Machinery & Equipment MRO December 2009

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

SPECIAL SECTION Industrial Lubrication Parallel process simplifies control system retrofit Bearing protection improves motor ROI

Vol. 25, No. 6

DECEMBER 2009

When is a 100-hp motor not really a 100-hp motor?

Keeping pace with alignment technology PTDA Industry Summit Taking full advantage of CMMS benefits

CANADA’S HIGH SEAS MAINTENANCE ON

WHAT’S NEW

ALIGNMENT

MOTORS

ELECTRICAL

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

New retaining rings have low profile

The new Hoopster retaining ring from Smalley Steel Ring Co. fits into much shallower grooves than regular snap rings or retaining rings. The low-profile, precision circularity and small radial size allow it to be an unobtrusive component in an assembly. Hoopster

retaining rings are suitable for light to heavy loads and are ideal for thin wall tubes. An additional advantage is its potential for high thrust capacity. The low radial profile will not twist or deform under load as with conventional retaining rings. Standard sizes are

stocked from 3/8 in. to 3 in. and offered in carbon and 302 stainless steel.

RotoPrecision Inc.

Powered grease guns suit tough applications

A new product from Technicor could reduce costs and help guarantee food quality. The company’s prototype metal-free conveyor rollers are ideal for food processing areas where metal detectors need to function flawlessly or where washdown solutions prohibit any metal content. Rollers, bearings, shafts and hardware are all-plastic. The ball-bearings are fitted with glass balls and the 7/16 in. hex shafting is nylon or acetyl. They can be fitted into UHMW slotted side rails for a totally metal-free conveyor.

Technicor

FLO Components recently added two new PowerLubers to its Lincoln family of grease guns.

The 120-volt PowerLuber’s motor provides the highest torque values in its class. Its variable-speed trigger combines with a twospeed transmission for precise flow control.

Ideal for filling grease reservoirs, this corded grease gun eliminates the need for carrying around extra batteries or for a compressed air supply. The new 18-volt PowerLuber, developed for heavy-duty applications, features a high-output motor and battery technologies for a long run time. The grease gun is ideal for high-pressure applications, and its two-speed transmission provides a high-volume grease flow option.

Flo Components

Reader Service Card No. 351

Reader Service Card No. 305

Reader Service Card No. 350

Conveyor rollers ideal for food processing

December 2009

Infrared window passes 63 kA arc test

Iriss has announced that its VPFR infrared window has passed numerous 63-kA 15-kV 30-Cycle arc resistance tests conducted to the required IEEE C37.20.7 standards on Eaton VC-W Metalclad switchgear. These industrial windows were shown to help contain an arc blast as part of the switchgear system.

Arc flash incidents can produce temperatures in excess of 35,000°F, causing explosions which blast molten shrapnel into the work area. In addition to the damage to plant assets and lost production time, these incidents send more than 2,000 injured workers to burn centres for treatment each year as a result of an estimated five to 10 serious incidents occurring daily across North America. Standards organizations such as IEC and IEEE have prescribed test procedures to certify certain types of electrical distribution equipment — such as metal clad switchgear — for resistance to the effects of arcing due to an internal fault. Switchgear passing such test with various accessories in place — such as infrared windows — are termed Arc Resistant by these standards and are proven to contain the effects of an arc blast.

Iriss Reader Service Card No. 315

Mechanical face seal withstands extremely adverse conditions

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has introduced a range of mechanical face seals designed for extreme rotating environments, where they must withstand severe wear, and prevent the ingress of harsh and abrasive external media. The seals are available with metal parts in cast iron or bearing steel.

The bearing steel option can offer significant cost savings, especially for medium to large size seals.

Temperature resistance depends on the type of elastomer used within the seal. A choice of NBR, HNBR, FKM or silicone provides an operating range between minus 40°C and 200°C (minus 40°F to 392°F). The seals are suitable for such applications as rollers, front idlers and final drives of tracked vehicles, graders, drilling machines, conveyors, mining equipment and wind turbines.

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Reader Service Card No. 383

Hydraulic oil boosts energy efficiency

Shell Canada Products’ Lubricants business has added a state-of-the-art lubricant to its high quality Shell Tellus hydraulic oil range that could help increase the energy efficiency of hydraulic systems. Shell Tellus EE, formulated in response to customers’ concerns over energy usage and associated costs, has been shown to help companies reduce the energy consumption of their hydraulic machinery by an average of 8%, while also providing exceptional equipment protection and the capability of extending oil maintenance intervals. The fluid contains a unique additive technology. It demonstrates wear levels in hydraulic pump tests way below standard levels.

Shell Canada Products Reader Service Card No. 115

Reader Service Card No. 306

MRO

NORDBLOC.1 in a class by itself.

Stronger, lighter, more powerful, and a longer working life – only from NORD Gear.

But, perhaps, what’s most remarkable about the innovative new design of the NORDBLOC.1 Helical In-line series is that we were able to improve upon its already superb predecessor.

Yes. We even impressed ourselves.

Advanced innovation gives you yet more durability, more efficiency and more reliability. Consider its compact dimensionally interchangeable design plus an aluminum alloy housing that’s both corrosion resistant and 60% lighter than castiron. Plus, oversized output bearings providing larger capacity and increased working life.

What could be better?

How about a NORDBLOC.1 configured to your exact specifications. We’re ready, 24/7, to design, assemble and ship — anywhere in Canada or worldwide.

Call NORD Gear to find your perfect match.

The only intelligent choice is NORD Gear.

1.800.668.4378

www.nord.com Reader Service Card No. 116

KEEPING YOUR BUSINESS UP TO SPEED.

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December 2009

features Case Study: Naval Gazing / 14

A taste of ship maintenance on Canada’s high seas.

Parallel process simplifies control system retrofit / 16

How to switch electrical control platforms while still maintaining your current system.

SPeCIAl SuPPleMeNT Industrial lubrication: Tech Report / 17

Preventing equipment breakdowns by understanding oil analysis.

Industrial lubrication: Case Study / 19

Glenmorangie whisky distillery improves lube setup to keep its ‘water of life’ flowing.

Bearing protection improves motor ROI / 21

How seals protect motor bearings from early failures.

p14

When is a 100-hp motor not really a 100-hp motor? / 22

If fan drive amp ratings are in overload, a variable frequency drive may be the culprit.

departments

p16

Keeping pace with alignment technology / 24

Editor’s Notebook / 6 Industry Newswatch / 8 Mr. O, The Problem Solver / 10 Company Briefs / 12

How laser measurement instruments aid tough shaft alignment jobs.

PTDA Industry Summit Reports / 33

News and photos from the 2009 Power Transmission Distributors Association convention in San Diego, CA.

The Safety File / 25 Maintenance Management / 26 CMMS Solutions / 28 MRO On The Road / 33-34

Product News

columns

Product Spotlight / 2

WHMIS changes on the horizon / 25

Focus on Electrical

MRO Components / 29

The Safety File: Canada is to adopt global standards for the safe use of hazardous materials.

Components / 31 Focus on Motors / 32

p29

Full steam ahead with new maintenance project / 26

Maintenance Management: Follow along with Step 30 in a journey to World-Class Maintenance at the Plentya Paper Company as the team begins to make major changes.

Taking full advantage of a computer system’s benefits / 28

CMMS Solutions: Using all the features of a computerized maintenance management system need not cost much at all.

Cover photo: Digital Stock

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Quick-Flex Couplings Reader Service Card No. 117

Rigid Compression Couplings

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N o t e b o o k December 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Lots to discover W

ith this wrap-up issue for 2009, you’ll find plenty of variety in the articles, news and product themes inside. One highlight is our cover feature on the maintenance operations aboard two huge cargo ships that ply the waters between Montreal and St. John’s.

For that story, contributing editor Carroll McCormick travelled on-board in both directions — almost three days each way — all the while diving deeply into the complex and challenging maintenance operations involved in keeping the ships operating at peak effectiveness.

This issue also takes a close look into electrical and electronic components used in industrial operations, including drives

and motors. David van Rhijn explains a parallel process system he uses that allows facilities to switch over an electrical control platform — for automation systems and the like — to a new one, all without the need to stop production. Conveniently, this technical feature was prepared for us by his wife Judy, a writer who has contributed articles to our magazine in the past.

The electrical theme continues with two technical features on motors, one by engineer Jim Wywrot that explains why you don’t always get the nameplate horsepower from a motor and tells you what to do about it, and another by expert Dave Orlowski that reveals the importance of sealing technology to protect

a motor’s bearings, thus reducing motor problems. It’s an important topic since 51% of electrical motor breakdowns are caused by bearing failures.

On the topic of seals, there’s also an interesting item in our Industry Newswatch section on the application of nanotechnology — using particle sizes measured in tiny nanometres — to improve the life of seals in industrial applications.

Again on the technical front is an article on keeping up with alignment technology, specifically by using laser systems. Here, rotating machinery expert John Lambert looks at the traditional ways of doing shaft alignment and compares them to the efficiencies offered by modern laser systems.

For those readers who have been following along with developments at the fictitious Plentya Paper Company and its journey to world-class maintenance operations, Cliff Williams wraps up 2009 with Step 30 in his ongoing series. Through this conversational story, Cliff explains step-by-step

how to improve various aspects of maintenance using the example of a typical pulp and paper mill. It’s all based on his personal experience, and is quite current, as Cliff’s full-time job is as a corporate maintenance manager here in Toronto.

Another ongoing series that’s packed with useful and practical advice is our CMMS Solutions column by maintenance expert Peter Phillips. Though he’s based in Nova Scotia, Peter works right across the country in a variety of industrial facilities, so he’s able to share his hands-on experiences with readers to help them to improve their use of computerized maintenance management systems.

There’s much more, of course, including the Industrial Lubrication supplement in this issue. We hope you enjoy all that’s relevant to you in your work, and our staff and writers join you in looking forward to a new year — our 25th — with economic conditions that are much improved.

Bill Roebuck

machinery and equipment

maintenance, repair and operations

DEcEMbER 2009 Volume 25, No. 6 Established 1985 www.mromagazine.com Editorial Bill roebuck, Editor & associate Publisher 416-510-6749 broebuck@mromagazine.com Ellie robinson, art director Contributing Editors Richard G. Ensman Jr., Simon Fridlyand, Carroll McCormick, Peter Phillips, Angela Webb, Cliff Williams BusinEss nick naunheimer, Publisher 416-510-6868 nnaunheimer@mromagazine.com Eric achilles Cousineau, adv. sales Manager 416-510-6803 eachilles@mromagazine.com Kimberly Collins, advertising Production 416-510-6779 Melinda Marasigan, subscription Enquiries 416-442-5600 x3548 Machinery & Equipment MRO is published six times a year to help improve the effectiveness, productivity and practical knowledge of maintenance professionals in Canada’s manufacturing, utilities and resource industries.

Editorial & sales offices: 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2; tel: 416-510-6868, 1-800-268-7742; fax: 416-510-5134.

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Subscription rates. Canada: 1 year $55.95, 2 years $88.95.

United States: 1 year $82.95. Elsewhere: 1 year $82.95. Single copies $10 (Canada), $16.50 (U.S.), $21.50 (other). Add 5% GST to all rates. On occasion, our subscription list is made available to organizations whose products or services may be of interest to our readers. If you would prefer not to receive such information please contact us via one of the following methods — phone: 1-800-668-2374, e-mail: privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca, fax: 416-442-2191, mail to Privacy Officer-Business Information Group, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON Canada M3C 4J2. ©2009. Contents of this publication are copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without written consent of the publisher. The publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of claims in items reported or advertised.

Machinery & Equipment MRO is published by Business Information Group, a division of Glacier Ventures International Corp. Bruce Creighton, president, BIG; Alex Papanou, vice-president, BIG. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240. Return postage guaranteed.

ISSN 0831-8603. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses and change of address notices to: MRO Circulation Dept., 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 .

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Reader Service Card No. 119

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Place your order online at www.PTplace.com

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2009

Research looks into improving wear reduction in seals Fort Wayne, IN — In response to industry talk about the enhancement of seal performance by using nanoparticles as fillers for polytetrafluoroethylene-based (PTFE) sealing materials, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions researched and compared the wear-reducing ability of its traditional Turcon additives to nanoparticles as additives.

Virgin polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has very low wear resistance and fillers are added to it to increase its wear resistance in dynamic sealing applications.

Nanoparticles, which have at least one dimension in the size range of one to 100 nanometres, offer an alternative to traditional fillers. These are currently receiv-

ing much attention as fillers for polymers and are promoted as improving mechanical and tribological properties at a low degree of fill, as well as reducing the risk of abrasive action against mating counter surfaces.

But in Trelleborg’s tests, optimized Turcon additives outperformed the nanoparticles.

“Despite the results showing that our traditional additives outperform nanoparticles, Trelleborg will continue to work on sealing nanotechnology,” says Thomas Larsen, who headed up the test program. “Our Turcon compounds are optimized for service conditions using traditional fillers. Even so, we will con-

to wear reductions beyond a factor of 50. For some nanoparticles, performance was dependent on whether systems were running dry or lubricated.

For more information, visit www.trelleborg.com.

Using nanoparticles in sealing materials affected wear resistance from virtually zero to beyond a factor of 50.

tinue to investigate if improvements can be made using nanoparticles.”

The study results demonstrated that different types of nanoparticles have different effects on the wear resistance of PTFE, going from virtually no effect

Keep Up-to-date!

With MRO’s e-newsletter As a professional in the MRO world, you know that it’s vital to stay informed on all the breaking news and developments.

Find out what’s happening in between receiving our print issues by signing up for our weekly electronic newsletter.

It’s easy to do, and it’s FREE!

neW indusTrial Careers PaThWay WeBsiTe a one-sToP sourCe for eMPloyees

Chicago, IL — As part of its continued commitment to attract the next generation of new talent to industrial distribution, the Industrial Careers Pathway (ICP) has launched a new website, www.industrialcareerspathway.org.

It features facts and information about the industry, faces and voices of industrial distribution, and connects young adults with employers and career-development opportunities.

“We are approaching a significant workforce deficit in North America. In order to ensure the long-term health of the industrial distribution industry, it’s essential to begin recruiting and developing the next generation workforce now,” said Terry Knight, director of channel development for SKF USA and member of the ICP Web Site Redesign Task Force. “The ICP website will be the first exposure many young adults will have to the industry, so we have designed it to provide all the information and resources they need to successfully pursue a career in our industry.”

Visitors to the site can choose from three main portals of entry: Discover Industrial Distribution, Launch Your Career, or Get an Edge on the Competition. Highlights include: • An employer database — searchable by company name, commodity line and location — to connect job seekers with employers.

➊ Go online to www.mromagazine.com ➋ Select the Subscriber Services link ➌ Then click on Subscribe/Weekly Email Newsletter.

You’ll receive your personal newsletter in your in-box every Tuesday morning. You can unsubscribe at any time with the link included on each newsletter.

Every issue contains the headline and introductory paragraph for the week’s online news. There’s no better way to keep up-to-date with developments in:

• the industrial aftermarket • reports on the industrial economy • industry research • maintenance conferences and meetings • current statistics and news about companies you’re interested in

Visit www.mromagazine.com to sign up!

• Video testimonials that offer profiles and personal stories about the benefits of working in industrial distribution.

• Facts and figures that demonstrate the scope of industrial distribution, career paths and salary information.

• Training resources offered by industry associations.

• A listing of relevant four-year and twoyear college programs and suggested coursework.

Many of the resources on the ICP site have been provided by the initiative’s six Alliance Partners: American Supply Association, Bearing Specialists Association, International Association of Plastics Distributors, ISA Educational Foundation, National Fluid Power Association and the Power Transmission Distributors Association. In addition to providing online and traditional training programs to help young adults gain the necessary business and technical skills, they also have the option of adding member com-

I N D U S T R Y December 2009

N E W S W A T C H Machinery & Equipment MRO

panies to the employer database.

