Machinery & Equipment MRO February 2012

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

Vol. 28, No. 1

FEBRUARY 2012

How to improve gearbox life Thermal imager cuts need for outsourcing Seeing the invisible with new troubleshooting tool Sealing systems for pumps Improving your parts control Maintenance 101: Analyzing equipment breakdowns

GOING GREEN Publications Mail Agreement #40069240

with helical gearing

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MOTORS & DRIVES

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

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Designed for a wide variety of heavy-duty applications up to 6,000 lb, Darcor multi-wheel kinpinless casters deliver high load capacity, low starting and swivelling forces and a choice of wheel configuration, size and type.

The easy-rolling movement helps to reduce workplace injuries and increase productivity. Dual or triple wheels are available in 6-in. or 8-in. diameter, in solid elastomer for normal conditions, or neoprene for uneven surfaces or where there is debris on the floor.

Darcor Online Reader Inquiry No. 325

Dirty Jobs Wanted

Synthetic food-grade compressor oil is formulated for long service life

Ultrachem has developed a line of food-grade rotary screw and reciprocating air compressor lubricants designed for improved wear, oxidation and lubricity.

Omnilube 32/46, 68 and 455 are fully synthetic compressor oils formulated from highquality polyalphaolefin base oils with an additive package for long life and suitable for use in meat, poultry and food processing plants. Omnilube 32/46 and 68 are designed for rotary screw compressors and give a service life of up to 8,000 hours. Omnilube 455 is designed for reciprocating compressors. Features include low varnish formation and low pour point/high flash point, and good compatibility with elastomers, seals, plastics and paints.

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An environmentally friendly surface cleaner and degreaser designed to replace toxic solvents in the preparation and cleaning of metallic surfaces prior to treatment has been introduced by Walter Surface Technologies.

AF-Clean cleans and prepares metallic surfaces prior to painting, priming, coating, gluing and corrosion protection, as well as cleaning moulds for plastic injection. The liquid is non-flammable, VOC-reduced, biodegradable and less volatile than toxic solvent compounds such as acetone or toluene. It is available in a 10-l (2.64-gal) bag-in-box and in a bulk 208-l drum.

Walter Surface Technologies

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Lafert offers a permanent magnet IE4 efficient motor in addition to its full range of IE3 premium efficient motors. This range achieves the highest efficiency level, IE4 Super Premium Efficiency, and is specifically designed for its energy-saving potential and renewable energy applications. The company achieved this benchmark by reducing the air gaps and the use of optimized cooling fans, amongst other improvements. By reconstituting its stator lamination design, the company can obtain desired torques with a reduced slip angle. The end result is a cooler and quieter motor that uses less energy.

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Multi-wheel kingpinless caster line comes in a wide range of models

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Cleaner prepares metallic surfaces without harming the environment

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Super premium efficient motor is designed for energy savings

February 2012

Online Reader Inquiry No. 327

Interactive app provides in-depth information on hydraulic products

Eaton’s PowerSource application for the Apple iPad is a powerful tool for specifying and selling hydraulics. Using this app, Eaton sales representatives and distributors can gain virtually instant access to in-depth and up-to-date information on the company’s more than 200,000 hydraulic products, enhancing their ability to respond quickly to customer needs and reduce buying cycle time. The app takes full advantage of the iPad’s functionality, viewing modes and multi-paned touch navigation to deliver product literature, competitive cross-references, training and product videos, company news and more.

Eaton Corporation Online Reader Inquiry No. 329

App provides ROI estimates for safety investments

Baldor•Reliance Dirty Duty AC motors and variable speed drives are the solution to the most hostile operating environments imaginable. Ideal for wastewater treatment, process industries, shipboard applications, even tropical environments, Dirty Duty products excel in foul environments. ®

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Rockwell Automation’s free web-based Safety Return on Investment tool addresses manufacturers’ need for a tool to help quantify potential savings and productivity gains from new investments in safety. With this calculator tool, users can analyze the costs of an incident and see the financial benefits of implementing a proactive safety program. Optimized for smartphones and tablet PCs, the tool relies on a basic calculation: benefits divided by costs equals ROI. To help simplify the previously complicated process of assessing those costs and benefits, the tool combines injury and productivity data and collects input from users in five categories.

Rockwell Automation Online Reader Inquiry No. 343

©2011 Baldor Electric Company

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Obtain free additional information about any of these items by using our online reader reply card at www.mromagazine.com/rsc.

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• USA RolleR ChAin • ConveyoR & engineeRed ClASS ChAin • P R e C i S i o n At tA C h m e n t C h A i n F u lto n , I l l I n o I s Phone: 800-435-0782 w w w. d r I ve s I n c . c o m

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C O N T E N T S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2012

in this issue Case study: High-speed shootout / 12

An inexpensive camera exposes a previously invisible problem, making it a valuable troubleshooting tool for GlaxoSmithKline in Mississauga, ON. Bringing troubleshooting in-house / 13

The maintenance team at CompX International in Waterloo, ON, found that a thermal imager made it unnecessary to outsource problemsolving for its equipment.

An easy way to improve gearbox life / 16

Many gearbox failures can be traced to just a few simple problems, so you should focus on lubrication, temperature, noise and vibration. Here’s what to look for.

columns

departments

Nine ways to

Editor’s Notebook / 6

build employee

Industry Newswatch / 8

confidence / 22

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Build independence and other important skills by challenging your employees.

Mr. O, The Problem Solver / 10 Supervisory Suggestions / 22

Maintenance 101:

Maintenance 101 / 23

Analyzing breakdowns / 23

Maintenance Management / 24

Part 3: The third set of activities in this eight-stage program on achieving world-class maintenance will help you learn how to find the root cause of equipment failures.

It’s all coming together / 24

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Business Briefs / 10

Follow along with Step 43 in a journey to world-class maintenance at the Plentya Paper Company as the maintenance team is recognized for its contribution to increased mill production.

Should you be exercising due diligence? / 26

Both maintenance and engineering have a big role to play in ensuring a safe work environment.

The Safety File / 26 MRO on the Road / 33-34 Product News Product Spotlight / 2 Focus on MRO Components / 27 Focus on Motors & Drives / 29 Focus on Condition Monitoring / 31

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p28 editor’s selections Cover story: Gearing that’s green / 18

How helical gearing can increase productivity and make a factory more environmentally friendly.

Understanding sealing systems for pumping applications / 19

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Here are guidelines for making the proper choices in selecting the most suitable pump seals.

Replacement seal solves ongoing challenge / 20

Custom-engineered solution maintains sterility and cleanability by enforcing seal integrity.

Vending system improves parts control / 21

Mosaic’s Saskatchewan potash mine sees quick benefits to a point-of-use supply system.

MRO on the Road / 33-34

Acklands-Grainger’s The Works MRO & Safety show returns to Toronto; BDI Canada’s Cam Lawrence fêted on his retirement; EASA Ontario Chapter annual meeting learns about “moving industry forward.”

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‘I told the head of global engineering that this was the most valuable maintenance tool to come along in years.’

Glen Schultz / 12 ‘The electrician was in my office within 10 minutes asking if the new thermal imager was charged. When it was ready, he downloaded all the software to his laptop and inspected a couple of areas of concern.’

David Kroeker / 13 ‘An oil-sampling program is very effective at monitoring the health of your equipment. Periodic oil analysis will indicate if water is getting into the oil or if the oil is breaking down. It will also tell if there is gear or bearing wear.’

Mike Konruff / 16

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 117

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2012

Skills shortages now the #2 business risk

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n 2009, following the economic crash, Lloyd’s partnered with the Economist Intelligence Unit to gauge risk attitudes amongst global business leaders.

Two years later, they returned to the global arena to survey how those attitudes had evolved.

Priorities had shifted dramatically, with credit worries sliding down the scale as the economy solidified. The risk of talent and skills shortages, however, rose from a relatively low 22nd ranked priority in 2009 to 2nd in 2011, and companies felt relatively less able to manage this risk.

“There are a number of theories as to why this move from credit crunch to talent crunch has occurred,” says Lloyd’s chief executive, Dr. Richard Ward. They

include demographic, competitive and productivity pressures.

The prioritization of ‘talent and skills shortages’ as the number two risk facing businesses, and one of only two risks that respondents felt they were insufficiently prepared for, begs many questions. In a time of business consolidation and record unemployment, the pool of surplus available talent should, in theory, be significant. And yet, at the very top of organizations, there is huge anxiety about the suitability of available staff for the roles required.

Concern over talent or skills shortages could be the result of a number of factors.

The retirement of the baby boomers in the West is taking a whole tier of well-

educated and highly experienced staff out of the job market. Ward postulates that it may also be that the booming market trends of the past 20 years have led to an executive level skilled in expanding market share, rather than a more forensic model for steering businesses through challenging times. It may be that everexpanding markets made it easy for businesses to thrive with an existing skill set.

“The Index does not give us all the answers and there is inevitably a degree of speculation about the causes behind this finding,” says Ward. “However, respondents across all sectors agree this is a significant and widespread problem.” For example, the impact of the talent crunch in Germany has become so acute, there is even a specific term for it – ‘Fachkräftemangel.’ As a result, Germany is increasingly seeking foreign expertise.

In a recent trip to Germany to visit factories in Düsseldorf and Stuttgart, I saw first-hand how the country’s economy is

bustling along, despite Europe’s economic woes. Industry needs more skilled workers there, just as here in Canada, though the foreign worker solution doesn’t seem to be working out for either country.

Although the Canadian condition is not as severe as in Germany yet, we can’t wait for calamity. It’s true even here that factory machines remain idle because there are no skilled tradesmen available to run them. Companies need to increase their focus on bringing young people into their organization to remedy the steady march into retirement of older, qualified workers. Of course, investing in apprenticeship programs for technical skills is an effective strategy, and it’s well-supported by various agencies (see Industry Newswatch, page 8).

It’s time to stop talking about this problem and to start doing something about it. Supporting the training of apprentices is a progressive first step.

Bill Roebuck, Editor & Associate Publisher

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OPERATIONS

FEBRUARY 2012 Volume 28, No. 1 Established 1985 www.mromagazine.com www.twitter.com/mromagazine EDITORIAL Bill Roebuck, Editor & Associate Publisher 416-510-6749 broebuck@mromagazine.com wn, Art Director Contributing Editors Richard G. Ensman Jr., Simon Fridlyand, Carroll McCormick, Peter Phillips, Angela Webb, Cliff Williams BUSINESS

machine tools x foundries x metalworking machinery x lawn & garden x speed reducers medical x instruments x transmissions x kilns x mining x pharmaceutical x HVAC x hoist transportation x agriculture x washdown x construction x gear box x pumps x steel mills railway x band saws x aggregates x pulp & paper x spindles x grinders x textiles x vibrating screen x hand tools x electric motors x power generation x compressors x automation x idlers

Just some of the places you’ll find Koyo bearings. wind turbines x automotive x conveyors x aerospace x stamping x recreation vehicles blowers x food & beverage x winches x cranes x excavator x fans x robotics x sander x mixer back-up roll x paver x printing press x debarker x head pulley x dryer x track roller x planer oil & gas x clean room x extreme environments x forestry x return rolls x traction motors x tunnel boring x rock crushers x rolling mills x work rolls x smelting x sawmills

Nick Naunheimer, Publisher 416-510-6868 nnaunheimer@mromagazine.com Eric Achilles Cousineau, Adv. Sales Manager 416-510-6803 eachilles@mromagazine.com Kimberly Collins, Advertising Production 416-510-6779 Melinda Marasigan, Subscription Enquiries 416-442-5600 x3548 Machinery & Equipment MRO is published six times a year to help improve the effectiveness, productivity and practical knowledge of maintenance professionals in Canada’s manufacturing, utilities and resource industries.

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Kinecor and Peacock are now proud to be Wajax Industrial Components We are a nationwide distributor of industrial components providing technical solutions and services to all major industries across Canada.

Over the years our company has forged itself through the contributions of numerous businesses, resulting in our present-day expertise.

Kinecor, one of Wajax Corporation’s three divisions, will now share the Wajax name. The Wajax company has existed for over 150 years and is largely recognized within the industrial sector of the Canadian economy.

Kinecor and Peacock began operating under the Wajax Industrial Components name as of December 31st, 2011. Only the name of our facilities – head office, distribution centres and branches – have changed; their locations remain the same.

1.866.546.3267

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I N D U S T R Y

N E W S W A T C H

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2012

Nominations open for apprenticeship training awards

BY BILL ROEBUCK

Toronto, ON – A search has been launched for Ontario employers that are helping to build the province’s skilled workforce by training new apprentices.

The Hon. Glen Murray, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, launched the 2012 annual Minister’s Awards for Apprenticeship Training at the FLO Components Ltd. head office in Mississauga, ON, on Jan. 30, 2012.

FLO Components Ltd., an automatic lubrication systems specialist, was asked to host this year’s award announcement because the company was the 2011 winner for being the top employer in the Central Region (the region

APPRENTICESHIP COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS SKILLS SHORTAGES AT JUNE CONFERENCE Ottawa, ON – Shortages in the skilled trades are already having an impact on Canadian employers, creating an early warning for the demographic crunch expected in the next decade. Construction, mining, energy, manufacturing and service sectors all report real and anticipated shortages that will pose a pan-Canadian challenge to the country’s economy.

In preparation for its June 2012 conference, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) has released a program called Apprenticeship: Strategies for Success. Showcasing the best in appren‘’We salute employers that train apprentices,’’ said The Hon. Glen Murray, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, in announcing this year’s apprenticeship awards program at FLO Components’ Mississauga headquarters.

contains over 50% of Ontario’s manufacturing, mining and heavy industrial companies, plus 100% of its automotive manufacturing plants).

Each year since 2001, the awards have recognized employers that show leadership in training apprentices and promoting careers in the skilled trades in the belief that successful apprenticeship training is a result of high-quality, on-the-job instruction and helps create skilled workers for tomorrow’s jobs.

The selection for the awards is based on the written recommendation from nominators. These outline how the nominated employer has demonstrated excellence based on seven selection criteria. Regional and provincial selection teams select 16 nominees. From these 16, four winners are then picked by a panel of apprenticeship experts from a number of sectors, including labour organizations, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Ontario colleges.

Since 2003, more than 80 employers in Ontario have been recognized for their commitment to training apprentices.

“Ontario boasts more than 122,000 apprentices learning a trade today – that’s double the number from 2002-03,” says Murray. “We salute employers that train apprentices, and recognize that continuing to enhance our apprenticeship system will help build the skilled workforce Ontario needs to succeed.”

Ontario has been trying to increase the number of skilled workers with several programs, including Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship (CODA) and Pre-Apprenticeship Training.

For more information on the awards and how to nominate an employer, visit www.ontario.ca/apprenticeshipawards.

Completed nomination forms are due

by February 29, 2012, and can be e-mailed to apprenticeship.awards@ontario.ca, or mailed to: 2012 Minister’s Awards for Apprenticeship Training, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Service Delivery Branch. 33 Bloor St. E., 2nd Floor, Toronto, ON M7A 2S3.

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space industries in Canada are booming, creating strong demand for suppliers.”

But growth in the mining, energy, and aerospace industry can be a double-edged sword for manufacturers, helping to explain why 45% said that the lack of qualified workers was a significant barrier to their growth. “While resource-rich industries are key drivers of demand; they also draw substantially on the supply of skilled workers,” says Semple. “Energy and mining companies are struggling to find qualified employees and their significant draw on employment is trickling down to their suppliers.”

Of the 50% of companies looking to hire within the next 12 months, the most soughtafter employees will be professionals/technicians (45%), followed by skilled labour (26%).

“The Canadian economy is experiencing a significant shortage of skilled workers at all levels, from welders and engineers to HVAC technicians,” says Semple. “This is an opportunity for Canadians looking for skilled employment to boost their incomes, but they may have to be willing to be retrained and relocate, as many of these job opportunities are not in the big cities.”

PwC’s Manufacturing Barometer is a quarterly business outlook study and includes 38 Canadian-based manufacturers.

It provides a 12-month outlook for revenue growth, M&A, new investments, hiring plans, emerging business trends, together with an outlook for US manufacturers.

WELDING STUDENT AWARDED SCHOLARSHIP BY INDUSTRY SUPPLIER

ticeship training and practices in Canada, the conference is a breeding ground for new ideas, solutions and partnerships. The event will serve as a meeting place for apprenticeship stakeholders concerned about labour shortages among the people who keep Canada and its infrastructure working.

