march/april 2001 by Michael Dominguez

MAR/APR 2009 BUYERS GUIDE LEAN MAINTENANCE CONDITION MONITORING ISSUE 10

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TOP TEN TIPS for preventive maintenance TURN TO PAGE 11 FOR THE FULL STORY

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LEAN MAINTENANCE

Basics of lean and reliability based spare parts and materials management

PAGE

INDUSTRY NEWS Latest trends, news and technology

6 PAGE

CONDITION MONITORING New condition monitoring regime met with approval

Rendez-vous in Verona in 2010

parts and materials management In about 50% of organisations spare parts and materials stores reports to the maintenance organisation. In about 50 % of organisations spare parts and materials stores is part of the purchasing function.

One of the areas that are first attacked when an organisation wants to become lean is the materials and spare parts areas. Through reducing the value of spare parts and material kept in storage you can of course reduce costs. It is true that there are often big opportunities to lower the value in many stores, but it can also become very expensive if it is not done correctly. One of the most common mistakes is to discard parts that haven’t been used in, for example, the past five years or more. To discard these parts based on the fact that they have not been used for a long time is way too simplified and risky and I am surprised every time I see that this tactic is still being used in many plants. These incorrect and expensive cutbacks happen as a result of the people in charge having the goal of reducing the store value, while the consequences of not having the right part in storage when the parts are needed, is a problem for those responsible for operations and maintenance. To read the full story, please turn to page 3.

PAGE

EURO MAINTENANCE

BASICS OF lean and reliability based spare

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EDITORIAL/CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Jon Barrett, Christer Idhammar Alan France, Mark Haarman editorial@engineeringmaintenance.info ADVERTISEMENT SALES: Michael Dominguez (Publisher) michael@engineeringmaintenance.info Paul Miles paul@engineeringmaintenance.info Paul Reynolds preynolds@engineeringmaintenance.info

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In about 50% of organizations spare parts and materials stores reports to the maintenance organization. In about 50 % of organizations spare parts and materials stores is part of the purchasing function

Lean Maintenance IV Basics of Lean and Reliability Based Spare Parts and Materials Management. One of the areas that are first attacked when an organization wants to become lean is the materials and spare parts areas. Through reducing the value of spare parts and material kept in storage you can of course reduce costs. It is true that there are often big opportunities to lower the value in many stores, but it can also become very expensive if it is not done correctly. One of the most common mistakes is to discard parts that havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been used in, for example, the past five years or more. To discard these parts based on the fact that they have not been used for a long time is way too simplified and risky and I am surprised every time I see that this tactic is still being used in many plants. That these incorrect and expensive cutbacks happen is a result of that the people in charge of the

stores often having the goal of reducing the store value, while the consequences of not having the right part in storage when the parts are needed, is a problem for those responsible for operations and maintenance. Most stores, especially in plants that are ten or more years old, can reduce their value by 10 to 20% without negatively affecting production reliability. To successfully, and sustainably, reduce the value of parts and material kept in stores you must focus on measures that drives down the cost, not only on reducing the store value. You should also set up a measurable goal for this effort. The goal could for example be â&#x20AC;&#x153;With a service factor maintained at 97 % we will reduce value of inventory kept in storesâ&#x20AC;?. In this case the service factor is percent of occasions the right parts/material have been available when needed for a maintenance job.

First you obviously need to know what parts and material you have in your stores. First do a quick evaluation of how accurate the inventory list is. Randomly choose 300 to 500 articles and compare how correct the balance is, the location in the stores is etc. We have often found that the inventory catalogue is 70% accurate while a good value would be 98%+. Even if this accuracy value is 100% it does not mean that the stores are cost effective. Do we have the right articles? Do we have too many? Find out how many articles exist in undocumented storages. If the inventory catalogue and/or the plant register, including component record and spare parts documented for each piece of equipment, are not accurate and reliable, then the users will not trust that the articles they need are going to be available

3 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 104 on IBC

LEAN MAINTENANCE IV

one of each of the 22 motors in the storage. You can often standardize by about five different motors or even just one type. Then only five or maybe just one motor is kept in storage. What good looks like A good storage does not only have a cost effective store volume. The store is closed and delivers parts where and when they are needed. The picture shows the delivery of parts and special tools for a shut down that is going to start in three days. In the worst organizations there is a line outside the store in the morning of the shut down.

in the store when they need them. This one of the reasons why people start building up their own stores. These stores can become extensive and very expensive to have. The costs are invisible. More articles are purchased before they are needed and often in greater quantities than necessary. Moreover the articles are often stored in a bad environment where they can be damaged by corrosion, dirt, vibrations, etc. It is imperative to clean up, sort, organize and document all the articles in all these storages. The store manager will most likely not want to take all these items back in the central stores, because this would increase stores value and take up costly space. I sometimes call these undocumented stores emotional stores. If you have made efforts to document all these stores and then take away all parts in these stores from the people who have them, and put the parts in central stores, then you will understand why I call them emotional stores. Decide what you are going to have in storage. In addition to known and traditional methods and data used to decide what should be kept in storage such as delivery times, economic purchasing quantities, consumption statistics etc. it is not uncommon that information such as; risk for breakdown of a component, cost if an article is not in storage when it is needed, condition monitoring based storage, number of identical parts used in the plant equipment etc. are missing. Then only guesses are made as to what should and should not be kept in storage.

It is important that an analysis has been done on what production equipment is critical and which components within each piece of critical equipment could cause a breakdown. The breakdown cost compared to the cost of keeping parts in store is an important piece of information that should be taken into consideration when storage levels are decided. With good condition monitoring you can often avoid keeping parts in storage if the so-called failure developing period is longer than the delivery time of the parts you are monitoring. A practical example is chains and sprockets made of steel. They wear down over a longer time period, they are easy to inspect with objective methods and the delivery time of replacement sprockets and chains are often short. If you monitor wear of sprockets and chains you can order them when you need them instead of keeping them in store. With an accurate inventory catalogue and/or the plant register, including component record and spare parts documented for each piece of equipment you will know how many identical articles are included in the production equipment. This is necessary and important information to have when doing evaluations of suppliersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recommendations and decisions on what to keep in stores. The absence of this documentation will lead to that you keep wrong parts and in the wrong quantities in your stores. Standardization can also reduce storage substantially. If you have a production line with 22 or so different and critical, electrical motors you might decide to keep

Store item maintenance. You need to keep parts you store in the right environment, free of dust, other contaminations and vibrations. Shafts of rotating items such as electric motors and pumps shall have their shafts oriented towards the isles in the store so they can easily be rotated to avoid sagging of shafts and damages of bearings. V-belts and other belts made of rubber and similar material shall be kept away from day light, preferably in a dark location. Bearings should be stored laying flat and turned on a regular basis. www.idcon.com Reader Reply Number: 300

Christer Idhammar, president IDCON INC Christer Idhammar is a world renowned expert in Reliability and Maintenance Management best practices. He started the Idhammar group of companies in Sweden in 1972 and IDCON, INC in USA 1985. In 2002 he received the Euromaintenance Incentive Award for outstanding international contributions to improve Reliability and Maintenance in industries world wide. In May 2008 he received the Salvetti Foundation reward for best speaker among 154 speakers at Euromaintenance 2008 in Brussels. He can be reached at info@idcon.com

5 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

LATEST NEWS AND PRODUCTS

GOOD ALL-ROUND SPRAY Lean &Fit

Metal component and assembly provider, Stevens & Carlotti has invested in two fully enclosed spray rooms and one gas fired box oven, designed, installed and commissioned

by surface coatings specialist, HI-TEC SPRAY (HSL). The enclosures are constructed from galvanised, mild steel panels. The smaller has extraction at one end with filtered air replacement introduced via hinged roof panels. The larger booth has double side extraction combined with the central roof input, which creates a semi downdraft spray environment. This affords good all-round spray application, particularly when coating large products without compromising extract efficiency in a large spray area environment. Both environmentally friendly booths operate on a forced shop air replacement system. +44 (0)1622 356590 www.hitecspray.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 307

