THE NEW VALUE OF SURPLUS
The inventory strategies that are cutting costs, reducing waste and driving circular supply chains
FOCUS
Compressor troubleshooting
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EVENT RECAP: MAINTENANCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Recapping all the highlights from MRO’s recent virtual event.
UPGRADING PNEUMATICS
Smart pneumatics reduce downtime, extend equipment life and cut costs. Here’s why upgrading from conventional systems is a maintenance must.
TROUBLESHOOTING AND CONDITION MONITORING OF COMPRESSORS: PART 1
A foundational guide to compressor types, lubrication strategies and predictive maintenance technologies.
REDUCE, REUSE, REMANUFACTURE
How smarter MRO inventory strategies are driving cost savings, sustainability and a circular economy.
WHEN GOOD GEARS GO BAD
Gear failure is costly. Rapid Gear’s Lucas Foti explains common failure modes and how smart design and lubrication can prevent breakdowns.
CUT DOWNTIME, NOT CORNERS
Lean strategies for streamlining preventive maintenance and improving asset reliability, without compromising safety or standards.
A case for greener, leaner operations
It’s mid-August in Ontario right now, and we’ve just come through yet another oppressive heat wave. On August 11 alone, 51 heat records were broken across Canada. July was the hottest July in Ontario in 70 years. Globally, 2025 is on track to be the third hottest year ever recorded.
But being perpetually sweaty and dehydrated are minor inconveniences compared to some of the more disastrous consequences. Agriculture Canada reports that 71 per cent of the country was abnormally dry or in drought by the end of July. Wildfires have already torn through more than 72,000 square kilometres and poor air quality has plagued many areas across the country for months.
These conditions are a stark reminder of the environmental pressures facing every sector, this one in particular. Manufacturing contributes 29 per cent of Canada's industrial greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the mining, oil and gas sector, which contributes 42 per cent, according to a report by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Rather than pointing fingers, this issue recognizes some of the unique opportunities for the maintenance industry to make a difference — and celebrates the ways you're already doing it. Our cover story explores how MRO professionals are supporting a circular economy through sustainable inventory strategies like remanufacturing and reselling par ts and equipment. These methods keep surplus and end-of-life inventory out of landfills, helping to close the loop on material use.
We also recap highlights from our recent virtual event, Maintenance and the Environment, where industry leaders shared how environmental
stewardship is increasingly embedded in maintenance strategies. Practices like total productive maintenance, real-time OEE tracking, better spare parts management and proactive, data-informed approaches are proving to improve energy efficiency while support long-term sustainability goals.
Of cour se, in business, sustainability is often viewed through the lens of ROI — and understandably so. Adopting sustainable practices and equipment comes with a number of challenges, like high upfront costs, technological constraints and policy uncertainty. But the business case for sustainability is growing stronger. In speaking with clean tech and sustainability experts this year, I’ve learned t hat greener operations are more efficient, produce less waste and save money in the long run. They can also make businesses eligible for tax breaks, improve worker buy-in and strengthen brand reputation.
Bottom line aside, I’d argue there’s a broader case to consider — one that includes our collective health, safety and quality of life. For many of us, as we go about our day to day lives, the scope of this ethical dilemma might feel too big and beyond our ability as individuals to make a difference.
My hope is that as an industry, by continuing to make shifts — both in practice and mindset — we can keep moving the needle until sustainable operations become the standard, and not just a business strategy.
I, for one, look forward to that day — and to cooler fall temperatures.
KIRSTYN BROWN Editor kbrown@annexbusinessmedia.com
@mro_maintenance @MROMagazine /company/mro-magazine @mromagazine info@mromagazine.com mromagazine.com @mrocanada
ESTABLISHED 1985
FALL 2025 Volume 41, Number 3
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BUSINESS OPERATIONS
MOTION PARTNERS WITH CANADIAN INDIGENOUS DEVELOPMENT FIRM
Motion Industries, Inc., a provider of maintenance, repair and operation replacement parts and industrial technology solutions, has announced a joint venture partnership with Tagodi Development Corporation, a resource contracting fir m investing in the local Tahltan Nation in northern British Columbia.
In a press statement, Motion stated that an agreement was recently signed “with the objective of delivering economic and operational benefits to the community and all involved.”
The largest focus will reportedly be in the mining sector, a major portion of the region’s industrial landscape. Specifically, the company said, the partnership will support mutual goals for Truth and Reconciliation, help build sustainable communities and create economic opportunities and foster collaboration with local experts to support mining operation growth in northern British Columbia.
“Working with Tagodi, we aim to drive positive economic impact in the mining sector while supporting local development initiatives and honouring the region’s unique cultural her itage,” said Brent Pope, Motion’s senior group vice president, Canada and sales excellence.
MANUFACTURING
ABB TO INVEST $130M IN NEW MONTREAL MANUFACTURING AND R&D FACILITY
On Aug. 5, ABB announced plans to invest more than $130 million to expand the research and development (R&D) and production capacity of its advanced power protection and g rid resilience technologies in Canada. According to the company, the investment will consolidate its Iberville and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu facilities in Quebec into a new g reenfield site in Montreal’s South Shore region.
The new 340,000 sq. ft. manufacturing and R&D facility is expected to be more than 33 per cent larger than the two locations it replaces and will incorporate advanced production automation and digital technologies.
ABB said the move will bring together more than 600 employees across manufacturing, engineering, R&D, testing and support functions. Additional jobs may be created as new product lines are introduced.
The project has reportedly received $16 million in funding from Investissement Québec.
In a press statement, ABB noted that the new facility will feature energy-efficient electrical and heating systems designed to reduce carbon emissions by over 95 per cent compared to the current operations.
The company also reported that more than 80 per cent of its installation products sold in Canada are manuf actured or assembled domestically, using 70 per cent locally sourced mater ials, including Canadian steel and aluminum.
SKILLED TRADES
Set to open in mid-2027, ABB's new 340,000 sq. ft. facility will feature cuttingedge digital and production automation technologies.
ONTARIO INVESTS $13M IN SKILLED TRADES TRAINING IN SUDBURY
The Ontario government announced it is investing over $13 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training and Capital Streams to try to help over 1,000 workers and jobseekers in Sudbury and surrounding
areas prepare for jobs in boiler making, welding, mining and ironworking sector s.
Through the SDF, the Ontario government is partnering with five organizations in the region to deliver free training programs in sectors affected by U.S. tariffs and policies, including the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 128 in Sudbury, which is receiving $5,735,262 to purchase new equipment for their Burlington-based training centre and b uild a new training facility in Sudbury.
Other organizations partnering with the Ontario government include Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, which is receiving $5,000,000 to deliver on-the-job training and employment for participants in critical mining occupations across Northern Ontario; UBC Millwrights Local 1425, which is receiving $1,070,321 to expand mobile welding training for participants in Sudbury, Timmins, and Sault Ste. Marie; Ironworkers Local 786, which is receiving $890,587 to upgrade training equipment and expand programming for ironworkers in Sudbury; and Northern Centre for Advanced Technology Inc. (NORCAT), which is receiving $580,000 to develop and deploy virtual reality
L-R: Rob Mulyk, Division VP for British Columbia, Motion; Jerry Asp, President of Tagodi Corp. and Tahltan Elder; Greg Peters, Division Business Development Manager, Motion.
(VR) training modules for mining, construction and forestry workers.