Addressing the challenge requires both awareness and commitment from stakeholders across Canada, including business, labour, educators and various levels of government, says the CAF. Apprenticeship contributes to solving skills shortages and provides opportunities for knowledge transfer from one generation to the next, while also engaging young people at a time when youth unemployment rates remain high, it adds.

The CAF-FCA 2012 Conference is a biennial event that is held in various locations across Canada. This year, the event will be held from June 3-5 in Regina, SK. Presentations will focus on innovation, diversity and engagement.

The conference website is located at www.caf-fca.org/conference.

Mississauga, ON – ESAB Group Canada recently declared the winner of the 2012 ESAB Canada Post-Secondary Scholarship Award is Tim Colpitts of Ottawa, a second-year student in the three-year Welding Engineering Technology Program at Northern College of Applied Arts & Technology in Kirkland Lake, ON. He is specifically interested in ultrasonic, radiographic and liquid dye penetrant testing methods.

“Tim demonstrated a highly focused interest in welding technology,” said Shara Cheeranjie, ESAB Canada marketing manager. “His passion for welding is evident in his remarkable academic record, as well as his volunteer work and hobbies – he’s already contributing to the industry.”

ESAB Group Canada established the $1,000 scholarship to further support post-secondary education students who choose a career in welding and welding technology. Selection is based on academic achievement with a demonstrated interest in welding and welding technology.

ESAB Welding and Cutting Products is a manufacturer of welding and cutting equipment. For more information, visit www.esabna.com.

CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS WANT TO HIRE BUT CAN’T FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE

GLOBAL DEMAND FOR MINING EQUIPMENT TO REACH $92 BILLION IN 2015

Toronto, ON – Half of Canadian manufacturers who responded to PwC’s thirdquarter 2011 Manufacturing Barometer study said they expect positive hiring over the next 12 months. Only 5% reported they are planning to reduce their workforces, resulting in a net workforce projection of plus 1.2% over the next year.

“Despite some doom and gloom surrounding the manufacturing industry of late, it is not all bad news for Canadian manufacturers,” says Calum Semple, consulting partner and leader of the Operational Turnaround practice at PwC. “The mining, energy and aero-

Cleveland, OH – The world market for mining equipment is projected to climb 8.5% annually through 2015 to US$92 billion. Demand will be stimulated by a pickup in mining output growth as global manufacturing activity and construction expenditures accelerate in a generally favourable economic climate.

Commodity prices are also expected to remain high by historical standards, contributing to a rise in resource exploration and development activity, and

© iStockphoto/Thinkstock

associated mining machinery sales.

These and other trends are presented in World Mining Machinery, a new study from The Freedonia Group Inc., a Clevelandbased industry market research firm.

In a continuation of recent trends, the Asia/Pacific region is forecast to register the strongest market advances through 2015, fuelled by robust increases in mine production and related machinery sales in China, India and Indonesia. China alone will account for 57% of all new mining equipment demand between 2010 and 2015, even though growth is expected to slow significantly.

Central and South America will post the second fastest gains, supported by a pick-up in manufacturing and construction activity, leading to higher demand for mined materials. The Africa/Mideast region will record the next strongest market advances, followed by North America, Eastern Europe and Western Europe.

Mining output and associated machinery sales in all of these regions will be spurred by high commodity prices and generally healthy economic growth. In addition, equipment suppliers will benefit from the implementation of Tier 4 emissions standards in the US and Canada and the adoption of Stage IIIB and Stage IV emissions standards in the European Union, raising average product prices and contributing to overall dollar demand.

The market for mining machinery used in metals mining operations, which accounts for the largest share of world sales, is projected to expand at the strongest pace through 2015, spurred by pricedriven increases in resource exploration and mine development activity. © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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New emissions standards will drive the mining equipment market.

Coal-mining equipment demand is expected to climb nearly as fast, stimulated by an acceleration in primary metals manufacturing growth, bolstering industrial furnace and oven coal use.

The world market for non-metallic minerals mining machinery will rise at a somewhat slower rate, stimulated by increases in construction expenditures and ongoing population growth, boosting farming activity and consumption of fertilizer minerals like phosphate rock and potash.

World Mining Equipment (published 01/2012, 513 pages) is available for US$6,200 from The Freedonia Group.

For further details, visit the website at www.freedoniagroup.com.

A

PTDA CANADIAN CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR JUNE Victoria, BC – Since its debut in 2002, the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) Canadian Conference has become a business conclave for Canada’s power transmission/motion control industry. The event features business networking opportunities, business educational information, and The Industry Showcase, a program designed for those marketing products in Canada.

This 11th annual PTDA Canadian

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Conference, scheduled for June 7-9, 2012, will be held at the historic Fairmont Empress hotel in Victoria, BC. “The PTDA Canadian Conference delivers unmatched value for members,” said Mitch Bouchard, secretary-treasurer of Ottawa-based General Bearing Service Inc. and the current PTDA board of directors president. “There is no other organization that can deliver such thorough networking and educational opportunities in such an efficient package.”

Bouchard said the planning committee is optimistic about 2012, as the latest PTDA Market Forecast indicates the Canadian market will be steadily increasing in strength and growth throughout the year.

“We believe the Fairmont Empress will be the ideal location on the west coast to host this important Canadian-specific networking event,” said Bouchard.

Details regarding registration and the program will be available in March at www.ptda.org/CanadianConference.

Tunnel boring machines use pressurized hydraulic oil.

called an accumulator, which remains pressurized even when the rest of the machine is not pressurized or otherwise operational. The accumulator must be depressurized separately prior to its disassembly. That afternoon, the company failed to confirm that the accumulator had been depressurized, as that person responsible for this task had been directed to help with other work.

Later in the evening, a worker was directed by a supervisor to help two other workers to disassemble and prepare the TBM for shipment. When the crew unscrewed a hydraulic hose that was connected to the accumulator, a jet of hydraulic oil hit the worker in the face and neck. The worker then fell and suffered head injuries.

A provincial Ministry of Labour investigation found that Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Corp., as an employer, failed to ensure the pressure inside the gas compartment of the accumulator was adjusted to atmospheric pressure before a hydraulic fitting was removed.

Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Corp. was fined $130,000 by Justice of the

WORKER INJURED WHEN HYDRAULIC FITTING REMOVED FROM EQUIPMENT Toronto, ON – Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Corp. (formerly known as LOVAT), a Toronto-based company that designs and builds tunnel boring machines (TBMs) used to dig underground circular tunnels, was fined $130,000 on December 22, 2011, for violating Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

On September 15, 2010, the TBM involved in the incident had been hydraulically pressurized to ensure its components and functions were working properly. The TBM contained a safety device

Peace D. Keith Currie. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25% victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Ambulance, Alberta Council. “We’re committed to ensuring there will be plenty of positive outcomes from a tragic workplace incident.”

ALBERTA RAISES OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PENALTIES

Glen Ellyn, IL – The Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) is encouraging industry members to register for the association’s 2012 Annual Convention, planned for April 29-May 1 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs, FL. To facilitate registration, BSA has launched the 2012 Annual Convention website, featuring a detailed look at the business program and networking opportunities. Drawing upon the ‘Technology Drives Productivity’ theme, BSA has announced that technology forecaster and business strategist Daniel Burrus, founder and CEO of Burrus Research, will make the keynote presentation on business process transformation. Guy Blisset, global lead for wholesale distribution in IBM’s Institute for Business Value, and Matthew Bookspan of Blacktip IT Services, will also be presenters.

BSA annual conventions are for authorized distributors of bearing products and services and the manufacturers of those products. For detailed information, additional events and to register for the 2012 convention, visit www.bsaconventions.org, contact the BSA office at 630-858-3838 or e-mail info@bsahome.org.

MRO

Edmonton, AB – Alberta courts sent a strong message in 2011 that workplace health and safety must not be compromised. The province’s occupational health and safety penalties totalled more than $3.4 million last year, the second highest amount ever, doubling the $1.7 million collected in 2010.

“My first choice is to have no workplace injuries or fatalities, no charges, and no convictions,” said Dave Hancock, Minister of Human Services. “However, when the law is broken, we need to send strong messages that the health and safety of Albertans must be a priority.”

More than $2.3 million of the $3.4 million in penalties in 2011 was in creative sentences paid to third parties, such as post-secondary institutions, training programs, rescue societies and other organizations that advance workplace health and safety.

A creative sentence provided the Fort McMurray/Wood Buffalo office of St. John Ambulance with more than $330,000 for a new classroom training facility and to certify approximately 1,000 high school students in Standard First Aid. “We are very honoured to be considered for these funds,” said Beverly Lafortune, vice-president of Training and Community Services for St. John

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR BSA 2012 ANNUAL CONVENTION

More detailed versions of these stories, along with many additional news items, can be found online at mromagazine.com.

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Business Briefs

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

• SKF, Gothenburg, Sweden, has formed two new business areas: the Industrial Market, Strategic Industries and the Industrial Market, Regional Sales and Service. They replace the former Industrial Division and Service Division. Both business areas will focus on managing the total life cycle of customers’ assets and will deliver products, services and solutions to both OEMs and end users within different industries. The new organization became effective Jan. 1, 2012.

• Automatic lubrication systems specialist FLO Components Ltd., Mississauga, ON, has appointed Glenn Chapman as territory sales manager - GTA. A sales and marketing graduate of Sheridan College, Glenn he has over 10 years of Chapman experience in both injoins FLO side- and outside-sales Components. positions in the GTA. • Keith Oussoren, the founder with his wife, Fran, of Technicor Industrial Services Inc., Orangeville, ON, has sold the operation to John Voight. Being 65, Oussoren is also taking the opportunity to retire. Voight, an engineer who has worked in industrial distribution – including a stint at BDI Canada – most recently was with Uni Chains A/S (a division of Ammeraal Beltech Modular Inc.) as regional sales manager for Canada. Technicor, which specializes in precision engineered plastic components, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in March.

• Wajax Corp., Mississauga, ON, has appointed Mark Foote as president and chief executive officer, effective March 5, 2012.

He’ll replace the retiring Neil Manning.

Foote has served as president and chief executive officer of Zellers since 2008. “On behalf of the board of directors, I thank Neil Manning for his commitment and outstanding contribution to Wajax over nearly a decade,” said Paul Gagne, chairman of the board of Wajax.

“Neil has transformed the company into a high-performance and valued distributor of equipment, industrial components and power systems, operating across Canada under the Wajax brand.” Wajax is a $1.1-billion Canadian distributor and service support provider of equipment, industrial components and power systems.

• Pumps and valves manufacturer KSB Group, Frankenthal, Germany, saw sales revenue increase by 7.2% in 2011, exceeding the two-billion euro mark for KSB expects continued growth in 2012. the first time. The company posted growth in the three segments – pumps, ceptional year for Grainger,” said chairraw material and administrative costs. valves and service – as well as in all four man, president and chief executive officer “Our financial results tell the story of a of its sales regions. In 2012, KSB expects Jim Ryan. “Our team is producing consistransformed Timken Company,” said to see moderate growth overall in the tently solid results with a strong focus on James Griffith, Timken president and market for pumps, valves and services. helping our customers improve the producchief executive officer. “We’ve successfully • Test and measurement device manufactivity of their businesses. We continue to repositioned the company, focusing our efturer Fluke Corp., Everett WA, has acsee a long runway for growth and are inforts on those industries and applications quired Martel Electronics Corp., Derry vesting aggressively in our proven growth where we bring significant value and can NH, a manufacturer of electronic test tools drivers: product line expansion, sales force make a difference in our customers’ perforand OEM products. In addition to producexpansion, eCommerce, inventory services mance.” In 2011, Timken completed two ing its own Martel and Beta branded prodand international expansion.” In 2011, acquisitions, Philadelphia Gear for $200 ucts, Martel has worked closely with Fluke Grainger introduced more than 80,000 new million in July and Drives LLC for $92 since 1996, helping with the development products, transacted more than $2 billion million in October, and continued to exand manufacture of Fluke process tools in sales through eCommerce and added pand its bearing capacity, with about $50 and calibration instruments. more than 1,300 net new jobs, while delivmillion invested in 2011 to serve global • ABB and Baldor now have a single US ering a total shareholder return of 38%. It growth in attractive industrial markets. sales force to sell and support the complete also closed 27 branches.

Timken said it expects sales growth of 5% line of ABB and Baldor low- and medium• Sales at Grainger’s Cato 8% in 2012 MRO voltage industrial drives and nadian arm, Acklandsindustrial electric motors.

Grainger, Richmond Hill, “We believe this transition Mr.0 The Practical ON, increased 14% in the will make buying industrial Problem Solver fourth quarter of 2011 due to motors and drives easier for both strong volume growth our customers,” said Aaron and acquisitions. The inAleithe, vice-president and Handle shaft seals crease was led by strong general manager of Low Voltwith care growth to customers in the age Drives for ABB US. construction, heavy manuProblem: We’ve had to replace • Chicago-based W.W. facturing, agriculture and Grainger Inc. (Grainger), a several radial lip shaft seals Drives and motors mining sectors. supplier of maintenance, reafter they were newly installed. now come from a • In 2011, The Timken pair and operating (MRO) What could be going wrong? single source.

Company, Canton, OH, products, has reported reSolution: Shaft seals come in generated $454.3 million in cord sales, net earnings and many varieties, but the most common income from continuing operations, up earnings per share for the year ended Dec. is the radial lip shaft seal. A common 65% from 2010. Higher volume, favourable 31, 2011. Sales of $8.1 billion were up 12% handling mistake is to simply reach mix, surcharges and pricing drove the imover 2010. Net earnings of $658 million into the box and grab the seal, possiprovement, more than offsetting increased were up 29% versus 2010. “This was an exbly damaging or contaminating the seal lip or dislodging the spring. For most seals, carefully handle the seal by the outside diameter only.

Lubricate the seal lip with a light coating of the same lubricant you’re using in the application. If the seal is properly qualified for the machine, the lubricant should also be compatible with the seal material.

To install most seals, press the seal into place with a contact tool that supports the entire surface of the seal. ™ Mr. O’s thanks go to Joe Conyers for this tip, which is from his blog at www.maintenancebits.com. He’s a senior consulting engineer in training and development with the SKF Reliability Maintenance Institute.

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AN INEXPENSIVE CAMERA EXPOSES A VEXING CAPPER MACHINE PROBLEM, LEADING THE MAINTENANCE MANAGER AT GLAXOSMITHKLINE TO EXCLAIM THAT IT IS THE MOST VALUABLE MAINTENANCE TOOL TO COME ALONG IN YEARS.

Fig. 1

BY CARROLL MCCORMICK Fig. 2 Above: An inexpensive hand-held camera with high-speed video capability proves to be a powerful maintenance tool. Figures 1 & 2: At one-eighth real-time speed, the intricate choreography of the bottle capper is revealed in remarkable detail.

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ate last summer, after a lot of getting nowhere trying to fix a problem with a bottle capper at GlaxoSmithKline – a pharmaceutical company in Mississauga, ON – maintenance used a $300 digital camera with a highspeed video function to slow down the action of the machinery, study it and then solve a previously invisible problem.

“We found a lot of inaccuracies that were not evident to the naked eye,” says Dale Archambault*, manager of maintenance and reliability, GlaxoSmithKline.

At a real-time capping rate of one pair of bottles every 1.8 seconds, give or take

a few milliseconds, nothing could be detected by eye that explained why the capper was screwing down some of the caps too tightly and others too loosely; the action was also too fast to accurately correlate the instructions in the computer programming ‘recipe’ to the many steps in the capping process.

But shooting videos at 240 frames per second (fps) slowed the action to just oneeighth real time, allowing maintenance to easily observe a worn and wobbling spindle and a cap gripper that activated too late and released too late. Only the slow-motion videos let maintenance see that two bottle

Carroll rates the image GlaxoSmithKline let me review some of its video footage: One 45.5-MB clip rolls for one minute and 11 seconds and shows five pairs of bottles going through the final screw station. If you are curious to know by how much you are slowing down the action, divide the fps rate by 30 to calculate how much longer it takes to present the real-time action in slow motion; i.e., 240 fps/30 = 8. You now have eight times as long to view the real-time action. Put another way, the action is being slowed to one-eighth real-time.

The lighting quality is excellent and the depth of field (the amount of the scene that is in sharp focus) is remarkable.

