’s exclusive PeakVue technology” says Hermann-Josef Rehnen, Reliability Solutions Product Line Manager for Emerson.

PeakVue technology cuts through the complexity of machinery analysis to

ATG View delivers asset health information to the user anywhere on the plant network. Scan a quick response code (QRC) located on the cabinet and data from the associated rack is viewable on the device screen.

provide a simple, reliable indication of equipment health. It works through a single trend that filters out traditional vibration signals to focus exclusively on impacting. This focus provides a much better indicator of overall asset health on pumps, fans, motors, or any other type of rolling-element bearing machine.

“Also the built-in predictive functionalities offer up to eight custom filters for use with hydro applications,” Rehnen adds. “And the API 670-compliant 19” rack-based system fits into a standard cabinet in the control room or can be used in demanding field environments where Class 1 Division 2/ATEX Zone 2 approvals are required.”

As can be seen from the following case histories, prediction using the technology made a huge difference in the reliability and maintenance expenditures of these companies.

Electric motor reliability At a gas production facility, premature bearing failures were occurring on electric motors due to lubrication issues. The facility has 1,600 electric motors, which had different lubrication intervals and amounts. Arbitrary lubrication amounts didn’t address specific bearing needs and resulted in some bearings being overlubricated and others not to get enough lubricant. Implementation of PeakVue technology in conjunction with lubrication allowed each bearing to receive ex-

actly the amount of lubrication it needed and enormously reduced the motor bearing failures.

“PeakVue spectrum analysis of bearing impacting enabled us to differentiate between lack of lubrication and defective bearings,” said one of the company’s condition monitoring engineers. This saved them maintenance costs, extended bearing life, and prevented unexpected breakdowns because plant personnel were able to see high frequency impacting faults, from metal to metal contact within gears and/or rolling-element bearings long before there was any significant increase in overall vibration allowing them to attempt corrective lubrication or plan a bearing replacement.

Turbine-driven pump uptime Emerson’s PeakVue technology detected a faulty bearing at a two-train ammonia urea fertilizer manufacturing facility, preventing a catastrophic turbine-driven pump breakdown. The company also solved persistent turbine thrust bearing failures and initiated route cause analysis to avoid future failures.

Two turbine-driven pumps, which are critically important to provide steam to maintain fertilizer production, had a history of bearing problems. Even though casing vibration checks were done twice monthly, and proximity and RTD monitoring were done continuously online, the plant’s maintenance personnel were

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never able to detect emerging problems in time to prevent sudden bearing failures. The failures happened every year or two, resulting in damage to the shaft journal/bearing area.

During the last failure, a turbine rotor was damaged to the point where it had to be removed from service, resulting in loss of the boiler and substantial production losses. This existing plant vibration data collection system was unable to assess high frequency stress wave data and as a result did not recognize the warning signs of imminent bearing failure.

By implementing a protection system with embedded PeakVue technology the fertilizer plant caught impending failure before it caused unplanned production losses resulting in improved plant uptime and overall reliability.

Fast reaction time With the CSI 6500 ATG the reliability professional can react to problems earlier leading to planned, instead of reactive, maintenance. The CSI 6500 ATG can be networked over Ethernet and/ or a wireless router to deliver asset

April 2016

Multi-Functional Cards -A6500-SR-front-view: Emerson’s CSI 6500 ATG protection system has multi-functional cards that can be easily reconfigured for a wide range of measurements.

health information to authorized users through a PC or phone application anywhere in the plant’s WiFi network. This will enable the reliability professional to see the overall health of his system, the status of alarms, external inputs such as bypasses, and outputs such as trips and whether they are active or not. The system presents all available information about the critical machine, such as main value, trending data, status data and predictive data such as PeakVue value.

In addition, the CSI 6500 ATG offers easy integration with third-party systems,

because it is the first protection system to include a secure embedded OPC UA server.

“The system setup and configuration is quicker and more intuitive than past systems, including instant availability when turned on,” says Rehnen. “Overall system setup requires less effort because the user can switch easily between different setup tasks.” MRO This article was submitted by Emerson. For more information, please visit: www.emersonprocess.com/csi.