“The involvement of the ICP Alliance Partners has ensured that the new ICP website is a well-rounded resource on industrial distribution,” said Phyllis Russell, ICP executive director. “This alliance is committed to delivering real solutions to fundamental workforce development challenges in the industrial distribution channel.”

unoffiCial golf ClassiC folloWs PTda ConvenTion

Photo: Bill Starr

Mesquite, NV — Since 1991, a group from the power transmission industry has been heading to a golf course following the Industry Summit of the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in October for a three-day Annu-

www.nskmaxuptime.com

Ireland and Spain are still feeling the after-effects of the housing bust, while Italy’s economy has been hard hit by declining exports. The dire financial situation in Eastern Europe is expected to weaken demand for exports from eurozone countries.

The Chinese economy is again expanding at a near double-digit pace following a brief slump earlier in the year. The other regional economic powerhouse, India, is also poised to post strong growth over the near term. And Australia is one of the few developed countries that avoided a recession altogether. In all, the Asia-Pacific region should post overall growth of 0.6% this year, followed by growth of 5.0% in 2010.

Although real GDP in Latin Amer-

The ‘Guns ‘n Smurfs’ group consists of 16 golfers from the power transmission industry.

al Invitational Golf Classic. This year’s event took place in Mesquite, NV, following the 2009 Industry Summit, which was held in San Diego, CA. The 16-man group, commonly known as the ‘Guns ‘n Smurfs’ because of the mix of tall and short players, plays homage to former members Dan Thrussel, Ken Fee and Ron Starr, industry stalwarts who have since passed away. This year’s winner of the coveted OLM (Oldest Living Member) stick was Scott MacPherson, president of the US Bearings & Drives division of the BC Bearing Group.

gloBal eConoMy Moving froM reCession inTo reCovery Ottawa, ON — Buoyed by resurgent Asian economies — notably China and India — the world is now emerging from the 2008-09 recession, according to the Conference Board’s World OutlookAutumn 2009.

“The outright decline in economic growth [in 2009] is unlike anything experienced in the 1980s and 1990s recessions,” said principal research associate Kip Beckman. “During those recessions, some developed countries continued to have economic growth.

In the current downturn, almost all developed countries had at least two quarters of declining economic output, primarily because the credit crunch spread like wildfire through global financial markets.”

The global economy is forecast to decline by 2.3% in 2009 and expand by 2.6% in 2010. The Canadian and US economies are both expected to grow in the second half of 2009, leading to real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 2.9% and 2.3%, respectively, in 2010.

However, the rebound in 2010 is anticipated to be about half of that expected in a normal recovery.

In Europe, France and Germany posted surprising increases in real GDP in the second quarter, but the region will lag the rest of the world in its recovery.

ica is expected to fall by 2.4% in 2009, the region is emerging from the recession in fairly good shape. The region’s more heavily-regulated banks are in better shape than banks in the US and Europe. Latin America — notably Brazil, the region’s largest economy — has also increased links with the expanding Asian economies.

PT/MC ManufaCTurers’ exPerienCed slighT BoosT in sePTeMBer Chicago, IL — Canadian and US manufacturers of power transmission and motion control products posted an increase in sales in September 2009, according to sales data released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in its latest Market Outlook Report.

Confidence in the Canadian market rose slightly by 0.1 from the previous month to 4.2 (as measured on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being most optimistic).

Confidence in the US market is holding at a current negative position of 4.7 for the third consecutive month.

Canadian manufacturers’ sales rose by 14.0% compared to August 2009. Sales were down 29.1% when compared to the same period last year. US manufacturers’ sales rose for the second consecutive month, posting a 5.3% increase in September 2009 when compared to August 2009. Sales in September 2009 are down 29.6% compared to the same period last year. Orders in September 2009 increased by 9.1% over August 2009.

The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by the PTDA. For more information, visit www.ptda.org/store.

When you think “Value”, you think about maximizing productivity and reducing costs. We think about maximizing your investment by lowering your maintenance costs and increasing bearing life. Supported by 24-hour service and worldwide distribution, NSK spherical bearings keep you

Bsa’s 2010 annual ConvenTion To Take a look BaCk Glen Ellyn, IL — Because there is nothing like shared past experience, including the impact of a gruelling recession and other economic realities to help those working in industry confront the continued on page 10

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

continued from page 9

next challenge, the Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) 2010 Annual Convention has adopted the theme ‘A Look Back to Step Ahead’ as it looks ahead to new opportunities and markets in the recovering economy.

The convention will take place May 1-4 at the Naples Grande Beach Resort and Spa in Naples, FL. BSA believes there has never been a more important time for industry leaders to meet. Overall economic indicators continue to trend up and prospects for recovery within the industry are promising.

An independent study by the Freedonia Group LLC projects ball, roller and plain bearing demand in the US will expand 3.0% annually through 2013 to $10.6 billion. As economic news continues to develop, the most important question is: how prepared is the industry to leverage this growth? The goal of IDI/MC7580/MRO 10:25 AM isPage 1 the 2010 1/30/09 annual convention to help

December 2009

attendees answer that question with a three-part presentation: 1. A panel of past industry leaders will provide the ‘Look Back’, discussing industry and economic lessons learned throughout the past 20 years, including their reflection on six different key topics of interest to the bearing industry.

Attendees will cast their anonymous vote on audience response questions, facilitated by rapid-response electronics that will instantly reveal onscreen distributor and manufacturer responses as categories.

2. Next will be the Present Industry Overview, elaborating on the six key topics introduced by the past leaders panel.

This analysis will shed light on how and why the bearing industry has evolved over the years, strictly focusing on what works and what doesn’t.

3. A Future Panel of current industry leaders will address the results of the previous audience responses and

bring the audience from the present to the future.

BSA believes that both distributor and manufacturer attendees will find this is a conversation they want to be a part of. When they learn what their industry’s past and future leaders are thinking, they will be ready to exceed those needs and expectations, as well as their own and those of end users.

The 2010 Annual Convention also will offer industry updates from the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA) and BSA, as well as the traditional Conference Tables Session.

Because spouses are important to BSA events, members and participating manufacturers who register with their spouse/companion for the 2010 Annual Convention save $50 on registration.

Spouses are welcome at all annual convention events.

For more information about the convention, visit www.bsaconventions.org. MRO

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Mr.0 The Practical Problem Solver

What to look for when fluid couplings overheat The main function of the fluid coupling is to transmit torque from one shaft to another.

The fluid coupling provides smooth starts to equipment. The abrupt start usually associated with electric motors is cushioned by a fluid coupling. It assures very smooth starts and protects the machine in case of jamming or overloading, because the fluid coupling acts as torque limiter for the inertia of the motor.

In the case of extended jamming periods, a fusible plug blows, which will empty the fluid coupling, thereby disconnecting the output from the input and protecting both the driving equipment and the driven equipment.

Problem: There may be problem of overheating while using fluid couplings.

There are several factors that affect the performance of fluid couplings and that can be causes of overheating.

Solutions: One common problem that may be responsible for overheating is the misalignment of the fluid coupling. The coupling must be aligned.

Keep a record of the alignment and the temperature for future reference.

Other reasons for overheating may be an incorrect oil-filling angle or the grade of oil used. The correct grade of oil as specified by the coupling manufacturer must be used in order to ensure trouble-free operation. The oilfilling angle should be set according to the load requirement. The coupling manufacturer’s operation manual should be referred to for the correct oil-filling angle for the load.

Another reason for overheating may be a fluctuation in the load condition or a heavy load. The fluid coupling should be operated under a specified load condition, as recommended by the manufacturer. Collect the correct load data in order to make a proper selection of a fluid coupling to avoid performance problems.

One more reason for the overheating of a fluid coupling may be a damaged internal part. Check the coupling and replace any damaged parts with new ones. Also find out the cause of the failure or damage in order to avoid a repetition of the same problem.

These are some of the solutions that can be applied if there is an overheating problem in a fluid coupling.

Mr. O’s thanks for this tip go to Rakesh Patel of T-Harry Drive Inc. For more information about troubleshooting fluid couplings, contact him by e-mail at rakesh@t-harry.com or call 647-822-4899.

Do you have a solution for a maintenance problem? Send it in and if it’s published, we’ll send you a Mr. O Problem Solver T-shirt. Include your address, telephone number, print complete details and, if possible, add a sketch to help explain your tip. Send your tips to Mr. O, Machinery & Equipment MRO, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2.

A Case for NTN Tapered Roller Bearings

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Soft Core

roller bearings are ideally suited for heavy duty applications ranging from rail to aggregate and mining equipment, where marginal lubrication, vibration and impact loads are considered

Hardened Surface Layer

the norm. NTN tapered roller bearings are made to meet or exceed industry standards and feature case carburized steel.

Optimized roller/rib interface promotes lubrication and lowers bearing running torque.

Honed raceways ensure low friction for trouble free operation.

Carburizing hardens the steel from the surface to the proper depth, leaving a relatively soft core, improved durability and longer life. These results make the material ideal for shock loading and extreme conditions. Like all our products, NTN tapered roller bearings are backed by our knowledgeable technical support team, competitive pricing, 24/7 service and

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• Accurate part number crossover to one of NTN’s complete range of products Reader Service Card No. 123

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December 2009

Company Briefs News and views about companies, staff, product lines and more.

• Sherwin-Williams Chemical Coatings, Cleveland, OH, has expanded its production and service capabilities with a new 12,000-sq.-ft. facility in Winnipeg, MB, featuring stateof-the-art blending capabilities. The new facility is intended to improve the speed of delivery to product finishers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

• Industrial distributor Acklands-Grainger Inc. of Toronto has appointed John Kaul as vice-president, national accounts.

In his past five years at the company, he was general manager, national accounts west. Prior to joining the company, Kaul was marketing director at Hilti, a tool manufacturer.

Acklands-Grainger has 159 branches and five distribution centres in Canada.

• The Stanley Works, a worldwide supplier of tools and engineered solutions for industrial, construction and do-it-yourself

Winnipeg is the home to an expanded facility for Sherwin Williams.

Reader Service Card No. 124

use, and security solutions for commercial applications, and The Black & Decker Corp., a global manufacturer and marketer of power tools and accessories, hardware and home improvement products, and technology-based fastening systems, have entered into a definitive merger agreement to create Stanley Black & Decker, an $8.4 billion industrial corporation in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $4.5 billion. Additional information can be found at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com.

• FLIR Systems has sold its 100,000th commercial-use infrared camera. The FLIR thermal imager was sold by Professional Equipment of Tucson, AZ, a distributor, to Bob Childs, owner of Bob the Inspector Inc. in nearby Green Valley, AZ. In addition to receiving the 100,000th infrared camera award, Childs will also receive his FLIR BCAM SD infrared camera free from FLIR Systems (a US$3,450 value).

• FT Services, Calgary, AB, has achieved a significant milestone by scoring 100% in a safety audit conducted by the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA). The safety audit encompassed all of FT Services’ Alberta sites and its corporate office. “Earlier this year we achieved more than six million work hours, lost-time injury free since start of operations in 2007,” said Andy Mackintosh, president and CEO. FT Services was established in August 2006 to serve asset management and maintenance opportunities in Canada.

• Veyance Technologies Canada Inc. - Goodyear Engineered Products has relocated its Canadian corporate office to 237 Brunel Rd., Mississauga, ON, reports Guy Enta, national sales manager. The new facility includes space to hold customer meetings and training sessions for the company’s products, which include air springs, automotive belts, tensioners and hoses, conveyor belts, industrial and hydraulic hose, and power transmission components.

• Kaman Industrial Technologies Corp., Bloomfield, CT, appointed Steven J. Smidler to the newly created position of senior vice-president and chief operating officer, effective December 1, 2009.

Smidler, 50, will oversee the company’s sales, marketing, customer service and operational functions.

He joins Kaman from Lenze Americas Corp.

Kaman Industrial Technologies is a distributor of industrial parts that operates nearly 200 customer service centres and five distribution centres across North America.

• The National Safety Council in the US has presented Schneider Electric North America with its 2009 Robert W. Campbell Award, which recognizes organizations that demonstrate how integration of environmental, health and safety (EHS) management into business operations is a cornerstone of

their corporate success. Named for Robert W. Campbell, a safety pioneer and the first president of the National Safety Council, the award is underwritten

by Exxon Mobil Corp.

• Neo Code Software, Vancouver, BC, has been named the first Canadian distributor of the ElectraTherm Green Machine, a product that transforms waste heat into power and that received a 2008 Best of What’s New award from Popular Science magazine. Neo Code also offers a wide variety of products from ElectraTherm Inc. of Carson City, NV, including a Gas Pressure Reduction Generator (GPRG) and other scalable power systems. For more information, visit http://energy.neocodesoftware.com.

• Littelfuse Startco recently celebrated the grand opening of its new facility in Saskatoon, SK. The 67,500-sq.-ft. facility more than doubles the company’s production capacity. In September 2008, Littelfuse completed the acquisition of Startco Engineering, which had been a part of the Saskatchewan economy since 1975. The company produces custom power centres and machine controls for the mining industry, as well as ground-fault and motor protection relays used in a wide range of industrial applications.

• Hardy Instruments, San Diego, CA, has entered a partnership with Saturn Scale Systems, Mississauga, ON, to service Hardy customers throughout Canada. Through this partnership, Hardy will be able to provide field service in all Canadian provinces, including start-up, installation, emergency, maintenance, scale calibration and verification. For field service in Ontario, Hardy customers should contact Saturn at 905-502-0606.

For field service in other provinces, customers MRO should contact Hardy at 800-821-5831.

Editor’s note: More detailed versions of many of these stories, along with additional news items, can be found online at www.mromagazine.com.

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S T U D Y

Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2009

DIVING INTO MAINTENANCE ON CANADA’S HIGH SEAS

Top: Oceanex Avalon second engineer Pierre Christensen consults with chief engineer Steeve Cotton.

Above: Engineer Marc Collins inspects a fuel centrifuge that spins at over 10,000 rpm. Right: Pierre Christensen checks valve clearances on the Avalon’s 14,900-hp diesel engine. Far right: Chief engineer Mario Cantin and third engineer Yvan Bouchard monitor the engine and other systems from the Cabot’s engine control room.

It

is eight o’clock on a moody and overcast St. John’s morning. The container ship Oceanex Avalon has been in the Newfoundland port for two hours. Second engineer Pierre Christensen is itching to adjust the valve clearances on the ship’s gigantic eight-cylinder diesel engine, but first it must cool for several more hours. Oh well, he thinks, there are many other things to do in the 11 hours and 45 minutes before wharf hands cast off the ropes and the 149-metre Avalon begins its two-and-a-half-day return voyage to Montreal.

These things include doing an internal gearbox inspection to make sure that no contamination or other problems have cropped up since a repair job three days before in Montreal, done onboard under the supervision of a visiting technician from the marine gearbox manufacturer Reintjes GmbH. Other items on the worksheet that need to be completed this day include replacing O-rings on the fuel oil supply lines, checking the brushes on the shaft grounding ring, and something to do with an exhaust boiler, a backflush cartridge and a helical whatchamacallit.

It is always like this for the ship’s maintenance crew: so many tasks that can only be done in port, a strict travel schedule and the caprice of weather quite capable of forcing ship captains to drop anchor in a sheltered bay for hours.

“We are always adjusting ourselves. We don’t always know how much time we have in port. That is our life: trying to fit our maintenance into our [travel] schedule. We have to choose between planned maintenance and whatever we have to do,” says Mario Cantin, chief engineer of the Cabot, another Oceanex ship, a ro-ro (roll on-roll off) that carries containers, trailers and anything else that will fit in its yawning hold for the voyage between Montreal and St. John’s. (A third company cargo ship, the Oceanex Sanderling, plies the waters between Halifax, Corner Brook and St. John’s).