Ciba takes Lean Engineering seriously and nowhere more so than at its Bradford factory where it manufacturers its world leading range of chemicals for water treatment and paper industries. Ciba’s policy of continuous improvement and waste minimisation led them to invest in an ELGA Process Water reverse osmosis system. Ciba wanted to maximise the utilisation of the borehole water supply, so they discussed with ELGA Process Water about pre-treating it so that they could feed it to the deioniser. The treatment system supplied by ELGA Process Water included sand filters, organic scavengers and a MegaRO. +44 (0)1628 897000 www.elgaprocesswater.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 308

Safety benefits of ‘Smart’ Lights Dialight’s semiconductor-based LEDBright luminaires are built for frequent switching off/on, unlike traditional lights, so they remove the need for 24/7 safety lighting. As ‘smart’ lights the luminaires also have ‘instant-on’ ability, achieving full brightness in nanoseconds, so they’re especially practical as safety lights in low traffic areas where they can be left off or dimmed and triggered to come on by proximity switches when

someone enters. They also offer superior colour rendition over sodium lights, thus producing more useful CCTV footage, and their ability to focus light directionally makes them more efficient at lighting shelving and straight walkways with reduced light spill. +44 (0)845 6346161 groutledge@lumidrives.com Reader Reply Number: 309

NEW COMPRESSED AIR DRYERS The introduction of the new Ultrapac Range from Donaldson, means users of heatless adsorption dryers can now benefit from reduced energy (using Donaldson’s Ultraconomy control) and maintenance costs as the dryers are equipped with new compressed air filters that comply with ISO 12500-1. A dryer, designed for 100m3/h at 35°C inlet temperature and 7bar(g) operating pressure, uses approx 15m3/h of regeneration air during a fixed cycle. At an average compressed air requirement of 60%, an average inlet temperature of 30°C and average pressure of 7.2bar, the water load still only amounts to approximately 45% of the maximum value. On average, the dryer with load-dependent control now

uses only 6.75m2/h, therefore saving 8.25m2/h. Depending on the compressor’s type and condition, this is equivalent to a power consumption of 1kW. At a full-cost price of 0.02 €/m3 of generated compressed air and 8000 operating hrs/yr, this gives an annual saving of about 1,320€. Ultrapac Classic dryers are available in three ranges, for volume flows from 5-1000m3/h. With their compact design and economical operation, these heatless adsorption dryers are a proven “all-in-one” treatment system, suitable for a wide variety of applications. +00 49 2129 5690 www.emea.donaldson.com Reader Reply Number: 310

SEMBCORP takes control with Automatic pumps traps Two automatic pump traps from Spirax Sarco have helped solve a serious control issue for Sembcorp, one of the UK’s leading industrial utilities and services companies. The pump traps prevent the company’s gas heater from stalling, which was previously making it difficult to control the gas temperature. Sembcorp uses gas to produce electricity in its own power generation plant on Teesside, as well as distributing gas to some of its industrial customers. The company must heat its gas supply to 40°C to prevent it freezing as it enters lower pressure lines downstream. “Since we’ve installed the pumps traps the improvement has been dramatic,” says Development Manager, Dr. Michael Capstick. “Prior to the new systems being installed the gas temperature varied widely, but the temperature control is now within 2°C of the set point”.

10 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

+44 (0)1242 521361 www.spiraxsarco.com/uk Reader Reply Number: 311

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

An old saying has it that prevention is better than cure and nowhere is this more so than in the pulp and paper industry. ABB field service engineer Eva Moreno, who works closely with a number of ABB’s pulp and paper customers, gave us her top tips for ensuring maximum system availability of equipment installed on the customer sites that she visits routinely

Top 10 tips for paper plant preventive maintenance As a field service engineer in the pulp and paper industry, I am well aware that preventing problems is infinitely preferable to curing them. Establishing a preventive maintenance campaign means that equipment failures which result in production downtime and cut profits can be kept to the bare minimum or even prevented entirely. Between 60 to 80% of all equipment malfunctions, on QCS (Quality Control System) scanners, and other equipment located on the actual production process, are caused by not carrying out maintenance correctly. This should include basic routines such as detailed cleaning, lubrication, alignment and following operation and installation procedures. Harsh environments, producing lots of dust and heat, are particularly challenging. Such environments are to be found in the pulp and paper industry. Elimination or reduction of the effects of these inherent challenging environments keeps me busy during my working week. These activities are carried out at three major paper manufacturers in the South East of England, on a total of seven QCS and DCS (Distributed Control System) systems. The paper machines all have ABB’s quality control measurement scanners, which have onboard sensors measuring various properties of the sheet during manufacture. These can include: basis, weight, moisture, ash, colour, thickness, and

more. As well as this, I look after the ABB Distributed Control Systems used by the mills to control the paper making process. My experience working every day on the maintenance of equipment installed within the paper industry has allowed me to draw up a list of the top ten tips for maintaining the health of pulp and paper mills. The following primarily applies to the QCS which is at the heart of the paper process. Other equipment, such as variable speed drives, motors and instrumentation may or may not be within the hostile dusty parts of the process. However, whenever this equipment is located in a dusty environment, some of the following housekeeping practices can be observed. General advice

Keep it clean One of the “by products” within the manufacturing areas is dust. If this is not controlled, then it can cause many potential risks in terms of measurement accuracy and overheating of critical electronic components. This is controlled using well-developed head package design and well-engineered air wiping devices. Distributed Control System equipment in particular should be

sealed against the ingress of dust, as electronics coated with dust are particularly prone to overheating which can cause failures. Particularly dirty areas should ideally be redesigned to protect equipment from dust. Keeping things clean also allows other problems to be spotted and rectified more readily. Cracks, leaks, loose connections and other problems are more easily found if the item is not covered in a thick layer of dust.

Be systematic A good preventive maintenance schedule is one that is based on first class record keeping. A logbook should track what has been checked; what was found; and any corrective action that was taken. These records form a platform on which to base preventive maintenance schedules. At a minimum, the logbook should include what, how and why an inspection was done. Successful preventive maintenance depends on information recorded on the service reports provided by the system owner. If there is not enough information available, a

11 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

Monthly maintenance and verification checks are also carried out on the scanner and sensors. I also carry out an annual inspection in addition to regular maintenance, trying to ensure that the scanner and sensors give optimum performance through their entire lifetime. I have found that it is best to inspect equipment while it is operating, not only to minimise shutdown time, but also to detect such things as vibration, correct operating pressures and leaks, which cannot be assessed on stationary equipment. ABB will advise on the frequency of inspection for particular products, and will always endeavour to work within the constraints of an operating production plant.

Inspection of the health pages and alarm history Inspection and storage of the parameters

Pre-defined, genuine service parts are provided according to the maintenance schedule, making it easy to plan a long-term maintenance material budget and increasing the efficiency of maintenance tasks.

Inspect regularly ABBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s planned maintenance programme sees me visiting each machine weekly. Weekly checks on the quality control scanners for example, can mean inspecting the sensor window material for damage or wear. Early detection of these problems will ensure sensor accuracy and hence more efficient production costs.

Functional inspection of the fan and cooling system

As well as maximising availability of the equipment, it also provides low price service parts through preventive maintenance kits, which are 15-40 % cheaper than the same parts sold separately.

site survey for the system should be carried out before preventive maintenance is undertaken. Any preventive maintenance must be planned well in advance in order to reserve the resources and service parts needed.

Functional testing of the system under normal conditions Basic measurements with supply voltage Inspection of the spare part inventory

Inspect and maintain scanners Scanners and their onboard sensors are fundamental to maintaining quality and I am careful to give them particular attention.

Cleaning of the system All these are offered and recommended by ABB and can form part of a Service Contract.

The probability that a scanner will fail increases after three to 10 years of operation. One of the main reasons for failures is aging of components, but it can be affected by environmental conditions, such as dust and heat and therefore maintenance is key.

