July 27, 2006
Maintenance Planning Tip
On jobs more than two hours duration, break the work into sequential activities wherever possible so that specific trade/skill level requirements can be designated by activity, this freeing up a resource for other, nearby work when not required on the first job. Note that when planning and scheduling is performed by different people, a method of coding must be developed so that the scheduler can provide for “near-by work”.
Tip excerpted from Maintenance Planning and Scheduling : Streamline Your Organization for a Lean Environment Timothy C. Kister, Bruce Hawkins, published by Butterworth-Heinemann
July 27, 2006
Hydraulic Maintenance Tip
People say knowledge is power. Well this is also true in hydraulic maintenance. Many maintenance organizations do not know what their maintenance personnel should know. I believe in an industrial maintenance organization where we should divide the hydraulic skill necessary into two groups. One is the hydraulic troubleshooter, they must be your experts in maintenance and this should be as a rule of thumb 10% or less of your maintenance workforce. The other 90% + would be your general hydraulic maintenance personnel.
Tip excerpted from the Industrial Machinery Repair: Best Maintenance Practices Pocket Guide by Ricky Smith, R. Keith Mobley
July 27, 2006
Practical Machinery Lubrication Workshop - Chattanooga
LubricationWorld Pre-Conference Workshop
Led by Ray Thibault, CLS, OMA
This hard hitting and concise lubrication class is designed for people who don’t want to spend days learning lubrication. This class has been organized to give you the information necessary to make informed decisions on machinery lubrication to enhance reliability.
The following topics will be covered
• Fundamentals
• Bearing Lubrication
• Gear Lubrication
• Air Compressors
• Hydraulics
• Pumps and Motors
• Contamination Control
• Oil Analysis
This class will give you the knowledge to ask the right questions to optimize your lubrication program.
Seating is limited and space is going fast so please call toll free (888) 575 1245 to register for LubricationWorld today.
July 27, 2006
Maintenance Tip
Defect elimination is the key to plant performance
Reactive, Planned or Precision are the typical domains where most plants find themselves. For the reactive plant, they wait for things to happen and then “react” to the event. Depending on when the failures occur, these plants often find themselves without the required manpower and replacement parts and see much more secondary damage to the equipment. Maintenance costs are understandably higher and the effects on production loss increase due to the extended time for the repair.
Plants entrenched in the planning and scheduling domains are better prepared for the failures that are coming. They employ predictive and preventive techniques to provide awareness of impending failures and taking that additional time to ensure that proper resources (manpower and spare parts) are available for the repair. This does not imply that they are reducing the number of defects in the plant but rather are better prepared for handling them. Maintenance costs are lower than the reactive domain because work is primarily done on straight time and parts do not need to be expedited at higher cost. Production losses are indeed lower due to less secondary damage and the timeliness of the repair.
This is all well and good but plants that are not in the precision domain are still losing tremendous value by not getting the most from their capital assets. Plants in the precision domain understand that real value is achieved when everyone is involved eliminating the defects from the facility. Defect elimination is the key ingredient to a successful plant. Eliminating the need for the work related to defects will reduce the need for expensive maintenance activities and will reduce production losses. A beneficial byproduct of defect elimination is also a safer and more environmentally friendly plant.
Tip provided by Ken Latino
Practical Reliability Group
http://www.practicalreliabilitygroup.com
July 27, 2006
Motor Testing Tip
One of the signatures that can be found in Electrical Signature Analysis is the ‘Stator Mechanical’ signature. This signature is calculated as the number of stator slots times the RPM plus and minus the line frequency. These peaks can identify coils loose in the stator slots, broken stator core welds and/or excessively long coil ends from the core. If the motor is tested after being returned from the motor repair shop or is new and this signature is identified, then the chances are that the end turns are long and may not be blocked very well (coil movement due to poor mechanical strength). If the signature does not show up until later, it is likely that the coils have become loose in the slots or stator welds have broken.
In both cases, the best that can be done is monitoring of the peaks. If they start to increase or are over -70dB, then corrective action should be considered. Corrective action will most likely require rewind repair of the electric motor or re-welding of the stator core to the stator frame. The decision to perform corrective action should be considered based upon the criticality of the equipment that the motor is associated with.
Tip provided by Howard W Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP
SUCCESS by DESIGN Reliability Services
http://www.motordoc.net
Learn More About Dr. Penrose’s Motor Testing Workshop at PdM-2006
July 27, 2006
2 Training Courses for effective Maintenance and Reliability
MRG’s training courses cover topics that are critical to effective Maintenance and Reliability. MRG’s courses deliver more than just theory, they help you develop a clear path to improved reliability.
