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OCTOBER 2019

SOLUTIONS 19 | Selecting lubricating greases: What you should know Pay close attention to specifications and monitor operations closely

25 | Industrial fire systems: Defining the key players A team is made up of skilled individuals

Cover image courtesy: Olympus

Editor’s Insight 5 | The progress of analytics in the industrial enterprise

Research 7 | Safety in manufacturing facilities

INSIGHTS 8 | Four trends changing manufacturing as we know it Addressing manufacturing use cases that deal with unstructured inputs.

13 | Forge a path to data-driven maintenance excellence And then use metrics to track the progress being made

28 | How to deal with wet or flooded motors Saltwater becomes a major problem

32 | Redesign maintenance processes to optimize PdM automation Set the stage for a successful transition from manual to IIoT-enhanced, predictive maintenance.

35 | Optimize a maintenance program for rotating equipment Some things to think about when it comes to reliability

INSIDE: OIL & GAS ENGINEERING 4 | API 18.2 recommendations improve level instrumentation 10 | Active analytics can drive better business decisions 13 | Rail-supplied midstream propane terminal optimized for safety 19 | Midstream’s dilemma with rotating equipment

PLANT ENGINEERING (ISSN 0032-082X, Vol. 73, No. 8, GST #123397457) is published 10x per year, monthly except in January and July, by CFE Media, LLC, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325, Downers Grove, IL 60515. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. PLANT ENGINEERING copyright 2019 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. PLANT ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Periodicals postage paid at Downers Grove, IL 60515 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at CFE Media, LLC, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325, Downers Grove, IL 60515. E-mail: PE@omeda.com. Postmaster: send address changes to PLANT ENGINEERING, PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60009. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60009. Email: PE@omeda.com. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions, including all issues: USA, $165/yr; Canada, $200/yr (includes 7% GST, GST#123397457); Mexico, $200/yr; International air delivery $350/yr. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $30.00 USA, $35.00 Canada/Mexico and $40.00 Other International. Please address all subscription mail to PLANT ENGINEERING, PO Box 348, Lincolnshire, IL 60009. Printed in the USA. CFE Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.

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CONTENT SPECIALISTS/EDITORIAL KEVIN PARKER, Editor KParker@CFEMedia.com JACK SMITH, Managing Editor JSmith@CFEMedia.com AMANDA PELLICCIONE, Director of Research 860-432-4767, APelliccione@CFEMedia.com CHRIS VAVRA, Production Editor CVavra@CFEMedia.com SUSIE BAK, Production Coordinator SBak@CFEMedia.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD H. LANDIS “LANNY” FLOYD, IEEE Life Fellow H.Landis.Floyd@gmail.com JOHN GLENSKI, President, Automation Plus jglenski@processplus.com SHON ISENHOUR, Partner, Eruditio LLC sisenhour@EruditioLLC.com DR. SHI-WAN LIN, CEO and co-founder, Thingswise, LLC Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) board member shiwanlin@thingswise.com JOHN MALINOWSKI, Senior manager of industry affairs (retired), Baldor Electric Company DAVID SKELTON, Vice president and general manager Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing dskelton@phoenixcontact.com BILLY RAY TAYLOR, Director of commercial and off-highway manufacturing The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Billytaylor@goodyear.com LARRY TURNER, President and CEO, Hannover Fairs USA lturner@hfusa.com MARK WATSON, Senior director, manufacturing technology, IHS Markit Mark.watson@ihsmarkit.com

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INSIGHTS

By Kevin Parker, Editor

The progress of analytics in the industrial enterprise At the recent Emerson Exchange event, Peter Zornio, chief technology officer, Emerson Automation Solutions, delivered the presentation that was needed. With more than 900 analytics suppliers in the market today, the talk amounted to a succinct account of how some basic types of analytics are being applied and how analytics markets are forming. Operational analytics with embedded domain expertise are available to address 80% of the equipment failure modes contributing to production loss, Zornio said. With the acquisition and the integration of KNet into the PlantWeb asset performance platform, solutions include prepackaged analytics and a toolbox for application development.

The kind of things

As to the kinds of analytics, they constitute principles-driven and data-driven, with two kinds of each. First-principles analytics are based on physical and thermodynamics laws of how things work, while rules-based analysis is a kind of principles-driven analysis based on observation and domain expertise, including failure mode effect analysis (FMEA). On the other hand, data-driven analytics include, first, statistical models based on techniques like linear and other type regression, and second, advanced analytics that include artificial intelligence and machine learning, often based on pattern recognition. Roughly put, the domain of principlesdriven analytics are the pumps, heat exchangers and myriad other equipment types whose principles of operations are well understood by the engineering community. Root cause analyses and FMEA asset templates are by Emerson embedded in fault trees. On the other hand, the realm of machine learning and artificial intelligence are the complex problems and to-be-discovered challenges native to plant and enterprise systems, where custom configurations of complex systems lead to unknowns. www.plantengineering.com

Surveys taken by Emerson indicate that most companies have engineers that can use analytics tools. About 69% of respondents say they have engineers that use analytics tools to develop models for known problems, while 39% say they have data scientists to develop artificial intelligence models to address complex patterns. “We want preconfigured solutions so that the end users can configure it themselves without the need to have a data scientist who can write code,” said one survey respondent. Despite obvious progress, companies are struggling with how to scale the advances made. In one sense, it’s about how a corporate headquarters and its business units work together. It’s the role of headquarters to work on the vision, set standards, allocate budgets and perhaps provide teams of specialists. The business units must do the work. “But plants don’t do everything the corporate mandates,” Zornio said. “They too are using new solutions, but without connection to corporate that solution is isolated.”

Case use examples

In one example of success, a business unit developed an IIoT/analytics solution for steam traps, of which it had many, and then shared it with corporate. Corporate applied the same type approach to heat exchangers, coupled it with a cloud-based strategy and then shared across multiple sites. Robert Sentz, FMRD manufacturing technology engineer with 3M specialty chemical and adhesive business unit said it has a digital transformation vision to address challenges related to aging equipment, less experienced workforce, increased production demand and environmental, health and safety sustainability. Aspects include batch analytics and process modeling for batch automation and control systems; greater use of real-time process analytical technology; operator guided development of work practices; and reliability/analytics to develop predictive and diagnostics analysis techniques. PE

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research 2019 SAFETY STUDY

Safety in manufacturing facilities The average facility uses robotics for 8% of manufacturing operations. Source: Plant Engineering 2018 Salary Survey

4 in 10

plant engineers/ maintenance professionals report aging equipment as the leading cause of unscheduled downtime at their facilities. Source: Plant Engineering 2019 Maintenance Study

51%

of facilities use a predictive maintenance strategy/ technology to support their process equipment. Source: Plant Engineering 2018 Predictive Maintenance Study

espondents to the Plant Engineering 2019 Safety Study identified five high-level findings impacting the manufacturing industries today:

1. Commitment to safety: Sixty-

Seventy-four percent of respondents have observed an increase in productivity over time due to implemented safety programs.

4. Enforcing safety: Seven in 10

facilities conduct safety audits, host regular safety meetings and have appointed a safety committee in order to enforce safety methods. Another 69% have implemented Job Safety Analysis procedures and 61% discipline, suspend or terminate staff for irresponsible actions.

three percent of operations personnel and 62% of senior management are very committed to safety in their facilities, followed by line supervisors (58%) and line workers (44%).

2. Work group safety: The work

groups that feel the safest in their daily tasks are plant management and corporate executives (77%), safety executives and managers (74%) and engineering (63%).

3. Safety programs: Ninety-six

percent of respondents believe their employees feel safe on the job, and 80% said employees feel respected by management.

Safety strategies, technologies: The top strategies or technologies that facilities use to support safety procedures include PPE (81%), lockout/tagout procedures (79%), fall protection equipment (75%) and Job Safety Analysis (75%). PE

Amanda Pelliccione is the research director at CFE Media.

number of 21: Average job-related safety training that manufacturing facility employees receive each year. Source: Plant Engineering 2019 Safety Study

M More RESEARCH All reports are available at plantengineering.com/research www.plantengineering.com

Seven in 10 facilities maintain safety best practices with the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), eye and fall protection, fall protection, and machinery and machine guarding equipment. Source: Plant Engineering PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

â&#x20AC;˘

INSIGHTS A GLIMPSE AHEAD

By Kevin Hall

Four trends changing manufacturing as we know it Addressing manufacturing use cases that deal with unstructured inputs

actories around the world have long been incredible displays of engineering and operational capability, often on the cutting edge of technology. Yet today’s factories, new and old, face challenges in adapting traditional systems and processes to modern technology trends and increasingly difficult applications. Driven by technology advances, the manufacturing industry is transforming, as identified by four emerging trends: machines as connected fleets; machines handling unstructured inputs; incorporation of AI and machine learning; and companies inviting the customer into the manufacturing process.

that are constantly improving, receiving over-the-air software updates to improve performance, and adding new functionality regularly. Many of these new capabilities are only possible due to the global fleet of systems that are constantly gathering data to help Tesla pinpoint the right features to build. The safety and quality culture in the automotive industry resisted this sort of approach for many years, yet the benefits and results are undeniable, as seen in so many other industries. In manufacturing, a similar status quo is present, with risk-averse facilities hyperfocused on production yields and costs, stuck in the traditional release cycle of equipment and software.