ABB has developed tools and services to ensure its customers maintain a high level of system availability and performance. I use ABB software tools to check if the sensor is still reading the same values as it did when it was set up and that such parameters as moisture and basis weight are stable and correct.

Preventive maintenance for scanners should involve: Visual inspection of the system and its environmental conditions Inspection of the connections Inspection of the ribbon and fibre optic cables

Machinery issues Although I personally specialise in QCS and DCS equipment, other machinery such as drives and motors obviously play a major role in paper production and also require maintenance. ABB has a product lifecycle management model based on many years of service information and experience. In this model, there are preventive maintenance programs for different product families, including QCS and DCS and drives and motors. By following these maintenance schedules, lifecycle costs can usually be minimized.

12 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

Apply regular maintenance to drives Variable speed drives keep the plant moving, so regular preventive maintenance is vital to maintain their health. Keeping

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

can cause more callouts to our service engineers than needed, resulting in production delays.

drives and motors clean ensures they are within their operating temperatures and helps achieve the best possible efficiency. One of the options we have is to keep an eye on the drives in a plant remotely. This allows such features as drive system parameter verification, parameter changes, on-line measurements, changes to application software, upgrades to system software, remote guidance and written instructions sent to the maintenance PC. Remote monitoring can also be carried out.

Upgrade motors Motors are another essential in the drive chain and those designed for high reliability will help maintain availability. A recent motor for process industries has a 20-30% greater cooling surface than previous motors, reducing the internal temperature considerably. This gives longer component life and will protect your motors from overheating. With improved cooling, lubrication intervals are 50% longer, as lower temperatures increase the life of the bearing grease.

Managing preventive maintenance

Assign the right people for maintenance A key strategy is to control who implements the preventative maintenance procedures and to have an agreed planned programme of work. I have found that the best results are achieved when specific people with the correct training are given personal ownership.

perform preventive maintenance at the same time. Customers can also choose to have Remote Diagnostic Services (RDS). We operate in a fast moving electronic age and must keep pace with technological changes and need for cost control. RDS offers facilities for monitoring current performance against benchmark data using asset monitors. This provides opportunities for predictive maintenance, and all of its benefits.

You can get a lot of help from equipment vendors, many of whom will provide training to help you carry out your own checks on the equipment and also how to clean the areas most affected by dust.

Get professional help Many vendors will also perform on site preventive maintenance. The best vendors will assign dedicated field service engineers to a mill to develop a close relationship with customers. In my case, this means my customers keep me informed about their shutdown schedule so I can plan the more intensive maintenance activities and ensure that the installed base is operating in peak condition. Beyond my maintenance duties, part of my work involves advising customers about new products or developments that could enhance the functionality of their existing systems and to warn them of obsolescence issues. As ABB field service engineers, we are taught to be proactive – we don’t just look at what repairs are needed today, but at what equipment the customer will need to support its processes in the future. An alternative to performing preventive maintenance on site is to consider sending modules to the vendor’s own workshop. If a module is to be sent to the workshop for repair, it is often practical to

Give the right training Employees should be trained both in correct normal operation, so as not to exceed the device’s parameters, and in what to do when problems occur. Shift engineers need the training so they know all about the operation of the system. I have found that customers might train their staff when the equipment is commissioned but later may not be so concerned about maintaining current training. This

14 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

Develop models and programmes to enhance maintenance Many companies, including ABB, provide the process and manufacturing industries with a structured program to improve and sustain the performance of production assets. The best of these arrangements occurs when the client and the vendor work together as a team to develop a business model that supports the client by providing world-class reliability and maintenance services. Look for a risk/reward performance mechanism that ensures that continuous improvement opportunities are identified and captured over the life of the contract.

www.abb.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 312

MAR/APR 2009 ATEX EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT SAFE ANSWERS TO HAZARDOUS QUESTIONS EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE COMPLIANCE SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY ISSUE 1

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PAGE

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HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

SPOTLIGHT ON ATEX

ARC Technologies, is the authorised distributor for ‘Tiger-Vac’ ATEX rated Industrial Vacuum Cleaner Systems for wet or dry recovery

For pumping gases and vapours in areas with explosive atmospheres vacuum pumps with ATEX conformity are required

Explosion and dust ignition proof VACUUM CLEANER SYSTEM ’LEGALLY’ Certified for hazardous locations: Fuel, metal dust, pharmaceutical powder, shooting ranges, flour mills, carbon black, nuclear, etc. These vacuum cleaner systems are certified for explosion proof/ignition proof hazardous locations by an independent lab and can be used to vacuum up flammable and explosive materials. Qualified for categories 1, 2, & 3 as defined in the ATEX directive 94/9/EC. Available in both electric (single and three-phase), and air operated versions with a variety of recovery tank capacities. Constructed mainly from stainless steel, they are robust and yet easy to manouvre. A comprehensive range of static-dissipating tools and accessories are available. There are filtration options too, HEPA for dry dust, Activated Carbon to absorb fuel and solvent vapours, or both on one unit. Whatever the hazard, we have a specifically designed vacuum cleaner for your operation. Tel: +44 (0)115 928 1508 Email: achambers@arctechnologies.co.uk www.arctechnologies.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 501

2 HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

Oilfree vacuum pumps with ATEX conformity Vacuubrand offers chemistry diaphragm pumps for equipment category 2 (e.g. for zone 1) with ATEX conformity. The pumping chamber of the diaphragm pumps has ATEX conformity II 2G IIC T3 X. It is designed to fulfil requirements for pumping a wide variety of inflammable solvent vapours as well as e.g. hydrogen. Design and operation of these absolute oilfree pumps are benefitial, for certain ignition sources had been avoided, they have no sliding surfaces, and the expansion chamber is hermetically sealed against the drive zone. The internal parts of the pump heads are made from antistatic

fluoroplastics of high chemical resistance. Connectors and other parts are likewise made from antistatic materials and stainless steel. A further feature include integrated gas ballast with inlet for inert gas. Three pump versions are available to provide a maximum pumping speed between 1.9 and 8.1 m3/h and an ultimate vacuum of 12 to 2 mbar. Corresponding chemistry vacuum systems with separators and emission condensers offer the possibility of solvent recovery.

Tel: +49 9342 808-0 Email: info@vacuubrand.de www.vacuubrand.com Reader Reply Number: 502

SPOTLIGHT ON ATEX

Zone 2 computer enclosures from Armagard offer an inexpensive and flexible alternative to conventional industrial computers, offering complete intrinsically sealed protection in potentially explosive atmospheres without the need for compressed air

NEED Zone 2 computer protection? Our ATEX enclosures are certified zone 2 compliant and are available in mild and stainless steel and fully adhere to ATEX directive 94/9/EC for type N restricted breathing devices. An Armagard enclosure allows a conventional PC and monitor to be used in hazardous zone 2 environments. They accommodate both CPU and monitor and

come fully equipped with ATEX compliant integrated membrane keyboard and DuraPoint mouse. Available in 316 food grade stainless steel they come fully assembled, wired and earthed with 6mm thick acrylic window, internal circulation fan for heat dissipation and 4-way surge protected mains block.

