Machinery & Equipment MRO February 2009

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

Tips for troubleshooting your electric motors How green is your gearmotor?

Hydraulic condition monitoring tips

Vol. 25, No. 1

Case history: Intertape Polymer

FEBRUARY 2009

Another explosion waiting to happen?

Success secrets for maintenance meetings

Great low-cost ideas

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to improve your maintenance operations now

WHAT’S NEW

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MOTORS

CONDITION MONITORING

SEALS & GASKETS

P r o d u c t

sp tlight

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Reader Service Card No. 351

The Easy-Laser D480 shaft alignment system offers versatility in a mid-rangepriced package. It features 14 measurement and alignment programs/functions, and is fully expandable into geometric measurement capabilities. The Easy Link software supplied with the system offers such functions as storage, measurement, evaluation and printing. In the shaft horizontal program, the heads only need to be moved 40 degrees to perform a shaft alignment. Other programs include vertical alignment, soft foot correction and machine train alignment.

There is an option for correcting bolt-bound and base-bound machines.

Benchmark Maintenance Services

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A line of environmentally friendly sorbents has been introduced by ESP. Largely non-oil-based, ColdForm sorbents use renewable and recycled resources, require less energy to produce, and reduce dependence on oil resources. The cost of these bio-based materials are no longer based on the fluctuating prices of oilbased resins. The sorbents absorb 20% to 40% more than comparable polypropylene meltblown sorbents. Available in pads, rolls and drum tops, the line comprises Laminated, Fine Fiber, Natural Bonded and Drum Tops. All pads and rolls are available perforated and in a range of colours, weights and sizes.

Evolution Sorbent Products

Shaft alignment system is versatile

Reader Service Card No. 352

Belt runs on existing toothed pulleys

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Sorbent line is earth-friendly

February 2009

The Jason-Megadyne RPP Gold tooth-profile belt is a low-maintenance, low-noise, economical choice for drive systems equipped with chains and gears. It is particularly suitable for efficient, compact drives that experience high torque loading. Load-carrying capacity is increased by up to 35% compared to previous RPP Panther belts, and more than 220% compared to the RPP Silver belt. The belt uses existing RPP pulleys, which maintains interchangeability with other deep-profile systems and allows the system to be upgraded without having to replace the pulleys.

Jason Industrial Reader Service Card No. 350

Fitting cleaner clears blockages quickly

The Lincoln 5805 impact fitting cleaner from Flo Components is an economical, time-saving alternative to fitting replacement and joint disassembly. Designed to eliminate the downtime caused by dried blockages, the cleaner clears obstructions by allowing lightweight oil or solvents to penetrate the clog with a quick burst of pressure. It also cleans bearing and joint surfaces of hardened grease so that fresh grease can be applied.

The product comes in a case that includes a steel drive cylinder, hardened piston, safety shield, high-pressure hose for hard-to-access fittings, spare drive seals and the model 5852 coupler.

Flo Components Reader Service Card No. 356

Motor packs power in a small size

Baldor Reliance RPM AC motors offer compact square laminated steel frames for inverter duty and vector duty applications. Available in totally enclosed fan- or blower-cooled and dripproof designs from 3 hp through 1,000 hp, these high-efficiency motors are designed to handle extremely demanding, high-performance industrial applications in frame sizes that are up to three times smaller than other NEMA or IEC motors. They are optimized for use with adjustable speed drives. Applications include extruders, conveyors, crane and hoist systems, converting, web processing and printing, cut-to-length applications, and others.

RG Speed Control Reader Service Card No. 355

Laser alignment system uses wireless communication

Precision Equipment Rental has introduced the modular, mid-range Optalign Smart laser alignment system from Pruftechnik. The system is used in the

maintenance of rotating machinery such as pumps, motors, gearboxes and compressors. The wireless RF module for the transducer eliminates the need for cables, and reports now can be printed in pdf format to a memory stick right at the unit for easy transfer to a computer.

Many other options are available.

Precision Equipment Rental Reader Service Card No. 115

Reader Service Card No. 354

MRO

KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD ON! a

Friend ly, l Custo mer S ocal ervice

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a Hands-on

rams Training Prog

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When you buy LoctiteŽ, you’re getting more than quality products!

www.henkelna.com/mro1 1.800.263.5043 Reader Service Card No. 116

Henkel Canada Corporation 2225 Meadowpine Blvd.

Mississauga, ON, L5N 7P2

c o n t e n t s

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009

features Tips for troubleshooting motors / 15

Case history: Establishing machinery priorities / 20

Here are several essential steps for taking electrical, insulation and thermal measurements of motors and drives.

Nova Scotia’s Intertape Polymer tackles the job of balancing the needs of production and maintenance.

How green is your gearmotor? / 16

There are several ways to increase motor efficiencies.

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Hydraulic system condition monitoring tips / 18

An effective and efficient method to diagnose internal leakage on mobile equipment.

p20

Editor’s Notebook / 6 Industry Newswatch / 8 Mr. O, The Problem Solver / 14, 18

The right cooling tower or condenser drive system depends on the industry application and environmental considerations.

Advancement in wireless technologies is transforming vision into reality in industrial environments.

Product Spotlight / 2

Company Briefs / 10

Choosing gearboxes for process cooling / 22

Monitor machine conditions wirelessly / 18

departments

The Safety File / 23 CMMS Solutions / 24

MRO on the Road / 33-34

Supervisory Suggestions / 25

See who’s steppin’ out at EASA Ontario Chapter annual meeting and trade show (pg. 33), and the IDI general meeting and IDImart show (pg. 34).

Maintenance Management / 26

columns

Focus on Condition Monitoring / 27

Is your facility just another explosion waiting to happen? / 23

Focus on Seals & Gaskets / 29

How dust control keeps workers safe.

MRO Components / 30

MRO on the Road / 33-34 Product News Focus on Motors & Drives / 38

Great low-cost ideas to improve maintenance now / 24

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Take advantage of the economic slowdown.

Success secrets for 21st century meetings / 25

How to make agendas user-friendly.

Lots to learn at the ‘Super Mill’ / 26 SWxx X-SeriesAD-Horizontal_MRO:Layout 1

11/21/08

4:30 PM

Follow along with Step 25 in a journey World-Class Maintenance.

Cover © 2009 Jupiterimages Corp.

Page to 1

NEW Industrial Gear Units X tra robust housing X tremely fine torque graduation

X traordinarily flexible mounting options

X ceptionally effective cooling system

Driving the World Toronto (905) 791-1553

Montreal (514) 367-1124

Vancouver (604) 946-5535

Reader Service Card No. 117

www.sew-eurodrive.ca

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e d i t o r’ s

N o t e b o o k

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009

Time to tune in to the good news

T

he daily media just can’t seem to help themselves. They’re drawn to bad economic news and gloomy predictions like fleas to a mangy dog. Far too many of them have ignored opportunities to report on positive aspects of our economy over the past few months — such as cheaper prices at the gas pumps, better export pricing courtesy of a lower Canadian dollar vis-à-vis the U.S. greenback, interest rates lower than most of us can ever recall, the 120,000 new jobs created across Canada last year, and the large pool of expert, skilled workers that is ready, willing and able nationwide.

Look further and you’ll find even more good news among the gloom of today’s economy, such as the wider availability of raw materials from around the world and the fact that it’s a good time (price-wise) to invest in new equipment and technologies.

Plus, almost everybody’s in the mindset to help out (well, maybe not York University

contract teachers or key elements of the auto unions, but that’s another story).

Contrary to immediate impressions, now is also a good time to think about things such as conserving energy and resources. These don’t always seem so important when times are good. A tough economic climate gives us opportunities to work better and smarter — practices that will remain valuable even after the economy improves.

But even if your company’s hurting ‘oh, so bad’, there are still several strategic techniques it can apply that will reduce expenditures without damaging operations over the long term.

Here are some strategies that make sense in a slower economy: Consider, instead of laying off staff, asking everyone to share the burden by working shorter hours.

Convert monetary bonuses into paid time off.

Do more planning, especially for maintenance needs, so work is done more efficiently and effectively. Take full advantage of a CMMS program. Use slower times to fully implement all facets of a CMMS so it’s ready to run full-steam when work picks up again.

Once and for all, resolve those lingering equipment problems.

While the work pressure is off, take the opportunity to do some training. Get the help of vendors, suppliers and distributors.

Check out online and classroom courses.

Bring in a consultant to train everyone on condition monitoring technologies. It can be a good time to invest in the future.

Instead of having planning meetings over lunch, make it coffee instead, and in the plant instead of a rental hall.

Clean up the storeroom so you can find spare parts more readily. Get rid of stuff you’ll probably never use; selling such things at auction can raise some money for new shelving.

Carefully evaluate your buying, and only stock what you’ll need. Ask distributors to hold inventory for you until it’s needed, saving storeroom space.

Instead of out-sourcing, try in-sourcing. Review the expertise of your staff and see who can train others on upgrading their skills. This will help to keep less-busy employees occupied and by doing training in-house with your own staff, you’ll cut expenses.

Use your CMMS or even a notebook to track the warranties on your machinery and equipment. Be sure to ask suppliers to provide replacement parts on covered items, instead of sourcing them from your own stores unnecessarily.

Suggest everyone come up with ideas for cutting costs within their own departments or their own jobs, in both operations and maintenance.

Check out the cost-savings available from switching to another distributor; evaluate the benefits of buying groups for industrial supplies.

Bill Roebuck, Editor & Associate Publisher

machinery and equipment

maintenance, repair and operations

FEbRuaRy 2009 Volume 25, No. 1 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, Lloyd Leugner, 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 John desroche, advertising Production 416-510-6756 dorothy tan, subscription Enquiries 416-442-5600 x3554 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.

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KEEPING YOUR BUSINESS UP TO SPEED.

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Real GDP expected to rebound, growing by 3.8% in 2010 Ottawa, ON — In the Bank of Canada’s January Monetary Policy Report Update, which discusses current economic and financial trends in the context of Canada’s inflation-control strategy, it noted that the outlook for the global economy has deteriorated, with the intensifying financial crisis spilling over into real economic activity. However, the bad news should end by next year, it predicts.

“Heightened uncertainty is undermining business and household confi-

dence worldwide and further eroding domestic demand, the Bank says. “Major advanced economies, including Canada’s, are now in recession, and emerging-market economies are increasingly affected.

Commodity prices — especially energy prices — have fallen as a result of substantially weaker global demand.

“Stabilization of the global financial system is a precondition for economic recovery. To that end, governments and central banks are taking bold and concerted policy actions. There are signs that these extraordinary measures are starting to gain traction, although it will take some time for financial conditions to normalize. In addition, considerable monetary and fiscal policy stimulus is being provided worldwide.”

The Bank notes that Canadian exports are down sharply, and domestic demand is shrinking as a result of declines in real income, household wealth and confidence. Canada’s economy is projected to contract through mid-2009, with real GDP dropping by 1.2% this year on an annual average basis.

However, as policy actions begin to take hold in Canada and globally, and with support from the past depreciation of the Canadian dollar, real GDP is expected to rebound, growing by 3.8% in 2010.

A wider output gap through 2009 and modest decreases in housing prices should cause core CPI inflation to ease, bottoming at 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Total CPI inflation is expected to dip below zero for two quarters in 2009, reflecting yearon-year drops in energy prices.

With inflation expectations wellanchored, total and core inflation should return to the 2% target in the first half of 2011 as the economy returns to potential.

PT/MC DISTRIBUTORS EXPERIENCE TOUGH NOVEMBER Chicago, IL — The November 2008 month-end trend data for distributors and manufacturers of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products compiled by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) showed

poor results for both groups of companies in Canada and the United States.

In November 2008, U.S. distributors’ overall sales of PT/MC products experienced the largest month-to-month decrease in sales since January 2002, falling 16.0% when compared to October 2008.

When matched up against sales in the same month last year, sales in November 2008 were down by 4.1%. The confidence index of U.S. distributors for November was unchanged for the third consecutive month, remaining at 5.2 (on a 10-point scale).

Canadian distributors reported a 12.8% drop in sales in November 2008 from the previous month. Sales over the same period last year were down 11.2%.

For the fourth consecutive month, the confidence level of Canadian distributors remained steady at 5.3.

After two months of sales growth, U.S. manufacturers’ sales dropped 16.8% in November 2008 when compared to October 2008. Compared to the same period last year, sales in November 2008 were virtually unchanged, decreasing 0.2%. Orders in November 2008 were down 23.7% over October 2008. The confidence level of U.S. manufacturers was unchanged at 4.9.

Canadian manufacturers’ sales were down 18.6% compared to October 2008.

Sales were down 21.1% when compared to the same period last year. The confidence level of Canadian manufacturers rose slightly to 4.8, up 0.4 points from last month’s level.

The full report is available from the PTDA by calling 312-516-2100 or by visiting www.ptda.org.

WHAT’S THE EFFECT ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF THE CREDIT CRUNCH? Toronto, ON — Addressing the impact of the credit crunch on Canada’s supply chain is the subject of a new report from consulting firm Deloitte. It is based on findings from a survey that asked supply chain managers throughout Canada how the current credit crisis is affecting their business.

Breathing room: Ten ideas for squeezing more working capital from your supply chain looks at both short-term and long-term practices and strategies to consider in minimizing risk and planning for growth in this uncertain time.

Approximately 80% of those surveyed believe that the credit crisis will continue to have a significant impact over the next 12 to 24 months.

EPTDA ENTERS SECOND DECADE Brussels, Belgium — The European Power Transmission Distributors Association (EPTDA) elected its new board of directors at the association’s 10-year anniversary annual convention last fall in Brussels.

Manfred Beitel (WLB Antriebselemente Handelsgesellschaft mbH, Germany) took on the position of president for the next two years. Beitel was a past

February 2009

Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) member before he joined the EPTDA in 2001.

“I am keen on leading this successful association into its new decade. After 10 years of existence, EPTDA can be proud its exceptional development and growth.

I trust that, together with the board of directors and the continuous support of our members, EPTDA has a bright future ahead.”

The association’s 2009 calendar of events includes the All Committees’ Days & Executive Development Seminar, March 26-28, 2009, in Malta; a joint EPTDA/PTDA pavilion at Hannover Fair, April 20-24, 2009, in Germany; and its annual convention, themed ‘Excellence in Relationships’, September 23-25, 2009, in Rome, Italy.

For more information, visit the website at www.eptda.org.

SILICONE TECHNOLOGY HELPS MAKE WIND ENERGY A BREEZE Midland, MI — Silicones are helping wind energy become one of the world’s fastest growing sources of renewable power with technologies that improve turbine reliability, increase efficiency and reduce costs. In 2007, capacity expansions in North America, Europe and China drove a 27% increase in global wind energy use, according to the latest Vital Sign Update from the Worldwatch Institute.

Converting wind energy to electricity is relatively simple: blades on a turbine shaft turn a generator to produce electricity. However, effectively producing a significant amount of clean, renewable power can strain components such as hydraulic circuits, brakes, blades and bearings.

“The cost of alternative energy sources must be weighed against existing technologies, so factors such as reliability, remote monitoring and ease of maintenance are critical factors for operators of wind turbines,” says Suzanne Fuson, global market director, Dow Corning. “High-efficiency lubrication is critical to ensure reduced maintenance and long-term reliability of wind power technologies.”

Friction between wind turbine components can drastically reduce efficiency, making proper lubrication and maintenance essential to maximize energy output.

Well-lubricated parts not only are more reliable and can withstand longer service intervals, but they also have a higher level of efficiency than poorly lubricated assemblies, she says. Combined with sleeker and more modern designs that incorporate longer blades, taller towers and improved mechanical and electrical components, proper lubrication ensures that the assemblies are running at peak performance.

“From industrial plants to wind-powered turbines, new advances in silicone lubricants and proper lubrication programs have helped manufacturers and consumers reduce their carbon footprint,” said Fuson.

“As the need for more wind farms and renewable sources of energy increases, silicones will continue to play a vital role in growing wind energy as a critical part of a balanced energy future.”

BOOST PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH PHYSICAL AND HUMAN CAPITAL, SAYS STUDY

Ottawa, ON — The surest way for Canada to boost its productivity is through investment in physical and human capital, according to a new Conference Board study.

“Canada’s productivity growth is weaker than that of most other developed countries, which translates directly into lower standards of living,” said Mario Lefebvre, director, Centre for Municipal Studies.

“Investment in physical and human capital is the best way to improve productivity growth. Canada must strengthen policies that encourage investment in new technologies, and help Canadians to enhance their skills and training.”

In 2005, Canada ranked 12th in productivity growth in the Conference Board’s sample of 21 countries, down from seventh place in 2000. Between 1981 and 2005, the country posted an average annual increase in productivity of 1.3%, while productivity grew by 1.7% annually in the United States.

Compounded over 25 years, the productivity gap helps explain why gross domestic pro duc t ( GDP) p er capita in the United States was $ 6,400 more than it was in Canada in 2006, compared to a difference of $2,300 in 1980.