Good depth of field is critical for this application; the more you have, the more of the equipment you can properly see and study. This also relates to the occasional need for good artificial lighting. Skipping a technical explanation, the more light you have, the more depth of field you get at a given shutter speed – or fps setting – at the proper exposure. If you increase the fps and keep the lighting level constant, however, the depth of field will drop. As it decreases, the amount of nearer and further away detail that is in focus also decreases; this quickly results in wretched close-up photography.

Keeping in mind that this is not meant to be a competition with National Geographic-level photography, although the video is remarkably crisp and not very grainy. Even enlarged to the full height of my 27-in. monitor, the graininess is no impediment to seeing fine detail, right down to the letters stamped on the spindles.

With my trigger finger on my mouse, I could start and stop the video seven times a second. For even better split-second viewing control, you can drag the action back and forth with the mouse. How could you say no to that opportunity?

If you want to try this yourself, you can check out these products: • Camera: Casio EX-ZR100 ($300).

• Memory card: SanDisk 8GB Extreme Pro ($50-$60).

• Light: Camlite VL-144 5600K LED Video Light Kit ($250-$350).

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brake gauges differed by 4.5 bar, allowing one of the bottles to be released too soon, spin and therefore affect the capping torque.

“We tried for the longest time to fix this before we got the camera. We made assumptions and tested theories, but we didn’t get anywhere. We noted the spindle wear before, but we didn’t think it was significant enough to be an issue,” Archambault relates.

Glen Schultz*, improvement leader, GlaxoSmithKline, adds, “Without the high-speed camera, I would have never been able to see that the two gauges were different.”

Video footage of the repaired capper also made it a breeze for maintenance to demonstrate to the quality department that the problem had been fixed and to explain what they had done to prevent a recurrence of the problem. “The video gave clear evidence that we made an impact on the [production] quality,” Schultz comments.

The marvel was not the use of a highspeed video camera per se. After all, maintenance already had a high-speed camera with a 512 MB memory card and a VHS recording tape. But as Schultz explains, “We’ve had this camera for years, but everyone tends to avoid using it because it’s very cumbersome to set up.”

The breakthrough was in connecting the availability of inexpensive point-andshoot cameras that can take high-speed videos with the problem they were working to solve. They are dead-easy to use and the videos can be reviewed on the spot using the camera’s display screen. They can be quickly downloaded to a computer for more leisurely viewing and sharing with colleagues.

As the struggle to troubleshoot the capper dragged on, an equipment engineer told Schultz of a $130 digital camera with a high-speed video capability that he had purchased during a blowout sale at a big box electronics store. Schultz and two engineers test-drove the

camera and found that it did a good job of capturing the capping process.

“I quickly realized the benefit of having a camera like this,” Schultz relates. “At the beginning of the investigation, we were looking into buying a more expensive unit; they started at about $5,000 and some cost over $50,000. Because of the experience with the $130 digital camera, I did extensive research and learned to get the most out of the camera and obtain a premiumquality high-speed picture. I then purchased a slightly more expensive model that had a few extra features, including a 12.5x optical zoom, at a minimal price difference.” (See sidebar.)

Schultz also bought a special memory card designed to handle high data transfer rates without causing any lag or freezing while capturing or reviewing high-speed videos. In addition, he purchased a dimmable LED light unit, as good lighting becomes an important issue at higher fps speeds.

“I preferred the dimmable feature because I could quickly control the lighting instead of increasing or reducing the exposure setting in the camera. I also used a regular flashlight in some situations and it worked great.”

The new camera Schultz bought could shoot up to 1,000 frames per second (fps). For the capper, he found that anything less than 240 fps was not fast enough and anything faster was not necessary.

Too, as the fps rate increases, the image height decreases; more speed just for the sake of speed comes with an unnecessary reduction in the image size.

For solving this problem, everyone at GlaxoSmithKline judged the camera to be a success. “I told the head of global engineering that this was the most valuable maintenance tool to come along in years,” Schultz recalls. “Because of the testimony of what the camera did to assist with the investigation, the company has purchased three more cameras for other production areas.”

Beyond solving the capper problem, Schultz has used the camera to study a problem with wrinkled labels on bottles.

His thinking is so fresh on possible applications that in a little brainstorming conversation, he quickly cooked up some ideas on incorporating slow-motion clips into a computerized maintenance management system – for example, storing video clips directly in the CMMS, inserting links to folders elsewhere in the company’s computer network, or simply inserting a line of text that tells any readers where to go to find video clips associated with a piece of equipment.

Schultz adds, “We could time the actions of a process, time the dispensing of blister packs onto a conveyor, or see the tablet release from a tablet press … the possibilities are endless.”

MRO Carroll McCormick is the senior contributing editor for Machinery & Equipment MRO. *Note that the employee names used are not their real names; they were changed to comply with a privacy request from GlaxoSmithKline.

Scan this QR code with your smartphone to watch short video clips of the capper operation. No smartphone? Then use this link: www.mromagazine.com/GSKslowmovideo

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Bringing troubleshooting in-house

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Photo: Fluke Electronics Canada

February 2012

Maintenance at this manufacturing facility was an important component of dayto-day operations but when problems arose, it did not have the in-house equipment to perform some troubleshooting functions. The acquisition of a thermal imager made the job easier.

Fluke’s Ti32 Thermal Imager aids in troubleshooting by detecting electrical hotspots.

A

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Just because different companies’ gearmotors may appear similar from the outside doesn’t mean they’re built the same on the inside. Take apart a Bison gearmotor, compare it to the competition, and you’ll see a difference.

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s a diversified manufacturer, the CompX International Inc. plant in Waterloo, ON, was well aware of the importance of the ongoing maintenance needs for the wide range of equipment within its facility. But troubleshooting was a job that demanded a substantial amount of time and expense.

When the company was awarded a thermal imager as part of an environmental award, it quickly discovered that it could perform troubleshooting duties much more efficiently and effectively, while reducing costs.

In business for more than 50 years, CompX Waterloo is a manufacturer of a wide range of products, from precision ball bearing slides to ergonomic products for office environments.

Within its 275,000 sq ft facility, it has more than 200 motors, along with a full inventory of production equipment, from plastic injection moulding systems to plating machines.

Given the quantity of equipment in operation, troubleshooting requirements can be significant. When any issues arose, CompX typically called in outside contractors to handle the job of checking out motors, busbars or electrical panels.

According to David Kroeker, environmental supervisor for CompX, “When we had a problem, such as busbars overheating or electrical panel hotspots, we usually had to call someone in to do the troubleshooting, which meant substantial fees over the year.”

As luck would have it, in May 2010, the company won the first annual Energy Excellence Award from the EMC (Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium) for its continued on page 14

Get the most up-to-date news and industry updates on twitter at: http://twitter.com/bisongear To learn more: 1-800-AT-BISON • info@bisongear.com • www.bisongear.com

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Photo: Fluke Electronics Canada

The thermal imager is used by the electrician, maintenance personnel, millwrights and facility managers to check everything from motors to the building envelope.

Although CompX Waterloo unexpectedly won a thermal imager, it quickly put it to practical use in its plant.

environmental initiatives. The award came with what has quickly become a highly coveted piece of equipment at CompX – a Fluke TiR Thermal Imager.

The Fluke TiR Series features IRFusion technology that simultaneously captures a digital photo and an infrared image, and then fuses them together to simplify image analysis.

This image enhancement helps users to easily identify, locate and repair

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problems. Images taken can also be viewed and analyzed using the SmartView software.

“Until we won this, we never really had the budget to invest in a thermal imager,” Kroeker explains. “So everyone was pretty excited about it.” In fact, when he brought the thermal imager into the workplace for the first time and plugged it in to power the battery, “The electrician was in my office within 10 minutes asking if it was charged. When it was ready, he downloaded all the software to his laptop and inspected a couple of areas of concern.”

The electrician wasn’t the only person anxious to try it out. Kroeker reports it is also used by maintenance personnel, millwrights and facility managers to check everything from motors to the building envelope.

As the environmental manager, Kroeker himself often uses it to address a wide range of conservation issues, as well as identify areas of improvement. “During a recent cold spell, I was able to use it to look for heat loss throughout the facility. Knowing what I know now with the imager, I’ve been able to block off openings with insulation to prevent heat loss.” He has also used it to check air temperatures in specific areas where ovens and dryers are in use, to measure heat distribution.

The Fluke TiR is also brought out several times every week to check busbar and motor temperatures. “With the thermal imager, it’s very easy to tell if the motor was about to go,” Kroeker explains.

“Being able to check temperatures saved us a lot of time and expense in doing troubleshooting.”

The imager is so popular, some technicians have been known to borrow it to check heat loss and other troubleshooting tasks at home. “One day at lunch, a maintenance guy used it to troubleshoot the rear defrost on his minivan to figure out how to fix it,” Kroeker says.

Although the instrument was new to most of the maintenance crew, Kroeker says he was pleased to find it was simple to learn. “I found it was extremely easy to operate from the first time I used it – just the three buttons on the front. It’s like a digital camera. You just point, shoot and upload the images to your computer.”

Having a thermal imager in-house is also helping CompX save considerable costs on troubleshooting functions.

“We’ve definitely reduced the number of times we’ve had to call people in,” Kroeker says. “Other than certain electrical panels because of arc-flash regulations, everything that we contracted out before, we now take care of ourselves. If a motor causes grief, we pick up the imager and go and use it.”

He is now looking forward to the time when the instrument can be used as part of a preventive maintenance program for the facility’s more than 200 motors. “I’d love to have temperature checks on all motors done once a month or so. A program is a long-term goal right now.”

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An easy way to improve gearbox life BY MIKE KONRUFF

Many gearbox failures can be traced to a few problems, and basic preventive maintenance practices will minimize these failures. The priorities to focus on are lubrication, temperature, noise and vibration.

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February 2012

earboxes are a key component of many industrial power transmission systems. Industrial gearboxes are highly engineered machines. Many components in gear drives have tight tolerances and optimized gear geometry that are required for transferring working loads as smoothly and efficiently as possible. As with other industrial machines, the successful operation and long life of a gearbox is directly related to proper maintenance.

Fortunately, most gearboxes are easy to maintain. Moreover, many gearbox failures can be traced to a few problems, and basic preventive maintenance practices will minimize these failures. While there are many preventive maintenance tools available, we will focus on four areas to keep your applications running: lubrication, temperature, noise and vibration.

Lubrication Lubrication is one of the most important components of a gearbox. Oil has two main purposes. It keeps components from wearing and also keeps them cool. Most gearbox failures can be attributed to improper lubrication.

Many gearboxes are not supplied with oil, so it is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations when purchasing oils. If the wrong type of oil or incorrect viscosity is used, the result can be gear or bearing failures. If the gearbox is factory-filled with oil, again follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure the oil that is added is compatible.

Viscosity is a key attribute of the gear oil. The proper oil viscosity will provide an oil film between meshing gear teeth. This oil film is very thin and keeps the gear teeth from actually contacting each other.

With too thin of a film or no film, failures such as scoring or wear will occur.

Temperature changes affect the oil viscosity. If your application is exposed to extreme temperature variations throughout the year, lubricant viscosity grades should be changed for the season. For example, an ISO 320 grade viscosity mineral oil is a typical selection for ambient temperatures of 10°C to 52°C (50°F to 125°F). If this oil is used in the winter and the temperature is minus 12°C (10°F), the oil will be too viscous to flow and properly lubricate components.

Synthetic oils are suitable for a wider temperature range than mineral oils, but may have compatibility issues with seals.

Again, it is best to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for oil selection based on ambient temperature.

Like the oil in your automobile, it is essential that the gearbox oil is replaced regularly. Oil and grease will break down over time. As the oil breaks down, it is less effective at maintaining the proper oil film. Another benefit of regular oil changes is that contaminants that build up in the sump will be flushed out during the oil change.

An oil sampling program is very effective at monitoring the health of your equipment. Periodic oil analysis will indicate if water is getting into the oil or if the oil is breaking down. It will also tell if there is gear or bearing wear. Sampling can also be used to establish oil change intervals based on the lubricant’s actual condition.

Oil levels should be checked on a regular basis. If a gearbox is not filled with enough oil, gearing and bearings can be starved, resulting in damage. A low oil level may also indicate a seal or gasket leak.

On the other hand, if the gearbox is overfilled with oil, operating temperatures will increase and efficiency will be reduced due to churning losses from the gears and

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bearings. Elevated operating temperatures can lead to reduced oil and seal life. High oil levels often contribute to oil seal leakage.

When inspecting the gearbox, check for leaks at shaft seal areas. Seals will wear over time, but leaks can also be an indicator of contaminated or degraded lubricant. Leaking seals should be replaced as they can allow contaminants to enter the gearbox, cause the oil level to drop, or can have a negative environmental impact if the oil leaks are not contained.

Also, many gearboxes have a grease cavity outboard of the shaft seal to keep dirt and dust out of the gearbox. These cavities should be purged by pumping grease through them with a grease gun when changing oil and more frequently for highly contaminated environments.

Filters and strainers are important for removing contaminants when the gearbox is equipped with a pressurized lubrication system. They should be replaced or cleaned when changing oil or when the filter’s bypass indicator warning appears.

Clogged or dirty filters will allow contaminated oil to bypass the filter and go directly to bearings and gears, causing debris damage and shortened life.

Like filters, vents are used to keep contaminants out of the gearbox. They also allow the gearbox to breath. Vents should be inspected and cleaned periodically to ensure they are not clogged. A plugged breather can cause a pressure build-up in the gearbox, leading to seal failure and oil leakage.

Desiccant type breathers are used to remove moisture from air entering the gearbox and should be replaced when they become saturated.

Temperature Temperature measurement is another useful tool in the maintenance toolbox.

Thermography, heat guns, gauges, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) or thermocouples can detect changes in gearbox operation.

If temperature is monitored, a baseline reading should be established. Subsequent readings should be compared against previous values and that data trended. A rise in temperature or localized hot spots can indicate that the gearbox is not operating as efficiently as it once was due to a problem with either the gears or bearings.

Thermal data alone may not tell where the problem is located, but it can provide enough information to warrant a deeper investigation into the gearbox health and spare the user from costly downtime due to a catastrophic failure.

Temperature control is also important for oil life. Gearboxes rated in accordance with AGMA standards have a sump oil temperature limit of 93°C (200°F). For sump temperatures above 200°F, R&O (rust and oxidation) mineral oils start to degrade rapidly and gear and bearing wear may occur, along with shortened seal life.

Synthetic oils have been used successfully in operations up to 107°C (225°F), but are more expensive than mineral oils. If gearboxes are running close to or above this limit, cooling devices should be used.

Most manufacturers offer cooling packages such as shaft-driven fans, electric-motordriven fans or heat exchangers to keep gearboxes running at lower temperatures.

Noise The machine operator and maintenance person’s ears are also useful preventive maintenance tools. Abnormal sounds are often the first indicator that something is wrong with a gearbox. An increased sound level may indicate worn or damaged gears and bearings.

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Right: Frequent checking of oil levels is important. Too little oil can damage gearing and bearings and too much may create an operating temperature increase, causing decreased efficiency and reduced oil and seal life.

Knocks can be the result of broken teeth or bearings. Rattles may be caused by loose fasteners or high vibration.

Squeals can be an indicator of loose bearings or metal rubs. A machinist’s stethoscope or ultrasonic listening equipment are good for locating problems.

Vibration Vibration readings can be a good indicator

of gearbox health. Vibration analysis can help detect coupling misalignment, improper foundation support (soft foot), and gear or bearing damage. A baseline reading should be taken with the gearbox installed and connected to the driven equipment.

Like temperature measurements, vibration trends can help tell what’s happening inside the gearbox. Vibration readings should be reviewed by a trained analyst.

Summary With today’s ever-increasing demands on machinery uptime, it is important to keep equipment in good operating condition. The cost of machine downtime can be in the tens of thousands of dollars per hour.

The key to obtaining long life and improved uptime is in the hands of the maintenance personnel that service the gearboxes. Following preventive maintenance procedures will increase machine uptime and life, reduce operating costs, improve product quality, protect the environment and provide a safer working environment.

MRO Mike Konruff is engineering manager for Dodge gearing at Baldor.

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or

You’d better cross your fingers if you still depend on washers, locknuts, or other mechanical devices to keep your fasteners tight. Fact is, they do little to prevent fastener loosening — one of the leading causes of catastrophic equipment failure.