Using conventional PCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in hazardous zone 2 areas allows the freedom to change, repair or upgrade at will - if the enclosed computer fails simply replace it - no more downtime waiting for computer engineers! Tel: +44 (0)121 6087226 www. armagard.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 503

Where safety is paramount the SSP Pumps product range offers customers ATEX Certified rotary lobe pumps under the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC Group II, Categories 2 and 3, Gas and Dust

SSP OFFERS PUMPING SOLUTION FOR ATEX SSP ATEX Certification applies to the Series S and Series X pumps that have, as standard, metallic wetted components manufactured from 316L stainless steel and the Series D pumps manufactured from ductile iron. These pumps are capable of achieving flow rates up to 115 mâ&#x2030;Ľ/h and differential pressures up to 20 bar. One important consideration with the application of pumps in an ATEX environment is the primary sealing device. As mechanical seals can generate high temperatures, particularly when subjected to dry running, some safeguard should be considered to detect such conditions. Here, SSP Pumps have developed their own

solution for mechanical seals to enable customers to maintain the highest level of safety. This takes the form of single, single flushed or double flushed mechanical seal options which can be supplied with an embedded Type K thermocouple. Thermocouples can be connected to any appropriate monitoring device or PLC system to warn of increasing high surface temperature at the mechanical seal faces in the event of some system failure. Tel: +44 (0)1323 414509 Email: tony.marshall@alfalaval.com www.alfalaval.com Reader Reply Number: 504

3 HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

SPOTLIGHT ON ATEX

Following in the success of the model DPE Breather Drain range, Redapt Engineering Ltd has introduced the model BDU Breather Drain for both Exd Flameproof and Exe Increased Safety installations in Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous areas

Fluke, offers a complete line of rugged, intrinsicallysafe tools to meet the needs of technicians & engineers working in and around hazardous areas

Exd (Flameproof)

BREATHER Complete

DRAIN LINE OF The model BDU Breather Drain is designed with IP66 ingress protection to be mounted in the bottom of a flameproof enclosure to effectively drain any water from the enclosure whilst allowing the air in the enclosure to breathe with the surrounding atmosphere, minimizing moisture build up. The model BDU can also be mounted in the top of the enclosure to operate as a breather only. It is available in Stainless

Steel (316) and Brass body materials, with optional nickel plating and four thread sizes; M20, M25, 1/2inch NPT and 3/4inch NPT. The model BDU range has been independently tested and approved for ATEX and IECEx certification by SIRA Test and Certification Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)121 526 7058 Email: jon@redapt.co.uk www.redapt.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 505

4 HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

intrinsically-safe test & measurement tools Meeting ATEX standards, the tools are ideal for environments in chemical plants, oil platforms, refineries and other locations where risk of explosion exists. They can be used to install, maintain and troubleshoot equipment, as well as maintain and calibrate sensors, transmitters and control loops. The Fluke 87V Ex is a development of Flukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highperformance, high-accuracy 87V industrial multimeter with special features for troubleshooting motor drives, plant automation, power distribution and other electromechanical equipment. The Fluke 725Ex Multifunction Process Calibrator, based on the Fluke 725, is an easy-to-use, tool with the capability to measure

or source/simulate volts, mA, RTDs, thermocouples, frequency, and ohms. The Fluke 707Ex Loop Calibrator is the ideal, stand-alone tool for calibration and maintenance of 4mA to 20mA control loops. It provides 24V loop power while measuring mA. The Fluke 718Ex Pressure Calibrator is a self-contained solution for pressure measurements and calibration with a built-in pressure sensor and a pump. For more information visit the Fluke Web site at www.fluke.co.uk/process Tel: +44 (0)207 9420700 Email: ken.west@fluke.com www.fluke.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 506

SPOTLIGHT ON ATEX

Asco Numatics announced IECEx Certification for a range of products that are already ATEX compliant for use in hazardous areas

IECEx solenoid operators for use in

EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES The additional certification covers the Asco Numatics Ex d, Ex mb and Ex ia ranges of explosion proof operators for solenoid valves for zone 1. IECEx certification means that these products are recognised and accepted worldwide for installation in a hazardous area. Combining the ATEX and IECEx approvals

together, provides machinery manufacturers and OEM’s with access to an extensive range of explosion proof operators for valves, that can be used on equipment for delivery and installation worldwide. End users benefit from access to a wider selection of products and reduced costs for designing and

maintaining facilities that are replicated in several countries. Tel: +44 (0)1695 724270 Email: marketing@ascojoucomatic.co.uk ww.ascojoucomatic.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 507

For hazardous area applications where oil resistant electrical conduit systems are required, Kopex International can now offer a system that combines the ATEX certified flame HAM proof gland with EXLB oil resistant flexible metallic conduit

New liquid tight conduit system with

ATEX APPROVED GLANDS This solution has been made possible thanks to changes in certification of the HAM range and the new combination is suitable for EX II 2 GD gas and dust as well as EExd IIC and EExe II applications.

The HAM ATEX approves flameproof gland range is designed to suit EXLB and EXSB conduits, and is available in brass, metal coated and stainless steel. With epoxy resin, the glands are approved for use in Zones 1, 2, 21 and 22 classifications where vapours gas or dust may be present for both EExd flameproof and EExe increased safety protection certification.

The glands operate within a temperature range for -60ºC to +80ºC and have a T6 temperature classification of +85ºC. IP66 ingress protection is also provided. EXLB conduit is a general oil resistant product with a flame retardant PVC covering. It is approved to IEC 61386 and is IP66 and IP67 rated. It has a general temperature rating of 25°C to + 105°C and in flexing applications, - 6°C to 105°. Conduit size availability is 10mm – 63mm (1/4 inch – 2 inches). Tel: +44 (0)1675 464276 Email: marketing@kopex.co.uk www.kopex.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 508

5 HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

SPOTLIGHT ON ATEX

Sira is the leading UK Notified Body for ATEX and a world-leader in the provision of IECEx certification

Serious Preventing the release of dangerous substances which can create explosive atmospheres, and preventing sources of ignition are two widely used ways of reducing the risk of explosions. Using the correct equipment can help

KTR shaft couplings

in accordance

with ATEX KTR offers a number of couplings that conform to ATEX which can be used in hazardous areas. As one of the leading global manufacturers of shaft couplings for chemical technology, KTR conformed to the ATEX specifications at an early stage. The vast majority of its products were examined by an independent institute with regard to their use in explosion-proof areas. Among the ATEX certified couplings are the torsionally flexible ROTEX, POLY-NORM and POLY jaw couplings in various designs, the backlash-free torsionally flexible ROTEX GS, the BoWex curved-tooth gear

coupling, RADEX-N steel lamina couplings and servo lamina coupling RADEX-NC. KTR have produced a leaflet to explain ATEX specifications and introduces the KTR range for explosion-proof areas taking each product in turn to explain its own relation to ATEX. The leaflet may be downloaded from www.ktr.com by following the links from the homepage: Service – Publications – ATEX95 Brochure. Tel: +44 (0)114 258 7757 Email: ktr-uk@ktr.com www.ktr.com Reader Reply Number: 509

6 HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

ABOUT SAFETY

Sira can undertake all the necessary tests and assessments to certify products in accordance with both ATEX and IECEx requirements. Sira also provides world-wide approvals through a network of agreements with leading approval bodies, including North America, China, Japan, Australia and South Africa. In addition, Sira also offers continued surveillance of your manufacturing process by issuing Quality Assurance Notification (QAN) and Quality Assessment Reports (QAR). Sira was the first Body to receive accreditation to the IECEx Repair Scheme, and issued the UK’s and World’s first IECEx Repair Scheme Certificate.

Sira delivers the only nationally-recognised and accredited competence scheme, ‘Competence Professional’, which assesses individuals through training, experience and formal assessment to give a credible qualification of competence. Sira has developed a range of CASS Accredited services enabling manufacturers and integrators to promote their products and services in the marketplace to Functional Safety, 61508/61511. T: +44 (0) 1244 670 950 E: info@siracertification.com www.siracertification.com Reader Reply Number: 510

SPOTLIGHT ON ATEX

STL International Ltd offers one of the widest available ranges of low maintenance and maintenance free hazardous area and industrial light fittings and luminaires including emergency lighting and for specialist applications such as dust

Safe answers to HAZARDOUS QUESTIONS STL has formed partnerships with major manufacturers to provide front-line technicial support and application advice for their leading-edge technology products that are ATEX approved for Zone 1 (21) & Zone 2 (22). The ongoing mission for STL is to eliminate the necessity to maintain lighting or, at least, reduce lighting maintenance to an absolute minimum so that skilled and valuable time can be better spent

elsewhere on the plant or site. STL can achieve this with the supply of lighting fixtures that are complete with either LED or induction technology light sources, or long-life fluorescent tubes from Aura or Philips; as standard. High quality, long-lasting materials and components eg ballasts are used and, where applicable, light fittings carry an extended warranty. Also, pricing is very competitive.