Physical capital in this case includes everything from infrastructure to buildings and machinery and equipment. This study fou nd t h at a 10 % increase in the capitalto-labour ratio would b o ost pro duc t iv it y growth in Canada by 5% over five years (the capital-to-labour ratio is the average amount of capital made available to each worker).

Such an increase in productivity growth of 1% a year would Proper lubrication ensures that represent almost a wind assemblies run at peak performance. doubling of Canada’s recent annual produc-

I N D U S T R Y February 2009

tivity growth (just over 1%).

Furthermore, if Canadians were to remain in school for one extra year on average, productivity growth would improve by nearly 2% over five years, or 0.4 percentage points each year.

The report, Sluggish Productivity Growth in Canada: Could the Urbanization Process Be a Factor? is available at www.e-library.ca.

PTDA FOUNDATION RAISES RECORD AMOUNT Chicago, IL — The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) Foundation set a new record for its annual fund drive in 2008, raising a total of US$285,498, reports Phyllis Russell, PTDA Foundation executive director.

Two new $10,000+ level givers, IDCUSA (Partner level) and BC Bearing Group (Investor level), helped push total contributions to a 21% increase compared to 2007.

Continuing a history of strong support, Russell said that the Tomkins Corporation Foundation made a Partner-level contribution, its third at the $25,000 level, bringing its total support to $75,000. The BDI/BDI Canada combined contribution put it at the Investor level in 2008.

Highlights from the 2008 Foundation Fund Drive include: • BC Bearing Group is the first single distributor contribution at the Investor level • IDC-USA ran a member fund drive, which raised more than $15,000 from 17 companies • A first-ever Pledge-A-Thon raised about $9,000 from smaller donors, up from $3,500 in 2007.

“The PTDA Foundation was founded in 1982 to enhance knowledge, education, professionalism and productivity within the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry,” says Russell. “The Foundation’s core initiative, the Industrial Careers Pathway, is a collaboration of industrial distribution associations working together to recruit entry-level employees to the industrial distribution channel; develop programs to teach business, technical and distribution basics; and create affordable resources for current employee development.”

For more information or a complete list of donors, visit the website at www.industrialcareerspathway.org.

COMPANIES AND INVESTORS MAKE CLIMATE CHANGE A BUSINESS ISSUE Ottawa, ON — Four in five Canadian companies (84%) responding to the 2008 Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) questionnaire said they are integrating climate change into their risk management strategies. These findings show how rapidly climate change is becoming a major strategic and operational issue for companies and institutional investors.

“Companies feel the effects of climate change in many ways. Business operations may be directly impacted, and supply chains and product delivery may be vulnerable. Climate change can also present a range of regulatory, reputational, competitive and litigation risks for companies,” said Len Coad, director, environment, energy and technology at The Conference Board of Canada, which is the Canadian partner for administering the CDP survey.

“When assessing companies for their portfolios, investors are shifting their focus to public company disclosure of climate change related risks,

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

opportunities and strategies.”

The Carbon Disclosure Project represents the largest registry of qualitative and quantitative climate change information from corporations in the world.

The Executive Action briefing, Carbon Disclosure Project-Canada 200: Summary for Investors, is publicly available at www.e-library.ca.

www.nskmaxuptime.com

SME ELECTS 2009 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Toronto, ON — The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) has elected three new members to its board of directors and elected five members to its executive committee for 2009. All were installed October 26, 2008, at the SME Fall Board of Directors meeting in Toronto. Their terms officially began on January 1, 2009. The members include: President: Richard W. Shoemaker, FSME. Shoemaker is currently president and CEO of Hawkeye-Pipe. He is a founding member of SME’s Manufacturing Enterprise Council (MEC). He was elected an SME Fellow in 2004.

President-elect: Barbara M. Fossum, PhD, FSME. Fossum is president of the Gordon Group, a Chicago-based leadership development and change management company. She was elected to the SME College of Fellows in 1996.

Vice-president: Paul D. Bradley, PE. Bradley is managing director for Peterson Industries. Bradley is a recipient of the SME Ralph E. Cross Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award and in 2001 received the Governor’s Leadership Foundation Fellowship Award.

Secretary/treasurer: LaRoux K. Gillespie, Dr Eng, FSME, CMfgE, PE. Gillespie has retired as quality assurance manager of Honeywell’s Federal Manufacturing & Technologies division. An SME Fellow, Gillespie has served on numerous SME committees over the years and has led numerous SME technical conferences.

Also elected to the 2009 executive committee was the at-large member Dennis S. Bray, PhD, FSME. Bray is the former president and CEO of Cincinnati Inc., an advanced manufacturer of metalworking machinery. Bray was elected to the SME College of Fellows in 2003.

The three directors newly elected to serve two-year terms on the board of directors, beginning January 1, 2009 are: Michael C. Burstein, PhD, CEI, EMCP. Burstein is president of TIPE Inc. and has served the Society in many capacities. In 2006, Burstein received recognition as an outstanding contributor to the development of SME’s Lean Certification program.

Wayne F. Frost, CMfgE. Frost, a production system project manager at John Deere Waterloo Works, manages Deere’s lean manufacturing program. Frost has received many honours, such as the SME Award of Merit, SME President’s Award and the John Deere General Manager’s Award.

Michael R. Watson, CMfgE. Watson is a manufacturing engineer with NACCO Materials Handling Group. He has received many honours from the Society, including three President’s Awards and the 2000 SME Award of Merit.

SME is a professional society supporting manufacturing education. The Society has members in more than 70 MRO countries.

Editor’s note: More detailed versions of many of these stories can be found at www.mromagazine.com. Simply type the topic into the search box near the top of the home page.

When you think “Quality”, you think about bearings that can withstand high speed, shock loads, misalignment and marginal lubrication conditions. We think about maximizing uptime and lowering maintenance costs with quality components supported by 24-hour service and worldwide distribution. For spherical roller bearings designed to deliver world-class performance in vibrating applications, Think NSK.

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February 2009

Company Briefs

example wind energy, and infrastructure, such as railways.” NKE produces standard and special bearings for all industrial applications. Its products are represented in Canada by Global Bear Inc., Dorval, QC. • The Timken Company marked its fourth time on this year’s Forbes Platinum 400, the magazine’s 11th annual compilation of the ‘Best Big Companies’, released for the Jan. 12, 2009, issue of the magazine. Some other companies on the Forbes list that serve the MRO aftermarket include Applied Industrial Technologies (listed for the sixth year in a row), Danaher, Emerson Electric, ExxonMobil, Flowserve, Genuine Parts (which owns Motion Industries),

Starting the new year with a full order book, the NKE Team is represented by (l-r) Heimo Ebner, commercial managing director, Sandra Hinterplattner, production manager, Harald Zerobin, technical managing director, and Gabriele Neumayr, procurement manager.

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IDI Independent Distributors Inc., 6581 Kitimat, Unit 12, Mississauga, ON L5N 3T5 Tel: 905.858.0988 Fax: 905.286.0686 email: info@idiind.com Reader Service Card No. 122

WW Grainger, Kaman, Lincoln Electric, Lubrizol, Snap-on and 3M. • Yoshiko Otsuka has been appointed president of Nachi Canada Inc., Concord, ON, a subsidiary of Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp. of Japan.

Otsuka replaces the late Kazuo Kumabe, who was president of Nachi Canada from 1989 to 2008.

Nachi is global company whose products include bearings and cutting tools. Nachi Canada also is the Yoshiko Otsuka, distributor of IKO Nachi Canada. needle bearings and linear ways manufactured by Nippon Thompson. Otsuka joined Nachi-Fujikoshi in Tokyo in 1995, and has held various positions in the company’s International Trade Division, most recently as manager of the bearing department of the Southeast Asian Section. She arrived in Toronto on Dec. 24, 2008, one day before her birthday. “I am already enjoying my new life and new responsibilities in Canada,” she says. She can be reached at yotsuka@nachicanada.com.

• SKF has expanded its technology base past mechanical testing into the electrical testing markets of electric motors with the acquisition of Baker Instrument Co., Fort Collins, CO. SKF now can offer a complete systems approach in testing technologies by employing both mechanical and electrical programs for customers.

• Beam Reach Communications, a marketing agency operating in the Greater Toronto Area, has named Russ Perry as its president. Perry previously was president of Renold Canada. Beam Reach, which provides the industrial and health care sectors with services such as print, design, web development and programming, and promotional products, can be reached at 1-877-526-1639.

• Three hose distributors in Canada and the United States have united under the HosePower Group brand name as part of a strategic marketing effort to expand their footprint across North America.

The three companies include IPM Hose & Fittings, Ajax, ON; Masthead Hose & Supply, Orange Park, FL; and Granberry Supply Corp., Phoenix, AZ. The new group now provides hose products and services from a total of 30 locations in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. IPM, which has three locations in Canada, now does business as HosePower Canada. For more information, visit www.ipm.com. continued on page 12

Photo: Bill Roebuck

• Bearing manufacturer NKE Austria GmbH, Steyr, Austria, reported its 2008 sales hit 43.3 million euros, up 87% over the previous year. Its main areas of growth were the wind energy, gearbox and agricultural machinery sectors. To cope with the rapid growth, NKE started building new headquarters, to be completed in May 2009. The company also recruited 50 new employees in 2008, upping its workforce to its current level of about 170. Despite the difficult current economic environment, NKE has a positive outlook for 2009. Commercial managing director, Heimo Ebner, explains: “We started the new year with a full order book, which will even take us some way into 2010. Growth potential IDI/MC7580/MRO 1/30/09 10:25 AM energy, Page 1 exists especially in renewable for

Photo: NKE Austria

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

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12

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S W A T C H

Machinery & Equipment MRO

continued from page 10

February 2009

path in the financial consulting busi• NSK Canada, Mississauga, ON, has ness. “We’ll miss Gord and wish him the promoted Oswaldo Almeida to senior very best in his future endeavours,” said sales manager, where he will be responAdvantage co-owner Dave Cummings. sible for all aftermarket activities across • Colson Caster Corp., Jonesboro, Canada. His previous positions AR, a manufacturer of staninclude five years as sales mandard and custom application caster and wheel products, ager for the South American has begun the year under the market with NSK Brazil Ltda leadership of new president, and most recently, as marketing Don Laux. Laux takes over for manager for NSK Canada.

Chuck Bub, who retired after • Mike Washburn has joined the more than five years as presiOntario sales team at Advandent with the company. tage Sales Network Corp., • In an effort to provide cusMississauga, ON, and is now responsible for the sales activity Oswaldo Almeida, tomers with an informative NSK Canada. and user-friendly online tool, in southern Ontario. He began Leeson Electric, Grafton, his sales career almost 10 years WI, has relaunched its website, www. ago in the power transmission distribuleeson.com.

The new site incorporates an tion market and most recently managed innovative appearance; complete, accunational sales for a large specialty metrate and easy-to-find information; and als business. This appointment follows improved functionality to create a comthe departure of Gord Kennedy from the prehensive web presence. The site inteorganization to head down a new career

grates all of Leeson Electric’s brands, including Lincoln Motors, Grove Gear and Electra-Gear, all of which are subsidiaries of Regal-Beloit Corp.

• The Lincoln Electric Company of Canada has received ISO 14001 certification for its head office and manufacturing facility in Toronto. The ISO 14001 Standard is an internationally accepted specification for environmental management systems to help organizations minimize how their operations affect the environment and comply with related laws, regulations and requirements. Lincoln Canada has established its own Environmental Management System (EMS) to ensure that the company’s activities and products have minimal impact on or risk to the environment, says Joseph G. Doria, president and CEO. • Fluke Electronics Canada, Mississauga, ON, has released a user-downloadable firmware upgrade for the Fluke 8845A/8846A precision digital multime-

When it comes to market trends and exceptional networking specific to the power transmission/motion control industry, no other conference comes close!

PTDA 2009 Canadian Conference May 28 – May 30, 2009

Program:

Highlights:

PTDA has negotiated a room rate of C$149 (city view)/ C$179 (falls view) per night at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel & Conference Centre. To book accommodations, contact the hotel directly at +1.877.353.2557 and reference the Power Transmission Distributors Association

For more information

visit www.ptda.org/

Canadian Conference or contact PTDA at

+1.312.516.2100 or e-mail

ptda@ptda.org Reader Service Card No. 124

Join the Power Transmission Distributors Association in scenic and convenient Niagara Falls! For the eighth consecutive year, PTDA provides a venue for the industry’s top decision makers to trade ideas and develop business relationships in a cost-effective and time-efficient format Dedicated to Canadian industry networking and trends, the conference will offer attendees sessions covering: • An economic update tailored to the Canadian industrial sector presented by Jayson Myers, president of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Canada’s largest industry and trade association.

• Build a team and your business by successfully selling change, a vision and your mission. Larry Smith, president and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes Football Club, will show you how mastering these important elements can make a true difference to your organization and help you bring out the best in your people.

• Market briefings on end-user industries critical to the Canadian marketplace.

• Formal and informal networking with key decision-makers in the Canadian PT/MC market.

The Canadian Conference is open to all PTDA members selling product in Canada as well as non-members who qualify for membership.

ters. The upgrade delivers measurement enhancements, new features and additional functions. It can be downloaded from the Fluke website at www.flukecanada.ca/software.

• Danaher Motion, Wood Dale, IL, has named Ron Meyer president of its Thomson division. Thomson is a producer of ball bushing and profile rail bearings, 60 case shafting, ground and rolled ball screws, linear actuators, linear systems and related accessories. Meyer now heads Thomson’s global organization of facilities in North America, Europe and Asia.

• Lovejoy Inc., Downers Grove, IL, has appointed Greg Taylor as torsional product manager. Taylor’s role is to oversee the marketing, engineering, coordination and sales efforts for Lovejoy’s torsional couplings. He works directly with distributors and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) accounts. The company also appointed Al Bergiel as manufacturing engineer. Bergiel serves as the troubleshooter for the shop floor and oversees the manufacturing of the majority of Lovejoy’s products.

• Altra Industrial Motion, Braintree, MA, has published a white paper entitled Key applications for Altra Industrial Motion brands within global mining, which outlines the firm’s technology solutions for mining both coal and industrial metals. The paper offers analysis of the global mining market, and cites industry trends and projections on production capacity and investment. “The multiple companies of Altra operate as manufacturers of brakes, clutches, backstops, gear couplings and belted drive products for a wide range of key mining operations,” says David Brooksbank, Altra director of marketing. He says the white paper can be downloaded by clicking on Case Studies from Altra’s market website, www.AltraMining.com. For printed copies, contact Laura Bawinkel at Altra Industrial Motion, 815-389-6336.

• John P. Doner, a 30-year employee of ExxonMobil, Fairfax, VA, recently earned the National Lubricating Grease Institute’s (NLGI) prestigious Award for Achievement, the organization’s highest honour. It is reserved for individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the long-term growth and development of the institute and the f ield of lubricating grease technology. As an advanced research associate with ExxJohn Doner, ExxonMobil. onMobil Research & Engineering in Paulsboro, NJ, Doner holds nearly 20 patents related to grease manufacturing and composition.

• Fluke Networks, Mississauga, ON, a provider of Network SuperVision Solutions for the testing, monitoring and analysis of enterprise and telecommunications networks, has announced the availability of a wide range of troubleshooting and management tool sets for the industrial Ethernet market. Industrial Ethernet use is projected to grow 50% each year for the next five years, replacing an assortment of analogue devices and vendor-proprietary communication links that perform critical plant automation and process management tasks. More information can be found at www.flukenetworks.com/industrial. MRO Editor’s note: Additional information for many of these items can be found at www. mromagazine.com. Simply type the company name into the search box.

Reader Service Card No. 125

14

I N D U S T R Y

E V E N T S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009

BSA plans interactive business program for annual convention Glen Ellyn, IL — Programming at the Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) 2009 Annual Convention, May 2-5, 2009, at the Hyatt Grand Cypress Hotel, Orlando, FL, will be answering the question, ‘Are Manufacturers from Mars and Distributors from Venus?’

Using an interactive, rapid-response survey that will instantly reveal onscreen distributor and manufacturer responses to a number of multiple choice questions, the program is expected to demonstrate how differently distributors and manufacturers think.

Convention planners call this the “honest, gut-check conversation between distributors and manufacturers that industry has needed, but never before achieved.” BSA planners add that “When you learn what your industry peers are thinking, you will be ready to meet their needs as well as yours and those of the end-user.”

Attendees will answer each multiple-choice question from their perspective as a distributor or manufacturer using a wireless keypad. The audience response system will separate the answers of distributors and manufacturers. Attendees will immediately see the aggregate responses of distributors and manufacturers on-screen. BSA believes participants will share genuinely honest responses because they are anonymous; all participants will see the same responses from other distributor and manufacturer attendees as categories.

