June 15, 2006
Enter the Predictive Maintenance-Tip and Lubrication-Tip Challenge!
Do you have great advice that will help other predictive maintenance and lubrication professionals do their jobs better?
Enter your tip into the PdM-2006/LubricationWorld Tip Challenge and you may be a lucky winner! Winners will be announced on July 20.
To qualify please send a tip in one of the following categories:
• Vibration Analysis
• Infrared Thermal Imaging
• Airborne Ultrasound
• Motor Testing
• Oil Analysis
• Lubrication
• Contamination Control
Prizes:
1 Grand Prize PdM/Lubrication Tip: Free PdM-2006/LubricationWorld 4 Day Conference Pass, 4 nights single/double room hotel at the Chattanooga Marriott in Chattanooga Tennessee, Tip Featured in Maintenance-Tips Email newsletter as Grand Prize Winner
1 Runner Up PdM/Lubrication Tip: Free PdM-2006/LubricationWorld 4 Day Conference Pass, Tip Featured at EAM-2006 in Maintenance-Tips Email newsletter
25 other published tip submissions will be entered into a drawing for a Free Maintenance Tips hat and a PdM-2006 Conference proceedings CD
What is a Maintenance tip? A 1-3 paragraph bit of practical “how-to” wisdom that can be put to immediate use without having to purchase something.
June 15, 2006
Commtest A New Concept in Vibration Analysis
Commtest represents a new concept in vibration analysis and includes core features used by veteran condition monitoring professionals. Gearbox and bearing analysis are made easier with intuitive easy-to-use menus enabling first time users to be running in minutes, not days. The Ascent® software contains the collective experience of over 25 years of expert in-depth machine fault analysis. Users with no prior experience or no recorded vibration history can establish a measurement program utilizing proven baseline values from ISO standards and “The Proven Method” from Technical Associates.
Join the Commtest Revolution! Visit our website at http://www.commtest.com or call us toll free 877.582.2946 or 865.588.2946.
June 15, 2006
Maintenance Tip
Take fact from Uptime written by John Dixon Campbell, an effective planned maintenance will reduce labor, cost, downtime and quality maintenance which can be achieved through these steps:
• Identify- random observations have a low probability of catching a problem before it become expensive.
• Schedule- availability on; when you can coordinate needed people with needed skills, parts or materials and etc.
• Assign- allows flexibility as emergencies, unplanned work or crew changes fluctuate.
• Execute- this is where “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and adds the real value such as quality, cost, time and service.
• Analyze- job isn’t finished until the paperwork is done. Analysis of failure will lessen the same mistake.
Tip supplied by CWorks
June 15, 2006
Leadership Tips
Employee passion results from the employee’s positive experience and overall satisfaction with the organization, its policies, procedures, products, and management practices, and directly predicts customer devotion and organizational vitality. Hard measures of employee passion include retention, absenteeism, tenure, and productivity. Soft measures include employee perception of fairness, justice, and trust.
By taking care of employees, leaders establish an environment in which the employees take care of the customers at a level that causes the customer to want to return year after year.
Profit is a byproduct of serving the customer, which can only be achieved by serving the employee.
From a Survey by Leadership Expert Ken Blanchard
June 08, 2006
Ultrasonic Tip
From Ultrasonic War Stories by Jim Hall
http://www.ultra-soundtech.com
I had been called earlier in the month by a manufacturer of structural parts for Sidewinder Missiles for the sole purpose of instructing his people in the use of airborne ultrasound and the many applications.
This particular day the plant was manufacturing “fins” for sidewinder missiles. You know? Fins that help the missile stabilize in flight. Manufacturing these parts requires having a heat treat ovens, lots of ovens and tons of natural gas or propane.
So, there we were Julio, Chico and I, wandering the plant looking for anomalies. What I was trying to show them at the time, were tactics that I had used in the past.
Particularly, how I would leave the headphones on my head and the ultrasonic receiver in my hand as I walked back to the mechanics shop, after performing a maintenance task or pdm application.
