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contents

M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY

JanUaRY 2011 • VOL 24, nO 1 • www.MT-OnLInE.com

YEARS

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

Features tHE QUESt FOR SaFE OPERatIOnS 14

The Call For Zero Defects Everywhere Word to the wise: Don’t overlook the human factor in this pursuit.

Burt Hurlock, Azima DLI

Bonding And Grounding Issues In Power Distribution Systems The importance of a stable power supply can’t be overstated. How healthy is yours? Frank Waterer, Schneider Electric, Power Systems Engineering Division

On tHE ROaD tO SUStaInaBILItY 24

dePartMeNts

Rockwell Automation: Clocking In For A Greener Tomorrow Sustainability has become a key part of corporate strategy and customer solutions. Rick Carter, Executive Editor

tHE RELIaBILItY FILES 30

Thru-Panel Voltage Detection Makes Sense With NFPA 70E & CSA Z462 You have enough on your plate. Complying with standards shouldn’t be a struggle.

3 Low-Cost Ways To Cut Downtime By Using Fuse Indication Ever wish open fuses could tell you where they’re located? These days, some can.

www. www.MT-online.com • exclusive online-only content • late-breaking industry news • 12 years of article archives

JANUARY 2011

4 6 8 12

Publisher’s Statement

23 34 36 38 38 39 40

Motor Decisions Matter

My Take Uptime Don’t Procrastinate… Innovate! Technology Showcase Marketplace Classiﬁed Information Highway Supplier Index Viewpoint

Your Source For

Capacity Assurance Solutions

• suppliers/products/services • comprehensive events calendar • professional development opportunities and more. . .

mt-online.com | 3

PUBLISHER’s Statement

M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY

YEARS

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

January 2011 • Volume 24, No. 1

Bill Kiesel, Publisher

Alive & Kicking. . . And Growing Strong

ou may have read about the recent release of Mark Twain’s autobiography—100 years after his death. News of this muchanticipated event reminded me of one of my favorite Twain quotes: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” He, of course, was referring to some confusion around the illness of a cousin. Somehow, an obituary had been written, erroneously listing the famous author as the dearly departed. Today, more than a century later, I think this quote could easily apply to some of us in the B2B arena who are still delivering print publications and ancillary products to specific markets. To paraphrase Mr. Twain: “The reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.” At Applied Technology Publications there’s still plenty of life left— and lots of growing going on! We spent much of the economic downturn expanding our print, online, digital and other products and are excited about the future, especially since maintenance and reliability professionals are so crucial to the global economic recovery. We are ready and eager to help you get this show on the road! Here are just a few of the great new things we’ve begun rolling out in Maintenance Technology this month: n “Maintenance & Reliability Innovator Of The Year Award” (in conjunction with Ken Bannister's new semi-monthly column entitled “Don't Procrastinate…Innovate!”) (Pg. 12) n “On The Road To Sustainability,” a quarterly feature about companies on their journeys to a sustainable tomorrow. (Pg. 24) n “The Reliability Files,” articles from leading suppliers whose primary mission is to help keep your operations up and running. (Pg. 29) n Monthly “Technology Showcases” and, my favorite, quarterly “Green Gadgets,” “Efficient Gadgets” and “Reliable Gadgets” sections that provide snapshot views of products and services to help you do your jobs better, faster and more safely. (Pgs. 34 and 28 respectively)

This list reflects just some of the new growth you’ll find amid our already strong lineup of offerings—including a bigger and better MARTS (Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit) that kicks off April 26 with the 2nd Annual “Reliability Gives Voice to Autism” charity gala. Our goal is to give you everything you need. Moreover, we want to serve you better than ever. MT

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

edward kane

Reprint Manager 800-382-0808, ext. 131 ekane@fostereprints.com

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

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 2011 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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MY TAKE

Jane Alexander, Editor-In-Chief

Out With The Old, In With The New

t’s a done deal. A new year is upon us and so are new energy rules. Or had you forgotten? It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If you’re like me, you’re finding it harder and harder to keep up-to-date on everything you need to know. For example, in the flurry of end-of-year activities last month, you may have overlooked a particularly important event: On December 19, 2010, the Energy Independence and Security Act (“EISA”) that was signed into law back in 2007 quietly became a very important part of your life. If you’re an industrial motor user and you didn’t take note of that fact, you should—with an emphasis on getting up to speed quickly and being able to comply with the new law. In simple language, EISA expands the previously mandated energy-efficiency standards from the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) for a wider range of industrial motors manufactured for sale in the United States. Specifically, EISA calls for the following:

n A broad range of general-purpose motors must now meet higher energy-efficiency standards. n EPAct motors must now upgrade to NEMA Premium Efficiency standards. n Many previously exempt motors must now upgrade to EPAct standards.

Whoa! While you’ve had several years to prepare (or steel) yourself for these stiffer regs, you might still require significant assistance on the road to full compliance. Not to worry. The Motor Specialist Website (www.TheMotorSpecialist.com) may be one of the best sources you can consult to get the job done. What operation wouldn’t want its very own eminently qualified, expert motor specialist working on its behalf 24/7/365—and at no charge? Now, you have one…right at your fingertips…wherever and whenever you need it. Designed to help you cut through the confusion and find the answers to all your EISA questions, this new Website is powered by the MRO giant Motion Industries, working in partnership with Baldor Electric Company and US Motors. It’s fully stocked with all the information, tools and support your organization could possibly need to make the transition from the old days to the bright new EISA reality in which we now find ourselves. Although no one will hold it against you if you forgot to toast the dawning of EISA in your New Year celebrations, you can’t afford to forget www.TheMotorSpecialist.com in 2011. I suggest that you make it one of your “go-to” sites this year—visit it early and often. In the meantime, Happy New Year to all! Thank you so much for your support over the past 23 years. I’ll say it again—and I really like saying it, too—we couldn’t have done it without you! MT jalexander@atpnetwork.com

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UPTIME

Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

Growing Your Own: Part I “Our maintenance workforce is growing older, and the pool of qualified applicants for maintenance positions is growing smaller. Where do we find our replacement technicians? How do we prepare them for these jobs?” These questions have been and will continue to be front and center in every maintenance manager’s mind. Competition for top skilled maintenance industrial technicians has exploded. The sources of qualified recruits have dwindled—and are now overtaxed. Yet our manufacturing plants, commercial and industrial facilities and our transportation fleets still need qualified technicians to assure their continued performance and reliability. The era of maintenance skills shortages has been growing for more than two decades. This situation is a result of the conditions I’ve discussed in previous columns: Aging Baby Boomers; fewer young people entering careers in industrial maintenance; a precipitous decline of vocational/technical education in our schools; an overemphasis on “a college education” by our society, our politicians and our schools. Couple these factors with the myth that manufacturing is on the way out in America and you have the “perfect storm.” Riding this one out will take foresight, planning, out-of-the-box thinking and leadership. In those previous articles I’ve also spoken of some solutions: Educating local school boards, teachers and administrators on your business’ need for entry-level maintenance technicians; helping local and federal politicians understand the skills-shortage situation in your own business and others in your area; setting up in-house training programs and working with local community colleges. There’s one more: Grow your own maintenance technicians. The seeds for growing new maintenance technicians have already been sown in many of our plants and facilities. They now need to be cultivated, nurtured and harvested. Let’s explore how you can begin growing your maintenance workforce of the future, right in your own facility. Define entry-level requirements First, we need to ask what it is that entry-level maintenance technicians must be able to demonstrate to be productive. Begin with the abilities of your current 8|

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

top maintenance performers. Most likely, they started out with good mechanical aptitude and ability. They were able to work with their hands. Their problemsolving skills and their ability to think through puzzles were superior. A healthy work ethic, safe work habits and the ability to communicate and work with others, coupled with reading, writing and basic math skills have also been important in these top performers’ success. Finally, since the working familiarity with computers and software has become so essential in today’s plants and facilities, your top performers typically have been willing and able to learn new skills, new machines and follow written procedures.

With our aging workforce and fewer qualified applicants for maintenance positions, where do we find new technicians and how do we prepare them? That’s it! Here you have the dozen or so basic requirements for an entry-level maintenance technician. Given this set of basic knowledge, skills and aptitudes, an entry-level candidate should be able to learn and master the job-performance requirements of a maintenance technician in your plant. Look for candidates Now we need to begin looking for people with the entry-level requirements listed above. Consider your experienced production-equipment operators and setup technicians. They have informally demonstrated many of these entry-level requirements in their present roles. Some may be very senior employees; others might be young upstarts who may be getting a bit bored with their limited work assignments. JANUARY 2011

UPTIME

Our skills-shortage storm has been growing for more than two decades. Riding it out will take foresight, planning, out-of-the-box thinking and leadership. The good news is that they are already employed in your company. They know their way around. They understand how things get done. Moreover, they have a track record that’s available for scrutiny. You can observe their actions and behaviors. You can discuss their potential with their current supervision. These factors alone, however, should not be a basis for selecting them to be an entry-level maintenance technician. They’re simply a good starting point for your selection process. If your plant has a collective bargaining agreement with a labor union, the selection process you use must be consistent with that agreement. Generally, labor agreements state “the most senior qualified person” is to be selected for a higher-level job role. Seniority/years of service are the easy part. The challenges lie in what constitutes “qualified.” That’s covered next.

Here, we’re looking for “potential” to succeed. Prior maintenance experience is a plus. Without such a “demonstration” process, many companies use the “probationary” period on the job to assess a candidate’s abilities to succeed in the job role. Without specific on-job performance requirements, this approach is time-consuming, often ineffective and incomplete. Let’s start with the basic requirements discussed earlier (in the sixth paragraph)—assuming these are consistent with your own list. What is the best and fairest way to determine a candidate’s abilities in each of these areas?