BSA’s Long Range Convention Planning and Distributor-Manufacturer Rela-

tions committees have repeatedly considered the differences in the way distributors and manufacturers think. This program is the result of those conversations. Two special sessions at the 2009 Convention will address this topic: • On Sunday, May 3, attendees will respond to the multiple choice questions, answering each question from their perspective as a distributor or manufacturer using the wireless keypad. Attendees will immediately see the aggregate responses of distributors and manufacturers onscreen.

• On Monday, May 4, a panel of industry leaders will analyze the results of these responses. Peter Negri of Jamaica Bearings will serve as the moderator for the panel.

Also for the first time ever, BSA will offer its own Industry Update, presented by association president Steve Durston, executive vice-president of Jamaica Bearings.

As it has in the past, the association will also welcome Bruce Warmbold, president of the Schaeffler Group, representing the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA), to present an industry update on the global bearing marketplace.

The convention will also welcome Tom DeLuca, who uses the power of suggestion, and humour to showcase the imaginations and personalities within the association audience. Part entertainment, part theatre, this program demonstrates the inherent creativity of the participants when they’re relaxed,

Mr.0 The Practical Problem Solver

Fixing vibration in high-pressure hydraulic lines Problem: Things that happen in your home can happen at your work too.

For example, water pipes in your house get fluid spikes when you quickly open or close the faucet on your sink, and if the pipes are not secure, they will rattle. Hydraulic lines in factories, mines and mills experience similar spikes caused by varying pressure, pump speed or pulsating flows, all of which produce vibrations.

When hydraulic lines are mounted to walls, floors or ceilings, the unwanted vibrations are absorbed into the structure.

Steps have been made to correct this by mounting hard rubber or poly guides to a guide rail and running the hydraulic line through these guides. Unfortunately, the guides only handle a small range of vibrations, which leads to the next problem, where now the whole guide rail vibrates.

Henkel AG & Co. which manufactures cleaning products, detergents, personal care products, as well as Loctite sealants and adhesives, was experiencing hydraulic line vibrations. Even though its hydraulic lines were insulated to guide rails, those guide rails unfortunately transferred vibrations to the structures to which they were mounted.

Solution: To combat the problems, Henkel installed Rosta Type V 27 vibration dampening mounts between the building’s structure and the guide rails, which reduced the vibrations by as much as 95%.

The mounts absorb vibrations in all three axes (x, y and z) — so they are suitable for wall, floor or ceiling mounting.

Mr. O’s thanks for this tip go to Lovejoy Inc. (www.lovejoy-inc.com).

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.

This view shows a tranquil side of Orlando, FL, where BSA will meet.

comfortable, and given permission to be themselves.

Perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of the 2009 Annual Convention business program, BSA’s manufacturer-hosted Conference Tables Session, will offer participants a unique opportunity to pre-schedule and plan for faceto-face meetings between distributors and manufacturers to address bearing industry concerns and resolve business problems. “Convention attendees find these short, 30-minute meetings to be increasingly productive,” say the BSA planners.

Prospective convention attendees are encouraged to link to the association’s convention website, www.bsaconventions. org, which includes a complete schedule of events, details on the Convention Business Program, a complete schedule of spouse programs, descriptions of sporting and sightseeing opportunities, and additional information and tips about social and networking opportunities.

PTDA CANADIAN CONFERENCE COMES TO NIAGARA FALLS IN MAY Chicago, IL — In times of uncertainty, you need as much information as you can get to make sure your strategies and decisions will keep your company moving forward. So during May 28-30, 2009, the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) plans to deliver industryspecific information and trends focused on Canadian markets at its annual Canadian Conference.

The 2009 PTDA Canadian Conference will be held at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel & Conference Centre in Niagara Falls, ON. Devoted to Canadian industry networking and trends, the PTDA Canadian Conference is designed for distributors and manufacturers in the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry.

The focus at this conference is on issues particular to the Canadian marketplace, making the information directly relevant to local business.

Delegates can meet with existing channel partners, begin conversations with potential suppliers, and compare issues and solutions with non-competing distributors — all in one convenient and accessible location over two days.

The conference will include a twohour program on May 29 by sales guru Joe Ellers, who will discuss tactics for selling on value to improve profitability.

Another program will provide insights into how technology trends are affecting the PT/MC industry.

The conference also will offer: • An economic update tailored to t h e C a n a d i a n i n du s t r i a l s e c t o r, presented by Jayson Myers, president of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), Canada’s largest industry and trade association.

• Build a team and your business by suc-

cessfully selling change, a vision and your mission, with Larry Smith, president and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes Football Club. He will show delegates how mastering these important elements can make a true difference to an organization and help bring out the best in people.

• Market briefings on end-user industries critical to the Canadian marketplace.

• Formal and informal networking with key decision-makers in the Canadian PT/MC market.

The Canadian Conference is open to all PTDA members selling product in Canada — distributors and manufacturers — as well as non-members who qualify for membership. For more information and to register, visit www.ptda. org/CanadianConference.

STLE ‘09 FEATURES 30 PAPERS ON LUBRICATION FUNDAMENTALS Lake Buena Vista, FL — Interested in lubrication fundamentals? Trying to prepare for any of STLE’s four certification examinations? STLE’s 64th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, May 17-21, 2009, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL, can help.

First, 30 technical papers on the subject of lubrication fundamentals will be presented at the event. The various technical presentations and papers explore our understanding of the basic principles behind lubrication theory.

Second, STLE’s Basic Lubrication course is being offered as two one-day classes focusing on fundamentals of lubrication and fundamentals of equipment lubrication: Basic Lubrication 101 is an introduction to lubricants, lubrication principles, base oils, additives, and compounded fluids. Basic Lubrication 102 is an overview of equipment systems (gears, bearings, pumps, compressors, etc.) and their lubrication requirements.

These courses also are excellent reviews on lubricant fundamentals for those preparing for STLE’s various certification examinations. In addition to fundamentals, the courses cover all basic hardware systems, such as hydraulics, seals, bearings and gears. Further, technologies related to testing and test methods, metalworking fluids, greases, synthetic fluids, base oils and additives are covered.

Third, presenters at the meeting’s Commercial Marketing Forums showcase their companies’ latest products and services with brief technical presentations to explain their relevance and properties for the marketplace.

Finally, a 70-exhibitor trade show will feature suppliers of the newest lubricant products, lubricant additives and lubrication equipment.

Those who register by the April 20 Early Bird deadline will save $75 on the meeting fee. Program information and registration details can be found at MRO www.stle.org.

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February 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Here are several essential steps for taking electrical, insulation and thermal measurements of motors and drives.

Tips for

troubleshooting By Colin Plastow

t

motors

opping the list of the many challenges facing maintenance managers is keeping equipment and labour costs under control. Testing and troubleshooting motors and drives, which can be particularly expensive to replace, can help maximize their

operational lifetime and lead to significant cost savings.

There are three tests that technicians can use to detect problems with motors, drives and associated electrical panels and determine their cause: electrical, insulation resistance and thermal measurement.

4 steps for conducting electrical and insulation resistance tests on motors 1. Visual inspection: First, look for any reasons the motor should not be energized. Remove power from the motor and starter (or drive), following lockout/ tagout procedures, and disengage the motor from the load.

• Conduct a visual, smell, and heat inspection. Interview the staff and check the nameplate. Look for loose connections at the starter and check all fasteners.

• Use a digital multimeter (DMM) to first check the supply voltage, followed by the voltage at the starter contacts. Don’t risk a fire from a possible motor fault.

If the supply is good, then there is a motor problem.

2. Control contacts check: Next, check the control contacts for quality of contact.

• Lockout and tagout the disconnect to the starter.

• Manually engage the starter, so the contacts close.

• Set the insulation tester to the low ohms range.

• Measure the resistance across each set of contacts. The reading should be close to zero. If it is higher than 0.1 ohms, then that set of contacts needs to be replaced.

3. Measure the insulation resistance of line and load circuits to ground: Before doing any insulation resistance testing, you must isolate any electronic controls and other devices from the circuit under test as the test voltage used could damage them. Then: • Lockout and tagout the disconnect to the starter.

• Set the insulation tester to the appropriate test voltage (typically 250, 500 or 1000 V).

• Identify the resistance between the line side of the starter to ground, and the load side of the starter to ground. To pass these tests, the line and load circuits need to show high resistance. As a general rule and to ensure safe operation, AC devices need a minimum 2 megohms to ground and DC devices need 1 megohm to ground.

If the load side resistance values are acceptable, then proceed to the next test.

If they aren’t, then determine the cause of the problem. Is the insulation breakdown in the load side of the starter, the cables, or the motor?

4. Winding resistance phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground: Take insulation resistance measurements phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground.

Good results: • Balanced comparative low resistance values on all three stator phases.

• High resistance values on the phase-to-ground insulation test.

Problems: • Gross resistance deficiencies, such as a phase on phase short.

• Any winding-to-winding resistance imbalance. If the readings differ by more than a few per cent, the motor is probably unsafe to energize.

The Ti25 fully radiometric infrared camera from Fluke can be used to troubleshoot electrical installations, electro-mechanical equipment, process equipment, HVAC/R equipment and more.

Testing for abnormal thermal patterns Handheld thermal imagers can collect heat signatures from any size motor, be it fractional horsepower or 1,000+ hp.

A thermal imager is a powerful tool for long-term trending of operating conditions, yet it is also good for spot checks, to see if motors and associated panels and controls are operating too hot, and for troubleshooting, to track down the specific failed component at fault. It can also check for phase imbalance, bad connections, and abnormal heating on the electrical supply.

Using a thermal imager to test a motor’s heat signature will tell you a lot about its quality and condition. For example, if a motor is overheating, the windings will rapidly deteriorate. Every increase of 10°C above its rated maximum operating temperature cuts the life of the winding insulation by 50%, even if the overheating is temporary.

If a temperature reading in the middle of a motor housing is abnormally high, a thermal image of the motor will determine cause, i.e. windings, bearings or coupling. A coupling that is running warm could be an indicator of misalignment.

There are three primary causes of abnormal thermal patterns: 1. High-resistance contact surface: Most abnormal thermal patterns are caused by a high-resistance contact surface, either a connection or a switch contact. These will usually appear warmest at the spot of high resistance, cooling off further away from the spot.

2. Load imbalances: Whether normal or out of specification, load imbalances will appear warmer throughout the phase or part of the circuit that is carrying higher current. If the entire conductor is warm, it could be undersized or overloaded. Check the rating and the actual load to determine the cause.

3. Failed component: Failed components typically look cooler than normally functioning ones. The most common example is a blown fuse. In a motor circuit this can result in a single-phase condition and possibly result in costly damage to the motor.

Insulation resistance testing Insulation problems on motors and

drives are usually caused by improper installation, environmental contamination, mechanical stress or age. Insulation resistance testing can easily be combined with regular motor maintenance to identify degradation before failure. It can also be used during installation procedures to verify system safety and performance.

Insulation testers apply a DC voltage across the insulation system and measure the resulting current. This allows the resistance of the insulation to be calculated. Typically, the test verifies high insulation resistance between a conductor and ground or high insulation resistance between adjacent conductors. Two common examples include testing motor windings for insulation from the motor frame and checking phase conductors for resistance from bonded conduit and enclosures.

Insulation multimeters combine insulation resistance functions with the other tests needed to investigate motor, drive and electrical trouble — from basic supply measurements to contact temperature. One key difference is that insulation resistance tests are performed on de-energized systems, while electrical tests (and thermal too) are almost always performed on live, operating systems.

An insulation multimeter can perform most of the tests you need to troubleshoot and maintain motors. When a motor is having problems, check the supply voltage and then use insulation testing to check the starter and control contacts, measure the insulation resistance of the line and load circuits to ground, and the winding resistance phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground.

Insulation multimeters and thermal imagers are an integral part of a technician’s arsenal in ensuring that equipment is functioning at optimal capacity.

The regular testing and troubleshooting of motors and drives can maximize their operational lifetime and lead to signifiMRO cant cost savings.

Colin Plastow is the industrial product manager for Fluke Electronics Canada.

He can be contacted at colin.plastow@ fluke.com.

Reader Service Card No. 401

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F O C U S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

It is estimated that up to 18% of total electric motor energy consumption could be saved by controlling speed with variablefrequency drives, as can be done with Bison’s Verdant Duty inverter gearmotor line, shown here.

O N

M O T O R S February 2009

How Green is your

Gearmotor?

There are several ways to increase motor efficiencies.

BY JOHN MOREHEAD

E

lectric motor efficiency is important because motor-driven systems use 39% of all electrical energy consumed in Canada. Most motor efficiency efforts to date, however, have focused on only 10% of the motor population.

The opportunity exists for machinery and equipment designers — as well as those responsible for maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) — to significantly contribute to energy conservation by applying appropriate new electric motor, gearmotor and drive solutions.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that 80% of the total electrical consumption for motors came from those greater than 20 hp. That’s less than 1% of all motors in use. Those in the 1 hp to 19 hp range represent an additional 9%.

The remaining 90% of motors are made up of the billions of fractional horsepower (FHP) models used everywhere one turns: vent fans, ice dispensers, vacuums, furnace blowers, garage door operators, and thousands of other

consumer applications. Millions more FHP motors and gearmotors are found in thousands of commercial and industrial OEM applications that involve pumping, dispensing, cooling, conveying, mixing and every facet of automation.

With regard to FHP motors, the efficiency of motors increases with size. And, the gap between standard and premium efficiency motors decreases as horsepower ratings increase. For example, the standard efficiency rating for a 1 hp motor might be 78%, while premium efficiency for the same size would be 82.5%.

However, for a 250 hp motor, the standard efficiency increases to 94.1%, with a premium efficiency of 95.8%.

Increased efficiency pays off In the FHP world, nominal efficiencies are much lower because their smaller physical size does not readily nor economically permit the inclusion of a greater percentage of copper or other efficiency-improvement techniques employed in integral horsepower motors.

The gap between conventional and increased-efficiency FHP solutions can be 30 percentage points or more. For example, in commercial refrigeration applications, a shaded-pole AC motor may have an efficiency as low as 32%, compared to 49% for a comparable permanent splitcapacitor motor, and ranging all the way to 70% or more for an electronically commutated motor (ECM).

The savings for the user, therefore, can be significant, even with a small motor.

Operating a 50%-efficient, 1/8-hp (93watt) gearmotor would, for example, at a 10¢/kWh commercial rate, result in an annual cost of $164.25. The 80% efficiency alternative incurs $102.20 in expense, yielding annual savings of $62.05.

PMDC vs. PSC In some cases, it is possible to achieve significant efficiency increases by replacing a permanent split capacitor (PSC) AC motor with a permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor. While the PSC motor may have greater maximum effi-

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Reader Service Card No. 126

ciency than the PMDC motor, the PSC motor’s efficiency can be much lower at the operating load point.

Three-phase trumps single-phase Three-phase electric motors are typically more efficient than single-phase models.

For example, a single-phase, 1/20-hp (37watt) gearmotor can have an efficiency of 53%, while the three-phase alternative offers 64% efficiency.

In addition to greater efficiency, the three-phase motor is more reliable. By itself, a single-phase motor is not selfstarting. Therefore, different starting mechanisms have been developed, all of which add to component count and cost, while becoming potential weak points in terms of maximized motor life.

So, if three-phase motors are so much better than single-phase, how come they’re not everywhere? The catch is that for many commercial equipment installations, three-phase power is not readily available.

Enter the variable-frequency drive The logical solution is to power the threephase motor from a frequency inverter that takes the single-phase 115V or 230V input voltage and delivers 230V three-phase output, with an adjustable frequency typically from 0 to 120 Hz. These variable frequency drives (VFDs) have become more compact, offer more features and exceptional value, even when compared to low-cost DC speed controls. And, they offer features such as soft starts to reduce shock to mechanical components and increase equipment life.

A VFD’s current-limiting feature also offers safe shutdown of equipment and reduced mechanical damage.

The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that up to 18% of total electric motor energy consumption could be saved by controlling speed with VFDs. Don’t forget gearing efficiency If you’re trying to maximize the overall efficiency of your gearmotor system, avoid cancelling motor efficiency gains with inefficient gearing. While a nice solution for tight spaces, right-angle worm gear reducers can have efficiencies of 50% or lower, while spur and helical gears used in parallel-shaft reducers are more typically in the area of 98%. Therefore, it pays to see if offset parallel-shaft designs are available that will fit one’s package size, while still offering high efficiency.

Machinery and equipment designers, as well as MRO buyers, have many possibilities today for increasing energy efficiency in the motor systems employed.

To tap into those possibilities, make the most of the application engineering assistance available from electric motor, MRO gearmotor and drives suppliers.

John Morehead is vice-president of strategic planning and marketing for Bison Gear & Engineering Corp. For more information, visit www.bisongear.com.

Reader Service Card No. 402

Reader Service Card No. 127

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C O N D I T I O N

M O N I T O R I N G

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009

Wireless technologies monitor machine conditions Advancement in wireless technologies is transforming vision into reality in industrial environments.

