February 16, 2005
SAP intensifies focus on Enterprise Asset Management - SAP-centric EAM Conference 2005
Software giant SAP (sap.com) is intensifying its focus on the Enterprise Asset Management (Maintenance Management) market.
With the broadest solution for EAM currently on the market, SAP and partners are introducing new functionality in the areas of:
• Planning and Scheduling
• RCM support and integration with the Work Identification – Execution cycle
• Fully integrated Maintenance Cost Budgeting and analysis
• Role-based intuitive portals ensuring easy transaction and information access with visibility on asset condition
• EAM Business intelligence solutions
SAP’s Service and Asset Management unit is taking an aggressive approach to push SAP’s market leadership in this area. As they have shown in CRM (where SAP has now toppled Siebel as market leader), when SAP focuses its attention on a market, its only a matter of time.
Evidence of this new intensity comes in the SAP-centric EAM conference running in Tucson, AZ from March 20-23, 2005 [ http://www.sap-centric-eam.com ]. Organized by event experts Functional Asset Solutions in conjunction with SAP, this event features impressive content from SAP customers in North America, updates on strategic plans from SAP’s Service and Asset Management Unit and showcases new EAM functionality from SAP and its technology partners – NRX, Meridium, Impress and more. The show is rounded out with the key service providers around this space – the “globals” - Accenture and IBM and specialist players such as New Dimension Solutions.
One senses that the SAP juggernaut is rolling in EAM. EAM business processes run across the enterprise – work management touches financials, HR/HCM, materials management/SCM, customer service/CRM and really every part of the enterprise making SAP’s vaunted integration all the more important. SAP’s best-of-breed competitors have relied on slinging mud around usability and esoteric maintenance/reliability functionality. Given these new offerings it appears that SAP has closed any apparent chinks in its armor in these areas and offers huge advantage to new and existing customers in the depth and breadth of value in terms of license fees.
We suggest you kick the tires and the winter blues in Arizona in March – this looks like a very interesting event in a lovely corner of the country (especially in March!)
For more information please visit the conference website at http://www.sap-centric-eam.com or call us at 914-509-5355.
February 16, 2005
Motor Testing Tip
Motor Overheating in VFD Applications
Overheating is one of the primary causes of early motor failure. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) generate pulse width modulated output signals rather than smooth sinusoidal waveforms. The extra harmonic content in these signals is dissipated as heat within the motor. In fact, a VFD driven motor running at nameplate frequency and load will run 10C hotter than the same motor driven by a sinusoidal source. One approach to this type of problem is to derate the motor to compensate for the harmonic heating. Another is to specify an “Inverter Duty” motor.
VFD applications running at frequencies less than nameplate (lower speeds) present another problem; internal fan speed is reduced, resulting in increased motor temperature. Once again, derating may be required to compensate for the increased temperature. Or the addition of an external fan may be necessary. Additionally, some drive manufacturers provide tables to help match a drive to a motor for a particular application.
Tip provided by Baker Instrument
Tel: (800) 752-8272
http://www.bakerinst.com
February 16, 2005
Vibration Analysis Tip
A hazardous environment, as defined with regard to a combustible atmosphere, is one that could burn explosively with the addition of energy sufficient to cause ignition. Hazardous environments are broken down into categories by the National Electrical Code in order to define conditions that can cause ignition of the combustible atmosphere. These categories include combustible gases and suspended dust and particulate. Equipment can be evaluated and certified as Intrinsically safe for operation in various hazardous environments.
Some vibration monitoring applications require the transducer to be installed in a hazardous environment. In these applications, the transducer must be unable to ignite the surrounding atmosphere. A transducer that is intrinsically safe cannot develop enough energy – either through heat energy, or through spark energy – to ignite the hazardous environment, whether operating normally or under fault conditions. A transducer approved as Intrinsically Safe can be installed directly into the hazardous environment.
To learn more about hazardous environments, or Intrinsically Safe vibration monitoring, go to http://www.wilcoxon.com
February 16, 2005
Change Management for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals
A Distance Learning Course by Steve Thomas
Companies initiate change programs all of the time. Some succeed but many more fail to accomplish their stated goals. Previous failure can make future efforts even more difficult due the audience becoming skeptical.
Of all types of change, reliability focused efforts are perhaps the most difficult to initiate and conduct. These initiatives often meet significant resistance because there are always those who did well working in a reactive maintenance environment. Lukewarm support is often the most that can be expected from those changing to the new reliability based approach. How a manager manages the change will be the difference between success and failure.
This course teaches the basic skills required to break down the barriers encountered by reliability focused change efforts.
The next course begins on April 1, 2005 - Register today as number of students is limited.
To register or learn more about courses please email: or call toll free (888) 230-5280 or…
February 16, 2005
Infrared Tip
Thermographer’s Checklist.
Do you have what you need when you go in the field? It is always better to be prepared then to be caught with unexpected “surprises” in the middle of an inspection.
It is a good idea to create a Thermographer’s checklist and keep this handy. Stick it on your wall, put it on your desk, input it in your PDA, or post it somewhere close at hand.
Some examples:
• Plenty of charged batteries! Make sure that you are prepared the night before with your batteries and make sure to have enough to last.
• Free space on your digital media. Whether your system has Flash Cards, CF, SD media, or on board storage, make sure that you have enough space for your day of data collection.