Machines as connected fleets

Compelling paradigm shift

Machines on the factory floor are more connected than ever, leveraging Industry 4.0 philosophies and communication protocols to stream data for central visualization and analysis, and to enable facilities and equipment providers to monitor and support systems. Yet equipment in factories is still relatively isolated from the broader network of equipment worldwide, and often even isolated from other facilities within the same company. There are many valid reasons for this, including security and intellectual property, but also many detriments that have become the norm for decades in manufacturing. From a machine or component suppliers’ point of view, there are significant global install bases of the same equipment. Some machines perform the exact same task, like sealing a cardboard box, while others vary widely, as is the case with more flexible systems, like industrial robots. But these systems are by and large disconnected due to customer isolation. There are industry-changing benefits when this global install base is viewed as a connected “fleet” of systems that can be leveraged for continuous improvement, feature enhancement and more. For an analogy, consider Tesla, the innovative electric car manufacturer. Aside from its car and battery technology, Tesla changed the game in the automotive industry by deploying a connected fleet strategy with their vehicles, and by breaking the mold of rigid software release cycles. Teslas have now become systems

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PLANT ENGINEERING

But the potential transformation in manufacturing that follows from the connected fleets paradigm is compelling. Equipment manufacturers can become more competitive and increase profits by allowing customers to opt-in to their connected fleet, lowering the barrier of remote support, maintenance monitoring and software updates, while opening monetization opportunities with new features. Companies operating facilities will get more out of their investment in equipment, which won’t be stuck in feature stasis, but rather constantly improving as the fleet improves and new features become available. Imagine a valve manufacturer develops a software update that decreases air consumption by 3% for a particular valve bank; or a robot manufacturer improves the Power ON time by 2 seconds after an E-Stop; or a sensor manufacturer improves the response time logic on a sensor amplifier by a few milliseconds. Imagine a metal detector manufacturer updates their HMI to optimize setup times based on A&B testing within the fleet; or a software update on a case packer machine increases performance by 10% based on learning gleaned from an installation in Spain; or an assembly work cell supplier preemptively sends new consumable components based on fleet data. These are common improvements, that equipment and component manufacturers are constantly making to www.plantengineering.com

remain competitive, yet they are typically only released on new equipment. As the industry moves toward connected fleets of systems, these sorts of enhancements will be realizable in more and more factories, a trend that has the potential to fundamentally modernize the manufacturing industry.

Getting better at unstructured inputs

Factories are traditionally some of the most well organized and structured settings in the world. With costs and yields paramount, structured inputs have been historically the key to optimize the performance of automated machines. But many manufacturing use cases aren’t so lucky and must deal with unstructured inputs. Think of anything from the natural world – fruits and vegetables, for instance – or machines that deal with anything of varying size and shape, like recycling trash or handling soft goods. Building a facility with automation that can deal with unstructured inputs while maintaining efficiencies is an extremely difficult thing to do. Many of these applications have been solved with humans in the past, but with advances in technologies like robotics and computer vision, an increasing number of less structured manufacturing use cases are now cost effective with a combination of humans and automation. Semi-automated stations that leverage humans for their inherent strengths and layer automation and software for their strengths is an increasingly common strategy. Collaborative robots and other sensorassisted processes are effective solutions for many use cases. When considering adding additional automation, these stations are also excellent sources of the data that supports data-driven decisions. “Rules-based” computer vision approaches are the norm in automation for inspection or pick and place systems, yet these systems are fragile when dealt a highly variable input. Machine learningbased vision systems are a critical technology needed to robustly handle variable inputs and guide automation. Additionally, facilities that deal with unstructured input must maintain a flexible manufacturing floor and leverage data to make predictive or realtime optimization decisions. In other words, they must be flexible enough to know what kind of content is coming through their supply chain or facility, plan accordingly route that content appropriately, and then process it as efficiently as possible.

www.plantengineering.com

AI and machine learning

Most industries are just starting to scratch the surface when it comes to AI and machine learning (ML), and manufacturing is no exception. Factories and equipment manufacturers around the world have more data than ever before, and as more and more machines get connected, turning this data into actionable insights is critical to remain competitive. But with so much data available, and given overwhelming hype around AI, choosing the right applications is key. Vision inspection is a great example of an area where ML is already making a major impact in manufacturing facilities. As discussed above, “rulesbased” vision approaches are time consuming to build and fragile when trying to look for anything unstructured. Defects on a structured part or ideal pick locations on a fruit, are examples of historically challenging use cases. However, the ability for ML models to be trained on hundreds or thousands of examples of what “good” and “bad” look like, or where the center of a blob is, and then create a robust model that analyzes features no human would ever train as a “rule,” is transformative. Many manufacturing facilities are already creating this labeled training data on existing systems that have cameras, it just needs to be stored and leveraged appropriately. Considering the trend toward fleets of systems and more frequent software updates being available, factories that align with technology providers that are globally collecting data and improving vision models for common part types and use cases, will gain a strategic advantage over companies that rely on isolated vision tools. Of course, for customized use cases this may not apply, but for many common

PLANT ENGINEERING

Advances in connectivity are allowing for a restructuring of how machines and humans collaborate. Image courtesy: Ripcord

October 2019

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INSIGHTS

A GLIMPSE AHEAD

use cases, like food product inspection, why reinvent the wheel? Big data use cases are on the rise under the Industry 4.0 banner, which certainly opens exciting opportunities for AI and ML. The increasing availability of historical and real-time production, machine and supply-chain data is the key to unlock future insights using ML. Whether it’s deep learning-based vision systems, predictive maintenance or automated supply chain decisions, AI will continue to transform manufacturing as we know it, enabling companies and manufacturers to enhance performance, decrease costs and drive profits.

Inviting customers into the manufacturing process

In this future state, with connected fleets of rapidly improving machines in distributed manufacturing facilities across the world, where does the end customer come in? What visibility does the customer have into the process? Today, not much. But in the future, with increased personalization of products and customer demand for real-time updates, manufactur-

ers should look to take advantage of their process and data to engage with customers. Understandably, consumer applications are already heavily engaged with customers providing real-time update dashboards for orders or tracking information on where a delivery is in real time. But for an average end customer, they will have little to no idea where or how a manufactured product was made. Other than the “Made in ____” line on the product or, potentially, episodes of “How It’s Made,” consumers aren’t exposed to the incredible supply-chain of people, machines, and factories that it takes to produce the products we use every day. Inviting customers into this process will increase engagement and visibility of all the work necessary by manufacturing companies to deliver products, which will in turn lead to better awareness and customer loyalty. These are just a few of the exciting trends to look out for as manufacturing continues to evolve with technology. PE Kevin Hall is chief technology officer and co-founder, Ripcord.

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INSIGHTS

THE MAINTENANCE JOURNEY

By Paul Lachance

Forge a path to data-driven maintenance excellence And then use metrics to track the progress being made

he path to maintenance excellence can go many ways. Some never start the journey and suffer the consequences. For others, it can be a long and winding road – sometimes one that dead ends. For the most profitable organizations, the road is straight and clear. Following along with the above analogy: Imagine you need to drive somewhere. You're late and not exactly sure how to get there. You jump in your car, anxious to get to the destination, and look at the dashboard – it resembles that of a 1920s Ford Model T. No speedometer, no GPS with directions, just a steering wheel and windshield. Now, imagine being in the same predicament in a brand-new Tesla. The dashboard is set up with meaningful information – speed, engine alerts, detailed mapping. In which case are you more likely to get to the destination efficiently and safely? The journey to maintenance excellence is also far more likely to be achievable with the right data to help along the way.

First things, first

Does your organization understand the value of what the maintenance people do? If you have been around the manufacturing world for a while, you may remember earlier stereotypes of maintenance people: blue-collar men who are called only when things are going badly – to put out fires, then run back to their basement office. They were undervalued, and profitability suffered as a result. Today, maintenance women and men are just as valued as any other critical part of a manufacturing organization. They can impact profitability in many ways. For example, say business is good: Sales are going well and the demands on production increase to the point where decisions are needed on expanding production lines, adding another shift or some other expensive method to keep up with demand. Or the same results could be achieved by moving from 87% uptime to 94% uptime. Maintenance can help profitability as much as anyone. www.plantengineering.com

If the organization does not understand this value, then communicating that to them should be the first goal. Communication and transparency around the important work that the maintenance department does is the first step. Start automating reports to go to supervisors or even executives. Include data points that show work completion rates, what’s been accomplished, the time or money saved, as well as areas that may need more resources to get the job done.