By Ed Bondoc

U

ntil now, companies continuously monitoring critical machine conditions were dependent on hard-wired on-line systems. These systems required a sizeable investment, mainly due to the large amounts of cabling and conduit required to install and operate the systems.

Today, innovations in permanent or temporary wireless installations make it possible to continuously monitor machines that were previously impractical or impossible to monitor, such as machines that are inaccessible, difficult, or dangerous to reach or run cable to, equipment with suspected problems, during build out, or while operating in transitional facilities.

Using wireless condition monitoring systems means increased benefits combined with cost savings, since a wireless on-line system can mean a 30% to 60% reduction in cable installation costs.

Condition monitoring, the process of monitoring parameters in machines that can indicate a failure condition, allows maintenance to be scheduled and performed before catastrophic failure occurs, increasing reliability, cost-effectiveness and safety. Equipment typically monitored includes rotating assets (pumps, fans, motors, compressors, spindles, gearboxes and turbines) in virtually every industry. Measurements include vibration, temperature and other key parameters.

Continuous monitoring with on-line monitoring systems to automatically collect data several times a second to several times a day is most often used for critical machinery such as turbines, high-speed compressors, paper machines, gearboxes and pumps.

Traditional on-line systems consist of permanently installed data collection electronics dedicated to a specific machine. While the benefits of on-line monitoring are significant (frequent collection, immediate notification of potential failures, and less manpower than walk-around methods), permanently cabled systems also have limitations.

While traditional continuous monitor-

Above: SKF’s instrinsicly safe Multilog DMx transducer provides two distinct vibration monitoring capabilities in the same module: machine protection and condition monitoring.

Left: The SKF Wireless Monitoring System V/T is a compact, four-channel, permanently mounted monitoring device that communicates using an existing wireless network. It collects acceleration, velocity, temperature and bearing condition data.

ing requires sensors connected via wires through conduit between the on-line system and the plant network so data collected can be stored in a database, wireless connectivity offers new possibilities and significant benefits.

Using wireless on-line systems, sensors connect to machines either permanently or via a temporary method (such as magnets), with the data collection electronics mounted on the machine close to the sensors.

A wireless receiving station is located in a convenient place where a network connection can be found. Reliability is improved, as long cables take a significant amount of abuse, and faulty, loose or broken cables can prevent data collection or produce false data.

Specific wireless condition monitoring applications include spindles drilling out motor blocks that turn the motor in many different directions; bearings on top of cranes; mountings on trains with cars that connect and disconnect; and many others.

By combining reduced costs and increased benefits, using wireless condition monitoring is likely in the future to become the ‘best practice’ for many machines, environments and industries.

MRO

Ed Bondoc is the SKF on-line systems product line manager with the SKF Condition Monitoring Centre. For more information, visit www.skf.ca.

Reader Service Card No. 403

World vibration monitoring award The 2008 Frost & Sullivan Award for Competitive Strategy Leadership of the Year in the vibration monitoring equipment market was presented to SFK Condition Monitoring for “its continuous focus on providing innovative solutions that have helped customers achieve faster time to market, reduce operating costs and get better returns on their investments.” For more information, visit www.frost.com.

Mr.0 The Practical Problem Solver

Hydraulic system condition monitoring tips

By Brendan Casey

Problem: “What is the most effective and efficient method to diagnose internal leakage on mobile construction equipment — e.g. a backhoe or skid steer loader — without the aid of diagnostic tools such as pressure gauges and flow meters?”

Solution: It’s not a bad question, but upon deeper analysis it smacks of ‘silver-bullet’ seeking. The revealing phrases are “most effective and efficient method,” and “without the aid of ... pressure gauges and flow meters.”

It’s human nature to seek maximum gain from minimum effort, even if it’s not realistic. And since my job here is to entertain as well as inform, I’ll give you my ‘silver bullet’ answer first.

I’ve developed and patented a special troubleshooting paint. So now when a hydraulic problem arises, all you have to do is shake said can well and spray any hydraulic component you suspect might be faulty. After a couple of minutes, faulty components turn red and serviceable components turn green.

It’s a nice fantasy.

So to qualify the question before I answer it, until I perfect my magic spray paint, the most efficient method of troubleshooting may not be the most effective, and the most effective not the most efficient, which I assume is the reason for excluding pressure gauges and flow meters when posing the question.

But there are other tools and techniques we can employ when troubleshooting.

One of them is the infrared thermometer or heat gun. The equipment required is inexpensive, its application is quick and non-invasive, and the results can be very revealing.

It’s usefulness in hydraulic troubleshooting comes about because when hydraulic fluid moves from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure (i.e. pressure drop) without performing useful work, heat is generated.

This means components with abnormal leakage generate abnormal heat. So a double-acting cylinder with a leaking piston seal or a relief valve that is passing usually become hotter than the rest of the system. An infrared thermometer will quickly reveal them to you.

But like most other tools, an infrared thermometer is only as good as the person using it. So you do have to be careful with false positives. The objective of every troubleshooting exercise should be to prove a component is faulty before it is changed out. This is normally accomplished through a logical process of elimination.

An infrared thermometer can certainly speed up this process, but if the data coming from it doesn’t make sense or is not conclusive, then other tools should be employed to eliminate any doubt.

For example, a recent client came to the conclusion that a solenoid valve was the cause of his problem — based on temperature measurement alone. But there were two problems with this diagnosis. Firstly, a solenoid valve tends to absorb heat from its coil when energized, which could explain its temperature rise. And secondly, in the context of the particular system, it didn’t really make sense.

I explained we should note his observation but continue the troubleshooting process — using other tools as necessary — to prove the diagnosis one way or the other. That’s because a false positive is just as bad as a blind guess — it results in the unnecessary change-out of serviceable components. That’s something you want to avoid.

This article first appeared on Brendan Casey’s website, www.hydraulicsupermarket. com, where many more bits of hydraulics advice can be found. Casey has more than 15 years experience in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of mobile and industrial hydraulic equipment. 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.

CYCLO®

Technology

Teeth Are Overrated

Cyclo® Drive’s toothless design takes a bite out of downtime and maintenance.

Teeth break. The Sumitomo Cyclo® Drive has unique design advantages over any speed reducer using common tooth gears. Unlike gear teeth with limited contact points, a Cyclo® drive has two thirds of its reduction components in contact at all times. And Cyclo® components operate in compression, not in shear, so they can withstand shock loads five times their ratings. For exceptional reliability and the industry’s best warranty, think Sumitomo.

Toronto 905-469-1050 Vancouver 604-525-5403 Montreal 450-686-8808

www.smcyclo.com Reader Service Card No. 128

20

C A S E

H I S T O R Y

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009

Nova Scotia’s Intertape Polymer tackles the tough job of balancing the needs of its production and maintenance departments for equipment access.

machinery

Establishing

W

priorities

hen rush orders flood in or breakdowns divert limited maintenance resources to other machines, preventive maintenance schedules can fly straight out the factory window. But at Intertape Polymer in Truro, NS, maintenance and production have been learning to understand each other’s needs.

Intertape Polymer produces seven million pounds (3,175,200 kg) of shrink film and 160 million square yards (133,760,000 sq m) of woven plastic fabric products each year in its 340,000 square foot (31,579 sq m) plant. One business group, simply called ‘Woven’, works to long-term production schedules. The other business group, known as ‘Shrink’, must regularly respond to last-minute orders with time-to-delivery that can be as little as 24 hours.

“Because of the differences in product lead times, the two business units operate very differently when it comes to equipment scheduling and committing to scheduled maintenance time,” explains Peter Soley, the plant engineer and maintenance manager.

“I could get a call for a product that has to be made today and shipped tomorrow,” says Fred Connors, the manufacturing manager for the Shrink department.

“I have to admit that the manufacturing side says ‘yes’ to the customer 99% of the time, which normally means that we have to say ‘no’ to maintenance. Usually we do pretty well, but if I get a last-minute order, and have to use a particular machine … about 30% of the time we have to cancel scheduled maintenance.”

Because of stiff competition for tradesmen, Soley’s 17-member maintenance team is understaffed. This sometimes means that maintenance cannot cover both a scheduled preventive maintenance (PM) task and an unexpected breakdown elsewhere in the plant, turning even the best-laid PM plans and co-

BY CARROLL MCCORMICK

operation from production into hash.

Soley elaborates: “The biggest frustration is the lack of resources, mainly manpower, to deal with issues in a proactive manner. Even though we identify potential equipment failures, we often do not get to them before failure. Breakdowns start the vicious circle of cancelling scheduled preventive work, which leads to increased breakdowns -- and around and around we go, putting out fires.”

Soley and production managers like Conners have been working on several fronts to ease this tension between maintenance, production and limited resources. One way has been to make equipment more reliable and make proper, rather than stop-gap repairs.

“We have had a lot of history here in the past 30 years of getting something running any old way. We are working to change that so breakdowns won’t happen again. We will no longer just patch things up and not take the time to do a repair properly — for example, welding something instead of machining a new part.

“We can’t fool ourselves that we will get back to it the next day and do the repair right,” Soley says. Fortunately, he acknowledges, “I have support from upper management for increasing reliability, including doing proper repairs.

I’m more likely to be questioned on repeated breakdowns and why we are not repairing things the right way than to explain why the cost of a repair might be higher than expected.”

Connors says he values the worth of PM and that production has a keen understanding that it’s pay now or pay later. “We have learned this the hard way. But we are production-driven. We have to do some quick fixes and sometimes they come back to haunt us.”

Soley has been changing equipment to improve reliability and reduce the drag on manpower. For example, changing the DC motor brushes and cooling air

Top: One of three 'fixers', who belong to a separate textile trade, maintain the weaving shed's 138 looms. Centre: Machines such as this primary splitter are run faster and harder than ever, creating special maintenance issues. Bottom: Plant engineer Peter Soley stands beneath hundreds of 'tapes' that will be woven into plastic fabric.

filters on just one of the shrink film lines will pretty well occupy the whole maintenance crew. So not long ago maintenance spent 14 days replacing DC motors in Line 4 with AC motors, making the lines almost maintenance free.

Soley is also using Infor’s MP2, a CMMS software package that was acquired about two and a half years ago, to develop PM techniques and schedules.

“Before MP2,” Soley says, “what we called

PM was ‘shut down the line and go over it’. Now we are trying to inspect equipment while it is running and then shut down to address issues identified during the inspections. With a lot of our equipment, it’s hard to identify problems when it is not running.”

As MP2 has acquired a machine history, maintenance is learning more about what is breaking. “We need to better use MP2 to make sure we are checking the right things

F O C U S

O N

February 2009

and that when things are not breaking, it is because of what we do — or not.

‘Are we putting our efforts in the right place?” Soley explains. He knows, for example, that the extrusion coaters, which laminate plastic to woven fabric, are a bottleneck. “I’d like to get into a predictive maintenance program on one of them. We have a lot of unnecessary breakdowns.”

The other principle challenge has been to improve the working relationship between maintenance and the operating departments so that meaningful maintenance work schedules can be developed that address the needs of both departments.

“We often have scheduled maintenance days cancelled at the last minute for production reasons. This contributes to the breakdown circle,” Soley says.

“Operating departments need to take ownership of their equipment and see us as providing a service to them. It is so hard to convince some people that we need to work together. They are trying to fill their orders and they don’t see the overall picture. They don’t allow time for preventive work and then complain that the equipment is broken. We have a good idea how long it takes to do PM, but not how long it takes to repair breakdowns.”

Soley acknowledges that building trust with machine operators also means having the necessary parts on hand, doing the job right and doing it within the time estimated.

Conner notes, “In the past there have been times when one party or the other has been disappointed: a job not done correctly or production has screwed up a maintenance schedule, but I think that we are working a lot more in tandem as opposed to working independently.”

Part of this success is due to regular meetings between the production business groups and the maintenance planner. “Peter and I have agreed that over the past 12 months we have seen a significant improvement between maintenance and the operations guys on the floor,” Conner reports. “We have progressed leaps and bounds with maintenance. We are more effective in meetings and try and tell our planning group that when a machine is down, our goal is to let the planned work be done.

“We look at what maintenance is planned for the week with Peter’s planner. We have become more flexible in flipping tasks. In the meetings we cover items that can be done the next time a machine is down. We cover planned jobs, we discuss other things that might be potential problems and come up with tentative dates. We usually confirm for the following week, but we all reserve the right to make changes, or change maintenance priorities. The education has gone both ways, but we have further to go. There is always room for improvement.”

Soley wants to build on this progress by increasing the focus on the maintenance planning function and building a team approach with production management. He would also like to someday see maintenance schedules written right into production schedules, so he could, for example, see what the line will be doing in three months.

Soley also would like to beef up his team so that rather than just maintaining the rate of decay of the equipment, the team could improve it.

“Part of what I see as a success is that we haven’t seen an increase in downtime, but unfortunately, we have not

21

C O M P R E S S O R S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

seen improvement,” Soley says.

When asked what advice he has for other people struggling to bring maintenance and production into sync, Conners suggests: “I think it is very important for production to understand the load and priorities of the maintenance guys. It is also important for maintenance to understand the nature of production.”

Soley believes that the stronger the commitment from production, the better the results. “My challenge is developing that working relationship with production.”

On a more philosophical note he adds, “When things seem particularly hectic, I remind myself, if it was easy, anyone could do it.”

MRO Montreal-based Carroll McCormick is the senior contributing editor for Machinery & Equipment MRO. This year, he begins his second decade of profiling maintenance operations for this magazine.

In addition to various other production equipment, the maintenance crew also is responsible for a three-colour printing press and a six-colour printing press.

®

®

Reader Service Card No. 129

22

F O C U S

O N

D R I V E S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009

Choosing

gearboxes for process cooling

T

he type of cooling tower or aircooled condenser selected to cool a process system’s water is determined by the economic and environmental considerations of each particular application.

Cooling towers and air-cooled condensers are used in both utility and industrial applications. Utilities include power, cogeneration, geothermal and waste-to-energy plants. Industrial applications include chemicals, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, iron and steel and pharmaceutical plants. This equipment also is used in buildings requiring large air-conditioning facilities.

Cooling towers The three types of cooling towers that cover most applications are: wet, dry and hybrids.

Each of these cooling tower systems uses large fans and fan drives, an application which suits the use of parallel shaft and right angle speed reducers for reliable, quiet and trouble-free operation.

Cooling towers are typically classified into two categories: open systems and airtight systems. The common part of the systems is that the warm coolant is cooled down by open air taken in through a ventilator.

The difference in the systems is determined by whether the coolant is in direct contact with open air or not.

Since the interior of cooling towers becomes very humid, the motor is normally installed outside of the tower.

The cooling efficiency of the open type of tower is very high because the coolant is in direct contact with the outside air. This system involves evaporation of some of the coolant. It may be necessary to replace or replenish the coolant after long periods because water in the air allows for impurities and toxic substances to build up in the coolant.

In an airtight system, the coolant is kept in a coil-shaped radiator, so the coolant is not in direct contact with the open air. The cooling efficiency is about half that of the open-system type, however, this system is used frequently when trying to avoid dirty water — such as in computer- and semiconductor-related facilities and also where the outside air is polluted Air-cooled condensers An air-cooled condenser is a dry system where air is used as the cooling medium.

The process involves pumping the coolant through finned tubes in the roof of the condenser building and forcing the cooled air through the roof.

This system is inefficient compared to the cooling tower system, however it is preferable in cases where large supplies of water are not available. Environmental considerations make this cooling equipment less desirable.

The air-cooled condenser can use either a parallel shaft or right angle shaft gearbox. The difference is determined by where the fan blades will be positioned.

Table A shows a summary of some of the advantages and disadvantages between the cooling tower and the air-cooled condenser.

Different industries require different methods of cooling. When selecting gearmotors for either a cooling tower or an air-cooled condenser, look for designs with high performance for these specific applications and their demanding environments.

MRO

The proper cooling tower or condenser drive system depends on the industry application and environmental considerations.

BY STEFANIE BURNS

Fig. 1

Stefanie Burns is with Sumitomo Drive Technologies. For more information, contact SM Cyclo of Canada, Oakville, ON, or e-mail customercare@suminet.com.

Reader Service Card No. 400

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Figure 1. Sumitomo’s Cooling Tower Fan Drives (SFC Drives) feature special vacuum degassed, alloy steel, helical gearing with protuberance hobbing to generate a tooth having increased helix and pressure angles. They also benefit from gas carburized heat treating of the gears for hardness.

The design provides greater capacity, smoother and quieter operation, and a longer, trouble-free life. Figure 2. In an open system cooling tower, the coolant is exposed to the outside air. Figure 3. In an airtight system cooling tower, the coolant is not in contact with the outside air. Figure 4.

This air-cooled condenser system is driven by a parallel shaft gearbox. Figure 5. A right angle gearbox drives this air-cooled condenser system.