Interview and check references This phase of the process involves initial discussions with the potential candidate’s supervision and area management. Some businesses already have processes in place for selecting and promoting from within. Use these processes whenever they exist. In some cases, site leadership and human-resources management may get involved in making such a transition happen. The bottom line here is to open doors and seek support for this approach to filling maintenance vacancies and/or preparing for the future. The candidate interview process should be no different than when interviewing potential employees off the street. What IS different are the reference checks and the discussion about work history with these candidates. Since they are current employees, they have histories with the company—which are matters of record and should be consulted. Information about their work and abilities also can be gleaned from/through other records, including quality reports, changeover times, equipment efficiency, productivity, etc.

n Problem-solving: Work history and demonstration

Look for demonstrated ability This part of the “growing-your-own-skilled-maintenance-workforce-of-the-future” process answers the question of whether specific candidates have the demonstrated ability to succeed in the proposed maintenance technician job role(s). Remember, such individuals are not yet skilled technicians—they are still “candidates.” JANUARY 2011

n Mechanical ability: Work history and demonstration n Work with hands: Work history and demonstration

n Healthy work ethic: Work history n Safe work habits: Work history n Communications: Work history and interview n Work with others: Work history n Reading, writing and basic math: Demonstration n Computers and software: Work history and demonstration n Ability to learn: Work history and demonstration n Follow written procedures: Work history and demonstration Demonstrated abilities must be based on actual job-performance requirements, not some off-the-shelf assessment process.[1] I prefer simple simulations that allow the candidate to use the most basic tools of the trade interacting with actual parts and maintenance-related procedures. Since I am a mechanic, I’ll outline a simple mechanical simulation for the candidate to demonstrate his or her abilities. mt-online.com | 9

UPTIME

The seeds for growing new maintenance technicians have already been sown in many operations. They now need to be cultivated, nurtured and harvested. Step #1… Combine related requirements to be included in a simulation activity. From the preceding list: Mechanical ability; Work with hands; Problem-solving; Reading, writing and basic math; Follow written procedures; Ability to learn. Step #2… Assemble simulation device(s) with basic tasks to be completed. Consider the application of bearings, shafts, threaded fasteners, cotter pins, gears or chains and sprockets, drive belts, hydraulic or air cylinders and controls, sliding components, cams, temperature/pressure gauges, spare parts, etc. Make sure this assembly reflects components and devices that are common to machinery in the plant. Step #3… Write simple, straightforward procedures (or work instructions) to perform specific tasks with the simulation device(s) consistent with procedures used by maintenance in your plant. Consider tasks that involve measuring, alignment, adjustment for fit, sizes, part replacement, lubrication, taking readings, solving problems, etc. Keep in mind that the procedures (or work instructions) must have a “standard” for successful completion. Consider these: The device must rotate freely with no binds; within 0.04”; plus/minus 2 F degrees; no safety violations; function properly, etc. Step # 4… Develop a sequence of procedures to be demonstrated and the methods to be used in setting up the simulation device. Be able to set up and show proper operating conditions of the simulation device. Write simple work orders that describe the problem to be solved on the device.

Step #5… Have several top skilled maintenance mechanics attempt the simulated tasks using the work orders and procedures. Adjust the tasks, work orders and procedures as needed. Step #6… Set a reasonable timeframe for each task to be completed based on the times set by your top skilled mechanics. Consider that successful candidates may take three to four times longer since they do not have the same level of experience. Step #7… Write an administrative procedure that outlines how to set up and administer the assessment process using the simulation device. Get the appropriate approvals to proceed from leadership, human resources and labor union leaders. You now have a basic skills-assessment process that will assist in the selection of current employees who have the potential to succeed in a mechanical-maintenance-job role. Setting up maintenance training processes Next month, in “Growing Your Own: Part II,” we’ll outline the approaches and methods for setting up a basic maintenance-skills training program using in-house talents, online and off-the-shelf resources and local tech schools (if available). Stay tuned…MT RobertMW2@cs.com Reference 1. Assessments must be consistent with the Federal Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection Procedures requirement for “job-content validity” based on current job-performance requirements.

This article has identified basic requirements for entry-level technicians. With this knowledge, skill and aptitude set, a candidate should be able to master the job-performance requirements of a maintenance technician in your plant. 10 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

JANUARY 2011

Reliability Is Gold Meet The Experts At

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• 30 hour-long Conferences over two days – Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 28 – kicked off by international reliability expert and best-selling author James Reyes-Picknell • 7 full-day Workshops on Tuesday, April 26 • 6 full-day Workshops on Friday, April 29 • Two professional certification opportunities Now entering its eighth year, MARTS is an exciting learning event in a great location that helps reliability professionals at all levels improve their skills and excel on the job. Pricing and attendance options for every budget make it easy for individuals or groups to share the MARTS experience. Registration is open at www.martsconference.com

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DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

Ken Bannister, Contributing Editor

Tick-Tock: Time To Innovate! “Innovation comes from the producer – not the customer.” …W. Edwards Deming In 2000, Hollywood released a powerful movie based on Sebastian Junger’s book The Perfect Storm. It chronicled the true story of the loss of the Andrea Gail fishing boat and its entire crew in 1991, during an unusual extratropical storm known as the “Halloween Nor’easter,” or “The Perfect Storm.” Since that time, the term “perfect storm” has become a metaphor for any rare event in which a confluence of trends and circumstances align and begin building toward a bleak outcome. Sadly, a perfect storm can grow into a tragedy of epic proportions without being noticed by those who are about to experience its wrath. As you’ve previously read in this magazine (and will continue to read)—this month in Bob Williamson‘s “Uptime” column and in the “Technology Showcase” about Maintenance Management on page 34, for example— North America’s industrial might is now being challenged by a perfect storm set into motion by myriad problems. These include, first and foremost, educational systems that aren’t particularly interested in teaching vocational skills and, in many cases, aren’t adequately equipped to teach and train on emerging technologies. The situation is being exacerbated by the lack of apprenticeship opportunities; increased global competition for those left in the skilled labor pool; rapid deterioration of capital assets and infrastructure; and the fact that many in our knowledgeable, well-trained, highly experienced, yet aging, workforce are about to retire en masse. And that’s not just my assessment. Statistics on the issue abound, including this: The Employment Policy Foundation (EPF) projects we’ll suffer an 80% skill loss over the next 10 years as the Baby Boomer generation officially becomes eligible for retirement. We must recognize that a large percentage of those skilled jobs will be lost forever—and that the remaining workforce will

12 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

be expected to absorb and cope with the devastating results. The clock is ticking faster and faster… We cannot and must not rely on government to legislate a solution for us. YOU are the solution! If we are to successfully confront this growing catastrophe, we must first recognize the elephant in the room, work out a plan of action and learn to work smarter by adopting practices that add value to everything we do. The time for procrastination is past; the time for innovation is here. This column is dedicated to helping you work smarter through the application of innovative approaches and solutions designed to combat the effects of skilled-labor attrition and, in turn, help you deliver a more competitive product or service that will generate more profit that can then be reinvested in the engine of America. Along with my new column, Applied Technology Publications, parent of Maintenance Technology and Lubrication Management & Technology magazines, is launching the“Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year Award” program. The competition will allow you to “pass on” and share your successful innovative gizmos, gadgets, procedures, methods and ideas with the rest of the maintenance and reliability community. Look for more details next month in this publication and online at www.MT-online.com. The truth about innovation Innovation is the successful implementation of a creative, ingenious or imaginative idea that both changes and improves the way we do business. An innovative idea can manifest itself as a change in the way we currently view and perform a process; in the way we measure, check or analyze for acceptable condition; in the way we organize resources to deliver increased value; or in the way we adopt inventive and practical devices as labor-saving tools.

january 2011

DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

“Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time.” …Bill Gates Improvement success can be delivered and measured in many ways, including: maintenance improvements (i.e., increased asset reliability, reduced asset maintainability); operational improvements (i.e., cycle time, production output, product quality, customer service); and safety and environmental improvements (i.e., accident/incident reduction, energy reduction, carbon footprint reduction. All of these improvements can be measured and tracked through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). It should be noted that true innovation tends to exemplify itself through simplicity and practicality. Once implemented, an innovation is often showered with comments such as “I could have done that,” or “I don’t know why we’ve never done this before!” An innovative idea is usually born of an individual—but nurtured and implemented through team effort. This means that if innovation is to flourish, we must all think entrepreneurially (as if the business in which we work belongs to us). Make no mistake: Your business is not a business without the strengths you bring to the table. If an idea is to flourish, it must be able to withstand scrutiny, meet the needs of your organization, be backed up with a solid business case, pass a risk-analysis review and provide a valid return on investment (ROI) statement that outlines how the idea’s implementation success is to be measured in tangible terms. (My March column will focus on providing the tools to help you develop a strong business case and ROI statement.) Additionally, the idea must be presented and sold to management in a professional manner. (If your organization has a “suggestion box” or “improvement box” program, it probably reflects all the previously mentioned requirements.) Remember, too: If an innovative environment is to flourish, it will be the result of a combined effort of the frontline workforce within maintenance and operations, as well as supervisors and

managers who must take ideas, allow them to be tested or piloted and rolled out into the plant. Seeking out opportunity As a change-management consultant, I’ve always believed that the best ideas—and the easiest to implement—probably can be found “in your own backyard.” Frontline personnel have a special intimacy with their equipment assets, processes and procedures. If existing instructions or methods don’t make sense, many of them will adopt innovative “workarounds” or more streamlined approaches to their work, and only share them with management if there’s an open environment for positive change. This sets up an excellent starting point for any innovation program. As you may have heard before, the maintenance department has typically been successful in spite of itself. Thus, depending on the current level of best-practice operation, any maintenance department could easily be guilty of causing well in excess of 50% of unnecessary maintenance work due to inefficiencies in managing its resources and inefficient PMs. Furthermore, many of the residual operationscaused maintenance can be managed out with the right approach. Accepting this fact opens up a massive innovation opportunity for every maintenance department. In future installments of this column, we’ll explore the differences between what the maintenance department manages versus what it actually controls—and how it must be innovative in its approach to seek out the value opportunities in both aspects of its business. I hereby issue a challenge to all maintenance and reliability professionals (including management) to immediately don your innovative-thinking caps. Begin writing down whatever improvement ideas you have and prepare yourself for a wave of innovation as we explore ideas to help us make it through our perfect storm. Tick-tock…tick-tock… MT kbannister@engtechindustries.com