Map out the path

It starts with a plan. It helps to have a map to where things are going. At minimum, a destination. Otherwise, how are you going to get there? Make sure the right team is involved in the plan, which includes:

Management – Operational, financial and information technology departments, among others. Maintenance team – Rather than force a plan on the maintenance staff, involve them in the process. They will have excellent advice (although it may need filtering) and they will support it when it comes time to implement. A CMMS partner – It is significantly easier to have professional resources to help organize thoughts, create a plan and ultimately see it gets implemented within a CMMS (computerized maintenance management system). Improvement starts with recognizing your goals, objectives and pain-points. Use a whiteboard and jot down what is keeping you up at night, hurting efficiency and ultimately profitability. • Is unexpected downtime hurting production schedules? • Are you not able to keep up with the work orders in front of you? PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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INSIGHTS

THE MAINTENANCE JOURNEY backlog, there needs to be the right balance. For some, it’s possible to have too small of a backlog, or at least it needs to be verified if that’s true. Some possibilities include: Is the plant over-staffed? Are enough preventive maintenance work orders (WO) being generated? Shorter backlog is typically always better than longer. Just make sure it is accurate. For most, their WO backlog is too long, often for the following reasons:

It's hard to navigate without a map. A dashboard can orient a maintenance department as to where it is, and where it should be. All images courtesy: Dude Solutions

• Are missing key spare parts contributing to the issues? Make a list and debate – these will ultimately be tracked and remedied in a CMMS solution. The CMMS provider will be able to help organize your needs and make sure that the software is configured to help make that pain go away. You should be able to easily see progress and course correct when needed. Often, the CMMS provider will have data experts on hand to guide you on the path to better entering, extracting and using operations data.

Find your most effective metrics

There are no magic metrics. The CMMS can harness lots of data and demonstrate with metrics and analytics that measure where the organization is today, where it needs to be and what progress looks like. These could be in the form of simple single number values, charts, reports or key performance indicators (KPIs). There are literally hundreds of possible metrics that could be tracked. They vary from role to role and can even change over time as progress is made or as plans change. One thing is for sure: Unless you have a solid handle on what the goals and objectives and ultimately an idea of where the path needs to lead, it won’t be possible to have an effective list of the metrics, data and analytics needed. Here are three common areas of metrics that manufacturers might want to regularly look at:

1. Backlog “Backlog,” roughly speaking, is how much work is sitting around – typically in the form of work orders, corrective or preventive. Backlog is often described in days or weeks (i.e. “We have 6 weeks of backlogged PM”). The goal is to reduce the backlog to an efficient level. While there will always be some level of 14

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PLANT ENGINEERING

• Unable to get to preventive maintenance WOs • Understaffed or possibly inappropriate allocation of staff to WOs • Inability to find and correct reoccurring issues or other profit-killing patterns. Here are some tools you can use to balance out your backlog:

Simple work views on a shareable dashboard – What’s needed is a clean and simple way to

see and share with others (like technicians, foremen, supervisors and others) what work is taking place.

A prioritized list of work – This should be more than just a simple list of open WOs. Work should be organized by “calculated criticality” – the idea being not to just rely on priority but take into account the criticality of the assets being worked on. An extreme example would be someone making an emergency WO because the coffee machine is broken. A balanced team – A CMMS job planner/ scheduler can show metrics on which teammates are overloaded or underloaded, allowing for a properly balanced workload. This leads to less burnout and more efficient advances on reducing backlog.

2. Stock-Outs

“Stock-outs” are the dreaded situation where there is a WO (PM or corrective), and a part isn’t available needed to finish the job. We have all been there: it’s a big production run, timing is tight, and then, wham – downtime. That stings enough on its own, but when you go to get the part you need, it's not there. Worse yet, it will take a while to get the part and cost a fortune to get it. That’s the general pain of a stock-out. Stock-outs can be a profit killer and should be avoided. www.plantengineering.com

GRAYBAR KNOWS INDUSTRIAL “When we need a product – we know it will be there because we use Graybar SmartStock® to accurately manage our stockroom. And if we need a specialty part, the Graybar team will get the product locally or from one of their nationwide locations fast – so we can focus on what we do best – manufacturing high-quality switchgear.” Tony Thornton | Carolina Products, Inc input #9 at www.plantengineering.com/information

1-800-GRAYBAR | graybar.com

INSIGHTS

THE MAINTENANCE JOURNEY to have a solid plan and CMMS to improve that ratio. This process takes a lot of work beyond the metrics. It requires a proactive maintenance culture and dedication to working productively and efficiently while demonstrating outcomes. Assuming the organization is dedicated to this, there are numerous metrics that should be tracked. Here are some metrics that can be used to help balance preventive and corrective maintenance :

Metrics on equipment downtime both pinpoint constraints to improved productivity and can be an indicator of the effectiveness of a maintenance program.

Reducing stock-outs really speaks to the ability to manage inventory and purchasing processes. Is it known what parts will be needed? Are the right parts available, at the right price and the right time? Get this right and stock-outs will go down. Get it wrong and lots of issues can occur, including the extending of the work order backlog. Here are some tools to help with stock-outs :

A job planner – This CMMS tool can support efforts to optimize the balance of work throughout the team.

A solid list of parts – Capture the parts in proper locations and associate them with the right assets, as in a bill of materials (BOM). PMs should have the parts associated with them, including part reservation or just-in-time ordering.

Analysis on sources of downtime – Be able to pinpoint what is causing downtime (with problem codes, cause codes or other) and identify chronic issues so that PMs can be set to avoid them in the future.

Easily searchable inventory – The ability to look up parts where they are located, levels and related, on a desktop or mobile device.

Move forward together

A dashboard that shows when parts are low – The ability to see what parts there are short-

ages of and have an automatic email notification when that’s the case.

A way to see future needs – See upcoming PMs to better understand what parts/kits will be needed.

3. 80/20 Rule

The Society of Maintenance and Reliability Professionals call for 80% of work orders to be preventive and 20% be corrective for a facility be considered “stable.” Beyond that, 90%/10% is considered “world class.” Do you even know your ratio? How is it trending? Even if you are on the other, “firefighting” end of that ratio, it should be possible to measure it and

•

Ratio of PMs/CM s – This should be seen on the dashboard, because it indicates how work is trending.

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PLANT ENGINEERING

Visibility into the future PMs – Everyone should be able to see what work is coming up daily, weekly and monthly.

With the right vehicle, path and destination, or as it would be said in the maintenance world, the right tools, plan and metrics, maintenance excellence is achievable and rewarding. Make sure the organization understands how critical the team is to overall success – and that’s where data, metrics and KPIs come in to make numbers more visual and actionable. To build a solid plan, have the right team and technology, as well as defined goals and objectives. Align metrics to coincide with those objectives. It’s then possible for everyone to work toward a stronger future, together. PE Paul Lachance is the senior manufacturing advisor at Dude Solutions. He's devoted his entire career to optimizing maintenance teams by enabling datadriven decisions and actionable insights. He wrote his first CMMS system in 2004 and has since spent his professional career designing and directing CMMS and EAM systems. www.plantengineering.com

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input #10 at www.plantengineering.com/information

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input #11 at www.plantengineering.com/information

SOLUTIONS THE SCIENCE OF TRIBOLOGY

By Dr. Anoop Kumar and Nancy McGuire

Selecting lubricating greases: What you should know Pay close attention to specifications and monitor operations closely

eople have been using lubricants since ancient times, possibly since the invention of the wheel, to reduce friction and wear between two mating surfaces. A wagon dating back to 1450 BC recovered from the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was found to have lubricant material (probably made from fat and lime) in its wheel hubs. Lubricants of various sorts have been used continuously since then, but tribology was not defined as a science until British scientist H. Peter Jost published a groundbreaking report in 1966 that quantified the potential economic benefits of systematic efforts to reduce friction and wear. He coined the term tribology to mean the study of friction, wear and lubrication. Jost estimated that friction was responsible for energy losses – including heat production and greater fuel costs – costing some £2 billion (£20 billion in today’s currency) within the UK alone. He also estimated that proper tribological practices and maintenance procedures could save some 25% of this cost.

Oils and greases Figure 1: Grease on bearings and a gear. All images courtesy: Royal Manufacturing Co.