I am halfway through a journey that began October 9, 2009, on the Bickerdike

Photos by Carroll McCormick

Pier in Old Montreal. By the time it ends I will have spent five days at sea on both the Avalon and the Cabot, and sailed just over 2,000 nautical miles or 3,704 landlubbing kilometres. I will have crawled through and poked into improbable places to gain an appreciation of the unique challenges that face the men who maintain the power plants and auxillary machinery of these vessels, each of which

grosses about 14,600 tonnes.

The ships are normally only pulled out of the water once every five years for dry dock overhauls (exceptionally, the Cabot was pulled twice in the past five years). Otherwise, maintenance is done on the fly. “During normal operations, we never stop the ship for an overhaul. Even big maintenance is done at the dock between sailings,” says Steeve Cotton, chief engineer on the Avalon.

Maintenance is ongoing while underway, but within strict limits. For example, Cotton explains, “On the St. Lawrence River, we never do any work on the main engine or the three generators. In restricted waters everything and everyone has to be ready to go.” The St. Lawrence is simply too narrow, the navigating too precise and the traffic too heavy.

In the open water off the mouth of the St. Lawrence — but not when sailing close to Anticosti Island, or Saint Pierre et Miquelon, or Newfoundland’s rugged south coast — maintenance teams can work on the generators and a nauticalmile-long list of other scheduled tasks stored in a company-made computerized maintenance management program called ShipSure. (This program was scheduled to be replaced later in the fall by AMOS, a naval maintenance software package sold by SpecTec.) The challenges facing the maintenance crews on the Avalon and the Cabot differ considerably. Oceanex purchased the Avalon new in 2005, and its systems are still well-behaved. The Cabot is 30 years old and requires more unscheduled maintenance — especially on its piping — and more frequent inspection rounds.

The Avalon has just one engine, which produces 11,120 kilowatts (one kW

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December 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

BY CARROLL MCCORMICK

Top left: Cape Ray, at the southwest tip of Newfoundland, is seen at dawn from the bridge of the Oceanex Avalon. Bottom left: While workers back trailers into the Cabot in St. John’s, the maintenance crew races the clock to complete maintenance tasks. Above, oiler Michel Dufour keeps the engine room in the Oceanex Avalon spotless, making leaks easy to see.

returned and installed while containers are being off- and on-loaded. Too, says Cotton, “Oceanex has a shore engineer in Montreal. I call him with problems. It is his responsibility to get parts for all three ships, reply to questions and give service.”

equals 1.34 hp). Each cylinder gets a unit overhaul every 15,000 hours: This 20hour job includes pulling the valves, cylinder and five-foot high connecting rod, replacing them with new or refurbished parts, and sending the pulled parts to Germany for refurbishing. On average, then, maintenance would do a unit overhaul about once every four months.

The Cabot, on the other hand, has two 12-cylinder engines, each producing about 5,500 kW. Unit overhauls, an eight-hour job, are done every 14,000 hours, or an average of once a month. Fortunately for both ships’ maintenance crews, unit overhauls are staggered so only one cylinder is done per port stopover, but their absolute frequency varies, depending on whether more pressing tasks — or even the wind — come up. For example, if the winds are wailing in St. John’s, the engines have to be kept on standby and the engineers turn their wrenches to other tasks.

Other big jobs include tearing down the Cabot’s four turbochargers every two years and carrying out a monster job: replacing the four bearings in each of the ship’s two gearboxes every 42,000 hours, a 36-hour task.

Oceanex has good relationships with shore-based companies ready to provide parts, expertise and labour around the clock. Montreal-based suppliers include Delom Solutions and Mont Royal/Walsh Inc. St. John’s-based suppliers include East Coast Marine, and Pardy’s Waste Management and Industrial Services Ltd. Equipment such as pumps will be removed, rushed to repair shops for teardowns,

Onboard parts stores At sea, however, the ships are self-sufficient. “We have all the parts we need. We can’t wait for two weeks for parts to come,” Cotton says. Each ship has impressive parts stores, including, for example, enough engine parts on the Avalon for two unit overhauls. There are 1,286 spare part IDs for the Avalon’s main engine alone and the supply of electrical and electronic components is mind-numbing.

Cotton holds a $1,500 component in his palm while pointing out that, in the time it would take to get a new one delivered from source, the Oceanex would lose — well, he says, it does not bear contemplating.

Racks of spear-length valves, a connecting rod that stands to my chin, barrelsize pistons and rocker arms bolted to bulkheads are sights I have seen nowhere else. Sets of impossible-to-imagine tools decorate other walls in the engine and generator rooms, and crates of spares sit under enormous exhaust pipes.

The ships have some fabrication capabilities; e.g., welding gear (including a nifty oven for storing welding rods) and metal lathes. “We invent tools as needed that will make a job easier. For example, one time we had to repair a fuel pump.

The tool supplied by the manufacturer was okay, but we fabricated our own tool that worked better,” Cotton says.

The Avalon staff includes a chief engineer, a 2nd, 3rd and 4th engineer, and one oiler. The Cabot has the same plus two additional oilers. Most of them have multiple skills, from hydraulics to welding to electronics. Working conditions in the Avalon’s pristine engine room, where 100,000 cubic metres an hour of chilled air do a good job battling the heat pouring off the engine, are pretty fine.

It is too noisy outside the Avalon’s engine control room to talk at less than a shout a few inches away from another’s ear. However, on the older Cabot, the din is ratcheted up a few notches and the temperature in the cramped engine room can top 50ºC. Opinions vary, but as these guys retire (some say they have been on ships forever and joke that land is what you do to a fish), it may be challenging to replace them with a new generation that has the same passion for the job.

That may be true, but surely there are still men out there whose idea of seventh heaven is living and breathing heavy machinery eight hours a day for 28 days straight at sea, never cooking a potato, never staring down a dirty pot or fighting traffic, and then stepping ashore for 28 days of vacation.

MRO Montreal-based Carroll McCormick, an award-winning writer, is the senior contributing editor for Machinery & Equipment MRO.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2009

Parallel process simplifies retrofit

How to switch electrical control platforms while still maintaining your current system, all without stopping production.

BY JUDY VAN RHIJN

H

ave you ever wanted to replace your electrical control systems without losing the system you’re currently working with? Replacing an unsupported automation system with a parallel system, without removing the old system and without stopping production, is the dream of many electrical designers when implementing a retrofit.

A good electrical designer can install parallel controls to run your production from any number of automated controllers without missing a single production beat, or can mentor your own people to make the changes.

Switching control platforms often suggests removing parts or gutting the entire electrical system before installing a new system. The testing process then involves trying to locate all the mistakes as quickly as possible. Before electrical designers became pressured to deliver functionality on a more perfect scale, this was often the accepted practice.

Shadowing is the term that many technicians use to describe the installation of a parallel process. It involves having an equivalent control system wired to the same sensors and control devices so it can take over your automated control systems operation when the older equipment begins to fail.

This concept is not to be confused with the systems offered by automation controls manufacturers that integrate backup systems into their hardware platform.

Those systems are designed to switch over control at various points without losing a sequence of the machine’s operation. They incorporate their own fail-safe procedures such as switching to a backup controller, to backup I/O, or to a power supply backup in the same chassis.

The parallel process described here uses a separate redundant system. It allows production to be switched between the systems as a means of testing the new controls or, if the first system is retained for a period, it serves as a useful tool for troubleshooting problems. Clever system controllers or maintenance technicians can use the secondary system to compare and reason out diagnostic issues.

Dave van Rhijn, a system controls technician and proprietor of SD Control Systems of Kitchener, ON, favours parallel processes as a way to gain and maintain client confidence. “Installing the new control system beside a working operation and then showing the client the new controls working, without raising his blood pressure from downtime, is the way to go.

“Whether your client is in the next office or a production plant you do work for, your reputation is at stake when making changes. As a small integrator, our creative edge has to work in ways to comfort the customer.” Van Rhijn has noticed that even large system designers are using this approach to gain confidence with their clients.

Like any innovation, too much of a good thing can sometimes come back to bite you. Edi Sablic, president of Total Operations Performance Inc. of Waterloo, ON, co-designed a parallel system for a proofer and another system for the oven

in a bread factory in the early 1980s.

This was specifically designed to provide a backup means of production, allowing the production facility to switch systems with the turn of a key.

At the breadmaking facility, the risk of the product spoiling if it sat in production for too long made it seem desirable to retain both systems indefinitely. For a product like bread, an extra two minutes of bake time may be survivable, but a delay of five to 10 minutes is likely to produce nothing but waste.

The system used two of every electrical device in parallel panels. Each panel had a contactor for field motors with two automation controllers wired to separate parallel field input devices. The line was built to ensure that the mechanical system would have a back-up electrical system should a component fail, thereby cutting down on failure time. When working correctly and when properly maintained, this process yields zero downtime.

Although it is likely that this innovation saved the company a minimum of five hours of production time and an inestimable amount of product each time there was a fault or a component failure, the cost of extra maintenance was significant. For this reason, Sablic says that he would not install a permanent duplicate process again.

“Eighty per cent of the failures were found in field input devices,” he warns.

Maintaining this on both systems meant doubling the 80% cost associated with standard line maintenance. Since this system was installed, there has been a great improvement in the quality of electrical contactors and panel components, so Sablic currently sees less need for permanent parallel panel components.

Today, most installations of a parallel system are for implementing an upgrade.

In this way, legacy control equipment that is no longer available or not worth replacing can be retired without interrupting production.

The design and implementation of the parallel process does not need to be the exclusive domain of outside designers. Van Rhijn believes that many in-house engineers and technicians could implement their own form of parallel control, based on basic wiring techniques and electrical design, with mentoring from a consultant.

“It requires experience with the devices that allow integration of multiple vendors’ devices. There needs to be a great deal of care paid to the selection of compatible input and output hardware, but when it comes down to the basics of electrical hardware design, we all breathe the same air.”

Installing a parallel process The actual process of installing a parallel process involves getting the inputs into a new logic controller of choice by using similar hardware. If the input part of the system is sourcing rather than sinking, there are some extra challenges that can be solved by a careful examination of the input card circuits and the device connected to the input.

With input analogue devices, van Rhijn

Top: An old, unsupported automation system and new system components sit side by side in this parallel processing installation.

Left: Dave van Rhijn heads SD Control Systems. Above: Edi Sablic is president of Total Operations Performance.

advises that it is essential to consider what type of signal they generate. “For instance, 0- to 10-volt signals can be connected directly to the inputs without much cause for concern. Loading on the output device is not often a problem and you could have several sensors reading the same voltage signal. If you have a current loop, and you are adding input devices, they cannot exceed a 500-ohm resistance in total. This typically means that you can use two sensing devices per output current loop, as most standard current devices target 250 ohms.”

Sometimes a device has less resistance than usual so the output device can drive more current. “I have also found that in some situations, the original equipment was designed with a range less than the maximum 20mA,” continues van Rhijn. “Therefore the output device did not have to drive a full output and was able to deliver the expected signal without being concerned that it would reach the maximum.”

Van Rhijn notes that thermocouples can get even more complicated because their low-voltage signals can be degraded if tied to more than one input. “The rule of thumb is that if you can’t piggyback one on the other, run an extra input device to each system.”

The installation of relay output devices can make switching between systems a simple matter of putting one system in program mode to turn off all the outputs, and then running the other system to turn them on. Van Rhijn advises that solid state outputs should never be wired to receive power from an outside source.

There is an option to install external form-C relays that switch between the two systems, but a simpler method is to remove the wire harness from the output card of the disabled system, or put the disabled system in program mode. Analogue outputs should also be stopped from having a direct connection with each other, by similar means.

A mistake that is easy to make is to try to determine which controllers’ out-

puts are in control by removing control power from output card common connections. While hosting a training/installation project, van Rhijn followed this proposal to the wiring stage to show how the voltage of one system supplied power through the new system’s parallel output to the ‘common’ on an output card that was meant to be disabled. Thus it could permit the disabled system to power more output devices unexpectedly.

With closed loop control systems involving PIDs (proportional integral derivative controllers), it is possible to tune the new system by comparing all the changes on the input. The tuning can then be done before the new control is allowed to be switched on to the hardware.

A designer will also learn what to expect given the changes in scan times when finally turning over control.

Testing the newly installed control system takes a sharp eye or a painstaking comparison of the hardware between system outputs. When comparing the switching time on the outputs of the parallel systems, it is reasonable to expect a difference of less than a second. When using software to carry out the comparison, you could expect some delays, depending on the speed of the interface. Some designers create a dedicated screen to compare the outputs from each system, using a Human Machine Interface (HMI) that can communicate with the old and new systems. “They use colour co-ordinated displays that show the differences in the outputs, including the update time,” says van Rhijn.

With testing complete, the facility has two operable systems that it can retain or switch over, with all the security and comfort that they bring to production and maintenance, and ultimately, to the overMRO all performance of the company.

Judy van Rhijn is a freelance writer and lawyer based in Kitchener, ON. For more information from SD Control Systems, use the reader reply number below.

Reader Service Card No. 409

Winter 2009-10

Industrial Lubrication

Lubrication, Tribology and Hydraulics

tech report

Preventing breakdowns by understanding oil analysis Examining the purposes of various methods of oil analysis helps determine the best one to indicate impending machinery failures: Part 2 of a series on effective oil analysis for condition monitoring and preventive maintenance.

O

il analysis, combined with vibration analysis and other techniques such as thermography and ultrasonic sound testing, can become the most powerful condition monitoring tool kit in any Total Equipment Management program.

Analyzing oil samples is done to monitor three conditions in lubricated machinery.

These conditions are: 1. To monitor the condition of the machine itself by analyzing the possible source, sizes and type of the wear particles in the oil sample.

2. To compare the chemical and physical properties of the oil (or grease), such as oxidation and additive levels, viscosity, acid number and others with appropriate specifications, in order to determine if the lubricant quality remains satisfactory for continued service.

3. To monitor the levels of contaminants in the oil, such as unwanted process fluids, fuel dilution, water or dirt, which may be detrimental to the oil itself, or to the reliable operation of the machinery.

Wear particle analysis techniques Testing for wear metals as a condition monitoring technique requires an understanding of the metallurgical makeup of the appropriate machinery on which wear metals testing is applied. It also requires an understanding of the advantages and limitations of the various methods used. The primary techniques in use today are: • Spectrochemical analysis • Wear debris analysis • Ferrography • Scanning electron microscopy.

1. Spectrochemical analysis. This analysis includes the following spectroscopic techniques: atomic absorbtion, atomic emission, rotating disc electrode and inductively coupled plasma, all of which measure metallic wear and additive elements from a sub-micronic range to a maximum of about 5–7 microns in size (Fig. 1).

These techniques are capable of reporting wear and additive concentrations in parts per million and/or parts per billion and each technique is usually the primary test provided by most oil analysis laboratories.

It is important to remember, however, that all of these techniques measure metallic particles, such as iron, copper and aluminum that are the result of wear, but not necessarily the cause of it.

BY LLOYD (TEX) LEUGNER Fig. 1 shows a typical spectroscopic elemental analyzer. This machine uses inductively coupled plasma technology to measure metallic particles and additive levels.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2: As the oil sample runs across the ferrogram slide, both ferrous and non-ferrous material remains on the slide. The slide is then removed and the material on the surface is analyzed for type of wear, shape, size, composition and often, the source of the wear particle.

Fig. 3 shows a magnified result of a typical ‘patch’ test. The contaminants shown are in a size range of 25-35 microns and are typically those that cause wear in any lubricated system.

They cannot normally be seen with the naked eye.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

OIL INLET FERROGRAM SLIDE

OIL SAMPLE

MAGNET

The reason for this is quite simple. These spectroscopic techniques do not ‘see’ the larger, wear-causing particles and as a result, they should be used primarily to monitor wear rate trends in lubricated machinery.

In other words, the oil analysis results reported in ppm are not as important as changes or increases in the reported numbers.

For this reason, spectroscopic analysis must be carried out at regular scheduled intervals in order to gather effective wear rate trend information.