STL use computerised light calculations and can custom-design and supply ancillary equipment such as UPS and battery back-up systems as well as control stations and panels.

Tel: +44 (0)1622 749633 Email: solutions@stl-int.co.uk www.stl-int.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 511

TRaC is an established explosive atmosphere testing, assessment and certification body. As an EX test laboratory and an ATEX Notified Body (NB), TRaC provides a certification, safety testing and assessment route to manufacturers, designers, importers, exporters, distributors and operators of equipment and installations to ensure that they fulfill their legal obligations and demonstrate full compliance with the national and international requirements of explosive atmosphere safety

EXPLOSIVE atmosphere compliance TRaC provides a full range of services to the suppliers of equipment for use in hazardous locations. These services include: ATEX and HAZLOC explosive atmosphere product evaluation and testing Product control audits Pre-compliance design consultancy Technical file service Routine inspection of electrical equipment in hazardous areas Dangerous substance and explosive

atmosphere regulations (DSEAR) assessment In addition to certifying equipment for all ATEX and IECEx standards, TRaC also deliver global approvals for EMC, Safety, Radio and Machinery safety. Tel: +44 (0)1695 556666 Email: atex@tracglobal.com www.tracglobal.com Reader Reply Number: 512

7 HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

SPOTLIGHT ON ATEX

AIRBENCH

ATEX

A wide range of electric heaters for the surface finishing industry including Immersion heaters screwed flanged can be supplied with a wide choice of materials, with terminal boxes protected up toIP65

FATA Workpoint are pleased to announce their new air bench. AIRBENCH ATEX is designed specifically for use in potentially explosive dust atmospheres while providing the same high standards of breathing protection that users have come to expect from the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading supplier of downdraught benches. The new unit has already been supplied to manufacturers of medical components for use when weighing powder mixes within

an ATEX rated area. The new bench uses high grade, independently certified, ATEX rated components with 2-stage filtration to ensure dust generated during manual processes is effectively captured and contained. Various sizes are available and non-standard filter configurations can be provided on request. Tel: +44 (0)1206 791191 www.airbench.com Reader Reply Number: 513

8 HES March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

Industrial electric heaters, systems and controls for hazardous areas Flameproof (explosiveâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;proof) EEx d and EEx e constructions certified to CENELEC standard EN 50014/50018/50020 together with air purged EEx p systems are also readily available. Flanged Immersion heaters are supplied with element supports/spacers or baffles depending on application. Electric circulation heaters and process heating systems for heating a wide range of industrial liquids and gases . Mechanical design codes include ASME VII, BS 5500,

Stoomwezen, AD Merkblatter, ISPESL (PED), TEMA, or any other recognised code. Control Systems designed to suit each process application, ensuring full compatibility, interfaces and safety, especially where heaters are located in a hazardous area. Tel/Fax: +44 01243 606007 Email: fatiint@btconnect.com www.fati.com Reader Reply Number: 514

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For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 160 on IBC

CONDITION MONITORING

By introducing a new regime of condition monitoring from scratch, a steel rolling mill has not only avoided a number of costly breakdowns but also gained a greater understanding of its plant and improved the perception of condition monitoring across the site

New condition monitoring regime met with approval by engineers at Corus Skinningrove Located at Skinningrove near Saltburn-bythe-Sea in Northern England, the plant is part of the Corus Group and manufactures hot-rolled steel profiles for a wide range of industries, including earthmoving equipment, materials handling, shipbuilding and mining. Monitoring of the six pairs of spindle support bearings on the two-stand reversing mill was previously carried out by physical inspection on routine maintenance shutdown days. This involved two craftsmen stripping down the bearing housings and manually inspecting the bearings. If no defects were found, the same bearings were then reassembled into the original housings and refitted into the mill. The entire process is both labour and overhead crane intensive. This task was done in rotation so that each bearing pair was inspected every six weeks. This maintenance regime presented the engineering team with a number of challenges. As Scott Boyd, Operations Engineer, Mechanical points out: “It is not good practice to tie up valuable labour for a full day disassembling and then reassembling bearings when they could be working on other areas of the plant and freeing up valuable resources.” Not only were these increased manning levels an issue for the engineering team, but there was also the risk of introducing new problems as a result of human intervention. Boyd continues: “Due to the harsh environment in which the mill operates, there is an increased risk of particulate contamination within the bearings during the dismounting and remounting process. We also had to ensure that when we refitted the bearings we did so to the correct bearing clearance, and this all takes time.” Following a request from Skinningrove at the beginning of 2008, Corus’ Plant Condition Monitoring (PCM) team carried out patrol monitoring on the bearings. By using a

portable vibration monitoring device to obtain data on bearing defect frequencies they were able to report on some interesting findings. “We found that we could obtain some very reliable data from our handheld device which allowed us to understand the condition of the six pairs of bearings and determine when a failure was imminent,” comments Ian Taylor, Business Development Engineer, PCM at Corus. “However, for health and safety reasons, the manual approach was not practical in the long term,” adds Taylor. “Rather than sending our engineers into the working steel mill to obtain this data on a regular basis, it was agreed to install an online condition monitoring system.” In September 2008, an eight-channel FAG DTECT X1 vibration monitoring system from Schaeffler UK was installed on the rolling mill. One sensor was fitted to each of the six spindle support bearing sets, with a plan to connect the two spare sensors to the pinion box. “By using the online condition monitoring system we have been able to gain a much better understanding of the plant,” says Taylor. “When we began to analyse the first set of data, we realised that interference from other general plant equipment was masking the true bearing defects. We therefore needed to eliminate this in order to obtain true readings.” Once this issue had been resolved, the FAG DTECT X1 system discovered two bearing faults on two separate occasions within the first week of operation. The engineers were able to plan the outage of the failed bearing and avoid a breakdown, which would have resulted in a significant plant stoppage on each occasion to allow time for stripping down and replacing the failed bearings. As Boyd points out: “By preventing two potential plant stoppages, the system has already paid for itself. Early detection means that we are in control of our plant. Not only are we spending

less time and manpower removing and replacing perfectly good bearings, or trying to identify which bearing has failed and why, but we are also avoiding the added risks that human intervention brings.”Asked what the future plans are for condition monitoring at Skinningrove, Boyd confirmed that the company intends to further utilise such techniques and technology on other critical pieces of plant. “People now believe in this technology,” concludes Boyd. “This has changed the perception of condition monitoring as they can now clearly appreciate the benefits to be gained from using the system. We are still on a learning curve, having only introduced this regime earlier in 2008, but I am confident that we will obtain a greater understanding of the bearings.” The DTECT X1 series is a cost effective range of online monitoring devices that enables permanent frequency-selective monitoring. The advantage of the DTECTX1 system is that it includes features that are usually only available in far more expensive online systems. The basic model is available as a two-channel or eight-channel version with external multiplexer. All commonly used acceleration, speed and displacement sensors can be connected to the system. Depending on the version used, process quantities such as speed, temperature, torque and pressure can be recorded. The signal measured by the sensor is broken up into its frequency components using Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT), which enables monitoring of amplitudes for previously specified threshold values within very narrow, defined frequency bands, including the triggering of an alarm if these values are exceeded. Therefore, damage can be detected at an early stage by means of frequency-selective monitoring. www.schaeffler.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 320

15 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

Maintenance’s key role in helping businesses survive the recession was evident as leading companies turned out in force at easyFairs® MAINTEC to investigate the latest advances in asset management and maintenance technology

easyFairs® MAINTEC appeal stronger than ever as companies search recession-beating

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

The exhibition is now in its 34th year – but with maintenance professionals under more pressure than ever to make efficiency savings, optimise plant availability, and extend equipment longevity, the March 1719 event took on added importance. easyFairs® UK Marketing Manager Helen Woodbridge, said: “Budgets for new capital expenditure are tight – and when companies can’t afford large scale

investment in new machinery, effectively maintaining existing assets is paramount. In fact, our pre-show studies revealed that almost 60 per cent of manufacturers and processors are planning to tackle the economic downturn through added investment in maintenance technologies. “This was certainly evident at the show. It generated a focused group of quality, influential visitors…those genuinely looking