There’s a better way to secure fasteners. Use Loctite® threadlockers. You’ll get a solid, dependable threaded assembly that won’t loosen and cause breakdowns. That means more uptime and productivity.

Loctite threadlockers come in a variety of strengths and formats to match your application. They lubricate for easy assembly, seal against leakage, protect from rust and corro- sion, and improve breakloose and prevailing torque strengths – all for about one-third of the cost of mechanical devices. So don’t take chances. Reach for the sure thing. Loctite.

For details and the name of your nearest authorized Loctite Industrial Distributor, call: 1-800-263-5043 or visit www.useloctite.com.

Visit us at Fabtech 2012 and bring or mention this ad to receive a free “4GB Loctite USB Key.”

Except as otherwise noted, all marks used are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Henkel and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and elsewhere. ® = registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. © Henkel Corporation, 2012. All rights reserved. AD-128-12

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Most gearbox manufacturers can provide gear tooth counts and bearing numbers to aid the vibration analysis.

Opposite: A non-contact thermometer or heat gun is an essential tool for maintenance as a gearbox that’s running too hot will degrade oil, leading to wear on gears and bearings.

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February 2012

Gearing that's

Green

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anufacturers who want to compete globally have to go ‘green.’

Why? Because being environmentally friendly with highlyefficient, reliable and durable gearing and components means higher productivity, energy savings, less downtime and more profits for the end user.

Several industries have shown how excellence can be achieved by making reliability and durability primary objectives; examples include aerospace, automotive, military and even some consumer products companies.

In one example, Stober Drives Inc. of Maysville, KY, has conducted customer energy audits and found that many factories and food processing plants are operating equipment at 60% to 70% efficiency – which is like driving a car with the parking brake on.

Manufacturers need to modernize assembly lines, too.

Endless miles of conveyors and equipment across the country are driven, in many cases, by inefficient motors and even more inefficient gear drives. Many of these inefficient gear drives use outdated worm and spur gearing, not highly efficient helical gearing.

Helical gearing is machined with angled teeth, then hardened and ground, a complex process, but necessary to achieve high-efficiency gear meshing. Teeth are cut across each gear at an angle so gears gradually mesh. Because of the angled teeth, two or three teeth of each gear are always in contact with other gears. This alleviates the load on each tooth and creates a smooth transition of forces from one tooth to the next. The result: less vibration, wear and noise – and longer life.

Helical gears are virtually maintenance-free; tooth profiles are so precise there is practically no gear wear. Since some units are packaged in sealed, oilfilled housings, no oil changes are required, which is a boon for the en-

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Images: Stober Drives Inc.

EFFICIENT AND DURABLE, HELICAL GEARING CAN INCREASE FACTORY PRODUCTIVITY. Fig. 1

Above: Helical gears are up to 30% more efficient than single-stage worm gearing and the noise level of helical gearing is approximately 10-12 dB(A) lower than spur gearing.

Figure 1: Efficiency comparison charts.

Figure 2: A spur gear, left, has rolling surfaces, but teeth are cut straight across on a face; one or two teeth at a time are in contact with another gear. A helical gear, right, is machined with angled teeth, then hardened and ground, which is a complex process, but necessary to achieve a highefficiency gear mesh. Teeth are cut across each gear at an angle, such that the gears gradually mesh.

Figure 3: Some helical gear units are sealed inside seamless, oil-filled housings, which means no oil changes are required.

Fig. 3

Fig. 2

vironment and the bottom line.

Engineers intuitively understand the advantages of green helical engineering because they understand two tenets of efficient engineering.

1. High noise + vibration = low precision and low productivity. Many factory components require high maintenance, monitoring and replacement. Yet equipment downtime costs factories immense amounts of money in lost productivity. When we look at automation, machines have basically two modes: a) Running efficiently and earning money, or b) Idle, down and unproductive, which costs money.

Several components are culprits for much of the maintenance and downtime in factories: bearings, belts, chains, wiring, electric motors and gearboxes.

Rotating machines that generate high noise and high vibration can have

any number of quality issues: rotating components may not be balanced properly, which causes vibration. Mating components may be machined to tolerances that are not precise enough regarding perpendicularity, concentricity and true position. Or components may not be rigid enough, flexing under load, which results in misalignment.

Helical gears are virtually silent, which is good news for employee hearing. The noise level of helical gearing is approximately 10-12 dB(A) lower than spur gearing. In terms of human noise perception, that means 16 helical gear units generate as much noise as a single spur gear unit.

2. High heat generation = low efficiency and wasted energy. High heat generation is always the result of low efficiency in rotating machines, and this can have many causes, including inefficient design, misalignment, incorrect fits and large seal diameters creating drag.

Helical gearing is 20% to 30% more efficient than single-stage worm gearing (see Fig. 1). With a 2-hp motor, up to 4,000 kWh of energy can be saved per year. Addition-

ally, often you can go to a smaller motor because the losses in the gear reducer are lower, saving on the initial investment.

The ability of factories to compete globally depends on their ability to increase productivity. Productivity is driven more and more by machine quality, cycle times, durability and reliability. Labour efficiency is certainly important to all businesses, but since many manual labour jobs have gone offshore, the majority of productivity gains must come from highly efficient automation on factory floors. Focusing on high-quality, efficient, reliable and durable components is critical.

As we build and retool factories, productivity is the key to competing against lowwage labour markets. Highly productive and efficient equipment saves money, energy, materials and time. Going ‘green’ by using highly efficient machinery that saves energy, lasts longer and operates with little downtime is the best opportunity stay competitive in the global economy.

MRO Established in 1991, Stober Drives Inc. is based in Maysville, KY. For more information, visit www.stober.com.

Online Reader Inquiry No. 357

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Machinery & Equipment MRO

Understanding sealing systems for pumping applications Seals function as barriers to retain lubricant and exclude contaminants, thus protecting bearings. While the most suitable sealing systems for pumps are governed by an application’s particular demands and operating conditions, some general guidelines can be offered to assist in making proper choices.

BY JOHN P. CRAWFORD

P

roper specification and selection of sealing systems for centrifugal pump power frame applications can help sustain the service life of pumps and avoid the need for pump replacement or rebuilds and their associated costs in time and money.

Sealing systems have their work cut out for them in pump applications. When a bearing seal in a pump fails, for example, contaminants have an opening to infiltrate both the bearing and the lubricant. Cleanliness of the lubricant will exert a profound effect on bearing service life.

And should lubricant be lost from the bearing due to seal failure, dry-running operation ultimately could lead to the premature and rapid failure of the bearings.

Radial shaft seals have long been the most common types of sealing solutions for bearing arrangements in ANSI-class pumps. In general, radial shaft seals will function as barriers to retain lubricant and exclude contaminants.

Labyrinth type seals, also known as bearing isolators, are specified for ANSI Enhanced and API-rated process pumps, and are gaining acceptance in other service classes. These seals feature a dynamic, non-contacting internal path to exclude fluid and particle contamination, while retaining lubrication. They are based on metal or plastic material for chemical inertness and, when installed correctly, offer a very long service life.

While the most suitable sealing systems for pumps are governed by an application’s particular demands and operating conditions, some general guidelines can be offered to assist in making proper choices.

In API-design centrifugal pumps (generally heavy-duty process pumps), bearings are usually located at two positions.

A single-row deep-groove ball bearing near the impeller accommodates radial loads and floats in the housing (which allows thermal expansion of the shaft) and an angular contact ball bearing set is fixed in the housing in the thrust position at the coupling end. The angular contact set secures the impeller in the proper axial position and handles the thrust load and a portion of the radial load.

Bearing locations in ANSI-design pumps (generally light- and medium-duty pumps) are similar to API configurations, except the angular contact ball bearing set is replaced by a double-row bearing (single bearings with two rows of balls in the thrust position).

Bearing arrangements for pumps

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Sealing performance can be maximized by combining, as shown on the right, a shaft repair sleeve, a metal-cased radial seal, and an external V-ring flinger.

generally serve to enable smooth, efficient shaft rotation. Sealing systems will contribute to a bearing’s reliable operation and ability to reach full service life.

Contacting radial shaft seal solutions typically will incorporate: • A shell (sheet steel or elastomer-covered) to which the lip material is bonded and provides the requisite interference fit of the seal in the housing bore.

• A sealing lip of elastomer or other material, which provides dynamic and static sealing against the shaft. In pump power frames (the portion of the power end that contains the crankshaft, connecting rods, crosshead and bearings used to transmit power and motion to the liquid end), the sealing lip should always point toward the material to be retained. Most rubber sealing lips are made from a formulation of nitrile rubber. Some specially produced material variations have been introduced for use with synthetic fluids or chemically aggressive lubricants.

Users can select from a wide variety of seal designs (and materials) to accomplish specific functions. Particularly in pump bearing applications, seals will be exposed to low and relatively constant pressure differentials so general-purpose seals are sufficient. However some types of pumps use radial seals as the main pressure retention seal (in which the seal cavity is pressurized). Seal manufacturers offer particular lip profiles for this role that resist deformation under pressure loading and moderate surface speeds.

In cases where higher shaft speeds are exhibited, the permissible pressure differential across the seal becomes smaller. As pressure is applied to the seal, more of the lip surface is forced against the shaft, which produces greater friction (as does increased shaft speed).

Since too much friction will result in faster wear and shorter seal and shaft life,

the two parameters (pressure and surface speed or PV factor) must be balanced against each other. Some radial designs, principally using PTFE lip material, can accept a PV in excess of 250,000, depending on the service life requirements.

Selecting the seal Specification of seals for pumps begins with selecting the correct general design for the application. For example, a springloaded radial sealing lip will usually be required to retain a head of oil or low-viscosity fluid. Correct sizing for the hardware should follow (inch and metric dimensions and tolerances should not be mixed).

For maximized service life and optimized seal performance, users then should evaluate all relevant operating conditions, which will further guide in seal selection. Among the key operating parameters when considering sealing systems in pumps are surface speed, temperature, pressure and surface finish preparation.

• Surface speed: Each type of radial shaft seal has surface speed limits. Generally speaking, surface speed capability and parameters such as seal torque, power consumption, under-lip temperature and the effect of dynamic run-out will take inverse proportions. All these speed-related influences can ultimately contribute to shortened seal life.

The majority of standard small bore radial seals, under 8 in. shaft diameter, are rated up to 3,600 fpm (feet per minute) or 18.3 m/s (metres per second), while the large diameter seals, over 8 in. shaft diameter, are rated to approximately 5,000 fpm or 25.4 m/s. Plastic bearing isolators can usually accept up to 5,000 fpm (25 m/s) while metallic versions can be capable of 10,000 fpm (50.8 m/s). To exceed these speed recommendations typically calls for special design considerations.

Design variations that can help combat the negative effects of higher shaft speeds include reducing the radial load of the seal lip; changing to a sealing material that can handle higher temperatures; changing the lubricant type or viscosity; optimizing the shaft sealing surface; and turning to a non-contacting labyrinth seal design.

• Temperature: Each seal material has an optimum range.

Beyond that, thermal stress will harden the compound (and heat aging is a more common cause of failure than wear for nitrile rubber). This can often be observed as subjective hardness or a series of radial cracks.

Upgrading the seal material (such as to a fluoropolymer or PTFE) can extend a seal’s thermal limit to meet many pump system requirements.

• Pressure: Pressure loading from system conditions or a fault (such as a plugged vent) will mechanically load and distort a seal’s lip profile, resulting in rapid wear and failure. Standard radial seals are designed for only about 7 psi (pounds per square inch). Special profiles and materials can be specified to compensate for pressure.

• Surface finish preparation: For optimum radial lip seal performance and service life, a surface finish of 8-17 µin.

(0.20-0.43 µm) Ra is recommended with a machine lead of less than 0 +/- 0.05 degrees. Contact surfaces for labyrinth seals are less critical and finishes suitable for static O-rings are satisfactory.

Rubber radial seals provide economical and versatile protection for bearings in pumps. Their contact with the shaft can deliver both positive fluid retention and hermetic sealing of the housing. But it should be understood that optimizing a sealing system is a balancing act. Careful definition of the application requirements, evaluating all conditions, and adopting a holistic approach to seal specification can contribute significantly to seal performance and service.

Partnering at the outset with an experienced manufacturer of bearings and seals can help chart the most appropriate course for matching seals with pump applications.

MRO

John P. Crawford is manager, application engineering, industrial seals, Industrial and Service Divisions, SKF USA Inc. For more information, visit www.skf.ca.

Online Reader Inquiry No. 359

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February 2012

Replacement seal solves ongoing challenge

W

hen Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. purchased a new mammalian bioreactor skid, it had the same high expectations that surround any major process improvement. But during the initial startup, it became apparent that the vessel would not maintain sterility reliably, due in part to the design of the OEM bottomentry agitator seal. According to Regeneron facilities engineering supervisor Kyle Cherry, the reactor was ‘problematic’.

“The main issue with the OEM seal was that the sterilization requirement hadn’t been observed and sealing integrity was compromised,” said Cherry.

Sterilization of the interior vessel bore was absolutely essential. Once this requirement was met, the bioreactor had to cool to a temperature appropriate for introducing the cell culture medium.

The hitch was that the OEM seal faces were not oriented suitably to foster complete sterility. In addition, the port locations were not optimal for total evacuation of air, causing the inner seal to let in vapour. Because clean steam was used for sterilizing the bioreactor, a moderate flow of clean steam condensate became the barrier fluid to the mechanical seal assembly during certain phases of production.

Undisrupted production did not begin

Photos: Flowserve

Custom-engineered solution maintains sterility and cleanability by enforcing seal integrity.

Left: By incorporating an internal flow deflector, the primary seal is kept lubricated to eliminate dry-run conditions. Right: Flowserve customized a model ST seal to address repetitive seal problems.

CHANGING THE SHAPE OF PETROLEUM TRANSFER HOSE Plicord ® ExtremeFlex ™ Petroleum Transfer Hose The new Plicord® ExtremeFlex™ sets the standard for a flexible and lightweight designed hose. With dramatic flex fatigue results, our lightweight, extremely flexible hose offers corrugated design at non-corrugated prices.

Superior product engineering, unique product design and longer hose life all add up savings for you.

For more info, call 1-888-275-4397 or visit www.goodyearep.com/ExtremeFlex

The GOODYEAR (and Winged Foot Design) trademark is used by Veyance Technologies, Inc. under license from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Goodyear Engineered Products are manufactured and sourced exclusively by Veyance Technologies, Inc. or its affiliates. ©2011 Veyance Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

until shortly after the OEM agitator shaft seal was replaced with a custom-engineered design from Flowserve Flow Solutions. While both the OEM seal and the replacement featured a dual mechanical seal to protect the sterility of the cell culture medium and a secondary sealing device to protect the gearbox, the difference, said Cherry, “is that the OEM seal had cleanability issues, making it unable to maintain a sterile environment.

“Flowserve customized a model ST seal to address the repetitive seal problems,” he said. The new seal was designed as a dual-cartridge seal that mounted directly to the gearbox, as well as to the bioreactor’s mounting pad.

An additional part of the challenge was that the European design and the transverse angle of the drive required detailed field measurement by Flowserve for proper fit and function.

Installing the ST seal as a complete unit provided numerous advantages. The ST seal required no handling of integral sealing components, had fewer components to stock and maintain, and included a complete cartridge that could be aerostatically pressure-tested to ensure integrity before installation.

Relocating the springs outside the process media and contouring critical sealing components to resist pooling also fostered optimal cleanability and sterility. Adding a flexible stator design compensated for misalignment and mixing anomalies that can occur under normal operation.

The new seal maintains absolute containment of the clean steam condensate during each phase of production. By incorporating an internal flow deflector, the primary seal is kept lubricated to eliminate dry-run conditions. A Flowserve Bearing Gard II unit was added to eliminate condensate weepage from penetrating the gearbox.

When asked why Tarrytown, NY-based Regeneron chose the Flowserve seal, Cherry explained that Flowserve had engineered sealing solutions for several Regeneron reactors over the years, and that those had performed as promised.

In this case, because the reactor was too large for a magnetic drive, a mechanical seal was needed. “Although this is a bottom-entry agitator at a slight transverse angle, and the previous Flowserve-Regeneron projects were for top-entry agitators, Flowserve didn’t seem to have any problem getting the job done,” said Cherry MRO For more information from Flowserve Canada Inc., visit www.flowserve.com.