David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development said the training projects will “give Northern workers the skills they need to seize new opportunities at home, while building the made-in-Ontario workforce that will power our economy, strengthen our supply chains and drive nation-building infrastructure across Canada.”
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
AXFLOW GROUP ACQUIRES JADLER INDUSTRIES
Jadler Industries, a Canadian provider of fluid handling systems and services, has been acquired by AxFlow Group, the fluid handling solutions division of Axel Johnson International. Jadler is a distributor of process
equipment and instrumentation for food and beverage, general industry, municipal water and wastewater, agriculture, mining and oil and gas applications.
Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Jadler’s product portfolio includes pumps, valves, heat exchanger s and process instrumentation.
The company represents brands from manufacturers such as SPX Flow (Waukesha, APV and Gerstenberg S chroder), Seametrics, Sierra Instruments, Flowline, Blue White and Dwyer Instruments. In addition to supply, Jadler offers turnkey fabrication and installation services, designing and building custom skids and piping systems and providing on-site commissioning.
The company says it expects the acquisition to enhance product breadth and distribution, expand product access and strengthen market focus.
PLANT CLOSURE
SIEMENS PHASING OUT PETERBOROUGH FACILITY
Siemens Canada is consolidating its manufacturing operations in Ontario, with completion expected by September 2027.
As part of the transition, manufacturing operations at the Peterborough facility will be phased out over the next two years. Production of Measurement Intelligence technologies, currently based in Peterborough, will be relocated to Siemens’ existing facility in Concord, which currently manufactures RuggedCom industrial communications equipment.
Approximately 160 manufacturing positions in Peterborough are expected to be affected by the transition. However, Siemens says it plans to retain certain roles in Peterborough, including product management
and research and development positions, as part of its global business line.
To support the integration of the Measurement Intelligence product lines in Concord, Siemens estimates the creation of approximately 70 new manufacturing positions at that location. The Concord facility will continue to produce communication systems dur ing and after the transition.
According to the company, the consolidation is intended to improve operational efficiency and responsiveness to market demands. Siemens has stated that it will maintain business continuity for customers throughout the transition period.
Siemens Canada employs approximately 4,400 people and currently has around 100 open positions. The company has indicated that it will provide support to employees affected by the changes in Peterborough.
WAITING ON GEARMOTOR REPLACEMENT PARTS...
Event recap: Maintenance and the Environment
MRO’s recent virtual event brought together industry leaders and experts to explore how data, technology and strategy are reshaping industrial maintenance for a greener future.
BY KIRSTYN BROWN
On June 26, maintenance professionals from across Canada’s manufacturing sector gathered virtually for Maintenance and the Environment, an event focused on how modern industrial maintenance strategies inter sect with environmental sustainability. The sessions offered practical insights for organizations seeking to reduce their environmental footprint without compromising performance.
Tanya Doran, Western Canada Carbon Lead at Stantec, opened the event with a keynote on the importance of creating resilient and sustainable infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of climate change. With buildings responsible for 38 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions and 50 per cent of all extracted mater ials, Doran emphasized the urgency of effective asset management.
“Part of this asset management plan needs to include decarbonization strategies,” Doran said. “We need to do things like carbon neutral studies, energy audits. We need to include retro and reconditioning, and we need to have building condition assessments to inform all of those.”
Doran walked attendees through Canada’s climate commitments, the risks of climate extremes and the
financial implications of inaction — including rising insurance costs and asset devaluation.
“The business case for net-zero energy and carbon exists today,” she said. “But codes are for laggards, not leaders. We need to go beyond minimum compliance and design for resilience.”
In the second session, Eli Latak, founder of Smart Lean Manufacturing, explained how total productive maintenance (TPM) and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) can be used to improve both operational and environmental outcomes.
Latak emphasized that small stops and poor preventive maintenance can snowball into major losses in productivity and energy efficiency. He shared a case study in which implementing TPM and real-time OEE tracking led to an increase in throughput from 90 to 140 units, without overtime or additional hiring. They did this, he said, using a strategy that focused on three areas: the people, the system and the process. Latak explained that the first step was establishing a continuous improvement program and training all of the employees, including supervisors and management, creating an “army of continuous improvement.”
“It's nice to have a good system, it's
nice to have a good process, but if you're not focusing on the people, it's going to impact your productivity,” he said.
The case study demonstrated how better spare parts management, operator training and data visibility can reduce downtime, waste and energy use, all while improving quality and reducing scrap.
In the third session, Trey Closson, CEO of Amplio, tackled a persistent source of waste in manufacturing: excess and obsolete MRO inventory. According to Closson, a third of MRO parts in North America are never used and up to 90 per cent end up in landfills or incinerators.
“There is a significant amount of money that's sitting on balance sheets collecting dust in warehouses that never gets used, and that number each year is about $38 billion,” Closson said.
Clockwise: Kirstyn Brown, editor, MRO; David Rist, MEEC; Dan Erikson, OpsReady; Brian Richmond, Nanoprecise and George Ouellette, Honda of Canda Mfg.
Closson presented a case study from a Fortune 500 manufacturer that cleared 85 truckloads of surplus inventory across 17 sites, generating $1.2 million in cash and saving $6 million in carrying costs. Amplio’s AI-powered platform helped redeploy parts internally, resell high-value items and recycle low-value assets.
The event concluded with a forward-looking panel featuring Georges Ouellette (Honda of Canada Mfg.), Brian Richmond (Nanoprecise), Dan Erikson (OpsReady) and Vishal Rane (IBM Canada).
Moderated by David Rist, from the Manufacturing Export Enhancement Cluster, the panel explored how modern maintenance practices are evolving to support sustainability and operational efficiency.
Scan the QR code to visit mromagazine.com and watch these sessions on demand.
Speakers emphasized a shift from reactive repairs to proactive, data-informed strategies that reduce waste, energy use and downtime. They also addressed challenges such as legacy data, contractor coordination and cultural resistance. As Richmond noted, “We’re not telling you your motor [is] broken.We’re telling you make the decision. Are you willing to lose that $500 by energy consumption?”
Looking ahead, panelists expressed confidence that sustainable maintenance practices will become deeply embedded in industr ial culture. As Ouellette put it, “We believe that in the next generation to come, this is just going to become not second nature, but first nature.”
How to deliver an effective safety talk
Holding regular meetings about safety is a simple and impactful way to address risks and promote safe work habits.
BY CANADIAN CENTRE FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (CCOHS)
Safety talks — also known as toolbox talks, safety briefings or tailgate meetings — are short, informal, fo cused conversations usually led by supervisors, managers or team leads. While they don’t replace formal training sessions, they can be a powerful tool to help reinforce safe work habits and keep safety front and centre on the worksite.
Why they matter
Regular safety talks remind workers of hazards that exist in the workplace. By reinforcing correct procedures and controls, these talks help prevent injuries and illnesses. They also send a clear message that safety isn’t an afterthought.
Safety talks should be interactive and documented. When workers are encouraged to speak up, they give supervisors the chance to act on potential hazards before something goes wrong. Keep a record of what was covered, who attended and what feedback was shared to help demonstrate due diligence and accountability. Include an additional page to take notes and record worker signatures.
The time and place
The ideal time for a safety talk is right before work begins or before a specific task, so the message is fresh in everyone’s minds. Choose a location that supports the talk, such as where the tool or machinery is stored, on the shop floor or in a meeting or break area.
Talks typically last around five minutes, though they can occasionally run longer if the topic requires deeper discussion. Depending on the nature of the work, daily or weekly talks may make the most sense. The important thing is consistency.
