Maintenance Technology September 2012

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The First Name in Power Transmission

Baldor•Dodge® power transmission products offer reliable service and low maintenance to help reduce your total cost of ownership. Our innovative bearings, gearing and power transmission products have solved the toughest applications for over 125 years. Our technical sales team can help you with the most challenging applications, and our worldwide distributor network ensures immediate delivery.

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When it comes to PT solutions, Baldor•Dodge is the first name in power transmission.


Only a Fluke ScopeMeter® Oscilloscope is tough enough to take on the industrial world. When it’s too dirty and dangerous for ordinary scopes, and a multimeter isn’t quite enough, take a ScopeMeter ® Oscilloscope. Built to solve tough problems in harsh industrial environment, ScopeMeter even has a multimeter built-in, plus it’s: • Rated CAT III 1000 V/ CAT IV 600 V • The only completely sealed, drip proof, dust-proof, IP-51 rated scope • Loaded with functions to make using an oscilloscope easy

Watch how ScopeMeter was created:

fluke.com/scopemeteristough

©2012 Fluke Corporation 4152061A

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WHAT VIBRATION PENS WANT TO BE WHEN THEY

GROW UP. The new Fluke 805 Vibration Meter is more than a pen. It’s a Fluke meter that gives you results you can trust, time after time. • Checks overall vibration, bearings and temperature • Ability to export and trend data • Four-level scale quickly assesses problem severity • Unique sensor design ensures accurate and repeatable measurements

Forget the pens. Think METER: fluke.com/VibrationMeter ©2012 Fluke Corporation AD 4151036A_EN

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Contents

SEPTEMBER 2012 • VOL 25, NO 9 • www.MT-ONLINE.com

YOUR SOURCE FOR CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

FEATURES 16

©OLLY — FOTOLIA.COM; ©ILONA BAHA — FOTOLIA.COM ©MIKALAI BACHKOU — FOTOLIA.COM

CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES Set Your Mind For Complete Reliability Reliability is more than asset management and quality control. It’s a company-wide mindset that never veers from the goal. Jeff Dudley, The Dow Chemical Company

THE FUNDAMENTALS 22

Visual Controls: A Critical Component Of Institutional Knowledge Transfer A picture may truly be worth a thousand words in equipping new workers to replace seasoned ones that have retired or moved on. Darrell Carmichael, Brady Corp.

THE RELIABILITY FILES 33

Motor Shaft Voltages Kill Bearings There’s a downside to VFDs: They induce currents that can destroy motor bearings. A new test kit can turn things back to the upside.

CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES 36

Adding Value to Society What’s the concept of quality losses got to do with maintenance? More than you might have thought. Tracy T. Strawn, CMRP, Marshall Institute, Inc.

SUPPLY CHAIN LINKS 40

Haas Automation: Turning Out 30 Years Of Innovation and Success A lot goes into being on the cutting edge of something. This Q & A tells how one machine-tool manufacturer got there and stays there. Jane Alexander, Editor

DEPARTMENTS 6 8 10 14

My Take

20 31 32 46 48 51 54 54 55 56

Electrical-Safety Sense

Stuff Happens Uptime Don’t Procrastinate… Innovate! Automation Insider Motor Decisions Matter Technology Showcase Solution Spotlight Marketplace Information Highway Classified Supplier Index Viewpoint

...and don’t forget to visit www.MT-Online.com for this month’s 25th Anniversary Article, “Battling a Killer: Corrosion Control Methods” by Gerald O. Davis, P.E. With manufacturing operations moving back to the U.S. or ramping up, this article from May 2008 is worthy of another look by anyone who is interested in keeping production equipment systems “alive.” (BTW: This author will also be speaking at MARTS 2013.) SEPTEMBER 2012

MT-ONLINE.COM | 3


It’s Coming! Are You Ready?

September 2012 Volume 25, No. 9 Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

ARTHUR L. RICE President/CEO arice@atpnetwork.com

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

JANE ALEXANDER

Editor-In-Chief jalexander@atpnetwork.com

RICK CARTER

Executive Editor rcarter@atpnetwork.com

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

RANDY BUTTSTADT

Director of Creative Services rbuttstadt@atpnetwork.com

GREG PIETRAS

©

Editorial/Production Assistant gpietras@atpnetwork.com

ELLEN SANDKAM

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

JILL KALETHA

Reprint Manager 866-879-9144, ext. 168 jillk@fosterprinting.com

Presented By

Applied Technology Publications

Editorial Office: 1300 South Grove Ave., Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 847-382-8100 / FAX 847-304-8603 WWW.MT-ONLINE.COM

Subscriptions: FOR INQUIRIES OR CHANGES CONTACT JEFFREY HEINE, 630-739-0900 EXT. 204 / FAX 630-739-7967

Categories: Innovative Devices, Gizmos & Gadgets Innovative Processes & Procedures Innovative Use of Third-Party Resources Details & Entry Forms Available At www.reliabilityinnovator.com Grand Prize Winner And 3 Runners-Up Announced In Early 2013

Sponsored By The Innovators At

Maintenance Technology® (ISSN 0899-5729) is published monthly by Applied Technology Publications, Inc., 1300 S. Grove Avenue, Barrington, IL 60010. Periodicals postage paid at Barrington, Illinois and additional offices. Arthur L. Rice, III, President. Circulation records are maintained at Maintenance Technology®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Maintenance Technology® copyright 2012 by Applied Technology Publications, Inc. Annual subscription rates for nonqualified people: North America, $140; all others, $280 (air). No subscription agency is authorized by us to solicit or take orders for subscriptions. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Maintenance Technology®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Please indicate position, title, company name, company address. For other circulation information call (630) 739-0900. Canadian Publications agreement No. 40886011. Canada Post returns: IMEX, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5, or email: cpcreturns@ wdsmail.com. Submissions Policy: Maintenance Technology® gladly welcomes submissions. By sending us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technology Publications, Inc. permission, by an irrevocable license, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned. “Maintenance Technology®” is a registered trademark of Applied Technology Publications, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.

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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


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

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1

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

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Find and fix the leaks in your compressed air system.

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

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

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

6

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

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

4 5 @EXAIR

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

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MY TAKE

Jane Alexander, Editor-In-Chief

Making A Change Or Two In Direction

I

began writing this month’s column as a reminder to the innovators out there that you still have time to enter the 2012 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year Award competition. The words were coming together well until an indecisive Hurricane Isaac decided to hunker down on the New Orleans area. Amid the post-landfall news reports was an item involving the maintenance and reliability of a mature technology. Riveting my attention for several hours, it changed the direction I originally wanted my September message to take. You probably heard the same story, an account of the Plaquemines Parish pump operators who, because of rising waters, were forced to leave their pump station and seek refuge atop a levee for a while. Thank goodness for them, their families, their friends and Plaquemines Parish that they were rescued. Thanks goodness, too, for the pump industry—it can’t afford to lose any skilled, dedicated pump pros. I should know: I began hearing about and covering the pump workforce crisis long before I came to Maintenance Technology (in 2005). If my memory serves me correctly, the pump community has been lamenting the loss of its treasured “old pump guys” since the mid-1990s (if not before). Even back then, it knew there weren’t enough knowledgeable/experienced young “pump guys” and “pump gals” coming in to meet industry’s need. As with other workforce gaps, problems related to the development of new generations of pump professionals are often blamed on the lack of practical knowledge transfer and hands-on training in critical skills—just what the “old pump guys” across industry conveyed and nurtured in their facilities. A number of interested parties have been working feverishly for years to take up the slack. They include the major OEMs, the Hydraulic Institute, the Fluid Sealing Association, colleges and universities (typically Land Grant) and individual distributors. It’s an ongoing slog. One of the best-known pump training resources is the Texas A&M (TAMU) TURBOLAB, home of the Turbomachinery and International Pump Users Symposia. (This month marks TAMU’s 41st Turbomachinery Symposium and its 28th Pump Symposium.) Whether it’s offering training in College Station, Houston or the Middle East, this Texas-based educational initiative has always been a mover and shaker in the development of pump technologies and the skills to manage them. If your team would prefer to move in a different direction on pump training this fall, check out the next installment of another popular, long-running event: Set for Oct. 11 in the Philadelphia area (Aston, PA), it’s the 9th Mid-Atlantic Pump & Process Equipment Symposium, presented by the Baltimore-based Geiger Pump & Equipment Company. I was thrilled to be among the many pump lovers attending the first of these skill-building events. I’ve been thrilled to watch them grow ever since. Still offered FREE of charge, the hands-on training (pump teardowns, rebuilds, seal replacements, etc.) with experts from ITT Goulds Pumps, Viking and John Crane, among others, is not to be missed (nor is Geiger’s legendary hospitality). Popularity does have its downside, however: Seats are limited. To see if you can still snag one, go to http://geigerinc.com. MT jalexander@atpnetwork.com

P.S. Next month, I’ll return to the topic of the 2012 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator Award and its sponsors, including the innovators of ScaleWatcher. For now, turn to pg. 14 for Ken Bannister’s take on it.

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maintenance technology

SEPTEMBER 2012


With decades of proven experience in hydraulics, Eaton creates the products and system solutions you need with Hydrostatic, Pumps, Motors, Valves, Power Units, Cylinders and Fluid Conveyance products. Eaton PVM Series pumps are quiet, reliable and are rated to 280 bar and available in twelve different sizes from 18cc to 141cc. And, you can find Eaton PVM Series pumps at your local Motion Industries location. Our local sales and service specialists are experts in application and technical support, providing the parts and the know-how you need to stay up and running.

Over 500 locations More than 4 million products Industrial maintenance training courses Call. Click. Visit.

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NEWS STUFF HAPPENS

Hydraulic Institute And Pump Systems Matter Announce More 2012 Mechanical Seal Webinars October Marks The Launch Of A Second 2012 Series The Hydraulic Institute (HI) and Pump Systems Matter, in collaboration with the Fluid Sealing Association, have announced their second Mechanical Seals Webinar Series of 2012. The new four-parter begins on Wednesday, October 3, 2012. According to HI, this non-commercial educational forum will be led by (and give participants access to) some of the seal industry’s top technical experts. Registrants will be able to receive up to four professional development hours for their participation. (FYI: PDH credits are offered after the completion of each live session.) The individual Webinar leaders and dates of their respective sessions are: Eric Vanhie, EagleBurgmann (Oct. 3); Mike Huebner, Flowserve (Oct. 9); Eric Boyce, John Crane (Oct. 17); and Henri Azibert, A.W. Chesterton (Oct. 30). The full-ride registration fee (includes all four Webinars in this series) is $295. Individual sessions are priced at $100 each. To learn more or to register,

GREAT APPS... Grainger has introduced a free mobile app for iPhone and Android smart phones. According to the company, it provides instant access to a whopping 900,000 items, which, in turn, could go a long way toward easing the work of maintenance, repair and operation professionals. Among other things, it lets users browse through and/or search for solutions (even by voice) from Grainger’s entire product line; view account pricing; check availability; and quickly order from anywhere. The iPhone version is offered through Apple’s App Store. The Android version can be found on Google Play.

visit the Webinar section of HI’s eStore, at www.pumps.org.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH SOUND-OFF: Tell us what you think. . . Really. . .

What type of training are you and/or others on your team looking for? Be specific. Go to MT-online.com/question with your answer. 8|

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


STUFF HAPPENS NEWS

Kaman Corp., through its subsidiary Kaman Industrial Technologies, is in the process of acquiring Zeller Corp. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close this quarter (Q3), weren’t disclosed at the time the acquisition was announced. Zeller is a distributor of electrical and automation components and solutions, including motion control, programmable logic controller (PLC)-based automation, machine vision, electrical controls and power distribution products. A premier Schneider Electric partner, Zeller also represents other manufacturers, including Kollmorgen, Phoenix Contact, Rittal and Sick. The company employs 240 people, including 60 degreed engineers, and has operations in Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo, NY; Foxboro, MA; and Winston-Salem, NC.

BIZ BUZZ

Power-cable reliability specialists UtilX® Corp. and global silicones leader Dow Corning Corp. have announced a new business collaboration to help power companies and other cable owners improve the reliability of their distribution systems. The agreement is an extension of a successful relationship between the two companies established more than 20 years ago. It brings together UtilX’s expertise in developing and applying technologies that extend the life of power cables with Dow Corning’s expertise in material science and silicone manufacturing. As part of the relationship, UtilX may use the Powered by Dow Corning™ brand on packaging, commercial and technical information for all UtilX rejuvenation fluids. Dow Corning will continue to provide UtilX with exclusive use of its proven cable-rejuvenation fluids and act as sole manufacturer of all rejuvenation fluids developed by UtilX, including DMDB, the company’s latest-generation CableCURE® injection fluid.