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April 2016

FOOD WRAP-UP

Several months after implementing systems and adopting a focused approach to maintenance, a food plant appreciates the payoff.

BY PETER PHILLIPS

T

his is the final article in our series focusing on work completed at an Ontario food plant. After working with the food plant for many months, the crew has accomplished a great deal. The plant has come a long way, therefore our visits will become less frequent.

Organizations are made up of systems. If you think about it, these systems are what hold everything together. The more we focus on the systems, the better the organization performs.

Following is a roundup of the systems, programs and strategies we put in place, along with an update of the progress on each of the improvement initiatives.

Communication system At the start of the project, the setup personnel were not part of the maintenance group even though they were an integral part of setting up the machines and providing maintenance support to the craftsmen. They often felt ignored and had little communication with production or maintenance management. They are now part of the maintenance team and carry radios to improve communication with the production department and their maintenance team members. They are included in all maintenance meetings and have been trained how to use the maintenance software.

There are five production lines at the plant and it was difficult to know which lines were ready to run because production changeovers often took several shifts to complete. To alleviate this problem, we designed a light system and check sheets to indicate the line status from one shift to another. The lights indicate whether the line is still in setup mode or ready for production. The check sheets show the incoming crew what is left to be done to complete the production change.

The maintenance planner and dayshift supervisor have always attended the 10 a.m. production meeting, however, with limited participation. Now they take a more active role every morning.

The planner reports on work that has been completed in the past 24 hours and what work is planned in the following 24 to 48 hours. Any work that is requested during the meeting is written down and later entered into the plant’s maintenance system.

Production crew leaders wanted a way to communicate important equipment issues to other shifts. To remedy this, a production shift log has been placed on every production line. Crew leaders share information on shift problems, setup issues and causes of downtime.

A new shift supervisor report has been designed and implemented to record issues that happen during their shift. It includes a section for them to note items they want discussed at the morning production meeting. Feedback on these items is communicated to the originator. This has opened an avenue for issues and concerns to be discussed and the staff reports that they are more involved in production decisions.

Process improvement system A meeting was held with the maintenance department to discuss ideas on how to improve equipment reliability. The meeting identified areas that cause unscheduled downtime and with some maintenance attention equipment performance would improve.

The team developed a critical equipment checklist for use before and during line operation. A dedicated maintenance person walks the line with a checklist looking for abnormal equipment operation. They also talk to operators to see if they have anything to report. Issues that have the potential to stop the line have been found and repaired.

A Focused Improvement team has been established to address equipment with poor reliability. Two pieces of equipment were selected and several successful modifications were made that have significantly improved equipment performance and uptime as well as improvements to product and packaging quality. Weekly graphs are posted on the Focused Improvement Board that show equipment availability and product waste.

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A Repair Tag system has been developed and implemented to give operators a way to report impending equipment failures.

The tag is comprised of two copies, one is fastened to the equipment as close to the problem as possible and the other copy is placed on the Focused Improvement board for daily pick-up by the maintenance planner. The planner assigns a work order to a maintenance person for investigation and resolution.

Maintenance software systems The tradesmen have been trained to use the maintenance software to complete their assigned work orders. They record their labour, parts they used and any specific comments they may have about the work. Every work order that is closed builds accurate equipment history.

An inventory function was activated in the software to track repairable spares. Previously repairable parts would often sit on the shop work bench until it was thrown away.

All equipment PMs are being reviewed and updated in the software. There have been many pieces of equipment replaced, however PMs have never been updated.

Inventory and maintenance systems Like the majority of parts stock rooms, they had parts that were no longer used, as well as overcrowded shelves, etc. Finding parts sometimes resembled a scavenger hunt.

Therefore the plant is working on the following improvements: The parts room has been totally purged of obsolete and used parts and is in the process of being reorganized, labelled and documented in the maintenance software; and the maintenance department tooling and work areas have been totally reorganized. The department now looks professional.