OIL INLET OIL SAMPLE

FERROGRAM SLIDE

MAGNET

Here are some examples of recommended oil sampling intervals for machinery: Slowspeed machinery such as gear drives — 500 hours; medium-speed machinery such as diesel engines — 300 hours; and high-speed equipment such as precision spindles and turbines — 100 hours.

Because these techniques are incapable of reporting wear-causing particles of 5 microns or larger, spectroscopic oil analysis methods will not generally provide an indication of impending catastrophic failure or

breakage in lubricated components.

Also, many oil analysis users will frequently send samples of the same used oil to different laboratories in order to compare results. This is a complete waste of time, since the results of the spectroscopic methods named above cannot be compared, due to the differences in technology that each technique uses.

For this reason, users should carefully select a laboratory, and then continue to use its services in order to establish and maintain the continued on page 18

Winter 2009 -10 Industrial Lubrication 17

tech report

continued on page 18

Fig. 4

Fig. 4: A ferrogram showing journal bearing wear of non-ferrous lead/tin material; on the left is the particle before heat treatment, on the right is after heat treatment.

Fig. 5

Fig. 5. SEM analysis of a Caterpillar Model 3408 piston oil control ring showed large deposits of carbon soot material. Further analysis of these carbon soot deposits using X-ray energy spectroscopy analysis with the SEM showed the elements iron, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, calcium and zinc. The high level of sulphur indicated unburned fuel and this supported an initial suspicion that a fuel leak had occurred, washing past the piston ring area. This condition accounted for the ring sticking and the eventual piston failure.

Fig. 6. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy shows evidence of high levels of sulphur from unburned fuel, indicating a fuel leak past the piston ring.

Fig. 6

necessary wear rate trends that these spectroscopic methods are designed to establish.

2. Wear debris analysis. This includes Spectrochemical techniques such as X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy, rotrode filter spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (most often used in combination with a scanning electron microscope), and Gravimetric membrane filtration.

• X-ray Fluorescence: This technique uses a highenergy X-ray source to determine and measure wear and additive elemental data. The technique covers a wider range of elements than does AA or AE spectroscopy and is capable of ‘seeing’ any size particle.

• Rotrode Filter Spectroscopy: This method detects larger particle or coarse wear metals and contaminants up to 25 microns in size, which are

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the particles that are the first indicators of abnormal wear conditions. This technique is a low-cost screen for analytical ferrography, because it detects ferrous and non-ferrous wear particles and elements of contamination.

• Gravimetric Membrane Filtration: This is a very simple, easy to use technique to determine the contaminants and wear particles in any lubricated machine, particularly in hydraulics and other oil recirculating system machinery such as turbines, compressors and gear drives.

The technique requires the use of a 0.8 micron filter (often called a patch), through which a sample of oil is forced under pressure, after dilution with an appropriate solvent — usually heptane (Fig. 3).

After drying the filter patch, the analyst can view the resulting contaminant types and sizes under a microscope. If a potential wear or contaminant problem is evident, additional testing can be done using ferrography to further determine the nature of the contaminants and their source.

3. Ferrography. This is a technique aimed at detecting and examining ferromagnetic particles in a size range of 1-250 microns.

It also can detect non-ferrous particulate because these particles tend to become either attached to, or attracted by, the ferrous material as damage develops within the lubricated machine (Fig. 4).

There are two types of ferrography.

The first, direct reading ferrography, detects deposits in two positions. From this, the analyst can determine the small and large particles in the 1 and 5 micron size range respectively. The results are calculated by determining both the wear particle con-

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Lloyd (Tex) Leugner is an Alberta-based specialist in maintenance and lubrication problems, an author, and an award-winning contributor to this magazine.

Part 1 of this article, which covered Setting up an Effective Oil Analysis Program, appeared in the Summer 2009 issue of Industrial Lubrication, a supplement to Machinery & Equipment MRO’s June 2009 issue. Part 3 will appear in the June 2010 issue.

References used for this article include: The Practical Handbook of Machinery Lubrication, 3rd Edition, L. Leugner; Lubricant Properties, Analysis & Testing, J. Denis, J. Briant, J.C. Hipeaux; and Reliability Centered Maintenance, 2nd Edition, John Moubray.

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centration and severity of wear.

The second type, analytical ferrography, is used when severe wear has been detected by either direct ferrography (or by any other detection method, such as spectroscopy or particle counts). The particles are deposited on a glass plate (Fig. 2) and the resulting ferrogram is examined under a bichromatic microscope with the use of both transmitted and reflective light with coloured filters. The analyst is able to determine the size, shape, composition, concentration and probable source of the metallic and non-metallic particles.

Analytical ferrography is an ideal condition monitoring technique that is highly recommended after it has been determined through spectroscopy or other means that a potential problem is developing. Analytical ferrography can be applied whenever the machinery user is concerned with increased wear, corrosion or fatigue conditions and it can also be easily applied to grease-lubricated machinery.

Analytical ferrography results will show the type of damage that may be occurring, such as abrasive, rolling fatigue, adhesive or cutting wear. It can illustrate conditions such as inadequate lubrication or excessive heat and provides a permanent pictorial record of a machine’s condition.

4. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

This is primarily a root cause failure analysis technique that, when used in conjunction with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, can determine the cause of fractures or component failures, as well as confirm the presence of unusual elements that may have contributed to the failure. The technique can be applied to any type of metal, steel, ceramic or polymer surface.

The technique yields a topographical image of the surface undergoing analysis (Fig. 6). The SEM provides a greater range of magnification (up to 10,000 X magnification) and a greater depth of field than can be experienced by conventional microscopic analysis. In addition, the SEM provides a three-dimensional image of the sample’s surface (Fig. 5).

The additional elemental analysis provided by the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy can identify various elements that may have formed on the sample’s surface.

For example, foreign deposits on pistons, mechanical seals, gears or other machine components can be determined and their presence investigated and considered as possible contributors to the failure of the material undergoing analysis.

IL

1/30/09 1:56:24 PM

case study

Tranquil Maintenance World-renowned whisky distiller relies on food-grade lubricants to keep its production lines and its ‘water of life’ flowing

I

n Gaelic, the ancient language of Scotland, ‘whisky’ means ‘the water of life’ and ‘Glenmorangie’ means the valley of tranquillity.

The Glenmorangie distillery, a half-mile north of Tain, Scotland, has been producing its Single Highland Malt Whisky since 1843. The brand is now recognized as one of the finest in the world. It’s available in The Original, 18 year old, 25 year old, Lasanta, Quinta Ruban, Nectar D’or, special cask bottlings and a range of special edition bottlings.

The distilling process is the heart and soul of Glenmorangie. Unlike other distilleries, only hard water is used to make Glenmorangie. The water is drawn from the nearby Tarlogie Springs. It takes almost 100 years for this water to travel through limestone and rise to the surface.

Time-honoured skills -- passed down from generation to generation -- are used to ensure that Glenmorangie is made the same way it has been since 1843.

Categorized as a highland distillery, Glenmorangie boasts the tallest stills in Scotland.

These copper stills stand over five metres high and ensure that only the purest, most delicate vapours are condensed into spirit. The recent purchase of the Glenmorangie Distillery Co. Ltd. by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH Group) is a further reflection of its niche in the high-end marketplace.

The Glenmorangie production facility, located in Broxburn, Scotland, is a 33-acre site made up of several warehouses and a bottling plant. The site has over 450,000 oak casks being aged for future fill at any point in time.

Each cask can fill 500 bottles and the facility’s new lines can fill over 250 bottles per minute, meaning that it empties a cask in just over a minute and a half.

Maximizing the full potential of its assets remains an important focus for Glenmorangie.

The company is widely recognized for its ability to consistently grow sales at a higher rate than the overall malt market, an achievement made possible partly through a consistently strong investment in brand promotion and constantly improved production capabilities, including the use of premium food-grade lubricants throughout the processing equipment.

ing that downtime is minimized.

“With the change to Petro-Canada’s Purity FG lubricants and greases and Complete Lubrication Services, we have seen a step-change in operational performance,” says McEwan.

Prior to the change, Glenmorangie’s plant maintenance was more reactive than proactive. Now, with the lubricant management package, which has been incorporated into the online planned preventive maintenance system on site, the emphasis of the system has moved to prevention. McEwan and his team have seen the production lines increase in efficiency and have an improved mean time between failures.

“Petro-Canada’s Purity FG lubricants provide a fantastic product base,” says McEwan. “Once people know about them, they will surely use them. Sean (our distributor) will ask if someone greased the lines while he was away because the product is still fresh. Of course, we haven’t … the product is just that good that it stays like new. In fact, we previously extended our lubrication cycles out to 12 weeks and are now considering pushing them out to every 16 weeks. This will give a reduction in our overall maintenance costs.”

McEwan also knows the value of a strong asset care plan and lubricants are

Above & left: The Glenmorangie distillery gets its water from a nearby spring.

Bottom left: Sean Bergin of Complete Lubrication Services (right), along with Glenmorangie’s Geraldine O’Hagan (middle) and Charles McEwan (left) at the production facility.

Bottom centre: Protecting the world-renowned Glenmorangie brand name is a responsibility that Geraldine O’Hagan, asset care coordinator, takes seriously.

Bottom right: “Using food safe lubricants is consistent with Glenmorangie’s commitment to our customer to supply nothing but the highest quality product,” says Charles McEwan, engineering manager.

Total Preventive Maintenance In 2005, in conjunction with its Total Preventive Maintenance Program’s ongoing quality improvements, Glenmorangie’s Broxburn facility changed its operations to Petro-Canada’s Purity FG lubricants and a complete lubricant management package with the help of Sean Bergin of Complete Lubrication Services, a local distributor.

Running four high-speed lines, Chas McEwan, engineering manager for Glenmorangie, has always been concerned about ensur-

fully incorporated in his plan at Glenmorangie. Geraldine O’Hagan, the asset care coordinator for the distiller, ensures that all lubricants used in the plant are 100% food safe. “Using Purity FG lubricants ensures we are fully compliant. Audits are easy and I don’t have any worries about cross-contamination with non-food-grade products,” says O’Hagan.

“Using Purity FG food safe lubricants is consistent with Glenmorangie’s commitment

to our customer to supply nothing but the highest quality product,” says McEwan. “We confidently ensure this by using the highest quality products in every aspect of our operation.”

The service that Sean Bergin provides is an invaluable component of the Complete Lubrication Services package. “Sean’s a professional,” explains McEwan. “He lets me know what’s going on and has even found problems that we hadn’t seen. Sean has become an

invaluable part of our maintenance team.”

One of the maintenance team’s favourite products is Purity FG Spray. According to McEwan, “It sticks and stays in place ... getting into applications that are hard to reach and where we need to be sure the components are lubricated for long life.”

IL For more information, contact Petro-Canada Lubricants, Mississauga, ON, by e-mail at lubecsr@petrocanada.ca or visit www.lubricants.petro-canada.ca.

Winter 2009 -10 Industrial Lubrication 19

Envision a world that doesn’t just turn. It flies.

Whether you build, produce, manufacture, run or generate, one fact is clear: better lubricants and better lubricant suppliers lead to increased productivity. That’s why Imperial Oil is proud to offer Mobil Industrial Lubricants – recognized worldwide by more than 5000 equipment builders. With the combination of Mobil Industrial Lubricants and Imperial Oil expertise, we don’t just elevate productivity – we help unleash it. Visit www.imperialoil.ca for more information.

Imperial Oil is a trademark of Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil, licensee. Mobil and the Pegasus are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries, Imperial Oil Licensee.

Reader Service No. 127

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M O T O R S

December 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Bearing protection improves motor ROI Because 51% of electrical motor breakdowns originate from bearing failures, an argument can be made in favour of IEEE 841’s provision for motor bearing protection.

H

BY DAVE ORLOWSKI

tively large-diameter shaft, so by definition they are considerably oversized to be able to carry the radial load of the rotor.

From an energy consumption standpoint, motor selection is of paramount importance since motors consume about 75% of the electricity that goes to the industrial sector (in the United States). Electrical costs can and do have a huge impact on the bottom line of most industries. Although incentive programs exist in the power generation sector and are also promoted by the US and Canadian governments, the immediate monetary savings are real and tangible goals for motor selection in industry.

Motor electrical efficiency ratings are obviously important in motor selection.

Both NEMA Premium and IEEE 841

ow long should motor bearings last? The answer probably will astound you. If (and it’s a big if) ball bearings are kept clean and properly lubricated, their average or L-10 life should be 3.5 centuries.

That’s 3,180,000 hours.

When we did the math, we came up with an L-10 life calculation of 3,175,926 hours or 362.30 years and determined that 10% of those bearings will fail because of metal fatigue. These numbers were assuming a 209 medium-duty ball bearing with a dynamic load rating of 7,000 lb and a rotor weight of 200 lb at an operating speed of 1,800 rpm.

Why does the major cause (51%) of electrical motor failures originate in bearing failures? Let’s investigate.

Mechanically, the electric motor is a simple machine: two securely mounted rolling element bearings support a largediameter shaft. Motor shafts are designed to transmit torque to driven equipment while resisting counteracting bending moments at the shaft extension.

Bearings are sized to fit over the rela-

Fatigue Life Calculations For Ball Bearings L-10 (HOURS) = 1,000,000(C/P)^3 / N•60•(a) = 3175925.926 HOURS (362.300 years) (“L-10” is the theoretical point in time that 10% of a given number of bearings will fail because of metal fatigue)

WHERE: C = DYANAMIC LOAD RATING OF BEARING: =

7000 (45 mm 209 medium duty bearing)

P = APPLIED LOAD (LBS):

=

100 (one half of rotor weight in pounds)

N = RPM:

=

1800

EXPONENTIAL FOR BALL BEARINGS: a = ADJUSTMENT FACTOR: Lubricant Condition * Very Clean Clean Normal Contaminated Heavily Contaminated

3 =

1*

Adjustment Factor = = = = =

1.0 0.8 0.6 0.5 - 0.1 0.0

Above: It’s important to protect a motor’s bearings from industrial environments. Left: In one example, Reliance 841XL premium efficiency motors include non-contact labyrinth seals at both ends to protect the bearings.

motors have equal efficiency ratings. The motors are electrically identical, but certain structural enhancements of the 841 make it an obvious choice for severe duty in process industries. It is the only one with any kind of effective bearing protection as standard. Although it may or may not last 350 years, it will keep the bearings in a pristine state to accomplish maximum run time, be it 10 or 30 years — and at least twice as long as motors lacking adequate bearing protection.

If a NEMA premium motor has a 30% rate of return on investment (ROI) due to energy savings over time, the IEEE 841’s ROI will be more than twice as much as the non-bearing-protected motor during its service life.

Further savings are realized in the lack of downtime caused by the first unplanned outage due to bearing degradation of the non-bearing-protected motor.

Sometimes the focus on a minimum initial investment gives inadequate attention to life cycle costs.

The information presented here is not a matter of opinion by the writer, or a theoretical representation of accumulated promotional data. At least one wellknown major US chemical company has been using IEEE 841 motors since their inception in 1994 as an IEEE standard.

Since then, they have banked an average energy reduction of 5.7% by replacing NEMA frame motors with the 841s as they came out of service.

Additional benefits of the 841s include: • Reduced failure frequencies that have a direct impact on production capabilities and costs.

• Increased investment effectiveness due to better capital and life cycle cost guidelines.

• Corporate understanding of motor technology and energy-efficient considerations, including demand charges that are part of the total billing for energy.

• A calculated internal rate of return of more than 100% by means of motor energy conservation.

The entire industrial community needs to make a total commitment to take full advantage of energy conservation from motor efficiency enhancement. Management, maintenance and operations must be involved for the best lasting results.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 in the US mandated efficiency levels for electric motors manufactured or imported into that country. It ratchets EPAct efficiency up to levels to the NEMA Premium/IEEE 841 ratings for motors of 1 to 200 hp.

As a result, the only decision left for industrial plant personnel is whether to repair or replace a failed, less efficient motor in service prior to the new efficiency rules of order. It will be a choice dictated by an ROI evaluation.