16 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

for products and systems to improve efficiency and reduce costs.” Among those visitors – which numbered 1,530 over the three days – was PepsiCo Engineering Criticality Coordinator Bob Abbas. He concurred that, as capital expenditure is kerbed, investment in predictive maintenance was becoming a priority.“The economic downturn hasn’t impacted on our maintenance budgets, but there is a cut on

capital expenditure,” he added. “Condition monitoring will be a key area for us to develop in coming years. As such, I want to stay abreast of upcoming technology – easyFairs MAINTEC pulls together all these new developments and gives me a chance to make direct contact with OEM’s.” Representatives from BAE Systems, Network Rail, Cadbury, AstraZeneca, Diageo, Birds Eye, Severn Trent Water and Glaxo Smithkline also attended Birmingham’s NEC to assess technological progress in fields ranging from condition monitoring, thermography and mechanical equipment to energy management, health & safety, and maintenance software. And buoyed by the strong turnout from senior decision makers, almost half of the 116 exhibitors have already signed up to be part of easyFairs® MAINTEC 2010 – scheduled for 2-4 March again at the NEC – which is a greater proportion than rebooked at the same time last year. Stand bookings for easyFairs® MAINTEC 2010 can be made by contacting Sunita Puee on 0208 622 4416 or e-mail: sunita.puee@easyfairs.com Lord Bill Jordan The learnShops™ seminar line-up at easyFairs® MAINTEC again afforded delegates the chance to tap into technical presentations, expert opinion, research findings, and best practice case studies from industry leaders. A total of 36 learnShops™ ran across two theatres over

the three-day exhibition – and at many it was a case of standing room only! In addition, this year’s educational programme was complemented with the launch of the MAINTEC Summit. Overseen by former trade union chief and current Rospa Chairman Lord Bill Jordan CBE, the Conference brought together authorities in the field of plant maintenance to discuss ‘lean’ plant management, lubrication technology, automation, and energy efficiency amongst other burning issues. Lord Jordan, former President of the Amalgamated Engineering Union and member of the Foundation for Manufacturing and Industry, said: “The Conference provided a major injection of confidence and ideas to delegates whose industries are suffering the harsh realities of recession. For some companies, what they went away with may well be the difference between survival and failure. “Delegates heard presentations of proven success in cost-cutting maintenance systems that were delivering vastly improved performances from plant and equipment.” And he was also impressed with the exhibitor offerings, adding: “I and other delegates got a hands-on feel for the powerpacked futuristic technology that’s changing the face of traditional maintenance.” New arrivals This year’s event was also notable by the number of new companies that exhibited alongside easyFairs® MAINTEC stalwarts

who have used the show as a platform to meet influential industry professionals for many years. In total there were around 30 newcomers, including Shell UK Oil Products. “Everybody was very receptive to our arrival,” said Shell’s Industry Marketing Specialist Richard Lonsdale. “It's been a busy and valuable show, and put us in touch with the full spectrum of maintenance workers, operations managers, senior engineers and MD’s from a cross section of different industries.” Another debutante was oil filtration specialists Antech Hydraulics. Sales Manager David Farrow, said: “The show facilitated detailed conversations with some very switched-on maintenance professionals. We’ve been introduced to the types of organisations that we might otherwise have struggled to get in front of.” And one of many easyFairs® MAINTEC regulars was IR Window specialist Hawk IR International, which was recently acquired by Fluke. Hawk’s Trish Fellowes said: “We attracted quality visitors and, naturally, that transcended into high quality leads. It was noticeable how the new Maintec Summit Conference helped attract very important maintenance professionals onto the show floor. Top marks to the easyFairs’ team for their organisation, support and execution of an excellent show. www.easyfairs.com/maintecuk Reader Reply Number: 314

17 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

SPOTLIGHT

FIT FOR PURPOSE high performance impact tools MANUALLY OPERATED This high performance impact tool in six model variants. Producing impact power from no other source but the human body. Delivering impact torque’s depending on model from 160 ft lbs to 7000 ft lbs. The Swench has virtually no return to body impact due to its unique design thus no white knuckle syndrome. It has been in use for years in the American military and is their best-kept tool secret for any personnel using nuts and bolts of any form. From car mechanics to truck fitters, plant fitters, military engineers, industrial production line fitters, factory maintenance, pipeline and chemical plant engineers the list goes on. This impact tool will do the job without the

need for air compressors, electric or hydraulic power, as there is no need for external power saving cost on fuel or energy and inspection and maintenance of power supplying equipment. www.swench-the-onlymanual-impact-tool.co.uk

+44 (0) 7968310951 Reader Reply Number: 316

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Monitran revealed details of an innovative stud option for mounting its vibration sensors and accelerometers

10 000+ customers

For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 130 on IBC

EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

Monitran, a world leader in the development and manufacture of sensors for the measurement of vibration and displacement, has devised a new stud option for mounting its vibration sensors and accelerometers. Adding to the company’s current mounting solutions which include QuickFit, magnetic and traditional screw type - the new option sees the sensor bonding to the stud via a grub screw (through the body of the sensor). This option is ideally suited to applications where the vibration sensor has an integral cable, as opposed to connector, and is not necessarily a permanent fixture. For example, the sensor might be taken from machine to machine as part of a regular vibration-based condition monitoring routine. Compared to traditional screw-type studs, the new mounting option also overcomes the risk of compromising the stud’s contact with the machine to which it is fixed. Specifically, when using a spanner to tighten a sensor to a stud it is possible to sheer the studmachine screw. It is similarly possible to damage the machine-stud bond in the case of adhesive studs. “Also, when unscrewing a sensor from a screw-stud you might be unscrewing the stud

as well,” comments Monitran’s Operations Director, Andy Anthony. “Attaching to one of our new studs via a grub screw is quick, simple and establishes a good mechanical bond; which is essential for the transference of energy [i.e. vibration or acceleration]. It also has the same benefits as magnetic and adhesive mounts, in that no rotational force [torque] is transferred to the stud-machine bond when attaching and removing.” The new studs will be available shortly, as applicable accessories to a range of newbodied sensors, and will be supplied with grub screws and Allen keys. Further, subject to demand, adaptors may be made available to interface between the new studs and traditional-bodied sensors. Anthony concludes: “Like most engineering solutions our new mounting option is simplicity in itself and delivers immediate and practical benefits to a wide range of applications. It’s also yet another prime example of how Monitran continues to innovate to meet the needs of industry, and provides testimony to the strength of British engineering.” www.monitran.com Reader Reply Number: 315

EUROMAINTENANCE

Euromaintenance, the international travelling industrial maintenance event, comes to Italy for its 20th year in 2010. The international industrial maintenance event will take place from the 12th to the 14th of May in the Veronafiere Conference Centre

Euromaintenance 2010 RENDEZ-VOUS IN VERONA In 2008, the Brussels event was visited by over 700 managers and heads of maintenance and operations from 47 countries, with over 200 companies and a total of 5,000 professionals exhibiting. The new Euromaintenance event is scheduled for the 12th to the 14th of May 2010, and will take place in Veronafiere. The organisation of the event has been entrusted to EIOM (“Ente Italiano Organizzazione Mostre”). Since 1956, EIOM has been the Italian leader in industry events. It is also the creator of MCM, a trade show that has become the Italian event of note for industrial maintenance, despite having been held only twice. The coordination of scientific and cultural events will be handled by AIMAN (Italian Maintenance Association), assisted by the various other members of EFNMS (European Federation of National Maintenance Societies). The Italian edition of Euromaintenance will also consist of a conference and an expo: this international conference of world-class importance (both for the issues discussed and the quality of the speeches) will take place in the presence of all the main industry players.