Sanitation and quality systems Sanitation procedures have been completely reviewed and many new procedures have been written for new equipment to guarantee proper cleaning. To ensure equipment is set up the same for every product, the quality department has developed Standard Procedures and set up documents. These document and check sheets must be completed for every product change. These measures have vastly improved production startup problems and product quality. The plant is now in maintenance mode. We will check up on the upkeep and progress via email, conference calls, as well as through occasional plant visits to ensure continued improvement of the systems. The plant has worked very hard to get to this point. The results have encouraged the crew to keep improving. Success breeds success, and they have turned their improvement ideas into reality. Better systems, better outcomes. MRO Peter Phillips of Trailwalk Holdings, a Nova Scotia-based maintenance consulting and training company, can be reached at 902-7983601 or by email at peter@trailwalk.ca.

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April 2016

Finding

FAULT Vibration-based condition monitoring techniques may not be enough to identify the root cause for the frequent failing of roller bearings in a centrifugal pump. In practice, additional in-situ tests are needed.

BY DR. JYOTI K. SINHA

T

he rotors in rotating machines are supported through anti-friction ball or roller bearings in many cases. Fault in such bearings always develop during machine operation and their early detection is important so that remedial and maintenance action can be taken to not only maintain plant safety, production and reduce maintenance overhead, but also to avoid any catastrophic failure.

The probability of anti-friction bearings failure is generally high in machines and vibration-based condition monitoring (VCM) is a well-known technique and an accepted practice for detecting problems. Commonly used vibration-based techniques for the detection of fault in anti-friction bearings are the crest factor, kurtosis, shock-pulse and the envelope analysis of the vibration acceleration response measured on the bearing housing. There are a number of modern instruments commercially available to meet these requirements.

Even with these advancements, the question still arises whether VCM alone in a machine is enough? The answer is, to a certain extent, yes, if the failure is not frequent, repetitive and premature.

But if the failure is premature, repeti-

tive and frequent, then the routine Figure 1 Pump assembly and the measurement (dot) locations VCM alone may not be sufficient. This is because these detection methods only provide information about the faultiness in machines without looking at the real root cause.

Blame it on the way these methods have been developed, but they don’t have enough insight to address the potential root cause for such frequent failure. These methods are important for tracking the health of the bearings and the machine overall Figure 2 A typical image of a on a regular basis, however, considering premature failed bearing the plant objectives and requirements, these methods alone can’t guarantee machine’s dynamic behaviour during low maintenance overhead and machine the normal operation and by conducting availability to enhance the production. additional in-situ vibration experiments For such cases, the dynamic behaviour on machines to identify the root causes of the complete machine unit compris- for such frequent failures. ing the rotor, bearings and foundation Below, a truncated version of a case (including auxiliary structural compo- study that was first published in 2006, in nents, piping, etc.) is responsible for such Structural Health Monitoring: An Interpremature and frequent failure. There- national Journal, and co-authored with fore, it is essential to understand the A.R. Rao, demonstrates how to solve the

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

premature and frequent failure of bearings in a centrifugal pump.

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April 2016

X Z

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Case study

Bearing Figure 1 shows a schematic of the pump assembly Pedestals that belongs to a centrifugal pump commissioned in 1985. It is a horizontally mounted centrifugal pump with the axial inPUMP let, and the radial outlet.

The pump and the motor shafts are rigidly coupled to a shaft carrying a flywheel. The flywheel is supported by a grease-luMOTOR Figure 3 Mode shape bricated radial bearing on of the pump assembly the pump side and oil-lushowing deflection at bearing pedestals only bricated taper roller thrust bearing on the other side.

The pump is driven by a 540kW electric due to relatively large deflection at both motor operating at 1492RPM. The pump is bearing pedestals during the pump’s normounted directly on the base plates em- mal operation that resulted in the frebedded to the rigid concrete floor. quent failure of both bearings. The looseThe pump had no failure until 1990, ness between the base plate of the pump when it developed a history of anti-fric- unit and the concrete over the period of tion bearing failure. Failure became fre- the pump operation reduced the natural quent after 2004. A typical photograph of frequency of the pump assembly close a failed bearing is shown in Figure 2. Here to 2x component. It is a typical age-relatagain, the fault in the bearings was detect- ed problem of the machine foundation. ed by the kurtosis and the envelope anal- It can be solved either by stiffening the ysis of the measured vibration responses roots of bearing pedestals or by proper on the bearing pedestals. This informa- grouting the base plate in concrete. tion has always been utilized to replace the faulty bearings in well-planned shut- A better tool downs before any major failure occurred.