MRO Dave Orlowski is the chief executive officer of Inpro/Seal Company, Rock Island, IL. Reader Service Card No. 400

We customize it to meet your needs.

Machinery Installation

Training

Digital belt alignment.

Laser shaft alignment with Dual or Single beam lasers (or your laser).

Geometric measurement for Straightness, Flatness, Square etc.

Even Dial alignment, Rim & Face or Reverse dial.

Contact us for more information. Benchmark Maintenance Services Inc.

905-509-6522 1-800-598-1117

Reader Service Card No. 128

www.benchmarklaser.ca info@benchmarklaser.ca

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2009

If fan drive amp ratings are in overload, a variable frequency drive may be to blame. Here are some solutions.

BY JIM WYWROT

Above: If you think a fan is drawing too much power, the reason could be that the motor isn’t delivering enough horsepower.

V

ariable frequency drives (VFDs) or variable speed drives (VSDs) are excellent electrical devices that offer great process control, as well as save energy compared to non-variable drives. For example, the advantage of speed control on a fan is that it will deliver the required flow necessary for the process without wasteful over-delivering, provided that the fan and VFD are sized correctly.

VFDs work by changing the frequency of the alternating current that the motor sees. In Canada and the US, the alternating current operates at 60 Hz or cycles per second (in many other countries such as South America and Europe, the electrical grid operates at 50 Hz).

If the motor shows 1800 rpm on the

nameplate, that indicates that the motor is a four-pole motor and will operate at 1800 rpm — when connected directly to an electrical motor control panel. (Actually, it will run at a slightly lower speed — somewhere between 1750 and 1795 rpm — due to slippage, but for our purposes we will ignore this).

If you put a VFD in the line, you can adjust the frequency to anything between 10 Hz and 90 Hz and the drive will operate in a linear fashion between the two ranges. Note that lower frequency limits exist, as heat generation at the motor can only be dissipated by operating at a certain minimum speed.

As an example, if the VFD is set to deliver a frequency of 30 Hz instead of 60 Hz, the 1800-rpm motor will run at half its

nameplate speed or 900 rpm. Similarly, if 45 Hz is set, then 3/4 the operating speed or 1350 rpm is produced. This is pretty straightforward and most people know this.

But here’s the thing.

Although a motor can run at different speeds, the horsepower the motor generates is also proportional to the speed between the lower limit and its and nameplate speed (also called its synchronous speed).

This is where you can run into problems. A standard industrial induction motor generates a constant torque within its operating range (somewhere around 20% to 100% of synchronous speed). As motor horsepower is the result of torque and speed, and while torque may be constant, because the speed varies so does

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When is a 100 hp motor not really a 100 hp motor?

the ability to deliver horsepower.

Only when you hit 100% of the grid frequency (e.g. 60 Hz) can the motor develop the full 100 hp stamped on it.

So in all practicality, if you have a 100-hp motor as per the nameplate and the VFD is supplying power to the motor with a frequency less than 60 Hz, you don’t have a 100-hp motor any more, regardless of what it says on the nameplate. You have reduced its ability to deliver that horsepower by slowing it down through frequency control.

This may be tricky to grasp because the nameplate clearly says 100 hp. If you think of every frequency pulse as an energy shot similar to the combustion stroke in a car engine, and if you have half the pulses, you have only half the energy shots to do useful work.

When the required horsepower is higher than the available hp, it usually shows up by tripping the starter fuses, or as a current reading showing the overloading of your motor or motor control centre (MCC).

Your first comment might be, “The fan is drawing too much power,” when it would be much more accurate to say, “The motor isn’t delivering enough horsepower.”

Here is an example. If you require 80 hp at 1300 rpm for a process, and if a VFD is speed-controlling a 100 hp/1800 rpm motor, then at 1300 rpm the available power will only be 72 hp (1300/1800 x 100 = 72).

The motor may in fact carry the load despite this because many motors have a 15% service factor, but the amperage will be higher than the amperage on the nameplate because the motor needs to take in more current to meet the horsepower requirement.

If you have this situation, then what?

Here are some remedies. One is to increase the size of the 1800 rpm motor to a larger size. In this example, a 125-hp motor will do, because 1300/1800 x 125 = 90 hp and this is more than enough to carry the load. But you will also need to upsize the fuses and possibly the VFD too.

Another way to have enough available hp is to keep the same hp but change the motor to a lower speed. A 1200-rpm motor will generate its nameplate hp at its nameplate speed and not lose any power as it goes above this point. So at 1300 rpm, the motor will still generate 100 hp, which will be more than enough to carry the 80 hp requirement. In this way, installing larger fuses isn’t required.

There are also limits to over-speeding, including mechanical — such as the motor bearing life — and there is some loss of hp drop-off with higher speeds. So it is best to confer with the motor and VFD vendor to clarify what hp and speeds are available. This being said, over-speeding is becoming more commonplace in industry as people become comfortable about using the full potential of VFDs. Another way to deliver the required hp at reduced fan speeds is to make proper use of mechanical advantage. If the fan is driven through a belt drive, then simply ensure that the motor-fan drive ratio is set up to permit the motor to run fast enough in order to develop the necessary hp at the required fan speed. In this example, to deliver 80 hp at 1300 rpm for the fan using a 100-hp, 1800-rpm motor, the motor must be turning at least 80% MRO of 1800 rpm or 1440 rpm.

Jim Wywrot, P.Eng., is a partner at CB Power and Industrial Equipment, Cambridge, ON. For more information, visit www.cbpowerandindustrial.com.

Reader Service Card No. 412

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

Keeping pace with technology How modern measurement instruments such as laser systems improve shaft alignment jobs.

December 2009

laser system for accuracy or speed — and one that also provides an end result that is documented and repeatable. Using a feeler gauge is based on an individual’s touch or hand sensitivity and you cannot document that.

There is a lot more to machinery installation than simple shaft alignment.

We have to be able to measure straightness, flatness, square and parallel. Millwright and construction companies have access to a slew of instruments for doing this work, many of which are rented and are not treated with the respect that they ought to be given. The accuracy of these

BY JOHN LAMBERT

3

sure the plumb line measurement of a large, 30-ft vertical shaft. To do this, it set up four wires and measured from the shaft to the wires before making a calculation on the measurement results. This process would take about three days. A laser system could do this work in less than one day.

Mandrels Another way of doing this type of work is by using a mandrel.

A mandrel is a shaft that has two mounting plates at either end. These plates are mounted and adjusted so that the shaft is in the centre of the turbine. A dial indicator is attached to the shaft and the shaft is rotated, taking a reading of the seal.

This, like the piano wire, takes hours or even days to set up, but more importantly, it’s not as accurate as many people think.

One of the processes that has rapidly moved ahead is the alignment of turbines, including their diaphragms. This is the same measurement, wheth-

1

A

re you keeping pace with technology in your operations? Not all millwright (construction) and maintenance (service) companies have kept up with today’s machinery installation technologies.

This can also be said of many in-house maintenance departments.

However, if you are paying for the service from a contractor, I think that you should expect the service provider to be using the right tools for the job.

When planning a machinery installation, many tradesmen will think of shaft alignment. The reason for this is that it is usually the most difficult part of the process. This doesn’t have to be the case, but because of inadequate training, even tradesmen using laser systems are not comfortable with the alignment process, so it can still be a hit and miss affair.

Many companies have laser systems but do not know of the full capabilities of their instruments — for example, a shaft alignment system can also measure the horizontal and vertical (offset and angle) of the bearing journals of an engine.

We like to say that laser measurement is limited to your imagination. One thing that stimulates the imagination is to know the capabilities of what you have.

You may not need to measure the journals of a diesel engine, but you may have to measure the straightness of a particular item in your work processes and that is just a simple straightness measurement.

For shaft alignment, some systems allow you to measure while the shafts are rotating, but this is not as great a benefit as you may think. Ask yourself this: Do you have a better shot at hitting a moving target or a stationary one?

More so, if you have to rotate the shaft, you have to apply torque. This means that you may be moving the shaft off the centre of rotation. It’s worth thinking

4

1. Using a mandrel, a dial indicator is attached to the shaft and the shaft is rotated while taking a reading of the seal.

2

about so that you are sure of what is a benefit and what is not. In most cases, you should have the shaft stationary when measurements are taken if you want a more repeatable measurement.

You can measure the alignment of shafts without turning the shaft at all.

This is a great benefit if you have shafts that are difficult to rotate. Large bucket elevators come to mind. The weight of the buckets and belts make it impossible to turn the shafts. The best way to align them is to use a dual-beam laser system.

You simply mount the laser heads using magnetic blocks, then take a series of measurements at the nine, twelve and three o’clock points. After you have established consistent measurement results, you can then use a shaft alignment program for your final result.

Feeler gauges This year one of my customers asked me to talk to a service man who was attempting to measure the shaft alignment of a turbine using a feeler gauge. I asked him why he would use a feeler when a laser system was available. He explained that he had difficulties using a laser in the past and was more comfortable using the 16-point feeler gauge method.

I’m sure that this gentleman was a very competent service provider but I find it hard to agree that this method of alignment can compete with a modern

2. A laser is much faster to set up and use in the measurement process than either the mandrel or piano wire methods.

3. Crankshaft bearing journal measurement is being done on a small diesel engine.

4. Laser alignment is ideal for nonrotating shafts.

5

instruments is based on the adjustment of a spirit level, which should be done at the jobsite after the instrument is transported there.

The instrument should also be checked for repeatability and verified using two operators. With modern laser systems, you don’t have to spend all that time with the set-up. You simply take your measurements and then set your reference point electronically in the display or in the PC later, and again you can document the results.

Piano wire Many companies are still using old technology — even piano wire, which is inaccurate because it sags and kinks and takes a long time to set up.

One service company was going to use a tight wire or piano wire set-up to mea-

5. A tradesman measures the diaphragms of a turbine using an electronic micrometer. He is measuring from the piano wire to the side of the diaphragm by hand, as well as by using his senses.

er using a wire, mandrel or laser beam.

The difference is that the laser is much faster to set up and use in the actual measurement process. It also gives you a more accurate, repeatable, quantifiable measurement result that can be documented.

When someone says, “We have always done it this way,” that doesn’t mean that it was the right way. Up-to-date technology can clearly improve accuracy and reduce the time required where repeatable measurements are important.

Alignment and rotating machinery expert John Lambert, who served his apprenticeship in mechanical maintenance at Fazakerly Engineering in Liverpool, England, is president of Benchmark Maintenance Services Inc. He can be reached by e-mail at info@benchmarklaser.ca.

Reader Service Card No. 404

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December 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

WHMIS changes on the horizon GLOBAL STANDARDS TO BE USED IN CANADA REGARDING THE SAFE USE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN THE WORKPLACE.

C

anada’s Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is going to change — after remaining essentially unchanged for more than two decades. WHMIS is a comprehensive program for providing information on the hazards and safe use of hazardous materials in Canadian workplaces.

WHMIS will be implementing the key elements of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). GHS was created several years ago to help standardize chemical hazard classification and communication worldwide. Once implemented, hazard information prepared in other countries will be easier to use in Canadian workplaces, as they will generally use the same hazard classification, labelling and data sheet rules. Currently, the WHMIS classification rules, label and MSDS requirements are unique to Canada.

While GHS will be implemented in Canada, it will not actually replace WHMIS. Instead, WHMIS will be modified to incorporate GHS elements. There will be a new set of classification rules, label requirements, and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements (the MSDS will be called an SDS). In Europe, GHS is already being implemented, and in the United States, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced proposed regulations.

How GHS will change WHMIS Classification will be the first area of change. WHMIS will likely: • adopt all of the GHS health and physical hazard classes, including some hazards new to Canada — aspiration (toxicity due to inhaling a substance into the lung), and specific target organ toxicity — single exposure hazards. However, not all categories (smaller parts) of every GHS class will be adopted.

• continue to include some hazards that are currently not in the GHS system, such as biohazardous materials.

• have more specific names for its hazard classes.

• combine two WHMIS classes (terato-

genicity/embryotoxicity and reproductive toxicity) into one new GHS hazard class — reproductive toxicity.

Supplier labels will also change, and will probably have a few new requirements.

The most noticeable change will be new pictograms, as well as the use of a signal word — for example: Warning or Danger.

Depending on the hazard class and category, a specific signal word, hazard statement and symbol/pictogram will be required or prescribed, and must appear on the label.

It is still not clear, however, if the names of hazardous ingredients will be included on the label, or if the WHMIS hatched border will still be required.

SDSs will use a 16-section format.

There will be standardized information requirements for each section. The ninesection WHMIS format for MSDSs will no longer be acceptable. Another important change to note is that the product classification and some of the label information will probably be required on the SDS. The SDS updating requirements (every three years) may continue to be required.

they know how to protect themselves and their co-workers in the workplace.

When will GHS be adopted in WHMIS? A clear deadline has not been identified for full implementation but since Canadian regulations often take a year or two to move from initial draft to full implementation, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Heath & Safety (CCOHS), based in Hamilton, ON, expects that it may take Canada until after 2010 or 2011 to see the revised regulations come into force. Canada is likely to use a transition period to implement the new requirements and will likely try to harmonize implementation timing with its major trading partners.

In the United States, proposed regulations were published on September 30, 2009. It is not a final rule (the US

is accepting comments) but a threeyear transition period is proposed for full implementation. The European Union (EU) has published its GHS revised hazard communication rules, which will allow for implementation from 2010 to 2015 plus a two-year transition period.

MRO CCOHS offers free resources to help you learn more about GHS and WHMIS after GHS. Read the OSH Answer fact sheet on the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) at www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ chemicals/ghs.html. Also, you can take one or two free e-courses — WHMIS After GHS: An Introduction, at www.ccohs.ca/ products/courses/whmis_ ghs_intro/; and WHMIS After GHS: How Suppliers Can Prepare, at www.ccohs.ca/products/ courses/whmis_ghs_suppliers/.

Little change expected in Canada The current roles and responsibilities for suppliers, employers and workers are not likely to change in any significant way because of GHS. Suppliers will still have to classify hazardous products and prepare SDSs and labels for their customers.

What will change is that suppliers will now use the new classification rules, as well as prepare SDSs and labels according to the GHS requirements.

Employers will continue to make sure that their products are labelled and that SDSs are available to workers. Training and education will also continue to be vital to Canada’s WHMIS system, as employers must ensure staff are educated and trained properly about the new WHMIS and working safely with products. Workers will still have to learn about WHMIS but will learn about WHMIS and changes due to the adoption of GHS requirements, including new labels, pictograms and SDSs. They will continue to participate in training programs so that Reader Service Card No. 131

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M A I N T E N A N C E

M A N A G E M E N T

Machinery & Equipment MRO

This article is part of an ongoing series.

The introduction appeared in Machinery & Equipment MRO’s February 2005 issue and the series has run in every issue since. Previous instalments are archived online at www.mromagazine.com. In this issue, we pick up where we left off in the November 2009 edition, as maintenance manager Bob Edwards and members of his team, along with other managers, discuss the next steps in Project 600 with plant manger Joe Davis.

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oe Davis seemed to have lost any doubts about his role as the champion for our new project and quickly moved on to the need for relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) that all tied in to the new Project 600.

“Fred, as production manager, obviously your prime KPI is going to be the number of tonnes we produce, but we’re going to have to go deeper,” Joe advised.

“We need to know exactly how many tonnes we lose due to operations problems. And before you say anything, we’ll really look at root causes.

“You’ll also need to look at your decisions to shut down and change the papercarrying felts; not only do the felts cost $30,000, but it takes eight hours to change them.”

“I don’t mean to be pessimistic, Joe, but there’s no way I’ll have the time to do all of that by the time we track the people down,” Fred responded.

“That’s the next big change we need to make,” interrupted Joe. “I don’t want you to do it, Fred. I want you to review the results but I want your people to do the rest for you. You’ll need to figure out who is better suited for doing what, because we’re going to depend on them.