’ N ’ I T N I H T GH FIIG F S D S R D O R WO W Inspiration For Those Battling The Enemies Of Reliability & Productivity This month’s thought-provoking quote (actual source unknown) comes from Gordon Jones, Maintenance Manager of Iowa State University’s Utilities Production operations (for 21 years). We think it’s applicable to everyone, not just those in the reliability trenches:

!

“Every task makes a statement. How did you sign your work today?” Thanks for the gentle nudge, Gordon! Have you read, heard, seen, thought or written down something that falls into the realm of “fightin’ words” for the maintenance and reliability community?

Send your favorites to quotes@atpnetwork.com. We’ll be selecting one or two (maybe even three) to feature each month. Be sure to give full credit to the individual (dead, alive, real or fictional) that uttered or wrote the words, and why those words inspire you. Don’t forget to include your complete contact info.

Solutions Solutions

A new SKF Solution Factory is turning out solutions in the Cleveland, OH, area (at 670 Alpha Dr., in Highland Heights, OH, to be exact). The second such “Factory” in the U.S., it joins a growing network of 17 others worldwide. Similar to the company’s other Solution Factory sites, the Cleveland operation provides customers access to diverse technical resources and offers an extensive range of services, including bearing-application support, customized machined sealing solutions, spindle and ball-screw repair, mechanical-equipment assistance, engineering consulting and remote diagnostics and monitoring, as well as a full menu of training offerings. The other U.S.-based SKF Solution Factory is located in Houston.

SEPTEMBER 2012

MT-ONLINE.COM | 9


UPTIME

Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

‘Asset Management’ Versus ‘Maintenance Management’ “I know we’ve been hearing more and more about ‘Asset Management Systems’ as described in the PAS 55:2008 specification and the emerging ISO-55000 standard. But I still don’t get it. Yes, I know sometimes they change the name of something to make us think it’s new and improved. But in my mind, maintenance management IS asset maintenance. What’s the difference?” That’s a great question. The person who asked it is not alone: Countless other maintenance professionals are asking the same thing. So, let’s use this month’s column to explore the similarities and the differences between “asset management” and “maintenance management.” While asset management includes everything we think of as good maintenance management practices, it goes well beyond the scope of “maintenance” as we know it. Important definitions The term “asset,” in this case, refers to physical items such as plants, equipment, facilities, vehicles, utility systems and infrastructure. “Asset systems” refer to a series of equipment that works together as a single system, such as a chemical process, a manufacturing process or a railroad system. Each “system” is composed of numerous pieces of equipment. We will use the word “equipment” here as a general term when referring to physical assets of the types discussed above. The term “system” is a structured set of interacting, often interdependent, elements forming an integrated whole to deliver a desired result. A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), with its numerous programs, functions, forms, tables, reports and its processes for work orders, PMs, parts, labor, planning and scheduling, is a good example of a “system.” For our purposes, the definition of “management” can be summed up as the organization and coordination of activities aligned with certain policies for the achievement of clearly defined objectives of an enterprise. Last is “reliability.” Simply stated, reliable equipment does what it is supposed to do, the first time, every time, in the prescribed operating context (or environment). In other words, “reliability” means “failure-free performance.” 10 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Maintenance in a business context The primary objective of maintenance is to take care of equipment, respond to its needs and keep it in good operating condition. In a business context, however, “maintenance” is NOT the goal. The expectation of an equipment-intensive business is to have reliable equipment performing functions that lead to its business goals. Maintenance, then, is a “work process” that contributes to equipment reliability through the use of proven actions, tools, techniques and people. When we take into account the operating context, in many cases, maintenance tasks alone cannot generally make equipment reliable. Why? Because, to put it simply, “maintenance” is not the solution to all causes of unreliability. Unfortunately, in some organizations the Maintenance Department is seen as the sole supplier of equipment reliability because it performs preventive maintenance (PM) on equipment, then fixes it when it breaks. This “fixing paradigm” is often communicated as a customer-supplier relationship— wherein Production is the customer and Maintenance is the supplier—rather than as an organization-wide partnership, wherein reliability is central to Asset Management. The bottom line thus far is this: Maintenance, as a department, rarely has the ability to make equipment reliable. The process of maintaining equipment, whether it is performed by maintainers, operators, engineers or contractors, cannot address all of the causes of unreliability. In many cases the ultimate remedy resides in other departments or organizations—some within the same enterprise and some outside. There are many approaches to maintenance management that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of maintenance functions. And this is a good thing, for sure. But we’re still talking about “maintenance management.” The life-cycles of equipment Reliable equipment doesn’t just appear with the wave of a wand. In fact, there are many phases in the lifecycle of equipment. For the purpose of this brief article, let’s group these into four major phases: SEPTEMBER 2012

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UPTIME

#1. Acquisition: Design, build/buy, install, startup, commission

n Insufficient personnel (Operations, Maintenance,

#2.Utilization: Performing the intended function or operation

n Equipment doing things it was not intended to do

Supervision)

n Lax routines in cleaning and inspection

#3. Maintenance: Maintain, repair and renew (restore) n Inconsistent or deferred scheduled PM routines

#4. Decommissioning: Obsolescence and disposal n Insufficient, incorrect, unfit-for-service spare parts

Two “reliability” questions to ponder here… n Improper lubricants and/or lubrication routines n In the above four life-cycle phases, where does

“reliability” begin? n In the above four life-cycle phases, where is

“reliability” sustained? Decisions that are made during the shortest phase (#1. Acquisition) will have a life-long effect on the performance and reliability of the equipment. Reliability begins in Phase #1. When equipment is purchased on a low bid with vague specifications and little regard to life-cycle performance and/or costs, the chances of operational readiness and reliability throughout its lifecycle are highly unlikely. The phases with the longest duration are the combination of #2. Utilization and #3. Maintenance. (They’re also the phases with the most frequent variables [human factors] that affect equipment reliability.) These two phases occur in an interdependent, but intermittent fashion. Reliability is sustained in Phases #2 and 3. Reliability-inhibiting variables… Let’s briefly consider some of the reliability-inhibiting variables commonly found in Phases #2 and 3: n Semi-qualified, untrained operators and/or

maintainers n Vague operating and maintenance work instructions

n Conflicting priorities (Production vs. Maintenance)

Asset Management I’ve often referred to “asset management” as “maintenance on steroids.” But that doesn’t explain what asset management really is intended to be. If you’ve made it this far, you can recognize there are more causes of unreliability, poor equipment performance and equipment-related problems that are outside the direct control of Maintenance. This is where asset management comes into play. Here are 10 major elements in an Asset Management System: #1. Asset Management focuses on the assets that strategically add value to the enterprise, to the business— assets that the success of the business is built around. #2. The Asset Management Process systematically aligns all asset-related policies, procedures, functions, roles, responsibilities, activities and resources with the strategic plan of the business. #3. A specific Asset Management POLICY communicates business imperatives related to the physical assets of said business. This POLICY, including its specific expectations and accountabilities, is deployed at the same level, by the same senior executives that deploy the Quality Management and Environmental, Safety and Health Policies of the business.

n Inconsistent, non-standard methods, short-cuts or

violations n Personnel fatigue, stress, sensory limitations n Errors (skill-based, judgment-related, misperceptions) n Failure to correct known problems with personnel

or equipment SEPTEMBER 2012

#4. Asset Management Objectives and Plans are aligned with the Asset Management Policy and strategic business plans and goals. #5. Asset Management Controls and Enabling Processes are established to facilitate the implementation of Asset Management Plans to achieve Asset Management Objectives. mt-online.com | 11


UPTIME

#6. Strategic equipment: When performance of equipment is vital to the function it is performing and there are no acceptable alternatives to replace the function of the equipment, it has a strategic purpose. Some pieces of equipment or equipment systems may be more critical or more at risk than others and must be managed accordingly.

#9. Periodic management reviews of the Asset Management processes and systems are routinely performed to assure that the goals of the business are being addressed and achieved.

#7. Implementation of the Asset Management Plans spans all four of the previously described life-cycle phases: #1. Acquisition; #2. Utilization; #3. Maintenance; and #4. Decommissioning.

#10. Asset Management participants include every organization, department and function, and every person (part-time, full-time, hourly, salary or contractor) that makes decisions or takes action directly or indirectly impacting the performance and/or reliability of any asset that will affect the strategic business plan of the enterprise.

#8. Performance and condition monitoring of the strategic assets, as well as the Asset Management System itself, are also performed to assure—and improve—their efficiency and effectiveness.

With these 10 formal asset management processes in place, equipment performs as intended, operating costs decline and the return on net assets increases. MT robertmw2@cs.com

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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


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DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

Ken Bannister, Contributing Editor

American Ingenuity Is Alive And Kicking Jay Carney, the current White House Press Secretary, recently took the opportunity to state, “The United States of America is still the most powerful economy in the world. It is an incredible engine for creativity and innovation. And it has the smartest, most effective workforce in the world.” Carney’s assessment was spot on. When it comes to creativity and innovation, the USA has continually held a revered position in the eyes of the world. This is evidenced by the way much of the world emulates, copies and, in some cases, counterfeits ideas, products, methods and processes born in America. Fueled by the ingenuity of its courageous forefathers, America has dominated—and continues to dominate— the science of “getting things done better!” As difficult as our recent economic times have been, history will likely record the past few lean years as a mere speed bump in American industrial dominance. Unlike governments, which tend to hire more and spend their way out of austerity, most corporations will rigorously examine themselves and look for ways to be more competitive, assessing the value of their current methods, processes, procedures and product offerings to eliminate waste with precision. History has repeatedly shown that under adversity, the spirit of creativity and innovation flourishes. Many readers will recall the near-disaster of the Apollo 13 moon mission, when after 56 hours of spaceflight, an oxygen tank on one of the spacecraft’s service modules blew up due to faulty electrical wiring insulation. The subsequent understated “Houston, we have a problem” soundbite call from the crew is now legendary. Apollo 13’s problems were many, but the astronaut crew and ground teams in Houston worked through them one by one and developed ingenious devices and protocols to avert almost certain disaster. When most people think back on the Apollo 13 saga, they remember the famous oxygen

14 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

depletion problem depicted in Hollywood’s version of the story. In it, the lunar module’s Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) scrubbers, used to remove carbon dioxide from the spacecraft, held insufficient capacity to get the astronauts back to earth. Ironically, the attached command module had more than adequate capacity in its LiOH scrubbers, but the crew was unable to attach the return-line hose, as the connections were incompatible. Using only items known to be carried in the spacecraft at the time, a Houston ground crew was tasked with finding an innovative solution before the astronauts passed out from lack of oxygen. The result was an object they named “the mailbox.” This jury-rigged device allowed the command module’s cube-shaped connectors to be linked to the lunar module’s cylinder-shaped connectors. It’s hard to believe that this heroic episode transpired many years ago. More recently, we only have to look at the resurgence and rebirth of the American automotive industry that has reinvented itself in the past few years. Innovative technology, product design and manufacturing methods are setting new benchmarks for the future. Your chance to shine Americans are truly fortunate to live in a society that fosters and rewards creativity and innovation. We are fascinated by and love to hear and read about successful invention and innovation stories in which “ordinary” people come up with great ideas that make the world a better place. This is demonstrated through the popularity of TV offerings like Shark Tank, Dragon’s Den and assorted shopping channels, as well as magazines like Popular Mechanics, Popular Science and, one of my personal favorites, Farm Show (a newspaper-like publication that showcases innovative gizmos, gadgets and ideas for work and play put forth by American farmers). Seemingly ordinary people with a zeal or knack for innovation are sometimes termed

SEPTEMBER 2012


DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

Most people have some type of backyard-genius story to tell. If you do, we want you to tell it to us. “backyard geniuses.” That’s because their solutions typically are not commercially underwritten, but rather are answers to problems on shoestring budgets, using only tools and materials at hand and heavy doses of ingenuity. The results aren’t always pretty, but they’re always effective! Looking at the typical profile of a backyard genius, you might be surprised to learn that you fit in this elite group: n Age: 3–103 years old n Gender: Male or female n Job title: All n Qualifications: An open mind and a willingness

to have a go at “doing it better” In other words, successful innovators and inventors come from all walks of life. Many start by simply trying to resolve their pet peeves; or by working on a solution for a piece of machinery not quite suited for its original purpose or not likely to ever be repaired; or by rewriting a process that begs to be rewritten. The point is, most people have some type of backyard-genius story to tell. If you do, we want you to tell it to us. For you ordinary people out there who may believe that your story is inconsequential— or that a high-profile magazine like ours wouldn’t be interested in it­—or that your gizmo, gadget or idea is of no use to anyone else or not good enough or refined enough to be showcased, I urge you to think again. Come to the aid of others and share your successes with us! I issue the same call to action to you procrastinators out there. Don’t just leave it to “the other guy” to talk about his/her innovation. To paraphrase Guy Kawasaki, venture capitalist and Apple Computers Fellow, “Don’t worry, be crappy. Revolutionary means you ship and then test… Lots of things made the first Mac in 1984 a piece of crap, but it was a revolutionary piece of crap.”

