December 22, 2005
Balancing Tips
1. Before starting balancing, make sure that it is a real problem of balancing by analyzing its spectrum. Peak must match with one time rpm with small harmonics with at least 2 times, 3 times and 4 times of rpm.
2. If you are going to balance a rotor, first of all see how many balancing weights have already been fixed on the rotor. If quantity is more than three, then remove all or at least two of the weights and then start balancing.
Reader Tip provided by Malik Asad
Qassim Cement Company
Saudi Arabia
Thank you Asad, we are sending your Maintenance Tips hat right away!
December 22, 2005
Alignment Tip
ROUGH ALIGNMENT
When performing shaft alignment, always ensure that the machines are rough aligned first. This ensures that coupling-induced strain is removed to improve the accuracy of the alignment. Shafts that have severe coupling strain may flex, which distorts the true misalignment condition.
Use a straightedge, feeler gauges or some other less precise method to position the two machines within some reasonable distance from their desired final aligned location. As a rough rule of thumb for close-coupled machines, rough align to ‘nearly eye ball clean’, such that the coupling can be made up easily, to avoid much of the above-mentioned ‘severe’ coupling strain.
Straightedge or feeler gauge alignments can be much more precise than this, but time is wasted. The idea is to relieve the shafts of excessive coupling-induced strain to improve the accuracy of alignment corrections.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935
December 22, 2005
Infrared Tip
Calculating the true cost of an infrared camera
The offers for inexpensive cameras is growing and for many users these low price offers are a great way to begin using this valuable technology.
However the true cost of an infrared camera is much more than the purchase price.
Lets begin by comparing the capitalized cost of cameras costing $10,000 and $20,000 over a typical 5-year depreciation period. (Without factoring finance costs)
The $10,000 camera costs $166/month
The $20,000 camera costs $333/month
Differential is $167/month
The fully burdened cost of an camera operator is $35/hour or $73,000/year.
The $20,000 camera will likely have functions that reduce labor costs (less training, automatic report generation, field data information collection, etc.)
Assuming a 20 hours/week of use and 3 hours of time-savings using the more expensive camera.
Weekly savings = $700/week or $2800/month
Conclusions
1. Cost of camera is a very small portion of the expense of
thermography program.
2. Always compare the productivity of cameras and their ability to convert field work into work orders
3. Compare the ease of use and costs for new operator training.
4. Labor costs are dominant in thermography PdM program
Tip provided Electrophysics
Tel: (973) 882-0211
December 22, 2005
EAM-2006 Workshop
March 8, 2006
Orleans Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas NV
Be Brilliant with the Basics: Making Maximo Work by Steve Richmond, Projetech Inc.
Note: This workshop is offered independent of and has no connection with MRO Software or its affiliate companies. Maximo is a registered trademark of MRO Software
MAXIMO® has been implemented at your site – now what?
Participants of this workshop will learn basic (but important) tips and tricks to get the most out of their investment.
We’ll discuss ways to enhance navigation and querying skills, better understand sites and locations, and correctly classify assets (equipment, rotables and inventory.) We’ll also cover the importance of keeping value lists simple, mapping business processes, and choosing the appropriate reporting tools (SQR, Actuate or Crystal.) If you are new to MAXIMO, or just eager to save time by making it more user friendly, you will find the “best practice” resources in this session very useful.
This one day course includes:
• Some tips and tricks to enhance your MAXIMO navigation skills
• Understanding sites and locations
• Equipment, rotables and inventory – Why correctly classifying your assets is important
• Keeping value lists simple – KISS
• Why you must map business processes and how to do so
• Queries – using, saving and writing them
• Reports – SQR, Actuate and Crystal – how to choose
• Seven Tips for System Administrators to make MAXIMO more User-Friendly
• Q&A
• References and Resources
Bring your questions and be ready for one the most productive Maximo learning days ever.
Space is limited - please call toll free (888) 575 1245 today or…
December 22, 2005
Oil Analysis Tip
Use RPVOT to Safely Determine
Remaining Useful Life of Turbine Oils
Routinely testing turbine oils is an effective means for monitoring wear and contamination, but large sump capacities and shutdown implications in many turbine applications make oil changes expensive and difficult at best. Evaluating the oil’s oxidative stability is the only way to determine its remaining useful life and the safest, most cost effective way to know if it’s absolutely necessary to change it.