Lubricants can be divided into oils (liquid) and greases (semi-solid). Although greases represent only about 2% by weight of this category (2.48 billion pounds per year worldwide), they provide lubrication in high-pressure, high-load situations where oils are not effective. Worldwide, the demand for lubricating greases has risen from 1.64 billion pounds in 2002

www.plantengineering.com

to 2.48 billion pounds in 2015. Much of this rise in demand comes from rapidly developing countries like China, whose grease demand rose from 199 million pounds in 2002 to 884 million pounds in 2015. More mature markets like North America have remained fairly steady in total demand (484 million pounds in 2002 versus 481 million pounds in 2015), but these markets are showing a stronger trend toward high-performance greases than the rest of the world. Greases are commonly used for bearings, gears, bushings, chain drives and wire ropes (see Figure 1). Between 80% and 90% of roller bearings are lubricated with greases because grease provides better sealing and load-carrying properties, and it shows a higher resistance to dirt, dust and temperature extremes than oil lubricants can provide. The tradeoff comes in grease’s poorer cooling properties (in part because the grease remains in place rather than circulating through the system) and in its viscous resistance (the drag that a grease layer exerts on moving parts). The dm.N factor (sometimes called the DmN factor) is a useful metric for choosing a bearing lubricant that will perform well under a given set of conditions. This factor is obtained by multiplying the bearing speed in revolutions per minute (rpm) by the average of the outer diameter and bore diameter of the bearing in millimeters. For a given lubricant viscosity (measured at 40 C, 104 F), a value of dm.N exceeding the corresponding

PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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SOLUTIONS

THE SCIENCE OF TRIBOLOGY Figure 2: Grease matrix micrograph.

Table 1: Typical limiting values of dm.N.

critical viscosity rating indicates that oil, rather than grease, should be used as the lubricant (although some specialty greases can be used for dm.N factors as high as 1 million). Table 1 shows some typical limiting values of dm.N, above which oil is the preferred lubricant. Typical limiting values of dm.N for various types of bearings are shown in Table 2.

What is a lubricating grease?

Table 2:

Lubricating greases consist of at least 80% base oils, some 10% to 15% thickener, with the remainder being additives. However, making a grease is not simply a matter of mixing a set of ingredients together. Grease formulation is a complex process that takes into account the multiple interactions among base oils, thickeners, extreme pressure (EP) additives, anti-wear

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PLANT ENGINEERING

additives, solid lubricants, antioxidants, tackifiers and friction modifiers. The properties of the final product depend not only on the formulation but also the manufacturing process (including homogenization procedures) and the conditions under which the grease is stored. Thickeners provide a fibrous matrix that contains the base oil. Under pressure, some of this oil is released into the space between the mating surfaces of the machine parts, where it provides lubrication. When the pressure is released, the oil is drawn back into the thickener matrix. At a molecular level, the thickener is attracted to the polar component of the base oil (generally the oxygen atoms in a triglyceride or other oxygenated oil molecule). These attractions take the form of hydrogen bonding, capillary action and van der Waals forces, and they entrap about 75% of oil within the thickener. About a third of the oil in this 75% can be extracted from the thickener matrix by gravity alone. The remaining 20% to 25% of the oil is bound within the thickener matrix by mechanical entrapment and can only be extracted using solvents or extreme conditions (see Figure 2). Most thickeners are soap based (i.e., they are metal salts or metal complexes with organic fat [glyceride] compounds). Worldwide, about 55% of thickeners are simple lithium soaps, and about 19% are lithium complex soaps. For North America, these figures are 26% and 39%, respectively, and for China they are 63% and 17%, respectively. Other grease thickeners include simple soaps based on calcium, sodium or aluminum; complex soaps based on calcium, aluminum, barium or various sulfonates; and non-soap thickeners based on polyurea compounds and clays. Overall there is a trend toward more high-performing grease thickeners, including complexes and non-soap thickeners. In recent years, concerns about the long-term availability of lithium, the most commonly used grease thickener, has driven a search for alternatives. The lithium battery industry increasingly competes for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supply of lithium, and this has already manifested itself in price increases across the board (see Table 3). The choice of a thickener has a strong influence on the overall properties of grease. Sulfonates, polyureas and clays are good for high-temperature applications. Aluminum and sulfonate greases are especially water resistant. Barium greases and sulfonates operate well under extreme pressure. Greases thickened with aluminum complexes, clays or soaps made with lithium or calcium are easier to pump than calcium sulfonate or polyurea greases, and they flow more easily www.plantengineering.com

Table 3:

through the lines and nozzles of a grease dispenser. They also have better slumpability properties (i.e., they are more easily drawn out of a drum and into a pump). Aluminum complex greases are especially sprayable. Base oils can be mineral oils (Group I or II paraffins or naphthenic oils), synthetic oils (polyalphaolefins, esters, polyalkaline glycols, silicones and others) or bio-based oils (soybean, rapeseed/canola, castor oil and others). Most greases (some 90%) use mineral oils as the base oil, 6% use synthetic base oils, 3% use semi-synthetics (mixtures of mineral and synthetic oils) and less than 1% use biobased base oils. The choice of a base oil influences a grease’s viscosity and lubricating properties, its susceptibility to oxidation and thermal degradation, its performance at high and low temperatures and how well it flows at low temperatures. In addition, vegetable oils and synthetic esters are biodegradable, which is desirable after the grease has been disposed of but not during operations. Synthetic oils have excellent flow properties at low temperatures. Additives provide any number of additional properties, depending on the desired performance characteristics. Various additives help a grease perform better under extreme pressures, protect parts from wear, guard against oxidation of the grease, guard against rust and corrosion in the parts it protects and modify friction characteristics. Solid lubricants can be used under extreme conditions. Even though less than 10% of grease consists of additives, they represent a significant part of a formulation’s cost.

What do solid lubricants do?

Under hydrodynamic conditions, the moving parts are fully separated by a liquid lubricating oil film, which minimizes friction between those parts. However, under boundary/elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions typical of heavy loads and high pressures (for example, in mining or off-highway applications), asperities on the mating surfaces will break through an oil lubricant film and come into direct contact. These asperities can cold weld together under pressure – causing pitting and wear – and creating sites where corrosion can occur. In these situations, solid or semi-solid (grease) lubricants with anti-wear additives are required. Solid lubricants physically or chemically adhere to metal surfaces, forming a protective film in the absence of a hydrodynamic lubricant layer. This protective film reduces friction and prevents welding. Solid lubricants can be layered materials like graphite or molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). Each layer of these crystalline materials is one atom thick with layers stacked like a deck of playing cards. Individual laywww.plantengineering.com

ers slide past each other easily, providing a lubricant action, but the layers resist compression when force is applied perpendicular to the layers.

High-performance requirements

General-purpose greases, including lithium 12 based (containing Li-12-hydroxystearate, a common grease thickener), calcium based and sodium based, are suitable for application temperatures below 250 F (121 C) and parts under mild loads. The presence and effectiveness of EP additives are rated using standard tests, which produce ratings like a Timken OK load or weld load. General-purpose greases generally have a 40-45-pound Timken rating and about a 250-kilogram weld load. A high-performance grease may be required when operating conditions include very high or very low temperatures, heavy loads or shock loading, very high or very low motor speeds or environments in which the grease is exposed to water, dust or dirt. Highperformance greases include lithium or aluminum complexes, calcium sulfonates, polyureas and claybased greases. High-performance greases can operate at temperatures as low as -54 F (-48 C) or as high as 450 F (232 C), and they contain EP additives that stand up under

PLANT ENGINEERING

Table 4:

October 2019

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SOLUTIONS

THE SCIENCE OF TRIBOLOGY

Table 5:

heavy loads or shock loading. These greases exhibit less than 5% washout and less than 30% spray off when exposed to water. They continue to provide lubrication at speeds exceeding 1,400 rpm.

Selecting a grease

Users can follow one or more approaches to selecting the best grease for a particular operation. Often, OEMs will provide specifications. Industry organizations like the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) also provide guidance. For example, the NLGI certifies automotive chassis greases (LA and LB) and wheel bearing greases (GA, GB and GC), with a GC-LB designation representing the highest performance classification. If a grease currently in use is working well, selecting a replacement grease can be a simple matter of matching specifications. New products can be evaluated and analyzed for suitability before putting them to use in the field, or new greases can be used in field trials and tested in actual applications. Other factors influencing grease selection include color (greases come in a wide range of colors, some of them very bright), smell and feel or tack. In a survey of customer complaints in 2015, only 14% dealt with failure in actual test properties. Of the total number of complaints, 42% were in connection with grease color, 20% dealt with consistency, 16% with tack or texture and 8% with smell. Of course, a grease with the right color and smell is of very little help if it doesn’t also hold up well in its intended application. Thus, selecting a lubricating grease will depend on the size of a bearing or gear, the operating temperature range, motor speeds, maximum loads (steady or shock), the amount of water or moisture ingress expected and the amount of dust and dirt in the environment. Merely selecting a grease with the maximum rating in each category

• October 2019

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can be cost prohibitive and may not deliver desired results; it’s better to aim for the optimum set of properties. Grease suppliers provide technical data sheets (TDS) to help in matching a grease formulation with specific parts and operating conditions (see Table 4 for an example). Ratings include mechanical and shear stability: the resistance of the grease to dripping out from between the mating surfaces. Water resistance is given as ratings for water washout, water spray off and mechanical roll stability. Weld load and Timken OK load ratings indicate EP additive presence and effectiveness. Drop point and high-temperature life indicate a grease’s performance at high temperatures. Low-temperature characteristics include low-temperature torque (LTT), pumpability, shear rate and flow (measured using a Lincoln ventmeter) and U.S. Steel mobility test ratings. Tables 5 illustrates the wide variety of grease properties and how they relate to various applications.