SEPTEMBER 2012

So, if you have a revolutionary piece of crap— or a remarkable idea others in industry might benefit from—we invite you to participate in our “2012 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year” award program. Entries will be judged based on the following elements: Practicality… 1. Can the innovation be adopted across industry? 2. Can the innovation be replicated, manufactured or sold easily? Simplicity… 3. Is the ROI less than 3 months? 4. Is the idea intuitive and easily understood? Impact… 5. Reliability (uptime) 6. Ergonomics (operator, maintainer) 7. Safety 8. Energy reduction 9. Environmental? 10. Maintainability (reduces maintenance) It matters not to us: Your innovation can take the form of a gizmo or gadget, process or procedure or an innovative use of a third-party tool. It can be a down-and-dirty, homemade fix or an elegant, inventive use of a commercial product or service. We know good old American ingenuity is alive and kicking. Submit your innovation before midnight, December 31 2012, and the world could be recognizing your backyard genius in early 2013. More details and submission forms are available at www.reliabilityinnovator.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon! MT

Ken Bannister is author of Lubrication for Industry and the Lubrication section of the 28th edition Machinery’s Handbook. He’s also a Contributing Editor for Lubrication Management & Technology. Email: kbannister@engtechindustries.com

MT-ONLINE.COM | 15


Set Your Mind For Complete Reliability Jeff Dudley The Dow Chemical Company

Reliability is more than asset management and quality control. It’s a company-wide mindset that never veers from the goal.

H

ow would you describe your organization’s mindset? Does it allow you to be reliable enough or does it encourage you to be as reliable as possible? If you were as reliable as you could be, what would it deliver for you, your stockholders and, most importantly, your customers? To improve customer loyalty, increase employee engagement and maximize margins, these are questions you need to consider.

This article expands on the author’s Viewpoint column, “Questions And Answers: Are You Reliable Enough,” on pg. 56 of the April 2012 issue of MT. 16 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

Let’s begin by revisiting the question I asked in my recent Viewpoint: What does “reliable” really mean? The dictionary defines it as “capable of being trustworthy” and offers the word “responsible” as a synonym. My definition goes a little deeper. To me, "Complete Reliability" is the constant and consistent ability to meet commitments to stakeholders, employees and customers. Constant means all of the time; consistent means every person in your organization. Such performance requires unwavering behavior. And the reason to faithfully and uniformly carry out this behavior has to be so compelling that workers won’t or can’t afford not to follow it. Something must make performing it so positive––or not performing it so negative––that shortcuts are not considered. Organizations that perform at this level are usually deemed reliable, trustworthy and able to meet the highest internal and external expectations. But why do so few organizations meet this standard? My years of studying world-class companies across many industries have convinced me that the success of highperforming organizations can often be credited to a compelling reason for them to become more reliable. One of the most obvious and effective compelling reasons today is regulatory commitment. Regardless of one’s perception of governmentmandated rules, it is noteworthy that when organizations must perform at a prescribed level of efficiency or face negative consequences, they're able to do it. Is it possible to reap the same positive benefits without having to be held to external regulations? If so, how can a non-regulated organization regulate itself?

So what does it take for a non-regulated organization to create the same compelling reason to perform at a level of high reliability without outside regulation? What becomes the compelling reason to not be simply satisfied with a certain level of profits, but to press on toward Complete Reliability? What would motivate the organization to, in essence, become self-regulated? To answer, let’s first explore why regulations occur in the first place. Regulatory bodies are usually established to ensure safety of both the operation and the products or services delivered. In the airline industry, for example, it is safe to assume that the primary regulatory agency (the Federal Aviation Agency) is more concerned with a company’s compliance than its profitability. But for the company, the reverse is true. The company has to worry about profitability and fully comply with regulations. How do they make it work?

A regulatory mindset Regulation creates a platform that ensures products or services, along with their production and delivery, are at a level that meets essential parameters and allows them to be safely consumed or used by the customer. Every member of the organization is held accountable to these regulations and must perform their role to meet them. Organizations in regulated industries have no choice but to consistently and constantly deliver or they will be forced out of business. They must also learn how to turn a profit while complying with regulations. But because regulations come from an outside agency, many issues must be considered before profitability. In contrast, non-regulated organizations have only the pressure of profitability, not the pressure of regulation. This creates a fundamental difference in the way the two types of organizations might operate. Non-regulated organizations, for example, can decide to deliver their product/service in a highly reliable fashion or focus solely on profitability. Having such choice often stalls organizational efforts to develop complete reliability. It allows for the many unproductive aspects of “normal” operations––events or procedures that seem inevitable and “must be dealt with”––to go unchecked and get in the way of real improvement. Organizations that can push beyond this mindset will ultimately become more profitable.

Airlines have discovered that it is more profitable to deliver their product reliably and compliantly than to have regulating agencies dictate their actions. Despite the fact that most of us have experienced some form of airlinerelated inconvenience, airlines do a great job meeting their first level of reliability––a constant, consistent commitment to the assurance that a plane will take off and land safely while meeting all regulations. Delta is a good example of an airline that successfully does both. This company’s recent prediction of an $800 million profit in 2011, as well as a prediction of full profitability in 2012, came only five years after it filed for bankruptcy. This turnaround has been largely credited to CEO Richard Anderson’s constant and consistent focus on reliability.

SEPTEMBER 2012

Unplanned events are the scourge of complete reliability. They disrupt a company's ability to be reliable and eat up profits.

Unplanned events vs. a reliability culture Unplanned events are the scourge of Complete Reliability. Whether a large-scale equipment failure or a breakdown in customer service, unplanned events disrupt a company’s ability to be reliable and eat up profits. When an unplanned event occurs, the organization might spend money and resources to remedy it––none of which generates cash. I refer to this situation as Cash Outflow Without Sales (COWS), MT-ONLINE.COM | 17


CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

To develop a reliability mindset, it's key to minimize unplanned events all the time, not just in a good economy or during certain projects.

and no organization wants that herd to grow. In fact, most want to get out of this type of cattle business. Understanding what needs to be done and doing it while minimizing unplanned events creates the lowest long-term cost platform for any operation. And by minimizing unplanned events, fewer resources are wasted on the need to do things over. Not every strategy to minimize unplanned events leads in the right direction. In fact, the wrong approach can lead to a perception that reliability is a cost rather than an advantage. While this is not true in a Completely Reliable operation, reliability can be costly if it’s always thought of as “someone else’s job” and not the job of each member of the organization. Hiring additional staff, for example, to “check” for reliability is a case where reliability adds cost. Organizations that put in a layer of “inspectors” to ensure quality, reliability or productivity have done two things that detract from the benefits of Complete Reliability: They’ve increased the cost of achieving the desired state, and have essentially told those who are not “inspectors” that those types of responsibilities are not theirs. Both have a negative impact on reliability. By contrast, in highly reliable organizations, every person in the organization takes on the responsibility of “inspectors” and everyone has the desire to minimize unplanned events. Each worker says, “I need to do something,” not “Someone else needs to do something” about reliability. To develop a reliability mindset, it’s key to minimize unplanned events all of the time, not only when the economy is good and not only during a certain project. It must become a way of life for every individual in the organization and the focus of the way they think. They should approach each situation and determine the most reliable way to deliver the product or service. To experience the levels of improved reliability and profitability that exist at many regulated organizations, non-regulated companies must develop the culture and discipline to become highly reliable and do it without an external force driving them in that direction. Becoming reliable also requires a focus on being reliable. That sounds simple, but it’s not so simple for the unregulated company where the focus on reliability may not be as well understood as the focus on profits. Once you become Completely Reliable, the notion that reliability enhances profits is easy and rewarding, but during the transition the temptation is always there to focus exclusively on quick profits, even at the expense of long-term ones. With only the pressure of profitability –– from upper management, investors, analysts and shareholders –– decisions are often made that put investments in reliability on hold. Here is where tough decisions must be made. If you are focused on long-term reliability and, therefore, long-term and sustainable profitability, you will need to make decisions that make sense in the long run, despite objections (from analysts, for example) that such a strategy would reduce immediate profits. As we’ve seen with Delta Airlines, becoming Completely Reliable means having the mindset to know how to get there, then having the strength to stick to that path. A reason to care The other key mindset necessary for Complete Reliability is that everyone in the organization must care about what happens inside the organization. Every person, in their own mind, must develop the discipline that they are personally accountable, not only for their own actions, but also the outcome of their actions toward the minimization of unplanned events. Without this unanimous personal accountability in an organization, the

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SEPTEMBER 2012


CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

In a completely reliable culture, the understanding of the need to minimize unplanned events has gone from being theoretical to passionate. concept of Complete Reliability will always struggle to exist. And because every organization’s culture is shaped by what matters to the leaders, if reliability is not important to them, Complete Reliability will never happen. But there’s a behavioral-science aspect to consider with regard to how decisions are made about profits and reliability. A leader may, for example, elect to increase profit by increasing revenue and reducing cost, or increase profit to a lesser extent by doing only one of these. Reducing cost can typically be done more quickly than increasing revenue. Also, in most cases, reducing requires us to stop doing something, as opposed to doing more of something. Increasing revenue is usually the opposite: It call for doing more rather than less of something. Here’s where the science comes in. According to noted American psychologist B.F. Skinner, most people (and, therefore, organizations) prefer consequences that are "Personal, Immediate and Certain," rather than "Personal, Future and Uncertain." Elimination of cost is the former— creation of new revenue is the latter. Those who have given little thought to reliability will always lean toward cutting cost as their first course of action. Their reasoning is that to operate at the lowest cost, a cost-cutting culture must be in place. This could be the case for certain economic situations where affordability or survival comes into question. However, for sustained culture development and longterm corporate viability, I believe this is the wrong approach. Why? Because without focus on reliability, the significance of unplanned events and the significant loss of resources and added costs is never addressed. Also, because of the inability to constantly, consistently meet commitments, loss of revenue through unsatisfied customers becomes a very real probability. Organizations willing to move their cultures toward Complete Reliability discover that, through the creation of reliability, they can do both: grow revenue and reduce cost. This happens because they develop customer commitment and customer loyalty while eliminating the cost of unplanned events. Driving the culture toward Complete Reliability is more powerful and cost-effective than spending additional money on any other single aspect of reliability, whether for quality inspectors or even for asset reliability. Money spent to shape culture and worker behaviors is significantly more impactful than money spent on assets. In fact, if money is spent to create reliability, but not to create behaviors that minimize unplanned events, money will always be needed to minimize the impact of unplanned events. SEPTEMBER 2012

When the focus is to create an accountable culture and one that becomes Completely Reliable, resources that had been wasted on unplanned events can be refocused on goals the organization strives to achieve. Spending is optimized and resources are put against the most impactful activities that create even further reliability. The culmination of this effort will be an organization that has optimum resource distribution, the lowest cost and the highest margin-to-revenue ratio. From theory to passion To create a culture that will drive a Completely Reliable organization, workers’ understanding of the need to minimize unplanned events must progress from the theoretical realm to a passionate desire. Since most organizations typically follow what their leaders believe, the leaders have to figure out why they care about constantly and consistently meeting their commitments and, in turn, give everyone else in the organization a reason to care. It takes only one person’s mindset to develop into that passionate desire to constantly and consistently deliver on every commitment. That person has to be brave enough to share their thoughts, passionate enough to deal with the resistance they will get and have enough courage to keep pushing until others begin to follow. But to become Completely Reliable, each member of the organization, especially leaders, must develop his and her own reason to care about minimizing the impact of unplanned events. Each person has to develop a mindset that not only talks about the importance of such actions, but demonstrates through daily behavior that they care. MT Jeff Dudley is Corporate Director of Maintenance and Reliability for The Dow Chemical Co., based in Midland, MI. With Dow since 1989, and Owens Corning for 10 years prior to that, he's held a number of manufacturing and leadership positions. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Dudley now devotes much of his time outside work to teaching about leadership. In fact, he'll be presenting his views on this topic in a Keynote address that helps kick off next year's Maintenance and Reliability Technology Summit (MARTS) on May 1, 2013, in Rosemont, IL. Plan now to be there and hear what he has to say. For more details and to register, please go to www.martsconference.com. MT-ONLINE.COM | 19


ELECTRICAL-SAFETY SENSE

Be On The Safe Side With PESDs

PESDs: The PPE You Don’t Wear!

