September 22, 2005
13th Annual SMRP Conference
The Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals will host its 13th Annual Conference October 23 – 26, 2005, at The Millennium Hotel, in St. Louis, MO.
The theme this year is “Passage to the Future”.
SMRP goals include providing members with maps, guides, equipment and support for being successful in your career.
There is an exciting line up of papers organized around the 5 pillars that comprise the CMRP Body of Knowledge including:
* Business & Management
* Manufacturing Process Reliability
* Equipment Reliability
* People Skills
* Work Management
These sessions are combined with a series of full day workshops and plant tours that allow you to chart your own path.
To learn more or to register please call 800-950-7354 or…
September 22, 2005
Motor Testing Tip
Limitation of Insulation to Ground Fault Detection
Following electric motor winding failures, only 17% are identified by insulation to ground testing. Insulation to ground tests only detect resistive paths between the stator core and the conductors adjacent the stator core. This area also contains the greatest amount of the insulation with the thinnest insulation boundaries between conductors and coils.
As a result, 83% of winding failures start and end as turn and coil shorts that do not break through the ground-wall insulation, regardless of the root-cause of failure. This requires the ability to detect the conditions leading up to failure including winding contamination, inter-turn insulation degradation, coil movement, rotor damage, overloading, etc. This requires the use of technologies such as motor circuit analysis and electrical signature analysis for early fault condition detection.
Tip provided by ALL TEST Pro
http://www.alltestpro.com
Tel: 800 952-8776 or 860 395-2988
September 22, 2005
Infrared Tip
Focus Twice, Shoot Once
There are three things that make a good infrared image: focus, focus, focus. When going to the effort and expense to conduct a thermal analysis, especially if the analysis involves a shutdown or other special arrangements, be sure to do the basics – properly set the calibration range and focus. It sounds elementary, but often the only IR image characteristics that cannot be changed later are focus and calibration range. Not only is focusing important for a clear, crisp image, but improper focus will also produce inaccurate temperature readings. Using the proper calibration range ensures that the image will not produce saturated temperatures. Other aspects of the image, such as palette, level and span may be altered later in the IR image analysis PC software.
This tip provided by Infrared Solutions, Inc.
Manufacturer of IR FlexCam Pro
1-800-760-4523
http://www.infraredsolutions.com
September 22, 2005
Turbo-Machinery Balancing
LORD’s high-speed turbo-machinery balancers are elegantly simple in operation. Counterweighted rotor assemblies mount permanently at balance planes on the shaft. A smart controller senses vibration and determines the best counterweight position. Rotor assemblies move electro-magnetically to their appointed places, minimizing vibration in seconds.
Features & Benefits
• Balances-corrects multiple planes in seconds while your equipment is running
• Dramatically reduces equipment startup time
• Balances automatically or manually
• Reduces equipment wear and tear, downtime and maintenance costs
• Diagnoses equipment vibration response
• Makes different corrections above and below critical speeds
• Retrofits in coupling planes where field trim balancing often takes place
• Accesses vibration inputs from existing monitoring equipment, e.g. Bently Nevada
• Records all corrections automatically
• Protects bearings, seals and other components during ramp-up
Call LORD +1 877 ASK LORD (275 5673) or..
September 22, 2005
Condition Monitoring Tip
Collecting Good Data Part 6 – Create a Vibration Test Guide
Archived at
http://maintenancetalk.com/blog.php/tipsblog
One of the most important requirements of a good vibration analysis or predictive maintenance program is good, repeatable data. Another important requirement is good program management. Both of these can be enhanced by creating small handheld vibration test guides for those who collect data. A guide should contain the following information: A simple schematic of the machine with test points identified, instructions for testing the machine (especially if loads, speeds or configurations must be manipulated or verified) and name plate information.
Poor results and wasted resources are often the result of testing the machine under the wrong conditions or missing some test points. If sensor mounting pads are used, the data collection technician may replace missing pads as per the guide. Another common problem is that machines get moved or replaced without the vibration technicians’ knowledge. A quick check of nameplate information or a visual comparison of the machine against the drawing may avert ample frustration. Some digital data collectors have the capacity to create and display these guides electronically. The guides are also useful for data analysis.
Tip provided by DLI Engineering
http://www.dliengineering.com
Tel: 206-842-7656
September 22, 2005
Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Tip
How to Perform RCM on Your Own
While many see Reliability Centered Maintenance as a complex reliability tool that should only be performed by a certified professional, the process itself is quite simple in that is structured to proceed in a set order and simply requires some time and discipline to learn.
I like to tell my customers that if you like fish, I can sell you fish every day for the rest of your life or I can teach you to fish and you will then have fish for the rest of your life. Learning how to do RCM is no different than learning how to fish. It simply takes a plan, some time and discipline. Below I have listed some tips on what it takes to learn to become a RCM facilitator.