“Everything begins with an idea.” …Earl Nightingale january 2011

MT-ONLINE.COM | 13

THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

The Call For

Zero Defects Everywhere Word to the wise: Don’t overlook the human factor in this pursuit.

he CEO of a global, forward-thinking industrial company is renowned for repeating “Efficiency, Reliability, Safety.” To the uninitiated, these three words seem to express independent operating objectives. Anyone involved in operations management or maintenance, however, knows they are highly correlated and, perhaps, even inextricably intertwined. Burt Hurlock, CEO Azima DLI

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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

JANUARY 2011

THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

Only by acknowledging these kinds of dynamic correlations can managers begin to imagine an optimized state of operations with manageable variables perfectly calibrated to achieve “zero defects.” In truth, “zero defects” is an idealized state of being, with no precedent; however, contemplating the path to zero defects forces us to explore the root cause of imperfections in our processes—an activity that was receiving a great deal of attention throughout large industry in 2010. The unusually high incidence of large-scale industrial accidents in recent years, especially in the oil and gas sector, has prompted corporate boards and management teams to demand institutional commitments to zero-defects processes and procedures. The question we find ourselves asking is whether continuous-improvement processes in pursuit of “zero defects” are enough in themselves to drive efficiency, reliability and safety. Large-scale, sophisticated industrial enterprises, which represent a small minority of the U.S. industrial base, understand risk correlations so well that independent industrial researchers assign them a special designation. They’re called “Collaborators,” earning their name by correlating the performance of their supply-chain vendors tightly to their own performance metrics. The Collaborator-vendor relationship is unsustainable without continuous-improvement processes that constantly adjust for responses to the marketplace, which are, in turn, constantly informed by the Collaborators’ continuous marketsensing processes. The designation that researchers assign to those on the other end of the industrial-company spectrum is “Reactors.” Reactors tend to be too overwhelmed by the multi-dimensional variables of large-scale industrial processes to attempt to manage them all at once, or to correlate combinations of managed variables to desired outcomes. Instead, Reactors use independent point solutions to solve problems as they arise, even though these problems may have common origins— problems that are, therefore, highly correlated. Which kind of company do you think has the greatest chance of approaching zero defects? Which kind of company do you think has the best chance of achieving larger strategic objectives such as lowest unit product cost, highest quality output, lowest spoilage rate and best safety record? Even though the answer is intuitively obvious, we find very few large industrial enterprises actively engaged in correlating a wide range of performance metrics. When it comes to managing production processes, we find that managers fall neatly into one of two camps. Let’s call them the “chaos theorists” and the “faithful.” The chaos theorists have no vision or faith in a grander scheme in which hewing to the prescribed path leads to a better outcome. They believe operations entails taking risks, that defects are a fact of life, that asset life cycles cannot be materially influenced and that “run to failure” is an immutable law of nature. The faithful believe the opposite. As one customer told us wistfully, “To the (chaos theorists), no argument (for continuous improvement) is sufficient. To the faithful, no argument is required.” JANUARY 2011

A fascinating paradox There are few things in life so measurable as an industrial production process. To engineers, such processes should be a feast for trial and error and continuous improvement. Failure modes for all types of machinery can be well defined, accidents can be studied and averted and all processes yield to efficiency improvement. Indeed, continuous improvement presents huge opportunities to build institutional knowledge, competitive advantage and economic opportunity and value. To argue to the contrary is to reject the correlation between value and learning. Even if these observations were not self-evident, one need look no further than the handful of companies that capture the majority of economic rents in oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, consumer products manufacturing and distribution, and even commercial airlines. The economic winners are not always the biggest, nor the most creative. They are the leaders in continuous process improvement and in how they generate, use and share information—in how they learn and in how they apply learning. With such conspicuous examples of the continuous-improvement pay-off, why are these “faithful” so few, and the “chaos theorists” so prevalent? We find a fascinating paradox in a world largely populated by engineers unable to apply the basic process principles of engineering. Why should this be so? The human factor Continuous process improvement is hard. In some ways it runs contrary to the notion of achieving definable objectives, of success as a destination. Continuous improvement implies an unachievable goal, like a horizon forever out of reach. It requires continuous effort and sustained leadership. Continuous improvement also depends on intellectual honesty and accountability. The process can’t improve unless the results—good or bad—are visible and accurate, and the individuals tasked with capturing them are forthcoming. Even where such virtuous behavior can be introduced, it only flourishes in an environment where employees trust managers to use the information to the advantage of the enterprise. In fact, the more we focus on the behaviors required to support continuous-improvement processes, the more we understand continuous improvement as a system of belief based on a basic faith in the ability to drive inefficiency, risk and defects from the system. How often do we find so many virtues concentrated in one place, let alone a workplace? The obstacle to broad adoption of continuous-improvement processes is human nature. Who embraces work without end? Who really believes that challenging the status quo at work is good for your career? And in how many places is challenging the status quo good for your career? Behaviors and environment are cultural characteristics that are extremely difficult to establish and perpetuate, especially MT-ONLINE.COM | 15

THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

‘Efficiency, Reliability, Safety’ is a statement of belief, a guiding principle. If that’s all the CEO ever says, no one will intentionally stand in the way of any of those words.

in very large, distributed organizations. Where organizations succeed in establishing trust and belief in a system dedicated to forever asking whether everything can be improved, they rapidly establish positions of outright dominance. There are few more insurmountable competitive advantages than a culture committed to competing against itself, especially when it’s already in the lead. Virtuous circles (and vicious cycles) The combination of circumstances and personalities required to foster a continuous improvement environment may seem impossibly beyond reach. Yet we know they’re not, because a few very successful companies have achieved leadership positions based almost entirely on continuous process improvement. How do such enterprises achieve culturally driven performance superiority? The answer begins at the top. “Efficiency, Reliability, Safety” is a statement of belief— a guiding principle. If that’s all the CEO ever says, no one will intentionally stand in the way of any of those words. Thus, the seeds for a certain kind of behavior are planted.

About Azima DLI Azima DLI (www.azimadli.com) is a premier provider of predictive machine condition monitoring and analysis services that align with customers’ high standards for reliability, availability and uptime. Azima DLI’s WATCHMAN™ Reliability Services utilize flexible deployment models and proven diagnostic software backed up by strong analytical expertise to deliver sustainable, scalable and cost-effective condition-based maintenance programs. The company’s bundled solutions enable customers to choose comprehensive, proven programs that ensure asset availability and maximize productivity. Azima DLI is headquartered in Woburn, MA, with offices across the U.S. and international representation in AsiaPacific, Central America, Europe and South America. For more info, enter 01 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

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JANUARY 2011

THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

Supported by measurement systems and feedback loops, the behaviors may become self-perpetuating, and should they lead to the rewards of success, the behaviors become self-reinforcing. Who leaves a company where success builds on success, where opportunities for improvement and advancement are unbounded and where you can see the impact of your work in the advancement of the company? The answer is “the people you don’t want around.” Continuous-improvement cultures attract, retain and concentrate talent, and exorcise weak links in a vitally interconnected ecosystem. Where there is always room for improvement, in areas such as “Efficiency, Reliability (and) Safety,” the potential for triggering a virtuous circle of behavior patterns is very real. In contrast, where leaders fail to articulate a system of belief that places the enterprise ahead of the individual, self-preservation creeps in, information-sharing breaks down and learning comes to a halt—the so-called vicious cycle. Continuous process improvement is more an organic value system than a rigorous process of rules and guidelines. It begins with visionary leadership in pursuit of competitive strategic high ground. It ties every function and activity back to the strategic objective, and finds correlations between variables that inform the systematic removal of inefficiencies and risks. Be it a production process, maintenance strategy or safety standard, the environment encourages challenging the status quo, entrusts employees with advancement of the enterprise and maintains a basic faith and belief in the potential for a better outcome. These are human ideals and behaviors first, and processes second. These qualities and behaviors need cultivating, both through inspired leadership and tolerant, motivated employees. Where these human factors converge, industrial leadership is born, formidable competitors emerge and principles that drive zero defects become achievable. MT JANUARY 2011

Burt Hurlock is CEO of Azima DLI, a leading provider of predictive machine condition monitoring and analysis services. Acknowledgements The author acknowledges the book Don’t Just Fix It, Improve It! A Journey to the Precision Domain, by Winston P. Ledet, Winston J. Ledet and Sherri M. Abshire for the idea behind the title of this article and related concepts.