Phil Allen, President, Grace Engineered Products

C

ompanies across the U.S. and Canada are investing time and resources in establishing effective NFPA 70E/CSA Z462 programs to stem the risk of arc flash and other electrical hazards. Design changes are implemented with the purpose of keeping workers on the safe side of electrical panels and far away from the dangerous voltage needed to create an arc flash. As part of those design changes, permanent electrical safety devices (PESDs) — external devices permanently mounted to electrical systems that, directly or indirectly, reduce the risk of arc flash and/or shock hazard—have become the de-facto standard to which panel designers are turning: PESDs allow them to create safer conditions for workers who are performing mechanical and electrical lock-out/tag-out and at the same time help increase the productivity of those workers. Part Number Shown: R-1A0033W-NPLPF

Reduce arc flash risk and increase employee productivity by staying on the safe side of electrical panels. Incorporate PESDs by Grace Engineered Products into your LOTO procedures. Learn more and download a free Whitepaper at:

info.graceport.com/mt_9

GRACE

What others are saying “Some companies view electrical safety as an expense,” says Dennis Doody, Project Manager with Vilter Manufacturing in Cudahy, WI, “but our motor starters actually reduce that expense. We use permanent electrical safety devices, separate enclosures and an HMI to provide the operator with tools to perform tasks outside of the enclosure rather than have to interact with energized components. By doing this, we keep employees away from energized electrical equipment and perform tasks safely on the outside of the enclosures.” The time and money saved as a result of Vilter including PESDs in its designs will continue to generate returns on initial investments: Safety will be increased. Bottom lines will be helped. Clarifying the business case By keeping workers on the safe side of panels, organizations reduce their risk for arc flash—a phenomenon that could cost tens of millions of dollars and more. Those that do experience arc flash incidents will likely find themselves spending significant time and money contending with numerous interested parties and/or associated issues. That list could include, but wouldn’t necessarily be limited to: OSHA, unions, lawsuits, personal issues, employee re-training, increased insurance premiums, even having to reference the accident on bids for future work. The consequences that can result due to such situations detract from a company’s growth, deplete its essential resources and redirect its focus away from progress. Considered in these terms, being on the safe side/keeping workers on the safe side of your next lock-out/tag-out clearly makes good business sense. MT To learn more about specific recommendations and practices, email the author: philallen@grace-eng.com. For more info, enter 01 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

ENGINEERED PRODUCTS,INC

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

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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

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SEPTEMBER 2012


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Visual Controls:

A Critical Component Of Institutional Knowledge Transfer © CHRISTIAN 42—FOTOLIA.COM

Filling the void when seasoned employees retire or move on from your operations calls for clarification, clarification, clarification. Here’s where a picture may truly be worth a thousand words. Darrell Carmichael Brady Corp.

O

ver the next few years, the demographics of your workforce are likely to change dramatically. The baby boomer generation is nearing retirement, and companies are facing significant workforce reductions—up to 50% for some.

22 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

When seasoned employees retire, there’s going to be a staggering knowledge loss. The acquisition of knowledge simply cannot take place the way it has in the past. Workers no longer have years to get up to speed on the layout of the plant, the location of equipment and controls or the proper operational and maintenance procedures. The influx of young employees and contracted workers—qualified as they may be—will not have the on-the-job experience that is so vital to your organization’s success. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to mine the valuable knowledge of experienced workers. This article focuses on how your organization can leverage the knowledge of seasoned employees, develop it and embed it into your workplace environment. Through the use of standardized, specific point-of-need visuals, you can transfer this knowledge to your new employees, ensuring that regardless of their skill levels, they all have the information they need—exactly when and where they need it.

Creating a smooth transition for new employees Visual controls are one of the most effective and efficient ways to facilitate the knowledge transfer between employees, particularly when they are used in conjunction with conventional training methods. Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth, a foremost authority on Visual Management, cites that companies have reduced training time by as much as 49% through the use of visual controls. [Ref. 3] The concept behind visual controls is to place visually instructive information at the point of need—not just in a binder or on a computer, but rather on or at the physical location of the task or hazard. This information should serve one or more of three purposes:

Who will do the work? A 2007 survey of a diverse group of 480 organizations entitled “The Real Talent Debate: Will Aging Boomers Deplete the Workforce” [Ref. 1] found that 42.2% of the respondents saw their aging workforce as a significant concern. Some industries, including those in the petro-chemical and power-generation sectors, are reporting retirement gluts of up to 50% of their workforce. The lack of planning for the impending crisis is particularly alarming. The survey found that 42.7% of the responding companies have no organizational group responsible for the knowledge transfer involving their mature workers; 81% have no process to determine the future work intentions of their employees. In short, companies are not presently capturing the knowledge of their seasoned workers. Even worse is the fact that the majority of them don’t know when they’re going to lose this knowledge. Unfortunately, that’s not the only disturbing news. The problem lies as much—if not more so—with the skill level of those employees who will be replacing the retiring boomers. The retirement rates among skilled maintenance and manufacturing workers are accelerating, yet fewer young people are choosing to pursue a career in maintenance and manufacturing. According to Maintenance Technology Contributing Editor Bob Williamson in his July 2010 “Uptime” column, this skills shortage is the eye of “the perfect storm.” Even if there are enough bodies to fill open positions, many of those new employees will not have the learned skills necessary to be effective. [Ref. 2]

n Task W+H information (What, Where, When, Who,

SEPTEMBER 2012

n Safety awareness, such as indicating a hazardous situa-

tion or environment, n Equipment identification and location information

How & How Much) Case in point: visual directions… You need to get to a specific location, but you’re not sure how to get there. What are the different ways you can get the information you need to determine your route? You could stop and ask someone for directions; however, this often leads to inaccuracies—and the need to ask again. You could use a map, but the map could have out-of-date information, and you’ll have to spread it over your steering wheel, which could lead to safety risks and misguided turns. You could also use an electronic device and enter your destination prior to starting your trip. The device would then supply turnby-turn instructions, which are usually the correct directions and the most efficient way of getting to your destination. This same logic can also be applied to equipment identification and, more importantly, to the processes and procedures employed in a plant. When developing lockout/tagout, TPM, 5S or other procedures, you have a choice between creating: n Basic text documents (usually left in a binder in the

Safety or Maintenance office, which often entails finding someone to ask questions of or gain access to the binder from). n CAD style drawings that show a “representation” of the

equipment, but still require employees to determine exactly where things are and how to accomplish the task. MT-ONLINE.COM | 23


n Photograph-based, step-by-step (turn-by-turn) instruc-

tions that match what the worker is seeing in real-time. (This is the most effective and efficient option.) Examples of effective real-plant visual controls… Lubrication Schedule: As the following graphics show, a detailed lubrication schedule can be converted into simple visuals that even novice employees can understand and properly perform.

Inspection Points: Many experienced workers are able to recite the acceptable operating parameters of the equipment they run, yet they may not “see” an abnormality if they’re not actively looking for it. Most inexperienced workers will not have the knowledge base to know if there are abnormalities. Visuals can be used to make sure information is at the Point of Need that makes it obvious at a glance if there are any abnormalities.

Needed information is somewhere on the list

At Point of Need: What type lube? How often? How much?

LUBE POINT

At Point of Need: Quickly answers all the questions.

24 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Compliance Marking: Numerous compliance standards require some type of marking or identification. The need is clear. For example, a study performed in the utility industry, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) found that 54% of all operator errors were due to inadequate or missing labeling. Compliance-related markings are THE prime candidate for incorporating useful information beyond the basic regulatory warning requirement. Pipe marking is one such example. SEPTEMBER 2012


A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

In addition to electrical circuitry, piping systems are one of the most common areas where identification is insufficient. This lack of identification leads to time wasted in searches for flow, origins, destinations and valves. Note the difference in clarity and specificity in the following labeling conventions. Which type of labeling is the most comprehensive and easiest to understand?

Unmarked and Unpainted: No information or safety value.

GLYCOL Labeled or Stenciled: Little information value.

Painted: Basic awareness of hazardous content.

Specific Information: Reduces search time and enhances safety.

Getting started Determining standard work and creating visual controls… To begin implementing visual controls in your facility, you need to first identify a critical piece of equipment (i.e. a bottleneck piece or high-revenue producer), or an application that’s critical to your operation (i.e. lubrication). Gather a team of mature workers (maintenance & operators) and determine the best way of completing the necessary tasks. (If the best maintenance person or operator you would have chosen has retired, consider bringing them in for a brief consulting role.) Next, document the step-by-step instructions and place them in a binder or online database as standard work. Then take the specific W+H info and transfer it onto placards, labels or tags; these are your visual controls. Post the visual controls directly onto the equipment at the point of need. These visuals will encourage standardization across employees, and equip all workers with the information they need to complete the task in the most effective and efficient manner. SEPTEMBER 2012

To ensure long-term success, remember that a visual control kaizen—or effort—should not be a single event. It should be an ongoing process, with auditing and enforcement mechanisms in place to ensure the standard work is still the best possible or practical method, and that it is habitually followed. The time is now The numbers don’t lie. In the years ahead, companies are going to face big challenges as their seasoned workforce enters retirement. Yet these challenges present your organization with a number of improvement opportunities for visual controls and standardization. With the proper identification and markings, your new employees won’t be pressured to remember everything; they’ll just need to know where to look. Placing critical information at the point of need gives them instant access to knowledge that has been accumulated over time from OEMs and experts. But the benefits don’t stop there. Visual controls and standardization of your markings can yield safety improvements and incremental productivity increases that add up to enormous cost savings over time. Startup, shutdown, Lockout/Tagout, and changeover events have a great impact on the bottom line with the reduction of even a few minutes of downtime. Get ready for the changes that are coming—and equip your organization for a smooth and successful transition to the future: Find the information. Document it. Post it with visual controls. There’s still time, but the clock is ticking. MT References 1. “The Real Talent Debate: Will Aging Boomers Deplete the Workforce.” 2007 Survey, conducted by World at Work, Buck Consultants, Corporate Voices for Working Families: www.worldatwork.org. 2. Williamson, Bob. “Our Aging Workforce–It’s a War Out There.” Uptime column, Maintenance Technology, July 2010. 3. Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth: www.visualworkplace.com. 4. The Electric Power Research Institute: EPRI-NP-6937. (www.epri.com).

Darrell Carmichael is an Industry Specialist for Petrochemical and Power Generation with Brady North America. He has 13 years of experience helping companies improve safety and operational initiatives, including TPM, 5S, Lockout/Tagout, Arc Flash and Right to Know, among others. Carmichael is active in the American Society of Safety Engineers, SMRP, the Southern Gas Association and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM, formerly NPRA). MT-ONLINE.COM | 25


Gadgets

Reliable Modular Small-Engine Air Starters For Tough Applications

I

ngersoll Rand has launched the SS100 Series, a new line of air starters to serve the small-engine market. Compatible with air or natural gas, the modular design of these units allows them to be adapted for a range of engines, up to 10 liters in size. Creating power from the natural environment, they’re well suited for applications in the marine, mining, oil and gas, power-generation, off-highway and transportation industries. Notable features include lube-free motors constructed with solid alloy steel components that can withstand a variety of harsh environments and operating conditions. Built on a single frame with multiple 360° rotating flange options, the units are easy to fit and install. An overhung design eliminates outboard bearings that interfere with flywheel housings, and a simple offset gear facilitates efficient field service. According to the company, the SS100 Series will replace the existing Ingersoll Rand 3BM, 5BM and SS175 series starters. Ingersoll Rand Davidson, NC For more info, enter 02 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Gadgets

Reliable High-Capacity, Pressure-Powered Condensate Pump

S

pirax Sarco now offers the Pivotrol PTF4, a high-capacity pressure-powered condensate pump that covers a wider range of pressure than could be handled by the company’s individual PTF4L and PTF4H versions (which will no longer be offered). The PTF4 can be operated by steam, air or other pressurized gases up to 200 psig. Designed to reduce the excessive maintenance and energy consumption associated with high-capacity condensate pumps, it features patented ventassist valves that release pressure in the pump body during the exhaust stroke for faster filling and overall cycling. Incorporating dual Pivotrol pumping mechanisms with PowerPivot® technology, the units are backed by a three-million-cycles or a three-year warranty, as well as a Pivotrol Condensate Pump lifetime spring warranty. A five-million-cycles or five-year extended warranty is available as an option. The pump’s electronic cycle-counters monitor performance and confirm warranty coverage. Spirax Sarco Blythewood, SC For more info, enter 03 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

26 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Gadgets

Reliable ‘Power Tool’ Keeps Cords Neat, Safe, Out Of The Way

A

ccording to Great Stuff, Inc., its new RoboReel product is the world’s first extension-cord reel worthy of being called a power tool. Designed as an easy way to keep cords neat, safe and out of the way when not in use, this portable, motor-driven system delivers 50’ of 12-gauge power cord with a “smart” three-outlet receptacle ball on the end. It features a rugged circular casing that can be mounted virtually anywhere, including walls, ceilings or the back of a truck. The unit rotates 360° for easy access to anything within a 100’ diameter and, with the touch of a button, turns on, off and retracts. For added safety, RoboReel features redundant thermostats to prevent overheating and fire hazards, as well as a 15-amp circuit breaker to protect your tools. If the extension cord is ever completely severed, power will shut off in less than a second. Great Stuff, Inc. Austin, TX For more info, enter 04 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

EXPERIENCE A CONFERENCE LIKE NEVER BEFORE. JOB FAIR

+75

WORKSHOPS &

PRESENTATIONS

4TOURS

FACILITY

Once you make it to the 20th Annual Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) Conference, it will become part of your plans to attend every year. Did you know the largest maintenance and reliability event and number one asset management resource for North America is coming in October? Featuring a job fair, premier educational workshop and track sessions, behind the scenes facilities tours, and Keynote Speaker Alison Levine, a sought after consultant and adventurer.