Choosing the right topic
Any hazard or concern relevant to the workplace can become the focus of a safety talk: recent inspection findings, risk assessments, incident and near miss repor ts, or feedback from workers and supervisors. Ideally, tackle the hazards that can cause serious harm first. Scheduling a set of topics to discuss over weeks or months can also help keep things proactive and timely. Be sure to make it relevant to what workers are doing now. For example, don’t try to cover winter driving tips in July.
How to prepare
Start by picking your topic and drafting a one-to-two-page guide with main points, hazards, control measures and space for attendance and feedback notes. Be clear about what the topic is, how it relates to your workplace and why it matters. Explain risks using real-world examples, perhaps referencing past incidents or near misses. You should also describe how controls measures fit in, whether as specific procedures or required safety gear. Additionally, sharing discussion questions ahead of
Having regular safety talks before shifts begin helps keep workplace risks top of mind .
time can help keep workers engaged. When looking for resources, use internal safety policies, safe work procedures and job safety analysis documents. Complement them with credible sources such as fact sheets, posters, publications or podcasts from regulators, government agencies and industry associations.
It’s all about delivery
Consistency and engagement are key to successful safety talks. Keep them brief and focused so they’re manageable, impactful and routine. For example, if presenting on safe ladder use, zero in on the “three-point contact” rule rather than reviewing the entire ladder manual.
Demonstrate procedures with actual tools or equipment whenever practical. Establish eye contact and use open, confident body language. Speak with enthusiasm and authenticity to show you’re invested. Use plain terms wherever possible to make it easy to understand. Refer to prepared notes but use your own words and pull in personal experiences to make it relatable. Don’t forget to invite questions and encourage discussion. If someone raises a concern, note it, and if it requires action, address it promptly.
Safety talks are a simple yet effective tool that, when hosted regularly, can transform how people work. They keep hazards top of mind, make employees feel involved and invested in safety decisions and help to build a culture where prioritizing safety is the norm.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) promotes the total well-being — physical, psychosocial, and mental health — of workers in Canada by providing information, advice, education, and management systems and solutions that support the prevention of injury and illness.
Visit www.ccohs.ca for more safety tips.
Upgrading pneumatics
Why conventional pneumatic systems are costing more than you think.
BY EMILY NEWTON
Smart technologies are gaining ground in heavy industry, but much of today’s infrastructure still runs on conventional systems, with no connectivity or real-time data. While such setups may be the standard for pneumatic systems, upgrading to smart, connected alternatives is quickly becoming essential for effective industrial maintenance.
Many of the benefits of smart pneumatics stem from maintenance-related applications. Recognizing this potential starts with realizing how many repair issues conventional pneumatic systems can cause.
Unexpected breakdowns
The biggest maintenance problem with conventional pneumatics is the infrastructure’s tendency to break down unexpectedly. Many facilities inspect and care for equipment based on a schedule, but pneumatic components are not always noticeably degrading before they fail.
Wear and tear may arise outside of normal time frames and is often not evident until it’s too late. Consequently, a system without a means of monitoring real-time data to detect minor performance drops will likely lead to unexpected breakdowns. Such a situation, while common, produces significant downtime and related costs.
Preventable replacements
Because forgoing smart pneumatics leads to sudden failures, it also means more frequent par t replacements. Failing to catch maintenance issues before they lead to total malfunctions means any degradation reaches a more severe point before technicians address it. As such, the equipment won’t last as long before it’s beyond the point of repair.
By contrast, preventive maintenance extends compressor life and reduces wear by resolving emerging problems while they’re still small. However, doing so effectively without smart functionality is difficult, due to inconsistent degradation patterns.
Wasted preventive care
Missing chances to address maintenance issues is only half of the problem. The best way to prevent breakdowns and extend a pneumatic system’s life without smart technology is with a regular preventive care strategy. However, this method wastes time and effort because machines don’t break down along a consistent schedule.
Since machines don’t follow predictable failure patterns, schedule-based maintenance can lead to unnecessary inspections and downtime. Technicians may take equipment offline for checks or part replacements that aren’t actually needed, causing avoidable disruption without delivering real value. Even the most proactive strategies can result in wasted time and money when they rely on guesswork instead of real-time data.
According to MaintainX co-founder Nick Haase, “IoT-connected pneumatic systems are giving operators a window into machine health that simply didn’t exist before.”
Haase states that real-time performance data enables teams to identify and anticipate potential problems before they snowball. They can optimize maintenance routines, “leading to safer, more reliable, and more efficient operations across the board.”
The IoT advantage
The Internet of Things (IoT) is necessary in light of these
shortcomings. Monitoring pneumatic systems through smart sensors lets you take advantage of real-time data. Such insight is useful in many applications, especially predictive maintenance (PdM).
PdM predicts when equipment will need care based on past trends and current data. As a result, you can get immediate alerts when a pneumatic system requires attention, allowing you to fix it before breakdowns occur while avoiding unnecessary schedule-based care. According to a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Prognostics and Health Management, machinery using PdM experiences 18.5 per cent less downtime and produces 87.3 per cent fewer errors than those using preventive maintenance.
Gaining a better understanding of equipment performance is particularly important in pneumatics. Because these are enclosed systems, wear and tear is often not outwardly evident. IoT connectivity closes that gap by giving anyone with a connected device real-time, wireless access to maintenance-related data.
As TransLogic’s Director of Product Management and
Transport Automation, Scott Fincher understands the importance of real-time monitoring capabilities. His company’s pneumatic tube systems leverage this technology to continuously provide critical metrics like hardware cycle counts and system status.
“This connectivity allows for targeted preventative maintenance rather than reactive r epairs, significantly reducing downtime while extending equipment lifespan through early detection of potential failures,” Fincher says.
Smar t pneumatics let you see things like gasket conditions, compressor cycles and valve wear at any time without taking apart a machine. Consequently, you can order replacement par ts or schedule a system for repairs before issues grow large enough to disrupt operations. In addition to saving money through breakdown prevention, you avoid downtime from inspection and waiting for components to arrive.
Emily Newton is an industrial journalist. She has over five years of experience covering the industry as the Editor-inChief of Revolutionized.
Smart pneumatics use connected technologies to address leakage issues.
Troubleshooting and condition monitoring of compressors: Part 1
A foundational guide to compressor types, lubrication strategies and predictive maintenance technologies.
BY L. “TEX” LEUGNER
To effectively troubleshoot compressor issues and maintain this critical machinery, operators must have a solid understanding of how their specific compressor type functions.
Compressors fall into two main categories of compression systems: positive displacement and dynamic. Positive displacement compressors confine volumes of air or gas in an enclosed space and include reciprocating piston, rotary screw, straight lobe, liquid piston and rotar y vane types. Dynamic compressors, in contrast, convert energy from a prime mover into kinetic energy in the gas being compressed, which is then converted into pressure. Common types of dynamic compressors include centrifugal and axial flow types.
Compressor applications
Air compressors provide pressurized air to operate tool or instrument air systemsand reciprocating piston types are common. To control condensate in discharged air, Aftercoolers or heat
exchangers are used to reduce air temperature and remove moisture, which becomes acidic above 82 Cand can cause corrosion in piping and valves.
Inert gas compressors are used to process gases that do not react with lubricating oils, such as neon, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia or blast fur nace gas. Compressors used for these applications may include all types of positive displacement compressors.