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THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

Bonding And Grounding Issues In Power Distribution Systems A safe, productive and viable operation calls for a stable power supply. How healthy is yours? Frank Waterer Schneider Electric

18 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

stable power supply is the backbone of any building, plant or facility. Failures or instability resulting from a poorly designed power distribution system can negatively impact safety, production and the bottom line of a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations.

As the foundation of an operationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power supply and distribution capabilities, a safely and effectively bonded grounding system is critical in providing a low impedance path to earth that stabilizes voltage. Stable voltage, in turn, is a crucial component in maintaining the safety, reliability and efficiency of operations. The following points outline the five principles behind an effective bonding and grounding system via a low impedance path, and describe the applicable differences between bonding, grounding and earthing. By following these principles, operations and facility managers can help ensure that their power supplies are as safe, reliable and efficient as possible.

JANUARY 2011

THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

1.0. Principal purposes of a bonding and grounding system The principal purposes for an “effectively bonded grounding system via a low impedance path to earth” are intended to provide for the following: 1.1. Provide for an applicable reference to earth to stabilize the system voltage of a power distribution system during normal operations. The system voltage is determined by how the secondary winding of any power-class or distribution-class transformer is actually configured, as well as how the windings are referenced to ground or earth. The primary function or purpose of the system bonding jumper is to provide for an applicable reference to earth for the system voltage at the origins of the specific and separately derived system to stabilize the voltage (i.e., 600Y/347V, 480Y/277V, or 208Y/120V, 3 Phase, 4 Wire, Solidly Grounded, “WYE” Systems or a 240/120V, 3 Phase, 4 Wire Solidly Grounded “DELTA” System [see Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B]). The system bonding jumper is employed as a direct connection between the Xo terminal of a supplying transformer, generator or UPS output terminals and earth. This jumper is usually connected within the same enclosure as the power supply terminals and is not normally sized to carry large magnitudes of phase-to-ground fault current.

120V

277V

120V

277V

208Y/120V, 3 4W

480Y/277V, 3 4W

Fig. 1A. Solidly grounded “WYE” systems V

0 24 120/240V, 3 4W

240V

208V

C 120V 120V

Fig. 1B. A solidly grounded “DELTA” system

1.2. Create a very low impedance path for ground fault current to flow in a relatively controlled path. The exact point and time where a phase-to-ground fault might occur cannot be determined. Depending, however, on the exact point of the phase-to-ground fault within a specific power distribution system, multiple return paths are likely to occur between the point where the fault conductor makes contact with a conductive surface and the Xo terminal of the supplying transformer or local standby JANUARY 2011

generator. Consequently, it is desirable and preferred that the majority of the ground-fault current flows primarily in the specific equipment bonding jumpers and equipment ground conductors directly associated with the fault circuit. If the impedance in the equipment bonding jumpers and equipment ground conductors associated with the faulted circuit is too high, then significant magnitudes of phase-to ground fault current will likely take various other parallel paths in order to return to the source winding of the power supply. These various other uncontrolled and unexpected return paths can subject facility personnel to dangerous touch-potential differences—which can cause death, injury or permanent damage to internal organs. In addition, other unaffected equipment could be negatively affected or damaged by potential rises and unintended flow of current. 1.3. Create an effective and very low impedance path for ground fault current to flow in order for overcurrent protective devices and any ground-fault protection systems to operate effectively as designed and intended. During the time of the phase-to-ground faulted condition, the subjected equipment bonding jumpers and the equipment grounding conductors are intended to function as a very low impedance path between the point of the fault and the ground bus within the service equipment or the standby generator equipment. Consequently, these affect equipment bonding jumpers, and the equipment grounding conductors constitute 50% of the total power circuit during the period in which phase-to-ground fault current is flowing. If the impedance in the ground-fault return path is not effective low enough, then the overcurrent protective devices employed in the circuit as fuses and thermal-magnetic circuit breakers will be ineffective to prevent substantial equipment damage. If the impedance in the ground-fault return path is too high, then the resulting flow of phase-to-ground fault current might actually be lower than the rating of the fuses and thermal-magnetic circuit breakers installed to protect the affected circuit. Per NEC® 250-4(A)(5), to meet the requirements of an effective ground-fault current path “electrical equipment and wiring and other electrically conductive material likely to become energized shall be installed in a manner that creates a permanent, low impedance circuit facilitating the operation of the overcurrent device or ground detector for high-impedance grounded systems.” The ground-fault current path must be capable of effectively and safely carrying the maximum ground-fault current likely to be imposed on it from any point in a specific power distribution system where a ground fault may occur to the return to power supply source. Earth cannot be considered as an effective ground-fault current path. Therefore, randomly inserting individual ground rods into the soil to connect to remote electrical equipment will not provide an effective return path for phase-to-ground fault current. MT-ONLINE.COM | 19

THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

The primary function or purpose of the main bonding jumper (or MBJ) located within the service equipment is to provide a low impedance return path for the return of phase-to-ground fault current from the ground bus in the service equipment to the respective power supply source such as service transformers, standby generators or the output terminals of onsite UPS via the neutral conductors. The MBJ must be adequately sized to effectively carry all phase-toground fault current likely to be imposed on it. In addition, the MBJ is another bonding jumper that is often employed to stabilize the system voltage with respect to ground or earth. The MBJ, however, is only a small portion of the ground-fault return path for phase-to-ground fault current to return to the Xo terminal of the respective power source. 1.4. Limit differences of potential, potential rise, or step gradients between equipment and personnel, personnel and earth, equipment and earth, or equipment to equipment. It is extremely important that all conductive surfaces and equipment enclosures associated with any power distribution system be effective bonded together via a low impedance path. As partially explained in paragraph 1.2 above, without a very low impedance path for ground-fault current to flow in a relatively controlled way, potential rises or step potential differences are likely to occur at other locations within the power distribution system. However, during non-faulted conditions, part of the normal load current will flow through the conductive surfaces, equipment enclosures and earth, if any current-carrying conductor is connected to earth at more than one location. For example, if any grounded conductor (neutral) were to become connected to any conductive surface or equipment enclosure downstream of the MBJ, then part of the load current would flow through the conductive surface, equipment enclosure or the earth because a parallel path will have been created. 1.5. Limit voltage rise or potential differences imposed on an asset, facility, or structure from lightning strikes, a surge event impinging on the service equipment, any phase-toground fault conditions, or the inadvertent commingling of or the unintentional contact with different voltage system. When lightning strikes an asset, facility or structure, the return stroke current will divide up among all parallel conductive paths between attachment point and earth. The division of current will be inversely proportional to the path impedance Z (Z = R + XL, resistance plus inductive reactance). The resistance term should be very low, assuming effectively bonded metallic conductors. The inductance and corresponding related inductive reactance presented to the total return current will be determined by the combination of all the individual inductive paths in parallel. The more parallel paths that exist in a bonding and grounding system will equate to lower total impedance. 20 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

2.0. Differences between bonding and grounding The terms “bonding” and “grounding” are often employed interchangeably as general terms in the electrical industry to imply or mean that a specific piece of electrical equipment, structure or enclosure is somehow referenced to earth. In fact, “bonding” and “grounding” have completely different meanings and employ different electrical installation methodologies. 2.1. Bonding “Bonding” is a method by which all electrically conductive materials and metallic surfaces of equipment and structures, not normally intended to be energized, are effectively interconnected together via a low impedance conductive means and path in order to avoid any appreciable potential difference between any separate points. The bonded interconnections of any specific electrically conductive materials, metallic surfaces of enclosures, electrical equipment, pipes, tubes or structures via a low impedance path are completely independent and unrelated to any intended contact or connection to Earth. For example, airplanes do not have any connection to the planet Earth when they are airborne. However, it is extremely important for the safety and welfare of passengers, crew and aircraft that all metallic parts and structures of an airplane be effectively bonded together. The laboratories and satellites orbiting in space above the planet Earth obviously have no direct connection with the surface of our planet. All conductive surfaces of these orbiting laboratories and satellites, though, must be effectively bonded together to avoid differences of potential from being induced across their surfaces from the countless charged particles and magnetic waves traveling through space. The common way to effectively bond different metallic surfaces of enclosures, electrical equipment, pipes, tubes or structures together is with a copper conductor, rated lugs and appropriate bolts, fasteners or screws. Other bonding means between different metallic parts and pieces might employ brackets, clamps, exothermic bonds or welds to make effective connections. In addition to preventing potential differences that may result in hazards, effectively bonded equipment can also be employed to adequately and safely conduct phase-to-ground fault currents, induced currents, surge currents, lightning currents or transient currents during abnormal conditions. 2.2. Grounding “Grounding” is a term used rather exclusively in North America to indicate a direct or indirect connection to the planet Earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the Earth. The connection(s) to Earth can be intentional or unintentional by an assortment of metallic means. A designated grounding electrode is the device that is intended to establish the direct electrical connection to the Earth. A common designated grounding electrode is often a copper-clad JANUARY 2011

Shaft Alignment or copper-flashed steel rod. The designated grounding electrode, though, might be a water pipe, steel columns of a building or structure, concrete-encased steel reinforcement rods, buried copper bus, copper tubing, galvanized steel rods or semi-conductive neoprene rubber blankets. Gas pipes and aluminum rods cannot be employed as grounding electrodes. The grounding electrode conductor is a designed conductor used to connect grounding electrode(s) to other equipment grounding conductor(s), grounded conductor(s) and structure (see Fig. 2).