Experience it yourself.

Register today at www.smrp.org/conference. SMRP: The premier asset management resource. For more info, enter 71 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2012

MT-ONLINE.COM | 27


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What about regulatory compliance?

How do I optImIze and protect mY assets? How can I get HIgHer productIvIty?

Take a break from a week filled with questions, by attending a week filled with answers. Learn about the latest smart, safe, sustainable solutions to optimize production. Improve machine performance. Get all the answers at Automation Fair® in Philadelphia, Nov. 7–8. Visit www.AutomationFair.com. For the truly inquisitive, attend the Safety Automation Forum or Process Solutions User Group. Learn more at www.SafetyAutomationForum.com and http://psug.rockwellautomation.com.

Copyright © 2012 Rockwell Automation. All Rights Reserved. AD RS2290-R1P

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AUTOMATION INSIDER

Automation’s Focus On Helping Maintenance

By Gary Mintchell

Y

ou’ll probably read this column around the time of ISA Automation Week, in Orlando, FL, Sept. 24-27. This annual conference is a gathering of automation, controls and instrumentation engineers, managers and technicians in the process industries. Among the highlights of this year’s program is a demonstration of data interoperability from the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) functions on through, ultimately, the Operations and Maintenance functions. The Open O&M group (www.mimosa.org) has been working toward this event for several years. The demonstration involves the design, construction (virtual), operation and maintenance of a debutanizer. Three major design suppliers—Aveva, Bentley and Intergraph— are all on board with the project, which will be designed by the EPC WorleyParsons. Note that this demo is being run the same way a “real” industrial project would run. If all of the project work comes to fruition, the benefit to end-users will be improved maintenance response. Owner/operators will be able to get up-to-date P&IDs with truly digital links to actual equipment specifications. Thus, should a pump or motor go down in the middle of the night, a technician would be able to call up the information on a computer and drill right down to the model and spare-parts list to obtain a replacement or have a repair done more quickly than has typically been possible. Last month was also a busy one for automation in the U.S. National Instruments’ annual developer and user conference, NI Week, drew 3400 people to the Austin, TX, heat, Aug. 6-9. I had several conversations with product managers and application engineering managers during that event. Improving the speed, accuracy and visualization of condition monitoring was a major point they all wanted to get across to me. Incorporating digital technologies such as condition monitoring, advanced networking and visualization—especially on new mobile platforms like iPads— will improve maintenance effectiveness and responsiveness. Leveraging these types of advancements (i.e., moving from preventive to predictive or modelbased maintenance) is sure to make your life easier. MT Gary Mintchell, gmintchell@automationworld.com, is Co-Founder and Editor in Chief of Automation World magazine and blogs at www.garymintchellsfeedforward.com. For more info, enter 05 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

For more info, enter 73 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

SEPTEMBER 2012

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BOOSTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Upfront Motor Planning: ‘Measure Twice, Cut Once’

M

any of us can remember hearing that old “measure twice, cut once” proverb. Old as it may be, it still offers an important reminder: It’s faster and less expensive to plan ahead than to make a mistake and do the job twice. Unfortunately, some mistakes are more costly than others. For a facility manager, operating without a plan for important motor-driven equipment (the largest single source of electricity consumption in the U.S. industrial sector)[1] could be causing excessively high electricity bills, or worse. You could be moving toward unanticipated motor failure, downtime and a series of other costly consequences. How can you ‘measure twice?’ Planning ahead may be easier than you think. The Motor Decisions MatterSM (MDM) campaign describes the basics of motor management and planning in its Motor Planning Kit (MPK). Simple to use, this kit is available to the public on the MDM Website, www.motorsmatter.org. The MPK is designed to help industrial plant managers develop electric-motor management plans for motor-driven equipment in their facilities. Such plans are effective tools for improving plant productivity and reliability, while reducing operating costs and conserving energy. Use of the MPK can help readers take advantage of the bottom-line benefits of effective motor management [2]. Originally released in 2001, the newly revised MPK features: ◆ Charts that illustrate the importance of purchasing motors based on life-cycle costs ◆ Motor management success stories ◆ Information on high-efficiency motors and motor-system optimization through the use of ASDs in appropriate applications

32 || MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY 32

◆ Expanded section on the “building blocks” of motor management ◆ Lists of motor management resources, including regional resources as of 2012 Since effective motor management and use of energy-efficient equipment can save electricity and reduce downtime, the MPK makes it easy to follow the “measure twice, cut once” advice. Visit MDM online to find this tool and other resources designed to help you plan ahead. New to MDM’s Website A summary of all 15 MDM motor management tools and resources can now be easily found using the MDM Product List. The summary provides a snapshot of MDM resources, brief descriptions and links to each resource on the site. Visit us online and start proactively managing your motor systems today! MT 1. U.S. Department of Energy: Industrial Technologies Program, “Improving Motor and Drive System Performance, “ 2008. 2. Motor management is a set of ongoing policies and practices that help industrial facilities effectively manage their motor populations based on life cycle costing, repair-replace decisions and proactive planning. For more info, enter 06 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

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

SEPTEMBER 2012 OCTOBER 2007


Volume 2 Number 9

THE

RELIABILITY F I L E S TECHNOLOGY M A I N T E N A N C E

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

Sponsored Section


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RELIABILITY F I L E S TECHNOLOGY M A I N T E N A N C E

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Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

Motor Shaft Voltages Kill Bearings Problem Variable frequency drives (VFDs) make commercial HVAC systems, automated assembly lines and other processes more energy efficient. But they induce currents that can damage motor bearings. The resulting downtime and costly repairs can wipe out energy savings and severely diminish the reliability of an entire system. Now, with the AEGIS® Shaft Voltage Test Kit, you can find out which motors are at risk and install AEGIS® rings to protect them. Solution With the AEGIS® Shaft Voltage Test Kit you can test every VFD-controlled motor in an entire plant, office building or other facility to confirm the threat of bearing damage. A collaboration between Electro Static Technology (EST) and Fluke Corporation, the test kit contains a voltage probe tip, an extension rod and a portable oscilloscope to measure the potentially destructive voltages on a motor’s shaft. The probe’s special tip contains conductive microfibers that enable fast, easy and accurate measurements. EST makes the tip and extension rod, while Fluke makes the probe and F190 Series ScopeMeter. Without mitigation, voltages can build up on the motor shaft, discharging repeatedly through bearings and causing EDM pitting and fluting. Fluting (a washboard-like pattern in the bearing race from concentrated pitting) can produce vibration and noise, but by that time bearing failure is often imminent. The AEGIS® Shaft Voltage Test Kit is handy for maintenance/testing personnel—anyone who needs to determine and convince others that shaft voltages either are or are not present at levels high enough to erode bearings.

How can such damage be prevented? If significant shaft voltages are detected, the most effective bearing-protection device available today is the AEGIS® Bearing Protection Ring, which safely redirects harmful currents away from the bearings to ground. Developed by EST, the maintenance-free AEGIS® Bearing Protection Ring outperforms conventional spring-pressure grounding brushes, which corrode, become clogged with debris and wear out quickly, as well as ceramic-coated bearings, which can shift damage to connected equipment. It even provides bearing protection for so-called “inverter-duty” motors, which offer beefed-up insulation to protect windings, but nothing to guard against bearing damage, and transforms them into “true inverter-duty motors” with full protection of windings and bearings. Proven bearing protection… The AEGIS® ring has already proven itself in over half a million applications. Key to the ring’s success are the patented conductive microfibers arranged along its entire inner circumference, completely surrounding the motor shaft— a critical design requirement.

As preventive maintenance, the AEGIS® rings can be easily installed on any NEMA or IEC motor regardless of shaft size, horsepower or end-bell protrusion, using brackets or conductive epoxy. A new split universal mounting kit includes a split version of the ring that allows retrofitting without decoupling the attached equipment—the hinged halves open on one side to fit over the motor shaft. For larger motors, generators and turbines with shafts up to 30” in diameter, EST offers the maintenance-free AEGIS® iPRO Bearing Protection Ring, also available in a split design. Return On Investment By diverting damaging currents safely to ground, AEGIS® grounding rings extend motor life, locking in energy savings to make systems sustainable and truly “green.” For more information or for a free in-plant motor shaft voltage test, contact www.est-aegis.com. MT Electro Static Technology Mechanic Falls, ME For more info, enter 260 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

34 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

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VFD-Induced Bearing Currents Kill Motors!

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CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

© NATALIYA HORA—FOTOLIA.COM

Adding Value To Society What’s the concept of quality losses got to do with maintenance? More than you might have thought. Tracy T. Strawn, CMRP Marshall Institute, Inc.

T

he Quality profession has lost another icon: Genichi Taguchi died on June 2, 2012. Along with Deming, Juran and Ishikawa, Dr. Taguchi was a true pioneer of the modern Quality movement.

Born in Japan in 1924, Taguchi served in the Astronomical Department of the Navigation Institute of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. From the 1950s to the ‘70s, he worked for the Japanese government and several companies in developing what became known as the Taguchi Methods: statistical approaches for improving the quality of manufactured goods. Interestingly, Taguchi Methods were largely unheard of outside Japan for many years. It wasn’t until the 1980s that they became established elsewhere. At this point, you may be asking, “What does all this have to do with the maintenance profession?” My answer: “Plenty.” Putting things in context Working as a maintenance supervisor early in my career, I became fascinated by Quality Engineering. In the early 1990s, I attended a workshop at the California Institute of Technology 36 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

in Pasadena, to hear Dr. Taguchi speak on the Taguchi Methods. Listening to him, I found myself captivated by the Quality Loss Function he developed in the 1970s. This graphical depiction of “loss” describes a phenomenon affecting the value of products produced or manufactured by a company: It establishes a financial measure of the end-user’s dissatisfaction with a product’s performance as it deviates from a target value. Taguchi’s quality loss concept showed us that quality does not suddenly nosedive when, for example, a machinist exceeds specification limits prescribed in the design blueprints. Instead, “loss” in value progressively increases as variation increases from the intended target value, which is much more rigorous. This was considered breakthrough thinking in describing quality losses. It subsequently helped fuel the continuous-improvement movement that has since become known as Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing. SEPTEMBER 2012


CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

Fig. 1. Dr. Taguchi likened specification limits to football goal posts. Old-school thinking suggested that to “score” (or achieve quality targets), you only needed to kick the ball between the goal posts. Many in the quality profession felt that getting “value” somewhere between those posts was “good enough.”

Dr. Taguchi likened the specification limits to goal posts used in football. Old-school thinking suggested that to score (achieve quality targets), you only needed to kick the ball between those posts (specification limits). Many in the quality profession were happy to get the “value” somewhere between the specification limits or “goal posts.” To them, that would be “good enough” (see Fig. 1). Dr. Taguchi’s key argument was that the cost of poor quality goes beyond direct costs to the manufacturer—such as rework or waste costs. He pointed out that loss occurs as soon as there is a deviation from the target value. In addition, he theorized that the loss isn’t linear but, in fact, is proportional to the square of the distance from the target value (see Fig. 2).

It’s not good enough to “kick” between the goal posts (or specification limits). To achieve the least loss, you must hit the target value—not merely every once in a while, but the first time and every time. (Figure 3 describes this phenomenon.) In Fig. 3, we see a narrow histogram centered on the “target value.” This suggests that there has been very little deviation from the target value and, as a result, very little loss to the company in the form of waste, scrap and rework—those things we refer to as quality losses. Ideally, there would be no deviation from the target value and, therefore, no losses. In reality, the shape in Fig. 3 is what we most likely will end up with: close, but not perfect. Fig.3. To achieve the least loss, you must hit the target value the first time and every time. "Once in a while" is not acceptable.