Refrigeration and air conditioning compressors are often driven by electric motors and, in some cases, are her metically sealed with all operating components (including the motor) contained within a single enclosed unit. In these systems, the lubricant must have strong dielectric properties and be chemically compatible with both the motor insulation and the fluorocarbon refrigerants, as the motor is fully immersed in a refrigerant-oil mixture. This ensures safe and efficient operation without compromising system integrity.
Hydrocarbon gas compressor s are
!for Part
used primarily in natural gas processing applications where dynamic compressor s are most frequently found and the hydrocarbons being compressed must be kept free of lubricating oil contamination. In compressors processing hydrogen sulphide, corrosion in the presence of any moisture will occur, including any small amounts suspended in the oil. Mineral base oils, including synthetic hydrocarbons coming into contact with oxygen, may combine to cause explosions. When very high discharge pressures are required, compression is often carried out in two or more stages to cool the gas between stages in order to limit temperatures to reasonable levels (see Table 1).
Lubrication considerations
They days, synthetic lubricants such as polyglycols, diesters, polyolesters, polyalphaolefin and phosphate esters are preferred for their high viscosity indices and oxidation resistance. A synthetic lubricant with a high viscosity index can reduce electrical
Look
2 of this feature in the Winter issue of MRO!
power consumption by up to 12 per cent.
A typical rotary air compressor will discharge air with an average temperature of 93 C. Without a proper lubricant, this air temperature could be as high as 370 C. Even well formulated, oxidation resistant mineral base oils tend to oxidize at 70 C with the potential of forming carbon deposits and varnish.
At air discharge temperatures of 93 C, lubricant life can exceed 8,000 hours of operation. If discharged air temperature is 110 C or higher, lubricant life can be reduced by 60–70 percent.
Moisture in air compressors is concerning because condensation occur s during unloaded periods when the cylinders cool below the dew point of the air remaining in them. Condensate can cause corrosion and rust, so water content should not exceed 0.5 per cent (5000 ppm). If polyglycol fluid is used, this lubricant can tolerate about 0.8 per cent (8000 ppm) of free water. When discharge temperatures are between 150 C–200 C, it is recommended that synthetic diester, polyglycol, polyolester or phosphate ester fluids of equivalent viscosity grades be used. When compressing chemically active gases, like
Secondly, all synthetic fluids may not be compatible with seals or sealing materials. In general, polyglycols, diesters, polyalphaolefins and alkylated aromatics are compatible with the following seal materials:
• Viton
• Kalrez
• Buna N
• Neoprene
• EPDM
oxygen or hydrogen chloride, mineral base oils (including synthetic hydrocarbons such as polyalphaolefins and alkylated aromatics) must never be used as they can be explosive. Lubricants recommended for these applications include synthetic chlorofluorocarbons and polybutenes.
Conversion to synthetic lubricants
There are two important considerations when converting any compressor system to synthetic lubricants. Mineral base oils often cause varnish deposits in piping, valves, intercoolers and heat exchangers.
Conversion to synthetics may require flushing and cleaning of the entire system before installing the new fluid. Diester fluids in particular have excellent solvency and are frequently used as flushing fluids.
ferrography should be performed to identify the type and source of contaminants. Compressor condensate analysis is recommended to detect corrosive or acidic gases that may harm system components. A low pH or high acid number in condensate can signal serious corrosion risks, potentially shortening the life of aftercoolers and dryers.
Vibration analysis
Vibration analysis is recommended for all critical compressors to detect issues such as unbalance, misalignment, mechanical looseness, resonance, pressure pulsations, or bearing failure. It’s important to note that noise is often mistaken for vibration, so proper diagnostics are essential.
Ultrasonic analysis
• Butyl 53
• Mylar
• Polypropylene
• Nylon elastomer s
• Teflon (PTFE)
While many synthetic lubricants are compatible with a wide range of seal materials, there are some important exceptions. Diester fluids are not compatible with neoprene or Buna N seals that have low nitrile content. Similarly, polyalphaolefin fluids are not compatible with EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) seals.
Compressor predictive maintenance technologies
Oil analysis
Oil analysis should include spectroscopic wear rate measurement, infrared spectroscopy, pH, acid number, and viscosity testing for both mineral-based and synthetic lubricants. A rapid or excessive drop in pH may indicate the presence of acidic gases or other contaminants. An increase in acid number suggests the lubricant is nearing the end of its useful life. Water content should be monitored regularly using accurate methods such as the Karl Fischer test. Contamination should also be tracked using particle-counting technology. If wear rates or particulate levels rise, analytical
Ultrasonic testing can help determine whether noise is caused by faulty components or by air leaks, such as those in control valves. These tools are especially useful for locating hard-to-find leaks. Because resonant conditions may result from excessive leakage, it’s recommended to correct leaks before proceeding with more advanced troubleshooting or repairs.
Ther mographic analysis
While primarily used to locate electrical hot spots, thermographic analysis is also valuable for identifying elevated temperatures caused by discharge issues, par tially blocked intercoolers or heat exchangers, seal rubs, misaligned couplings, overheated bear ings, or faulty lubrication pumps. Any abnormal temperature increase should be investigated immediately, as it may indicate a developing fault.
L. (Tex) Leugner, author of Practical handbook of Machinery Lubrication, is a 15-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers, where he served as a technical specialist. He was the founder and operations manager of Maintenance Technology International Inc. for 30 years. Tex holds an STLE lubricant specialist certification and is a millwright and heavy-duty mechanic. Ask him your questions at lloydleugner@gmail.com.
Figure 1: Mineral oils can often cause varnish deposits.
Figure 2: A cleansed reservoir using diester fluids.
Table 1: Discharge pressure and temperature table
Reduce, re-use, remanufacture
How smarter MRO inventory strategies are driving cost savings, sustainability and a circular economy.
BY MARI-LEN DE GUZMAN
Beyond maintaining machinery or repairing broken par ts, MRO professionals can play a key role in driving a circular economy, helping to shape more dynamic and responsive supply chains —specifically reverse supply chains that support remanufacturing.
From parts recovery and reverse logistics to standards and tracking systems, building a mature, responsive remanufacturing supply chain is key to transforming one-off sustainability wins into long-term systemic change that promotes a circular economy.
For the MRO sector, this means rethinking how components are sourced, stored and circulated, not just to extend asset life, but to close the loop on material use.
“North American manufacturers spend roughly $160 billion [per year] on MRO parts. Ultimately, 30 per cent of that is never going to be used,” notes Taha Zinifi, co-founder and
chief product officer of Amplio, which helps companies offload their surplus inventory and redeploy them to organizations in need of those materials.
This business model supports a circular economy, where unused MRO components could be resold to OEMs or remanufacturing companies and repurposed to rebuild or refurbish a product or piece of equipment.
It’s an emerging solution to an industry that has historically been plagued by millions, if not billions, of dollars’ worth of component parts and excess inventory sitting idly in warehouses and incurring a significant amount of money in storage costs.
“We know that for manufacturers, it’s really hard to predict maintenance and to optimize procurement. So those enterprises always end up overpurchasing. And those parts that are never going to be used are going to sit on a shelf for 5, 10,15 years,” Zinifi explained. And when the cost
$160 billion
Amount of money manufacturers in North America spend on MRO parts each year, 30% of which will never be used.
of maintaining unused inventory is no longer sustainable, they eventually end up as waste material — often bound for landfills.
But this “waste” doesn’t necessarily have to go to waste, according to Zinifi. Through reverse supply chains, where customers (buyers of MRO parts, for example) become suppliers to remanufacturers by selling their inventory of unused parts.