“We’re changing the way we do business at this mill, Fred, and I need everyone to play their part. Bob and his team had an interesting visit to another paper mill in Wisconsin and one of the things they found was that not everyone liked or could even work in their environment after they changed their processes. I’m sure we’ll find the same thing and we need to be on the lookout for it. Then we’ll figure out how we can deal with it.

“This doesn’t mean we’ll get rid of people. We may be able to re-assign them, but we can’t let them get in the way of our progress.

“I realize that this is a new concept to you,” Joe told the group of managers.

“If any of you have concerns, then let’s talk about it, either here or in private, because our success depends on each of you being fully on board.”

Fred was clearly uneasy with what he’d heard and seemed uncomfortable talking about it.

“I… well… uhm… I mean…. uh….”

“Look Fred,” I interjected, “when we were in Wisconsin, we talked to people who openly admitted they weren’t on board at the beginning. Some even said they were angry when they were told to start passing down some of the decisionmaking and analysis responsibilities.”

“No wonder, Bob, as it’s taken me years to get to this position and now you want me to give up some of my job. I never had any power when I was an operator — I just did what I was told.”

“But don’t you think you could have contributed, Fred?” asked Debbie, the mill’s quality assurance manager. “I know quite a few of your operators think they have something to offer — they tell me so when I talk to them about quality issues. I think they just need a chance.”

“Remember when we had that problem

December 2009

Full steam ahead!

Follow along with Step 30 in a journey to World-Class Maintenance at the Plentya Paper Company as the team begins to make major changes to achieve its goals.

BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

with dryers and we called in John, the There were many times when I thought vibration consultant, to do some ultrawe could have solved problems a lot sound analysis? One operator in parearlier if they’d only involved us operaticular — Keith— was great. He pointed tors, and to be honest, I used to think us in the right direction and John that my manager was insecure and was able to confirm selfish — and even what he believed. wo r s e , a r r o g a nt With operators like and foolish — for that, I’m sure it not listening to us. won’t be as difficult I’m just wondering as it seems.” if the guys think People can change “Yeah… but… of me that way. I if given the right information well… I….” don’t mean to come and motivation.

“Fred, answer across like that my question! Don’t — I just take my Once the ball starts rolling, you think you could r e sp on sibi l it ie s get out of the way. have contributed personally. To be when you were an honest, I’m a little operator?” bit scared of all of “Of course I think I could have, Debthis. I’m not too good at trusting people bie. I didn’t just inherit the management because I’m afraid of failing.” knowledge when I got promoted. It just “Wow, Fred — an epiphany! I’ve got wasn’t done back then — the boss was every confidence that you’ll be able make the boss. It was frustrating but that’s the the transition,” Joe said. “And if you need way it was.” help, it seems that Debbie can assist and “So why would you treat your operawe know Bob can also. tors the same way? Think about how “So to get back to our goals — Debmuch more rewarding it would have been bie you’re going to have to look at all of for you if you’d been able to give your our downgrades and why we have qualopinions and suggest solutions. They’ll ity issues in a lot more detail. You’ll need feel the same way if you let them get to work with Fred and the operators to involved. That way, you’ll be able to do eliminate some of these causes. what Joe is asking.”

“Josh, as technical manager, I’m lookFred didn’t reply and there was a lining to you to oversee process issues in gering silence until Joe commented. general — what it is we can be doing “That’s exactly the sort of discussion better, what it is that we should be doing we need and now is not the time be quiet, that we’re not, and what is happening Fred. It’s no good holding your breath — in the industry. You’ll also need to be you have to deal with it.” involved with Debbie and Fred.

“No, it’s not what you think, Joe. I’m “Bob, we’re looking to you to use your just thinking about what Debbie said. experience with the tradespeople and

Key Points

what you saw in Wisconsin in leading us and helping us make this move. I went to the liberty of identifying the KPIs I want you to use.”

Joe must have noticed my face drop, since he seemed to do exactly the opposite of what he had just told Fred to do.

“Wait a minute with those stern looks, Bob. I know that to do this properly we would have all sat down and discussed them first, but let me explain. As I said earlier, the corporates are really pushing for improvement and they’ve set out the areas we need to work on. In the interest of time, I’ve taken what they’ve decided on and I just translated it into what you need to do. I’ve identified the KPIs, but I want to meet with each of you some time today to look at targets for them. At that time, I’ll show you where they fit into corporate’s goals.”

It seemed that Joe had really paid attention to what we’d found in Wisconsin. The fact that he was moving forward so quickly gave me more confidence than ever before that we could make the necessary changes.

“Bob, I’ll need you to prepare some KPI boards similar to the ones you saw in Wisconsin. I want them conspicuously displayed in your departments so that there can be no question about what they are.”

“Can we do something a little different, Joe?” I asked. “In Wisconsin, they had been educated about the KPIs from day one, while our people will just be learning about them. I’d like a section where we can describe why they’re important, what they mean and what we can do if we don’t hit them. At least, I want to do that for maintenance.”

“That’s fi ne with me, Bob. You might as well make them all the same for everyone.

“This is excellent! I want to hold Town Hall meetings next week to roll out the new initiative.”

“I thought I’d do that with the operators, Joe. See, I’m confused again,” said Fred.

“No, you’re not confused, Fred. You will talk with them about real specifics, but I want the whole mill to understand that this is a major change in direction for the mill and not just a ‘flavour of the month’ idea.”

As I walked back to my office, I bumped into John, the vibration analyst, who told me he had everything we needed to install the online vibration monitoring.

“It will take about six hours work on the rolls and then another six hours to set everything up when the machine is running. Is next shutdown soon? Will it be okay to do it then?”

“Sure, it’s next Thursday, and that will be fine.”

I’d been caught up in the visit to Wisconsin and the talks with Joe, so I’d not given much attention to the day-to-day events in maintenance or any of the ‘hard’ issues of my job. Bumping into John brought them back to me.

“I’ll get the guys to meet you in the shop in 10 minutes and you can get everything set up,” I told him.

However, I needed to get back to my office and sit down to think about what to do next, as I was sure I was missing MRO something.

Cliff Williams is the corporate maintenance manager at Erco Worldwide in Toronto, ON, and a consultant with TMS — Total Maintenance Solutions Inc., Markham, ON. He can be reached by e-mail at williamscliff@rogers.com.

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S O L U T I O N S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Taking full advantage of a system’s benefits

December 2009

When business is slow, many companies invest the time to improve and enhance their maintenance operations without spending much money at all.

BY PETER PHILLIPS

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o wrap up my final CMMS Solutions column for 2009, I’m going to look back at the past 12 months and provide a year-end review of CMMS successes.

It’s been a year of production slowdowns, budget freezes and many cutbacks. Maintenance departments have seen lots of equipment availability in order to do maintenance work, but very little money to do it with.

Even though this has been the norm across almost all manufacturing sectors, there have been some bright spots along the way, where companies have managed to move their maintenance departments ahead.

Let’s review some of these successes.

CMMS purchasing Anyone who purchased a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) this year will find the software market has been very competitive.

Negotiating a lower price for the software has helped many facilities, as it has been a great time to buy or upgrade maintenance software.

Many companies have taken advantage of this competitive situation. In particular, the drywall industry, which has been severely affected by the housing market, has taken the time for, and spent the money on, CMMS software upgrades.

During the upgrade procedures, these companies also took the opportunity to clean up their databases.

For example, every CMMS has standards to be used in key fields of the software. Over time, and with untrained users, these standards often are ignored.

What happens then is the software starts to slow down and frequent errors occur. So fixing these issues during the upgrade creates a clean start.

CMMS record update Other sectors have taken this slow business period to review their CMMS. They’ve updated their equipment list, reviewed the preventive maintenance (PM) instructions and created equipment spare part lists. These activities don’t require a lot of money but do take a fair amount of time.

For example, a petrochemical plant in Kitchener, ON, pulled its resources together and created a plan to revamp its CMMS. It has updated its equipment list so it can have a more accurate equipment history.

Down Day WO Completion 140

1 89.74%

88.89% 120

83.67%

0.9

87.76% 82.61%

0.8

78.75% 100

0.7 66.10% 61.21%

0.6

80

0.5 60

0.4 0.3

40

0.2 20 0.1 0

06-Apr-09 13-Apr-09 20-Apr-09 48 41 39 Work_Completed 54 49 59 Work_Schedule 0.888888889 0.836734694 0.661016949 Percentage

27-Apr-09 63 80 0.7875

04-May-09 11-May-09 18-May-09 25-May-09 35 43 57 71 39 49 69 116 0.897435897 0.87755102 0.826086957 0.612068966

Figure 1. A CMMS can create graphs that display a wide range of information, such as maintenance work order completion rates on down days.

It has several parts rooms that are being organized and documented. Spare parts lists are being created and linked to equipment so that repairs can be planned and done more quickly.

The whole maintenance department has been involved in meetings to improve the CMMS. Every maintenance department has been assigned tasks to make the CMMS a more effective tool. We’ve helped facilitate these changes and have noticed the complete buy-in of every maintenance person. They are very eager to make things better. They know what the results will mean to them in their every-day maintenance activities. The team has clear vision of where it wants to be with its maintenance strategy.

see work orders become completely electronic. Maintenance personnel will carry their work orders on Intermec handheld PCs, which comibine the advantage of consumer PDAs and high-end industrial mobile computers into a single rugged package.

They will be able to record parts, comments and labour hours on the devices, and the data will be uploaded into the CMMS. They will also be able to create work orders from things they observe as they do their daily rounds, or from breakdown repairs they have just completed.

Of course, this all sounds pretty sophisticated. However, this is a hightech plant and all the maintenance people are computer literate.

Saving the environment In another case, a transformer manufacturer in Burlington, ON, has taken many steps to move towards a paperless CMMS. In its purchasing process, everything is electronic. Purchase requisitions are created in the CMMS and the approvals are totally electronic.

E-mails are sent to managers automatically to inform them that approvals are waiting for them to okay. Once approved, purchase orders are generated from the requisition and e-mailed directly to the vendors.

The next project at this facility will

Creating benchmarks Some companies have taken the past year to create benchmarks to measure their performance. They have developed documentation for maintenance standards that includes acceptable levels of work order backlogs, PM completion rates, downtime statistics, mean time between failures (MTBF) and work order response time, to name a few key performance indicators (KPIs).

Reports and graphs have been created to measure performance. Multi-site facilities have adopted the benchmarks across the organization. Every site is

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measured the same way and the results are shared across all sites. Successes and failures alike are communicated so everyone benefits from the experience of the other maintenance departments. Everyone in the organization is using and recording data in their CMMS programs exactly the same way to make these measurements possible.

Performance reports and graphs (see Fig. 1) created by the CMMS are shared and displayed corporately on the company’s local area network and plant bulletin boards. This way people can see the results of their efforts. Corrective action plans are created to address problems areas. Every effort is being made to take advantage of the successes of the other plants and to share equipment and processing knowledge.

Safety: Lockout locations A large multi-label food processing company we are associated with has not only taken the time to do everything we have mentioned here so far, but also has used the past year to document every equipment lockout location.

This information has been added to its CMMS. When work orders are created, the lockout locations and procedures print on every work order, helping to protect both maintenance and production personnel.

Indeed, this past year has been a challenge for most companies, which have been trying to do more with less.

Yet many have taken on projects that did not break the bank and they have managed to make improvements regardless MRO of the state of the economy.

Peter Phillips of Trailwalk Holdings, a CMMS consulting and training company based in Nova Scotia, can be reached at 902-798-3601 or by e-mail at peter@trailwalk.ca. Consider sending him some of your CMMS successes and challenges for use in future articles.

For more information

You can use the Reader Reply Cards in this issue to obtain more information.

For Intermec Technologies Corp., circle No. 406. For details on improving your own CMMS system, circle No. 407.

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December 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

What’s new…

Shaft misalignment coupling is easy to install

in products, systems, components and accessories for machinery and equipment alignment as well as general maintenance, repair and operations.

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Laser system is useful in wind tower flange assessment

Reader Service Card No. 300

Panel dolly moves large granite slabs with ease

Hamilton Caster has announced a panel dolly to transport slabs of granite, quartz, concrete or other heavy materials. Featuring a load capacity of 1,200 lb, the dolly has a lightweight, all-aluminum construction and measures 92 in. long by 24 in. wide by 43.75 in. high. Four T-handles permit a range of slab thicknesses up to 3 1/2

Reader Service Card No. 303

Alignment laser includes Bluetooth function

Pruftechnik’s Optalign Smart alignment laser is available from Precision Equipment Rental. This durable instrument features a rugged, shock-resistant control unit and an industrial-strength, waterresistant housing. The report format and print to pdf functions mean that it is not

The Electra Therm Green Machine from Neo Code Energy is a waste heat generator that has broad commercial application. The system captures waste heat from almost any geothermal or industrial source to generate fuel-free, emission-free electricity. Built on a skid, it is both modular and mobile, making it easy to transport and install as a single unit or in a series. Automated control systems permit unattended operation, resulting in low operation and maintenance costs. The system uses heat and pressure recovery technology requiring minimal heat (200°F).

Neo Code Energy

Bearing protection ring protects motor bearings in. In addition, four adjustable handles on each side, offering 10 handle positions, accommodate different operators and environments. Two 12 in. by 3 in. Ace-Tuf wheels provide easy rolling over uneven surfaces. The dolly can be customized to accommodate specific requirements.

Hamilton Caster Reader Service Card No. 328

Machinery condition assessment is performed over the Internet

Commtest has launched vbRemote, a web-based machinery condition assessment service developed for the company’s clients in North America. Using the service as an integral part of a predictive maintenance program helps cut costs by detecting mechanical problems in their earliest stages. Easy-to-understand reports are generated by professional analysts. They contain vibration analysis, condition monitoring, pin-point diagnostics and trending, all delivered via the Internet within 24 hours from data upload.

Specific corrective action recommendations also are provided with every report.

Commtest Reader Service Card No. 326

Baldor has announced the availability of Electro Static Technology’s Aegis SGR bearing protection ring as an option on the company’s Reliance motors. This product is designed to protect the motor bearings from shaft currents induced by adjustable speed drives.

Electro Static Technology guarantees that any motor up to 100 hp/75 kW will not fail from electrical bearing fluting damage for the life of the motor when this bearing protection ring is installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If such damage should occur, the company will replace the motor bearings free of charge.

Baldor Electric

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Lovejoy’s universal joints can be used in angular and parallel misalignment applications where the misalignment is greater than what most flexible couplings can handle. The company’s standard D Type provides up to 25 degrees of angular misalignment, while the DD Type allows for angular and larger amounts of parallel offset, due to its double u-joint configuration. The heavy-duty, long-life HD Type features induction-hardened yokes in the assembly. Needle bearings are used in the NB Type to compensate for applications requiring speeds up to 6,000 rpm.

The LOJ and JR-4 Types allow up to 45 degrees of angular misalignment in hand-crank type applications.

Lovejoy

Waste heat generator produces emission-free electricity

Reader Service Card No. 399

Reader Service Card No. 301

Double u-joint handles large amount of misalignment

Reader Service Card No. 302

Reader Service Card No. 331

DMM’s wireless display detaches for remote positioning

The Fluke 233 digital multimeter features a detachable wireless display, and uses a 2.4-GHz ISM band wireless transmitter to immediately send measurements to the detached display, improving safety and increasing productiv-

Reader Service Card No. 133

ity. The wireless display slides out of the meter body for positioning where it is most easily seen, up to 10 m (33 ft) from the point of measurement, while the meter is placed in the best position to take measurements. This eliminates juggling of leads and the meter while stretching into tight spots. The removable display is magnetic and has a flat bottom for easy mounting.

The meter measures up to 1,000 VAC and VDC and up to 10 A. Fluke Electronics Canada

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When manufacturing wind towers, it is often difficult to measure accurately the flatness or quality of a f lange.