Fig. 2. Dr. Taguchi theorized that loss isn't linear, but is proportional to the square of the distance from the target value. He stated that any deviation from the Target Value (y) was a loss. SEPTEMBER 2012

MT-ONLINE.COM | 37


CAPACITY ASSURANCE STRATEGIES

Outside the plant Dr. Taguchi expanded on his definition of quality loss as “the loss imparted to society from the time the product is shipped.” He proposed that it included both company costs, such as rework, scrap and maintenance, and any loss to the customer through poor product performance and reduced reliability. But it can go further. Let’s consider an example of quality losses in the context of “loss to society.” If a car breaks down in the middle of an intersection due to a defect inherent in the design of the engine, the driver not only suffers (i.e., inconvenience, frustration, towing, repair expenses, etc.), all other drivers that are inconvenienced or even endangered by the stalled car suffer loss. It was Dr. Taguchi’s term “loss to society” that resonated with me. One of my instructors described it another way— which might explain Japanese industries’ motivation for eliminating losses. After World War II, the Japanese economy was devastated. To rebuild it based on manufacturing required enormous natural resources. Unfortunately, Japan, as a country, has few, if any, natural resources. Its manufacturers must import most of the raw materials used in their processes. As a result, Japanese operations had to become very good at reducing and eliminating waste, rework and, ultimately, losses, all of which impact the bottom line. With limited or no natural resources, attacking and eliminating quality losses was the only way Japan’s industries could compete on a global scale. If they couldn't meet this challenge, their society would suffer. When any company has losses, they impact the bottom line and eventually society. Let me explain… If a company is unprofitable, it will struggle to compete in its market. If it loses market share, its sales will drop, as will its revenue and profits. In the end, its shareholders will be unhappy and the company will be unable to expand its product line, hire new employees or retain the professionals and technical staff it already has. Such consequences will clearly impact the community and the lives of those who live near this factory or plant. In other words, as Dr. Taguchi warned, the company's own losses impact society. Maintenance takeaways As maintenance professionals, we have more control over quality losses (and, in turn, what Taguchi termed “losses to society”) than we might have thought. Consider the fact that when we fail to achieve our targets, we cause our company to incur losses. It’s not the isolated, one-time occurrence we need to focus on: 38 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

When you really think about it, performing good maintenance and hitting our targets is about more than reducing costs and increasing reliability. Much, much more. ■ It’s the cumulative effect of falling short with our PM

schedule compliance that ultimately leads to failure of critical equipment. (In turn, failure of critical equipment could expose our technicians to a life-threatening risk or cause an environmental release.) ■ It’s failing to get good job plans out to the technicians,

causing waste, delays, and more downtime, all of which can impact our production and ultimately sales. ■ It’s allowing failures to occur over and over and accepting

it as the status quo. ■ It’s allowing delays and interruptions to be the norm,

rather than the exception, which will have a huge influence on a company being profitable or folding. It’s the effect of these occurrences and more that impact not just the bottom-line of a company, but also the employees of the plant, the contractors who work there, the vendors who supply the facility and all the other lives that are affected by the company’s success or failure. Failure to hit one of our targets could literally destroy an operation and/or a company. Performing good maintenance and hitting our targets is about more than just reducing costs and improving reliability of the equipment. Performing good maintenance reduces the losses that Taguchi spoke about. Reducing losses increases an organization’s profitability and improves the livelihood of employees and community stakeholders, whose lives are tied to the success of the company. Performing good maintenance, in a nutshell, adds value to your plant, company, community and even society. MT Tracy Strawn is VP of International Programs for Marshall Institute, an international maintenance and reliability consulting and training company, headquartered in Raleigh, NC. Strawn has 25 years of experience in industry and is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional. Telephone: (919) 834-3722; email: tstrawn@marshallinstitute.com. SEPTEMBER 2012


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SUPPLY CHAIN LINKS

Technology Q&A…

Haas Automation:

Turning Out 30 Years Of Innovation and Success A lot goes into being on the cutting edge of something. Here’s how a leading machine-tool manufacturer got there and stays there. Jane Alexander Editor

S

ince its founding in 1983, Haas Automation, Inc. has grown into one of the largest machine-tool builders in the world, producing industry-leading products at consistently affordable prices. With its 30th anniversary on the horizon, the Oxnard, CA-based company’s commitment to innovation and proactive equipment maintenance remain essential core values. To learn more about the company’s recent accomplishments and the keys to its ongoing success, MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY caught up with Haas veteran, Thomas Velasquez, Manager, Rotary Products Engineering.

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SEPTEMBER 2012


SUPPLY CHAIN LINKS

MT: Haas Automation recently celebrated a major milestone with production of the 125,000th Haas CNC machine tool. Can you tell us more about that? Velasquez: It certainly was a big milestone. Since 1988, when we introduced the industry’s first American-built vertical machining center (VMC) priced less than $50,000, our Haas VF-1 (like the unit shown in Fig. 1) has been the industry standard for affordable CNC technology. The 125,000th Haas CNC machine tool was a 2012 VF-1 vertical machining center (like the one shown in Fig. 2). This product is a perfect representation for how we have continued to enhance the performance of our machines over the years. Its many advanced features include the ability to operate at speeds as high as 8100 rpm standard, brushless servos on all axes, 1000-ipm rapids and a 20-tool ATC. So, that milestone was a great way for us to reflect on our history, legacy of innovation and commitment to delivering the best machines to our customers.

Fig. 1. The first Haas VF-1, still considered an industry standard for affordable CNC technology

Fig. 2. A Haas 2012 VF-1 vertical machining center

SEPTEMBER 2012

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SUPPLY CHAIN LINKS

MT: Why do you think Haas Automation products remain so popular with customers? Velasquez: We cater to many industries, like aerospace, automotive, mining, appliances, electronics and, especially, the “Mom & Pop” shop. In the process, we’ve always focused on delivering innovative products that help our customers address the challenges they face on a daily basis. We never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, our success stems from the performance of our machines. Frankly, our customers don’t have time to deal with maintenance issues and have their equipment be down, so we develop our products to be as durable and reliable as possible. We focus on manufacturing four major product lines: vertical machining centers (VMCs), horizontal machining centers (HMCs), CNC lathes and rotary tables, as well as a number of large five-axis and specialty machines. We make them easy to operate and maintain. We also ensure that our equipment has more standard features, high-tech innovations and rock-solid engineering than the many other CNC machines in the world. Moreover, the support we provide customers through our network of Haas Factory Outlets (HFOs) is another major advantage. Today we have more than 170 HFOs across more than 50 countries. Each one combines the convenience and security of a local dealer with the strengths of an international organization. Every HFO has complete showroom facilities, factorytrained service personnel, extensive spare-parts inventories and fully stocked service vehicles to provide the industry’s best service and support. Each HFO employee is dedicated to helping our customers succeed. This local approach is the best way to provide our customers with superior sales, service and applications assistance. MT: How is the company the same since its founding nearly 30 years ago? Velasquez: The company’s approach to developing products and serving customers has remained exactly the same. Haas machine tools and rotary products are built to the specifications that (company founder) Gene Haas has set forth to ensure exceptional accuracy and durability. We produce all critical components for our machinery in-house, using dedicated state-of-the-art CNC machine tools—of which more than 70% are Haas machines. And, before leaving the plant, the typical Haas CNC machine is subjected to more than 300 quality-control tests. 42 |

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We always try to find new ways to do things better. To that end, we never overlook anything or dismiss something as “too minor.” We constantly challenge ourselves to keep improving—and we're constantly asking questions of ourselves. For example, can we find a new part to make our machines go faster and be more efficient? What kind of lubricants do we need to make our equipment as durable as possible? How can we make the operation of our machines even easier for our customers? We never stop asking questions and never stop looking for new and potentially better solutions. MT: You mentioned lubricant selection. You have played a key role in the decision to factory-fill equipment with synthetic lubricants and to put them in the equipment used at the company’s production facilities. Can you tell us why? Velasquez: In the age-old equipment maintenance debate over conventional oils vs. synthetic oils, we are big proponents of synthetics. Today, we fill synthetic lubricants in much of the equipment that we sell and the equipment we use in our facilities. The move toward synthetics started nearly 18 years ago when, working with Gene Haas and other members of the engineering team, we sought to enhance the performance of our rotaries. We now factory-fill our rotaries, gearboxes and spindles, as well as some of our tool-changer gearboxes, with Mobil SHC™ 600 oils. Since we made the switch, we’ve seen gearbox life increase two-to-three times based on backlash measurements. We also use Mobil SHC synthetic greases (Mobilith SHC™ 007) in our linear guides and ball-screw grease systems, and we’ve recently switched to Mobil SHC 500 synthetic hydraulic oils for our hydraulic power units and rotary hydraulic brakes. For our customers, the performance that synthetics offer, as compared to conventional oils, can help deliver financial and operational benefits, like improved equipment performance and durability and longer oil drain intervals. The longer oil drain intervals you can obtain through the use of synthetics translates into less time that personnel need to spend on oil change-outs and less exposure to equipment, both of which are definite safety benefits. In addition, from an environmental-care perspective, using certain synthetics, like Mobil SHC 600, can help reduce oil consumption and minimize oil disposal costs. SEPTEMBER 2012


SUPPLY CHAIN LINKS

Haas Automation builds roughly 60 CNC machines per day. All of its machines are manufactured in the company's 1-million-square-foot facility in Oxnard, California. MT: As the company approaches its 30th anniversary, what do you think the future holds for Haas Automation? Velasquez: From a manufacturing standpoint, the trend toward faster, leaner and more efficient equipment will increase. I can also see that more equipment in the future will incorporate advanced diagnostic electronics like on-board maintenance alerts.

That said, we think the competition will evolve and become even more global than it is today. In addition, our customers will be challenged to find new ways to improve productivity and minimize their environmental impact. But as we have over the past 30 years, we remain very confident that Haas Automation will continue to thrive and be seen as an industry leader for high-quality machine tools at affordable prices. MT For more info, enter 07 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

“Industrial Lubrication Fundamentals� 3-Day, On Site, Certification Preparation Training Program

With over 70% of all mechanical failures attributed to ineffective lubrication practices, you will want to have professionally trained and certified lubrication personnel working on your reliability efforts!

Unlock the Secrets that let you Tap your True Maintenance Potential and Maximize Asset Reliability! World Class organizations know that increased asset reliability, utilization and maintainability, reduced operating costs, downtime, contamination, energy consumption and carbon footprint all commence with a best practice lubrication program! Course design is based on ISO 18436-4 and the ICML body of knowledge and exceeds minimum training requirements to write the ICML, MLT1, MLA1 and ISO LCAT1 International lubrication certification exams. Exams can be arranged to take place at your site immediately following the training. For more information on this unique training program developed and delivered by internationally accredited lubrication and maintenance expert Ken Bannister, author of the best selling book Lubrication for Industry endorsed by ISO and the ICML as part of their certification Domain of Knowledge Content. Contact ENGTECH Industries Inc at 519.469.9173 or email info@engtechindustries.com For more info, enter 75 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

SEPTEMBER 2012

MT-ONLINE.COM | 43


SYMPOSIUM USER’S SYMPOSIUM

IN-DEPTH SHORT COURSES | SOLUTION-BASED CASE STUDIES INNOVATIVE DISCUSSION GROUPS | HANDS-ON TUTORIALS

Our Technical Sessions are the best value for your training dollar and are taught by leading industry experts! Exhibits Open Free to the Public TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY 2:30 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. THURSDAY 9:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

For more information CALL 979.845.7417 OR EMAIL AT INQUIRY@TURBO-LAB.EDU

Sponsored by:

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

http://turbolab.tamu.edu

PIONEERING LECTURES | OUTSTANDING EXHIBIT FLOOR


Meet A True Game-Changer:

PROTECT Wireless

An Evolution In Machinery Monitoring In today’s fast-paced industrial environments, wireless is the bridge to that smarter, greener planet we all desire: It reduces manpower requirements while meeting the needs of emerging markets and rapid growth.

No matter where you are, the information is always at your fingertips. So faults are found early, and decisions can be made to resolve the issue promptly before it has time to progress. Wireless can perform as well as wired communication and is significantly less expensive to install than typical online monitoring systems.

PROTECT Wireless from Vibration Specialty Corporation (VSC) is a highly scalable, customizable and cost-effective online monitoring system that blends predictive maintenance with energy-, operational- and process-monitoring into a single package for a complete picture of facility-wide conditions. It provides 24/7 monitoring of equipment and processes along with immediate alerts via email and text message to changing and deteriorating conditions. PROTECT Wireless lets offsite and onsite personnel quickly connect with experts from around the globe to remotely review, analyze and consult on the data via computer and smart phone. Advanced hardware provides an absolute view of your machinery conditions with detailed phase analysis across couplings, motors and even separate machinery. This, and other, advancements present remote analysts with data that, until now, required expert-personnel onsite. The result: fast, accurate, cost-effective problem resolution!

Oh How The Game Has Changed!

In the past, analysts needed to be onsite to diagnose a machine problem. PROTECT Wireless has changed this situation. The system offers extensive information for detailed vibration analysis and diagnostics through statistics, historical and real-time data. This information enables analysts to specifically identify machinery faults and recommend inspections and repairs to resolve the problem. Analysts can continually evaluate the equipment condition when the unit can’t be shut down for repair due to operational requirements.

VSC has been providing expert solutions to the industrial world’s machinery problems since 1918, including helping balance Thomas Edison’s rotating machinery, Henry Ford’s crankshafts and countless pieces of equipment in WWII naval ship yards. To learn more about this rich history of technological achievements, including VSC’s game-changing PROTECT Wireless-monitoring solution. Call: 877.698.0800 Email: vsc@vib.com Or visit us at www.vib.com.