Table A Method

Advantage

Disadvantage

Cooling Tower - Open System

High Efficiency

1. Mixing of impurities and toxins into coolant 2. Producing plume in winter 3. Drainage process may be costly

Cooling Tower - Airtight System

1. Coolant remains clean

Device is larger than open system (not as compact)

2. No condensate plume in winter 3. No problems even in bad surrounding environment Air-Cooled Condenser

No water is required

Comparatively inefficient

T H E

S A F E T Y

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F I L E

February 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

A

huge explosion and fire at the Imperial Sugar refinery northwest of Savannah, GA, on February 7, 2008, caused 14 deaths and injured 38 others, including 14 with serious and life-threatening burns. In the four months following that incident, more than 50 additional combustible dust explosions occurred in the United States alone.

Interestingly, a full quarter of these explosions occurred at food industry facilities, including sugar plants like Imperial’s.

(Canadian industrial explosion figures run at about 10% of those in the U.S.) Combustible dusts are not a new hazard. The first documented explosion occurred in an Italian flour mill in 1785.

Since it is not a new problem, why do these incidents continue to occur?

Lack of awareness is a primary reason. Do you know the hazards of dust in your workplace? Can you identify combustible dusts, and do you know which safety precautions prevent potentially devastating explosions? Or is your facility another Imperial Sugar refinery just waiting to blow up?

Combustible dust explosions: How do they happen?

Five elements are needed for a combustible dust explosion to occur: 1) combustible dust 2) ignition 3) oxygen 4) dispersion and concentration of dust particles, and 5) confinement of the dust cloud.

Two of these elements, oxygen and confinement of the dust cloud, are difficult to control as oxygen is found within the air, and materials are generally processed within confined buildings. The other elements, however, can be controlled through: • regular cleaning and removal of dust • use of proper electrical equipment • control of other ignition sources such as open flames and static electricity • the isolation of hazards • the installation of proper sprinkling or extinguishing systems.

Identifying and controlling combustible dusts If your facility is dusty, that dust is most likely an explosion hazard. Most organic solids, many metals and even some nonmetallic inorganic metals are combustible or explosive if they’re divided finely enough and are present in sufficient concentrations.

Any operation in your facility that creates dust — including the transferring of sugar or flour, polishing and grinding, the manufacture of powders, and the handling and processing of solid combustibles such as wood or plastic — puts your facility at risk.

It doesn’t take much, either. Less than 1 mm (1/32 in.) of dust, covering just 5% of a room’s surface area, constitutes a significant hazard.

Industrial facilities need proper and effective dust control to keep workers safe.

Is your

facility

another

just

explosion waiting to

happen?

BY SIMON FRIDLYAND

Part of the solution is to minimize the escape of dust from process equipment or ventilation systems. Dust discharged or leaking from equipment into the atmosphere is acted on by gravity and will settle relatively quickly, depending on the size of the particles, the internal pressure propelling the particles out of the equipment and any air currents in the vicinity. The result is a layer of dust that settles on horizontal surfaces below the leak opening.

Some dusts have particles that are extremely fine and light (i.e., they have a low specific particle density). Such particles could behave more like vapours than like dusts and could remain in suspension for long periods. These particles could travel far from the emitting source and collect on surfaces above the source.

While horizontal surfaces accumulate the largest quantities of dust, vertical surfaces could, in some instances, also accumulate significant quantities. Controlling dust accumulation is critical to preventing explosions.

Dust collection systems Use cleaning methods that do not generate dust clouds, such as dust collection systems and filters to collect accumulated dust. Be especially aware of buildup

areas where dust cannot be seen, or areas that cannot be easily accessed for cleaning. Provide access to all hidden areas to permit inspection; regular maintenance inspections are important in combating dust accumulations. Gasket replacements should be a part of the preventive maintenance process.

How explosions happen While a dust cloud will ignite and explode readily in the presence of an open ignition source, dust layers, if undisturbed and not in direct contact with the ignition source, will not explode. However, if a small amount of dust is dispersed into the air at the ignition source, a small explosion will occur. The pressure wave from this explosion blows another layer of dust into the air, and a larger explosion then takes place. It is often this secondary explosion that does the most damage.

Around any operations that may generate combustible dusts, all ignition sources, including static electricity, must be eliminated. All equipment and conductive surfaces must be electrically grounded and bonded. Static electricity must be removed from belts using grounded metal combs or similar devices.

Electrical equipment and wiring shall be classified as far as its hazardous loca-

Reader Service Card No. 130

tion is concerned. Classified electrical equipment ensures that no spark is produced while the equipment is in operation.

Control mechanical sparks and friction by ensuring that bearings are not overheated and that equipment will not produce sparks by implementing a preventive maintenance program and using diagnostic techniques. Enforce and adhere to a non-smoking policy in the plant and control open flames.

The answer to the question of why the industrial explosion incidents continue to occur lies with awareness of combustible dust issues. More education on the subject, as well as enforcement of safety procedures, is probably necessary. In fact, the United States is in the process of adopting new enforceable regulations to minimize combustible dust explosions.

Do we need similar regulations in Canada, or can we apply what we need to do ourselves? Your comments are invited.

MRO Simon Fridlyand, P.Eng., is president of S.A.F.E. Engineering Inc., a Toronto-based company specializing in industrial health and safety issues and PSR compliance. He can be reached 416-447-9757 or simonf@ safeengineering.ca. For more information, visit www.safeengineering.ca.

24

C M M S

S O L U T I O N S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009

A

s everyone knows, we are in an economic slowdown. Production orders are down, maintenance budgets are wavering, and projects are on hold. In many cases there have been layoffs and some industry sectors are in dire straights. So during this period of uncertainty, what can we do in the maintenance department that will benefit us later on?

With the reduction in production schedules, there will be man-hours and equipment availability. I think it’s a great time for the maintenance department to work on its skills and to improve other key maintenance elements.

Of course, we know money is tight, so we need to be cost-effective in everything we plan to do.

There are two areas I think we can concentrate on that won’t break the bank — #1 is cost-effective training and #2 is equipment-related activity.

Let’s look at #1. Maintenance departments have been so busy during these past few years of boom that the opportunity for training has been almost nonexistent. We’ve tried running on-site training programs during busy times, only to find people being called away to repair or service equipment. “Keep the line running at all cost” is the operations mantra. Satisfying production demands was of the highest priority.

However, now we may have the time, so what kind of training can we do? Well, there are all types of training programs that can help your maintenance personnel. Some training will have a cost associated with it, and some will cost nothing but the time of your people.

Let’s look at some of these programs and where we can get access to them.

The vendors you buy products from are one of the best sources of free training. In this case, just because it is free doesn’t mean it’s not good.

Your suppliers have access to many manufacturing representatives that can provide top-notch training sessions.

Lubrication training One of the major causes of equipment failure is lubrication. Lubricating at the right intervals with the proper lube is critical. A lubrication specialist from the manufacturer can provide this type

Take advantage of the slowdown to train staff, gather equipment data and update your CMMS so you’ll be wellprepared for the economic upturn.

BY PETER PHILLIPS

Low-cost ideas for

tough times of training. The maintenance crew can learn about lubrication principles, lubrication types and applications, as well as the newest products on the market.

Bearing failures Another chronic problem is bearing failure. Bearings fail for two main reasons. Lack of lubrication, which we just talked about, is one. The other reason bearings fail is improper handling and mounting. I’ve participated in bearing seminars put on by SKF and FAG and they are excellent. The bearing manufacturers have representatives who are more than willing to come to your plant and put on a bearing course. Your people will come away with a whole new appreciation for bearing maintenance.

Reader Service Card No. 131

Fastener failures Yet another problem we face in maintenance is fastener failure. Nuts, bolts and screws come loose that can cause equipment to basically fall apart. Companies such as Loctite will come in for half a day and educate your crew on when and how to use the many new adhesives available to solve maintenance issues.

You name a product or service and I bet you can find a representative willing to come and educate your crew.

As I said, most of these training sessions are free, although sometimes there’s a small fee. You benefit from informative, well-presented training. The manufacturer benefits from educating your people on its products, which of course could increase its sales — a win/win situation.

Another avenue for training is equipment-specific training. Have you installed new equipment or processes in the past while, or do you have some new maintenance personnel that could use some training on equipment?

Take the opportunity now to contact the manufacturers of this equipment and arrange for them to come to your plant. My experience is that these people know their stuff. Your personnel will be given in-depth training on the functions and maintenance of the equipment. I hear often from even the senior maintenance people that have been working on the equipment for years that they learn much from these sessions. Unlike the situation with vendors for MRO products and services, there is often a cost for this type of training.

You may also have service contracts on some equipment. Try to arrange some hands-on training when the service guys are on site. Maintenance people really like hands-on training.

Of course, there is other training, such as Root Cause Analysis, that will help with the troubleshooting skills of your people. Such courses can be expensive but they certainly will prove to be money well spent.

Equipment-related activities are #2 on our list. The next thing we can do during

these slower times is upgrade our maintenance procedures and equipment records.

During a slowdown, it might be a good time to gather up equipment-specific data, such as model and serial numbers, motor horsepower and frame sizes, etc. These bits of information make it so much easier to find and order parts.

Take the time to examine the manufacturer’s manual. It will list suggested parts to keep on hand, as well as maintenance procedures and frequencies. Here’s a chance to build a list of equipment spare parts and create bills of materials for routine maintenance and overhauls.

These manuals are also a great source of information to update your preventive maintenance (PM) program on the equipment. Most PM’s are not very instructional. They usually say things like ‘check chain’ or ‘check bearings and belts’. Next to inadequate lubrication, a poor PM program is a major cause of equipment failure.

Take the time to build descriptive instructions that will ensure PMs are more effective. When checking chains and belts, include the belt or chain deflection so the proper tension can be maintained.

Explain what to check. For example, check belts for cracks, look for stretched chain, record temperature ranges, check bearing clearances, and so on.

A good PM should include what the manufacturer recommends, plus the recommendations made by members of your own maintenance staff based on their experiences working on the equipment.

Use this slow time to assess the condition of the equipment. Remove guards and thoroughly inspect every part of the equipment. Repair or rebuild suspect parts.

Identify lubrication points and build lubrication schedules. Modify equipment guards to make it easier to service and lubricate the equipment.

Of course, all this new information needs to be fed into your CMMS. It’s the safest and most reliable place to store and use all the new data. Update your CMMS tasks and equipment records, and create work orders to capture your repairs.

Everything I’ve mentioned in this article — the training and updating of equipment records — doesn’t cost a lot.

Most likely you’ll have the maintenance staff at work even if there’s no production going on. So most of the labour cost is covered anyway. Yes, parts for repairs cost money, but if your site is like most places I’ve seen, you’ll probably have more spares on the shelf than you need anyway. It’s likely that most of the needed parts are already on hand.

One of the last things I’ll mention, and if you read this column faithfully, you’ll know why, is that you should spend time working on your storeroom to turn it into a work of art so parts can be found easily. Again, this doesn’t cost much. Perhaps you need to buy some shelving and some bins, however the results are usually overwhelming. Finding parts quickly when you need them — what a concept!

Well, these are a few things everyone can do during the coming months. There’s not a lot of cost involved, but these ideas are certainly worth the time and money.

Do it now, using this time wisely, so when the economy turns around and once again we’re running full out, your maintenance people and equipment will be in fine shape to face the challenges MRO ahead.

Peter Phillips of Trailwalk Holdings, a CMMS consulting and training company, can be reached at 902-798-3601 or by email at peter@trailwalk.ca.

S U P E R V I S O R Y

S U G G E S T I O N S

February 2009

25 Machinery & Equipment MRO

Success secrets for 21st century meetings How to make agendas user-friendly.

BY RICHARD G. ENSMAN, JR.

So

another meeting with the maintenance team is coming up. And you’re thinking: “Do I have to use the same boring agenda?”

The answer: a resounding “no!”

Aim instead for a user-friendly agenda, packed with 21st century meeting success secrets. You can build a one- or twohour meeting around some or all of these agenda items, moving through each item in rapid-fire succession.

Agenda Item 1 ‑ Strengths. This agenda item consists of fast-moving reports of achievements. It sets a positive tone for the rest of the meeting.

Agenda Item 2 ‑ Seeds. An outgrowth of the first item, this subject consists of summaries of ‘success seeds’ — reports from your people about the steps they’re taking for future success.

Agenda Item 5 ‑ Strategies. So how have you achieved your successes as individuals, and as a team? And how can you improve your success rate in the future? Here’s a chance to talk about methods and techniques.

Agenda Item 6 ‑ Standards. Building on your strategy discussion, here’s when you get to suggest and analyze bold new levels of accomplishment.

Agenda Item 7 ‑ Searches. Through this agenda item, members of your team can describe the resources and reference sources they have used in their quest toward goals and successes.

Agenda Item 8 ‑ Signals. Use this occasion to impart information about industry and business trends, and emerging corporate behaviour.

Agenda Item 3 ‑ Satisfaction. What have your people felt best about since the last time you met? Here’s a chance for them to voice their thoughts.

Agenda Item 9 ‑ Shortcuts. Have your people discovered ways to save time, money and energy since you last met?

During this brief discussion, they can share these tips.

Agenda Item 4 ‑ Superlatives. Use this agenda item as the occasion for you to compliment your people — and for your people to compliment each other.

Agenda Item 10 ‑ Systems. Here’s the perfect occasion for you to review important procedures, and keep your internal operations in good working order.

Agenda Item 11 ‑ Sales. During this meeting time, your people get to explain how they persuaded others — customers, peers, vendors, members — to move toward important goals.

Agenda Item 12 ‑ Sabotage. What barriers — human, financial, market or attitudinal — have prevented your team from doing what they need to do? This is the time to raise them, and to consider ways to burst through those barriers.

Agenda Item 13 ‑ Screams. No, you’re not going to solicit screams from your people. But here, you’ll give them the opportunity to share their frustrations and difficulties. And out of the conversation might come a few tips they can use to address any looming problems.

since you last met? This is the perfect opportunity to share.

Agenda Item 16 ‑ Stories. Maybe they’re humorous anecdotes. Maybe they’re war stories. Time to share again.

Agenda Item 17 ‑ Secrets. Maybe it’s good news or bad news. Gossip. Hidden data. Startling facts. These topics are perfect for agenda item 17.

Agenda Item 18 ‑ Service. How can your people help each other? Let your people use this time to ask for — and give — assistance.

Agenda Item 19 ‑ Stuff. Sometimes known as ‘Other Business’.

Agenda Item 14 ‑ Show‑and‑Tell. Here, it’s time to share case studies and demonstrate success-building knowledge.

Agenda Item 20 ‑ Socializing. End your meeting time with food, drink and casual conversation — pleasure time and team time.

MRO

Agenda Item 15 ‑ Samples. Building on show-and-tell, what creative work have members of your team completed

Richard G. Ensman, Jr., is a regular contributor to Machinery & Equipment MRO.

Reader Service Card No. 132

26 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 installments are archived online at www.mromagazine.com. In this issue, we pick up where we left off in the December 2008 edition, as maintenance manager Bob Edwards and members of his team visit another mill.

O

ne more day, and then we were going to see this ‘Super Mill’.

Everyone was feeling good about it , but then I realized I had forgotten something. I had talked with our reliability manager, Carol, about what we wanted to see. I had talked with our plant manager, Joe, about what information he wanted. But I had totally forgotten those who would be affected the most by what we saw — the tradespeople.

I called down to the shop and asked that they get a message to Stan, the shop prep millwright who was going to accompany us on the trip, to come up to my office.

Five minutes later, Stan appeared at my door. “What can I do for you, Bob?” “Well, after all this talk about ‘involvement’, I’ve gone and forgotten to ask the guys what they’d like to know about at the U.S. mill we’ll be visiting. Do you think you could get a list of questions that we could take with us? Talk with as many of the guys as you can.”

“Relax, Bob. I’ve already done it. Hey, I was so surprised when you asked me to come on the trip, so there was no way I was going to mess it up. I know most of the guys have been interested in what’s been going on for longer than I have, so I took it upon myself to put up a list asking for questions.

We’ve got quite a few and we’ve had some good discussions in the lunch room.”

It seemed that Stan really had turned over a new leaf and was firmly on board.

“Thanks Stan. I’m glad one of us is thinking straight. That was all I wanted.

I’ll see you at the airport tomorrow if I don’t see you again today.”

Stan left the office with a smile on his face — his confidence was definitely growing.

I called Carol to see if she had pulled the list of KPIs we had talked about earlier.

“I’ve gone one step further, and I’ve included all of the measures I think are important to us so we can see if they also measure them.”

My comment to Fred — about allowing people to take on the work so you could actually get everything you needed completed — really was coming true. The bonus was that it meant that everyone was thinking the same way and felt confident enough to take the next step alone.

The next day on the flight to the mill in Wisconsin, Stan sat next to Carol and he didn’t stop asking her questions the whole way. He was interested with a vengeance and Dave’s suggestion that Stan accompany us on this visit was looking smarter by the minute.