Achieving geometrical correctness is made difficult because tension and stress induced during welding and storage can change the dimensional characteristics and make the flanges out of spec. Laser systems can measure many geometrical features on many different components, including flatness, parallelism, bore position, level and straightness. Flange flatness, flange parallelism, blade hubs, blade flanges, base frames and foundations all can be measured using the same system.

Important features for fast measurements and one-person operation include wireless remote control of the laser, wireless communication to the handheld device and touch-screen operation.

Seiffert Industrial

necessary to bring the instrument to a computer, just the memory stick. In addition, the unit features a Bluetooth interface, which is especially useful with large, noisy motors, as the operator can be beside the mechanic and still be heard above the noise when using the device.

Precision Equipment Rental

Schmidt 5D couplings from Zero-Max are suitable for applications requiring large axial, angular and parallel shaft misalignments. The all-in-one, space-saving design handles all shaft displacements, providing low backlash for precision, high-torque applications such as roll forming and similar heavy-duty fabricating equipment. Accommodating up to five degrees of angular misalignment and up to 1.5 in. parallel misalignment, the coupling tolerates high shock and reversing loads with minimal or no maintenance required. Easy to install, it is available in standard and inverted hub configurations in bore sizes from 38 mm to 160 mm or 1.500 in. to 6.375 in. Ten model sizes handle speeds up to 1,000 rpm and torque from 2,800 to 500,000 in.-lb.

Zero-Max

Reader Service Card No. 330

Digital screwdriver pays attention to details

The TorqueMate electronic microprocessor-controlled torque screwdriver from Mountz contributes to product quality, cost savings and a reduction in production failures through complete monitoring of the fastening and assembly process with full data collection of the measured values. This digital screwdriver stores more than 2,000 values, detailing date, time and torque measurement information, and the statistical data can easily be downloaded from the screwdriver for evaluation, sharing and storage. The user-friendly interface makes it quick to set up torque testing and auditing parameters. Offered in various models and torque ranges, this compact tool can be used for torque calibration, joint testing, auditing or verification of torque applied. It is suitable for testing and storing test data for ISO, SPC and QC documentation.

Mountz Reader Service Card No. 332

continued on page 30

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

continued from page 29

Linear roller bearing boasts high load capacity

Thomson’s robust RW64-V RoundWay linear roller bearing offers a dynamic load capacity of 310,800 N (70,000 lb-ft) and operating temperatures up to 260°C (500°F) and speeds up to 31 m/s (100 ft/s).

Engineered specifically to withstand extreme loads, speeds, temperature and contamination, the bearing operates on Thomson 60 Case LinearRace shafting,

December 2009

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and also in 95% humidity, and they will withstand a 3-m (10-ft) drop. When enclosed in their protective yellow holsters, both meters will float in water. They are suitable for such job environments as manufacturing plants and foundries, food processing and bottling plants, water and wastewater facilities, marine service and repair, mining, drilling and materials extraction, and outside testing in any weather. The meters measure up to 1,000 VAC and VDC and up to 10 A (20 A for 30 sec.). Average battery life (three AA batteries) is 800 hours.

Fluke Electronics Canada

Hose assembly tracking system increases equipment uptime

The Parker Tracking System from Parker’s Hose Products Division keeps vehicles and machines running longer by increasing the speed, timing and accuracy of acquiring replacement hose assemblies. Uniquely encoded tracking labels incorporate visual data, barcodes and optional RFID technology. The code includes where and when the hose assembly was made, what hose, fittings and accessories were used, and the length of the hose. The labels are affixed to the assembly at the time it is made. In addition, the system features a web-based software system that can be accessed securely through an Internet connection. Customers can reference the code on the label and relay that information to Parker, which can then prepare an identical replacement assembly.

Parker Hannifin Reader Service Card No. 338

Reader Service Card No. 329

Tool monitoring system keeps equipment running

and is available in sizes ranging from 1/2 in. to 4 in. Concave rollers handle extremely high loads with a 10 million L10 rated travel life. The bearing can be used in severely contaminated applications such as metal removal, paper and wood processing and granite quarrying.

Thomson Reader Service Card No. 333

Engineered to combine comfort with safety, the PeakFit NIOSH-approved N95 air-purifying respirator from Gateway Safety has a contoured design and ample size to help make breathing easier and reduce worker fatigue. The moulded nose bridge, which fits most faces, features an internal cushion of soft, closed-cell foam for a snug fit. The durable, integrated, one-piece cloth head strap adjusts to fit any head size and is latex-free. The respirator provides protection against a variety of contaminants and is available in three versions.

Gateway Safety Reader Service Card No. 335

Incorporating many of the design features of Meco’s custom shaft seals, HB standard screw conveyor seals are available in five CEMA and seven metric shaft sizes, from 1 1/12 in. to 3 7/16 in. and from 40 mm to 90 mm. These seals are designed to perform under most of the typical operating conditions associated with screw conveyors or scrolls, including food-grade applications, temperatures up to 260°C (500°F), abrasive products and vertical or inclined conveyors. They accommodate up to 6 mm (1/4 in.) of shaft run-out.

Woodex Bearing Company

Thread repair kit includes magnetized tool

Alcoa Fastening Systems has introduced the Recoil Trade Series kit, an all-in-one thread repair system that in-

cludes a magnetized tang removal tool.

Once broken, the tang clings to the tool, completing the installation in a safe, efficient manner. Also included is an installation tool designed for both turning the tap and setting the insert, eliminating the need for an additional tap wrench. Rounding out the kit are a high-speed drill bit, tap and stainless steel inserts. The kit is available in a wide range of metric and SAE sizes.

Alcoa Fastening Systems Reader Service Card No. 339

Strap wrench grips firmly without damaging work surface

Lowell’s Simplex and Warnock strap wrenches are designed for loosening and tightening oddly shaped or frozen fittings, machine and vehicle oil filters, small handwheels, PVC pipe, knurled

The 6-in. W11-150 Quick Compact Class angle grinder from Metabo incorporates the company’s quick-change wheel system for fast disc change without the use of tools.

Featuring a 9.6-A motor, the tool is designed for cutting and grinding applications in the metalworking and mechanical maintenance industries. The Metabo Vibratech side handle reduces vibration for user comfort during prolonged work periods and lowers the risk of white finger syndrome. Weighing just 6 lb, it features an effective dust protection system, wheel guard, inner flange, outer quick nut, 1,100 W of power, 29.2 in.-lb of torque and a noload speed of 9,000 rpm.

Metabo Reader Service Card No. 343

Fast-cure adhesive suitable for anchoring

Designed for the most rugged conditions, Hilti’s HIT-HY 150 MAX fast-cure adhesive for anchor and rebar applications is able to cure fully in as little as 30 min. at 68°F. This fast cure time, along with easy installation, increases productivity for applications in un-cracked concrete.

Compliant with the 2003/2006 IBC and meeting ICC-ES Acceptance Criteria AC308, the product provides reliable fastening in in-service base materials up to 248°F. It comes in 11.1-fl-oz, 16.9-fl-oz or 47.3-fl-oz tubes. Designers may refer to the company’s Profis Anchor v. 2.0 design software and the Basic Installer Training Program.

Hilti

Electric chain hoist is for use with wind turbines

Rugged DMM withstands water, dust

fasteners and knobs, and turned shafts without scratching, denting or crushing.

The Simplex features a cast metal han-

capacities, the hoist features a suspended hook, standard two-speed hoisting, epoxy-painted protection and efficient heat dissipation through its ribbed design. The body is constructed from pressure-cast aluminum and the electric control panel provides easy access for maintenance. Heat-treated, high-precision lubricated gears ensure quiet operation.

Konecranes Reader Service Card No. 354

Temperature measurement devices are for general industry

Swagelok has introduced bimetal thermometers and thermowells for general industry. The dampened-movement, factory-calibrated thermometers operate in measurement ranges from minus 70°C to 540°C (minus 100°F to 1,000°F) and are available in adjustableangle, centre-back and lower-back mount process connections. The dials are hermetically sealed to prevent fogging and moisture damage. The thermowells are designed to protect the thermometers from contact with viscous, pressurized, corrosive or abrasive process fluids. Featuring 304 stainless steel construction, they are available in straight, reduced and tapered shaft designs.

Swagelok Reader Service Card No. 398

Reader Service Card No. 344

Reader Service Card No. 340

Designed to survive water, dust and rough handling, the Fluke 27 II and 28 II digital multimeters are IP 67 rated for water and dust resistance and offer an operating temperature range of minus 15°C to 55°C (5°F to 131°F). In addition, they will function in minus 40°C temperatures for up to 20 min.

Angle grinder has efficient wheel change system

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Seal is designed for screw conveyors

Reader Service Card No. 342

Reader Service Card No. 336

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Respirator is designed with comfort in mind

DataRealm has introduced an automated web-based metalworking tool life monitoring system known as ToolMon. Part of the company’s implementation of Manufacturing Business Intelligence solutions, the system predicts upcoming tool changes by hourly increments, compares tool life by machines, departments and plants, connects directly to cutting machines and analyzes tool life by parts produced or time-incut. It increases productivity and helps prevent unplanned downtime by collecting detailed operational data, including such critical measurements as time remaining for each tool.

DataRealm

dle, polyester fibre strap that is treated with latex for extra grip, and a special nose configuration.

Four handle lengths are available, and the strap comes in several widths and lengths. The Warnock’s strap feeds through a drop-forged shackle, which swings away from the handle for quick strap adjustment, securely holds the strap in a closed position and provides extra turning force. Both wrenches have a baked-on epoxy finish for durability.

Lowell

Konecranes offers specialized products and services for wind turbine applications. The company’s lightweight, compact WXN electric chain hoist is mounted to a jib crane within the nacelle of the turbine. Offering a standard lifting capacity from 1/8 ton to 1 ton and optional higher

Fume extractor includes costsaving features

Designed specifically for welding, the Filtair 130 fume extractor from Miller Electric offers efficient fume filtration in a light, portable package. Features include particle capture down to 0.1 micron, a manually cleanable filter using compressed air, and a variable speed 1-hp motor that filters up to 132 cfm at a low 68.5 decibels.

Compact and easily carried/rolled to the work site, the unit weighs 46 lb and is less than 2 ft tall. It comes with a standard 8-ft collection hose, with 17-ft and 34-ft hoses optionally available, all of which connect to funnel or slotted nozzles or a fume extraction welding gun.

Miller Electric Reader Service Card No. 341

MRO

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December 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

What’s new in electronic and electrical components t

Smart battery isolator extends product life

Cole Hersee has introduced the Smart Battery Isolator models 48525 and 48530, available in 85-A and 200-A versions, which prevent loads on the auxiliary battery from draining the starting battery. This small, lightweight device is not specific to an alternator type and generates little heat. It reduces charging system workload by not connecting to the auxiliary battery until the primary battery is charged to 13.2 V. No diode efficiency losses occur, and the isolator allows bi-directional charging from alternator or from other power chargers/converters. Easy to install, it features an LED status indicator and operational start assist.

Cole Hersee

diode module. Contained in a compact housing, the module integrates all 24-VDC power supply units into the system through modules in the MB diode series. Several modules can be connected together or to MICO modules.

Murrelektronik Reader Service Card No. 309

Electrical installation assessment improves productivity

Schneider Electric’s MP4 plant-wide electrical assessment evaluates an existing electrical network, identifies key compo-

Isolation monitor is for ungrounded mining machinery

Designed to provide electrical safety for mine workers, the A-Isometer IR420 series isolation monitors from Bender boost the safety of large AC-powered mining machines. The series monitors the insulation resistance of ungrounded AC systems up to 300 V. The response range is steplessly adjustable from 1 kOhm to 200 kOhm, and values are displayed on a seven-segment LCD. A large range of supply voltages can be applied to the unit. By connecting an external supply voltage, it also allows de-energized systems to be monitored.

Features include internal and external test/reset buttons, selfmonitoring with automatic alarm message, digital alarms with two separate alarm relays, and a connection monitoring system.

Bender Reader Service Card No. 312

nents that could trigger high-risk events at critical process points, and produces a set of four different plans — a management plan, a monitoring plan, a modernization plan and a maintenance plan — specifying ways to optimize operating costs, prioritize capital investments, in-

crease safety and improve equipment/ system reliability. This assessment is suitable for critical power applications in petrochemical, mining, water treatment and other industrial facilities.

Schneider Electric Reader Service Card No. 311

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Reader Service Card No. 310

DC servo drive operates at up to 190 VDC

The model BX15A20 brushless DC trapezoidally commutated PWM servo amplifier from Advanced Motion Controls is de-

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signed to drive brushless DC motors at a high switching frequency. Rated at 15 A peak, 7.5 A continuous output, the servo amplifier accepts 40 VDC to 190 VDC and operates in current or velocity mode. Commutation is achieved using Hall sensors.

The drive is fully protected against overvoltage, over-current, over-heating and short-circuits. It interfaces with a digital controller or can be used as a stand-alone drive. Measurements of this compact unit are 5.09 in. by 3.48 in. by 0.99 in.

Advanced Motion Controls

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Reader Service Card No. 307

Switching device protects power supply

Murrelektronik’s MB diode is a redundant power supply switching device featuring a design that decouples power supply units to provide connected and

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What’s new in motors and drives t

Metric single phase motor range is versatile

Lafert NA offers a range of metric single-phase motors, suitable for foreign industrial machinery, including 115-V and 230-V motors, 1Ph, 60 Hz, in two, four and six poles, from fractional to 5 hp.

The LM line of motors is designed for fan-duty applications where low starting torque is required, and the LME range is for applications requiring a high starting torque motor. Both are offered in 115 V or 230 V. Also available are the dual-voltage DV and DVE ranges, featuring the same torque characteristics as the LM and LME motors, but in a dual 115-V and 230-V design. The motors also are available with increased or reduced flanges to fit in specialized applications.

Lafert NA Reader Service Card No. 317

Motor starter assembles in minutes

Moeller’s Syst-M line of ready-made motor starters is suitable for a variety of industrial applications to 60 hp. The fully modular design includes only three parts, reducing assembly time to minutes. Plug-in connectors allow the assembly of various starter configurations, while maintaining the system’s UL/CSA approvals. All starters are housed in a NEMA 1, 12 or 3R heavy-duty enclosure and feature a reset button pre-installed on the front cover. Incoming voltage options include 208 V, 240 V, 480 V and 600 V. Output voltage is 120 V to match the contactor.

Moeller

Variable frequency drive is user-friendly

The Variflex2 RVEF series of variable frequency drives has been released by Carlo Gavazzi. These compact yet fullfeatured AC motor drives are suitable for general-purpose motor applications from 0.25-hp to 3-hp motors. They are easy to set up and use via the front touch pad or intuitive PC software tool. Two frame sizes are available, covering main supply voltages (110/230 VAC single phase or 230/480 VAC three phase). Internal thermal management has been optimized to allow side-by-side installation without any performance de-rating in temperatures up to 50°C (122°F).

Carlo Gavazzi

December 2009

Gearbox has hollow shaft option

Wittenstein’s Alpha LP+ gearbox, suitable for a wide range of applications, features a durable, maintenance-free construction. The company has created processes to design standard gearboxes for specific applications, including a modular gear reducer with a hollow shaft option. The Alpha LPH hollow-shaft gearbox has been designed and tested for belt actuators. Technical specifications for this model are similar to those of the regular Alpha LP+ product line.

