September 29, 2005
Coupling Versus Equipment Tolerances in Shaft Alignment
When determining what tolerances to use for shaft alignment, make sure to take into account information provided by both the coupling manufacturer and equipment manufacturer. The coupling manufacturer may state that the coupling can withstand far more misalignment than what the equipment manufacturer suggests for their machines. However, when shafts are not properly aligned, vibration that is sustainable by the coupling will pass directly into the machines’ bearings and mechanical seals. These components may not be able to withstand the same forces that the coupling can, and therefore deteriorate or fail prematurely.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935
Download Article: Laser Alignment Verification - On site at the largest gas turbine in the US
September 29, 2005
Maintenance Management Tip
When using contract maintenance to assist with your Preventive Maintenance program, incorporate them into the program administratively. Assign them PM work orders for the equipment they are maintaining, ensure coordination with production has been done and the equipment is available for them. When the work is completed have them turn the work orders back into your maintenance planner/scheduler to close out in the CMMS. If the contractor is using their own CMMS program and they are doing the work during equipment downtime, such as nights and weekends, then have them submit reports of work completed on equipment on a monthly basis.
Reader tip provided by our frequent contributor Mike LeCompte
Maintenance Consultant
Maintenance Systems Development, LLC
http://www.maintsysdev.com
Tel: 843-761-8069
September 29, 2005
The Basics of AC Induction Motor Maintenance
A Distance Learning Course written and supported by Howard Penrose Ph.D.
MasteringMaintenance.com offers unique distance learning courses for maintenance and reliability professionals that include:
• 10 Lessons with graphics slides narrated by course leaders
• Online Quizzes with explanations
• Printed Text Books and Workbooks with assignments
• Instructor support through email
• Additional instructor and student support through online forums
September 29, 2005
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Tip
PRECURSORS
Typically an RCA is only commissioned under dire circumstances, which means that either:
A. someone is hurt or killed,
B. there is catastrophic damage or production loss,
C. there is a regulatory violation, OR
D. a lawyer, insurance company or regulator are involved.
Needless to say that conducting RCA under these circumstances is using it reactively. Nonetheless, it is necessary under these conditions. However this mentality usually overshadows the need to use RCA for more chronic type of undesirable outcomes. These chronic events usually do not produce the outcomes cited above for any single instance. However, when we look at their frequency and impact over a year, they certainly will raise brows.
Most people do not realize that these chronic events, if left unaddressed, are precursors to the more acute type of events. The chronic failures are actually signals says “take care of me before I cause more harm!”. When conducting RCA’s on the high impact chronic events, we are actually performing a proactive task because we are eliminating potential precursors to more serious types of events.
Tip provided by the Reliability Center Inc.
http://www.reliability.com
Tel: 804-458-0645
September 29, 2005
Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) Tip
Too much detail?
When installing a CMMS, often the focus is on getting the assets entered into the system. The real benefits of a CMMS lie in the outputs of the CMMS, not in the inputs. Having assisted several companies with CMMS installations, we have noticed that much time and energy is wasted in breaking assets into too much detail. Some of the CMMS we have analyzed have been in operation for up to 5 years, and fewer than 40% of the assets have even a single Work Order pertaining to them.
While this is not “wrong”, it is a poor use of resources that could have been better used elsewhere. The “company car” is a good example: most would agree that it should be entered as a single asset, but the engine, transmission, wheels, etc could be entered as components of the car. That could make sense, if you are a NASCAR racing team.
The best rule to follow is to create a component if, and only if, the component is sometimes moved to another asset. This structure will save time during the installation and it will simplify reporting and analysis in the future, giving more overall benefits.
Tip provided by Asset Centric Technologies
http://www.assetcentric.com/
Tel: 864-201-5059
7 minute iPresentation Tutorial: Really Making CMMS Work on the Shop Floor
September 29, 2005
Sustainable Inventory Reduction Pre-Conference Workshop
The 20th International Maintenance Conference
December 6-9
Tampa Florida
Certificate Workshop led by Philip Slater
Dec 6
8am - 3:30 pm
Take your business to World’s Best Practice, reduce your inventory investment and increase your ROI.
A recent survey by IndustryWeek found that 70% of organizations are challenged with reducing excess inventory. Another survey conducted by Reliability Web found that for more than half inaccurate information causes an expensive ‘overstock’ situation.
These surveys show that the main issue for most organizations is not inventory management it is inventory reduction. If there is one great myth of inventory reduction it is that one technique will solve your problem.
The truth is that no single technique or approach will solve all your problems. You need a range of techniques that can be applied together. Here is the good news, there are only seven!
The key topics of this one day workshop include:
• 12 reasons why companies hold more inventory than they need (you will be surprised at how many of these apply to you)
• How to adopt a zero inventory mindset (the key first step)
• Using the Pareto Principle to minimize effort and maximize results (find out how to efficiently deal with large numbers of items)
• Applying the 7 actions for inventory reduction (and there are only 7!)
• Identifying non-Pareto inventory that adds no value to your business (what to do with the bulk of the items)
• Decision making for new inventory items (how to treat new items so that they do not add to your growing list of obsolete inventory)
• Implementation planning (taking action, after all nothing happens without action)
Workshop attendees get a copy of Sustainable Inventory Reduction as part of the one day course.