When we arrived, the mill looked extremely well cared for, even from the outside. Everything was spotless and if they had a ‘junk yard’ like most mills, it was very well hidden.

When we walked into the reception area, there was a large board with a greeting: “Welcome Bob, Carol and Stan from Plentya Paper, Toronto, today’s Very Important Papermakers.” Now I knew why the maintenance manager had wanted a list of visitors from me. The receptionist handed us visitor badges with our names on them and asked us to take a seat while she raised the maintenance manager.

It was obvious that Carol and Stan

M A I N T E N A N C E

M A N A G E M E N T

LOTS TO LEARN AT THE

‘SUPER MILL’ Follow along with Step 25 in a journey to World-Class Maintenance at the Plentya Paper Company as the team makes further progress towards its goals.

BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

were impressed by ed by eight men who the welcome when t h e n i nt r o du c e d a tall, grey-haired themselves to us. man walked into the The group consisted room and introducof the mechanical ed himself. “Chuck team lead, electri• Perfect the art of delegation Darby, maintenance cal team lead, planand empowerment. manager. It’s great to ning co-ordinator, • Allow people to take on meet all of you. I’ve stores co-ordinator, the work so you can get arranged a meeting two millwrights, an everything completed. in the maintenance electrician and an complex with all of instrument techni• Let the team have the important playcian. responsibility. ers, who will be availChuck asked us able to you all day, so if we had any queswhy don’t we go over there and you can tell tions prepared or if there was something them exactly what it is you want to see. We in particular we wanted to see. “These will do a tour of the mill this afternoon and guys can answer anything you want and I’ll take you on that, so follow me.” they can arrange for you to see anything As we walked to the maintenance you want. I’ll be back around 12.30 to take complex, it was obvious that the rest of you to lunch. Enjoy” the mill was equally as well looked after.

It was obvious that Chuck had perNothing was out of place and there were fected the art of delegation and empowerclear signs directing us to the complex ment as Alan, the mechanical team lead, and other areas of the mill. When I comtook over. “I think we should tell you mented on the signs, Chuck explained, about the mill and answer some of your “We’ve tried to set everything up so that questions along the way. The mill started someone who’s been employed for only one up almost seven years ago. This was a day could do what someone has been here Greenfield mill. There are no other mills 20 years could do. You’ll see when you in the immediate area and the company look at our procedures and other things.” decided to employ only a few experienced As we went up the stairs to the conferpaper makers — about 10% — and the ence room, we could see into the mainterest were taken from all sorts of jobs. nance shop — the same tidiness and order “Every one of the trades people was was evident. The mill was already turning assigned to someone from the OEM team out to be everything promised. When we and took part in every stage of the comentered the conference room we were greetmissioning. They were also required to

Key Points

February 2009

provide enough information to develop a training package on the process they were involved with.

“This was quite a challenge for some of them as they’d never done anything like that before. We had many discussions with the group and quite candidly, we told them that if they didn’t feel capable of doing it then we would help, but if they just didn’t want to do it, then they should just accept that the fit wasn’t right and pursue other opportunities — that it wasn’t a failing, just the wrong fit.”

I could see that Stan looked a little bit uncomfortable as he commented, “I’m glad you didn’t give me that option, Bob, because I just might have taken it — and I’d never have made this change and enjoyed what we’re doing now.”

He turned to Alan and asked, “How many guys left?”

“Luckily, only one — and no more than six months later he came to try to get his job back. We left the decision about whether or not he could return with the team and it decided ‘no’. They said they felt he would disrupt the dynamics” Stan’s eyes opened wide. “You mean you let the guys decide whether or not to give him his job back?”

“Why not?” Alan replied. “They are involved in all of the hiring processes.

They are the ones who are going to have to work with whoever we hire. They’ve been trained extensively on the human resources side, but it’s their technical probing that makes it most effective.

“Anyone applying for a job with us had better be able to support and provide examples of everything on their resumé. Anyone who can’t do that doesn’t last long in the interview. If they can, then their attitude will decide yes or no. The guys don’t mind if there’s not all of the expertise required for the mill on the resumé. They just want to know if you can do what you say you can and have shown the ability, and more importantly, the interest, to learn.

“We’ve had only one or two people who didn’t fit in and they both left very quickly.

It may seem as if we give too much authority but it comes with equal responsibility.

If there’s absenteeism or lateness, the guys have to deal with it. They have peer review sessions when problems occur.”

It was becoming obvious that the mill had taken a completely different approach to its operating model and I wondered how much it led to the results they were achieving.

“Anyway,” continued Alan, “the next major decision was that we would have three levels of tradespeople and each level would be based on skill blocks.

That meant we had to have skill blocks!

We hired a consulting company to help us develop a framework for competencybased skill blocks, which require not just training but the demonstration of the knowledge and competence in the skill.

“Remember I told you about the requirement for information for training?

Well that formed the basis of the skill blocks. We have modules for hyrdraulics, pneumatics, chemicals, roll building and process knowledge for each area of the plant, along with others. When you add cross-skilling to this, it forms the building blocks around the framework.”

I couldn’t wait to see more of the mill, but Alan hadn’t finished his introMRO duction yet.

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

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

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What’s new in condition monitoring t

Bearing tester fits in palm

Timken’s Bearing Tester is a lightweight, palm-sized condition monitoring instrument that is reliable, affordable and easy to use. Shock pulse analysis provides immediate evaluation of ball- and rollertype bearings and marginal lubricant film conditions, while the infrared sensor measures surface temperature. A stethoscope function detects sound irregularities.

The green-yellow-red condition scale is easy to read and stores multiple readings. The tester is sold through Kinecor branches.

The Timken Co. Reader Service Card No. 301

Laser shaft alignment system is easy to use

Hyatt Industries has introduced the Stealth series laser shaft alignment systems, manufactured by Hamar Laser.

Features include rugged IP67-rated components, Bluetooth wireless commu-

Digital camera performs detailed inspections

verts a PC into a multi-channel chart recorder data logger or real-time meter displaying process temperature, ambient temperature, signal strength and battery condition of many probes simultaneously. The probes are CE compliant.

Omega Reader Service Card No. 304

Reader Service Card No. 303

Torque tester is easy on the pocketbook

Norbar has introduced the TruCheck 750 affordable 750-ft-lb torque tester for checking 3/4-in. and 1-in. torque wrenches, with an accuracy of plus or minus 1%. This easy-to use tool includes ISO 17025 certification. Also available is the TruCheck Plus 750, featuring readings display in ft-lb, in.-lb and Nm, three modes of operation, peak, track and pre-set target, three coloured LEDs. An RS-232 output cable is included with the Plus model.

McCann Equipment

Wireless probe has long battery life

Omega’s UWTC-NB9 and UWRTDNB9 series wireless industrial probes are available in type J, K, T, E, R, S, B, C or N thermocouple or PT100 RTD models. Each complete unit features an industrial probe and head assembly with a pre-programmed and factory-tested wireless transmitter. The built-in, field-replaceable battery provides over three years of continuous use.

All models interface directly with the company’s UWTC series receivers. Receiver models feature local displays, analogue output, alarms and web-based monitoring. Free software is included that con-

Reader Service Card No. 306

device that suits their individual requirements and that allows them to perform several advanced tasks, all with the same device. Pre-configured models also are available.

SKF Canada Reader Service Card No. 307

Analyzer suits various data collection tasks

The SKF Microlog Analyzer AX incorporates an 806-MHz Xscale processor that

Sight indicator monitors pipe flow conditions

t

Reader Service Card No. 305

are brass/bronze, carbon steel and 316 stainless steel. High-pressure and hightemperature models are offered, as well as models with CRN registration.

Muis Controls

Reader Service Card No. 302

Providing a window into pipes, the line of visual sight flow indicators from Muis Controls provides an economical means to confirm critical process flow conditions.

Applications include monitoring the flow of heating and cooling fluids, lubricants, flushing, spray, wash and drain fluids.

The units are available with a rotary paddle wheel or flapper to confirm flow or flow direction, a plain window to confirm process colour or clarity and a drip type to confirm lubrication or valve leakage. Sizes range from 1/4in. to 20-in. threaded and 1-in. to 12-in. flanged, and materials of construction nication and super-linear PSD detectors.

Model 680 is a high-end, five-axis laser shaft alignment package, while model 670 is a mid-range three-axis package.

Both models include a newly designed laser and target. These systems are designed for both the inexperienced and the experienced user.

Hyatt Industries

The Ridgid MicroExplorer digital inspection camera is a powerful, handheld video inspection system that is readily portable and allows the user to perform detailed visual inspections of hard-to-reach areas. A 3x digital zoom allows investigation of areas just out of reach of the camera head. Panning up, down, left or right allows viewing of objects just out of sight of the screen.

Files can be transferred to a computer via a USB port and e-mailed to customers. Features include 3.5-in. colour LCD with 320x240 resolution for clear inspections, and an easy-to-use icon-based user interface. The rechargeable lithium ion battery has a four-hour run time. Twist-and-lock attachments include a hook for grabbing and retrieving objects, a magnet for picking up lost metal objects and a mirror for seeing around corners.

ITM Instruments

Motor condition monitor has low pricetag

Artesis has introduced the MCM motor conditioning monitor that uses modelbased fault detection, combining the advantages of vibration analysis and motor current analysis in a lowcost system. This built-in detection tool, which costs less than it would cost to wire 4-20 sensors and regular vibration sensors, looks for electrical and mechanical faults and provides a diagnostic report. It detects problems with a motor’s power supply, problems inside the motor and problems with fans, pumps, compressors and other equipment. Maintenance managers can obtain simple and accurate maintenance scheduling information, without the need for interpretation by highly trained personnel.

Alliance Predictive

speeds up data collection and saves time in monitoring rounds. Features include a 6.4-in. VGA colour display, triaxial or four-channel vibration measurement capability, acceleration enveloping (gE) technology and a rugged IP65 dust- and water-proof design. The rechargeable lithium battery supports eight hours of continuous data collection. Users can select from a range of application modules, creating aDigital_Multimeters custom Reader Service Card No. 308 copy.pdf 12/9/08 2:12:00

PM

MRO

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Reader Service Card No. 133

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

What’s new in motors, gearmotors & drives t

Gearmotor offers increased efficiency

Reader Service Card No. 319

t

Speed reducer stands up to harsh washdown

Mechatronic drive system is compact

SEW-Eurodrive has introduced Movigear, a mechatronic drive system for horizontal materials handling technology that offers efficiency and functionality. The system combines the gear unit with a motor and matching drive electronics in a single compact housing.

Features include high overload capacity, short commissioning and start-up times, low noise emissions and smooth housing design. Rather than using two separate cables for energy and communication, the system uses one cable, reducing the complications and cost of on-site installations. Applications include the food and beverage, logistics and automotive industries.

SEW-Eurodrive Reader Service Card No. 324

Electric motor testing system has low pricetag

Sakor Technologies has introduced the DynoLAB LT low-cost turnkey system for

Tip for ordering replacement metric motors

When replacing metric motors, it is important to take particular care with the specifications so as to avoid receiving a model with an incorrect or missing flange. Metric motors do not specify the mounting information on the nameplates in the same way NEMA motors do. It is important to specify the mounting, either base or flange mounted. NEMA motors are flanged 16% of the time and offer only one or two options, whereas metric motors are flanged 66% of the time and there can be up to eight different flanges.

Due to the multiple flange offerings with metric motors, it is good practice when ordering to verify one of the key mounting dimensions on the flange.

If the flange is not standard, the shaft dimensions should be confirmed.

Lafert North America Reader Service Card No. 321

Brush life sensor enhances gearmotors, motors

A brush-wear monitoring system for its line of 42-frame permanent magnet DC gearmotors and motors has been developed by Bodine Electric. Special order versions are available with built-in electronic brush-wear sensors, which are fully integrated into the motor housing. These sensors indicate when either of the brushes is nearing the end of

Gearmotor offers backward compatibility

The Sharq 207 series of parallel shaft gearmotors, designed as a direct drop-in replacement for many high-volume applications, offers high output in a compact package. Powered by 1/20-hp, UL- and CSA-recognized AC motors, the standard models offer torque ratings from 42 in.-lb to 113 in.-lb, with 2 rpm to 29 rpm output speeds at full load current of 1.3 A. The series is rated at 115 V, 60 Hz and employs shaded pole electric motors, with clockwise rotation as standard. Features include a totally enclosed fan-cooled design, 0.625-in. diameter output shaft, 150-lb overhung load rating, integral foot plate mount and three-point face mount. The gearmotors also are available with 1/10-hp open design fan-cooled motors, in models ranging from 59 in.-lb to 113 in.-lb of output torque at speeds from 2 rpm to 56 rpm.

Sharq Motion Reader Service Card No. 326

Stepper drive is offered in 220 VAC model

Applied Motion Products STAC6 highperformance stepper drives are available in 220-VAC models. The drives provide software-selectable resolutions from 200 steps/rev to 51,200 steps/rev at speeds up to 50 rps. Self-test and auto-setup features measure and configure motor parameters automatically, while anti-resonance technology eliminates mid-range instability and demand signal smoothing reduces extraneous system resonances. Micro-

AC motor offers encoder-free motion control

step emulation provides smooth motion for systems that require low step resolutions, such as retrofit systems with a controller resolution that is fixed at a low value and cannot easily be changed.

Setup and configuration is easy using the company’s Configurator software.

Applied Motion Products Reader Service Card No. 327

Short series brake motor is versatile

Three-phase short series brake motors featuring an integral Dodge spring set brake for a compact and cost-effective design have been intro-duced

by Baldor. The DC brake is magnetically released with a builtin single-phase rectifier and has a manual release lever. Available for 230-V/460-V and 575-V operation in NEMA sizes 56C through 184C and in 1/2 hp through 5 hp, the brake motors are UL/CSA recognized and CE certified.

They can be universally mounted and are inverter ready. Applications include unit and baggage handling, conveyors, packaging equipment, machine tools, hoists and door operators.

Baldor Electric Company Reader Service Card No. 360

Direct drive motor performance comes in a small package its useful life, eliminating the guesswork in brush maintenance and inspection. Units that are equipped with this feature can also accommodate a built-in magnetic encoder and built-in EMI filtering.

Bodine Electric Reader Service Card No. 325

Maximum rotational speed is 2s-1, and position sensor resolution is 2,621,440 counts/rev. The series’ interchangeable motors and driver units can be combined freely. The motors are controlled via an upgraded version of the company’s Megaterm software.

NSK Precision America Reader Service Card No. 328

t

Reader Service Card No. 320

Reader Service Card No. 322

t

Boston G ear’s cor rosionresistant, stainless steel 70 0 ser ies wor m gear speed reducer for food and beverage processing and packaging applications can withstand the rigours of frequent caustic washdowns. Housing, motor flange and carrier are crafted from 316 stainless steel, and the integral input worm and shaft are made from high-strength, casehardened alloy steel. The design prevents particle accumulation or fluid pooling on or under the unit. The large internal oil reservoir is filled with H1 food-grade lubricant and sealed for life. For easy replacement, the footprint is the same as that of the standard 700 series.

Boston Gear

t

Responding to customers’ need to increase efficiency in equipment employing fractional horsepower electric motors, Bison Gear has introduced the 107 series Verdant Duty gearmotors in five standard, off-the-shelf models. Rated at 1/20 hp (37.3 W) at 230 V, 60 Hz, three phase, they feature an operating range from 6 Hz to 90 Hz to provide a 15:1 range of adjustable output speeds and require no maintenance. The totally enclosed, non-ventilated AC motors are constructed with special insulation systems to ensure long life. Suitable variable-speed applications include packaging equipment, machine drives and conveyors.

Bison Gear & Engineering

electric motor testing. The system offers a fixed I/O configuration optimized for basic electric motor testing and has provisions for measuring speed and torque, and optional voltage and current supply to the motor under test. It is specifically designed to work with the company’s Accudyne line of AC motoring dynamometers, which offer full four-quadrant operation with seamless transition between loading and motoring modes.

The combination is suitable for carrying out durability and performance testing, as well as quality control auditing of electric motors.

Sakor Technologies

February 2009

An addition to the Megatorque motor line of direct drive motors, the PN series motor from NSK offers similar performance to the PS series, but with a more compact design. The ultra-thin, compact 35-mm design makes it suitable for applications ranging from semiconductor chip inspection to tool changers for machine tools to medical liquid handling equipment.

ABM Drives’ line of zero-slip, high-efficiency Sinochron AC motors eliminates the need for an encoder in medium-accuracy applications, and produces torque equal to the next larger frame size of a standard AC motor.

Rated at 0.25 kW to 10 kW, the motors exceed EPAct 1 efficiency in fractional horsepower sizes, delivering 25% to 40% higher efficiency, depending on the operating range.

Totally enclosed in an aluminum housing, they use a standard three-phase stator winding with a custom-designed rotor having permanent magnets embedded in the stack. Applications include stair/car/truck lifts, crane drives, powder-coating machines, packaging machines, industrial doors and hydraulic pumps.