Different industries, different greases

Various industries show preferences for different types of greases. For example, the mining and construction industries used calcium and calcium complex greases in the past, but they are now moving toward calcium sulfonate complex greases. Lithium and lithium complex multipurpose (MP) greases and aluminum complex greases also are commonly used. Because much of the work in these applications occurs outdoors, these industries are showing greater interest in biodegradable and environmentally friendly products. Marine applications use a variety of calcium or lithium MP greases. Calcium sulfonate greases also are used because they hold up better under salt spray. Marine industries also are moving toward greases that are biodegradable and that comply with Vessel General Permit regulations. The agriculture and forestry industries use lithium MP greases, and they are moving toward vegetable-sourced (ester) base oils for their biodegradability properties. Food industry applications must comply with their own set of strict regulations, and they tend toward calcium, clay and silica greases. They also may use aluminum complex and calcium sulfonate greases. Open-gear applications relied on asphaltic-based products in the past. Now aluminum complex-based greases are preferred over other types. Constant-velocity joints may use lithium and lithium complex greases with molybdenum sulfide or graphite EP additives, or, preferably, they may use polyurea greases.

Useful tips

Getting the best performance and longest operating life out of a grease requires careful attention to the www.plantengineering.com

specifications and monitoring your operations to make sure you stay within those specifications. For instance, the life of your grease decreases by half for every 10 degrees that you exceed the recommended operating temperature. For general-purpose greases, the application temperature should be kept below 250 F (121 C). For high-performance greases, mineraltype base oils can go up to about 350 F (177 C), and synthetic base oils can go as high as 450 F (232 C). Oil bleed (the amount of oil that comes out of a grease during storage) should not exceed 5%, and keeping this to about 1% to 2% is preferable for good lubrication. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to fill the whole housing to get good lubrication: for medium to high speeds, about 50% is optimum, with more than 50% required for higher speeds. If the grease will be in contact with other types of lubricants, check for compatibility issues. This is especially important for synthetics. PE Dr. Anoop Kumar is the director for R&D and business development at Royal Manufacturing Co. LP, a company that makes high-performance oils and greases. He has a doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of

Technology and more than 25 years of experience in lubricating greases and industrial oils. Dr. Kumar is the inventor of titanium complex grease. He has published more than 80 technical papers and holds more than 20 worldwide joint patents on lubricating greases. Dr. Kumar serves as treasurer and executive committee member of NLGI and will serve as a TLT technical editor in 2018. In 2013 he received the Chevron Lubricant Award and in 2010 he received the Long Service Award from NLGI India. He is a three-time recipient of the PPC Gonsalves Award and has twice received the ISFL Best Paper Award. In 1992 he received the Khosla Research Award. Nancy McGuire is a freelance writer based in Silver Spring, Md. Advertorial

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input #13 at www.plantengineering.com/information

SOLUTIONS SAFETY AS A DISCIPLINE

By Edward Doherty

Industrial fire systems: Defining the key players A team is made up of skilled individuals

nsuring the safety of industrial facilities and the people within them is a responsibility shared by many – both inside and outside the plant. From fire protection and process instrumentation engineers to health and safety officers, everyone plays a unique, connected role in protecting the plant and its employees. Today, plant needs are evolving and the technologies in fire protection are more sophisticated to support those needs. As new technologies are introduced there may not be as clear delineation of responsibilities between each key player as there was in the past. Sometimes there may even be an overlap in responsibilities as title structures vary from plant to plant. For example, in one facility, one person might oversee multiple aspects of the industrial fire system while other facilities may have a designated person for each. Understanding the fundamental tasks of the key parties involved with industrial fire systems will better prepare plant operators who are looking for support in building a new facility or upgrading an existing one.

The who’s who

While duties may overlap as titles vary from plant to plant, the responsibilities outlined under each role are integral to designing an effective industrial fire system. These roles can vary if they are internal or external to the organization. Process safety engineer – Process instrumentation is a critical part of any production industry because it allows real-time measurement and control of variables such as levels, flow, pressure, temperature, pH and humidity within a production area. Process safety engineers assess mechanical processes and find ways to make them more efficient and deliver better quality product. With the right instrumentation, process plants can run effectively, economically and safely through the integration of alarm signals. Mechanical engineer – Perhaps one of the broadest discipline in engineering, mechanical engineers are involved with designing machines that control the generation, distribution and use of energy in prowww.plantengineering.com

cessing materials and fluids. From an industrial fire perspective, this could mean any mechanical device that contributes to protecting the plant and equipment and its occupants, such as fire suppression. Electrical engineer – This group is accountable for the specification and design of power generation, control, alarm and communication systems and equipment that require electricity. Alarm and communication systems are particularly critical in an industrial fire system. When designing both systems, electrical engineers should have a strong understanding in the interrelationship of the various systems as well as installation, back-up power and notification requirements. Fire protection engineer – Responsible for protecting occupants and their environment from destructive fire, fire protection engineers understand the characteristics of fire including how it can spread, can anticipate the behavior of materials during a fire, and are familiar with how it can be detected, controlled or extinguished. Fire protection engineers design systems that – taken individually – could be considered mechanical (fire sprinklers) or electrical (fire alarm). Automation Engineer – designs, programs and tests the machinery in the process and would understand the equipment interaction to ensure the process maintains the highest levels to uptime. Their understanding of the interworking of the equipment and the safety devices. Health and safety officer – In this role, a health and safety expert is responsible for developing and establishing procedures to ensure the safety of plant employees such as evacuation plans. Their expertise is also helpful when identifying specifications prior to the design process as they can provide valuable insight into space usage and component placement to help avoid high foot traffic areas. Depending on the size of the plant, the health and safety expert can be fully dedicated to the role or a designated individual within the facility. PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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MASSIVE

WATER SAVINGS 85% REDUCTION IS COMMON

SAFETY AS A DISCIPLINE

A key takeaway from having these roles outlined is the clear connectivity they share. A decision by an expert in one discipline can quickly impact another colleague’s scope. Integrating multiple disciplines into the design and testing phase can help plant operators identify gaps or efficiencies that do not diminish fire safety to occupants. For example, gas and flame detection might the responsibility of process engineering while the fire alarm and suppression is under the mechanical team. Both are part of the safety system and correct interoperability between them is critical. As with any new technology, plant operators should assemble a designated team of experts as soon as they decide to proceed with a new investment or upgrade to a safety system incorporating fire and gas detection with suppression. Here are several tips when working with experts from multiple disciplines.

Collaborate early SILVER = C0.M0.Y0.K30

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As mentioned, it is beneficial to involve each expert in an industrial fire system design at the earliest stages of planning, generally atwhere thethefeasibility or concept design stage. Involving For use in layouts logo will be placed on a dark color field such as technical an expert services gray. from each discipline at this stage means greater SILVER = C0.M0.Y0.K30 system flexibility, innovation in design (e.g., construction, LIGHT BLUE = PMS285 or C91.M53.Y0.K0 materials), equal or better fire safety, and maximization of the cost benefit. Upgrades to existing systems may seem to have a reduced design flexibility at this stage, leading to resistance to change or to adding new technology. By including team members from other disciplines, the benefits can be reviewed and determined the short term and long-term impacts. Given the occasional overlap in duties, outlining the responsibilities of each expert involved will help to avoid Shown are three panels used for a fire, gas detection and releasing systems. The three networked panels are for a large application. Image courtesy: Honeywell PATENTED Industrial Fire TECHNOLOGY

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confusion. A design review and approval structure may also prove helpful to streamline processes. For example, the mechanical and process instrumentation engineers should work closely together to ensure mechanical devices such as the releasing or deluge are as efficient as possible. The design should then be shared with the electrical engineer and health and safety officer, given their tailored expertise to account for any additional considerations beyond the mechanical scope. A fire protection engineer can review the overall operation of the system and play an active role in every step of the process, as he or she can speak to the merits of the mechanical and engineering system design with fire protection requirements and best practices and principles in mind.