The RPVOT, Rotating Pressure Vessel Oxidation Test ASTM D-2272, is an excellent oxidative stability test for both new and in-service turbine oils. The oil sample, water and a copper catalyst coil are placed in a pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is then charged with oxygen, placed in a temperature-controlled bath and rotated. When a drop in pressure is achieved, the RPVOT result is the number of minutes it took to reach that drop.
An RPVOT result should always be compared to the lubricant manufacturer’s RPVOT specification. When the RPVOT is approximately 50% of the RPVOT of the oil when new, maintenance action should be initiated. Typically, the recommendation is to consult the lubricant supplier to determine how much to “sweeten” the sump – how much new oil to add. Recommendations for an RPVOT result of only 25% of that of the new oil would be to change the oil and to increase testing frequency to more closely monitor its oxidative stability. The lower the RPVOT result, the higher the oil’s potential is for developing sludge or varnish.
RPVOT should be performed a minimum of once a year and preferably every six months.
Tip provided by POLARIS Laboratories
Tel: (317) 808-3750
Click here to learn more about testing for all application types
December 22, 2005
Enter the Maintenance-Tip Challenge!
Do you have great advice that will help other maintenance and reliability professionals do their jobs better? Enter your tip into the EAM/RCM Tip Challenge and you may be a lucky winner!
Prizes:
1 Grand Prize EAM/CMMS Tip: Free EAM-2006 3 Day Conference Pass, 3 nights at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Tip Featured at EAM-2006 and in Maintenance-Tips Email newsletter
1 Grand Prize RCM Tip: Free RCM-2006 3 Day Conference Pass, 3 nights at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Tip Featured at RCM-2006 and in Maintenance-Tips Email newsletter
1 Runner Up EAM/CMMS Tip : Free EAM-2006 3 Day Conference Pass, Tip Featured at EAM-2006 in Maintenance-Tips Email newsletter
1 Runner Up RCM Tip : Free RCM-2006 3 Day Conference Pass, Tip Featured at RCM-2006 in Maintenance-Tips Email newsletter
25 other tip submissions will be entered into a drawing for a Free Maintenance Tips hat, Conference proceedings and a free one year subscription to Reliability Magazine
What is a Maintenance tip? A 1-3 paragraph bit of practical wisdom that can be put to immediate use without having to purchase something.
December 15, 2005
Lubrication / Hydraulic Tip
A good way to get a lubrication / hydraulic improvement program going is to start with a portable filtration cart. It should be used for transfers and filtering of fluids because, fluids are not clean enough for use right out of the barrel or tank. For convenience the hose ends should have appropriately sized self-sealing quick disconnects on them a male end on one hose and a female on the other. This way equipment can be set up to have quick disconnects installed to utilize the filter cart as a kidney loop. The system of having a one male and one female connector on the hose ends helps to ensure the unit gets hooked up properly each time.
For other ideas on how to start a program contact:
Clifford Spear
December 15, 2005
Maintenance-Tip
If you have several production units in your plant and you have excess production capacity, that means that you will have to decide which units run and which ones stay idle.
That is a great opportunity to distance the necessary scheduled overhauls from one unit to the other. therefore maintenance costs are more spread over a wider time frame which is far more convenient and can be better managed than the usual case which is having the overhaul for all units done one after the other and therefore having all costs made over a much shorter time.
Reader tip provided by Teodoro Cuesta
Maintenance Manager
Soluziona O&M
Santo Domingo Dominican Republic
Thanks Teodoro - your Maintenance-Tips hat is on the way!
December 15, 2005
MaintenanceForums.com
Join 2500 Maintenance and Reliability professionals from around the world to learn new ideas, solve problems, debate approaches and make new friends.
The posting boards are grouped by topic and can be easily searched:
Posts About Improving Reliability
Posts About Technologies and Techniques for Condition Monitoring
Posts About Lubrication and Oil Analysis
Posts About Infrared Thermography
Posts About vibration/alignment/balance
Posts About SAP®-PM Plant Maintenance
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Your privacy is assured and the environment is commercial free.
December 15, 2005
Vibration Analysis Tip
When selecting an online vibration analysis system, be sure to purchase a system which will allow the user to select a variety of sensors such as current line drive (CLD), ICP, 4..20 mA, proximity probes, thermocouples,etc. When you choose a system that has this much flexibility, you’re maximizing the capabilities of acquiring data on most machinery.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935