VCM is a useful tool to identify the early fault in any machine so that the planned Vibration diagnosis used maintenance work can be done before In-situ modal tests were conducted on any catastrophic failure occurs. The routhe pump assembly as an additional test. tine VCM and the bearing fault indicators An instrumented hammer was used to often failed to find the root cause of the give the impulse excitations to the pump failure, which generally ended up in just assembly and the responses of the as- rectifying or replacing the faulty bearings. sembly from different locations and in In-situ additional vibration tests are likely different directions (the vertical, the to provide more insight of the machine’s axial along shaft axis, and the lateral to dynamic behaviour and therefore offer a shaft axis) were collected from a number better solution to the vibration problems. of accelerometers. The measurement lo- Once the root cause of the problem is idencations are also shown in Figure 1. The tified, the appropriate remedy can be done mode shape of the experimentally iden- to avoid the repeated failure. It will not tified natural frequency close to 50Hz is only increase the availability of machines, shown in Figure 2. The deformation pat- but also downsize the maintenance overtern clearly shows the deformation only head and enhance the plant safety. MRO at both the bearing pedestals. The identified natural frequency is close to the Dr Jyoti K. Sinha is Programme Director, Relisecond harmonics (2x) of the pump speed ability Engineering and Asset Management MSc (1492RPM, close to 25Hz). Hence it was a and Head, Dynamics Laboratory, School of Metypical case of resonance of the pump chanical, Aerospace, and Civil Engineering unit at this natural frequency with 2x (MACE), The University of Manchester, Mancomponent of the pump vibration. Both chester, U.K.. Reach him at Jyoti.Sinha@Manbearings were subjected to more stress chester.ac.uk.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

April 2016

WHAT IS THE

“RIGHT”

CLEARANCE FOR AN ELECTRIC

MOTOR

BEARING?

BY DOUGLAS MARTIN

F SEW-MRO3x5QuarterPage.pdf 1 14/03/2016 6:24:49 PM

rom the day I started in the industry in the 1980s, it has been said that “C3” (greater than normal) is the standard clearance for deep groove ball bearings in electric motors.

But why is this so?

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

The deep groove ball bearing (DGBB), as a mass-produced high volume, standardized industrial product, was essentially invented in the 1880s. Back then things were slower. By this I mean machinery ran slower and therefore the temperature difference between the shaft and housing was not that great, and not as much clearance was needed to compensate for heat generation. As well, the only reference for how much clearance should be in a DGBB was plain, sliding bearings.

As machines have advanced, and run faster, smaller and more efficient, the clearances devised and locked in by international standards have become obsolete. It stands to reason that we cannot expect a deep groove ball bearing clearance set in the 1880s to be correct for an electric motor in 2016.

So if the DGBB is C3, then does the cylindrical roller bearing need to be C3? Since roller bearings were developed after DGBB, we had developed some knowledge of how rolling element bearings work and, as such, we made the initial clearances of CRBs greater than DGBBs (of the same dimensions).

So it would not be unusual to have a DGBB with C3 and CRB with CN (normal) in the same motor. So when would you use C3 in a CRB? One rule of thumb is when the operating speed is above 75 per cent of the reference speed. Certainly one should follow the recommendation from the motor manufacturer as they should know how the motor behaves.

On a related note, CRBs also often have a greater interference amount with the shaft than do DGBBs. This is due the expected heavier loads that can be applied to CRBs. With a heavier interference fit, more clearance is taken out of the bearing. This is another reason for greater clearances in roller bearings. MRO Douglas Martin is a heavy duty industry engineer based in Vancouver.

He specializes in the design of rotating equipment, failure analysis and lubrication. Reach him by email at mro.whats.up.doug@gmail.com.