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THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

By following these principles, you can help ensure that your power supplies are as safe, reliable and efficient as possible. 2.3. Earthing “Earthing” is a term used in Europe or other countries that employ International Electric Commission (IEC) standards. The term “earthing” in European or IEC countries is synonymous with the term “grounding” in North America. 3.0. Common issues found with bonding and grounding systems in commercial and industrial power distribution systems ■ All utilities (service-entrance ground bus, water lines, gas lines, telephone grounds, cable grounds, metallic sewer lines) are not effectively bonded together and connected to the building’s structural steel. ■ All structures are not effectively bonded together. ■ EMT conduits with set-screw couplings are employed as the ground-fault return path. ■ No grounding bushings are employed. ■ Bonding and grounding terminals are improperly installed. ■ Bonding and grounding conductors are terminated in the wrong location. ■ Bonding and grounding connections are loose. ■ Grounding conductors are undersized. ■ Mechanical grounding connections are oxidized and reduced. ■ Lightning abatement system directs lightning currents into the building via connections to building steel. ■ No direct access to external ground grid system is available for inspection or testing. ■ The external ground grid system is deteriorated. 22 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

■ The external grounding system is damaged (or was removed) during subsequent excavation work. ■ No external grounding system is installed. ■ Damage to an external grounding system could have been caused by previous lightning strike(s). ■ Damage to an internal bonding and grounding system could have been caused by direct mechanical force, neglect and/or previous phase-to-ground fault. ■ Records of initial ground grid testing do not exist. ■ Records of regular inspections and maintenance of grounding systems do not exist. ■ Drawings or records detailing the existing grounding system are unavailable. The real bottom line When designed and implemented correctly, bonding and grounding systems can optimize power distribution, thus allowing the efficient and reliable delivery of power to a facility’s multiple operating systems, buildings and other operational components. Additionally, a system can be strategically designed to minimize damages and power failure in the event of power outages and emergencies—thus making a well-designed power distribution system of utmost importance to your operations. MT Frank Waterer is with Schneider Electric’s Power Systems Engineering Division. He has over 22 years experience with Square D in various engineering and R&D roles. Waterer’s activities in the area of engineering standards includes having served as chairman of the PES/IEEE Committee responsible for the design, development and installation of all IEEE Standards relating to all surge-protective devices. For more info, enter 02 at www.MT-freeinfo.com JANUARY 2011

BOOSTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Is It Time For An Energy Assessment?

ow long has it been since your operations had an energy assessment by an actual energy professional: one year… two years…never? Taking a step back, just what is an energy assessment— and is it really worth the trouble? An energy assessment (sometimes called an “energy audit”) provides a better understanding of how energy is used throughout your facility and identifies opportunities for energy savings. It may take the form of a walk-through of your operations to identify specific opportunities, or it may involve detailed measurement and analysis of specific processes and systems. There are often many energy-saving opportunities at a facility, from “quick wins,” repairs and tuneups that involve minimal disruptions to equipment and processes, to more significant upgrades and process improvements. In the case of motor-driven systems, an energy audit may reveal inefficient or improperly sized motors, variable frequency drive (VFD) retrofit opportunities, process changes that reduce motor speed or duty and other repair and optimization opportunities. Is an energy assessment worth the time and money? If improving plant efficiency and reducing operating costs is a core strategy at your facility, then investing in an energy audit is well worth the effort. A skilled professional can help identify numerous and, sometimes, hard-to-spot opportunities, as well as help quantify potential energy savings and payback period for identified changes. Energy audits may also lead to intangible benefits—such as increasing your team’s awareness of how energy impacts the bottom line. Getting started To get started, collect your most recent motor inventory data, system schematic, motor test results and (if applicable) previous audit results. If these resources are not readily available, begin by taking a basic motor inventory, including motor nameplate data, estimated operating hours and the electric costs to operate your facility.

JANUARY 2011

Next, contact a qualified energy assessor. Your local utility may offer an assessment program or provide a list of licensed energy service providers in your area. The U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) offers audit assistance to qualified plants.[1] The MDM Website [2] has links to system optimization, resources from local utilities and plant energy-management resources. Before committing to an audit, know up front what the approximate time and cost will be and the typical improvements and evaluation criteria that are recommended for your type of facility. Review case studies and references. Be prepared to put together an implementation plan and take action based on the assessment results. Regularly monitoring motor energy consumption, making motor-system efficiency improvements and tracking improvement over time are key components to sound motor management. Performing an energy assessment is a big step toward identifying savings opportunities, establishing savings goals and—very important— achieving results! MT References 1. ITP Best Practices Plant Assessments, www. eere.energy.gov/industry/bestpractices/plant_ assessments.html 2. www.motorsmatter.org/resources/index.asp For more info, enter 03 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.

MT-ONLINE .COM | 23

ON THE

Road TO Time is of the essence on this crucial journey…

Rockwell Automation: Clocking In For A Greener Tomorrow

Sustainability has become a key part of this venerable company’s corporate strategy and its holistic solutions for customers.

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MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Rick Carter Executive Editor

JANUARY 2011

ockwell Automation president Keith Nosbusch opened the company’s 2009 Corporate Responsibility Report, titled “Smart, Safe and Sustainable Manufacturing,” with the following observation: “Our mission is to improve the standard of living for everyone by making the world more productive and sustainable. That’s what we do every day.” Difficult times, he added, had changed this well-known provider of automated and power solutions into “a very different company” than what it had been the year before.

Don’t be confused by the last sentence. While corporateleadership statements like this are sometimes used as a caveat to temper expectations, that’s not the case here. Nosbusch’s comments preface an engaging, positive-result overview of this 107-year-old industrial giant’s efforts to tap new efficiencies for itself and its customers through a missionchanging commitment to safe, sustainable manufacturing practices. Rockwell Automation has embraced sustainability for the long run, and the best evidence may be its own headquarters facility.

Selected Sustainable Gains at Rockwell Automation, 2009 Compared with 2008, Rockwell’s 55 manufacturing and core locations: Used 15% less electricity Used 4% less natural gas Decreased direct and indirect CO2 emissions by 12% Reduced solid waste generation by nearly 30% and recycled or reclaimed 80% of that solid waste Source: Rockwell Automation Corporate Responsibility Report, 2009.

The green roof Fly, drive, train, bike or walk into Milwaukee and you can’t miss the company’s main headquarters building on South Second Street. Its 280-ft. clock tower, which features the onetime Guinness-certified largest four-faced clock in the world, overlooks the city’s South Side skyline. Built in 1962, the tower and large, international-style building that supports it were once Allen-Bradley’s world headquarters. Today, the JANUARY 2011

Rockwell Automation name is prominently displayed on the structure—although it no longer houses manufacturing operations, it looks as if it still could. Many of the massive industrial buildings on this 80-acre campus appear unchanged from an era when manufacturing was king. Unchanged, that is, until you reach the ninth floor of the clock-tower building. There, from a glass-lined hallway, the view opens to include a decidedly non-industrial expanse of green that covers a large portion of an adjoining flat roof all the way to the building’s edge. The green itself is alive with various species of sedum, the low, tough succulent plant that’s favored for use in hot, dry areas, making it perfect for today’s green roofs. The idea of putting 48,500 sq. ft. of it on the 71,000-sq.-ft. roof was to cut building energy and maintenance costs, and to reduce water runoff. Completed in October 2010—at a cost of just over $1 million—the green roof is Rockwell Automation’s latest, and perhaps most visible example of the company’s sustainability mission in action or, as those behind the effort call it, the company’s ability to “walk the talk.” “We really see that the mission of our company is to make the world more efficient and productive,” says Majo Thurman, director, safety and environmental, echoing Nosbusch. “This is our definition of sustainability.” She explains that a “fundamental switch” in corporate philosophy occurred three years ago “when we really looked at how our products could help our customers become sustainable. But it’s the external messages,” she notes, “that really help from an internal point of view. Our senior leadership now invests more internally to make sure we’re doing those same practices in-house. You can see how our leadership has embraced sustainability.” The green roof was not a slam-dunk. An earlier effort failed because “we couldn’t make the numbers work,” says Thurman. It took a city grant that covered 80% of the cost for Rockwell Automation leadership to green-light the project. The money came from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for the roof ’s projected ability to offset 1.3 million gallons of stormwater per year. Because grant rules required the company to pay for the project up front, MT-ONLINE.COM | 25

ON THE

Road TO

Majo Thurman, director, safety and environmental, stands on the green roof at Rockwell Automation’s Milwaukee, WI, headquarters, beneath the corporation’s landmark clock tower. Over time, the hearty sedum plantings (shown in the inset) that cover 48,500-sq.-ft. of roof surface are expected to help generate significant savings in a number of areas.

