March 16, 2006
Ultrasound Tip
Tagging System Ensures Leaks Are Fixed
A 2-tag or 3-tag system manages found leaks and closes the loop from discovery to repair. In either system a brightly colored tag is attached to the leak to identify it for repair. On the tag itself there are two or three perforated sections with matching identification numbers. Section one needs ample space for a written description of the leak and its location in the plant. This section is removed by the ultrasound inspector during a leak survey and is used to generate a work order for repair. The second section is left at the leak site and only removed after the repair is completed. There is space on this section to describe the actions taken to affect the repair. Details may include name of repair personnel, parts required to make the repair, and the time required for the job. If a third section is used, it is left at the leak site. During the next tour by the ultrasound inspector the repair will be confirmed. If no leak is found the inspector removes the third tag to close out the job.
Finding leaks doesn’t save energy until they are repaired. Use a tagging system like the one described here to ensure leaks are not only found, but fixed.
This tip supplied by SDT North America
http://www.sdtnorthamerica.com
905-377-1313
March 16, 2006
Two-Day Lean Maintenance Workshop – by Ricky Smith
Learn how to achieve Lean Maintenance from Ricky Smith, experienced reliability expert and renowned author of the book “Lean Maintenance”. Ricky’s insightful, dynamic and engaging teaching method will help you to understand Lean thinking in Maintenance.
Attend this workshop to:
• Understand how lean thinking in Maintenance can help reduce the 7 Major Losses in production
• Bridge the gap between Lean Manufacturing and Lean Maintenance
• Learn how to achieve Lean Maintenance, step-by-step
• Participate in interactive group activities to build Asset Reliability Programs with Lean thinking, including the 5 S’s of Lean Maintenance
• Capture valuable Best Practices for Lean Maintenance and review Lean Maintenance Metrics
Don’t miss this opportunity to attend Ricky’s next Lean Maintenance workshop, May 11 – 12, in Houston, Texas.
March 16, 2006
Human Error Tip
When employees have had several days off in a row their mental state upon return to work is below what it was when they left. Supervisors should not give these employees jobs that require a higher awareness for detail on the first day back.
Tip provided by the Reliability Center Inc.
http://www.reliability.com
Tel: 804-458-0645
March 16, 2006
Alignment Tip
After having gone through the proper prealignment checks, recurring alignment problems can usually be traced to the concrete plinth or base. This is one of the most ignored sources of shaft alignment problems and, is very seldom considered when troubleshooting. If a new concrete base is to be poured, the wooden shutters must be strongly made and a jig made to locate the hold-down J-bolts accurately to avoid bolt binding later on when the baseplate is set. During the pouring of the concrete, the mixture must be vibrated to avoid water and air pockets forming. Because of the exothermic reaction during the curing period, the heat generated must be dissipated by placing wet gunny sacks over the concrete surface until the concrete cures.
The same precautions must be observed when pouring grout into the base plate. The generated heat can, and will distort the level of the base plate and it will become a constant problem. When the concrete foundation has set, check its natural frequency with a vibration analyzer and log the frequency reading. This can be a hidden source of resonance if the rotating component is operating at the same frequency. This is a more common problem than is generally realized.
This Maintenance-Tip Challenge Winning Tip provided by John C. Robertson, President, AMSCO Inc., Simpsonville, SC
March 09, 2006
Ultrasound Tip
The 2-Stage Compressed Air Leak Survey
Are you just starting a compressed air leak reduction program? Or perhaps you had a program in place some time ago but it’s been months, or even years since the last ultrasound survey. Whatever the case, a new or revitalized program will get immediate and long lasting results by applying a 2-stage approach to leak detection.
A 2-stage approach involves an initial tour of the compressed air system to identify large leaks that are easy to fix, and can often be repaired on-the-spot. Smaller leaks in a complex system of piping are difficult to find and are often masked by larger leaks. A second tour is conducted after the gross leaks are fixed to locate tiny leaks that one day will become more problematic large leaks.
This tip supplied by SDT North America
http://www.sdtnorthamerica.com
905-377-1313
From “HEAR” to “HERE” - AVM Ultranalysis Visualization Techniques
March 09, 2006
Do you have the PdM Program of the Year?