A case for remanufacturing Remanufacturing, or the process of restoring end-of-life industrial equipment or machinery to like-new or better condition, is not a new concept. In fact, it is heavily used in industries, such as automotive, transportation and aerospace, to extend or renew product lifecycles for cost-effective operations and waste reduction.
CN Rail’s locomotive modernization program, for instance, uses remanuf acturing to enhance its
CIRCULAR ECONOMY DEFINED
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a charity dedicated to eliminating waste and pollution, defines circular economy as a system where materials never become waste and are kept in circulation through processes such as maintenance, re-use, refurbishment, recycling, composting and remanufacturing.
fleet and extend its lifecycle.
In July 2023, CN tapped Pittsburgh-based Wabtec to modernize 60 locomotives from its existing railroad fleet.
“Remanufacturing goes back, generally, to Henry Ford,” says Michael Thurston, technical director and research faculty with the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. “He started remanufacturing components for servicing automobiles. So, it has a pretty long histor y in the United States.”
Remanufacturing has both economic and sustainability benefits, including waste mater ial conservation, waste reduction and energy savings.
It also supports approximately 180,000 full-time jobs in the U.S. alone, and more than 450,000 jobs globally, according to data from the Remanufacturing Industries Council.
The sector largely benefits the local workforce, says Thurston.
“Those jobs tend to be local, as products and components manufactured in other countries are typically remanuf actured in the country or region where they are used.”
Some big names in the heavy equipment industry today, including Caterpillar, John Deere and Case New Holland, are also the leading remanufacturing providers in North America.
Historically, the biggest driver
for remanufacturing has been cost-reduction — rather than sustainability — especially for large, expensive equipment.
The cost of remanufacturing and restoring old equipment to its original state, if not better, is 25 to 30 per cent less than a new purchase, according to Thurston.
The same is true for OEMs. “Typically, companies like John Deere and Caterpillar that are remanufacturing those products, they have better margins on the remanufactured product than they would have selling a new product,” he adds.
While sustainability is not a significant driver for the remanufacturing landscape, it is a positive unintended consequence, where materials that would have ended up in landfills are given a new lease on life because it is more economical to do so.
“Larger organizations have sort of viewed the opportunity of a circular economy from an efficiency point of view, and
adopted that as just a part of smart business processes,” says Raphael Lopoukhine, director of strategic initiatives at Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC), a not-for-profit advocacy group working to accelerate Canada’s transition to a circular economy through industry and government collaboration.
Supply chain dilemma
For the most part, large manufacturers have remanufacturing systems and internal supply chains built into their processes that allow them to reuse, repurpose and refurbish par ts of their products across their organization.
Montreal-based aircraft manufacturer Bombardier is an example. During “aircraft teardowns,” the company recovers an d refurbishes repairable components to extend their lifecycle and reduce waste. Aircraft inter iors are also recycled and repurposed rather than discarded, says Matthew Nicholls,
YOUR GEARBOX. RESTORED TO OEM PRECISION.
senior advisor, public relations and communications at Bombardier.
“Through our certified pre-owned aircraft sales offerings, we provide customers with access to high-quality, refurbished aircraft — supporting circular economy pr inciples while maintaining Bombardier’s standards of excellence,” Nicholls added.
Organizations that have established some form of circularity within their product or equipment lifecycles make up most of the current landscape for remanufacturing processes. It’s the external, inter-organizational collaboration that has yet to mature.
In general, there is no established or standardized system for buying and selling “waste” materials that can be repurposed for remanufactured products. It’s a gap that needs to be addressed from the systems and regulatory level, CELC’s Lopoukhine says.
“We’re working with the government to help them understand and develop a framework for accounting for the socio-economic benefits of a circular economy,” he explains. “When it comes to waste products, there’s just not really a built-up infrastructure that creates a functioning system of supply and demand that you would find in a traditional linear business with an integrated supply chain.”
It’s a huge gap that Amplio is aiming to address using data and AI to help organizations find efficiencies in and generate revenue from their excess MRO inventory, says its co-founder Zinifi.
“What we envision is a world where you have a dynamic disposition process, where every month you’re cycling through your inventory and making sure that the parts that you don’t think you’re going to use, you get them out of your warehouse, you get them to Amplio, and you generate revenue on a monthly basis, based on that surplus. And as time goes, we sell those items to smaller manufacturers that are happy to buy those parts at a heavy discount,” he explains.
Tariffs and trade wars
Geopolitical factors and recent global market trends are also creating a business case for stronger domestic circular supply chains. The threat of tariffs and counter-tariffs, and China’s increasing restrictions on exports of critical minerals, are sending shockwaves through the global value chain as companies face higher import costs.
“The geopolitical tension with China is going to make it harder and harder to actually source those (new) components,” Zinifi says. “And then on the other side, from a remanufacturing (perspective), what we’re seeing is that the cost to do that keeps going down.”
As the world transitions to a low-carbon economy, industry reports all point to a looming supply crunch for nearly all the critical minerals needed to support this global transition.
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) 2025 Global Critical Minerals Outlook reports lithium demand rose nearly 30 per cent in 2024, while nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earths saw a six to eight per cent increase in demand in the same year. Fulfilling this growing demand means new mines would have to be built or existing ones expanded to produce these resources.
Establishing domestic remanufacturing supply chains can help ease the pressure on mines to produce more raw materials. The IEA estimates recycling could potentially
reduce global demand for copper, nickel, lithium and cobalt by 10 to 30 per cent by 2040.
In Canada, a circular economy is recognized as an important component of the country’s Critical Minerals Strategy.
The 2024 Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy Annual Report states, “Recycling critical minerals not only helps manage waste such as used computers and EV batteries, it can also contribute to meeting Canada’s growing demand for those minerals – potentially lessening the number of new mines we need and increasing the security of our supply.”
Changing mindset
For remanufacturing to become an integral part of a circular economy, a change in mindset is needed, from product development and procurement to inventory management. And technology is enabling this shift.
AI-driven data analytics are empowering organizations to have better insights into and drive value from their MRO inventory. Technology advancements are also enabling the emergence of ‘design-for-remanufacture’ product development approach, developing and engineering products that are easily and effectively remanufactured at the end of their initial use cycle.
Organizations are now beginning to recognize the value in their MRO inventory, resulting in a circular-oriented approach to procurement and product lifecycle management, says Zinifi.
But more than a shift in enterprise mindset, policy changes are also necessary.
“Keeping that [MRO parts] surplus within North America should be incentivized,” Zinifi suggests. “If there’s any way we can create financial incentives for organizations to basically free that surplus that’s stuck in their warehouse, because that creates an influx of really good and cheap equipment that other manufacturers can purchase.”
When good gears go bad Gear failure modes and how
BY LUCAS FOTI
Gear failure in gearboxes is a common occurrence in industry. There are various factors that affect the rate and severity of gear failure, including tooth geometry, corrosion, lubrication and heat treatment. By choosing a trusted supplier and expert in reducer overhauls, you can avoid costly gear failures. Lucas Foti of Rapid Gear walks us through what’s at stake and how to solve the problem.
Design parameters & Heat treatment
One of the predictors of gearbox failure is surface roughness. Macropitting and micropitting are two similar failure modes that are affected by surface roughness. With the use of cutting-edge gear grinders, this issue can be avoided.
to prevent them.
Micropitting is a failure mode in which microscopic chunks of metal are removed from the tooth flanks. These pits are so small that they can only be seen using a microscope.