then seek reimbursement, “it was still a cash-flow challenge,” says Thurman, who acknowledges that projects of this size are not for everybody. “But most states or utilities have a program to help identify and fund energy-efficiency projects,” she adds, “so it really helps to get to know the people who have the grant money.” For Rockwell Automation, which had begun preaching sustainability worldwide for itself and its customers, the roof project made sense as both a symbol of its commitment to sustainability and for its practical potential to reduce facility costs. While the reduced-stormwater benefit only helps the city, the roof will do as much or more for the company. “We estimate the green roof will require us to do one less reroofing, which costs about $800,000,” Thurman reports. “That would have been 20 years out. Now we shouldn’t have to reroof for 40 years, so we undid one whole cycle.” Its green roof was also expected to save the corporation about $50,000 annually in energy costs—though this could not be quantified until it actually was in place. To measure possible savings, sensors were installed on the new roof to record temperature and other environmental characteristics. These readings will tell the company how and when changes 26 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

in the building’s energy use can be attributed to the roof ’s insulating qualities. According to Thurman, for companies of Rockwell Automation’s size, $50,000 in potential savings isn’t enough on its own to justify such a project— but every little bit helps. As she puts it, “We’re looking at every little pocket we can.” The green method Looking at every little pocket is a key part of Rockwell Automation’s Industrial GreenPrint Methodology™, a sustainability initiative unveiled in its entirety in November 2010. As much an overarching framework for achieving industrial energy efficiency as a platform for Rockwell products and services, Industrial GreenPrint “helps companies view energy as a resource to be managed versus simply an unavoidable overhead cost,” according to the company’s 2009 report. “Our goal,” it continues, “is to transform manufacturers from passive energy users into strategic managers of their energy resources.” While the company makes equipment and software that can save or measure energy, the Industrial GreenPrint effort is not built exclusively around technology. As with most manufacturing initiatives, JANUARY 2011

As with most manufacturing initiatives, successful stainability efforts at Rockwell Automation and elsewhere depend in large part on the ability of employees to grasp key concepts. successful sustainability efforts at Rockwell Automation— and elsewhere—depend in large part on the ability of employees to grasp key concepts. “We’ve been doing a lot of education on simple things like turning out the lights,” says Thurman. “We have light sensors in many of our offices, for example, but where we don’t, it must become behavioral.” She notes that other simple pursuits have included reprogramming electrical systems to not ramp up on holidays when most workers are not present. Rockwell Automation software and monitoring equipment had long provided this type of 24/7 usage data across the company, but, in Thurman’s words, “it took a new perspective to react to it in a sustainable way.” For many behavior-based sustainable tasks like these, a little training or encouragement can be enough to make a difference. Others may need little more than commonsense engineering decisions, such as those involving equipment reductions. Thurman points to the fact that much of the company’s sustainable-related savings “have come from downsizing equipment to meet current demands.” For example, the corporation’s energy costs in Milwaukee dropped dramatically when compressors and transformers were downsized as the headquarters buildings transitioned away from manufacturing activities toward corporate, engineering and marketing functions. For projects requiring investment (i.e., green roofs), it’s usually necessary to build a saving-based case for implementation. “They must show profit as the first step,” says Phil Kaufman, business manager for industrial energy management. It’s a case made through measurement.

“Most manufacturers are already measuring a variety of things for whatever they manufacture,” Kaufman says, “but probably for regulatory reasons or recipe optimization, not consumption purposes. So we say, leverage what you already have in sensors and bring that to where we can tie energy usage to manufacturing output.” He adds this should involve all aspects of manufacturing: production, maintenance, engineering, facilities management, safety and health. This can also be where things get more complicated, and where expertise like Rockwell Automation’s can help make sustainable sense of the numbers. Kaufman finds that many customers “collect data, but don’t know what it’s telling them.” One of the biggest hurdles is getting manufacturers to look at real-time energy pricing. “People ignore their electrical bill. You need to translate into dollars what those numbers tell you and show what that means. Don’t just pay a bill every month,” says Kaufman. “Know where your energy is being consumed, and manage it as if it was a raw material.” Kaufman notes that Rockwell Automation software can be used to create energy signatures that help improve asset performance and lead to “an energy roadmap that gets you to where you’re managing energy against production output, and becoming as efficient as possible. Once you have that information,” he says, “we start talking about Industrial GreenPrint: Get the drives in place. Get the motor-overload relays in place that have sensing capabilities. Get circuit breakers with sensing capabilities. Get these things where appropriate, virtualize where you don’t think it’s appropriate and understand where your accuracy lies.”

ON THE

Road TO Case in Point: Sustainability Simplified Technicians at Rockwell Automation’s high-current test lab in Milwaukee recently took a giant leap toward sustainability simply by changing their daily routine. “We continually track what we consume in our peak energy periods, and have found a lot of things that go on during peak, which creates a huge spike,” notes Phil Kaufman, business manager for industrial energy management. At the test lab, a 12-hour demand schedule would begin each day just after 10:00 a.m., “when the price is the highest,” says Kaufman. He noticed, though, that the lab’s energy use spiked each morning at 10:15, the time technicians turned on their equipment and set up for the day. When Kaufman told the technicians they could reduce energy costs if they turned on their equipment just 30 minutes earlier, they gladly complied. “And when we reworked the numbers,” he says, “the savings was $90,000 a year, just by moving them ahead a half hour.”

JANUARY 2011

MT-ONLINE.COM | 27

ON THE

Green

Recognizing where the accuracy lies can hinge on the proper interpretation of details, such as knowing the difference between efficiency and economy. Kaufman tells of a customer who managed a bank of eight chillers, some powered by steam, some by electricity. “They always picked the most efficient chillers to run,” he says, “but not always the most economical.” His distinction acknowledges a variable in the equation: real-time energy costs. In this case, regardless of which chiller units ran most efficiently, he says, it was the cost of energy at the time of use that determined the system’s true economy. When this customer needed to run more than two chillers at a time and mix energy sources, says Kaufman, “they didn’t know what they were doing, based on real-time pricing. We put in a solution that figured the total economic cost and saved them about $3 million per year, just by picking the right piece of equipment at the right time. Real-time pricing combined with the efficiency of the equipment,” he says, “changes your entire picture.”

High-Temperature Air Amplifier For Moving Hot Air

XAIR’s new High Temperature Air Amplifier offers a simple, low-cost way to move high volumes of hot air to surfaces requiring uniform heating while in a furnace or oven. Amplifying airflow up to 18:1 at outlet, it’s most efficient for pushing high volumes of hot air to points that typically remain cool. With no impellers or moving parts to wear out, it’s rated for environments (even corrosive ones) up to 700 F (374 C). The unit’s surface is protected by a milspec coating process (developed for the aircraft industry) that allows for easy disassembly or cleaning. Efficiency is high; the sound level is low (at only 72 dba). Applications include directing hot air to mold cavities for uniform wall thickness of plastic parts, exhausting smoke and fumes, distributing heat in ovens or molds and sampling flue gases. The High Temperature Air Amplifier is constructed of type 303 Stainless Steel and available in 1-1/4” (32mm) diameter only. Prices start at $359.

EXAIR Corp. Cincinnati, OH www.EXAIR.com

Sponsored Information

throughout the manufacturing environment saves time for lean staffs and improves the uptime of official loads via immediate detection and notification of problems. Return On Investment In this economy, the focus has shifted from expensive, time-consuming projects to finding low-cost ways to cut downtime. Indicating fuses and fuse holders provide three easy ways to achieve this goal. Don’t look at them as mere components. Think of them as important partners on your journey to electrical safety and uptime. For more information on indicating fuses and fuse holders, please visit www. littelfuse.com. Littelfuse Chicago, IL For more info, enter 261 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

THE RELIABILITY FILES / JANUARY 2011

Indication of Forward Thinking

KNOW WHERE TO START TROUBLESHOOTING Introducing LF Series Fuseblocks Increase efficiency and troubleshoot faster, reduce downtime and improve your bottom line. Littelfuse indicating fuseblocks allow you to instantly know which circuit is open. Save time in new installations or upgrades by utilizing the DIN-Rail mount/release feature or universal mounting holes that allow for drop-in replacements. Improved functionality makes the new Littelfuse LF Series fuseblocks a real time-saver in your facility. LF Series Fuseblocks meet your needs for safety, efficiency, and design.

Indication Improves Functionality

Smaller Footprint & Drop-In Replacement Holes Enables Upgrade

DIN-Rail Mounting Eases Installation

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Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we call forward thinking.

JANUARY 2011 / THE RELIABILITY FILES

For more info, enter 281 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 33

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE Looking at trends in products and services in the area of...

Maintenance Management ...What’s up?

broad swath of industrial offerings are grouped under the umbrella of “maintenance management,” many of which involve outside (or contract) providers. They include training and professional development, engineering and consulting services and equipment-repair and overhaul services, among others.* The importance of these to industrial enterprise has grown significantly for two big reasons: (1)The skilled-labor shortage has driven the demand for training. (2)The recent economic slump has driven the demand for consultants—who can improve efficiencies—and for contract (or outsourced) operations—that can help smaller staffs maintain equipment and facilities. Though manufacturing enters 2011 in a period of upswing, these trends are unlikely to subside. Rising energy costs alone will keep U.S. industry on an efficiency learning curve, reinforcing its need for the professionals and the technology that can help companies maximize energy dollars. But the most significant driver in this category is the one-two punch delivered by vast numbers of retiring Baby Boomers, coupled with low numbers of younger, trained replacements. This “perfect storm” topic has dominated industrial circles for years, including having been discussed in numerous articles in this magazine. While efforts are underway to address it, no single, effective broad-based solution has emerged. In one recent survey of 700 global companies, more than half of respondents (51%) said they believe that problems resulting from the ongoing loss of talent could hinder growth. Another indicates that this yawning “job gap”— the difference between the number of available, qualified workers and the number of open jobs—will continue to widen, creating as many as 5.7 million “vacant” jobs by 2018. Organizations confronted with this dilemma have created their own solutions, using combinations of outside training and development help, software that enables better transition of tribal knowledge and outreach efforts involving community colleges and other local connections. Interestingly, the burgeoning workforce crisis is not confined to one industrial area—it affects all levels of expertise. It’s also not confined to the U.S. All of these trends are expected to benefit the contract (outsourced) services sector. Most maintenance and reliability professionals have contracted for (or outsourced) something over the course of their careers, and surveys place the current overall percentage of manufacturing-related outsourcing at about 40% and growing. Given the vast number of creative, flexible contract or outsourced options available to plants and facilities—and the worsening workforce constraints under which they’re trying to operate—this is probably right on track. Rick Carter, Executive Editor *Definition determined by Maintenance Technology editorial staff. 34 |

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Arc Flash Protection & Electrical Safety 70E Public Seminars or Training at Your Facility • Live, Instructor Led Training • Identify Electrical Hazards • Safety Related Work Practices • Maintenance Requirements • Call or Visit for a Complete Schedule

Creating a Better, Safer and More Efcient Maintenance Workforce

1-877-978-7246

www.AmericanTrainco.com For more info, enter 70 00 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Scuff-Proof Metal ID Tags According to InfoSight, its PERMALABEL® is the most durable on-demand barcodeable metal identification label (metal tag) in the industry. Ultra-abrasion resistance, hightemperature survivability and an ability to withstand rough handling and high-pressure hot chemical washes are just a few of the benefits offered by these products. Made from anodized aluminum, they can be attached via adhesives, riveting, nailing, etc. InfoSight’s KE28xx and LabeLase® printers can image 1D or 2D barcodes, man-readable numbering and lettering, even company logos onto these labels in real time.