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2016-03-15 11:16 AM

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Browning, McGill, Sealmaster and System Plast are trademarks of Regal Beloit Corporation or one of its affiliated companies. ©2016 Regal Beloit Corporation, All Rights Reserved. MCAD16001E • Form# 9945E

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

April 2016

WHAT’S NEW IN BEARINGS Sealmaster Paver Bearings

Self Aligning Ball Bearings

Sealmaster Paver Bearings will demonstrate why they are industry standard for OEM builders of asphalt equipment. Engineered with various combinations of front and rear double-lip contact seals that withstand temperatures up to 400°F, Sealmaster Paver bearings can further protect interior components with optional front and rear rotating seals, as well as optional shields. The high-temperature components and three layers of protection enable the bearings to effectively shield the interior components and resist the heat and erosion of asphalt. Ductile or cast iron housings are available in eight mounting configurations.

Regal Beloit www.RegalBeloit.com

This type of ball bearing is recommended when alignment of the shaft and housing is difficult and the shaft may flex. The outer ring has a spherical raceway and its centre of curvature coincides with that of the bearing; therefore, the axis of the inner ring, balls and cage can deflect to some extent around the bearing center.

Pressed steel and polyamide cages are available. Since the contact angle is small, the axial load capacity is low.

The permissible dynamic misalignment is approx. 0.07 to 0.12 radian (4 to 7 degrees) under normal loads.

NSK www.nskamericas.com

SKF corrosion-resistant bearings for food industry

SKF has developed a stainless steel deep groove ball bearing with blue seal that fulfill FDA and EC requirements.

The bearing is also filled with food-grade grease registered by NSF as category H1. The new product is designed to further raise the compliance of its corrosion resistant range of ball bearings for the food and beverage industries. The Food Line family includes 19 different standard sizes of deep groove ball bearings from SKF’s extensive range, in diameters ranging from 8 to 40mm.

SKF www.skf.ca

HIGH LOADS AND HIGH SPEEDS. PRECISELY. NSK NH/NS Series Linear Guides NSK NH/NS Series Linear Guides offer maximum precision combined with extremely high load ratings. Featuring state-of-the-art advancements in ball groove geometry and ball circulating path, load ratings and rating life have been increased dramatically while attaining smooth and quiet circulation well-suited to high speed applications. Outstanding accuracy ensures that the object in motion is positioned precisely and moves optimally, every time.

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BALL BEARINGS

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ROLLER BEARINGS

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LINEAR MOTION PRODUCTS

|

TECHNICAL SERVICES

2016-02-25 11:39 AM

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

April 2016

WHAT’S NEW IN SAFETY Controller From Rockwell Automation Simplifies Machine Safety

Standardize safety with the new AllenBradley Compact GuardLogix 5370 controller from Rockwell Automation. Users no longer need separate networks and controllers for safety and motion in applications with up to 16 axes. The Compact GuardLogix 5370 controller achieves Safety Integrity Level 3, Performance Level e and Category 4 – the highest ratings for machine safety.

When used in combination with the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 5500 servo drive or the Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 527 AC drive, users have integrated safe torque off on EtherNet/IP. Rockwell Automation Inc. www.rockwellautomation.com

Pneumatic jet fan blowers Saf-T-Gas restraints are designed to protect gas cylinders from theft and unauthorized access. The heavy-duty metal diamonds sizes prohibits from tampering with the gas tanks. Dualpurpose padlock minimizes the use of keys. Gas cylinder cages are made of galvanized steel. Heavy-duty mesh allows visibility and provides product security.

Meets OSHA and NFPA58 requirements.

Safety signage included.

Allegro Industries manufacturers a complete line of blowers such as its versatile 20” and 24” Jet Fans. Well suited for ventilating confined spaces containing volatile fumes such as large tanks or vessels. The heavy-duty aluminum jet fan can be used as a blower or exhaust by simply reverse mounting.

Compressed air is pushed through a nozzle at the end of each blade causing the fan to propel at speeds up to 11,000 CFM or 16,900 CFM respectively at 100 psig quickly and efficiently.