Its important that anyone using airborne ultrasound, continue to use the instrument right up to the door of the maintenance shop and not just “lolly-gag” (goof-off) back to the shop. You should always keep watch and be alert for anomalies on electrical switchgear (stay outside arc- flash boundaries), air leaks (pressure or vacuum), conveyors, etc…
The smell of gas had been reported earlier that week, so we (Chico, Julio and I) quickly began scanning with ultrasonic receivers that were rated IS (Intrinsically Safe). Meaning, it can be used in an explosive atmosphere. As I started scanning the 8 heat treat ovens, all of which were operating at the same time I noticed an arcing sound that seemed to be coming from a low-voltage panel across the room (about 25 feet from the first oven). As I approached a 480 panel across the room, the arcing got louder. As we struggled to stay outside the “arc flash” boundary, we noticed a lower panel were the sound was emitting from. Not only could you hear the sound, you could smell smoldering metal or wire.
As Chico quickly got his Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on to guard against Arc Flash, he then slowly opened the panel. You could actually see a live spark arcing across the connecting block and the aluminum wiring.
I thought to myself, how in the world could anyone still have “aluminum wiring” in a plant like this?
It was about this time that Julio came running up to me to tell me what he had found. He mentioned that he had found several leaks on an oven about 30 feet away.
At that time, (fearing fro my life and everyone else’s) I said, “that’s it!”, I’ve had enough, I ‘am outta here.......
The gas leaks were significant, but because they had fans sucking the contaminated air from the room, it was not as noticeable.
Needless to say, all the aluminum wiring was replaced and everybody lived happily ever after.
=======================================
Join Jim Hall for Web Workshop #3
Date: Friday June 16
Time: 11 am – noon EST (GMT -05)
Price: Free
Part 1 - 6 Steps to creating an effective Ultrasonic Analysis Program by James Taylor
and
Part 2 Introduction to Airborne Ultrasonics by Jim Hall
Space is limited so please use this link to enroll in this FREE workshop today!
June 08, 2006
Maintenance Tip
Slipping/Worn Belts
Use a pocket strobe in the field to identify belt related problems on equipment. The pocket strobe can be adjusted to the same frequency/RPM of the equipment. Damaged, worn or slippage in belts can be observed and reported for repair. If a belt has to be replaced, make sure to change the entire belt set and re-align it using a laser belt alignment tool, like the DotLine Laser.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com/dotline.htm
Tel: 305-591-8935
June 08, 2006
PdM-2006 Better - Not Bigger!
Predictive Maintenance Technology Conference & Expo
September 12-15, 2006
Chattanooga TN
Have you noticed the new trend in Maintenance Mega-Conferences?
900 attendees - 1400 attendees! How does a huge crowd benefit you - the attendee?
At Reliabilityweb.com, you told us you like smaller conferences that also create opportunities to meet and exchange information with other maintenance and reliability professionals. You also want the best subject matter experts and actual case studies of people like you who have “been there” and “done that” - like PdM-2006 speakers from Boeing, TVA, Alcoa, Dofasco, Cargill, US Navy, US Force, Unicem.
At PdM-2006 the Predictive Maintenance Technology Conference:
• Attendance is limited to 500 to ensure a quality experience
• 45 Case Studies and short courses
• Collocated with LubricationWorld
• 2 Events - 1 Price
• Meet the Uptime Magazine PdM Program of the Year Award Winners
• Sit for the CMRP Exam by SMRP, CLS/OMA Exam by STLE or the Vibration Institute Certification Exam
• Meet representative of SMRP, STLE, IEMD (new Motors group) and ISPOT (New Infrared Group)
• Learn how the Council for Certifying Organizations (CoCo) is unifying PdM Certifications
• Choose from 10 full day workshops
• Chance to win an Alienware Laptop
•Arnold Engineering Development Center Plant Tour
• Over 40 Leading PdM Vendors
• Save $200 on early bird registration
Watch for more program and event details in this month’s Uptime Magazine or use the link below to request a PdM-2006 brochure.
Please make plans to attend PdM-2006 today and take advantage of early bird savings. Group discounts are also available by calling toll free (888) 575 1245.