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Vending system improves parts control

© iStockphoto/Thinkstock

T

The Mosaic Company installed a point-of-use (POU) vending system at its potash solution mine in Belle Plaine, SK, in 2006 with the result of increased productivity through reduced product retrieval/ travel time, reduced consumption of supplies, and the provision of round-theclock access to personal protective equipment (PPE).

The 24x7 operation has 30 sites spread over 42 sq km and produces Muriate of Potash (MOP), including fine, standard, coarse, Ag granular, HQ granular, special granular and water softener. The Belle Plaine facility is currently undergoing expansion, and by 2014, Mosaic plans to increase its capacity from 2.8 million tons to 3.5 million tons of white potash per year.

“The demand for potash is expected to increase by at least 20 million tons in the next 10 years,” says Peter Jackson, general manager, Belle Plaine.

The Mosaic facility in Belle Plaine is the largest potash solution mine in the world. Mosaic also ������������� produces����� potash at two other facilities�������� ������������������ in SasFig. 1 katchewan, in ���������������� Colonsay and Esterhazy. The headquarters for the potash business unit is based in Regina.

Mosaic, headquartered in Plymouth, MN, is a producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, two of the primary nutrients required to grow the food the world needs. Its business engages in every phase of crop nutrition development, from the mining of resources to the production

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Saskatchewan potash mine sees quick benefits to pointof-use supply system.

Fig. 2

Fig. 1: A total of 22 point-of-use devices were installed throughout the facility.

Fig 2: The SupplyAgent automated point-of-use cabinet system provides compartment-level control and quick access to a wide variety of materials and supplies.

Fig. 3

Components of the point-of-use system SupplyPro has installed more than 4,500 point-of-use vending systems in 39 countries. The system includes the following devices.

SmartDrawer: A low-cost automated solution to control, track and manage inventories and critical assets at the point-of-use. The technology allows users to choose the best level of access control and accountability for each application. Compartments can be set for absolute control for single-item dispense and return or high-density part number level management.

SupplyBay Plus: A rugged, industrialized vending system. Engineered for harsh environments, SupplyBay Plus is designed to handle high-volume throughput and provide dispensing for a wide range of industrial tools and supplies.

SupplyLocker: A modular, industrialized locker system. SupplyLocker provides the ability to manage check-out/check-in tooling, loan periods, calibrated instruments, automated lockdown and larger consumable items. Optionally, part number-level control can be implemented for a high-density parts and critical spares management solution.

SupplyAgent: Automated point-ofuse cabinet system. SupplyAgent provides compartment-level control and quick access to a wide variety of materials and supplies. It can store a high volume of materials in a very small footprint.

of crop nutrients, feed and industrial products for customers around the globe.

The vending system, sourced from SupplyPro Inc., provided a return on investment within six months after installation. The benefits included savings in manpower costs, which had been 10-15 times the cost of materials. As well, typical 30-45 minute wait times at shift changes were cut down to a few minutes.

Other benefits of installing the pointof-use vending system included the automation of replenishment processes and the ability to capture detailed consumption data.

“From the outset, it was clear SupplyPro had the people skills to make [the project] work. Their products are very versatile and adaptable to our harsh environment,” says Rod Jacob, stores planner for the Belle Plaine facility.

All transactions are automatically tracked to the correct trade/company code and cost centre per user (more than 1,200 users have access to the devices).

New products added to the devices raised the average machine capacity to 82%. There was a 20% increase in SKUs under control, year-over-year, to well over 300. Also, critical parts that have an impact on production time are always available 24x7. In addition, process remediation improved by six to eight times, for savings of over $100,000 per year.

A wealth of data available from each transaction is recorded by a SupplyPro POU dispensing device. The vendor says it continually looks for new opportunities to help expand its client’s understanding of where efficiencies are being gained, where new ones are available, and to provide additional information about those transactions within their facilities, both at the current location and across the enterprise.

SupplyPro implemented a mixed solution of SmartDrawer, SupplyLocker, SupplyBay and SupplyAgent devices to meet the different process rules at both the mining and plant operations at Mosaic. A total of 22 devices were installed initial-

Fig. 3: SupplyBay devices control, track and manage inventories and critical assets at the point-of-use for Mosaic’s Belle Plaine mine.

ly, including 12 SupplyBay units, five SmartDrawers, one 3x4 SupplyLocker, two SupplyAgent Main units, and two SupplyAgent Auxiliary units.

The POU system is used for dispensing various consumable items, including assorted gloves, batteries, tape, markers, safety glasses and utility knives. It also is used for tracking the take/return of gas and diesel keys.

A total of 350 SKUs are loaded into the devices, with over 400 SKUs defined in the database for expansion. Spend/use of the components is tracked by Trade Code (primary and secondary), Company Code and Work Order.

As a result of the system’s benefits, Mosaic had planned to expand its POU system implementations in 2011. MRO For more information, visit the website at www.supplypro.com.

Online Reader Inquiry No. 358

The most advanced family of clamp meters ever.

The new 381 true-rms AC/DC clamp meter is full-featured with the industry’s first detachable remote display. The 376 was made for testing high current applications in tough industrial locations.

Both ship with the new iFlexTM flexible current probe to fit into tight spaces and expand their measurement range to 2500A ac.

Based on you.

Built by Fluke. qtr page Ads (4).indd 1

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Above: After processing, potash ends up as a fertilizer used in farming.

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February 2012

Nine ways to build employee confidence

Affirm your peoples’ strengths.

2

Relate insights into relationships.

©Dennis Wise/Digital Vision/Thinkstock

Confidence is often based on self-understanding. So identify the key strengths of each member of your team. Then, make it a point to recognize those strengths, and demonstrate that you value them.

Build independence and other important skills by challenging your employees.

BY RICHARD G. ENSMAN, JR.

owever skilled and ambitious your employees may be, their greatest value often lies in their self-confidence. Confident, independent people possess courage and

1

eagerness – and they’re strong self-starters.

Use these nine tips when you’re trying to foster a spirit of confidence among members of your team.

Your efforts will pay off time and time again.

Do Your New Hires Learn Like This?

Most personal growth comes about when individuals learn the art of relationships. So make it a point to help your people understand what motivates others, and how to negotiate and persuade. Resist the temptation to ‘fight battles’ when your people run into relationship trouble, but help them learn how to gently navigate their way through tense and difficult situations.

Help them dream. Independent people set goals, often lofty ones. Encourage your people to dream big, to set ambitious long-term goals. Then help them figure out the steps they need to take to make those goals become real.

3

People learn by doing. They become confident in small doses. So give your people small assignments and challenges at first. Then make those challenges a little more difficult, but substantially more significant – and watch your peoples’ confidence grow.

4

Assign in increments.

5

Challenge and stretch your people.

6

Answer questions, and teach the art of questioning. Great mentors

True confidence develops when people leave their comfort zone and realize that they can thrive outside of their routine.

Once you see a genuine sense of confidence developing in an individual, give him or her a ‘stretch assignment’ – a challenge that forces one to learn and practice new skills.

foster the art of independence by letting their charges be independent. That’s usually a good principle to follow. But however much you may loosen the reins, always be available for questions and advice. Even more important, foster the Socratic art of questioning: encourage your people to pose questions and inquiries themselves.

Offer resources. Independence and confidence often happen because behind-the-scenes resources are available.

What can you offer the people around you?

The answer might include data and information, experts, budgets, technical assistance, industry contacts, and more. Make it available, and you’ll add still one more building block to your peoples’ confidence quest.

7

And Is This How You Found Them In The First Place?

ICP provides the tools you need to connect with tomorrow’s employees today

8

Teach your people that pain is not personal. Independent, self-confi-

dence people fail every once in a while. Or they encounter difficulty or resistance along the way. Coach your people to avoid taking difficulties and setbacks personally.

Equally important, help them recognize that setbacks are a natural part of progress and can even be growth experiences.

9

Orient New Employees: Develop Promising Leaders: Hire Gen Y Employees: Enroll them in Elements of Industrial Register for Industrial Distribution 3 Effectively 3 3 Subscribe to ICP Talent Tipsheet Distribution Online Training Leadership Certificate

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ICP

Trust your people. An atmosphere of

trust allows confidence to grow. Let your people know, in word and deed, that you have confidence in them – and watch their own self-confidence bloom. Your confidence should include a willingness to allow mistakes. Mistakes, at the end of the day, can be learning experiences for the people around you. Mistakes, when coupled with thoughtful reflection, can boost your peoples’ sense of independence and confidence even further than you might imagine.

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

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Analyzing

Machinery & Equipment MRO

team with the tools it needs to find the root cause of the failure and the solutions for it. There are several problem-solving techniques that can be used. A common one is the 5Ws and 1H technique (asking what, when, where, who, which and how): W1. What: What thing or product did you see the problem on?

W2. When: When did the problem occur?

W3. Where: Where did you see the problem?

W4. Who: Who is the problem related to?

A team or a single person, or their skill or knowledge?

W5. Which: Which trend (pattern) did you see with the problem?

H1: How has the state of the equipment changed?

Let’s look at each point in more detail.

BY PETER PHILLIPS

BREAKDOWNS

The third set of activities in this eight-stage program on achieving world-class maintenance will help you learn how to find the root cause of equipment failures

N

ow we are going to learn how to find the root cause of equipment failures. So far in Maintenance 101, we’ve covered: Stage 1 – Preparing for Professional Maintenance (Nov. 2011 issue, page 28), and Stage 2 – Equipment Evaluation and Deterioration (Dec. 2011 issue, page 20). [Editor’s note: Digital editions of previous issues are available online at www.mromagazine.com.]

Now we are going to explore Stage 3 – Breakdown Analysis. The purpose of doing breakdown analysis is to: • Control reoccurring serious failures and to prevent similar problems and unscheduled repairs.

• Improve production yield that has been reduced by failures.

• Improve the problem-solving and breakdown analysis techniques of the maintenance staff.

There are two main types of breakdowns: Sporadic Failures, which are problems that have easy-to-identify root causes and easy-to-implement countermeasures; and Chronic Losses, which involve problems that need deep failure analysis, have difficult-to-find root causes and require innovative countermeasures.

To conquer breakdowns, maintenance departments need a complete, detailed analysis of the equipment and process failures.

We know that maintenance departments are measured on their ability to respond and to repair production and facility equipment. However, to be effective, we need to do more than just reactive maintenance. The majority of maintenance departments – large to small – focus on reactive maintenance. Very little time is spent finding the root cause of the problem and even less time on is spent on corrective measurements.

This is why we need to spend maintenance time on Root Cause Analysis.

To do this, we need to start by recording breakdown details. This is where a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) can be used to gather and record breakdown history. This would include information on all breakdowns that cause losses, the time to do the repair, and the recording of the parts used.

These breakdown details allow the maintenance department to focus on and react to reliability problems.

In order to support the breakdown analysis process, there needs to be a process put in place that will be followed by maintenance personnel when breakdowns occur.

Executing a breakdown analysis is a systematic process. To start with, there are several areas from which to gather information: 1. Collect and tag physical evidence.

Damaged and failed components need to be gathered in order for craftspeople to examine them for clues about the cause of the breakdown.

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Fig. 1

Why 3 Why 4

Why 2 Why 1

Pressure Switch 1 Air Mains

Opens

Motor 1

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No current

Pressure Too Low

Motor 1 Stops

Pressure Switch 2

Moulder #1

Opens

Stops

Motor 2 No current

Motor 2 Stops

Moulder #2 Stops

Fig. 2

A good 5-Why will answer "Yes" to the five Plan/Do/Check/Act (PDCA) questions “A problem well defined is a problem half solved”

ACT

Standardize

5. Has a plan been identified to STANDARDIZE and take all lessons learned across products, processes, plants, functional areas, etc.?

CHECK

PLAN

Understand the problem

1. Is the problem statement CLEAR and ACCURATE? 2. Has the SYSTEMIC root cause been identified for all legs?

DO

Follow

Execute the Plan

4. Has a plan been identified to verify the EFFECTIVENESS of all corrective actions?

3. Has IRREVERSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTION been implemented for ALL root causes?

2. Examine CMMS records to review previous breakdown and repairs on the failed equipment and on other similar equipment.

3. Examine the CMMS preventive maintenance (PM) report results for reoccurring problems during regular preventive maintenance routines.

4. Find out if other divisions or operations within your company use the same equipment. Have they had the same breakdowns?

5. Review lubrication records.

6. Take note of what the equipment was doing prior to the breakdown. Had it been running, or was it just started up? What other processes were happening at the time?

We also need to arm our maintenance

What: What product was the machine on? What material was used? What size is the problem?

When: When did the problem occur?

Was it continuous, intermittent or an immediate failure? Was it on start-up? Was it before or after a change-over? What time or period did it take place?

Where: Where did you see the problem?

Line/Machine/Location? Which particular part did you see the problem on? Where on the material did you see the problem?

Who: Is the problem skill- or knowledge-related? Did a particular operator have the problem? Did a particular shift have the problem? Did the maintenance person have the problem?

Which: Which trend or pattern does

the problem display? Does the problem happen randomly or in a set pattern? Is the problem going in a particular direction, i.e. getting worse or better?

How: How has the state of the equipment changed from its normal running condition? How many times does the problem occur (daily, weekly or hourly)?

From the 5Ws and 1H information, sporadic failures should be able to be solved. Deeper problems will need further analysis with other problem-solving techniques, such as the 5 Why Technique.

The 5 Why Technique is one of the most popular and successful problemsolving techniques in the world. Basically, it involves asking ‘why’ five times. By the time the fifth ‘why’ is asked, the real cause or causes of the problem are revealed.

Lets look at two examples of the 5 Why Technique.

Example 1: As a very simple example of the 5 Why process, there are two injection moulders that stop intermittently.

The moulding machines are connected to the same compressed air distribution network, each with its own pressure switch. The chain of events takes the form shown in Figure 1, where a drop in pressure caused both presses to stop.

In this example, the question ‘Why’ is asked at each possible cause.

Problem: Moulder machine stops.

Why 1: Why did the moulder stop? Answer: Because the motor stopped.

Why 2: Why did the motor stop? Answer: There was no current/electricity.

Why 3: Why was there no current? Answer: The pressure switch was open.

Why 4: Why did the pressure switch open? Answer: Pressure was low in the Air Mains.

So low pressure caused the moulders to stop. Additional ‘Why’ questions need to be asked to determine why the air mains pressure dropped to find the root cause(s).

Example 2: This Japanese transplant automobile manufacturer uses a hybrid form of the technique that includes a trend chart and Pareto chart to guide the 5-Why thinking of its problemsolving teams. On one piece of paper, the form captures historical data, problem priorities, root cause analysis, corrective action and verification.

Once the root cause has been found, the corrective actions can be developed and tested.

The ultimate goal of Stage 3 of worldclass maintenance is to resolve productionrobbing failures, with the goal of reducing reactive maintenance so that more important maintenance activities can be worked on, such as lubrication charts, updating equipment PM instructions, and so on.

Get out of the reactive maintenance mode and take the time to do breakdown analysis. That way, you can show your production department that you are much more than a repair shop.

MRO Peter Phillips of Trailwalk Holdings, a Canadian CMMS consulting and training company, can be reached at 902-7983601 or by e-mail at peter@trailwalk.ca.

Online Reader Enquiry No. 351

Scan this QR code with your smartphone to view and download a 5 Whys template. No smartphone?

Then use this link:

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M A I N T E N A N C E

M A N A G E M E N T

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2012

It’s ALL COMING TOGETHER This article is part of an ongoing series. The introduction appeared in Machinery & Equipment MRO’s February 2005 issue and the series has run in every issue since. Previous instalments are archived online at www.mromagazine.com. This month, we pick up where we left off in the December 2011 edition, as maintenance manager Bob Edwards introduced the team to his new TREAT program – Talk, Respect, Educate, Authority and Trust.

J

oe, the plant manager was happy to announce a second week with an average production of 600 tonnes per day when the team met the following Monday. “This has been a great team effort. I really do appreciate it and I want you to make sure that all of you understand this. As you know, Bob and a couple of his team members visited the mill in Wisconsin to learn about their maintenance methods, and that Corporate have since been holding us to that mill’s high standards.

Well, I think we’re very close to being able to invite the Wisconsin people to see our mill. What do you think, Bob?” “We’re pretty close, Joe, I think we just need to formalize what we’re doing a little more. That reminds me: I have an idea about the soft skills training you asked about.”

“Let’s make sure we talk about that later today as I’m sure I’ll be communicating with Corporate this week, after they see our numbers.”