ABM Drives Reader Service Card No. 329

General-purpose AC motor undergoes rigorous factory testing

The OME series of general-purpose AC motors from Omega are industrial-duty, threephase, 208-V to 230-V/460-V motors available in 1 hp to 5 hp and speeds of 3,600 rpm, 1,800 rpm and 900 rpm. These CE-compliant, totally enclosed fan-cooled T-frame motors have cast iron frames with a ribbed design and feature class F insulation. They are inverter-duty capable with a 5:1 speed turndown for variable torque applications and a 2:1 speed turndown for constant torque use. All motors are manufactured in ISO 9001-certified facilities using premium-grade materials and manufacturing processes. They are particularly suited for machine tooling industries.

Omega Reader Service Card No. 330

MRO

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February 2009

Machinery & Equipment MRO

What’s new in seals & gaskets Anti-stick coating speeds gasket removal

Garlock has developed an anti-stick agent that facilitates the removal of gaskets from flanged joints. Flange Free is a high-temperature, inorganic coating that the company is applying to its entire line

Metal gasket can be re-used

tures that are particularly important in the food and beverage industry. Offering a fast, inexpensive repair option for worn or grooved shafts, Redi-Sleeves precision stainless steel wear sleeves are designed to be pressed on to a shaft to improve the sealing surface. Bearing isolators, either metallic or non-metallic, feature labyrinth seal designs of unitized construction, have no metal-on-metal contact and require no special installation tools. They are particularly suitable for pumps and electric motors.

The Timken Co. Reader Service Card No. 313

of compressed-sheet gasketing, including extreme-grade gasketing for critical-service applications. Gaskets treated with this coating reduce the time and effort required to remove them after extended service. The coating is fused to the surface of the gasket material and does not contain chemicals that can cause the gaskets to crack or otherwise degrade. To help in proper gasket selection, the product branding has been redesigned for clarity and applied with a water-based ink that will not transfer to the flange.

Garlock Sealing Technologies

The Maxiprofile custom-machined, high-performance metal gasket from Robco is designed for use in difficult-to-seal applications and to replace jacketed and spiral-wound gaskets. The gaskets can be machined to virtually any size, in metals that range from standard to the exotic, faced with graphite, PTFE or in combination with mica.

Custom shapes of internal partition bars can be welded in place to satisfy the requirements of complex heat exchanger layouts. Gaskets can be removed and sent for refurbishment, where the profiled metallic core can be inspected and refaced.

Robco Reader Service Card No. 314

Rubber seal is easy to mount and dismount

The SKF industrial seals family includes metal-inserted, fabric-reinforced and allrubber products. The all-rubber seals will not score the bore, even after repeated installations and extractions, preventing damage to the metal that can cause bypass leakage. In addition, they accept

rougher bore finishes, reducing machining costs. They resist corrosion and will not seize in the bore, even years after assembly. All sizes can be fitted by hand or with simple tools. In the case of split seals, there is no need to dismount the shaft or other machine components.

SKF Canada Reader Service Card No. 317

MRO

Experience Proven Results Designed to meet your application’s pressure or vacuum requirements, Gardner Denver Cycloblower®, Sutorbuilt® and Duroflow® positive displacement blowers represent a proven history and reputation for quality, dependability and performance. Contact TG Compressed Air Systems today to ensure your blowers improve performance, boost productivity and reduce costs.

Reader Service Card No. 315

On-line shaft seal catalogue has powerful search function

1-800-715-9466

Daemar’s on-line catalogue navigator is an interactive and intuitive tool that enables users to quickly and efficiently search through a database of over 10,000 shaft seals to identify the correct seal for their sealing application. Searches can be performed by shaft diameter, bore

3225 Mainway, Burlington, Ontario L7M 1A6 Sales • Service • Parts www.tg-aircompressor.com Reader Service Card No. 135

express

yourself size, seal thickness or lip style, and critical dimensions can be compared across search results. The user can select from a range of elastomers and access supporting technical information. Retaining the search results is easy using on-line features including page bookmark, print page and save page as a pdf file.

Daemar Reader Service Card No. 316

Precision Power Quality (when perfect power is your thing)

Send your suggestions, ideas and comments to…

Seals are designed for a wide range of uses

Timken offers a range of sealing solutions for many industrial applications. Oil and grease seals, available in metric and inch sizes and in high-temperature materials, prevent abrasives, corrosive moisture and other harmful contaminants from entering machinery. High-performance seals come in three varieties of elastomer materials that offer good abrasion resistance and chemical compatibility, fea-

Power analyzing, logging, recording and troubleshooting tools that help you reduce downtime, avoid product damage and save energy while keeping your world up and running.

800-36-FLUKE www.flukecanada.ca/pq

letters@mromagazine.com PQ

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Reader Service Card No. 137

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

What’s new…

in products, systems, components and accessories for machinery and equipment maintenance, repair and operations.

t

Instrument detects electrical discharges in electric motor bearings

Reader Service Card No. 353

t

Motion control coupling line is expanded

Lovejoy has increased the number of sizes and options available for its beam coupling product line. The ES/EC series is a compact coupling that can compensate for up to three degrees of angular misalignment. Bore capacities range from 0.19 in. to 1.125 in. The ASB series offers additional sizes and lengths with clamping hubs. The ADB series coupling

Surge suppressor integrates easily into equipment

Raycap’s medium-voltage surge protection devices provide continuous protection from over-voltage and other transient voltage activity. Designed to protect equipment from lightning strikes, power surges and spikes, the Strikesorb 403000, Strikesorb 40-4000 and Strikesorb 40-5000 modules comprise a single distribution-grade metal oxide varistor disc in an environmentally sealed aluminum housing. The product can be integrated into equipment without requiring its own enclosure and meets the IEEE C62.11-2005 standard. It is suitable for a wide range of applications in such industries as petrochemical, oil and gas, cement and mining, steel and metal, pulp and paper, etc.

Raycap Reader Service Card No. 332

Reader Service Card No. 331

Beam coupling has improved clamp design

Ruland has introduced a new clamp design for its zero-backlash flexible beam couplings. The couplings now clamp with a single screw on each end for easy installation and are balanced for increased

rpm capability. They feature both a radial and cross-cut to enhance surface contact with the shaft. Two series of couplings are available for different types of applications. The couplings are machined from a single piece of aluminum and feature multiple spiral cuts, which provides high torsional stiffness and torque capabilities and reduced wind-up.

Twenty different body sizes are offered, and outside diameters range from 10 mm (3/8 in.) to 38 mm (1 1/2 in.), and bores from 2 mm (3/32 in.) to 19 mm (3/4 in.). Retrofitting in existing equipment is easy, the company says.

Ruland Manufacturing Reader Service Card No. 333

Heavy-duty engine oil has soot-handling benefits

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SKF Maintenance Products has introduced the SKF Electrical Discharge Detector Pen (EDD Pen), a handheld instrument innovated by SKF with a patent applied for, which detects the number of electrical discharges in electric motor bearings remotely. With the use of variable-frequency drives (VFDs) to control AC motors, the motors are more vulnerable to electrical erosion in the bearings caused by electrical discharge currents.

Electrical erosion can cause bearings to fail very prematurely. Until now there hasn’t been an easy, cost-effective method to detect electrical discharge currents in electric motor bearings. Operating with only two buttons, the EDD Pen allows the detection of electrical discharge currents remotely in a safe way. Unlike other traditional methods, users can detect the electrical discharge currents directly, rather than measuring the effects in later stages when damage has already occurred. When incorporated into a predictive maintenance program, the EDD Pen can significantly prevent unplanned machine downtime.

SKF Canada Ltd.

compensates for up to seven degrees of angular misalignment and up to 0.024 in. of parallel offset. This series also compensates for larger distances between shafts. The coupling line is suitable for use in a variety of motion control applications, such as pumps, conveyor systems, lead screws and encoders.

Lovejoy

February 2009

Petro-Canada has introduced Duron-E 10W-30 engine oil, an addition to the company’s line of API CJ-4 category heavy-duty engine oils. Formulated for both on- and off-road fleets, the product provides good soot dispersancy, extended drain capabilities, low engine wear and good topup and cold start-up performance. It is suitable for four-stroke diesel, gasoline and natural gas automotive applications where SAE 10W-30 is recommended.

Applications include engines equipped with exhaust aftertreatment devices such as diesel particulate filters and catalytic reactors. The engine oil is back-serviceable and also fits into the CI-4 Plus, CI-4, CH-4 and CG-4/SM categories.

Petro-Canada Reader Service Card No. 339

Custom-built industrial cranes are budget-conscious

Morris Material Handling, the manufacturer of P&H cranes, hoists and replace-

ment parts, has introduced a custom-built solution using standard components for material handling applications. Built to CMAA design specifications, the industrial cranes and components are equipped to handle loads of up to 100 tons and spans up to 100 ft. The company can customize them to fit the needs of the application. Options for cranes and components are paired for specific requirements and adjusted according to the budget. Customization options include drives, end trucks and hoists, as well as optional girder connections and below-the-hook devices.

Morris Material Handling Reader Service Card No. 336

Twin-wheel design reduces caster resistance

Hamilton Caster has added a twinwheel design to its line of polyurethane wheels. The Swivel-EAZ wheel features two independent swivel surfaces that roll using internal precision bearings on one common axle. These surfaces reduce rolling resistance and minimize the initial start forces while eliminating the need for costlier dual-wheel casters.

The split outer polyurethane treads of the wheel are non-marking and moulded to rust-resistant aluminum cores. Available mounted in many of the company’s broad line of industrial casters, the wheel comes in 4-in. and 8-in. diameter sizes, crown and flat face tread designs and 80A and 95A hardnesses.

Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co. Reader Service Card No. 335

Easy-rolling casters prevent over-exertion

Darcor Casters, a manufacturer of ergonomically designed precision casters, is repositioning itself to better meet the needs of companies seeking innovative solutions to workplace challenges. As part of its rebranding, the company has a new tag line, ‘the path of least resistance,’ which embodies its approach to all aspects of its business, from producing casters with the lowest rolling resistance, to commitment to R&D, to reducing costs and increasing productivity, and to providing superior customer service. The company has also redesigned and upgraded its website.

Darcor casters feature a load capacity of up to 15,000 lb per caster and low rolling forces. They start, roll and swivel with minimal resistance, reducing the human and financial costs of over-exertion injuries, the company says.

Darcor Casters Reader Service Card No. 138

Reader Service Card No. 337

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Brake cleaner works quickly

Machinery & Equipment MRO

U-10 brake cleaner from LPS Laboratories has a low VOC content and improves brake performance by instantly removing brake fluid, dust, dirt, grease and oil without requiring disassembly of the brake unit. Available in a 397-gram (14oz) aerosol can, the cleaner has a powerful jet spray and high solvency and evaporates quickly without leaving a residue.

LPS Laboratories Reader Service Card No. 338

Strain relief bushing secures cable

Heyco RDD Pigtail Lockit strain relief bushings are designed to protect the cables of electric/electronic products by absorbing forces of pull, push, twist and

flex. The bushings securely anchor, insulate and protect cables at panel entry points. An integral nylon spring eases the cable into a lazy bend, prevents sharp bending and assures long cable and product life. Available in 6/6 nylon, the bushings self-lock on to the cable and can be pre-assembled off line for final assembly at a later time or remote location, thereby lowering installed cost. They are easily installed with fingertip pressure into a standard round or DD hole.

Heyco Products Reader Service Card No. 347

DeviceNet for machine safety described in guide

The Guide to DeviceNet Safety Systems from Omron STI outlines the benefits of implementing a DeviceNet safety network in a variety of machine safety applications, including standalone safety applications or distributed safety control systems. The

fully illustrated guide details the company’s family of safety network controllers, safety I/O terminals, Ethernet/IP-DeviceNet routers, accessories and network configuration software. Product features, diagrams, specifications and ordering information also are included.

Omron Scientific Technologies Reader Service Card No. 341

Bearing product 3D models can be downloaded

Thomson has available 3D models for its Thomson Linear Ball Bushing bearing and linear specialty bearing products.

These configurable 3D CAD models can

be downloaded for Thomson Super Smart Ball Bushing bearings and pillow blocks, Super Ball Bushing bearings and pillow blocks, Precision Steel Ball Bushing bearings and pillow blocks, as well as Roundway linear roller bearings. The models are available in over 25 file formats, compatible with most popular CAD programs, including Solidworks, AutoCAD and Pro/E. Thomson

Advanced driver controls stepper motors

OES developed the three-axis stepper motor driver controlling four high-torque stepper motors, with an onboard controller, for cutting machine applications, but it also suits other applications. The single-board design eliminates the interconnecting wiring harness and the need for multiple DC voltages, increasing the working voltage to the stepper motors. Advanced circuitry allows the power supply to be optimized for stepper motor control. Quick-disconnect terminal blocks are used for all connections, simplifying installation and removal. Features include crossover current protection and thermal shutdown circuitry. The stepper driver helps reduce costs and improve reliability and performance.

OES Reader Service Card No. 334

Reader Service Card No. 342

Transfer chains have long working life

Transfer chains with wear-resistant synthetic transport attachments have been introduced by Iwis. Transfer chains are used to convey, transport and position containers and workpiece carriers wherever sensitive or delicate goods and products must be conveyed gently, such as in the packaging, food, electronics, paper, glass and ceramic processing and chemical/pharmaceutical industries. The functional areas of these chains are fully sealed to eliminate particles and other small objects that can cause malfunction-

tribution bus when removing units and insulated power bus closing plates located on the ends of each MCC lineup. In the event of an internal fault, arc containment latches help contain the arc blast.

Rockwell Automation Reader Service Card No. 346

ports. The USB port offers a simple and high-performance connection to the programming PC. The 4 MB internal RAM allows the unit to manage applications up to 70 Kb instructions and 256 Kb data, while the plug-and-load SD card enables easy updating of the application or data transfer to other machines with no disruption of the user’s operation.

Schneider Electric Reader Service Card No. 345

MCC option protects against arc flash hazards ing. The transfer attachments are made from polyacetal resin. The chains can be used in temperatures ranging from minus 40°C to plus 100°C, with short-term exposure to 140°C. Iwis Drive Systems

The Allen-Bradley Centerline 2500 motor control centre ArcShield option helps reduce arc flash hazards and improves protection against internal electrical arcs, providing arc flash protection per IEC/TR 61641:2008 for arcing durations up to 300 msecs. This option provides a pressure

Reader Service Card No. 344

Controller maximizes equipment efficiency

Schneider Electric’s Telemecanique Modicon M340 PLC is a rugged, compact and user-friendly controller suited for most applications. Its small size allows it to fit readily into solutions for factory automation, packaging, mining, and oil and gas industries, etc. The controller integrates a high-speed USB port and offers two additional customizable communication

Slewing ring/turntable bearing catalogue expanded

Kaydon has released an expanded edition of its slewing ring/turntable bearings catalogue, featuring over 100 more pages of new bearing sizes and more helpful specifying information. The upgraded catalogue makes it easier for engineers to choose a bearing for their application, and includes a handy selection guide, as well as dimensions, cross-

sectional drawings and load charts for every model. Five new series of slewing ring/turntable bearings and several new sizes in the KH precision bearing series are included. Also featured are an expanded installation and maintenance section, a new section describing the company’s remanufacturing capabilities, and a specification worksheet that can be completed and faxed to the company for a free, customized application engineering review and bearing recommendation.

Kaydon

relief system that exhausts gases through the top of the enclosure, without front ventilation. In addition, the MCC features Reader Service Card No. 348 automatic shutters that isolate the discontinued on page 32 Thermal_Imaging_2 copy.pdf 12/9/08 2:18:30 PM

I\e\n Efn Don’t let your free subscription lapse.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO is a trusted resource for over 18,000 readers serving a wide range of industries across Canada.

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But as our circulation list is audited twice a year, we you need to confirm your subscription information.

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Thermal Imagers Easily spot a possible problem and fix it before there’s downtime.

800-36-FLUKE www.flukecanada.ca/point Reader Service Card No. 140 Thermal Imagers 2 3-3/8 w x 4-7/8 d

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

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IR thermometer has extended measurement range

Reader Service Card No. 300

Solid state relay has current monitoring feature

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Carlo Gavazzi has expanded its Solitron series with the addition of the R JCS ser ies current monitoring solid state relay. This fully integrated, microprocessor-controlled relay is capable of switching 50-A single-phase AC loads at up to 660 VAC, when controlled by a 4-32 VDC signal. Its internal current sensing circuitry monitors and reacts to a number of load failure conditions. Alarm functions can be set locally or remotely from a standard PLC, and the device can be ordered with either NPN or PNP normally open or closed alarm outputs. Designed for industrial heating equipment, the compact and easy-touse relay has an integrated heat sink and simply snaps to DIN rail. Applications include plastics production, packaging and food processing.