• Digital camera (and batteries.) Many IR cameras these days have visual cameras built in (some with flash capability.)
• Voice recorder or a place to take notes. Again, many thermography systems have on board voice storage as well as method to take notes (i.e. via a PDA). Otherwise, you can always bring a note pad!
• A route list of what needs to be inspected. If your IR system has a PDA, you can upload this directly into your camera.
• Proper protective gear and safety apparatus. Make sure to bring your hard had, safety glasses, gloves, and whatever else you require.
• Lenses? Perhaps you have long distance or wide angle applications and need additional optics. Check with your manufacturer.
• Any authorization forms.
If you plan ahead, you can certainly save time in the long run.
This tip provided by Electrophysics
Manufacturer of EZTherm and EZTherm Pro Cameras
http://www.electrophysics.com
Tel: 973-882-0211
Check Out The Technology Overview for Microbolometer Detectors by Electrophysics
February 16, 2005
Alignment Tip
If jackscrews are not available to move a machine laterally, consider using a pair of large carpenter’s pipe clamps, tensed against each other and the base. This way you can carefully and precisely control the movement of a machine without having to hit it with it a hammer. However, if hit it you must, then use a shot-loaded, deadblow hammer and never a steel-faced sledge hammer. Again, this will help to protect the machine and you can control the move better while using lighter blows.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
Distributor of the new Optalign PLUS Series ‘Modular’ Shaft Alignment System
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935
February 09, 2005
Alignment Tip
Jacking Bolts
If using jacking bolts for your side-to-side corrections, always remember to back off the jack bolts on the opposite side. Remember that once you are done with your side-to-side correction, we recommend to always back off all jackscrews after the alignment is completed and the anchor bolts are tight. If movement is known to occur, it will always be in the path of least resistance, which can be targeted for.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
Distributor of the new ROTALIGN ULTRA alignment system http://www.ludeca.com/ultra.htm
Tel: 305-591-8935
February 09, 2005
Infrared Tip
How to find hot spots faster
In this day of fairly sophisticated thermal imaging systems, all with numerous features and benefits, sometimes the basic concept of how to most easily find hot spots eludes many thermographers. Some folks prefer to utilize color palettes when they perform surveys, others prefer to utilize black and white. One popular alternative is to utilize what some people call the “highlight” palette, or a fashion of this.
Basically, this is a black and white palette which either has the pure white, which represents the hottest parts of the image replaced with a solid color. Typically this is red. Alternately, the coldest parts of the image are typically indicated with a different color, usually blue. (In addition, the operator can place a colored isotherm on a black and white image to have the same effect.)
The operator then can change his settings so that the colored part of the image (red-hot) will be slightly higher than ambient, or a suitable reference. An example: if one was looking at an electrical panel and the panel was, in general 95ºF, then the operator could set the highlight to be at 96ºF. Therefore, only hot spots above 95ºF will appear to the operator as distinct color on a black and white background.
This allows the operator to quickly locate hot spots and focus in on the problems.
This tip provided by Electrophysics
Manufacturer of EZTherm and EZTherm Pro Cameras
http://www.electrophysics.com
Tel: 973-882-0211
February 09, 2005
Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) Tip
CMMS/ EAM requirements for Utilization
This maintenance tip focuses on what is required for a CMMS/ EAM system to be fully utilized. The first consideration for full utilization is accurate data loading of the CMMS/ EAM system databases. Even as a company implements a CMMS, data collection begins. Consider the various modules used in a comprehensive CMMS/EAM System:
Equipment
Inventory
Purchasing
Personnel
Preventive maintenance
Work order
Reporting
The equipment module. To use this module properly, a company must identify each piece of equipment—or facility location—that they want to track costing and repair information. For example, when making repair/replacement and other cost decisions, they need the financial information stored in the equipment history. Data entered into other system modules will ultimately determine the accuracy of the financial information.
The inventory module. This module requires the identification of the spare parts carried in each store at the plant or facility to use this module. The necessary data required includes, but is not limited to:
• Part number
• Part description (short and extended)
• On-hand, reserved, on-order, max-mm, etc.
• Locations
• Part-costing information
• Historical use.
Information from the inventory module ensures the CMMS/ EAM System will contain accurate material-costing information for each piece of equipment or facility location.
The purchasing module. This module is associated with the inventory module, and it provides the maintenance planner with a window into the ordering information. What is some of the information this module must include?
• Part number
• Part description
• Part-costing information
• Delivery information, including the expected delivery date
• Related vendor information
• The ability to order non-stock materials.
The importance of this module becomes clear when the planner begins to plan a job and does not know when they will receive the part. Also, this module is important for estimating job cost since it provides the new part cost.
It is quickly apparent that without accurate data loading in these modules, the CMMS/ EAM system will not be fully utilized. This topic will be explored further in part 2 of this Maintenance Tip.
Tip provided by GenesisSolutions
Tel: (203) 431-0281
http://www.GenesisSolutions.com
iPresentation Invitation: Successfully Selecting, Implementing and Utilizing CMMS/EAM Systems
February 09, 2005
Web Based Introduction to Vibration Analysis
VibrationSchool.com offers a 100% free short course “Introduction to Vibration Analysis” course based on the popular V-Trainer Vibration Analysis Training Course on CD-ROM.