Wittenstein Reader Service Card No. 320

Gearmotor line offers high torque output

Driven by 186-W or 373-W (1/4-hp or 1/2hp) three-phase 230-V TEFC AC electric

Reader Service Card No. 394

Digital DC drive makes installation easy

Sprint Electric has increased its range of PLX digital DC drives up to 2,250 A (980 kW/1,320 hp). All models, ranging from 650 A to 2,250 A, are offered with either top-entry or bottom-entry three-phase supply inputs, and in 690 VAC or 480 VAC. Available as two-quadrant or regenerative four-quadrant types, these drives are suitable for controlling DC motors in heavy industrial applications, such as metalworking, steel mills and

Reader Service Card No. 397

Gear reducer is for use in sanitary applications

Designed to meet stringent requirements in food processing, packaging, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, the stainless steel, BISSC-certified products from Grove Gear have a smooth surface finish for easy-to-clean, sanitary operation. Products include worm, helicalworm and helical-bevel gear reducers

motors, the 650 series Verdant Duty variable speed gearmotor from Bison is designed for long-life operation with continuous-duty torque outputs from 16.7 N-m to 81 N-m (148 in-lb to 717 in-lb). These specially constructed inverter-duty gearmotors are suitable for such load conditions as conveying. The series comprises five models, with gear ratios from 27.6:1 to 214.5:1.

The matching AC drives come in both open chassis and NEMA 4X enclosures.

Bison Gear & Engineering

Reader Service Card No. 396

Reader Service Card No. 321

Program takes automation systems to the next level

AC drive offers application flexibility

Alcan’s Grande Baie, QC, primary aluminum production facility recently migrated from the Modicon 800 series I/O modules to Quantum PLCs, through Schneider Electric’s Modicon Advance Program (MAP). Designed to support

and ratio multipliers. The worm reducers are offered in six sizes with ratings to 17 hp. Single and double reduction units are available with ratios from 5:1 to 3,600:1.

Featuring helical gearing, the dual-purpose ratio multipliers can be used as a stand-alone single reduction inline reducer or as a bolt-on to the input of a Cfaced gear reducer.

Leeson Canada Reader Service Card No. 319

t

AC motor line offers energy savings

Schneider Electric’s installed base of Modicon customers with technical expertise, service and support, MAP’s goal is to ensure that customers’ systems are performing at optimal levels. This fivestep process entails replacing the 800 series rack with a swing arm backplate assembly and Quick-Fit cables. Technicians found that these reduced upgrade time by almost 16 hours, a significant time savings for these types of upgrades.

They also found the MAP program instructions very easy to follow. The migration did not cause a loss in production.

Schneider Electric

Baldor Reliance RPM AC motors offer compact square laminated steel frames for inverter duty and vector duty applications. They are available from stock in totally enclosed fan or blower cooled and drip-proof designs from 3 hp through 1,000 hp. Designed to handle demanding, high-performance industrial applications in smaller frame sizes, these high-efficiency motors feature low inertia and are optimized for use with adjustable speed drives. They are suitable for use with extruders, conveyors, crane and hoist systems, converting, web processing and printing.

Baldor Electric

Reader Service Card No. 318

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able lead time expectations for customengineered prototypes, benefits of an expanding product portfolio, production scalability and value-added opportunities. The paper can be downloaded at www. BisonGear.com.

Bison Gear

The first model in the Rockwell Automation’s PowerFlex 750 series AC drives, the PowerFlex 755 AC drive supports multiple languages, meets global standards and certifications and is suited for many industries, including converting, automotive, machinery, food and beverage, material handling, metals, mining, and tire and rubber. Available in power ranges from 7.5 kW to 250 kW or 10 hp to 350 hp at 400/480 VAC and 540/650 VDC input, the drive offers such embedded features as AllenBradley DeviceLogix control and Ethernet. The slot-based mechanical architecture allows customers to tailor the drive with as few or as many options as their application requires.

Rockwell Automation

mining, and the cement, rubber and plastics industries. The high-voltage model is for use with 750-VDC armature motors, and provides an increase in shaft power of up to 1,500 kW/2,000 hp.

MDA Controls Reader Service Card No. 393

Hydrostatic fan drive system dissipates engine heat fast

Rexroth’s hydrostatic fan drive system provides maximum fan speed independent of the engine speed. The incorporation of the company’s F series pump and motor technology suits it for a variety of applications, including construction machines, agriculture and forestry vehicles, and road and rail vehicles. The system works in a wide range of ambient tem-

Reader Service Card No. 395

White paper educates suppliers on custom gearmotors

Bison Gear’s white paper, 10 Things Everybody Ought to Know About Custom Gearmotors, is designed for all makes, sizes and types of gearmotors. Recognizing the importance of involving gearmotor suppliers’ application engineers early in the design process, the company includes such issues as the value of proprietary gearmotor specifications, reason-

perature conditions, from minus 40°C to plus 100°C (minus 40°F to plus 212°F).

The robust gear motor features a compact design and integrated proportional control.

Bosch Rexroth Canada Reader Service Card No. 368

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

San Diego, CA — Nearly 700 executives in the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) and fluid power industries gathered to network and build business relationships at the co-located Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) Industry Summit and the FPDA Motion & Control Network’s Fall Networking Symposium, held Oct. 22-24, 2009, in San Diego, CA. PTDA is a trade association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel that represents 198 power transmission/ motion control distributor firms throughout North America and 11 other countries, as well as 187 manufacturers that supply the PT/MC industry. The FPDA Motion & Control Network includes more than 300 distributor and manufacturer members representing motion solution providers who offer fluid power, automation, and electro-mechanical technologies and distribution services.

Under a conference theme of What’s Your Next Move?, many participants attended to gather information to take advantage of opportunities as the economy was beginning to climb out of the 200809 recession.

The conference featured an opening keynote address by Dean Kamen, president of DEKA Research and Development Corp. and founder of US FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Kamen, holder of over 440 US patents, began his presentation by highlighting several of his company’s innovations, many of which incorporate power transmission and fluid power products. These include the portable insulin pump, the Segway and the DARPA prosthetic arm.

Kamen spoke mainly on behalf of the US FIRST program. “There are six billion people out there who really need healthcare and energy in a realistic, sustainable, environmentally rational way. The solutions to those problems are not going to come from politicians or lawyers or bankers. They’re going to come from the next generation of really smart kids,” he

Industry Summit keynote speaker Dean Kamen said drinking water and electrical power are the developing world’s most critical needs.

Keith Nowak of MPT Drives Inc. was elected PTDA’s president for 2010.

Karen Carrier, Angie Bisante and Diane Kenney participated with many others in a fundraising walk as part of the conference to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure charity, helping to raise more than $2,500.

said. He encouraged attendees to get involved with FIRST as mentors, supporters and suppliers of products that make up the kits students use to build robots for the annual FIRST Robotics Competition.

A macroeconomic update by Dr. Robert Genetski provided a framework of classic economic principles to explain the current economic climate and forecast the business environment for the coming year. According to Genetski, the downward cycle has ended, and the recovery is slowly beginning. However, due to a US proposal to require banks to prepay their insurance, Genetski cautions that the recovery may be temporarily “short-circuited.”

Photographs: Bill Roebuck

PTDA Industry Summit participants focus on moving their businesses forward

Randy Breaux of Baldor Electric Company was elected the PTDA Manufacturer Council chair for 2010

A team from the annual FIRST Robotics Competition displayed a robot at the Industry Summit.

It needed lots of maintenance, we noted.

The conference included three workshops for industry executives: Adam Uhlman and Joe Calvello of Cleveland Research presented findings from their survey of PTDA’s members. Members reported six end-user markets as experiencing net strength; nearly 70% of those surveyed cited flat prices during the third quarter.

Dr. William R. McCleave stressed using knowledge, information and data to analyze trends and developments that will affect success in pursuing new opportunities.

Specifically, McCleave gave participants the tools needed to assess six areas (owner, market, customer, competition, supplier

Warren Pike Award honours lifetime achievement PTDA named Alan M. Haveson, CEO, Lee Linear, Middlesex, NJ, as the 20th recipient of its Warren Pike Award for lifetime achievement in the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry.

Haveson received the award, named for PTDA’s co-founder and first president, at the association’s Industry Summit in San Diego. The award was established in 1984 to honour individuals who have demonstrated outstanding, continuous, long-term support of PTDA and the PT/MC industry.

Known for his enthusiasm for the industry, Haveson was thrilled to receive the award. “Thank you to the founders of our association for their dream and sharing it,” he said. “Thank you to my fellow distributors who shared, worked, and grew with me. Thank you to the manufacturers who provided an opportunity for me to build a business, and thank you to PTDA for being Alan Haveson of Lee a foundation for both distributors and manufacturers from which we have been able to create Linear was congratureal value-added benefit for the world’s industrial marketplace.” lated by his wife, Betsy, Haveson became involved with PTDA when his distribution company, Eastern Bearing Inc., after he received PTDA’s joined PTDA in 1969. Between 1971 and 1984, Haveson served on at least seven committees.

Warren Pike Award for He became a board member in 1978 and served as president in 1985, successfully leading the lifetime achievement. association through a difficult staff transition period.

In 2000, Haveson sold Eastern Bearing but stayed on to ensure a smooth transition. After a short attempt at retirement, he acquired manufacturer Lee Linear and brought that company into the PTDA family in 2004. Even during those retirement years, Haveson stayed connected with the industry as a member of the PTDA Foundation Board of Trustees.

In presenting the award, PTDA executive vice-president Mary Sue Lyon said, “With a 40-year history with PTDA, you might think things would be getting a bit old hat for Alan. But if you believe that, you must not know Alan! Everyone, and I mean everyone, knows him as one of PTDA’s most loyal and dedicated supporters. Alan exudes unparalleled passion for this industry and for this association.”

Mike Kolman, president, Brewer Machine & Gear, served on the board with Alan in the early 1980s and recognized Haveson’s long-term commitment to PTDA. Kolman said, “The reason Alan became active was not for his own self-interest. He did it because he believed in what PTDA was doing.”

Bill Childers, president North American sales, Rexnord LLC, echoed Kolman’s comments. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone with the passion that Alan has brought to both his business and PTDA. He’s unbelievable.

and resource) in determining a company’s ability to make the next move.

In addition, Mike Marks presented models in the areas of business development, pricing, organization and risk to help participants exploit emerging opportunities.

Once again this year, the Industry Summit featured a table-top booth program known as the Manufacturer-Distributor Idea Exchange (MD-IDEX).

With nearly 120 manufacturer and service provider participants, hundreds of appointments were held in addition to 90 minutes of open time that allowed for impromptu conversations.

For the fourth year, the organizers hosted a Motion Control Showcase, featuring exhibits from 26 motion control suppliers. PTDA members sell over $800 million in motion control products annually, and through table-top displays, were able to learn more about these products.

Since October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the US, spouses and companions of delegates participated in a fundraising walk to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure (ww5.komen.org), raising more than $2,500.

Keith Nowak, president, MPT Drives Inc., Madison Heights, MI, was elected PTDA’s president for 2010, and Randy Breaux, vice-president marketing, Baldor Electric Company, Fort Smith, AR, assumed the duties of the PTDA Manufacturer Council chair for 2010.

The next Industry Summit, celebrating PTDA’s 50th anniversary, will be held Oct. 21-23, 2010, at the JW Marriott MRO Desert Ridge in Phoenix, AZ. For more information on the Industry Summit, visit www.mromagazine.com or www.ptda.org/industrysummit. Information on the FPDA conference can be found at www.fpda.org.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

December 2009

PTDA networking works in San Diego Photographs: Bill Roebuck

Hundreds of members of the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) gathered in San Diego, CA, in October for the association’s annual Industry Summit. This page features some photo highlights from the event. Turn to the previous page for our report from the conference.

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Gene Martin, Martin Sprocket and Gear — an honorary lifetime member of PTDA — with Pierre Bouchard, General Bearing Service Inc.

Oswaldo Almeida, newly promoted to the position of aftermarket sales manager at NSK Canada Inc., staffed the company’s booth at MD-IDEX.

PTDA’s executive vice-president, Mary Sue Lyon, is joined by Hans Hanegreefs, executive vice-president of the European PTDA and Renu Snehi aboard the USS Midway.

Ajay Bajaj of Rotator Products Ltd. waits with Don Latham of Belterra Corp. for a business session to begin.

Bill Childers of Rexnord LLC said PTDA’s Mary Sue Lyon is one of his favourite people.

Tony and Angie Bisante, RBI Bearing Inc.

Carine and Jean Marie Fink, JMF Consulting, travelled all the way from Mougins, France, to attend the Industry Summit.

Barbara Ross, Drives LLC, Don Lewin, Canadian Bearings Ltd., and Jos Sueters, Tsubaki of Canada Ltd.

The PTDA convention hotel was located close to the entrance to the Gaslamp District of old San Diego.

Jase Doane, Devcon, Kevin Boyle, Loctite, Chris Stevens, Devcon, and Ian Goodland, Devcon; at PTDA events, even competitors are friendly.

Mark and Sandra Flaherty with Cory Shaw, QM Bearings Inc.

Mike Nisenbaum and Danny Spungen of Peer Chain Co., with Kristy Large and Mitch Bouchard, General Bearing Service Inc.

Doug Durham, Lovejoy Inc., with Cam and Elaine Lawrence, BDI Canada Inc.

Conference delegates attended a wrap-up reception and dinner on board the Second World War aircraft carrier, the USS Midway.

Reader Service Card No. 134

UNMATCHED ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE FROM THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP Belt Tension Measuring Device LASER.TRUMMY2 The robust, handy LASER.TRUMMY2 is an optical-electronic instrument for measuring and setting optimum belt tension (strand force). Optimum belt tension, like precise alignment of the belt pulleys is an essential precondition for achieving the maximum possible life of the belt drive. There is also less wear of the drive components, energy costs are reduced and cost-Effectiveness is increased.

The user-friendly LASER.TRUMMY2 can be used in many locations and is comprised of a cableless measurement probe, a measurement probe with a cable for difficult to access locations and a microprocessor that indicates relevant measurables for belt tension either as frequency [Hz] or force [N]. By means of an impulse (for example by striking the stationary belt), the tensioned belt is excited to natural vibration.

The individual static natural frequency thus generated is measured within seconds by the

Current Solutions in Electric Machinery Rolling bearings with ceramic coating provide insulation against the passage of electrical current and prevent corrosion leading to bearing failure – one of many advantages offered by Schaeffler Group with INA and FAG products for electric machinery.

Schaeffler innovations in surface finishes has resulted in ball bearings that exhibit extremely low noise. Tested, high-grade Arcanol electric motor grease facilitates optimal bearing operation and lifetime, while Schaeffler X-life cylindrical roller bearings are designed to contend with increasingly high loads.

Through continuous product innovation, Schaeffler stays current and sets the standard for rolling bearing solutions in electric motors and machinery.

TRUMMY2 sensor using clock pulse light and displayed. In order to calculate the strand force of the belt drive, the belt mass and length are entered in the microcomputer before measurement. TRUMMY2 uses these to calculate the strand force, which is then compared with the specified nominal value.

In comparison with systems operating for example by sound waves, this new measurement technique using clock pulse light offers a superior solution, since the measurement result cannot be distorted by disruptive influences.

Reader Service Card No’s. 135

Belt Pulley Alignment Device LASER.SMARTY2 LASER.SMARTY2 is an economical measuring device for the alignment of belt pulleys and chain sprockets. The use of SMARTY2 promotes reduced wear of belt drives, bearings and seals.

Less vibration is generated and the running time and reliability of the machinery is increased.

The measuring device can be mounted in just a few seconds. The laser beam can be clearly seen on the target marks.

Once the laser beam is adjusted to coincide with the slots in the target marks, the machine is correctly aligned.

In addition to optical targets, SMARTY2 with a digital target. In this case, adjustment values are shown in the display in real time. Misalignments are presented in degrees and the parallelism offset in millimetres.

The SMARTY2 emitter and target marks are easily mounted magnetically, but the lightweight devices can also be easily attached to non-magnetic drive pulleys using a strong, double-sided adhesive tape.

Features and advantages: • Parallelism and misalignment of both pulleys displayed • Significantly quicker and more precise than conventional methods • Suitable for both horizontally and vertically mounted machinery • Only one person required for alignment For additional information about LASER.SMARTY2 or LASER.TRUMMY2, contact your local Schaeffler representative or visit www.fis-services.com.

Reader Service Card No’s. 136

SCHAEFFLER GROUP INDUSTRIAL

www.schaeffler-group.com