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Tap into expert knowledge

Each team member is likely familiar with the latest codes and technologies in their own discipline. A great practice is to have meetings where experts share the latest trends and insights, ensuring the plant is installing a best-in-class industrial fire system. Use the benefits of third-party testing agencies, such as FM and UL. They thoroughly test systems, ensuring regulatory compliance. Then the system can be configured to best suit operators’ needs. These actions will ensure seamless collaboration within the team, allow more time and focus spent on delivering a system that ensures the plant and employees are well protected, reduces false alarms, maintenance and overall complexity. Traditionally, industrial fire systems featured components that functioned independently from each other. Plants are gradually moving toward an integrated system that combines fire detection, gas detection and suppression systems all into one panel. An integrated system has the critical logic already installed, resulting in simplified plant operations and maintenance while reducing space and reducing false alarms. With the three functions in one controller, it enables the distributed control system (DCS) to have one connection and assess the data to determine the appropriate response. This programming makes things much simpler for the operator and installer. An added responsibility for industrial fire experts will be to learn how to leverage all the data made possible by the industrial internet of things (IIoT) to help plant operators respond quickly and precisely to events. As industrial fire system designs continue to evolve, collaboration between all disciplines – process, mechanical, electrical, fire protection, automation engineering, and health and safety – will play an integral role in supporting plant operators to meet production demand while ensuring the safety of the facility and employees. PE Edward Doherty is strategic marketing manager, Honeywell Industrial Fire. PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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SOLUTIONS DISASTER RECOVERY

By Chuck Yung

How to deal with wet or flooded motors Saltwater becomes a major problem

looding in the aftermath of tropical storms, including hurricanes, monsoons and cyclones, with their associated heavy rainfall, can shut down hundreds of plants along the Gulf Coast, from Florida to Texas, as well as in other places around the world. And they are doing so more often. To get them up and running again, maintenance departments and motor repairers face the daunting task of cleaning muck and moisture from many thousands of electric motors and generators (See Figure 1.) The process involved in such situations can take weeks, if not months, and requires special clean-up procedures for motors contaminated by saltwater.

Although the problems are huge, affected plants can get back in production more quickly by working closely with service center professionals and following a few tips that will make the cleanup more manageable. These include prioritizing motors and generators for repair or replacement, storing contaminated machines properly and using proven methods to flush away saltwater contamination. Constructing temporary ovens on site or at the service center can also add capacity for drying the insulation systems of flooded motors.

Understand the problem

The harm done to motors and generators by flooding extends beyond rusted shafts and contaminated

Figure 1: In the wake of tropical storms (hurricanes, monsoons and cyclones) with heavy rain, maintenance professionals and motor repairers need creative solutions to speed the removal of moisture and contamination from thousands of swamped motors. All graphics courtesy: EASA

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PLANT ENGINEERING

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Figure 2: Tank for flushing saltwater from windings.

bearings and lubricants. Even brief moisture intrusion can compromise the insulation system, making the windings vulnerable to ground failures. Saltwater flooding poses additional problems. Unless thoroughly flushed from the equipment before it dries, the residual salt will rust the steel laminations of the stator and rotor cores. It may also corrode the copper windings and aluminum or copper rotor cages. The result, predictably, will be lots of motor failures – some occurring years after the storm. Begin by prioritizing motors by size and availability. Older motors are often good candidates for replacement with more energy efficient models. The horsepower (kW) break will vary from plant to plant, depending on the application, annual usage, energy costs and other factors. But, considering the real possibility that your regular vendors may be backlogged with work, somewhere between 100 and 200 hp (75 and 150 kW) may be a reasonable place to draw the repairreplace line. By replacing those smaller motors with readily available energy-efficient models, you’ll free up capacity for your service center to concentrate on the larger ones that it makes more sense to repair.

Two ways to clean

Once it’s decided which motors to save, process those with open enclosures first. In cases of freshwater contamination, disassemble the motor and clean the stator windings and rotor with a www.plantengineering.com

pressure-washer. If the insulation resistance is acceptable after the windings have been thoroughly cleaned and dried, apply a fresh coat of varnish and process the motor as usual (new bearings, balance the rotor). Windings that fail the insulation resistance test should be put through another cleaning and drying cycle and tested again. Stators that fail the second insulation resistance test should be rewound or replaced. Saltwater contamination requires a more thorough cleaning process to reduce the possibility that salt residue will rust the laminations or corrode the windings. To accomplish this, clean the stator and rotor windings and insulation systems using the “saltwater flush procedure” described below. For best results, immerse stators and rotors in the freshwater tank before the saltwater dries. For the same reason, do not disassemble contaminated TEFC or explosion-proof motors until there is room for them in the immersion tank. This will keep them full of water and prevent salt from drying on internal parts. If it will be a while before these motors can be cleaned, place them on their sides, with the lead openings up and keep them filled with fresh water.

Saltwater flush procedure

This procedure offers the best chance for removing saltwater from contaminated windings. As mentioned earlier, it works best if you do not allow the windings to dry first. The sooner the windings are immersed in the tank, the better the results. PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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SOLUTIONS DISASTER RECOVERY Figure 3: Temporary oven.

The process is straightforward: • Immerse stators and rotors in freshwater for 8 hours • Continuously agitate the water • Exchange water in the tank with freshwater at rate of at least 20 to 50 gallons per minute (75 - 190 l/min). In regard to tank construction, select a container that will hold enough water to completely immerse a good number of stators and rotors and drill a drain hole of at least 2” (50 mm) in diameter near the top. Weld a pipe nipple to the drain hole and plumb it to a storm drain or another suitable place. Field expedient containers for this purpose include modified shipping containers, dumpsters or even swimming pools. Next, route a 3/4 inch (20 mm) or larger supply pipe into the top of the tank (roughly centered), down the inside wall, and across the length of the bottom. Cap the end of the pipe and then drill holes at a slight upward angle along both sides of pipe to serve as water jets. The hole size should be appropriate for the available water pressure, but no more than 1/8” (3 mm) in diameter. The more holes you drill, the smaller they will have to be (see Figure 2). To flush, place the stators and rotors in the tank and fill it with freshwater. Process each batch for 8

• October 2019

PLANT ENGINEERING

hours, continuously exchanging the water in the tank at a rate of at least 20 to 50 gallons per minute (75 - 190 l/ min). At the end of the cycle, remove and pressure-wash the stators and rotors, and then dry them thoroughly in a bake oven or temporary field oven (see Figure 3). Finally, test the insulation resistance to ground. If the test results are acceptable, apply a dip-and-bake varnish treatment before reassembling the motor. If the motor fails the insulation resistance test, bake it again and repeat the insulation test. Motors that fail the insulation resistance test a second time should be rewound. Per IEEE Std. 43 and IEC 60034-27-4, the minimum resistance to ground is 5 megohms for random windings, or 100 megohms for form coil windings.

The bottleneck

For most service centers, the bake oven is the single biggest bottleneck. Even the largest oven will only hold so many motors, and the drying time for each batch can take 12 hours or longer. Imagine the backlog after a disaster, with hundreds of motors to process. It is possible – but not very efficient – to dry windings by draping larger motors with tarps and applying external heat sources. Another way is to dry the windings is to energize them with a welder or other dc power source. The drawback here is that someone must monitor the current and winding temperature and periodically move the welder leads to heat all three phases evenly if the winding is not connected wye-delta. Welding machines also have a duty cycle that’s a lot shorter than the two or three days it might take to dry out a large motor. A better way to increase baking capacity is to build one or more temporary ovens that can dry motor and generator windings safely and efficiently. This approach is especially useful for drying large stators, which take a long time to heat to the required temperature, occupy the entire oven and delay the processing of other motors. If necessary, temporary ovens can even be constructed on site. This can save the time and labor required to remove the motor from service, transport it and later reinstall it. www.plantengineering.com

A temporary oven

Note that energy-shield (the hard-sided foam insulation that home builders install between the exterior frame and siding/brick) and aluminum duct tape are ideal for building temporary ovens – no matter what size or shape might be needed. A stock item at most construction-supply super stores, energy-shield has a layer of aluminum foil on both sides and exceptionally good insulating value (R-29) for its thickness. The 4 foot x 8 foot (1.2 m x 2.4 m) sheets are lightweight and easy to cut with a safety knife. They’re also reusable – as long as you store them where they won’t be damaged. Thickness of 1 inch (25mm) or greater keeps the heat in with minimal losses. To construct the oven, for motors with very large frames, box the motor by placing energyshield directly on the frame, including the top. Seal the joints with aluminum duct-tape. Placing the energy-shield directly on the frame minimizes the volume of air that must be heated. This reduces drying time because the insulation minimizes heat loss. To heat the temporary oven, force air through it from an alternate heat source. If using a torpedo heater (see Figure 3), position it to blow hot air directly into the center of the bore. Energy calculations for oven design are complex. For this purpose, 100,000 Btu (106,000 kJ) per 1,200 cubic feet (34 m3) of oven volume will be adequate to heat the oven and contents within a reasonable time. For an accurate record of winding temperature, directly monitor the motor’s RTDs, if it has them. If RTDs are not readily available, use HVAC instruments or candy thermometers to monitor temperature in each quadrant of the oven. The key is to keep the heat uniform within the motor and not to exceed part temperatures of 250 F (120 C). Because heat rises, it might seem reasonable to open exhaust ports at the top to let it out. But as those familiar with old-fashioned wood stoves can tell you, the best way to control oven temperature is to open or close dampers (exhaust ports) near all four corners on both sides. To rais e t he temp erature at one cor ner, for instance, open that damper farther. The increased flow of hot air through that area will raise the temperature. The ability to regulate temperature in this way greatly improves the dr ying process as compared with traditional methods such as a dc current source or tarps. www.plantengineering.com

How long to bake?