PROTECT Wireless An Evolution In Machinery Monitoring

PROTECT Wireless merges predictive maintenance, energy- and every other processrelated vital-sign monitoring for a complete picture of plant conditions. Wherever you are, this information is always at your fingertips and VSC expert analysts are always at your side. 24/7/365. The Machinery Problem Soliving Experts Since 1918 P: 877.698.0800 F: 215.677.8874 vsc@vib.com www.vib.com

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


TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

Mechanical & Hydraulic Equipment Accurately Pinpoint Sources Of Fluid Leaks

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Space-Saving Directional Proportional Spool Valves

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pectronics has introduced the OPK-341 Industrial Leak Detection Kit that the company says can pinpoint the exact source of fluid leaks in hydraulic equipment, compressors, engines, gearboxes, fuel and other synthetic and petroleum-using industrial systems. The kit’s core is the OPTIMAX™ 3000, a cordless, super-powerful, rechargeable blue-light LED inspection flashlight. Fifteen times brighter than regular LED flashlights, it has an inspection range of up to 20’ (6.1 m). The kit also includes a 16 oz. bottle of patented OIL-GLO™ 44 concentrated fluorescent oil dye that’s compatible with all synthetic and petroleum-based fluids. When a leaking industrial system is scanned with the OPTIMAX™ 3000 flashlight, the dye glows brightly to reveal the precise location of the problem. An 8 oz. spray bottle of GLO-AWAY™ dye cleaner, smart AC and DC chargers, dye treatment tags and fluorescence-enhancing glasses round out the kit that comes in its own rugged carrying case.

AWE offers proportional spool valves for both fixed (PSL) and variable (PSV) displacement systems. Made of steel, these tough, smallfootprint units can ensure the type of high-cutting force and reliable operation that’s essential for roadheaders, longwall shearers and microtunnel boring machines. According to the manufacturer, its PSL and PSV units operate efficiently in mid-pressure ranges, but easily manage high-pressure surges that occur when equipment encounters rocks and rough terrain. Their high degree of proportional control allows precise positioning and significant maneuverability. The size of these valves saves space in the overall design of the machine and their modularity simplifies servicing. HAWE’s compact PSL directional proportional spool valve is designated for use in areas with explosive gas, vapor, aerosol and air mixtures and dusts or mists. Certifications according to ATEX, IEC, MSHA and MA are available on request.

Spectronics Corp. Westbury, NY

HAWE North America, Inc. Charlotte, NC

For more info, enter 08 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

For more info, enter 09 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

New Zinc-Free Hydraulic Fluid Delivers A Range Of Benefits

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hell Lubricants has introduced Shell Tellus S3 M, a new hydraulic fluid that uses unique, advanced, zinc-free antiwear technology to deliver improved pump protection, enhanced system efficiency and up to twice the life of Shell’s previous zinc-free product. It’s suited for use in factory-based industrial hydraulic applications and severe-duty, extendedoperation applications, as well as in mobile and outdoor applications in climates with limited temperature variations. According to the manufacturer, the low aquatic toxicity of this product reduces its environmental impact in the event of a spill and helps operators better manage the environmental impact of their processes. For example, using it in equipment suffering For more info, enter 78 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

46 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

from leaks or frequent hose bursts and loss of fluid can help reduce the risk of zinc and other heavy metals entering a plant’s wastewater. Available in five ISO viscosity grades, Shell Tellus S3 M meets the requirements of a number of OEM specifications, including, among others, Husky (ISO VG 46), Parker Hannifin HF-0, HF-1, HF-2, and Eaton 694. It also meets standards ISO 11158 HM fluids, AFNOR NF-E 48-603, ASTM D6158 (HM mineral oils), DIN 51524-2 (HLP oils) and Swedish Standard SS 15 54 34 AM. Shell Lubricants Houston, TX For more info, enter 75 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 10 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2012


TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

Heavy-Equipment Seals, Replacement Parts And Hydraulic Cylinders

H

ercules Sealing Products is a North American distributor of hydraulic and pneumatic seals, seal kits and cylinders. It also offers premium replacement engine and transmission gasket kits for popular off-road and marine applications. According to the company, Hercules publishes the largest single-source catalog of seals, replacement parts and technical information in the industry (35,000 individual products). Replacement seals, seal kits and hydraulic cylinders are stocked for manufacturers like Caterpillar, J.I. Case, John Deere, Komatsu, Nissan and Toyota, to name just a few. Hercules is also an authorized distributor of hydraulic cylinders manufactured by Parker, Commercial, Custom Hoists and Hyco. To serve the Canadian market, it sells products in Montreal and Toronto through Hercules Sealing Products Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary. Hercules Sealing Products Clearwater, FL

For more info, enter 78 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2012

For more info, enter 11 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

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

For more info, enter 80 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 47


SOLUTION SPOTLIGHT

Streamlining Turnaround Processes To Meet Schedules And Budgets How’s your current approach to scheduled maintenance events working for your operations? Special To MT

A

lthough most inspection, maintenance and repair work can be done while a plant is online, planned turnarounds, shutdowns and outages are necessary to maintain safe and efficient operations. These types of scheduled events, however, put a major strain on a plant’s maintenance resources and budgets. Partnering with the right service provider can make these expensive, timeconsuming projects easier for everyone involved. That’s where Team Industrial Services (Team) comes in. Team provides complete turnaround, shutdown and outage services with just one phone call. You get the manpower, equipment and know-how necessary to complete your project safely, on schedule and on budget. Turnaround services include on-stream leak sealing, hot tapping, line stopping, line freezing, field machining, bolt tensioning and torquing, valve repairs, pipe isolation and weld testing, field heat-treating, fugitive emissions control (LDAR), NDT/NDE and inspections.

48 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

One of the main advantages of the Team Industrial Services approach to scheduled maintenance events is that an owner/operator has only one contractor to deal with. Other features and benefits of the Team approach include. . . ■ 24-hour access to Team’s trained, skilled, flexible and

safety-certified technicians ■ Faster communications via a single Team supervisor ■ Reduced multi-contractor schedules and conflicts ■ Fewer required safety permits ■ Fewer technical personnel in units (which reduces

exposure for safety incidents and risks)

SEPTEMBER 2012


SOLUTION SPOTLIGHT

■ Fewer in-plant contractor vehicles (which reduces the

chance of accidents) ■ Fewer invoices (which saves you time and provides

more financial flexibility with projects) Repair and in-process control procedures or processes are standardized, written and followed to reduce chance of error. Team’s written quality-assurance/quality-control job manuals are continuously updated, maintained and followed, and its ISO 9001 inspector monitors the company’s hardware quality.

On-Site Field Machining And Valve Repair Common turnaround applications of Team’s on-site field machining and valve repair services include: Line boring: On turbine couplings; gearboxes; boiler feed water pumps; bearing seats; wicket gates; and stern tubes.

The result of all this… Your own personnel get to concentrate on your company’s core business. Team operates around the clock and works directly for manufacturing facilities, as well as for some of the world’s largest contractors. It utilizes more than 3000 trained, experienced technicians to respond quickly to industry ‘s many needs. MT Team, Inc. Alvin, TX For more info, enter 30 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Flange facing: On heat exchangers; tube sheets; channel heads; dollar plates; pipe, valve and pump seats; plus precision beveling applications on pipes and valves. Valve repair & grinding: On in-line valve seals, nozzles, throats and seats; gate and globe-valve grinding and lapping; in-place repair of check and safety valves; refurbishment of critical nuclear main steam isolation valves.

Portable key and 3-axis mills: Precision cuts of keyways, slots and pockets on shafts; flat-surface milling of turbines, motor bases and horizontal joints on steam turbines; and retrofitting of track carriers. Portable lathes: On-site precision re-turning of turbine, bearing-journal and pump shafts; resurfacing of motor drive shafts; and repairing of papermaking machine rollers.

For more info, enter 30 at www.MT-freeinfo.com SEPTEMBER 2012

MT-ONLINE.COM | 49


Register Now For The Extraordinary. . .

RCM FOR THE LAYPERSON

A Very Special Workshop Presented By The Man Who Wrote The Book

NEIL BLOOM

Pioneering RCM Expert and Author Of McGraw-Hill’s Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Made Simple

Due to high demand, the dates for this workshop have been changed:

November 27-29, 2012

Chicago Marriott O’Hare | Chicago, IL AT THIS WORKSHOP, ATTENDEES WILL LEARN: • Why over 90% of all attempted RCM programs result in failure. • How to successfully implement a comprehensive, classical RCM program without the need for outside expertise. • How to simplify (not streamline) an RCM program using in-house resources. • What the pitfalls of RCM are, and how to avoid them. • Why the Consequence of Failure Analysis (COFA) is more comprehensive and easier to understand than the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). At no extra charge, Neil Bloom will be available on Friday, Nov. 30 to mentor attendees on how to implement his RCM process on specific systems and equipment. For personal attention, bring your own plant-specific P&IDs, plant schematics or design drawings.

• Important differences between “functional failures” and “failure modes,” and between “failure modes” and “failure causes.” • How to establish synergistic strategies for the integration of preventive and corrective maintenance. • The fundamental concepts of “hidden failures” and the “Canon Law” of runto-failure which are a vital but grossly misunderstood part of RCM. • How to develop an RCM “Living Program.” • How to monitor and trend the RCM reliability performance of an entire plant.

For Full Course Details, Lodging Info And Online Registration, Go To: www.mt-online.com/rcm For more info, enter 81 at www.MT-freeinfo.com


CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Safe Panelboard Installation And Maintenance

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Wear Compound Repairs Most Surfaces

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he ProLine Panelboard family from ABB’s Low Voltage Products division has been certified as touch-safe per IP20 standards by Certifi-Group, a U.S.-based regulatory compliance and productsafety-testing organization. ProLine Panelboard products completely isolate personnel during installation and maintenance, eliminating the chance of human exposure to any energized components. Branch and main breakers are selectively coordinated and current-limited, allowing for quick clearing of faults. The amount of energy let-through (I2T) during a fault event is reduced, as is arc flash risk.

alpoxy NS from Abresist Kalenborn is a non-sagging epoxy bonded wear compound suitable for repairing almost any surface, including piping and pumps. The two-component wear compound contains more than 70% fine grain silicon carbide (SiC) particles, which combine with DuPont Kevlar® fibers for excellent abrasion resistance, toughness and adhesive properties. Kalpoxy NS can be used in temperatures up to 230 F (110 C) and in corrosive situations with a pH range of 3.8 to 10.0.

ABB Low Voltage Products New Berlin, WI

Abresist Kalenborn Corp. Urbana, IN

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

Maint_Technology_3.3750 x 4.8750_SpyCare_Ad_Layout 1 8/14/12 3:09 PM For more info, enter 32 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

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Investigate at wahlheatspy.com and see what you’ve been missing. 800-421-2853 sales@palmerwahl.com

*Call for details.

For more info, enter 82 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

SEPTEMBER 2012

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

MT-ONLINE.COM | 51


CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Battery For UPS And Generator Applications

T

he Genesis® NP9-12 battery from EnerSys® is suited for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems and portable generator applications. Measuring 5.94” long, 2.56” wide and 4.02” high, it features a nominal capacity of 9.0 amp hours and 36 watts per cell. The product is available with a .250 terminal or an M5 bolt, and comes in cases made of standard ABS resin or optional flame-retardant material. EnerSys Reading, PA For more info, enter 33 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Revolutionary Technique for Condition Monitoring SPM®HD is implemented in the Intellinova® Compact, a new addition to the very successful range of SPM Instruments on-line condition monitoring products.

Improved Maneuvering Of Heavy, Bulky Tools

E

sco Tool’s MILLHOG® ET-800 Dual Spring Hanger lets users safely maneuver all types of heavy or bulky tools that need to be jogged into position. It features a top and bottom steel plate, two drawbar springs and a built-in safety chain that prevents the springs from bottoming out, wearing excessively and breaking. Rated at 610 lbs. each, the drawbar springs are mounted onto 8” W x 3/8” steel plates, permitting 3.5” of travel stopped by the 48” L safety chain. Esco Tool A Unit of Esco Technologies, Inc. Holliston, MA For more info, enter 34 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

ATP List Services Customized, Targeted Lists For Your Marketing Needs www.atplists.com Contact: Ellen Sandkam

Particularly well suited for Low RPM bearing monitoring, SPM ®HD can be utilized in bearings operating from 1 – 20,000 RPM. For further information, please call or visit our website. Tel. 1-800-505-5636 www.spmhd.com For more info, enter 82 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

847-382-8100 x110 800-223-3423 x110 info@atplists.com esandkam@atplists.com 1300 S. Grove Ave., Suite 105, Barrington, IL 60010 For more info, enter 85 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 87 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

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

52 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Rugged Family Of Easy-To-Use Clamp Meters

F

luke’s line of 320 Series True-rms Clamp Meters is engineered for noise-free, reliable measurements in the toughest environments. Designed for long service life and ease of application, they’re suited for rugged, all-purpose use in residential, commercial, HVAC/R and light industrial electrical applications. Features include CAT III 600 V/CAT IV 300 V safety ratings and True-rms ac voltage and current for accurate measurement of non-linear signals.