Macropitting, on the other hand, is the removal of large chunks which are visible to the naked eye. Often micropitting can be seen around macropitting, because micropits can grow and turn into macropits. Macropitting is caused by several factors, including improper lubr ication, misalignment of gears and material properties, and defects increasing Hertzian contact stress on the tooth surfaces. Hertzian contact stress, also known as contact stress, refers to the localized stresses that occur when two curved surfaces come into contact and are pressed together. Some common ways to prevent
Above: Example of macropitting on a gear.
macropitting are reducing contact stress, using carburized or clean steel which have a high fatigue resistance, or honing/grinding gear teeth.
Other solutions are using a lubricant which is cool (this allows maximum viscosity), clean (hard particles can cause denting) and dr y (water in lubricants is detrimental), or using a highly viscous lubricant (this allows a thicker elastohydrodynamic, or EHL, film to form between the teeth). The causes of micropitting are Hertzian fatigue and plastic flow, which can be exacerbated by high surface roughness, vibrations in the gearbox and oil contamination.
The common ways to prevent micropitting are honing/grinding gear teeth, using a lubricant which is cool, clean, dry, using a highly viscous lubricant and avoiding shot peening the flanks of the teeth.
Other solutions are making the pinion harder than the gear because the former works harder since it has more cycles; coating the teeth with phosphate, copper or silver; or run-in with a special lubricant and controlled loads (avoid cold starts).
Another way design parameters of
a gear can cause gear failure is overload. If a gear receives more load than it was designed to handle, it can permanently damage the gear teeth. Overloading can cause three types of gear failure:
1. Plastic deformation of the teeth
2. Br ittle fracture
3. Ductile fracture
Plastic defor mation of the teeth occurs when the load is too high and plastically deforms the teeth, causing inaccurate spacing. In turn, this inaccurate spacing causes goug ing of the teeth by having them collide in the gears’ next revolution.
The likelihood of brittle and ductile fracture not only depends on design parameters, but also on the heat treatment of the teeth. If a gear tooth is too hard, it is prone to cause br ittle fracture. Likewise, if it is too soft, it is more likely to cause ductile fracture. The main difference between ductile and brittle fracture is that brittle fracture happens instantaneously, whereas ductile fracture is a long, slow process. It is important to note that a gear tooth can experience a combination of ductile and brittle fracture.
However, there are several ways to differentiate between the two. Brittle fracture leaves a bright and shiny surface, but ductile fracture is dark and dull. Brittle fracture leaves a rough, coarse and grainy surface, but ductile fracture is fine, stringy and smooth. And finally, brittle fracture leaves radial ridges and chevrons, but ductile fracture leaves shear lips.
To prevent brittle fracture, you can use fine-grained, clean, tough and hardenable steel (high nickel, molybdenum and low chrome, manganese, carbon, phosphorus and silicon contents). You can also reduce the load, flaws and tensile stress on the teeth, or avoid running at temperatures lower than the transition temperature of the steel.
To prevent ductile fracture, you can reduce load, make the teeth thicker (this distributes the load), or avoid edges and corners since cracks usually start on these. You can also choose a material with a high yield strength and no brittle inclusions.
Bending fatigue is another common failure mode. Bending fatigue failure occurs when a crack forms, usually at the bottom of a tooth, and propagates. This can be prevented by using clean, hardenable, carburized, fine-grain steel with shot peened root fillets (not flanks). Other options are reducing the concentration of bainite and pearlite in the steel, as these are hard and brittle, or reducing bending stress and the number of flaws and microcracks in the teeth.
Lastly, subcase fatigue can be extremely problematic. This is because it occurs subsurface, at the case-core boundary of the tooth and branches up to the surface. Consequently, all that is visible on the surface is a hairline crack, but it is much more complex than that. In order to avoid this reduce contact stress, or use steel able to be hardened. You can also use optimal case/core properties (hardness of around 60 HRC for the case and 35 HRC for the core), or ensure the subsurface stress is below the subsurface strength.
Corrosion & Lubrication
Corrosion can come in many different forms and can be
A fractured gear tooth.
Abrasion of gear teeth.
hard to avoid, but nonetheless, it is crucial to do everything possible to minimize it. It is also important to note that corrosion can cause other types of failure, like bending fatigue cracks due to stress corrosion.
Abrasion is a common form of corrosion in which the oil lubricating the gearbox gets contaminated with small, abrasive particles. This is often due to the oxide layer on the gear teeth getting removed as the gears wear, allowing small oxide particles to contaminate the lubr icant. These particles rub against the surface of the gear teeth and remove thin layers of metal, leaving the unoxidized metal exposed. This can be problematic because the oxide layer on metals protects the gear teeth from damage. Abrasion can be detected by the smooth and clean ruts it leaves on the tooth’s surface.
You can prevent abrasion by
using a surface-hardened gear with smooth surfaces; using a high viscosity lube and changing it after the first 50 hours of r unning and using a fine filtration (or changing the lube every 2500 hour s of running); using tight seals and filtered breathers; and having good housekeeping maintenance (such as making sure the inspection part of the machine remains closed).
Another common type of corrosion found in gearboxes is fretting corrosion. Fretting corrosion is a type of corrosion that occurs due to small, repeated movements between two surfaces (usually without the use of a lubricant). This contact causes the protective oxide layer of the metals to be removed and causes corrosion. Fretting corrosion depends on the contact pressure, vibration frequency and duration of contact. It is easily identifiable by the red oxide colour it leaves on
the corroded metal.
To prevent fretting corrosion, it is recommended to use a sufficient amount lubricant, change designs to dampen vibrations, and increase the hardness of at least one of the materials (use a relatively hard metal with a relatively softer metal)
It is also important to highlight the costs associated with gear f ailure. Whenever gear failure occurs in a gearbox, a new gearbox must replace it. Although this is obvious, what is not as evident is the potential astronomical costs due to said gear failure. A complete gearbox rebuild can take several months, so ensuring your gearbox is up and running again, as fast as possible, is crucial. Detecting gear failure early on will save a company a great deal of time and money, especially if a replacement gearbox can be acquired before the original gearbox’s failure causes it to no
longer be functional.
Ultimately, there are numerous failure modes to look out for in gear teeth. In a gearbox, not only can the gears themselves fail, but the bearings and seals can fail as well, so it is important to verify that your gearbox is always in optimal condition. All in all, it is important to pay attention to craters (macropits or micropits), corrosion, lubr icant quality and quantity and cracks to avoid gear failure. Cracks and micropits are especially difficult to detect since micropits cannot be seen by the naked eye and cracks can, depending on the nature of the crack, appear much smaller than they truly are or they might not even appear on the surface of the tooth.
Lastly, the most effective way to reduce the likelihood of failure is by doing business with a gear specialist, who can guarantee high quality products.
Cut downtime, not corners
Lean strategies for streamlining preventive maintenance, increasing wrench time and improving asset reliability, without compromising safety or standards.
BY HOLLY BLAIR
In manufacturing operations, preventative maintenance (PM) is an essential practice for keeping things running smoothly. Yet, many manufacturing companies struggle to execute PMs efficiently. It’s common to see technicians wasting valuable time searching for tools, waiting for permits or spare parts or navigating disorganized maintenance procedures.
These inefficiencies directly impact productivity, profitability and equipment availability. Applying simple Lean tools can help manufacturers cut waste and boost equipment reliability, resulting in less downtime and more productive maintenance teams.