The bake cycle should be long enough to dry the windings completely. If it’s too short, you’ll need to repeat the process. If it’s too long, you’ll waste both time and energy. If the winding has RTDs, 6 to 8 hours at 200 F (93 C) should be enough. For windings not equipped with RTDs, here is a method to determine how long the bake cycle should be. Needed are two lengths of RTD wire or similar small lead wire long enough to reach out of the oven and a dc voltmeter capable of reading millivolts. With the wet winding on the oven cart, attach one lead to the stator frame and the other to a winding lead. Finally, connect the free end of each lead to the dc voltmeter. You can be sure the windings are completely dry when the voltage on the millivolt scale reaches zero. This procedure is one that many service centers use when they have large rush jobs to process. It often cuts hours from expected drying times, even for normal work. It also reduces the chance of damage that might result from excessive temperatures.

How it works

Like the setup, the principle behind this procedure is simple. The steel core and copper windings function as two plates of a crude battery. Electrolytic action across the wet insulation causes current to flow. As long as the cell is “wet,” it produces voltage. When the cell is dry, so is the insulation. Note: This procedure works for everything except some form coil VPI insulation systems. Some of these windings are sealed so well that they may exclude moisture from the insulation, keeping the “wet cell” battery from developing. There is very little anyone can do to protect all equipment from the effects of a hurricane. Hopefully, the procedures outlined here will speed the recovery for the plants in affected areas, as well as for the local populations that depend on them both for employment and products. In better times, these procedures also can facilitate plant-service center partnerships and maximize uptime. PE Chuck Yung is a senior technical support specialist at EASA, St. Louis; www.easa.com. EASA is an international trade association of more than 1,800 electromechanical sales, service and repair firms in nearly 80 countries.

PLANT ENGINEERING

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SOLUTIONS

REDESIGN FOR SMARTER MAINTENANCE

By Frederic Baudart

Redesign maintenance processes to optimize PdM automation Set the stage for a successful transition from manual to IIoT-enhanced, predictive maintenance

s the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) expands, organizations may be tempted to throw devices at the wall to see what sticks and what doesn’t. While some may choose this route to implement connected reliability devices and tools, it doesn’t work well in the long run. Instead of rushing into IIoT-enhanced maintenance programs, companies should take the time to adapt their processes and people before adopting new technologies and workflows. Whether a company is starting or stalled in maintenance automation implementation, an audit will help the company determine where they’re heading. Finding out what is and is not working within

the maintenance department enables companies to improve productivity, automate previously manual efforts, and successfully implement predictive maintenance (PdM) devices.

The first steps to maintenance automation

Before beginning maintenance automation and digitalization, maintenance leaders should conduct several critical internal studies. The first is an asset criticality list, which creates a hierarchy of equipment based on how important it is to the organization’s bottom line. The asset criticality list will help teams prioritize repairs and decrease downtime. It provides direc-

The P-F curve is a representation of an asset’s lifecycle, starting at pre-installation design efforts. The goal of the P-F curve is to help teams keep assets in proper working order for a longer duration. All images courtesy: Fluke Corp.

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The job goes smoother when maintenance teams can easily access the systems and asset data they need. Automating maintenance processes will ensure that work is performed more efficiently, improving uptime and cutting costs.

tion on the best maintenance strategy for production. Once the assessment is completed, an organization can determine how to allocate resources based on time spent or the types of tools needed.

The key to asset longevity

A potential-failure (P-F) curve demonstrates the relationship among asset lifecycles, costs, and the various technologies/maintenance practices used to prevent failure. How production flows are designed, equipment is installed, and how it operates against manufacturer specification determines performance over time. Assets will never work properly if design and installation are not precise. The design and installation portions of the curve, which are ahead of the P-F interval, are key to the longevity of the asset. The true intent of the P-F curve is to illustrate where reliability tools, strategies, and maintenance processes need to be applied to have the most impact on the reliability of assets.

Define failure, leverage the P-F curve

The second step is defining what “failure” means to the organization. The P-F curve is used to determine the best testing modality to extend performance over time and elongate life cycle. Specifying what does and does not constitute a failure helps teams standardize their response and prioritize actions. An asset running at lower capacity may not have failed yet, but it will negatively impact an operation. This is called a functional failure, and it happens toward the bottom of the P-F curve. Assets with identifiable physical conditions may be nearing the potential failure point – where a failure is probable, but hasn’t happened yet. By this time, corrective action is necessary to extend the asset’s life. Functional failure comes when the asset is unable to meet the specified performance standards, which vary by company. Creating an asset criticality list and defining each asset’s functional failure across the organization will help prioritize asset repairs and ensure uptime.

impending change. Before implementing IIoT devices, ensure personnel: • Receive proper training • Understand the processes • Adopt a reliability culture • Know how to select and review data. When the process begins, involve all levels of team members in the journey. Those who do not participate may be left wondering “What’s in it for me?” Participation is a key component to success. Allowing employees to provide feedback on implementation will help them be engaged and have a vested interest in the program’s success.

Pave the way to IIoT automation

Implement a limited pilot program to determine if an organization is ready to adopt an IIoT approach. By ensuring people and processes are prepared for

Providing teams with the information they require allows them to prioritize repairs based on asset condition, rather than a schedule. Asset data can be reviewed to determine if assets have reached a potential or functional failure, helping determine the next actions.

Processes and people

After processes have been audited and the asset criticality list is compiled, supporting team education is vital to successful implementation. Companies in a rush to adopt new technologies often inadequately prepare personnel for the www.plantengineering.com

PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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SOLUTIONS

REDESIGN FOR SMARTER MAINTENANCE Once the testing modalities are chosen, devices can be selected and installed on assets. The devices and assets chosen will help prove the case for predictive maintenance efforts.

the digital transformation, organizations have verified there is capacity for changes, and goals are attainable and maintainable in the long run. Demonstrate how PdM makes

a difference to the bottom line to encourage leadership buy-in. Starting small will help ensure the success of the large-scale expansion. This approach keeps teams and the organization from being overwhelmed by large amounts of data. Pick a set of assets to run through the program from start to finish. Choose the testing modalities – such as ultrasound, thermography, or vibration – that apply to the pilot assets and select the associated IIoT devices. Use them to gain actionable data from assets, have teams execute against the data, and monitor the time and money saved while creating the case for investment. Automating maintenance processes and practices allows teams to do more with less and leads them to connected reliability through PdM. New technologies enhance and automate maintenance strategies to help organizations maximize reliability. Redesigning processes prepares teams for IIoT and transforms maintenance efforts into a business value driver. PE Frederic Baudart, CMRP, lead product application specialist, Fluke Corp.

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SOLUTIONS ROTATING EQUIPMENT

By Jim Turnbull

Optimize a maintenance program for rotating equipment Some things to think about when it comes to reliability

T A basic care program for rotating equipment enables operations to accurately record, communicate and act upon process and inspection data. All images courtesy: SKF

o maximize productivity while lowering operational and maintenance costs, plants must attain the right performance from their rotating equipment, to meet business objectives and give companies a competitive edge. Optimizing a rotating equipment maintenance program may seem like a daunting task. However, the competitive advantages gained from reduced unplanned downtime, increased productivity and higher profitability, while lowering the total cost of ownership of a machine’s lifecycle, make the exercise well worth the effort. Let’s look at some steps that will help optimize rotating equipment performance within a strategic maintenance program.

Assess your current program

The process of setting up any program begins with conducting a thorough assessment of existing operations and practices. Assessments can be done using internal resources or by a third party. There are advantages and disadvantages to either option. Questions to ask before conducting a risk assessment include: • Do you have the internal resources, expertise and time to benchmark the different plants within the company?

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• What money can be appropriated to conduct the test by either internal or external resources? • How quickly can the assessment be conducted so that improvement action items can be assigned? Whether companies conduct the assessment internally or with an outside partner, an integrated risk-assessment strategy starts with understanding how equipment is currently performing and what improvements can be made to attain and maintain optimal performance. The exercise will help to gain insight and information that will not only maximize the performance of equipment, but also overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), plant profitability, competitiveness, plant safety and maintenance program efficiency. The process of rotating equipment maintenance programs focuses on basic care, precision maintenance, condition monitoring and lubrication management.

Basic care, early awareness

A basic care program enables operators to accurately and consistently record, trend, store, communicate and act upon process and inspection data. Automating these tasks ensures consistency, accuracy and timely communications that enhance production and maintenance strategies. Maintenance managers have a large group of machines to look after and may not have the capacity to follow a precision maintenance processes. At the same time, equipment maintenance is becoming more complicated due to ongoing technological advancements and stricter environmental and safety laws that are placing more pressure on these functions. Recognizing a manager’s need for supplemental resources, internally and externally administered training programs should be executed for companies to achieve their maintenance goals. A well-run precision maintenance and training program will have a major impact on maximizing the service life of rotating equipment. For example, at the core of most rotating equipment is a bearing. An accepted rule of thumb is that 99.5% of all bearings do not achieve their useful life. Bearing life PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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SOLUTIONS

ROTATING EQUIPMENT

is impacted by the way it was mounted, aligned, lubricated, maintained, operated, dismounted and analyzed through previous condition monitoring. By applying the right maintenance practices, you can considerably extend your bearing’s service life and increase plant productivity and efficiency.