Illinois Engineered Products www.illinoisengineeredproducts.com

Allegro Industries www.allegrosafety.com

Gas cylinder cages

Protection that keeps you in motion.

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For more information go to rustoleum.com/industrial or call customer service at 800-899-1729. ©2016 Copyright Rust-Oleum Corporation

MRO_April_Rustoleum.indd 1

2016-03-02 1:20 PM

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

April 2016

WHAT’S NEW IN BELTS & CHAINS

Regal turnkey retrofits of live-roller conveyor Regal Power Transmission Solutions offers Promat as a turnkey retrofit program that transforms live-roller conveyor for sustainable, high-uptime performance. Combining its System Plast modular plastic belt and chain, high-efficiency Hub City or Grove Gear drives and long-lived Sealmaster material handling bearings, Regal provides single-source or à la carte capabilities for on-site evaluation, consulting, layout design, validation and installation.

The variety of conveying surfaces available from System Plast creates new options for every material handling need from single bottles to cases, people and even cars.

Regal Power Transmission Solutions www.RegalPTS.com

Corrosion-resistant stainless steel chains Chain manufacturer iwis drives systems manufactures corrosion-free CF stainless steel chains that are ideal for use in the food industry and other applications requiring a high level of corrosion resistance. In standardized salt spray tests at iwis the new CF (Corrosion Free) stainless steel chains demonstrated outstanding corrosion resistance and excellent fatigue strength. iwis www.iwisusa.com

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Literature Guide BRECOflex CO., L.L.C. is the pioneer and world leader in the Polyurethane Timing Belt industry. We offer our customers the widest range of timing belts, stock and custom metal pulleys, and accessories as illustrated in the B212 catalog. All drive components are designed and manufactured with highest priority given to quality and precision.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

April 2016

Explosion-proof stop/start momentary switch

Fastec Imaging’s IL5 high-speed camera Fastec Imaging’s IL5 High-Speed 5MP Camera allows remote monitoring and troubleshooting of your manufacturing process. At any given time, record production lines moving at high-speed for analysis or troubleshooting using slow motion replay so you can see what you have been missing with normal speed video. All models record over 3,200 fps at VGA resolution and more than 18,000 fps at smaller resolutions.

Larson Electronics has a 10-amp explosion proof momentary push button switch for controlling machinery or process in industrial and commercial applications.

The EPS-2XPB-SG-MS explosionproof momentary switch is Class 1 Division 1 & 2 and Class 2 Division 1 & 2 rated for hazardous locations.

Constructed for heavy duty use and is factory sealed, eliminating the need for added seal fittings and compound.

Larson Electronics www.larsonelectronics.com

Tower Light Line temporary lighting

Fastec Imaging www.fastecimaging.com

The Tower Light is an inflatable, temporary lighting solution designed for use in lighting both large and confined areas.

A cylindrical load-bearing nylon tower is inflated with constant air pressure delivered by an integral blower system. The units can be installed and ready for operation in approximately one minute with no special tools or additional components. Designed for indoor/outdoor use and can operate from readily available 115 VAC, 60 Hz electrical power sources or self-contained, gasoline engine-powered generator systems for remote site applications. The tower fabric is easy to clean with soap and water.

Sumitomo DFC doublesided 90º milling cutter The Sumitomo DFC double-sided 90º milling cutter is engineered for exceptional precision and efficiency. The high toughness and special shape of the DFC six-edge insert ensure long-term, stable cutting and high efficiency machining with high feed rates.

Cutting edges are optimized to provide excellent surface finishes. Low cutting forces and high wear resistance of Sumitomo’s DFC result in a long tool life. Machining accuracy is enhanced through the separation of the insert contact areas and cutting edges. In addition, a double-sided insert design reduces costs.

Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc. sumicarbide.com/milling_dfc.htm

Victaulic Refuse-toFuse joining system for HDPE Pipe Victaulic launched its Refuseto-Fuse system for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe.