InfoSight Chillicothe, OH Ph: 740.642.3600 www.infosight.com For more info, enter 71 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

JANUARY 2011

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

“OFF” Button

What’s Up With February’s Technology Showcase? We Look At Trends In The Area Of

LUBRICATION UL Switch rated plugs and receptacles enable quick motor connection and disconnection. Safety features protect from electrical hazards and maintain NFPA 70E hazard risk category 0. Operates as “line of sight” motor disconnect.

Also an ideal Welding Receptacle

www.meltric.com • 800.433.7642 72 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 00

For more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Your Choice For Early-Warning Insulation Fault Detectors* Can you predict motor failures weeks in advance? We can. Let us show you how. One of our newest products, the MHV-H 13800 insulation monitor, is designed to provide the safe monitoring of electrical insulation integrity in medium voltage motors to 13.8kV.

•

• •

Max. line voltage 13.8kV with Intermediate Resistor Block (IRB 13800) on the left, and 7.2kV with IRB 7200 on the right. IRB configuration allows safe operation, even in emergency situations such as phase loss (current limited by the high impedance to a maximum of 1.4 milliamperes, i.e. 28% of the mandated GFCI trip level). Test voltage 400V DC, current limited for personnel safety. Alarm range up to 100 Megohm; built-in vacuum contactor rated; surge capacitor discharge delay; remote alarm and reset features.

Specializing In Machinery Health Personnel PM & PdM Field Service • Mgt • Sales • Hrly Nationwide • Conﬁdential • All Fees Company Paid

www.lineal.com

Concord, ON Ph: 905.738.3744 www.msegroup.net

TOLL FREE 877-386-1091 Se Habla Espanol

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

Formore moreinfo, info,enter enter75 72at atwww.MT-freeinfo.com www.MT-freeinfo.com For

JANUARY 2011

OH, KY, TN JOHN DAVIS 440-463-0907; Fax 440-891-1254 jdavis@atpnetwork.com

AR, AZ, CA,* CO, KS, NV, NM, OK, UT JERRY PRESTON 480-396-9585 jpreston@atpnetwork.com

*Our MotoSafe™ and FailSafe™ insulation monitoring technologies are proven and used by major industries and navies around the world.

MSE of Canada Ltd.

Please contact your ad rep:

AL, SoCA,** DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, PA, SC, VA, WV JIM HANLEY 610-793-3093; Fax 610-793-3094 jhanley@atpnetwork.com

MSE of Canada Ltd.

•

Calling All Advertisers! Want to see your products and/or services featured here?

lisalineal@lineal.com

CT, ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT, ON, QC VINCENT LeGENDRE 508-428-3331; Fax 508-428-2545 vlegendre@atpnetwork.com IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, OR, TX, WA,WI, BC TOM MADDING 847-382-8100 x108; Fax 847-304-8603 tmadding@atpnetwork.com IA, MT, NE, ND, SD, WY, AB, MB, SK ARTHUR L. RICE 847-382-8100 x106; Fax 847-304-8603 arice@atpnetwork.com

* CA (from LA – North) **SoCA (from Orange County – South) MT-ONLINE.COM | 35

CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Quick-Disconnect Safety Cables

reakaway safety cables from IMI Sensors help protect technicians and equipment during routebased vibration monitoring by quickly disconnecting if a sensor or analyzer cable becomes accidentally entangled. Designed to withstand harsh environments, they feature EMI/RFI shielding and multiple connector configurations, including two-pin MIL style, BNC plugs or jacks that are compatible with most major data-collector manufacturers. IMI Sensors A division of PCB Piezotronics, Inc. Depew, NY

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

Updated Equipment Safety-System Software

ersion 2.1.1 of Invensys Operations Management’s Triconex® Trident™ safety system has two new input modules that enhance worker safety, reduce downtime and deliver more accurate trip analysis in power and turbomachinery applications. One module enables faster response to unsafe equipment conditions; the other optimizes trip data analysis to prevent future upsets. Invensys Plano, TX

36 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

ith its extended calibration frequencies, Sierra Monitor’s Model 5100-04-IT Carbon Monoxide Gas Sensor Module requires non-intrusive, one-person calibration no more than every six months. SIL-2 Certified for long-term reliability, this network-enabled instrument features a choice or combination of outputs including 4-20 mA; Serial RS-485 Modbus RTU interface; SMC Sentry digital bus interface; or optional 8-amp integral alarm/warning relays plus 2-amp trouble alarm relay. Sierra Monitor Corp. Milpitas, CA

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

For more info, enter 76 at www.MT-freeinfo.com 74 For more info, enter 77 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Reliable CO Gas Sensor

For more info, enter 32 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

For more info, enter 77 at www.MT-freeinfo.com JANUARY 2011

CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

Interactive Online Lockout/Tagout Training

ummit’s online “Lockout/ Tagout: Control The Energy” training covers de-energizing and restoring equipment to service, planning, safety measures and more. The company’s online offerings are multimedia presentations that combine expert content with video, animations, audio and interactivity. Summit Training Source Grand Rapids, MI For more info, enter 33 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Strong, Disposable Nitrile Gloves

Additions To Machine-Safety Line

lobau’s machine-safety line now includes solenoid interlocks, emergency stop buttons and standstill monitors that complement the company’s safety sensors and control units for applications up to SIL 3 and PLe. Safety sensors in SS housings for food processing applications also are available. Elobau Sensor Technology, Inc. Gurnee, IL For more info, enter 34 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

ccording to Magid, its ambidextrous, powderfree and latex-free 5-mil. EconoWear® T9330 Disposable Nitrile Gloves provide better resistance to punctures, abrasions and chemicals than disposable vinyl or latex gloves. Available in sizes XS-XXL, they’re packed 100 per dispenser, with 20 dispensers in a carton. Magid Glove & Safety Chicago, IL For more info, enter 35 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

For your industrial motor information.

www.TheMotorSpecialist.com For more info, enter 78 at www.MT-freeinfo.com JANUARY 2011

For more info, enter 79 at www.MT-freeinfo.com MT-ONLINE.COM | 37

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: MAINTENANCE

TECHNOLOGY

PIP is a consortium of process plant owners and engineering construction contractors harmonizing member’s internal standards for design, procurement, construction, and maintenance into industry-wide Practices. PIP has published over 450 Practices. A current listing of published Practices is available on the PIP website at: http://pip.org/practices/index.asp. For more info, enter 81 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.pip.org

Online home of Maintenance Technology magazine, the dynamic MT-online.com portal serves the critical technical, business and professional-development needs of engineers, managers and technicians from across all industrial, institutional and commercial sectors who have specific interest in and responsibility for the availability, energy efficiency, safety and environmental integrity of countless equipment systems and processes-and, thus, the viability and profitability of their organizations. The goal of MT-online.com is quite simple: to help plants and facilities leverage their increasingly precious time and resources and achieve best-of-class/world-class status via state-of-the-art asset management strategies, technologies and methodologies.

For more info, enter 80 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.MT-online.com

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 82 at www.MT-freeinfo.com www.ludeca.com

CLASSIFIED

ATP List Services Specializing In

Machinery Health Personnel PM & PdM Field Service • Mgt • Sales • Hrly Nationwide • Conﬁdential • All Fees Company Paid

www.lineal.com lisalineal@lineal.com

OFF Button Provides push button circuit disconnections Arc Flash Chambers Prevent Exposure to Arc Flash Safety Shutter Simplifies NFPA 70E compliance

TOLL FREE 877-386-1091

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.