Performance Meets Peace of Mind. Guaranteed.

Condition monitoring

Avoid unplanned downtime by detecting and diagnosing impending machine failures. Applying condition monitoring and data visualization, plant managers can proactively find and diagnose problems before they have an effect. This allows plant managers to better organize and prioritize repairs, too. The keys to a successful condition monitoring program include knowing: • What to listen for • How to interpret it • When/how to put this knowledge to use. This enables the repair of problem components before they fail. Not only does it help plant personnel reduce the possibility of catastrophic failure, but it also allows companies to order parts in advance, schedule personnel and plan other repairs during the downtime. Condition monitoring is an important element in the maintenance strategy of most major industrial plants. The process involves measuring physical parameters that indicate a machine’s health. Departures from normal are detected and analyzed with corrective actions. Understanding what parameters to measure and how to apply this to machine life-cycle management is where new value is discovered. A multitude of technologies are used to detect the health of rotating equipment. The challenge most companies face today is understanding what to do with all the data they have collected. Vibration data may go to one group of people, oil analysis data to another, thermographic images to another, process data to another, basic care to another and so on. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is rapidly changing how fast and how much process and machine data is available, as well as how costeffective it is. The digitalization of technology is opening the doors for maintenance and operations managers to rethink how they can become more efficient and effective in their roles. Their struggle, however, continues to be how to interpret the data to make actionable decisions to ultimately

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avoid unplanned downtime and assure equipment is available to fulfill orders in a profitable way. In addition to emerging technologies, companies are challenged with recruiting, training and retaining the next generation of plant engineers. As a result, companies are evaluating how the cloud, big data and wireless devices will transform how machines are operated, managed and maintained.

Lubrication management

The historical rule of thumb is that the percentage of lubricated-related rotating equipment failures is nearly 50%. Not using the right type of lubrication, the right amount or at the right time are three of the primary reasons for lubrication-related failure. Contamination from improper sealing systems and moisture egress are also contributing factors. A properly conducted assessment of existing lubrication practices, maintenance history and equipment failures will provide insight into gaps and opportunities for improvement. Solutions range from operators/technicians performing scheduled walk-arounds with grease guns to cannistermounted systems (calibrated to dispense a specific amount at a specific frequency) or a fully automated recirculating lubrication system that removes foreign particulate and moisture from the lubricant. The more sophisticated systems have flowmeters that can be manually or remotely adjusted to compensate for changes in machine speed, load and temperatures. Feedback can be sent to the operators and condition monitoring teams to gain more insight into the health of the plant’s rotating equipment so that decisions can be made around production and maintenance planning.

A well-designed system should provide access to insights from various sources, offer better interpretation of analytics, improve lubrication and spares management and move towards a performance-based approach. It’s critically important to apply the right solution in the right way so the problem doesn’t reemerge in the future. Processes and procedures should be built with this in mind, ensuring that today’s repairs last through tomorrow and beyond. PE

Condition monitoring is an increasingly important element in the maintenance of major industrial plants.

Jim Turnbull is strategic account manager at SKF.

Eliminate recurring failures

So, what differentiates a good rotating equipment maintenance program from a great one? The ability of a program to not just prevent and identify pending machine failures, but also the ability to eliminate their occurrence or reoccurrence. This becomes a challenge to many organizations even though they feel they have many of the necessary components in place. Whether a company elects to address the elimination of reoccurring failures internally or with a partner, it is important to administer a method for identifying and fixing root causes by connecting disparate technologies and rotating equipment expertise.

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input #18 at www.plantengineering.com/information

Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation 1. Publication Title: PLANT ENGINEERING 2. Publication Number: 790-920 3. Filing Date: 09/27/19 4. Issue Frequency: 10x, monthly except in January and July 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 10 6. Annual Subscription Price: USA $165 CAN $200 MEX $200 INTL $350 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer): CFE MEDIA, LLC 3010 Highland Parkway, Ste #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not printer): CFE MEDIA, LLC 3010 Highland Parkway, Ste #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515 9. Publisher: Jim Langhenry, CFE MEDIA, LLC 3010 Highland Parkway, Ste #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515 Editor: Kevin Parker, CFE MEDIA, LLC 3010 Highland Parkway, Ste #325, Downers Grove, IL, 60515 Managing Editor: Jack Smith, CFE MEDIA, LLC 3010 Highland Parkway, Ste #325, Downers Grove, IL, 60515 10. Owner: CFE MEDIA, LLC 3010 Highland Parkway, Ste #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515 Jim Langhenry and Steve Rourke, CFE MEDIA, LLC 3010 Highland Parkway, Ste #325 Downers Grove, IL 60515 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 12. Does not Apply 13. Publication Title: Plant Engineering 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 2019 15. Extent and Nature or Circulation Average No. Copies Each Issue During Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Preceding 12 Months: Published Nearest to Filing Date: a. Total Number of Copies (Net Press Run): 32,025 31,967 b. Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 0 0 (1) Paid/Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541. 31,341 31,427 (Include advertiser’s proof and exchange copies) (2) Paid In-County Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541. 0 0 (Include advertiser’s proof and exchange copies) (3) Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and 0 0 Other Non-USPS Paid Distribution (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS 31 30 c. Total Paid and/ or Requested Circulation [Sum of 15b, (1), (2), (3), and (4)-** 31,372 31,457 d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail) 0 0 (1) Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541 0 0 (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 0 0 (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS 365 283 (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means) 0 0 e. Total Nonrequested Distribution [Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), and (4) 365 283 f. Total Distribution [Sum of 15c and 15f] 31,737 31,740 g. Copies not Distributed 288 227 h. Total [Sum of 15f and 15g] 32,025 31,967 i. Percent Paid [15c divided by 15f times 100] 98.85% 99.11% 16. Electronic Copy Circulation a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies 28,000 31,069 b. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) 59,372 62,526 c. Total Requested Copy Distribution (Line 15f) + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies (16a) 59,737 62,809 d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c x 100) 99.39% 99.55% 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Publication Required. Will be printed in the October 2019 issue of this publication. 18. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anoyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalities). Steve Rourke (signed), CEO

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Consulting-Specifying Engineer Control Engineering Plant Engineering Oil & Gas Engineering IIoT For Engineers

SuperiorSignal.com/PE Input #103 #100 at plantengineering.hotims.com

www.plantengineering.com

Input #104 #100 at plantengineering.hotims.com

Input #102 #100 at plantengineering.hotims.com

BOILER TECH SUPPORT Topog-E® Gasket Company, formulates and mixes its own rubber manufactures superior moldedrubber handhole and manhole gaskets for steam, hot water boilers, water heaters, softeners, deaerators, make-up tanks, and other selected pressure vessels. Topog-E® Gaskets have become an industry standard since 1956. Topog-E® Gaskets seal quickly, completely, preventing seepage, corrosion and pitting. They peel off easily leaving clean surfaces for inspection.

Topog-E® Gasket Company offers a FREE Technical Specification and Usage Guide containing useful information about boiler maintenance safety. Also, FREE a pocket slide rule that charts steam temperature versus pressure. For more information contact:

Topog-E Gasket Company 1224 North Utica Fax: 918-587-6961 Tulsa, OK 74110 www.topog-e.com Tel: 800-587-7123 info@topog-e.com Input #105 #100 at plantengineering.hotims.com

PLANT ENGINEERING

October 2019

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•

October 2019

PLANT ENGINEERING

www.plantengineering.com

Safe & Sound Introducing the GA800 Variable Frequency Drive

NEW! Find it difficult to manage and protect configuration settings for your industrial equipment? Let us help by at least making it safe and secure for your variable speed drives. SUSTAINABLE FLEXIBLE EASY

Enjoy peace of mind with the new Yaskawa GA800 featuring DriveCloud â&#x20AC;&#x201C; free configuration storage for your Yaskawa drive. Your days are complicated enough. Let us help simplify them. Call Yaskawa today at 1-800-927-5292.

Yaskawa America, Inc.

Drives & Motion Division

1-800-YASKAWA

yaskawa.com

input #19 at www.plantengineering.com/information

http://go.yaskawa-america.com/yai1336

— Safer design faster installation

Easy to remove, quick to install, and highly reliable in the harshest environments, ABB’s new Dodge® Safety Mount sperical roller bearing is ideally suited for a variety of demanding industrial applications. This innovative solution combines the advantages you rely on in today’s Dodge Imperial bearings with features that improve the safety and productivity of your operation. Safe. Fast. Reliable.

479-646-4711 baldor.abb.com input #20 at www.plantengineering.com/information