1. Start out by reading a book on RCM, I would recommend Anthony Smith’s “Gateway to Word Class Maintenance”. There are also some fantastic articles about RCM on Reliabilityweb.com
2.Contact a provider of RCM training services and get the following information:
• The courses they offer to be trained as a facilitator
• The cost for these courses on-site on in a public offering
• A list of references who have taken their course and have successful efforts
3. Set up a plan to be mentored through your first few RCM analyses by a certified RCM Facilitator.
4. Use Reliability Measures to selects your assets for analysis and plan to perform RCM analyses on equipment where you are not considered an expert. This will force you as a facilitator to pay closer attention to the process order of RCM.
The most successful RCM efforts are those that are self sufficient and self sustaining!
Tip provided by Doug Plucknette
Reliability Solutions
Tel: 585-349-7245
http://www.reliabilitysolution.com
September 15, 2005
Motor Reliability Courses at PdM-2005
Predictive Maintenance Technology Conference
September 19-22, 2005
Atlanta, Georgia
• Improving Motor Reliability with Advanced Instrumentation
• Identifying Motor Defects Through the Six Fault Zones
• AC Motor Testing
• Developing a Motor Management Program
• Multiple Discriminant Analysis
• Alignment 101
• The Shock Pulse Method For Condition Monitoring
• Motor Electrical Predictive Maintenance & Testing Workshop
+ 30 other condition monitoring short courses, workshops and learning zone sessions
+ Every PdM-2005 attendee has a chance to win an Alienware Laptop
Bring 3 PdM Team Members and get the 4th free - a 25% discount
To register for PdM-2005 please call 888-575-1245 or…
September 15, 2005
Sensor Tip
Bias Output Voltage Indicates Accelerometer Faults
Most accelerometer faults can be diagnosed by measuring the Bias Output Voltage (BOV) of the sensor amplifier. If the BOV is within correct limits, the sensor is most likely operating properly. Most cabling faults can also be isolated by measuring the BOV.
The BOV is normally 12VDC, although this may vary depending on sensor manufacturer and design. The specification sheet for the accelerometer will provide information on the BOV for each model of accelerometer. The BOV is determined by the amplifier design and is not adjustable. The BOV will remain the same regardless of the input power to the accelerometer, as long as the input power is within the specified range. Most two-wire sensors produce an 8-14 Volt bias. The BOV should be measured periodically to check sensor operation.
Open Bias Fault (18-30 Volts)
When the measured BOV equals the supply voltage, the sensor amplifier is disconnected or reverse powered. In most cases, the problem is in the connector or cabling.
Short Bias Fault (Near 0 Volts)
When the BOV measures zero Volts, power failure or a system short is usually the problem. If the power supply is on, there is usually a short in the cabling.
Low Bias or High Bias Fault
Out of specification BOV readings other than those above usually indicate sensor damage. Common sources of sensors damage are exposure to excessive temperature, excessive shock, mis-powering, and electrostatic discharge.
Erratic Bias
The BOV should remain stable and unchanging. Shifting BOV indicates a very low frequency signal that is not filtered out by the bias meter. In rare cases, this indicates an actual low frequency signal, however in most cases this indicates a fault. Primary causes of erratic BOV are thermal transients, poor connections, ground loops, and signal overload. Each of these faults will also be visible in the time waveform as an erratic jumping or spiking of the signal.
For more information on Bias Output Voltage, read Wilcoxon’s Technical Note 14: “Troubleshooting Industrial Accelerometer Installations.” This Tech Note from Wilcoxon’s extensive online Knowledge Desk explains BOV, gives examples of sensor readings and the faults they indicate, and includes a Trouble shooting chart for sensors.
Wilcoxon’s Technical Note 14: “Troubleshooting Industrial Accelerometer Installations.”
September 15, 2005
New USB Accelerometer for Operator Driven Reliability / Asset Basic Care
Increase the value of both your Operator Driven Reliability program AND your predictive maintenance program using the new InspectVibe™ USB Accelerometer with MAINTelligence™ InspectCE™.
Collect both spectrum and time waveform data on routes using any Windows Mobile™ handheld device with InspectCE software. InspectCE displays and saves overall vibration, time waveforms, FFT spectra and bearing wear spectra.
A direct interface to MAINTelligence lets the operator or reliability specialist analyze the data with the full power of a world-class vibration analysis package, taking advantage of MAINTelligence’s easy to use route management tools and its full vibration analysis and alarming capabilities.
InspectVibe is completely self-contained - piezoelectric accelerometer, power supply, digital signal processor and filters are completely contained within the sensor housing. Installation and configuration is as simple as plugging the sensor’s cable into a USB port.
For more information, visit the DMSI website and download the brochure
September 15, 2005
Build Your Predictive Maintenance Library
PdM-2005 has partnered with MaintenanceResources.com to bring you a diverse selection of Predictive and Preventive Maintenance Books, CDs and Videos
To ensure that you receive everything you need to master predictive maintenance, MaintenanceResources.com has put together several bundles at special price that you can only buy here
• Lubrication Library
• Vibration Analysis Library
• Preventive/Predictive Maintenance Library
• Condition Monitoring Set
• PdM Power Pack
Browse The Predictive Maintenance Library
