Tipsblog

Motor Testing Tip

The Importance of Backing Up Data

The importance of backing up data cannot be overstated. After figuring out how to test motors, setting up a predictive maintenance program and spending a lot of staff hours to test the motors only to lose the data is detrimental to business. Data lose will not only cost time, but it will also cost information and the history of each motor. Spending a few minutes at frequent intervals backing up data will be time well spent. Data collected carefully and meaningfully gives a picture of the history of each motor and is an asset in determining the health of the motor. SO BACK IT UP!!!!

Tip provided by Baker Instrument
Tel: (800) 752-8272
http://www.bakerinst.com

Check Baker’s Motor Testing User Group Schedule

What makes IMC-2005 unique?

The 20th International Maintenance Conference™
“Mastering The Maintenance Process”
December 6-9, 2005 - Tampa Florida

• More than 50 learning zone sessions covering Reliability, Maintenance Management, Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, Maintenance Business and Lubrication

• 14 different 90 minute short courses each day at IMC-2005

• 14 Pre- and Post-Conference certificate workshops offering full day learning opportunities for you and your team

• A wealth of solutions, services and technologies in the full service IMC-2005 and LubricationWorld Expo featuring over 100 world class vendors

• International Participation. Last year IMC hosted 850 participants from 24 countries including Representatives from COPIMAN, the South and Central American Maintenance Organization

• Professional Certification exam offered by the Society of Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP) and the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE)

• Professional Societies represented at IMC-2005 include the Society of Maintenance & Reliability Professionals, ISA, COPIMAN, Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, Association of Facilities Engineers, The International Society of Professional Thermographers, MIMOSA and the Institute of Industrial Engineers

• Networking opportunities. Whether you’re relaxing during a learning session break, attending the IMC-2005 Casino night, getting a hand’s on demo in a learning lab, meeting a new solution provider in the Expo hall or taking part in a discussion group, you will find networking opportunities everywhere.

Now in its 20th year - IMC-2005 is the longest running and most respected maintenance and reliability focused event anywhere in the world. Get out of the cold and join us in beautiful Tampa for the best 4 days of learning you can get.

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Please call toll free (888) 575-1245 or…

Register for IMC-2005 online

Accelerometer Installation Tip: Avoiding Ground Loops

In order to provide proper shielding and prevent ground loops, shield and common grounding should be carefully considered. Ground loops are developed when a common line (i.e. signal return/shield) is grounded at two points of differing electrical potential.

For sensors with coaxial cable, the center conductor carries the signal and power, while the outer braiding provides the shielding and signal return. Normally the cable shield is electrically isolated from the sensor housing. This isolates the shield from the mounting point of the machine and prevents ground loops. If a non-isolated sensor is used, it is recommended that an isolated mounting pad be used to break up possible ground loops.

For sensors using two conductor/shielded cable, the signal and power are carried on one lead and the signal common on the other. The cable shield serves to protect the signal from ESD and electromagnetic interference. The shield should be grounded at only one point, normally to the readout equipment.

NOTE: In all cases, it is very important that the cable shield terminations be properly grounded. Failure to do so in high EMI/ESD environments can result in damage to the sensor electronics.

Visit Wilcoxon’s extensive online Knowledge Desk for more practical tips and information on vibration monitoring.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Tips

RCA DEFINITION

One of the many problems with the use of the term RCA is that it has no standard, accepted definition. Even the major RCA providers on the market today cannot agree on a definition of RCA nor its essential elements. This is primarily because it is blocked by business concerns that if such definitions and elements are standardized, and my product or approach does not meet the requirements, I will be at a business loss {that is another article!).

My point here is that for proper communication within your own organization, you should develop a definition of what RCA is for your purposes. That way everyone can be on the same song sheet when it comes to RCA. Without such a definition, everyone interprets it to be what they want it to be and there is a breakdown in communication.

Below is a definition provided on a listserve I participate on, that we find acceptable:

Root Cause Analysis is any evidence-driven process that, at a minimum, uncovers underlying truths about past adverse events, thereby exposing opportunities for making lasting improvements. (5/20/04 – Mr. William Salot)

Use this as a draft to form your own definition, but whatever you do, define what RCA is for your organization.

Tip provided by the Reliability Center Inc.
http://www.reliability.com
Tel: 804-458-0645

Attend the Root Cause Analysis Workshop at IMC-2005