DOWNTIME: The eight wastes
Lean categorizes process waste into eight buckets, using the acronym DOWNTIME. Examples of each of these include:
Defects : Incorrect lubrication, missed inspection points or bad data that triggers rework or early failures.
Overproduction : Servicing components more often than risk demands, like performing filter changes “just in case”.
Waiting : Technicians standing around, waiting while production releases the equipment for maintenance, waiting for work permits or waiting for parts to be kitted.
Non-utilized talent: Skilled tradespeople stuck on data entry duty or endless tool hunts instead of performing diagnostics.
Transportation: Unnecessary movement of parts, tools, or paperwork between the storeroom, the shop and the production line.
Inventory : Overstocked spare parts that tie up cash, or stock-outs that trigger emergency purchases.
Motion: Excessive walking, bending and reaching because tools aren’t located at the point of use.
Excess processing: Duplicate data entry into the ERP system,
redundant reviews and writing reports that nobody reads.
Building a preventive maintenance process map
Choose one high-impact PM, such as a recurring PM activity for a critical asset executed by multiple trades and that requires a planned shutdown. Next, assemble a cross-functional team that includes the maintenance planner, tradesmen, maintenance engineer, production supervisor, stores clerk and a safety representative. Gather the team and watch or review the current state PM process, documenting each step and every delay.
1. Work-order creation – ERP system trigger, review, priority assignment
2. Planning & kitting – Parts list, tool list, permits, manuals
Equipping tradespeople with PM checklists helps confirm tools, kits and permits are ready.
3. Scheduling – Aligning the PM window with production
4. Preparation – Risk assessment, lock-out/tag-out, staging carts
5. Execution – Equipment inspections, cleaning, adjustments
6. Testing & restart – Function checks, sign offs, hand off to production
7. Close-out – Data entr y, parts reconciliation
For each activity, capture the following data:
• Touch Time: Total minutes of hands-on Value Added work
• Wait Time: Total minutes of unproductive Non-Value Added wait time
• Elapsed Time: Total duration of the work including wait time
• Resources: List the people, parts, tools, and data systems used for each process step
• Handoffs & Approvals: Capture who signs what and when
Use sticky notes and markers to create a process map of your PM activities, then overlay the process wastes you’ve identified. Use the data you collected to calculate a baseline wrench-time ratio, the total amount of time spent on value added maintenance activities divided by the total amount of time the PM took to complete. World-class wrench time ratios are in the range of 60 per cent to 70 per cent, with most plants discovering that they’re operating below 30 per cent through this exercise. Once you’ve captured the current state PM process and identified the process wastes, look for opportunities to apply Lean tools and concepts to eliminate process waste, reduce wait times and increase productivity and reduce downtime.
Lean tools to streamline PMs
1. 5S & point-of-use storage Implement 5S in the maintenance
Metric Definition
Wrench-Time Ratio
Schedule Compliance
PM Effectiveness
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
MTTR (Mean Time to Repair)
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
Inventory Turns
Emergency Work Order Percentage
The percentage of time during a PM that technicians spend on direct, value-added work versus the total time spent executing the PM
The percentage of planned PM tasks completed within their scheduled timeframe
The percentage of completed PMs that either prevent a failure or detect a condition requiring corrective action
The average operating time an asset runs before an unplanned failure occurs
The average elapsed time needed to restore a failed asset to full operation
A composite metric (Availability x Performance x Quality) that quantifies how much of scheduled production time is truly productive
The number of times maintenance spare parts inventory is consumed and replenished in a year
The percentage of maintenance work orders for unplanned, reactive repairs over a week
shop and create mobile PM carts with all required parts, tools and consumables. Shadow boards, labelled drawers and colour-coded tools eliminate wasted time searching for items.
2. Standard work & visual checklists
Document every PM task with photos and target execution times. Host digital checklists on tablets so technicians can record readings, attach images and close work orders in the ERP system in real time, eliminating duplicate data entry.
3. Kanban for cr itical spares
Set visible minimum and maximum inventory levels for spare parts. Kanban cards or RFID tags trigger automatic replenishment in your ERP system. This reduces both stock-outs and excess inventory.
4. SMED thinking for PM
Apply SMED (single-minute exchange of die) pr inciples to streamline the preventive maintenance activities. Classify each process step as Internal Activities (must be done while the equipment is shutdown) or External Activities (could be completed before or after
Improvement Measured
Increase from baseline to a world-class target of 60% to 70%
Increase from baseline to a world-class target of ≥ 90%
Increase from baseline to a world-class target of ≥ 85%
Increase from baseline as much as possible
Reduce from baseline to a world-class target of ≤ 5 hours for most assets
Increase from baseline to a world-class target of ≥ 85%
Reduce from baseline to a world-class target of 2 to 3 turns per year
Reduce from baseline to a world-class target of ≤ 5%
the machine is shutdown). Then, work to minimize the amount and duration of the Internal Activities to reduce PM downtime.
5. Total productive maintenance (TPM)
Train operators to conduct basic daily inspections and lubr ication tasks. This allows the maintenance team to focus on more advanced diagnostics like vibration analysis, thermography and oil analysis – shifting from calendar-based PMs to con dition-based maintenance.
6. Kaizen events
Each month or quarter, target a waste-heavy PM and run a Kaizen Event. Define the problems, analyze root causes, test Lean process improvements and create or update standard work processes to sustain improvements.
7. Data-dr iven decision making
a single, great Kaizen event. Each new best practice needs to be captured as standard work, so those procedures survive shift changes and staff turnover.
Post key metrics like as wrench-time ratio, schedule compliance and the emergency work orders percentage on a visual board, then review the metrics in brief huddles each shift. Equip tradespeople with PM audit checklists to verify tool availability, kit accuracy and permit readiness in real time, while supervisors highlight and celebrate compliance to reinforce the desired b ehaviors. When visual controls, accountability routine and data-dr iven adjustments work in concert, the hardwon productivity gains stick around and deliver significant improvements in equipment availability.
Holly Blair, P.Eng, is a Chemical Engineer, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and founder of Engineering Possibilities. She is the author of Lean Transformation for Small and Mid-Size Manufacturers: A Practical Guide to Efficiency, Profitability, and Sustainable Growth
Display wrench-time ratios, schedule compliance metr ics and breakdown hours on a maintenance visual board. Celebrate wins and use the data to prioritize the next opportunities.
Sustaining the gains
Locking in maintenance improvements demands more than
WHAT’S NEW IN PRODUCTS
VENTION UPDATES RAPID SERIES
PALLETIZER
Recently, Vention launched a new, updated Rapid Series Palletizer, a solution designed for quick deployment in manufacturing environments. Designed for manufacturers facing labor challenges, a high mix of SKUs
and rising automation demands, the Rapid Series Palletizer brings together plug-and-play hardware, intuitive software, analytics capabilities and remote support into a single, modular palletizing system that can be installed and configured in days.
Key features of the Rapid Series Palletizer are:
• Customizability: Can integrate with modular grippers and conveyors to adapt to any product type or size.
• Vertical reach: Achieve stack heights up to 136 inches with an optional riser.
Operation: Software enables rapid pallet recipe creation and unlimited SKU configurations.
• Mobility: A redesigned base supports both pallet jacks and forklifts for anchor-free relocation.