Introduction to Planning & Scheduling Principles - August 8 & 9, St. Louis
Introduction to Reliability Based Maintenance Strategies - August 10 & 11, St. Louis
To learn more please contact Pam Lynch at 203-264-0500 or email
July 27, 2006
Lubrication Tip
As a PdM, one of the consistent problems I found in lube oil analysis was the wrong type of oil was in the machines.
Sometimes there was a mixture, sometimes it was the wrong oil all together.
To alleviate this we came up with a color coded system. We purchased containers with a different color top for each type of oil. We then added colored tape, and a matching colored tag with the oil type written on it to each device, corresponding to the oil type color.
To take it a step further, we placed a matching color tag on the lube oil drums as they are opened. The plant operators embraced the concept and have got involved, actually tagging the equipment . It has made their job easier in that they no longer have to go and look up what type of oil a piece of equipment uses, they need only match the appropriate color. (The oil identification written on each tag compensates for anyone who is color blind.)
Since implementing the system, we have had no cross contamination of oil or the wrong oils causing lubrication / wear problems.
Reader tip provided by Neal Hebert
Sr. PdM Technician
Cleco Teche Power Station
Baldwin, LA
Thanks Neal - your Maintenance-Tips hat is on the way!
July 27, 2006
Maintenance Tip Feedback
Note: This is in response to a tip, not necessarily a tip of its own:
The following tip was posted in the July 7th email:
“Maintenance Tip
The purpose of maintenance
The fundamental purpose of maintenance in any business is to provide the required capacity for production at the lowest cost. It should be regarded as a RELIABILITY function - not as a repair function.
By Ray S. Beebe, Author, Predictive Maintenance of Pumps Using Condition Monitoring”
----------------------------------------------
I agree in spirit what is being said, but I worry about the potential literal translation that can occur with these statements, especially the first, that “maintenance’s purpose is to provide the required capacity at lowest cost.”
I believe maintenance is a key player to provide needed production at lowest price but I look at this as a joint team effort. In this effort there are four team players, Business Management, Engineering, Operations, and Maintenance. Business management determines the market needs and evaluates the available economics and needed capacities. Engineering uses available economics and needed production to determine designs and construct the process. Operations manage the equipment and incoming resources to produce the product. Maintenance provides specialized reliability activities, monitors equipment for pending failures, and does repairs when needed. It takes all four groups working together to provide required capacity at lowest cost.
All too often one of these four groups falls short and the attempted pass the blame game begins. With maintenance the last to become involved with equipment, they can be the first to get blamed. Using a pump as an example, no amount of maintenance can help if the system is not designed correctly. Or even with a good design if it is not operated within design parameters. If the suction head is not there, whether from supply tank level allowed to drop too low by operations or an engineering marginal design, production will not meet needs and pump failures will occur. No amount of “maintenance” will improve reliability in these cases.
In summary, my concern with a statement that maintenance’s purpose is to provide needed capacity, that is the case when wear is the factor causing low capacity.
Through positive maintenance efforts, condition based monitoring, good troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and other functions, with involvement of the entire team a difference can be made. The key is to not let one group move into false self glory at the expense of another.
Awesome PdM-2006 Maintenance Tips Challenge Honorable Mention Winner Tip provided by Evan Smith, West Reliability Engineer, Praxair, Pocatello Idaho
Thanks Evan - we will be sending you a PdM-2006 Conference Proceeding CD (when it is published) and a Maintenance-Tips hat.
Learn more about PdM-2006 The Predictive Maintenance Technology Conference
July 20, 2006
Shaft Alignment Tip
Dealing with Coupling Backlash in Shaft Alignment
In dealing with coupling backlash in shaft alignment, always turn one shaft first to engage the coupling before adjusting the laser beam on your laser alignment tool. This prevents the laser from shifting significantly away from the detector in the beginning of the measurement. Sometimes it is helpful to apply a slight amount of turning force on one shaft to keep the coupling engaged, in the case where both shafts can be easily turned.
Another way to handle backlash is to let gravity work in your favor when taking a measurement. Set up the laser alignment tool at the bottom of the shaft with the coupling backlash taken up. Rotate the shafts during measurement from the bottom to almost the top, but not past the top and then stop the measurement. This will help keep the coupling engaged during measurement.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935
July 20, 2006
Maintenance Planning Tip
When identifying skill levels required to perform work, indentify the lowest level capable. The requires a solid communication link with Maintenance Group Supervisors.
Tip excerpted from Maintenance Planning and Scheduling : Streamline Your Organization for a Lean Environment Timothy C. Kister, Bruce Hawkins, published by Butterworth-Heinemann