Featuring a range of couplings and fittings, the Victaulic Refuse-to-Fuse system offers installation up to 10 times faster than fusing while meeting or exceeding the performance capabilities of traditional fused joints.

Victaulic www.victaulic.com

General Equipment Company www.generalequip.com

Lincoln electrically driven lubricator SKF rolled out the Lincoln electrically driven lubricator (EDL1). Utilizing progressive metering devices, the EDL1 has been developed for usage in sectional lubrication systems as well as in large machines with different lubrication requirements at varying distances. This easy to use dosage and pressure-booster pump is designed to increase input pressure of at least 2 bar (29 psi) up to a maximum of 280 bar (4,061 psi). As an affordable lubrication solution, the EDL1 can be used with existing tubing, fitting material and filling pumps.

SKF www.skf.com

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

P A R T S April 2016

EDITOR’S SELECTIONS

Industry 4.0

A whitepaper from Rittal, “IT infrastructure in the context of Industry 4.0,” discusses the demands that Industry 4.0 is placing on existing infrastructures. According to the Mississauga, Ont.-based enclosure manufacturer, Industry 4.0 supplies a concept of how businesses can automate their production processes even more, and shows how machines can network with each other and make production processes more flexible.

The whitepaper shows how IT and production are interlinked through the interdependences between the “office” and “factory” sectors. A comparison of the requirements for IT systems in production and the data centre helps in developing concrete solutions. It shows how managers in production environments face similar challenges to system administrators. However, there are

Key Performance Indicators The Plant Engineering & Maintenance Association of Canada (PEMAC) released its inaugural whitepaper, “Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) KPIs for Measuring Success.” The authors – a working group of experts from a number of industries – discuss which KPIs maintenance and reliability professionals should use to measure the effectiveness and success of RCM programs.

The whitepaper outlines three categories of KPIs for measuring success of an RCM program, namely, KPIs to determine that RCM is being applied to the “right scope” of assets; KPI’s to determine if the “right maintenance” has been applied to this scope of assets; and KPIs to measure and guide continuous improvement.

Download the whitepaper at www.pemac.org.

EDITOR’S SELECTIONS

It costs approximately 50 per cent more to repair a failed asset than if the problem had been addressed prior to failure.

—U.S. National Response Center

Focus on your worst performers first. Improvements there can pay back quickly and often help fund more improvements.

—James Reyes-Picknell, President, Conscious Asset

significant differences at the field and machine level. To achieve Industry 4.0 initiatives, the two spheres must continue to grow together and data quality is identified as one of the success factors. Download the whitepaper at www.rittal.com/whitepaper.

Mr. 0 The Practical Problem Solver

Simple, on-site fluid analysis techniques The benefits of condition monitoring through fluid analysis can make the difference between maximizing oil change-out intervals and making a call on whether equipment is fit for service. Regular fluid analysis will detect contaminants from the manufacturing environment and prevent unnecessary wear on the equipment.

If you want complete information, send it to the laboratory.

In 99.9 per cent of cases, the lab can provide the best analysis because they are equipped, they are trained, they are experienced and they follow standards. They can do the oil analysis in the best way possible.

However, there are readily available oil analysis kits and some plants do their own standard testing or basic testing. From there, they may need more information and send it to the lab.

The other method I have seen onsite is low-cost patch microscopy or patch testing. This is good because maintenance personnel can see particles with a magnifier or a microscope. The test will give an indication of whether there are any iron or dirt particles in the oil and can experience and information that will help maintenance personnel determine whether a more sophisticated test is required.

Another first line of defence test is checking the viscosity – how “runny” is it? Of course, visual testing is automatic – one sees how dirty the oil sample looks. This is a more subjective test.

Other tests to direct maintenance decisions include testing acidity or alkalinity, soluble and insoluble contaminants, oxidation stability, or checking the anti-corrosion and anti-rust characteristics. Keep in mind that unless the maintenance staff is trained on issues that can arise from contaminants, taking the appropriate preventive action for correcting each problem can be challenging.

This issue’s tip came from Liane Harris, Certified Ultrasound and Vibration Specialist, ECS2 Group Inc.

From Woodland to Mill...

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