March 31, 2005
Airborne Ultrasonic Tip
Vacuum Leaks – Autoclaves and other small and medium sized chambers that are routinely put under vacuum to run their processes must be tight to ensure product quality. The leaks are often too small, and the level of vacuum inside the chamber is not enough to produce any turbulence at all. If there is no turbulence, there can be no natural ultrasounds to detect. The leaks can still be revealed by placing an ultrasound transmitter inside the autoclave. Though the leak is too small to produce natural ultrasound, artificially produced ultrasound will still pass through microscopic breaches making ultrasonic leak inspection possible.
Tip provided by SDT North America
http://www.sdtnorthamerica.com
Toll free: 1-800-667-5325
Tel: 905-349-2020
Learn More From Predictive Technologies Seminars and Workshops
March 31, 2005
Maintenance Tip
Sometimes when connecting a drive chain in a tight spot or even in the open and the space is limited a hose clamp can be used to pull the chain together and keep the alignment until the master link can be installed.
Reader Tip provided by George A. Easom
Maintenance Superintendent
Georgia-Pacific
Cedar Springs Georgia
Thanks George - your Maintenance-Tips hat is on the way!
March 31, 2005
Introduction to Vibration Analysis Distance Learning
Next Course begins May 1, 2005!
This 8-10 distance learning course, taught by Scott Dow, Leading International Instructor, will show you how to bring “application intelligence” to your vibration program. It requires 2-3 hours of focus time per week.
The Introduction To Vibration Analysis (IVA) class introduces students to the basic theory subjects of amplitude, frequency, trends, spectrums and more. The subjects are made more understandable through the use of dozens of animations to illustrate the subjects. Additionally, the focus is kept on how the theory is applied in a practical sense. The distance learning format is designed to not overwhelm the student at the beginner level. Later in the course, the theory is applied as the class is stepped through an actual case study complete with machine and field test data. The case study is a critical step in teaching the students how to connect the theory they are learning with the application side of the technology.
March 31, 2005
Motor Tip
Obtaining Plant Maintenance Data
An area that may be overlooked during plant maintenance activities is data regarding the electrical and mechanical tests performed on your motor. Good electric motor repair shops are capable of providing complete documentation about the condition of the motors they have performed work on. For example: End users may have a requirement that their motors perform properly for one hour, running at nameplate voltage - while submerged under water. This is because of the probability short term water contamination will occur in their application. A properly documented approach will help assure that these types of details are not overlooked, and help bring possible error conditions to the attention of those responsible.
Tip provided by Baker Instrument
Tel: (800) 752-8272
http://www.bakerinst.com
Low Voltage Capacitance Bridge vs. AWA IV Meg-Ohm Test Question and Answer
March 31, 2005
Alignment Tip
Diagnosing a Rocking Soft Foot
When taking individual soft foot readings on a four-footed machine, one foot at a time, always with the other three feet tight, if the two highest values appear diagonally opposed to each other, you have “rocking” soft foot situation. There are three potentially correct shimming solutions to this problem, but only one best solution.
Here’s how to find it:
Loosen both diagonally opposed soft feet, leaving the two not soft feet tight. Feel the shim packs. If one is loose and one is snug, mike the air gap that appears under the loose one and shim that one by the amount of the air gap. If both shim packs are loose, shim both feet, by roughly half the soft foot value you got for each of them individually, or mike the airgaps with both of them loose and shim those amounts individually at each soft foot respectively. There are subtleties involved with this procedure that are best learned in an in-depth training course, but this will already go a long way toward solving these problems. Note: If your two largest soft foot values do not appear diagonally opposed, you do not have a rocking problem, and other causes and solutions must be explored, again best learned through specialized training.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935
March 31, 2005
Maintenance and Reliability Technology Summit 2005 - May 23-26, 2005
The Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit (MARTS) is the premier event for professionals and features technical and business sessions, workshops and technical exhibits.
The MARTS’ Mission: To provide a comprehensive training, educational and professional development opportunity for maintenance and reliability technicians, engineers, supervisors and managers in all industries and major facilities.
This year’s MARTS show is co-located with the LUBRICATION SUMMIT.
You will be able to choose workshops from either show area and attend all exhibits no matter for which show you register.
CERTIFICATION EXAMS and professional development courses will be offered by qualified representatives of STLE and SMRP.
The Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit (MARTS) is produced by MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY and Reliabilityweb.com. The Lubrication Summit is produced by Lubrication & Fluid Power magazine. Each sponsor is a proven source of reliable information for today’s engineers, managers, and technician audiences. MARTS offers in-depth learning opportunities in the form of two days of workshops by recognized experts, along with two days of conferences and technical exhibits. You cannot afford to miss this opportunity to both learn and earn certification.
March 31, 2005
Maintenance Tip
When kitting and staging parts for jobs, it is very helpful to attach a tag with the work order number printed clearly on it to BOTH the equipment and the kit. This makes it easy for the craftspeople to match the parts with the job. Bright orange tags work especially well.
Tip provided by Dave Krings, CMRP
http://www.MasteringMaintenance.com
Tel: (888) 230-5280
Learn more at MasteringMaintenance.com
March 31, 2005
Vibration Monitoring 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 ...
March 24, 2005
Airborne Corona and Arcing Inspection Tips
To inspect insulators it is recommended to fly perpendicularly to the lines and be able to look at the insulators from the side rather then from above. This is true particularly if ceramic insulators are inspected because sometime the corona is just below the ceramic bell .
A distance of 40 meters from the lines at an angle of 30 degrees is recommended since you want to be able to see all three phases.
A speed of 30-40 km/h will let you see clearly corona sources. There is no need to stop at each pylon, unless you suspect something and wish to explore it while hovering. To hover you need a strong enough helicopter.
Tip provided by the DayCor camera technologies http://www.daycor.com
Tel: (866) 279-8672
March 24, 2005
Airborne Ultrasonics Tip
When performing an airborne scan of switchgear, substations or any electrical apparatus, be familiar with the what the sound of corona, arcing and tracking should sound like with your ultrasonic receiver. Acquire these sounds from a third party or use an audio tape recorder or the sound card of your laptop to record these sounds from a known source when available and start a library of these sounds to compare after repairs as well as for technicians to reference.
Tip provided by Ultra-Sound Technologies, LLC
http://www.ultra-soundtech.com
Tel: (770) 517-8747