If so - get the recognition your team and your program deserves!
Uptime Magazine is pleased to announce the PdM Program of the Year Awards for:
• Best Vibration Analysis Program Award
• Best Ultrasound Inspection Program Award
• Best Infrared Thermal Imaging Program Award
• Best Motor Testing Program Award
• Best Lubrication/Oil Analysis Program Award
• Best Precision Maintenance (alignment/Balancing) Program Award
• Best Total PdM Program Award
There is no cost to enter.
Each winning company will get a handsome award trophy, two free passes to PdM-2006 The Predictive Maintenance Technology Conference, acknowledgement in front of peers at the award presentation (Sept 14) and an exclusive invitation to a special winners award dinner.
March 09, 2006
Motor Testing Tip
Phase Resistance Acceptance Considerations
When measuring phase resistance for imbalance on a new or rewound 3-phase motor, the generally accepted minimum imbalance is 1%. The value of imbalance is normally calculated by taking the furthest deviation of
resistance from the average resistance, divided by the average resistance, multiplied by 100. If the windings are random wound some facilities or organizations will relax the minimum imbalance to 2%. It is important to remember that these imbalances, which are commonly caused by high resistance connections, may not initially result in a current imbalance. However, action should still be taken to remedy the condition by inspecting the lugs and phase connections to prevent further degradation.
Tip provided by PdMA
http://www.pdma.com
March 09, 2006
The Bearing Expert Is Now Online
Now with 1,000,000 ball bearings, roller bearings, wheel bearings, linear bearings, pillow block bearings, sleeve bearings, thrust bearings, oil seals and much more in the interchange + over 200,000 vibration frequencies used in Condition Monitoring.
This data is available for all major manufacturers including Fafnir, Timken, SKF, NTN, INA, FAG, Torrington, Dodge, etc.
The Bearing Expert Quick Search allows for multiple bearings and data points from a single search. Reports are generated automatically including the bearing prefix and suffix interchange guide, harmonics, multiple manufacturer vibration report, and much more (calculations and formulas already computed). The Bearing Expert is by far the most extensive source of bearing data available. Combined with an “intelligent” search engine, International Source Index puts the “right” information at your fingertips immediately. The Bearing Expert works the way you think!!!
March 09, 2006
Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) Tip
Successful RCM - the Critical Factors
Many companies are aware of the potential benefits arising from Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) and the horror stories of high cost/low delivery initiatives. While recognising we are all under an obligation to reduce costs, it should be recognised that cost reduction is not the driver behind RCM. The prime deliverable of RCM is improved availability for both production and safety systems. However, successful Companies also experience that these availability increases are accompanied by a substantial reduction in costs in perhaps 80% of cases.
So how are these benefits achieved?
In addition to proper project management, involvement of the local staff & management and good facilitation (ideally by your own trained staff) RCM will not be a success without two other critical factors: Compliance and Craft Skills.
Compliance means actually doing the planned maintenance at, or around, the planned frequency. Skills, which includes competence, motivation and proper tools, ensures that the job is done well.
The use of Gain Share incentives only go part of the way in this respect. The results of RCM must make the transition from analysis to the site maintenance program and when they are there, they must be carried out roughly on time by properly trained, equipped and motivated craftsmen. It is not correct to focus on problems with the RCM process when the reasons for limited results delivery may lie elsewhere.
This Maintenance-Tip Challenge Winning Tip provided by Kenneth Lees, Maintenance 2000 Limited, Dundee, Scotland
March 09, 2006
Problem Solving Tip
Having trouble tracking down those elusive power problems like a phase that reads to ground in a floating ground power system that seems to come and go depending on what is or is not running?
Empower the whole workforce with a copy of the work order using “GROUP EMAIL” which will include all maintenance workers, hourly and salaried on all shifts in the affected department. This is extremely important as it empowers everyone on the job to look for the specific conditions to find the problem. This type of communication bypasses all the usual bottlenecks associated with normal “pass down” and logging information associated with alternative work schedules and keeps everyone up to date and you’ll be surprised at who comes up with the answer just because you gave them a little information!
This Maintenance-Tip Challenge Winning Tip provided by Jim Zuidema, Electrician, Alcoa, Bettendorf, IA