The conference is aimed at a very high target: general managers, operations and maintenance heads, plant managers, project managers, efficiency and reliability professionals, consultants, researchers, etc. The themes covered by the conference will be those of most interest to operators: from predictive, conditional and predetermined maintenance to RAM Engineering (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability); from enhancing the productivity of maintenance personnel to improving energy footprints and environmental protection; from reducing operating costs to revamping industrial plants, from E-Maintenance (Cmms, Rfid, Infomobility) to technological innovation, etc. We are particularly proud of the direct involvement of OSHA, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, which has included Euromaintenance among its key appointments for the 2010/2011 European Commission campaign for the reduction and prevention of accidents during work and maintenance. The speeches and the specific interests of visiting professionals will focus on maintenance for the processing industry

(Oil & Gas, Chemical & Petrochemical, Cement, etc.), energy production (Gas, Coal, Nuclear, Alternative sources, etc.), manufacturing (Cars, Plastics, Aeronautics, Electronics, etc.), the pharmaceutical, food and drinks industries, other “heavy” industries (Mining, Steel, Paper), and, of course, infrastructure and transport (Ports and Airports, Rail, Roads, Electricity, Water and Gas Distribution, Telecoms, Networks, etc.), facilities and building maintenance, and more. These will all incorporate the analysis of case histories and workshops on the planning and/or execution of maintenance projects, down to budgeting and benchmarking. As well as the conference, Verona will also host the linked international trade expo, open to the main industry players. These will also be able to participate in the conference through technical and application workshops that will allow them to introduce their solutions on “hot” topics to all attendants. www.euromaintenance.org Reader Reply Number: 318

19 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATORS A.T.S. Electro-Lube offer a full range of self contained Automatic lubricators

Electro Series

Electro-Luber Series — ATEX certified gas driven Lubricators in 4 sizes filled with the grease that the user requires. Refill/recycling service for used units

Ultimate Series

Ultimate Series — Refillable high pressure Lubricators for single or multi-point applications Refilled by grease gun

Titan Series

Titan Series — Refillable high pressure lubricators For single or multi-point application Refilled by changing standard grease cartridge

A.T.S. Electro-Lube (UK) Ltd 383L Jedburgh Court, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE11 0BQ Telephone: 0191 4914212 Fax: 0191 4914224 Email: info@atselectrolube.co.uk Web: www.atselectrolube.co.uk For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 119 on IBC

For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 120 on IBC

For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 121 on IBC

INDUSTRIAL PROTECTIVE COATINGS

Belzona Polymerics Limited, providing solutions to industry for over 55 years through the design and manufacture of polymer repair composites and industrial protective coatings has a proven solution to prevent the detrimental effects of erosion corrosion within heat exchangers

A polymer solution to in-service deterioration of heat exchangers In-service deterioration can occur through erosion damage and galvanic corrosion due to contact between dissimilar metals, commonly used in the construction of heat exchangers. If this damage is not addressed the efficiency of the system will be seriously undermined with the potential for complete failure of components, resulting in expensive operational downtime and potentially high replacement costs. In 2003, a heat exchanger in a major Power station in the UK had been removed for refurbishment. Following inspection, it was discovered that galvanic corrosion, coupled with erosion had caused a loss of metal thickness on the tube sheet surface. Consequently, coolant was able to contaminate the process fluid, necessitating immediate shutdown of the system, with the customer facing potentially high cost maintenance repairs. Belzona was able to provide a cost effective solution, utilising maintenance techniques that have been developed, whereby components can be both rebuilt and protected using polymeric compositions. A multi-purpose, two component system, based on a ceramic steel reinforced polymer was used to rebuild the eroded tube sheet and seal the leaks. To prevent future deterioration, a low temperature curing, high performance erosion corrosion resistant coating system was applied. The electrically insulating Belzona materials isolated the dissimilar metals used in heat exchanger construction, thereby eliminating further galvanic corrosion.

By treating heat exchanger components in this way, efficiency can be restored to levels approaching the original design parameters and can be maintained without subsequent deterioration. During a recent maintenance outage, Belzona’s team of Power industry specialists revisited the heat exchanger and found it to be in excellent operational condition, without the need for further maintenance repairs. Said Gordon Cairns, National Sales Manager, “Our technology and experience has culminated in a cost effective repair and protection system that can prevent the associated implications of in-service deterioration within heat exchange equipment.” This is just one of numerous Belzona product applications that have stood the test of time, remaining in service many years after installation. Due to this proven longevity, many product applications have been internationally approved by engineers, contractors and maintenance personnel. Meanwhile, according to Gordon Cairns, Belzona has, of late, seen a significant increase in the use of Belzona products for new equipment. He commented, “Several of the major and specialist original equipment heat exchanger manufacturers are considering coating new equipment with Belzona’s range of protective coatings due to the outstanding performance they offer under many and varied arduous service conditions.” David Norton of Wellman Hunt–Graham, an international leading supplier of vacuum and heat transfer equipment explains, “Belzona materials were recently used on a

major heat exchanger project as an alternative to titanium with great effect.” “Traditional methods of manufacture involve machining an expensive titanium tube sheet. The short application time of the Belzona solution coupled with the inexpensive coated carbon steel fabricated components, ensured the heat exchanger offered the same performance and reliability of a titanium manufactured heat exchanger - Belzona is a real alternative to high grade expensive alloys.” For more information about repairs to

heat exchangers or other machinery and equipment repairs, contact Belzona direct on 01423 567 641 or visit www.belzona.com

Reader Reply Number: 317

Corroded tube sheet prior to Belzona application

Tube sheet repaired and protected before being returned to service

Belzona erosion corrosion resistant coating system applied to a newly manufactured heat exchanger

21 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

VISIT

www.engineeringmaintenance.info for the latest Jobs News Interviews Online Seminars Events Training Products White Papers Case Studies Forum

Structural Adhesives

Cyanoacrylates (instant adhesives)

UV Curing Adhesives for bonding acrylic, glass and metals

Electrically Conductive Adhesives

Thermally Conductive Adhesives

Conformal Coatings

Glob Tops

Threadlocker

Ultra High Temperature Ceramic Adhesives

High Performance Adhesive Technology www.eurobond-adhesives.co.uk sales@ eurobond-adhesives.co.uk T 01795 427888 F 01795 479685 Bonham Drive, Eurolink Industrial Estate, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3RY UK Distributors of Reinhardt-Technik Metering Mixing Dispensing Systems

For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 107 on IBC

For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 109 on IBC

The rugged Ti25 and Ti10 thermal imagers help you identify the exact problem area The Fluke Ti25 and Ti10 make thermal imaging easy to understand and help you solve problems in industrial applications. With patent-pending IR-Fusion® you can view a full thermal image, or one combined with a visual image, to identify the exact problem area. Full IR

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For more information quote EMS Enquiry No. 117 on IBC

OEE

OEE – the

financial justification I spoke recently for Johnson & Johnson at their European Council meeting. Beautiful lakeside venue, not far from Geneva, good profit margins but recognising the best can be made better. Most of their sites are already using OEE as the catalyst for change and have implemented the measure with a series of spreadsheets. As usual for spreadsheets most sites have shown good initial progress but typically there are concerns over too much time spent manipulating data instead of improving the plant. The underlying message from delegates was ‘we have outgrown our spreadsheets, we know we’re on the right track but how can we justify Capex for a more powerful OEE application?’ Let’s create our own small factory to calculate an ROI. We’re going to make paint in 10 litre pots. We have a process plant to make the paint, but for this illustration we concentrate on the filling process only. Here is our simple plant, with just 3 filling lines. We currently work hard but can only just meet the weekly production orders with lots of extra agency staff and overtime. IR issues make the prospect of fixed extra shifts difficult so projects engineers are beginning to make a case for a 4th filling line.