You may renew online at

www.mt-online.com 38 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Minimum need for PPE when connecting and disconnecting electrical equipment.

www.meltric.com • 800.433.7642

Customized, Targeted Lists For Your Marketing Needs 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

JANUARY 2011

Index ADVERTISER

20 YEARS

M A I NM TA EI NNT EA N NA NC C EE

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY ®

January 2011 Volume 24, No. 1 •

WEB

RS #

YEARS

Suite SOLUTIONS 105, Your1300 Source S. For Grove CAPACITYAve., ASSURANCE Barrington, IL 60010 1300 South847-382-8100 Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 FAX 847-304-8603 PAGE #

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American Trainco................................www.americantrainco.com....................70...................................34 Baldor Electric Company...................www.baldor.com ......................................65..................................... 7 ComRent® International, LLC..........www.comrent.com ..................................67...................................17 Cybermetrics Corp..............................www.faciliworks.com ..............................72...................................35 Electrical Reliability Services..............www.electricalreliability.com .................61.................................IFC Engtech Industries Inc. .......................www.engtechindustries.com..................77...................................36 Exair Corporation ...............................www.exair.com/48/470.htm ..................64..................................... 5 Exair Corporation ...............................www.exair.com .........................................69...................................28 Fastenal ..................................................www.fastenal.com....................................63..................................... 2 Grace Engineered Products. Inc........info.graceport.com/mt1 .........................260, 280 ..................30, 31 Herguth Laboratories, Inc..................www.herguth.com ...................................62..................................... 1 InfoSight................................................www.infosight.com..................................71...................................34 Inpro/Seal..............................................www.inpro-seal.com ...............................84..................................BC Lineal Recruiting Services ..................www.lineal.com........................................75...................................35 Littelfuse ................................................www.littelfuse.com ..................................261, 281 ..................32, 33 Ludeca Inc.............................................www.ludeca.com......................................68, 82.......................21, 38 MARTS- Applied Technologies ........www.martsconference.com ...................66, 83....................11, IBC Meltric Corporation ...........................www.meltric.com.....................................74...................................35 Motion Industries................................www.themotorspecialist.com ................79...................................37 MSE of Canada Ltd.............................www.msegroup.net .................................73...................................35 Process Industry Practices..................www.pip.org..............................................76, 81.......................36, 38 Strategic Work Systems, Inc...............www.swspitcrew.com ..............................78...................................37

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.

M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY/JANUARY 2007

YEARS Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

ARTHURSTAFF L. RICE SALES President/CEO arice@atpnetwork.com

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

AL, SoCA,** DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, PA, SC, VA, WV Business Staff 1750 Holmes Drive West Chester, PA 19382 TERRIFax WYMORE 610-793-3093; 610-793-3094 Director of Creative Services/Production JIM HANLEY twymore@atpnetwork.com jhanley@atpnetwork.com ELLEN SANDKAM Direct Mail

esandkam@atplists.com AR, AZ, CA,* CO, KS, NV, NM, OK, UT 3629 N.Sonoran Heights Mesa, AZ 85207 Sales Staff 480-396-9585 JERRY PRESTON AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, jpreston@atpnetwork.com MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, OK, SC, SD, TX, WI, Ontario Canada 1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, CT, ME, MA, NH, NY,IL RI,60010 VT, ON, QC 847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603 P.O. Box 1059 BILL KIESEL Osterville, MA 02655 bkiesel@atpnetwork .com 508-428-3331; Fax 508-428-2545 KY, OH, TN VINCENT LeGENDRE 135 N. Rocky River Road vlegendre@atpnetwork.com Berea, OH 44017 440-463-0907; Fax 440-891-1254 JOHN DAVIS IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, jdavis@atpnetwork.com MO, OR, TX, WA,WI, BC 1300AZ, South Avenue, Suite 105 AK, CA,Grove CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA,WY, British IL Columbia Barrington, 60010 Canada 1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 847-382-8100 x108; Fax 847-304-8603 Barrington, IL 60010 TOM MADDING 847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603 tmadding@atpnetwork.com TOM MADDING tmadding@atpnetwork.com

CT, DC, IA,DE, MT,MA, NE,MD, ND,ME, SD, NH, WY,NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV, Quebec Canada, AB, MB, SK Space Age, 225 Fuller Street 1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Brookline, MA 02446 617-232-2000; FaxIL617-232-2951 Barrington, 60010 VINCE CAVASENO 847-382-8100 x106; Fax 847-304-8603 vcavaseno@atpnetwork.com ARTHUR L. RICE arice@atpnetwork.com Classified Advertising/Electronic Sales: 1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105 Barrington, IL 60010 847-382-8100;ADVERTISING Fax 847-304-8603 CLASSIFIED TRACY RYLE 3629 N.Sonoran Heights tryle@atpnetwork.com Mesa, AZ 85207 480-396-9585 JERRY PRESTON jpreston@atpnetwork.com

* CA (from LA – North) **SoCA (from Orange County – South) JANUARY 2011

MT-ONLINE.COM | 39

viewpoint Stephen Shaiman, Attorney

Governance, Risk And Compliance (EDITOR’S NOTE: This month’s column is a follow-up to the author’s July 2010 Viewpoint entitled “Who’s Responsible?”)

he United States government has established the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the causes of the economic catastrophe we have been experiencing since September 2008. Similar to the reasoning behind establishing the Pecora Commission of the 1930s (which investigated the cause of the Great Depression), the government’s hope has been that this time, perhaps, we might learn from our mistakes. So far, things don’t look promising. Something that has been barely mentioned throughout the ongoing recession is GRC: governance (the “rules”), risk (the “what if ”) and compliance (the “obeying of the rules”). This legal concept provides the structures, systems, frameworks, principles and ideas on how corporations should conduct their operations and businesses so as to protect the interest of all stakeholders— be they employees, senior management, vendors, shareholders, customers, etc. If GRC had been enforced in the financial sector—even in its present form—less damage would have resulted. Our economic crisis was man-made. Avoiding it required people with the foresight, imagination, courage and creativity to see it coming, speak out against it and do something. As Paul Volcker, the ex-Federal Reserve chairman, said decades ago, “Someone must be willing to take the punch bowl away during the height of the party.” In the case of our recent financial meltdown, since so many people failed in their respective duties and obligations, havoc ensued. The gamblers and speculators—in that big casino called Wall Street—privatized their gains and socialized their risks. When Wall Street won, the players kept the loot. When Wall Street lost, we taxpayers had to ante up.

Now the “games” are over, the punch bowl has been drained and strong medicine must be administered. Welcome to GRC. Let’s see how it works. Governance exists when corporations set down their own rules, systems and guidelines that mandate, for example, what a board of directors is responsible for, what senior management’s role is and what all other stakeholders should expect to do in their jobs. The board sets the tone at the top and everyone under them must follow the rules. (Governance also means that a business must obey any local, state or federal rules, regulations, statutes, etc. that apply to it. Despite all the past rules, regulations and statutes on the books, too many people within our financial sector have felt free to ignore them. Or, no one bothered much with enforcement.) Risk means considering probabilities and consequences. Bad stuff happens all the time. Whether you’re looking at things from a safety angle or an economic perspective, know that people can be injured and lives destroyed. Make and execute plans, but also ask this: “What if they don’t work?” Why didn’t the so-called smart people on Wall Street follow these precepts? It can be summed by “IBG – YBG” (“I’ll be gone, you’ll be gone”). Compliance means having the sense, discipline and control to obey the letter of the law—as well as the spirit of the law. Boards must assure all stakeholders that what is going on inside the corporation has been fairly presented and accurate in the form of financial or other reports pertinent to any stakeholder. (Remember, to some degree, we’re all stakeholders in the financial sector.) Will we take our medicine and start to behave accordingly? If we don’t, expect a repeat of the past. Next time, though, we may not have the means for another bailout. GRC is one of the remaining vestiges we have available to protect ourselves from another crisis. MT Steve Shaiman is an attorney, based in the Philadelphia, PA, area.

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.

40 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

january 2011

Get Ready!

Get Set!

Get Going!

Put MARTS 2011 On Your Calendar Now!

Education, Networking, Solutions To Your Problems!

APRIL 26-29, 2011

Know any good books? CALL FOR ENTRIES:

We thank all attendees, presenters and exhibitors for helping us make MARTS 2010 a rousing success. MARTS 2011 promises to be even bigger and better! Check regularly on www.MARTSconference.com for event news and scheduling updates.

Reliability Keeps Giving Voice To Autism As in 2010, MARTS 2011 will kick off with another “Reliability Gives Voice to Autism” (RGVA) charity event. This gala evening of fun, food and entertainment at MARTS 2010 was this year’s #1 industrial contributor to the Autism Society of Illinois. Stay tuned for details on how you and your company can be part of this great cause. “I am forever grateful for the efforts made by the organizers and volunteers of RGVA on behalf of the Autism Society - Illinois. With the success of the inaugural event, I am looking forward to the 2011 Reliability Gives Voice to Autism with exuberant anticipation.” … Michael Gallivan, President, Board of Directors, Autism Society - Illinois

We’re grateful, too… Applied Technology Publications is delighted that others across the reliability community have chosen to join us in the battle to raise awareness and funding for autism. To all of you, thank you for your contributions and good luck in your fight. For more information, contact Bill Kiesel at bkiesel@atpnetwork.com

MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT

Reliability Gives Voice to Autism

Book Awards

Calling all authors and publishers of reliability, maintenance and autism-related books! Submit your entries for the first Reliability Gives Voice to Autism (RGVA) Book Awards. Honoring the best titles in each category, these awards are co-sponsored by Applied Technology Publications and SUCCESS by DESIGN, with proceeds going to the Autism Society of Illinois.

The RGVA Book Awards competition is open to all writers and publishers who produce books written in English that are intended for the reliability, maintenance and autism genres. Independent spirit and expertise comes from publishers of all sizes and budgets, and books will be judged with that in mind. Awards will be presented during the Reliability Gives Voice To Autism dinner on April 27, 2011, at MARTS (Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit),

The Capacity Assurance Conference!

at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago, Illinois).

APRIL 26-29, 2011

For complete rules and guidelines on submitting reliability, maintenance or autism-related books for judging (including entry-fee info), visit:

Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago), IL

www.MARTSconference.com

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

www.MARTSconference.com

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

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