I talked with our reliability manager, Carol, to see what we could produce in the way of a list of our formal improvements.

“Well, we’re down to 2.5% Unplanned Downtime, which is close to the Wisconsin mark of 2% – and way better than the 9% we started at. Since we’ve revamped the Planned Downtime schedule, we’re at 2% – the same as Wisconsin – and we’ve reduced parts inventory by 30%, with more to come as we get further into the consignment program.

“By the way, I’ve set everything up

Follow along with Step 43 in a journey to world-class maintenance at the Plentya Paper Company as the maintenance team is recognized for its contribution to increased production.

with authority codes for the guys to start signing their own purchase orders, so you just need to set the rules and get them started.”

“That’s great. Could you put together a presentation showing those numbers and I’ll add something about the authority we’ve given the team, taking a guy off shift, the purchasing move and the ‘15 Minutes of Fame’ program. That reminds me that I need to go over the results of the survey from those meetings.

Let’s get a meeting set up this week.”

Later that afternoon, I met with Joe and talked about TREAT – my model for the soft skills that he wanted. Joe seemed quite pleased and asked that I pull some examples together for each of the headings and put it all together in a package with the information Carol was producing.

We were able to get the report ready for Joe by Tuesday afternoon and the following meeting with the guys went very well. They were surprised but pleased when they were told that they had authority to create purchase orders for $200. When I talked about the results of the interviews from the ‘15 Minutes of Fame’ sessions, I felt good when Pete commented that it wasn’t so much that I made unilateral decisions – it was that everyone wanted to be involved more and more.

The week ended with the average production of over 600 tonnes for the third time and you could feel the sense of pride around the mill. I began to think that Joe had been right – we were ready to invite the Wisconsin team for a visit. The only area we hadn’t made much progress on was the community involvement that we had seen them do so well, so I called Patrice, our human resources manager, who had been trying to set up the process.

“I was just about to call you,” he said. “Corporate have agreed to provide tools and supplies for any project we wish to take on.”

“That’s great news – now we have to just find a project.”

“I think I can help with that too. I’ve checked around and there is a project to convert an abandoned building on the north side of town into a club for teenagers in the area, so they are looking for volunteers to clean up around the yard, paint the exterior and just make the place a lot more friendly.

What do you think?”

“Sounds good, but weren’t we going to form a team to identify worthy causes?”

“You’re right, but this one just presented itself – we can still form the team and ask if they want to approve this or look for something else.”

“I’m certainly ok with that approach.

Just let me know when we will hold our first meeting – provided you want me on the team.”

By the end of the day there were memos asking for volunteers for the committee all around the mill.

Over the following two weeks, nothing much happened, if you didn’t consider two more weeks of an average production of 600 tonnes per day, Pete delivering some troubleshooting training on hydraulics, the first gearbox rebuild starting, Ben carrying out the first breakdown analysis that resulted in a change to an operating procedure, and the first meeting of the Community Outreach Committee. When I thought about it, they really weren’t unusual events – this was how the mill was now operating.

The next week we had more volunteers than we really needed for the Teenage Club Project (the committee had jumped at the chance to start it) but everyone who signed up came along and joined in. The yard and the clubhouse looked really welcoming when we finished and the camaraderie I saw was amazing. It was at the project that I realized that we were now ready to invite the Wisconsin team, as we had achieved what I had seen on our visit to them – a spirit and commitment to improve and be involved had become our operating model.

©Stockbyte/Thinkstock

BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

When I talked with Joe about sending the invitation, he looked a little troubled.

“What’s wrong, Joe? I thought you’d be delighted about what we’ve achieved.”

“I am Bob, and more to the point, so are Corporate. So much so that when I checked with them that it was ok to have the visit, they insisted that they be invited too. You know how much I like ‘dog and pony’ shows.”

“I think there’s a subtle difference, Joe. You won’t have to put on a show.

We just need to show them what we’ve achieved and let them do the rest. I know Alan and Chuck from the Wisconsin mill will have lots of questions and I think we can just let the guys answer them wherever possible – just like they did when we visited them.”

“You’re right – that’s exactly what the visit is about. Who should I invite from Wisconsin?”

“Alan and Chuck, of course, and then let them decide who they want to bring – just let them know how many we’ll be comfortable with, taking into consideration we’ll also have at least three or four vice-presidents from our corporate office.”

“Not just VPs but Tom Waters, the CEO, has said he wants to come along!

What’s more, he’s asked that we set up a series of town hall meetings with no managers invited. He’s very impressed with what we’ve done, but he wants to hear from a different perspective about the challenges, upsets and changes.

Who knows what he’s going to hear?”

As confident as I was that everything would be fine, I could understand Joe’s nervousness, as this would the first time that Tom had visited the mill since we had started on this journey to world-class maintenance.

“The results are there, Joe, for all to see. He can’t really be questioning what we’ve done – I’m sure it’s just his way of showing that he values everyone’s opinion.”

“I hope you’re right, but you know me well enough that I don’t like not being in control, although you’ve done a good job of trying to cure me of that with all of your impulsive, unorthodox decisions.”

“You’re welcome. I knew you’d appreciate it some day.”

“Oh, in all of this panic I almost forgot. It’s official. Last month we averaged 600 tonnes per day. Patrice is working on a special gift for everyone.”

“Is that just one special gift?”

“Yes something like a leather jacket – something nice.”

“You know what a diverse group we’ve got here Joe, and though I’m sure they’d be grateful for any gift, it would be much better if it was appropriate to the individual. I know we can’t get everyone something different, but is there any way that we can offer them a choice – something for the sports enthusiast, something for the home , the jacket and so on – just five or six choices that would please most of the people. As an aside, I had mentioned the need for rewards to be appropriate in my TREAT presentation.”

“You mean the one you’ll be making to Tom Waters?”

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

Online Reader Inquiry No. 352

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T H E

S A F E T Y

F I L E

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2012

SHOULD YOU EXERCISE

practice, it consists of the following steps: • Hazard and risk identification and assessment • Elimination or control workplace hazards • Verification of occupational health and safety (OHS) programs and safe work procedures • Engaging managers and workers in OHS training • Documenting OHS program compliance • Total OHS management system auditing • The commitment of senior management to worker safety.

BY SIMON FRIDLYAND

DUE DILIGENCE?

A

cerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational safety and health programs is to create and regulate a safe work environment.

Safe work environments can vary from place to place and from one worker to another. A safe work environment could be very specific, however it falls under the general definition of due diligence.

Due diligence in its simplest form means the care that a reasonable person exercises to avoid harm to another person.

Related to industrial establishments, in

THE CAGE ® IS THE KEY

ccording the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, based in Hamilton, ON, there were 260,284 lost-time injuries in Canada in 2009. That number of people went to work in the morning but were injured at work to such an extent that they had to take time off work. These injuries must have caused tremendous suffering to the injured people, as well as cost our industries billions of dollars in unnecessary expenses associated with these accidents.

By definition, occupational health and safety is a cross-disciplinary area con-

©Jupiterimages/Comstock/Thinkstock

Due diligence in its simplest form means the care that a reasonable person exercises to avoid harm to another person. As a result, maintenance and engineering managers have a big role to play in ensuring a safe work environment.

Hazard assessment The first step in this process is hazard identification and assessment. Hazards are typically categorized into one of six groups: 1. Safety (moving machinery, working at heights, slippery surfaces, mobile equipment, etc.).

2. Ergonomic (material handling, environment, work organization, etc.).

3. Chemical agents.

4. Biological agents.

5. Physical agents (noise, lighting, radiation, etc.).

6. Psychosocial (stress, violence, etc.).

Once the hazards have been identified, they need to be assessed using the hazard assessment tools prescribed by the safety standards. This task is best performed by qualified engineers and must include all steps of the process, such as, for example, loading and unloading, clearing of jams and maintenance of the equipment.

The hazard assessment would clarify the severity of each step and also provide a clear rating of the priorities needed to mitigate the risk. Once the risk is identified, it must be controlled or eliminated completely.

As far as machinery is concerned, it requires development of safety-engineered solutions. The best way is to engage a qualified multi-discipline engineering group capable of designing not only safety solutions but also solutions that enhance productivity at the same time.

If established by a qualified processional, safety and productivity are two sides of the same coin. A qualified professional will always consider the input of maintenance people because he or she realizes that the maintenance, engineering and production people are the most knowledgeable people as far as the operation of the existing machine is concerned.

Simon Fridlyand, P.Eng., of SAFE Engineering Inc., specializes in industrial health and safety concerns and PSR compliance. For more information, visit www.safeengineering.ca.

Online Reader Inquiry No. 350

Gear & BearinG R

When ultimate chain performance really matters, trust Canadian made Tsubaki sprockets.

The first two steps of the due diligence process are probably the most difficult ones to achieve, so we call them the ‘hard’ steps. The other steps are as important as the first two, but somewhat easier and less expensive to implement, so we call them the ‘soft steps.

We need to highlight the importance of senior management’s commitment to support safety. Many times, statements are made on company billboards and in annual reports that safety is the number-one priority, yet some of those companies remain famous for their poor accident and fatality records.

One company in particular stands out. Do you remember the Westray Mine, where 26 miners died in 1992 due to an explosion at their facility? The previous year, the mine won the highest safety award of the industry. The paperwork could be easily manipulated.

Because of such situations, the hard steps must be in place and documented. It is the responsibility of all of us, and in particular the maintenance and engineering managers, to communicate to the senior management of the company the importance of the hard steps. An understanding of the hard steps may require specialized knowledge that maintenance and engineering managers possess and that other senior managers may not.

Maintenance and engineering managers have the potential to raise health and safety awareness among both workers and senior managers, to affect improvement in arrangements for managing health and safety, to improve the practical implementation of these arrangements, and to contribute to improved health and safety performance, as well as productivity. Most importantly, they represent the means by which the workers’ voices can be heard and acted upon to benefit those who experience the risks of the production process and also the means by which the company’s bottom line is significantly improved.

Maintenance and engineering managers have a big role to play.

MRO

Pullers

Manual Pullers 1-40 Ton Hydraulic Pullers 5-200 Ton Specialty Tools

www.tsubaki.ca

www.posilock.com Online Reader Inquiry No. 132

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Safety Speed Strength

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P R O D U C T

27

N E W S

February 2012

Machinery & Equipment MRO

What’s new…

Cart provides secure tool storage for service technicians

A heavy-duty, lightweight tool storage and transport option for service technicians, Lista’s Technician Series mobile carts offer versatile mobility with secure storage. Two-inchdeep pan shelves at the top and bottom are covered with a ribbed rubber mat. The drawer units include a core lock and two keys, as well as a premium mesh drawer liner. The carts, which provide a 400-lb capacity, have two fixed and two swivel-with-wheel-lock casters. Model NS carts are 17.5 in. wide and available in 14 configurations, while Model ST carts are 31.75 in. wide and available in nine configurations.

Lista International

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

t

Quarter-turn electric actuator stands up to harsh industrial applications

Online Reader Inquiry No. 337

Metric shaft collar line is for use in demanding applications

Online Reader Inquiry No. 339

Ruland has expanded its line of shaft collars to include a full metric range for heavy-duty applications. Designed for the large shafts used in steel, process and other heavy industries, these shaft collars feature a 32-mm width and DIN12.9 M12 socket head cap screws

Online Reader Inquiry No. 336

Dual-operator welding generator stands up to harsh conditions

t

Miller Electric has introduced the Big Blue 700 Duo Pro diesel engine-driven welder and AC generator that offers either independent dual-operator capabilities with up to 400 A of welding power or the ability to combine both outputs for up to 800 A with a single operator.

Well-suited for work in transmission pipeline, process pipe and MRO welding applications, the device also offers independent generator power for use of power tools and accessories on site without interacting with the welding arc. It is built to weld all day and withstand the rigours of welding outdoors and in rough, dirty climates.

Miller Electric Mfg. Co. Online Reader Inquiry No. 326

Hygienic enclosures meet washdown demands of food and beverage industry

Made of stainless steel for a wide range of applications in the food and beverage industry, Rittal’s Hygienic Design enclosures feature a smooth surface grain, internal hinges, washable gaskets, locks and no crevices to trap debris or contaminates. They are available with screw covers for smaller, integrated applications or hinged doors for larger installations. Wall and door surfaces are angled so water runs off easily. Continu-

for high holding power. The two-piece design means clamping force can be applied without damaging the shaft and allows for installation or disassembly without removal of other components.

Standard parts are made from carbon steel with a black oxide finish in 16 bore sizes ranging from 75 mm to 150 mm.

RotoPrecision Inc. Online Reader Inquiry No. 328

Hose products catalogue features QR codes for access to more information

Parker’s Hose Products Division Catalog 4400 provides product information and installation assistance for Parker hydraulic hoses, fittings, equipment, accessories and technical information. The glossy, easy-to-navigate 400-page catalogue is printed with mobile Quick Response codes that link users to additional content such as crimper training videos, which can be accessed by scanning the QR image with a smartphone. The hose section has been redesigned to include such extended detail about each hose as specifications, applicable markets and applications. Abbreviated information is available as a quick reference guide or wall chart.

Parker Hannifin Online Reader Inquiry No. 330

Carbon graphite piston rings have good resistance to wear

that ensure continuous contact with a rotating motor shaft. EST manufactures the tip and extension rod, while Fluke makes the 10:1 probe and the 190 series ScopeMeter portable oscilloscope.

Electro Static Technology

t

ProMation Engineering P2-13 series quarter-turn electric, nonspring return actuators feature a rugged, industrial grade design for use with all ball and butterfly valves or dampers requiring higher torque outputs from 800 in.-lb to 40,500 in.-lb. Available for 24-VAC/VDC, 120/230-VAC or singlephase and complete three-phase offerings, the series features a self-locking hardened-steel drive train for smooth operation, mechanical end-of-travel stops and clutch-free manual override for single-handed positioning of the actuator in any situation. Options include torque switches, motor control centres, phase monitors, potentiometers, cold-weather kits, timers, speed controls, single-wire control interfaces, a wide array of feedback control interfaces, local control units and fail-safe solutions.

ProMation Engineering

ous silicone seal door gaskets provide a tight seal without any adhesive and can be easily replaced as necessary, without special tools.

Rittal Systems Ltd.

Metallized Carbon has announced the availability of carbon-graphite for use in piston rings needed to seal high-pressure gas in applications requiring compressed gases that do not contain oil or grease. The piston rings are used in conjunction with carbon-graphite guide rings or carrier rings, which hold the piston centred on a cylinder bore. These self-lubricating, carbon-graphite piston rings and guide rings are used in reciprocating compressors, where oil-free gases, such as air, steam, refrigerants, hydrogen, hydrocarbons, chlorine, nitrogen and oxygen can be compressed to pressures greater than 800 psi. Guide rings can be either solid rings or segmented rings with butt joints.

Metallized Carbon

Online Reader Inquiry No. 333

Stainless steel shaft collars are designed for use in corrosive environments

A line of 316 stainless steel shaft collars and rigid shaft couplings that resist harsh chemicals, solvents, detergents and salt water is available from Stafford

Online Reader Inquiry No. 331

Shaft voltage test kit determines vulnerability of VFD-controlled motors

The result of a collaboration between Electro Static Technology and Fluke and available from both companies, the Aegis shaft voltage test kit can test every VFD-controlled motor in a whole production plant, office building, mechanical room, etc., providing a powerful tool for maintenance personnel and testing contractors to determine that a motor is or is not subject to

stray shaft voltages great enough to harm motor bearings. The kit includes a replaceable probe tip for highly accurate voltage readings on rotating equipment and contains high-density conductive microfibres

Manufacturing. The 316 SST units come in one- and two-piece and set-screw styles with 18-8 or 316 SST fasteners and various bore configurations including keyways. Designed for a wide range of applications in corrosive environments, the collars are offered in 1/4-in. to 10-in.

I.D. sizes and the rigid couplings come in 1/4-in. to 3-in. sizes. Well-suited for use in conveyors, drive systems, machinery and mixing and packaging equipment, the collars can be supplied with smooth or threaded round, square and hex bores and the couplings can include straight and stepped bores.

Stafford Manufacturing Online Reader Inquiry No. 342

continued on page 28

Six amazing models. One trusted name.

The Fluke P3 Series

P3 Ti27 TiR27

MRO_7x2.25_P3_Ti_Ad.indd 1

p27-36 MRO Feb12 ProdsOntheRoad_1.indd 27

The only thing that precedes Fluke’s highest standards of quality is our reputation for making the finest measurement tools in the world. Fluke thermal imagers are no exception. And, the P3 series handily delivers on the promise to offer the most tool for the money.