Carlo Gavazzi Reader Service Card No. 310

Reader Service Card No. 312

Low-friction seal for ball rail system cuts noise

Low-friction seals as an option for the runner blocks of its ball rail systems range are available from Rexroth. The seals are suitable for many applications in automation, the electronics industry and in measuring instruments. They are made from highly elastic plastic and generate practically no friction, helping to reduce the installed drive power and cut costs, depending on the application configuration. Their oil-binding properties enable them to act as wet seals, preventing the penetration of fine dusts, while ensuring that rail surfaces are covered with a thin, protective f ilm of lubricant. The seals also reduce noise generation in composite rails with the rail sections installed end to end.

Rexroth Reader Service Card No. 318

Self-lubricating bearing withstands harsh environments

Designed for non-lubricated applications, Metcar 1010 Babbitt mechanical grade bearings are suitable for use in dry or submerged environments at temperatures up to 350°F, such as pump and meter bearings, seal rings and thrust washers, guide bushings, and roll bearings for textile and plating equipment. An affordable self-lubricating bearing grade option, these carbon-graphite bearings can be used for high loads at medium speeds and medium loads at high speed.

They are non-galling and dimensionally stable, and have high compressive strength. Their resistance to chemicals, good thermal properties and high electrical conductivity make them suitable for use in harsh operating conditions.

Metallized Carbon Corporation Reader Service Card No. 358

Dual-display multimeter fits in tight areas

Reader Service Card No. 309

Reader Service Card No. 354

Wireless condition monitoring system is cost-effective

Torquemeter installs without critical constraints

Timken’s StatusCheck wireless condition monitoring system is designed to economically detect excessive temperature and vibration that could lead to equipment breakdown. Intrinsically safe transmitters can be magnetically mounted or threaded and can send wireless readings at variable intervals up to 1/2 km to a

t

The Series SLU Universal Phase Monitor from Dwyer Instruments is designed for maintenance managers, electricians and engineers. The monitor offers a cost-effective means to provide Wye and Delta three-phase systems protection against equipment failure caused by voltage faults. Just one unit can be adjusted for the voltage, imbalance percentage and time delay requirements to protect against single phasing and unbalanced voltages, regardless of regenerative voltages.

Dwyer Instruments

Amprobe has introduced the ACD-14 Plus clamp-on multimeter with dual display for simultaneous readings of amperage and voltage. Thin jaws enable access to tight measurement areas, yet still accommodate conductors up to 28 mm. The instrument measures AC current to 600 A, AC and DC voltage to 600 V, capacitance to 3,000 μF, resistance to 40 Mohms, temperature and μA for testing flame sensors.

Features include a continuity buzzer, auto power off and low battery indication. Particularly suited to HVAC and electrical applications, the multimeter comes with test leads, bead-type thermocouple probe with banana plug, rubber over-moulded carrying case and user manual.

Amprobe Test Tools

T he MCRT 8 6 0 0 0V a nd 87000V series bearingless digital torquemeters from S. Himmelstein offer broad installation latitude, tolerating rotor to stator misalignment of 1 in. axially and 0.3 in. radially.

Infrared camera helps prevent equipment failure

The Extech i5 compact, lightweight infrared camera is an easy-to-use, affordable trouble-shooting tool for high-quality thermal imaging and high accuracy, focus-free viewing. The lightweight device includes 5,000-image mini-SD card storage.

It monitors and detects the thermal condition of electrical system components to address problem areas before failures occur, even those in hard-to-reach areas. Users can check for overheating in electrical panels and transformers, and identify problems with cooling and heating systems, and with motors, fans and bearings. Features include a 71-mm (2.8-in.) high-resolution colour LCD, a rugged design with easygrip handle that meets IP43 dust/splashproof standards, and five-hour continuous operation on a single charge.

Extech Instruments Reader Service Card No. 391

Their antennae are immune to metal components positioned as close as 1/10 in.

The torquemeters offer 0.05% accuracies, mechanical overload ratings of 400% and 300% electrical over-range. Full scale ranges from 50 N-m to 10,000 N-m are available. A NIST traceable calibration performed in the company’s NVLAP accredited lab is supplied with each unit. Analogue, frequency and digital outputs are standard.

The torquemeters are rated for use with variable frequency drives.

S. Himmelstein Reader Service Card No. 311

Flexible motor supply cable is built to last

A lpha Wire has announced that it has extended its Xtra-Guard product range with the addition of flexible motor supply cables to its high-performance variable frequency drive product line. These durable yet economical cables are suited to motor and drive applications requiring small outer diameter, flexibility and ease of handling. They feature a round geometry to facilitate environmental sealing and a symmetrical design that improves the electrical performance, allowing the cable to exhibit uniform bending characteristics.

Additional features include the company’s Suprashield, PVC nylon tape, four symmetrical drain wires and a specially formulated PVC jacket.

Alpha Wire Reader Service Card No. 388

Impact socket delivers enhanced performance

t

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Universal phase monitor protects against equipment damage

PC. The easy-to-interpret readings and customizable software allow for accurate diagnostic condition reporting.

The Timken Co.

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Dwyer Instruments has introduced the series IR6 and IR7 dual laser extended range infrared thermometers, which accurately measure surface temperatures from long distances. The full-featured, handheld device allows the user to take maximum, minimum, average and differential readings of surface temperatures. High and low alarms give audible and visual indication of the process temperature. When taking measurements in dark areas, a built-in white light can be used to illuminate the measurement area. For long-term measurements, the unit includes a dual magnetic base attachment that permits hands-free use.

Dwyer Instruments

February 2009

Wr ight Tool has changed its line of standard length 3/4-in. drive 12-point impact sockets to meet the demands of the higher performance delivered by modern impact guns. The sockets are available in 28 sizes, ranging from 9/16 in. to 2 2/8 in. They have the same wall thickness as six-point impact sockets for added strength. As with any large-drive impact socket, the user must wear safety goggles and use a Ret-Ring or pin and O-ring to secure the socket to the impact driver.

Wright Tool Reader Service Card No. 355

Durable thermal imager is economical

Cost-effective for day-to-day troubleshooting and maintenance tasks, Fluke’s line of affordable, high-performance thermal imagers is engineered for durability, withstanding a drop of 6.5 ft, and IP54 rated to withstand water and dust. The imagers can integrate infrared and visual images and

include Fluke SmartView software for viewing, annotating, editing and analyzing images. Also included is IR Fusion, which integrates infrared and visual images in full-screen or picture-in-picture views.

The line comprises the models Ti25, Ti10, TiR1 and TiR, all of which include a 2-GB SD memory card. In addition, each imager comes with a rugged hard carrying case and a soft transport bag, an adjustable hand strap, rechargeable internal battery and AC power supply/battery charger.

Fluke Electronics Canada Reader Service Card No. 390

Electrical insulating fluids meet upgraded CSA requirement

Petro-Canada has announced that its Luminol TR and Tri electrical insulating fluids meet the Type III and Type IV special requirements introduced by CSA. The new requirements were created to ensure that electrical insulating fluids perform under the increasing demand put on today’s HVDC and shell-type power transformers, free-breathing transformers operating under overload conditions, and reactors. These Luminol products met the new CSA requirements without requiring any reformulation. The new specification is referred to as CSA C50-08 (formerly CSA C50-97).

Petro-Canada Reader Service Card No. 349

Turn-key system tests small engines

A completely integrated, turn-key system for testing small two- and four-cycle engines is available from Sakor Technologies. Available in sizes ranging from 5 kW to 30 kW, the VersaDyne small engine test system features the versatility of a regenerative AC motoring dynamometer in a convertible horizontal/ verticalpackage,offeringprecisespeedand torque control over a wide dynamic range.

The company’s DynoLab PT engine test cell controller provides fully automated test cycle control in a Microsoft Windows-based environment. The system is suitable for testing such engines as generators, small outboard motors, tractors and more.

Sakor Technologies Reader Service Card No. 389

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Machinery & Equipment MRO Photographs by Eric Achilles Cousineau

EASA Ontario Chapter garners international attention

BY ERIC ACHILLES CouSInEAu

Toronto, ON — The 2009 EASA Ontario Chapter annual general meeting and Trade Show at the Sheraton Downtown Toronto hotel Jan. 23-24 was a tremendous success. The trade show had an attendance of over 150 people and featured more than 30 vendors displaying products.

This was an election year for the Ontario Chapter, with Brian Larry of Larry Electric Motor Service, Peterborough, ON, taking on the role as president, and Anthony Lekkas, Stanford Electric Rebuilders, Toronto, moving up to vice-president. Sid Seymour, Seymour-Smith Electric Motor & Pump Service Inc., Burlington, ON, was elected as the secretary. Ramzi Mallouk, Brook Crompton North America, continues for another year as treasurer.

The meeting also included a day-anda-half technical course, Root Cause Failure Analysis, presented by EASA consul-

tant Austin Bonnett of Gallatin, MO. Attending the weekend events were several members of other EASA chapters. Reflecting the significance of the Ontario chapter to the organization, EASA International’s chairman, Kevin Miller (Apparatus Repair & Engineering Inc., Hagerstown, MD), vice-chairman David Griffin (CPM Engineering Ltd., Manchester, England), and secretary/ treasurer Sandi Howlett (Ainsworth Inc., Toronto) attended the event, along with EASA International president and CEO Linda Raynes (St. Louis, MO).

The Ontario Chapter is the largest EASA chapter in Canada and one of the largest in the EASA International organization. Launched in 1951, the chapter currently has an active membership of over 90 service organizations and over 50 international affiliate members.

For more information, visit the website at www.easaontario.ca.

MRO

Sterling Kallies of Lafert North America (l) with Linda Raynes, EASA International president and CEO.

EASA held a draw every half hour during its Trade Show, handing out $50 bills to participants and guests. Here, Jacqui Tedesco receives her prize from Ramzi Mallouk, one of the event organizers.

Allan Kruuv (l) and William Jones, Madison Industrial.

Gerry Siemon passes the presidential chain of office to incoming president Brian Larry.

John Ainsworth (l-r), Denys Bolanos and Luke Gasper, Lafert North America.

Seated: Sue Line, Electrical Power Equipment Finders, Newmarket, ON; Cheryl and John Wilson, John Wilson Electric, Fordwich, ON (after receiving a long-service award from EASA for 45 years in the industry); and Kristina Achilles, MRO Magazine, Toronto. Standing: Paul Line, Electrical Power Equipment Finders; and Austin Bonnett and his wife, Darlene.

EASA International chairman Kevin Miller swears in the incoming EASA Ontario chapter Executive committee. Standing (l-r): Sid Seymour, Seymour-Smith Electric, Burlington, ON — secretary; Ramzi Mallouk, Brook Crompton, Toronto — treasurer; Anthony Lekkas, Stanford Electric, Toronto — vice-president; Brian Larry, Larry Electric, Peterborough, ON — president. Seated: Gerry Siemon, Ampro Electric, London, ON — immediate past president, and his wife, Nancy.

Jacques Levy (l) and Greg Loucks, Lovato Electric Corp.

Rita Attanasi (l-r), Robert Orr, Lynne Lecoupe and Craig Hollis, MEP Drives Ltd.

Victor Marshall (l) and Michael Tough, Leeson Canada.

Elio Tedesco (l-r), Rob Tedesco and Lee Edwards, Electro-Wind Supply Inc.

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2009 Photographs by Bill Roebuck and Eric Achilles Cousineau

IDImart attracts 81 exhibitors

BY ERIC ACHILLES CouSInEAu

Toronto, ON — IDImart 2009, organized by the Mississauga, ON-based IDI Independent Distributors Inc. as part of its annual general meeting, took place January 22-23. The event drew more than 300 participants to the Delta Chelsea hotel in downtown Toronto.

IDI had rooms set up at the hotel for members and suppliers to meet and network to help each other in these challenging economic times. On Jan. 22, IDI hosted a dinner for its members at the 360 Degree restaurant at the CN Tower.

The next afternoon, a tabletop show was held in two different ballrooms at the hotel, with 81 exhibitors in attendance, noted IDI president Scott Bebenek.

To close the event, another dinner meeting was followed by the “Hall of Builders” award, which was presented to Bill Cruden of C.B.S. Equipment, London, ON, for his long history of participation with IDI. C.B.S. is a charter

member of IDI, and Cruden has had in many roles in IDI, including serving as chairman of the board in 1988.

Next, hockey great Wendel Clark, 42 (often called ‘Captain Crunch’ for his aggressive body checking style), spoke about his career and answered questions, entertaining the group for almost a full hour. The Toronto Maple Leafs honoured the former team captain by raising his legendary number 17 to the rafters on Nov. 22, 2008, at the Air Canada Centre.

The dinner meeting came to a close with IDI’s John Morisson drawing tickets for door prizes, among them a few flat screens TVs. Hospitality followed in the Monarch’s Pub at the hotel, which made a great ending to another successful IDI meeting.

IDI’s next event will be its Supplier Summit and Annual Meeting, taking place in Charlottetown, PEI, June 9-13, 2009.

For details, visit www.idiind.com. MRO

Walter Del Degan (l) and Walter Sigler, SKF Canada.

Jim Diachuk (l-r), Yoshiko Otsuka and Nella Naccarato, Nachi Canada.

Wendel Clark with IDI’s John Morrison.

Ernesto Stasiak (l) and Don Wright, Evolution Sorbent Products.

Wendel Clark, Toronto Maple Leafs (l) and Eric Achilles Cousineau, MRO Magazine.

Steve Carney, Ringball Bearings (l) and Dave Strutt, PTDA’s Canadian representative.

François Gagnon (l-r), Darrell Connor and Andrew Sandford, Henkel Loctite.

Bill Cruden of C.B.S. Equipment was presented with IDI’s Hall of Builders award.

Scott Bebenek, IDI’s president, was MC for the closing dinner meeting.

Lloyd MacRae (l-r), John Humchak and Brian Burton, Jason Industrial.

Dan Robinson (l-r), Steve Savage and Sean McIllravey, Devcon.

Todd Hopkins demonstrates IDI’s online purchasing program at IDImart 2009.

ASME/ANSI

Attachment

Corrosion Resistance

Lube Free

Plastic

Custom/Specialty

More solutions More selection

Tsubaki: The choice for chain

™

www.tsubaki.ca

Reader Service Card No. 141

UNMATCHED ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE FROM THE SCHAEFFLER GROUP Spherical Roller Bearings T41D Vibrating screens for grading material and other machinery where vibration stress exists are among the most severe bearing conditions encountered in machinery construction. For a number of years Schaeffler has offered special design FAG E1 spherical roller bearing with specification T41A to accommodate the punishing operating conditions found in vibrating machinery such as: • high loads and high speeds • high radial accelerations • revolving shaft deflections • sliding motion within the bearing In order to prevent fretting corrosion between the bearing bore and the shaft, Schaeffler now offers the same series and design of spherical roller bearings with a thin-layer chromium plated bore (specification T41D). This coating ensures that the displacement ability (floating bearing function) between the bearing and the shaft – necessary

due to thermal influences - is maintained for a long period of operation.

With the addition of thin-layer chromium plating, FAG spherical roller bearings for vibrating screens offer unparalleled operating benefits: • highest load carrying capacity • supports heavy shock loads and radial acceleration • no fretting corrosion • unhindered thermal shaft expansion • prevention of shaft damage • longer service life Reader Service Card No’s. 142

Hydraulic Extractors PowerPull SPIDER Hydraulic extractors PowerPull SPIDER are used where higher extraction forces are required that preclude the use of standard mechanical methods and devices. The 10 available extractor sizes have a range of extraction forces from 40 to 400 kN, covering a very wide range of possible applications.

These devices allow rolling bearings, gears, sleeves and many other shrink fitted parts to be quickly and easily dismounted. In addition, the light weight of the extractors mean that they can be used in virtually any position.

Through Rock-Solid Obstacles The combined technologies of INA and FAG offer the broadest possible range of bearing solutions to guide mining and processing machinery and equipment through the most demanding operating conditions.

From standard bearing products to highly specialized application solutions, including monitoring and maintenance services, INA and FAG commit decades of innovation to optimizing the performance of boring and excavation machinery, hoisting and conveying equipment, grinding mills and vibrating screens.

Operational reliability and cost-effective innovation from INA and FAG – bearing solutions that move the earth.

SCHAEFFLER GROUP

If necessary, greater grip depth can be achieved through the use of extra long extraction arms (available integrally if specified, or separately as accessories).

For protection of operators, the extractors SPIDER 40 to 80 have a safety grid. All larger hydraulic extractors are supplied with a transparent, tough safety cover to capture any parts that may fly off under extreme load. All parts under load are made from high quality chromiummolybdenum steel, and an integral pressure control valve prevents overload of the extractor.

For additional information about spherical roller bearings T41D or hydraulic pullers, contact your local Schaeffler representative.

INDUSTRIAL

Reader Service Card No’s. 143

www.schaeffler-group.com