• Support : Access to live video assistance from automation specialists directly through the machine pendant. vention.io/cobot-palletizer
ENDRESS+HAUSER CARBON STEEL PROWIRL O 200 FLOWMETER
Endress+Hauser has introduced a carbon steel version of its Proline Prowirl O 200 vortex flowmeter, designed for high-pressure steam applications in upstream oil production and thermal recovery.
Engineered to withstand elevated chloride content, the meter features a High Phosphorous Electroless Nickel Coating for enhanced corrosion resistance.
Available in DN40 to DN150 line sizes and pressure ratings up to CI.1500, the flowmeter offers robust performance in harsh environments. Its DSC sensor resists vibration, temperature shocks, and water hammer, while Heartbeat Technology enables built-in diagnostics and verification. The carbon steel model offers improved pricing and shorter delivery timelines compared to its stainless-steel predecessor. www.ca.endress.com
The World of Bearings and Power Transmission...
Neverlube ™ Cam and Cam Yoke Followers
DANFOSS AIRFLEX® ACB-F3 FAILSAFE CALIPER BRAKE
Danfoss Power Solutions has introduced the Airflex® ACB-F3, a spring-applied, hydraulically released caliper brake designed for park-andhold or emergency stop applications in demanding environments. It is suitable for mining conveyors, grinding mills, hoists, drilling drawworks, marine winches, cranes and other heavy-duty equipment.
The brake features a compact, symmetrical opposed piston design that delivers stable braking torque and high thermal dissipation. It offers a clamping force of 20 to 120 kN and a braking force of 16 to 96 kN, with release oil pressure ranging from 40 to 190 bar. Available with organic or
sintered friction pads, the ACB-F3 also comes in an anti-corrosion version for extreme environments.
The modular system supports various disc configurations and allows multiple calipers to be installed around a single disc. Optional wear and engagement sensors enable remote monitoring for enhanced safety.
www.danfoss.com
WALTER HIGHPERFORMANCE ANGLE GRINDERS
Walter has launched three new industrial-grade angle grinders: the Super 5 PS Brushless, Big 6 PS Brushless, and Big 6 Plus variable speed model.
The brushless models offer improved efficiency, reduced heat buildup, and up to three times the
service life compared to traditional corded grinders. They also deliver twice the material removal rate while consuming 20% less energy.
The Big 6 Plus features a 1700W high-torque motor with variable speed control, making it suitable for brushing, sanding, blending, and cutting applications. Designed for heavy-duty use, all models support long operating hours and consistent performance. Modular compatibility with end-of-line accessories and ergonomic design make these grinders ideal for maximizing abrasive performance in demanding metalworking environments.
www.walter.com
STREAMLIGHT SL-SIDESADDLE HANDS-FREE HELMET LIGHT
Streamlight has launched the SL-Sidesaddle, a compact lighting system designed to mount securely to hard hats, safety helmets and bump caps without interfering with visors or
hearing protection.
Available in USB rechargeable and alkaline battery-powered models, the light offers selectable spot, flood, and combo beam modes, plus a rear-facing blue LED taillight for added visibility. The USB model delivers up to 400 lumens with a 5-hour runtime on high, while the alkaline version provides up to 300 lumens.
Both models are IPX7-rated for water resistance and feature impact-resistant construction. The lights are easily detachable for handheld use and include mounting hardware for various headgear types. Designed for industrial and safety professionals, the SL-Sidesaddle supports hands-free illumination in demanding work environments.
www.streamlight.com
The green potential of rolling element bearings
How bearing design and reliability contribute to CO2 reduction.
BY DOUG MARTIN
Since the beginning of the independent ball bearing industry in the late 19th centur y, the goal of converting sliding bearings to rolling element bearings was purely to reduce friction. This objective was so central that rolling element bear ings were simply referred to as “anti-friction” bearings. In fact, today’s American Bearing Manufactures Association (ABMA) originally went by the name Anti-Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association until 1993.
The name “anti-friction bearing” was fitting — the product could reduce friction significantly, even by 50 times. Ball and roller bearings steadily replaced traditional “plain” bearings (also known as friction or sliding bearings), enabling machines to operate faster and more efficiently.
But no one was really paying attention to how rolling element bearings contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (even though it was happening) for those first 100 years. But today that is different. Rolling element bearings can still make a difference in both efficiency and the environment. A 2021 article published in the journal Tribology Transactions, in which it describes a method that could be used to approximate the global energy consumption of ball bearings, suggests that “these losses amount to approximately 1 per cent of the total energy consumption of industry and transport.” Since energy consumption is directly tied to greenhouse gas emissions — especially in fossil fuel-powered systems — even small improvements in bearing efficiency can contribute meaningfully to CO2 reduction.
To facilitate this concept, some bearing manufacturers offer online programs that can calculate how much CO2 will be produced in a year due to the friction of a bearing. The user inputs the loads (axial and radial) and speeds, as well as which
ring is rotating and whether the shaft is vertical or horizontal. Additional adjustable factors include lubrication method (grease or oil), the bearing clearance and the cleanliness factor.
The calculator’s output provides two key values: the estimated annual CO2 emissions generated by fr iction within the bearing, and the CO2 footprint associated with manufacturing the bearing itself, helping user s understand the environmental impact of their bearing selection and machine design.
This type of information could help in the decision-making process when it comes to using oil or grease, or perhaps which grease. It can also help users decide whether a seal or shield could be used or how complex an oil filtration setup should be. With some bearings, you may want to compare the benefit of ceramic rolling elements or a surface coating on the races or rollers. Depending on the flexibility of the design, downsizing the bearing by one size may reduce the CO2 footprint enough without affecting the predicted life.
At this point, there is no international standard that governs the calculation method used to compare manufacturers, and I doubt that there ever will be such a standard that could truly be used for manufacturer comparison. The reason is that when we start looking at the fine details of what causes friction in rolling bearing contact, we enter the realm of proprietary manufacturing techniques — dimensional tolerances, surface finish strategies and other “secret ing redients” that bearing manufacturers use to differentiate themselves. But by using any of the available calculation programs, the broad differences in such things as selected lubrication, ceramic rolling elements, seals, bearing type and series will be relevant for comparison.
Another consideration regarding
CO2 emissions and other environmental factors is the reliability of the asset. If the bearing can contribute to a greater level of reliability of the machine, it will result in fewer repairs, fewer process shutdowns and fewer unplanned breakdowns, which can result in less emissions.
I have worked on two cases where poor bearing reliability directly impacted the emissions of a production facility: One involved a sour gas operation in Alberta. When a compressor f ailed and had to be shut down, hydrogen sulfide-laden gas was vented into the atmosphere. The other case involved a pulp mill that had a scrubber fan that would break down prematurely, allowing unacceptable emissions to escape. Beyond the environmental harm caused by these pollutants, both cases resulted in financial penalties from the Ministry of the Environment.
In terms of CO2 emissions, the initial significant contributions of rolling element bearings were un-noticed. At that time, users were focused more on reducing energy consumption. Today, the potential gains in CO2 reduction are relatively small, but they can still be realized through careful selection of sealing systems, lubricants, ceramic rolling elements and bearing size. Additionally, understanding the role of bearing selection and proper maintenance in improving reliability can lead to further benefits. By recognizing how bearing choice affects both machine reliability and friction reduction, the contribution to “green” targets such as CO2 reduction can offer more value than simply considering the cost of the bear ing itself.
Douglas Martin is a heavy-duty machinery engineer based in Vancouver. He specializes in the design of rotating equipment, failure analysis and lubrication. Reach him at mro. whats.up.doug@gmail.com.