Please call toll free (888) 575-1245 in the US or…
September 29, 2005
Coolant Tip
Testing water used for flushing systems can prevent premature engine failure
Even the best cooling system maintenance practices will fail if the source water you’re using to flush the system doesn’t meet engine manufacturer and ASTM specifications. Today’s pre-mixed coolants take much of the guesswork out using a proper source water, but when mixing your own coolant formulations or flushing your systems with water from an on-site source, analysis is highly recommended to make sure the water meets specifications.
WATER’S REACTION TO HEAT
Water is not “just water.” Both geographical location and environmental/operating conditions have great impact on the types of contaminants present in source water - which can directly affect how the water reacts to heat. Source water analysis can identify such contaminants as calcium, magnesium, chlorides, sulfates, acids and gases.
As water temperature increases, it becomes more acidic. Free carbon dioxide will convert to carbonic acid, chlorides will convert to hydrochloric acid and sulfates will convert to sulfuric acid as well as form scale. Acid damage results in pitted liners, radiators, oil coolers and damaged water pumps.
Water will dissolve rock, metal, soil and even certain gases from the air - almost anything with which it comes into contact. When exposed to heat, contaminants dissolved in the water will form scale deposits or acids that can result in cracked heads, head gasket failure, stopped up radiators and oil coolers, burnt valves and increased ring and bearing wear.
ACID PITTING
Acidic source water conditions result in corrosion and/or pitting. A water’s potential for becoming acidic is proportionate to the amount of dissolved gas it contains, such as carbon dioxide and oxygen. Carbon dioxide converts to carbonic acid at about 160°F and the presence of oxygen increases corrosive reaction approximately 12 times. Both are present in varying amounts in natural water, both in a dissolved state and from other chemicals in the water that react to heat.
SCALING
The ability of water to form scale depends largely upon the amount of calcium and magnesium, or total hardness, dissolved in the water. Calcium is usually the main cause of damage. Other chemicals, such as silicates and sulfates, as well as the water’s potential to form carbonates, will control the type of calcium/magnesium scale formed.
CORRECTING SOURCE WATER
The contaminants identified by source water analysis should determine the process for correcting it and making it suitable for use.
Tip provided by POLARIS Laboratories
http://www.polarislabs1.com
Tel: (317) 808-3750
Learn more about source water specifications & correcting contamination
September 29, 2005
Motor Testing Tip
Winding Contamination Detection
Traditional test methods such as polarization index and insulation to ground testing have been used to detect winding contamination problems. In order for either technology to detect this issue, the contamination must exist across the conductors and stator core. The result is the inability to detect some contamination issues, such as contamination build-up on end-turns. In order to detect this type of winding contamination issue, motor circuit analysis using a combination of impedance and inductance must be used. The phase to phase pattern comparison allows for the detection of insulation contamination between conductors, coils and on the end-turns. Combined with insulation to ground testing, a complete view of the impact of contamination on the windings can be obtained.
Tip provided by ALL TEST Pro
http://www.alltestpro.com
Tel: 800 952-8776 or 860 395-2988
Sign up to win an ALL TEST Pro Motor Tester before September 30
September 22, 2005
Pre-Conference Workshop at IMC-2005
Mark Your Calendar!
The 20th International Maintenance Conference™
December 6-9, 2005
Tampa Florida
Best Practices Maintenance Management
by Terry Wireman, CMRP, CPMM
Maintenance is a unique business process. To be successfully managed, it requires an approach different from other business processes.
The Benchmarking Best Practices in Maintenance Management workshop at IMC-2005 provides a framework for managing maintenance with options that allow decision makers to select the most successful ways to manage maintenance.
Workshop attendees get a hardcover copy of Benchmarking Best Practices in Maintenance Management as part of the one day course.
Choose this or any other pre-conference workshop at IMC-2005. But a 3 day pass and save $100 - buy a 4 day pass and save $300.
To register or learn more please call toll free (888) 575-1245 or…
September 22, 2005
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Tip
SHALLOW CAUSE ANALYSIS:
Is your facility conducting Root Cause Analyses (RCA) or Shallow Cause Analyses? The following are the essential elements of a Root Cause Analysis process, regardless of the brand being used. Take a minute and see if how your effort rates:
A. Are the “real” problems properly identified, defined or simply the symptoms?
B. Is evidence always collected regarding the undesirable outcome?
C. Is the RCA Team balanced in terms of perspective to remove any dominating bias?
D. Is the RCA leader an unbiased facilitator [as opposed to a participator which can be biased]?
E. Is a tightly coupled cause-and-effect process used to show the linkages that lined up for the undesirable outcome to occur?
F. Is the cause-and-effect sequences supported by evidence [as opposed to hearsay flying as fact]?
G. Are recommendations acted on, tracked and monitored for their bottom-line impact on the organization?
H. Are the RCA findings incorporated into educational programs within the organization for others to learn from past experience?
A “NO” to any of these questions could compromise the integrity of an RCA and threaten its results as being labeled a Shallow Cause Analysis. While RCA is not warranted on every failure that crops up, when it is warranted it has to be right!
Tip provided by the Reliability Center Inc.
http://www.reliability.com
Tel: 804-458-0645