No-Fault Thermal-Imager Warranty

W

ahl Instruments has introduced a new program related to its Inspector series of Thermal Imaging Cameras. Each Wahl Heat Spy Inspector series unit now comes with a NO FAULT warranty called SPY-CARETM. It covers any unintentional damage to or breakage of a Wahl Inspector Series imager within two years of the original purchase date, no matter the cause. Under terms of this warranty, Wahl will repair or replace the damaged or broken camera at no charge. Wahl Instruments, Inc. Asheville, NC

Fluke Corp. Everett, WA

For more info, enter 36 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

For more info, enter 35 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Metal-Machining Filtration

E

clipse Magnetics has introduced the Automag Compact, an automated filter for small- to medium-sized precision metal-machining processes. The product extracts potentially damaging ferrous particles (down to sub-micron size) from lubricants and coolants via a high-intensity magnetic circuit. According to the manufacturer, while the Automag Compact is a cost-effective solution for OEM projects, end-users can seamless retrofit it into their existing systems. It can be supplied with an Eclipse “Skid” fluidrecovery system that ensures cleaned fluid returns straight to the process. Eclipse Magnetics, Ltd. Sheffield, UK For more info, enter 37 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

SEPTEMBER 2012

Expanded Ultrasonic Sensor Line

A

utomationDirect’s ultrasonic sensor offering now includes additional 18mm round plastic DC models. The UK1 series are IP67-rated sensors with a 15 to 30VDC operating range and are fitted with an M12 quickdisconnect. The UK1 series offers six different output types in four different sensing ranges. They’re all equipped with LED status indicators and a push-button teach feature for configuration of normally-open and normally-closed states for DC output models and for adjustable sensitivity on analog output models.

AutomationDirect Cumming, GA For more info, enter 38 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

MT-ONLINE.COM | 53


INFORMATION HIGHWAY For rate information on advertising in the Information Highway Section Contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 / E-mail: jpreston@atpnetwork.com Web Spotlight: Grace

Engineered Products

LUDECA, INC. - Preventive, Predictive and Corrective Maintenance Solutions including laser shaft alignment, pulley alignment, bore alignment, straightness and flatness measurement, monitoring of thermal growth, online condition monitoring, vibration analysis and balancing equipment as well as software, services and training. For more info, enter 87 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.ludeca.com

Increase Productivity and Safety with Mechanical LOTO

Workers performing mechanical LOTO procedures must isolate electrical energy. Externally-mounted voltage detectors provide a means of checking voltage inside an electrical panel. Without these devices, a mechanic performing mechanical LOTO would be required to work in tandem with an electrician using a voltmeter to physically verify voltage inside an electrical panel. In this case, the electrician is exposed to voltage. With The Combo Unit, the mechanic can single-handedly check for zero electrical energy without any exposure to voltage.

For more info, enter 86 at www.MT-freeinfo.com http://graceport.com

U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC is excited to announce the integration of KabelSchlepp America into its operations as part of the Tsubakimoto Chain Company’s global acquisition of the German-based Cable & Hose Carrier manufacturer. KabelSchlepp America will now operate as a division of U.S. Tsubaki and will expand Tsubaki’s presence in the U.S. market by adding cable & hose carrier systems to its already extensive product lineup.

For more info, enter 88 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.kabelschlepp.com

CLASSIFIED

Buy

electric motors and drives

ATP List Services

online

SQONE.COM Square One Electric 302.678.0400

RENEW

In order for us to send

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY to you FREE,

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

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

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

SEPTEMBER 2012


Index ADVERTISER

20 YEARS

2012 M A I N T E N A N September C E

Volume 25, No. 9 TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012 Volume 25, No. 9 •

WEB ADDRESS

®

RS #

PAGE #

A.T.S. Electro-Lube Int'l Inc......................................www.atselectrolube.com ....................................... 73 .............................31 ATP Lists.......................................................................www.atplists.com ................................................... 85 .............................52 Baldor Electric Company..........................................www.baldor.com .................................................... 61 ..........................IFC Electro Static Technology ..........................................www.est-aegis.com................................................. 260,280 .............34,35 Engtech Industries Inc. ..............................................www.engtechindustries.com ................................ 75 .............................43 Exair Corporation ......................................................www.exair.com/48/496.htm................................. 65 ...............................5 Fluke..............................................................................www.fluke.com/scopemeteristough ................... 63 ...............................2 Fluke..............................................................................www.fluke.com/vibrationmeter .......................... 62 ...............................1 Grace Engineered Products. Inc...............................info.graceport.com/mt_9 ..................................... 69 .............................20 Grace Engineered Products. Inc...............................info.graceport.com................................................. 86 .............................54 Grainger .......................................................................www.grainger.com/safety...................................... 91 ...........................BC Graybar Electric Company .......................................www.graybar.com/mt-3 ........................................ 74,78..................39,47 Innovator Of The Year Award ..................................www.reliabilityinnovator.com ............................. 64 ...............................4 Ludeca Inc....................................................................www.ludeca.com .................................................... 87 .............................54 MARTS-Applied Technology...................................www.martsconference.com.................................. 70 .............................21 Meltric Corporation ..................................................www.meltric.com................................................... 80 .............................47 Motion Industries.......................................................www.motionindustries.com ................................ 66 ...............................7 Neil Bloom...................................................................www.mt-online.com/rcm..................................... 81 .............................50 Palmer Wahl Instrumentation Group ....................www.palmerwahl.com .......................................... 83 .............................51 Process Industry Practices.........................................www.pip.org ............................................................ 82 .............................51 Rockwell Automation................................................www.psug.rockwellautomation.com.................. 72 .............................30 SMRP............................................................................www.smrp.org ........................................................ 71 .............................27 SPM Instrument, Inc. ................................................www.spmhd.com ................................................... 84 .............................52 TEAM Industrial Services.........................................www.teamindustrialservices.com........................ 68 .............................13 Test Products International (TPI) ...........................www.testproductsintl.com.................................... 79 .............................47 Tri Tool, Inc..................................................................www.tritool.com..................................................... 67 .............................12 Turbomachinery Lab.................................................turbolab.tamu.edu ................................................. 76 .............................44 U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC ..................time4lambda.com .................................................. 90 ..........................IBC U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC ..................www.kabelschlepp.com......................................... 88 .............................54 Vibration Specialty Corporation .............................www.vib.com .......................................................... 77 .............................45 Access MT-freeinfo.com and enter the reader service number of the product in which you are interested, or you can search even deeper and link directly to the advertiser’s Website.

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

“Visual systems, when applied to equipment, can reduce training time by 60 to 70% and eliminate errors.” —Robert Williamson, lean equipment specialist

Our Visual Supplies Can Improve Your Equipment’s Performance! Colored gauge marking labels Problem and Opportunity Tags in English or Spanish Red Move Tags Colored paint pens Colored grease fitting caps and lube point labels Vibration analysis pickup discs and labels Proven Tips for Equipment Troubleshooting handbook Lean Machines instructional book for applying visuals Temperature indicating strips and more

To view and order from our complete line of Visual Systems Products, go to...

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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY/JANUARY 2007

Visual systems supplies that deliver results...fast!

To order by phone or fax, call (864)862-0446 Strategic Work Systems, Inc. PO Box 70 Columbus, NC 28722

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

1300 S. Grove Ave., Suite 105, Barrington, IL 60010 1300 South847-382-8100 Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 FAX 847-304-8603 PH 847-382-8100

FX 847-304-8603

ARTHURSTAFF L. RICE SALES President/CEO arice@atpnetwork.com OH, KY, TN

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

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

IA, MN, NE, ND, SD ELLEN SANDKAM 1300 South Grove Suite 105 DirectAvenue, Mail Barrington, IL 60010 esandkam@atplists.com 847-382-8100 x116; Fax 847-304-8603 BILL KIESEL Sales Staff bkiesel@atpnetwork.com

AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, CT, ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT, ON, QC MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, OK, SC, SD,P.O. TX,Box WI, 1059 Ontario Canada Osterville, 02655 1300 South GroveMA Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, 60010 508-428-3331; FaxIL 508-428-2545 847-382-8100; 847-304-8603 VINCENTFax LeGENDRE BILL KIESEL vlegendre@atpnetwork.com bkiesel@atpnetwork.com KY, IL, IN,OH, MI,TN WI 135 N. S. Rocky River Road 1173 Summit Street Berea, OHIL44017 Barrington, 60010 440-463-0907; Fax 440-891-1254 847-382-8100 x108;DAVIS Fax 847-304-8603 JOHN TOM MADDING jdavis@atpnetwork.com tmadding@atpnetwork.com AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA,WY, British Columbia Canada AR,South KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, TX 1300 Grove Avenue, Suite 105 5930Barrington, Royal Lane,IL Suite E #201 60010 847-382-8100; 847-304-8603 Dallas, Fax TX 75230 TOM MADDING 972-816-3534; Fax 972-767-4442 tmadding@atpnetwork.com GERRY MAYER gmayer@atpnetwork.com CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV, Quebec Canada, Space 225 NV, Fuller Street AZ, CA, CO,Age, ID, MT, OR, UT, WA, Brookline, MA 02446 WY, AB, BC, MB, SK 617-232-2000; Fax 617-232-2951 3605 N. Tuscany VINCE CAVASENO Mesa, AZ 85207 vcavaseno@atpnetwork.com 480-396-9585 ClassifiedJERRY Advertising/Electronic Sales: PRESTON 1300jpreston@atpnetwork.com South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603 TRACY RYLE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING tryle@atpnetwork.com 3605 N. Tuscany Mesa, AZ 85207 480-396-9585 JERRY PRESTON jpreston@atpnetwork.com

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viewpoint Mike Miller, Technology Transfer Services

Training: The Next Generation

T

he year 1966 saw the debut of a little-watched TV series about space exploration. Although it lasted only about three seasons, it offered an exciting glimpse of the future, albeit through the eyes of science-fiction writers. Communicators, phaser guns and holographic simulator training were part of everyday life on the show. At the core of the technology was a maintenance engineer who kept everything running. While the series wasn’t very popular at the time, the seed of creativity that it planted blossomed into a huge enterprise. Fast-forward to today: Science fiction has become reality. Cell phones, lasers and virtual worlds are facts of life. Yet, despite the many technological advancements we now enjoy—and those that could be on the horizon—it’s surprising to read about the growing worldwide shortage of engineers and technicians. The general lack of interest in technical fields is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. The next-generation workforce needs to see the advantages of the engineering world and understand that it is a place where they can succeed, benefit and be satisfied. Today’s youth have spent countless hours playing video games. They’ve learned and mastered the shortcuts, button combinations and timing necessary to win complex games using memorization, strategy and concentration. These skills and qualities are integral to technology in industry. The excitement that gaming generates is achievable in many subjects—and some industrial training initiatives are finally leveraging it. For example, the military trains personnel by putting soldiers in simulated versions of real-life situations that allow them to practice for combat without risk of injury. Similarly, commercial products allow anyone to join in virtual environments and interact via avatars with others around the world. This type of interactivity has had an impact on all industries, providing education for the next

generation and helping existing workers maintain and grow their skills for relatively little cost in terms of downtime and money. The promise of a system “with all the answers” still may not be readily available, but by all indications, it’s coming soon. In the meantime, we have to rely on humans to learn, apply skills and manage equipment and facilities in the maintenance world. The need to generate interest in the trades and train a well-prepared maintenance workforce is crucial. All it takes is one video-game-integrated person with a curiosity about the workings of a machine, coupled with the right ratio of interactive training and presto: A technician is born. Training in the commercial world has advanced to include a combination of virtual worlds and gaming situations wherein people interact with a specified environment, make decisions and perform tasks as if they were really there. The same advanced technology can teach an operator how to run a manufacturing line or a technician how to rebuild machinery without damage or injury to either the individual or the equipment. This style of training is a sound way to capture the interests of new workers and foster their success. Machine technology and methods of training operators and technicians have almost caught up with the visions of those sci-fi writers of the ‘60s. Our company believes gaming and simulations are an ideal way to pique the interests of legions of young people and help develop the next generation of “techies” that our increasingly higher-tech industries are already crying for—and will be continuing to demand in the future. MT Mike Miller currently leads business development efforts for Technology Transfer Services, based in Tampa, FL. He’s spent more than 23 years working, consulting and training in the global maintenance field for numerous industry verticals. Email: mmiller@techtransfer.com. For more info, enter 12 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

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

56 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

SEPTEMBER 2012


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