• Superior image quality • One-handed, easy-to-use interface • Torture tested™

Proven Practical Performance

Ti29 TiR29

Ti32 TiR32

Find out more about these new products from Fluke at www.flukecanada.ca/P3series

Online Reader Inquiry No. 134

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28

P R O D U C T

N E W S

Machinery & Equipment MRO

February 2012

continued from page 27

Spider polyurethane material increases coupling strength, service life

KTR has developed a new standard material for its spiders. The improved polyurethane material T-Pur is resistant to significantly higher temperatures and has a considerably longer service life

Online Reader Inquiry No. 335

Single-phase units complement power supply series

Wago’s Epsitron 787 Series Pro power supplies have gained nine single-phase units. Developed to maximize operational efficiency, the units feature twostage PowerBoost, which accommodates high inrush loads to eliminate oversized switch mode power supplies. TopBoost accommodates cost-effective circuit

Loctite Freeze & Release penetrating oil instantly freezes seized and rusted bolts, nuts and studs down to minus 43°C (minus 45°F). The shock-freeze effect causes microscopic cracks in the layer of rust, allowing the lubricating ingredient to wick directly into the rust by capillary action. It wicks quickly into hairline cracks, even up a height against the force of gravity. The rusted bolt assembly can then be easily dismantled after allowing only one to two minutes penetration time. The released parts remain lubricated and protected from corrosion.

Loctite

Crankshaft gauge features 180-in. measurement capability

A large crankshaft measurement gauge for manufacturers of diesel, marine and locomotive engines and mining, oil field and power generation equipment has been introduced by Adcole. The model 1200-10 crankshaft gauge features a ball bearing spindle for measuring crankshafts up to 180 in. long, with a 22-in. swing diameter, that weigh up to 4,500 lb. Equipped with a 19-in. touchscreen display and a Microsoft Windowsbased operating system for ease of use and output flexibility, the instrument can execute a full crankshaft measurement within 10 minutes. Built on a base of structural steel main cabinets with a large 18-in. thick surface plate, this robust machine weighs 45,000 lb.

Adcole

t

Eyewear protects against dust and perspiration in hot environments

Online Reader Inquiry No. 341

Miller Electric has added Smoked and Shade 3.0 to its existing offering of Arc Armor Clear and Shade 5.0 line of safety glasses. The safety lenses are available in black, blue and orange frame colours. The Smoked lenses are suited for outdoor applications, while the Shade 3.0 is for light oxy-fuel or plasma cutting applications. Designed for comfort, fit and durability, the glasses feature rubber ear pads and form-fitting orbital eye coverage. Protection features include shatter-proof polycarbonate lenses with an anti-scratch coating and soft foam protection guards that keep out dust and perspiration. The safety glasses meet ANSI Z87.1 requirements for personal eye and face protection devices.

Miller Electric Online Reader Inquiry No. 791

ity and cushioned comfort.

Gateway Safety

Online Reader Inquiry No. 770

breakers for individual load circuit protection by providing 50 msec of additional output at three to six times the rated current. This permits selective shutdown of a faulted circuit. The two-position, DIN-rail-mount metal housing carries front-facing operational status LEDs. Units rely on maintenance-free Cage Clamp terminations and offer a signal contact.

Wago

Line of safety glasses is expanded to include additional lenses

Online Reader Inquiry No. 332

t

than the previous polyurethane material that was used. The material is characterized by the colours orange (92 Shore A), purple (98 Shore A) and pale green (64 Shore D). Rotex flexible couplings incorporating these spiders feature continuous temperature up to 120°C (248°F) with short-term maximum temperature up to 150°C (302°F) and low temperature down to minus 50°C (minus 58°F), improved dynamic properties and increased service life under extreme conditions. Up to size Rotex 90 inclusive single spiders are used. For Rotex couplings from size 100 to 180, the spider consists of DZ tooth segments as a standard.

KTR Corporation

Penetrating oil releases seized bolts

Gateway Safety’s StarLite FOAM family of eye protection fills the need for a safety spectacle with some safety goggle features. The eyewear has a soft foam edge that blocks dirt and debris and helps absorb perspiration in warm indoor or outdoor environments. Suitable applications include drywall or similarly dusty work. To fight summer glare, the scratch-resistant polycarbonate lens blocks more than 99.9% UV-A, B and C light. Light in weight yet durable, the eyewear is available in a gray or clear anti-fog lens, both with black temples, and meets or exceeds the ANSI Z87.1+ standard. It offers good impact protection, optical qual-

Online Reader Inquiry No. 792

Generator models are built to meet emission standards

Multiquip has introduced the DCA40SSKU4i and the DCA150SSCU4i Interim Tier IV compliant generators. The DCA40SSKU4i generator is equipped with a 49-hp Kubota diesel engine, and provides 37 KVA three-phase prime outputs at 240V or 480V, while producing only 65 dBA at 23 ft. The generator offers 10 hours of run time at full load or 30 hours with an optional trailer and 52-gal. fuel cell. The DCA150SSCU4i generator is equipped with a diesel particulate filter to trap particulate matter and soot from the diesel engine exhaust, producing zero grams per brake horsepowerhour. The control panel is equipped with both analogue and digital controls.

Multiquip Online Reader Inquiry No. 340

Oil-free compressor line meets Class 0 standard for air purity

Ingersoll Rand has announced that its Class 0 certifications have been updated to comply with the ISO 8573-1 Class 0 2010 standard.

The certifications were granted to the entire range of the company’s air-cooled, water-cooled, oil-free rotary screw compressors (37 kW to 350 kW/50 hp to 450 hp) and water-cooled, oil-free centrifugal compressors (160 kW to 5,000 kW/200 hp to 6,700 hp). Air purity is essential to many critical processes in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, electronics and textile industries. Class 0 is the most stringent air quality class and certifies that a compressor discharges air free of added oil aerosols, vapours and liquids.

Ingersoll Rand

Online Reader Inquiry No. 361

Mechanical troubleshooting redefined!

The new Fluke 810 Vibration Tester is a fantastic easy-touse troubleshooting tool for mechanical maintenance teams who need the answer NOW! It’s designed for professionals who need to troubleshoot mechanical problems and quickly understand the root cause of equipment condition.

Based on you.

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www.flukecanada.ca/810 Online Reader Inquiry No. 135

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Receiver unit is added to line of laser measurement and alignment products

Pinpoint Laser Systems’ Microgage 2D Transparent receiver allows a laser

beam to pass clearly through it while making a precise position measurement for aligning machinery and equipment.

A narrow laser beam provides a measuring reference line. The receiver is placed on a machine or moving assembly to determine its position relative to this laser reference beam. It operates over distances of 100 ft or more and delivers a measuring precision of 0.0005 in. This compact device fits into small places for bore alignment, checking extruder barrels, shaft bearings and more. The receiver and the host Laser Microgage 2D are versatile and can be adapted to many industrial measuring and alignment tasks.

The two-axis Laser Microgage operates on batteries, and the system includes a compact carrying case.

Pinpoint Laser Systems Online Reader Inquiry No. 771

Four affordable glove options expand welding apparel line

Hobart Welding Products has added four glove options to its line of personal safety products. Comprising form-fitted MIG welding gloves, premium welding/ multi-use gloves, premium work/multi-use gloves and an economical value pack of welding and multi-use gloves, the gloves feature comfort, dexterity, protection and durability with heavy-duty stitching, quality leather and ergonomic design, all at an affordable price.

The value pack contains two pairs of the company’s economy welding gloves and one pair of the premium work/multi-use gloves.

Hobart Welding Products Online Reader Inquiry No. 793 MRO Obtain free additional information about any of these items by using our online reader reply card at www.mromagazine.com/rsc.

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Software aims to simplifiy motor/drive system selection

Online Reader Inquiry No. 313

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Helical gear drive/motor is designed for long working life

Online Reader Inquiry No. 314

Stainless steel gearmotor withstands harsh conditions

Built for long, maintenance-free life, Bison’s IP69K-rated stainless steel SaniMotor gearmotor encapsulates all electrical components in thermally conductive epoxy resin, allowing use for up to 40°C (104°F) ambient temperatures. It is completely enclosed with 304 stain-

Online Reader Inquiry No. 316

Product configurator combines easy technical selection and CAD creation

Wittenstein’s product configurator fills the gap between its online product CAD generator and Cymex servo sizing software. The user interface combines technical criteria in gearbox selection and finishes with CAD and technical data options.

Features include gearbox-to-motor system configuration, application technical

detail modification, a database of over 7,000 motors, gearbox design selection, step clarifications and a progress bar.

The tool is accessible at www.wittenstein-us.com from the CAD generator or the Design Tools page.

Wittenstein Online Reader Inquiry No. 319

Online service offers convenient order tracking

The Durst division of Regal Beloit has announced that customers can obtain order information from the Durst website at

Motor brake dissipates heat build-up using oil shear technology

Force Control Industries has introduced the MagnaShear motor brake, featuring oil shear technology for long service life with virtually no maintenance. Oil shear technology transmits torque between lubricated surfaces, thus eliminating wear on friction surfaces, which significantly increases service life and virtually eliminates adjustment. Suitable for a wide range of motor sizes, the totally enclosed brake is impervious to moisture, dirt and dust that is common in concrete block plants, as well as asphalt shingle manufacturing, coal, bulk materials handling, forest products manufacturing, and more. Spring set torque ratings from 3 ft-lb to 1,250 ft-lb are available.

Force Control Industries Online Reader Inquiry No. 810

www.durstdrives.com. By taking advantage of the Customer Care Tools on the company website, Durst customers will know if an order has shipped. The scheduled due date, part description and freight charge also are available, along with other order information.

There are no fees for using this service, and password-protected access is available 24/7. To register for a log-in account, the customer furnishes basic company identification and contact information, after which the process of notification and verification occurs within one to two business days.

Durst Online Reader Inquiry No. 317

Right-angle gear drive is smooth-operating, runs quietly

Zero-Max Crown right-angle gear drives feature heat-treated AGMA Class 10 spiral bevel gears and non-magnetic stainless steel shafts, providing long life and maintenance-free operation. Features include precision-hardened and ground ball bearings handling speeds up to 2,000 rpm. The internal gears are permanently mounted to the shafts with locking pins. Suitable for a wide range of machine applications, including food processing, packaging and material handling systems, the drives are available in many sizes and models, for a wide range of horsepower, torque and shaft speed requirements.

Standard two- and three-way models are offered with 1:1 and 2:1 speed ratios in shaft diameter combinations of 3/8 in., 1/2 in., 5/8 in. and 3/4 in.

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The Series 2000 rightangle helical gear drives and gearmotors from Boston Gear and Bauer Gear Motor meet requirements in a wide variety of applications, including dairy and bakery mixers, spiral heating and cooling racks, meat forming and processing lines, produce drying bins, bottling lines, unit conveyors and palletizers. The C-face gear drives’ mounting registers and keyless tapered bushings make for fast and easy installation. Units require very low maintenance, and feature integrated Orings and high corrosion and abrasion resistance. The integral gearmotors are inverter rated for use with VFDs. Motors are CE, CSA and UR certified, and meet or exceed EISA 2007 efficiency requirements with a Class 1, Div 2, Groups B/C/D/T3C rated enclosure.

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Kollmorgen Motioneering Application Engine 6.2.0 motion system sizing and selection software uses a mechanism project concept to collect and save load information for multiple axes, automatically calculate application results and compare them against a robust database catalogue of the company’s products to identify the optimized linear or rotary motion system solutions to meet specific machine builder application requirements. Updates of this version include the AKM8 servomotor and the VLM servomotor line. The software is compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.0.

Kollmorgen

less steel tubing, sealed with EDPM rubber O-rings and secured with hex bolts. The gearmotor, designed for three-phase, 230-V operation, comes in two frame sizes, 88.4 mm (34F) and 127.0 mm (49F), and each frame size is mated to seven standard gearing ratios offering output speeds from 8 rpm to 345 rpm with rated torques ranging from 56.5 N-m to 0.8 N-m (500 in.-lb to 7 in.-lb). Suitable for applications in food, chemical and pharmaceutical processing, the device is designed for use with variable frequency drives in constant torque configuration from 6 Hz to 60 Hz and constant horsepower configuration from 60 Hz to 90 Hz. Bison Gear & Engineering

Machinery & Equipment MRO

Online Reader Inquiry No. 315

Drive belt range for industrial applications is extended

Customers of the ContiTech Power Transmission Group can choose from a full range of single-source drive belts for machine and systems construction. The company has added many products to the

range, particularly in the field of V-belts – including profiles, dimensions and power categories for raw-edged and wrapped V-belts. Some time ago, the company expanded the range of lengths available for high-performance timing belts, opening up their advantages to a range of additional applications. It man-

ufactures environmentally friendly alternative products under the BlueConcept label. Wrapped V-belts are available at present and timing belts are currently being tested in pilot projects.

ContiTech AG Online Reader Inquiry No. 320

Process automation system integrates motor control devices

Rockwell Automation has extended the reach of its PlantPax process automation system to integrate critical rotating assets, such as compressors, pumps, turbines and fans, giving users the ability to manage plantwide operations with a single platform. The system combines the company’s core process automation capabilities and technologies with those of partners and acquisitions to deliver an integrated control and information solution for customers. Users can tie intelligent motor devices into this unified-control architecture, making an immediate and measurable impact on asset availability, operational efficiency and energy management. This is especially beneficial in heavy industrial applications with considerable mechanical investments, such as: metals, mining, cement, power, oil and gas, water/wastewater, and pulp and paper applications.

Rockwell Automation Online Reader Inquiry No. 321

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 136

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Servo drive offers multi-bus functionality

High-power drive provides expanded application flexibility

Kollmorgen’s AKD servo drive supports the functionality of the base analogue drive, indexing drive, CANopen drive and EtherCAT drive, all from a single drive SKU, enabling printing, packaging, converting, medical and other machine builders to benefit from more efficient bench testing and prototyping, while enabling them to smoothly transition from

Rockwell Automation has extended the power range of its PowerFlex 755 AC drives to 900 kW/1,350 hp and added 600/690 volt ratings. Well-suited for a variety of heavy industrial applications, the drive provides users with increased application flexibility, advanced diagnostics and a common DC bus option. It includes an embedded Ethernet port and five option slots. Option modules include I/O, feedback, safety, additional communications and an auxiliary power supply. A convenient roll-out design allows easy access to the drive for fast installation and maintenance.

Rockwell Automation Online Reader Inquiry No. 322

one bus type to another. With a simple parameter change and a power cycle, machine builders can quickly and easily change the AKD’s communication protocol between EtherCAT and CANopen. The drives are rated for operation in ambient temperatures ranging from 0°C to 40°C (up to 55°C with de-rating), and feature a robust MTBF of nearly 660,000 hours.

Kollmorgen Online Reader Inquiry No. 324

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Energy-savings calculator helps improve motor control performance

An energy-savings calculator tool from Rockwell Automation allows manufacturers to use mobile devices or computers to calculate potential savings derived from variable frequency drives to power pumps and fans. Manufacturers can use the online tool or download the free mobile application to their iPad, iPhone, Blackberry or Android systems to compare conventional methods, such as valves for pump control and dampers for fan control, to variable frequency drives, and see estimated cost savings of installing an Allen-Bradley PowerFlex drive. Part of the Rockwell Automation Intelligent Motor Control portfolio, the tool offers two ways to calculate energy consumption. Users can enter information about their own factory, or use the sample data built into the tool.

Rockwell Automation Online Reader Inquiry No. 323 Online Reader Inquiry No. 137

PERMANENT BEARING PROTECTION

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 138

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Online application helps users customize power transmission products

Sumitomo has launched its online Hyponic product configurator application. Located at www.smcyclo.com/configurator, this user-friendly application streamlines the selection process of the company’s ecofriendly, highly efficient and maintenance-free Hyponic drive. Users quickly receive results that include downloadable 2D and 3D CAD files, product literature and a technical specification sheet dynamically generated from the actual configured unit. This interactive tool enables users to request a quote, and provides specific product dimension and weight details based on their configuration.

Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America Online Reader Inquiry No. 318

Clutch is easy to install in marine applications

The Model HC/CH clutch from Industrial Clutch is designed for use in marine applications, including drawworks, winches and propulsion. It features a key seal that allows for the use of standard O-rings and simplifies installation in current configurations using a double keyway and single drilled actuation hole. All models feature forced oil-cooling provisions for high-energy engagements. Disc-Pac cores use extraheavy plate thicknesses to maximize torque and heat capacity while minimizing spline wear to both the disc cores and hub. Two styles are available. The EWA model is for oil-immersed applications, and the EDA units are designed to run as dry friction clutches.

Altra Industrial Motion Online Reader Inquiry No. 811

Right-angle helical gear drive has built-in keyway design

The S991HY series of hollow-shaft right-angle helical gear drives from Sterling Instrument features built-in keyways, plus leftor right-hand rotation.

These gear drives feature heavy-duty sealed ball bearings, 1:1, 2:1 or 3:2 ratios and rated speeds up to 1,200 rpm. Suited for most industry applications, such as for use in printing, packaging and textile machinery, they are made with an aluminum a lloy, ha rda nod ized case, 1144 steel, hollow-bore shafts, and 4140 heat-treated steel gears. Their hollow-bore sizes range from 5/8 in. to 3/4 in. and their maximum operating temperature is 200°F. Sterling Instrument Online Reader Inquiry No. 809 MRO

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What’s new in condition monitoring

Online Reader Inquiry No. 300

Analyzer measures energy wasted in electrical systems, calculates cost

Fluke has introduced the 430 Series II three-phase power quality analyzers.

The series helps facilities reduce electrical power consumption and improve the performance and lifespan of electro-mechanical equipment by providing the ROI justification to mitigate power quality distortion. Using the Unified Power function, electricians, utility technicians, electrical engineers, field service technicians and energy consultants can automatically determine how much power is being wasted and calculate exactly the extra consumption costs with a single handheld tool. The series includes a soft carrying case, lithium-ion battery pack, current probes, test leads with clips, battery charger, USB cable, colour localization set and PowerLog software.

Fluke Corporation Online Reader Inquiry No. 307

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The affordable, easyto-use FLIR i7 thermal imaging infrared camera couples 120-by-120-pixel MEP.indd infrared resolution with 2% accuracy and 0.1ºC thermal sensitivity to quickly detect electrical, HVAC, mechanical and energy-audit-related problems.

Readings are displayed on a large 71-mm (2.8-in.) high-resolution colour LCD. Three measurement modes are available: spot, area and isotherm. Weighing less than 340 g (12 oz), the camera features an easy-grip design and doublemoulded construction, and meets IP43 dust/splashproof standards, 25-G shock rating and 2-G vibration rating. It comes with a 512-Mb micro SD card, mini SD adaptor, lithium-ion rechargeable battery with AC adaptor/charger and EU, UK, US, and AU plug, QuickReport software, USB mini-B cable, built-in manual lens protector, hand strap and hard case.

FLIR Systems Online Reader Inquiry No. 305

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UE Systems’ Ultraprobe 15,000 Touch is an entire ultrasonic condition monitoring laboratory that fits in the palm of the hand and provides plant inspection professionals the ability to use iPhone-like touch-screen technology to analyze conditions. The wide range of onboard features includes a spectral analyzer, the ability to take equipment temperature with an infrared thermometer, photograph test points with an on-board camera, select from multiple data screens including dB, temperature and spectral analysis, and more. For mechanical and electrical applications, the instrument provides immediate opportunities to analyze on the spot and diagnose premature problems before they occur.

UE Systems Online Reader Inquiry No. 308

Thermal imager shows weak spots directly in digital image

motors

Online Reader Inquiry No. 349

ing problems. They can also identify worn bearings, hot electrical switchgear components and connections, and malfunctioning steam traps. The TwinPix feature allows the merging of the infrared and digital images simultaneously into one image. Temperature range is up to 660ºF, while an optional high-temperature lens measures to 1,020ºF. ITM Instruments Online Reader Inquiry No. 311

The Testo 875 and 881 thermal imagers can find areas with missing insulation, hidden wet areas caused by leaks and areas where hot or cold air is leaking through a building envelope, and can scan HVAC systems for machinery or duct seal-

motors

Milwaukee Tool has expanded its Test and Measurement line with the new 160x120 Thermal Imager, powered by the M12 battery system that uses fast-charging Redlithium technology.

Ideal for preventive maintenance and troubleshooting applications, it features 160x120-pixel, high-resolution thermal images, a visual camera for standard pictures, and the broadest temperature range in its class (-10°C to 350°C/14°F to 662°F). “Designed from the ground-up with the professional tradesman in mind, this tool is faster, more versatile and easier to use than any other tool in its class,” says Jon Morrow, director of marketing, Test and Measurement, for Milwaukee Tool. “Users are able to capture a thermal and visual image on every trigger pull and toggle between the two with the push of a button.” The imager has a five-button interface and a no-blur, no-wait display that updates the screen image 60 times a second. The kit also includes Thermal Imager Report Software that makes analyzing images and generating reports quick and easy. The suggested retail price is C$2,900.

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Extech Instruments’ cost-saving EX623 five-in-one clamp meter, specifically designed for plant, HVAC/R and electrical professionals in commercial, institutional and industrial settings, comprises an AC/DC ‘amp clamp’ meter, true RMS multimeter, infrared thermometer, non-contact voltage detector, and dual-input Type-K thermometer. The instrument can be used for troubleshooting new installations or in preventive maintenance and repair, and makes users’ everyday installation, diagnostic and maintenance tasks simpler and easier, with less toolbox clutter. Its 36-mm jaw opening handles conductors up to 500 MCM. Extech Instruments

Affordable IR camera offers splashproof design

Ultrasonic inspection tool catches potential problems

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Clamp meter is five tools in one

Fast-charging thermal imager boasts wide temperature range

Vibration meter is combined with laser tachometer for versatility

The 461880 vibration meter and combination laser tachometer from Extech Instruments measures acceleration, velocity and

displacement, as well as RPM and linear surface speed. It features a large LCD that rotates the numerical readout 180 degrees following the orientation of the meter. Features include a remote vibration sensor with a magnetic adapter on 1-m (39-in.) cable, a frequency range of 10 Hz to 1 kHz and RMS or Peak Value measurement modes. Suitable for repairs of linear or rotating conveyance systems, as well as noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) testing of industrial or mechanical components, the meter comes with wheels for linear surface speed or RPM, reflective tape, four AA batteries, software, a cable and a hard carrying case.

Extech Instruments Online Reader Inquiry No. 301

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Online Reader Inquiry No. 140

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Vibration meter is designed for day-today preventive maintenance

Online Reader Inquiry No. 309

Data logger/vibration meter downloads data directly to spreadsheet

Reed Instruments has released the affordable and versatile SD series data logging instrument. The realtime SD-8205 vibration meter with integrated data logger is designed for condition monitoring and vibration analysis. Data can be saved onto an optional 2-Gb SD memory card, then downloaded straight to Microsoft Excel.

The instrument measures vibration levels in machinery by measuring ve-

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Columbia Research Laboratories has introduced the Model VM-300 vibration meter, a general-purpose vibration measuring instrument designed for periodic routine checks of industrial equipment where portability and ease of use are required. Acceleration, velocity and displacement measurement modes are among the features provided. The meter operates from a rugged precision piezoelectric accelerometer and incorporates a charge amplifier input stage for stability and minimizing errors.

Operation is controlled by an internal, integrated micro-controller, acting under direction of a splash-resistant seven-key membrane keypad. The meter is housed in a 7.5-in. by 4-in. by 2-in. plastic case with detachable probe and is supplied with a

padded carrying case and AC adapter.

Columbia Research Laboratories

Cost-effective cameras include up-market features

FLIR Systems has added the FLIR T300 and B300 thermal imaging cameras to its T- and B-Series of powerful, simple-to-use and durable infrared cameras. These cameras capture detailed, crisp images and video with a 320-by-240 focal plane array detector (76,800 pixels). For quick, highly detailed diagnostics in industrial applications, the T300 matches 2% thermal accuracy, 30-Hz frame rate and 0.05ºC thermal sensitivity with a temperature measurement range of minus 20ºC to 650ºC (minus 4ºF to 1,202ºF). The B300 infrared camera is tailored for building-related diagnostic and inspection applications. Included are an SD memory card, lithium-ion rechargeable battery with 100-VAC to 260-VAC adaptor/charger, two-bay battery charger, QuickReport software, USB Mini-B cable, video cable, sun shield, stylus pen, headset, camera lens cap and durable transport case.

FLIR Systems Online Reader Inquiry No. 306

locity and acceleration with a frequency range that meets ISO 2954 standards. The vibration sensor has a magnetic base and offers such features as

RMS, peak hold and max/min record. Included are cable, magnetic base, hard carrying case and batteries.

Reed Instruments Online Reader Inquiry No. 310

Vibration tester helps set repair priorities

The Fluke 810 vibration tester helps the user quickly identify and prioritize mechanical problems. It uses a simple step-bystep process to report on machine faults the first time measurements are taken, without prior measurement history. The combination of diagnoses, severity and repair recommendations helps technicians make informed maintenance decisions and

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address critical problems first. The package includes the vibration tester, tri-axial accelerometer, magnet mount, mounting pad kit with adhesive, accelerometer quickdisconnect cable, laser tachometer and storage pouch, smart battery pack with cable and adapters, shoulder strap and adjustable hand strap, Viewer PC software, mini USB-to-USB cable and carrying case.

ITM Instruments Online Reader Inquiry No. 312

Cost-effective infrared camera pinpoints troublesome hot spots

Technicians can upgrade from a singlespot IR thermometer to a full-featured infrared camera using the easy-to-use and affordable Extech i5 compact infrared camera. The camera helps technicians monitor motors, conveyors and steam traps, and find overheating in electrical panels and transformers, enabling them to reveal hot spots that can lead to electrical, mechanical or structural failures before they incur lost production time, expensive repairs or worker injury. Features include 6,400-pixel IR resolution, 2% thermal accuracy and a 2.8-in. colour display. The 12-oz design is double-moulded and splash-proof, making it both rugged and lightweight.

Extech Instruments Online Reader Inquiry No. 302

MRO

Obtain free additional information about any of these items by using our online reader reply card at www.mromagazine.com/rsc.

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BY ERIC ACHILLES COUSINEAU

industry associations to lose members.

“Another important item is the development of a new strategic plan based on our recent member needs assessment survey,” said Toor. As well, he discussed EASA International’s efforts in dealing with government regulations, its representation on various standards-making committees, and its efforts to boost the reputation of members as solution-providers in the electromechanical sales and service industry.

He noted that EASA headquarters handles more than 20,000 technical inquiries from members each year, and reminded the audience that several technical experts are on hand to help them, including pump and vibration specialist Gene Vogel, and motor experts Tom Bishop, Chuck Yung and Jim Bryan. Also, EASA’s live training webinars have proven “exceptionally successful,” he said.

Toor encouraged members to follow EASA on its website (www.easa.com) as well as on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, as the association has embraced these social media platforms.

Toor concluded by reminding members of EASA International’s convention, taking place in Nashville, TN, June 24-26, 2012.

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1. Shane Hickey from Maple Leaf Drives Ltd. runs a video presentation on product applications. 2. Gerald O’Reilly of Lafert NA stamps a ballot for Scott Coterill of Electric Motor Service Hamilton Ltd. The ballots allowed visitors a chance to win an Apple iPad. 3. Mike Hajdingak and Jiuliano Viola of OmniDrive, an AO Smith distributor.

4. Max Tapscot of Nachi USA and John Kaulbeck of Nachi Canada. 5. Jennifer Ip and Dan McKelvie of Leeson Electric. 6. Grary Ingram of Lovato discusses his exhibit with Sid Seymour of Seymour-Smith Electric Motor & Pump Service. 7. Jason Trimarchi and Laura Lyke of ICC.

Photos: Eric Achilles Cousineau

The annual general meeting of the Ontario Chapter of the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA), which took place in Toronto in January, featured an annual tabletop trade show boasting new vendors, a new pump course presented by EASA International’s pump specialist, Gene Vogel, a bearing seminar by Max Tapscot of Nachi USA, and an update on the association’s status by international chairman Kevin Toor.

During his presentation, Toor discussed the 2012 EASA theme of ‘Moving Industry Forward’. “It really sums up the role we play in the productive economies throughout the world,” he said.

“We are the backbone of industry. We are the unsung heroes who keep motors and other infrastructure components in working order. Our strength is in our common association and mutually beneficial relationships we have built through our EASA membership.”

Toor continued by telling stories of members who were direct competitors working together or helping one another in times of need.

Discussing the membership, he said EASA has almost 2,000 active member companies, and the goal is to grow that number, despite a recent trend among

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The new Fluke 434 Series II: Analyze power quality and calculate energy loss.

Energy lost is money wasted. Fortunately, there’s the new Fluke 434 Series II Energy Analyzer. It calculates how much money you’re losing to wasted energy, so you can identify and implement solutions.

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February 2012

Big MRO show returns to Toronto

BY BILL ROEBUCK

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The Works, billed as Canada’s largest MRO & Safety Show, returned to the Toronto Congress Centre for the second time.

The January event, organized by Acklands-Grainger, featured 260 supplier exhibits and was attended by more than 2,500 invited customers.

Now in its sixth year, the show provides an opportunity for the distributor’s top customers to meet with vendors and Acklands-Grainger team members.

“Our goal is for all of our guests to leave feeling they understand the strong value Acklands-Grainger offers our customers across Canada,” said Sean O’Brien, president. “The convenience of seeing all of these products and services under one roof enables each of us to accomplish in a few short days what would normally take us months to achieve. MRO

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1. ITW Devcon used a multimedia display at its booth. 2. Fluke Electronics Canada showed a variety of its new instruments. 3. A surprise customer appreciation event featured the Bare Naked Ladies. 4. Ansell was one of many glove suppliers at the show. 5. Jim Ryan, chairman, president and chief executive officer, W.W. Grainger Inc. 6. The team from Superior

Photos: Bill Roebuck

Glove at The Works show. 7. Can Ross had a full complement of staff at its exhibit.

Cam Lawrence fêted on retirement

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BY BILL ROEBUCK

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1. The desert cakes were made, appropriately, in the shape of bearings. 2. Elaine and Cam Lawrence were joined by family, staff and suppliers at a retirement dinner.

3. Guests inscribed best wishes into the metal border of a photo showing Cam Lawrence driving a racecar.

4. Brian Dyke, the new president of BDI Canada, and his wife, Linda.

5. Cam Lawrence was presented with an Honorary Membership in the Bearing Specialists Association by Jerilyn Church.

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Cam Lawrence, president of BDI Canada Inc., Mississauga, ON, officially retired in January and has passed the reins over to Brian Dyke, who moves into the top role from his former position as vicepresident of sales for Ontario.

Lawrence has been president of the company since May 1994.

A special retirement dinner was held for Lawrence in January that was attended by key company staff from across Canada, as well as Carl James, chairman, managing director and CEO of parent company Bearing Distributors Inc. (BDI), Cleveland, OH. Also in attendance were Jerilyn Church, executive director of the Bearing Specialists Association, various industry suppliers and members of the Lawrence family.

A total of nine individuals spoke at the event about Lawrence, yet there was a consistency in their comments. Oft-repeated words were: “integrity and honesty,” “cool and calm,” “trusting and supportive,” “one of the good guys,” “polite,” “passionate,” “loyal and devoted,” “unwavering dedication,” “thoughtful,” “always helpful,” “deep knowledge and understanding of the busi5

ness,” “wisdom,” “honour,” “courage” ... well, you get the idea; it was a full-on lovein for Lawrence, and well-deserved.

Church presented Lawrence with a plaque from the BSA board of directors awarding him an honorary membership in recognition of his significant contributions to the association over many years. “It’s a significant honour,” she acknowledged.

James spoke about Lawrence’s 17-year career as president of the Canadian operation, where he guided it from a small, regional distributor to a coast-to-coast leader in industrial distribution. During this time, said James, Lawrence “nurtured and developed a company culture of talent, innovation and creativity that not only set the standard of the future for our company, but also for industrial distribution across Canada and around the world.”

Lawrence spoke just as considerately about the support of his staff, family and suppliers. “Today, I feel like I’m on the pinnacle of a mountain,” he said. “There’s some euphoria here tonight, and I don’t feel like I deserve it. It’s the people and the company that do.”

Lawrence said he is remaining with BDI Canada to help the company grow its presence in western Canada. MRO

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