June 08, 2006
Lean Maintenance Tips
Laws of Manufacturing Maintenance
• Properly Maintained manufacturing equipment makes many quality products
• Improperly maintenance manufacturing equipment makes fewer products of questionable quality
• Inoperable equipment makes no products
From Lean Maintenance by Ricky Smith and Bruce Hawkins
June 08, 2006
Planning Tip
6 Basics Principle to Keeping Planning and Scheduling Simple – Tip 1
By Sam Slade
I believe most of you can keep planning and scheduling simple without making radical changes to your current maintenance program. I always liked the phrase “Keep it simple stupid”. In fact studies have found that most companies struggle with planning and scheduling because they try to make it too complex. You will find very few companies (less than 5%) perform planning and scheduling to the full extent. I am offering a simple solution to companies that need help now and currently have no planner/schedulers.
If you would like to improve your workforce efficiency (direct work time or wrench time) by 10-30% then follow these simple principles (I call this process crawling before we learn to walk).
1. If you do not have a planner and scheduler, identify one person in your maintenance workforce to be one.
- Identify one planner/scheduler for every 7-15 maintenance personnel (this number is flexible)
- Look for a person who can sit at a computer and work for long hours focused on doing a good job without someone holding their hand (I like electricians for this job best).
2. Write a blanket work order covering his/her time.
3. Have the new planner/scheduler focus on scheduling work one day out. No planning just scheduling the work for each person along with coordinating with production/operations. Additional points:
- You will want to expand the scheduling to a full week once the planner/scheduler feels comfortable with the scheduling process.
- Warning: Maintenance supervisors remain in control of their work telling the planner/scheduler what work he/she wants done the next day and who does it.
Planner/schedulers can make recommendations however.
4. Have the planner/scheduler order/expedite emergency parts for the maintenance supervisor or craft personnel as needed.
5. Do not allow the planner/scheduler to return to their tools. You will want them focused on scheduling work (maybe start planning jobs that takes over 4 hours)
6. Measure your scheduled compliance by week. Scheduled Compliance: Measure the number of scheduled (not emergency work) work orders completed on scheduled and divide this number by the total number of work orders scheduled for one week. Track and trend this information and watch the schedule compliance grow along with equipment problems decreasing. Post this data on your maintenance bulletin board.
Your scheduled compliance may start at below 20% however it will grow. At some time, maybe 6 -12 months, you will need to improve this model to a more proactive one. In my series of titled “Keeping it simple” you will be provide many ideas on how to improve this process. In conclusion, the process above will provide results quickly if you follow all of my simple rules. I have seen this process work at many maintenance operations.
Tip provided by Sam Slade, Maintenance Planner
June 08, 2006
Infrared Breakthrough: Multi-Band Cameras Image Through Flame
“Look, Ma, no cryogenics!” – That’s the brag from engineers who have saved $50,000 or more over a cryogenic midwave IR camera by using Mikron Infrared’s new MikroScan 7400 portable camera or M7500 process imaging camera. These unique cameras use a standard uncooled microbolometer to image in both midwave and long-wave bands.
The MikroScan 7400 is getting rave reviews from the power generation industry, where it’s used for predictive monitoring of electrical hardware in the 8.0-14 micron long-wave band, then filtered for the 3.9 micron band for through-flame monitoring of boiler tube condition. The camera serves two roles, in two different IR bands, for the price of one single-band camera. This saves thousands for a cryogenically cooled midwave camera that can only do half the work – that’s ROI!
The new M7500 process monitoring camera is also a technology “first.” It can be configured for midwave or longwave imaging and four different temperature bands. Patent-pending “spectral tuning” enables the M7500 to image in the midwave bands of 3.9 microns (furnaces and boilers through flames) and 4.8-5.2 microns (for glass), in a temperature range of 400° to 1600°C. For widest process monitoring flexibility, the M7500 features two standard temperature ranges of 40° to 120°C and 0° to 500°C in 8-14 micron long-wave mode, ideal for typical monitoring applications, because it’s unaffected by sunlight or factory lighting. It provides temperature accuracy of ±2°C for applications in glass, ceramics, food processing, paper, textiles, electronics, hydrocarbon/chemical processing and others.
For more information on these spectacular products or to find your local sales professional, call 1-888-506-3900 or email