23 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

OEE

To make the calculations simple the factory price of a 10 litre pot is €15. The lines are quite slow and the target is 900 pots across all three lines. Materials, pots, paint and labels cost €3 per unit. Labour costs average €200 per hour and energy costs €300 per hour. The sales order to meet is 60,000 pots. Project engineers have calculated the Capex cost for a 4th line at €1m with an ROI of 2 years. The OEE spreadsheet shows an OEE of 40% with an improvement of 10% in the 6 months we have been recording data. Unfortunately the performance rate is low which appears to be due to many minor stops and slow running - difficult to record manually. Availability losses appear better than expected but we suspect that’s because many of these losses are not being recorded. It’s a simple rule, if the speed of the plant cannot be slowed, but initial figures show a poor performance rate, not all availability losses are being recorded. If that’s the case all data should be considered suspect; we may be generating an OEE value, but we need to do much more to improve accuracy to be able to drive improvements. So, let’s look at the financial position. In the last week, at target throughput we should have completed the weeks order in less than 70 hours. However, because of 65% availability, 67% performance and 92% quality values, we had to work an extra 38 hours. That means lots of agency overtime and wasted energy costs. It’s clear why project engineers are investigating an additional line, but is it the most cost effective solution at €1m of new capital. What if we then run the new line at 40% OEE; how much better off will we actually be? With our low OEE score of 40%, the costs of those extra 38 hours of wasted effort across our 3 lines all adds up: Labour Energy

€ 7,600

38 hours @ €300 per hour

€11,400

@ €3 per unit

Labour Energy

16 hours @ €200 per hour

€3,200

16 hours @ €300 per hour

€4,800

Materials 2,880 rejects

@ €3 per unit

€14,400

€8,640

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Contact him by e-mail: alan.france@idhammarsystems.com, or visit www.idhammarsystems.com for more on OEE software.

24 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

We are still wasting €865,280 but that’s down from €1,736,800 ... a saving of €871,520 a year. On the subject of improving operations to mitigate the need for a new line, Mark Rogers, Site Maintenance Manager at Smith & Nephew sums it up: “We have seen real sustainable improvements in our assets through reducing the six losses of OEE. One particular asset was running seven days a week and still struggling to meet customer demands. Now it typically does the same volume in four-and-a-half days.” The Hull manufacturing site of Smith & Nephew implemented an OEE System, a key component that drives its TPM programme, and is now well on its way to being the leanest and most efficient health-product operation in the world. So think carefully before you consider new capital plant to overcome poor operation of existing equipment. Instead, accurately measure your OEE, discover your loss structure and improve what you have. As Hansen showed in 2001, investment in OEE initiatives can be ten times more cost-effective than purchasing new equipment. www.idhammarsystems.com Reader Reply Number: 313

Alan France is Operations Director of Idhammar Systems Limited.

38 hours @ €200 per hour

Materials 4,800 rejects

If we continue at this rate for the year we will have wasted €1,736,800. So would the €1m Capex for a new line make sense? It would increase our throughput target from 900 per hour to 1,200, but we would need extra staff and what if our OEE score stayed at 40%? We would reduce the extra hours needed to meet the order from 38 to 28, but our labour and energy costs have increased so we would still waste effort and money, to the tune of €1,627,600. That means that unless the new line can perform much better than 40% OEE, the actual ROI on the €1m Capex is closer to 10 years than the 2 years anticipated. Is there a better alternative? Thankfully the answer is yes. What if we could use OEE properly; as a catalyst for change, accurately identify the losses and making people accountable for resolving them. What if we could improve the OEE by a modest 20%, from 40% to 60%? That would make a big financial difference; availability increases to 79%, performance to 80%, and quality to 95%. More importantly we reduce the extra production hours required to only 16 hours.

BOILERS

In November 2008, Carbon budgets became law under the UK’s Climate Change Act. The UK’s target is to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 80% by 2050, and in order for us to be on track for this, there is an interim target of 21% reduction by 2020, (or 31% if a global deal is reached)

WHAT’S YOUR

carbon footprint One key area mentioned by the Committee for Climate Change is energy efficiency in buildings and industry, and a significant proportion of energy use in this area relates to industrial steam or hot water boilers. 2020 may seem a long way off, but it’s only 11 years and industrial boilers installed now will only be part way through their life span (on average over 25 years). It is crucial, therefore, that any new industrial boilers installed now are the most energy efficient possible in order to attain the 21% emissions reduction. Boiler efficiency is a measure of the proportion of useful heat output compared with heat input. A recent survey of 300 boilers over 100 sites shows an average boiler efficiency of 74% (Carbon Trust), so there is ample opportunity for improvement. The 26% losses will most likely arise from inefficient boiler design which can’t utilise all the heat input before it reaches the flue outlet; heat losses from the boiler, pipes, valves and blowdown water; and poor load scheduling, operation and maintenance. Obvious first steps towards improvement are to ensure that all boiler and pipe insulation is present and in good condition.

Before rushing into installing add-on gadgets to the existing boilers to improve efficiency take the opportunity to review the boilers themselves. It is astounding how many 40 year old boilers are still in operation. The boiler men may have given them pet names and have grown attached, but the truth has to be faced. They are probably not the right size and will certainly be inefficient. Replacement with new boilers of the correct size, optimum design and efficiency will give payback in a relatively short term. When comparing boiler from different manufacturers, it will pay dividends to ask exacting questions about the way efficiency figures are calculated, as there are many unseen variables which can give misleading results. If possible run your own calculations using the same fuel calorific values (don’t mix nett or gross values), use the same ambient air temperature and use the British Standard method of calculation. Having specified the most energy efficient boiler, then look to further reduce emissions by installing extra features which will be effective on that site. In the case of steam boilers this may be flue gas

economisers, TDS and blowdown controls, and heat recovery systems. Variable speed drives on burner fans and feed pumps will reduce electrical consumption and make further improvement to the carbon footprint. The current financial climate may seem to present an obstacle, however SME’s can overcome this with a Carbon Trust interest free, unsecured loan for energy saving equipment. The amount of loan offered is based on the amount of carbon savings and application is easy as all forms are completed by the equipment supplier. www.byworth.co.uk Reader Reply Number: 319

25 EMS March/April 2009 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

w w w. m s l re c r u i t m e n t . c o m Reference Job Description

Salary Reference Job Description

Salary

Reference Job Description

9508 POWER AND ENERGY DESIGN ENGINEER ROLES We are very pleased to offer the superb chance to become part of one of the worlds most successful engineering firms as a design engineer in their Sunder land office to be involved on their current benchmark projects. £ 40 TO £ 50 K (PER YEAR) + PACKAGE 9449 ELECTROMECHANICAL ENGINEERS Award winning company is recruiting for 10 Electromechanical Design engineers for their Saudi Arabia office. Due to winning new projects they are again expanding their design team. Ideal candidates will have a degree in civil, electrical or mechanical engineering. Projects include water & power generations, substations, transmissions & distribution,water treatment plants and pumping stations to name a few. £NEG (PER YEAR) 8777 PRINCIPAL OR SENIOR SAFETY CONSULTANT You’ll hold an honours and/or masters degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject e.g. science or engineering. You’ll also have considerable safety case production and/or management experience either with a consultancy or a licensee, effective communication skills, good report writing skills and the ability to work effectively both individually and in a team. At the Principal level we’re looking for specific team leadership experience. £NEG (PER YEAR) + WE OFFER A COMPETITIVE FLEXIBLE BENEFITS PACKAGE 9368 POWER GENERATION ENGINEERS We are seeking applications from degree

w w w. m s l re c r u i t m e n t . c o m

26 EMS March/April 2008 www.engineeringmaintenance.info

j o b s @ m s l re c r u i t m e n t . c o m

Salary Reference Job Description

qualified engineers to join our growing Power Generation teams based in Glasgow and are keen to hear from candidates with previous relevant experience gained within the UK power or energy industries £ 30 TO £ 50 K (PER YEAR)

Salary

9367 ENGINEERS - NUCLEAR GENERATION You will be required to undertake project management, engineering design and computer simulation modelling as part of a growing team producing work for the nuclear industry. Work will typically include liaising with clients and managing projects; feasibility and conceptual design studies; computer simulation modeling; site survey and inspection activities; analysis and design; specification writing; trouble shooting and problem-solving and technical due-diligence advice £ 30 TO £ 60 K (PERMANENT)