March 27, 2008
Infrared Tip
When focusing your camera, try using a grayscale or monochrome palette.
It seems a lot easier to get a sharper focus.You can change palettes either after you get your camera focused or in the software when analyzing. Experiment with the palettes, different palettes work best for different applications.
Reader Tip provided by Alan Clarke
Systems Technician
Nyrstar Clarksville Inc.
Clarksville TN
Thanks Alan - your stainless steel, diamond plate Reliabilityweb.com coffee mug is on the way. We sure got a lot of good tips from Tennessee this week!
March 27, 2008
Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Tip
The ability to effectively troubleshoot failures has a direct impact on each and every failure that occurs at your plant.
The most effective way to build a complete and thorough troubleshooting guide is by completing a RCM analysis on that asset. The effectiveness and accuracy of the troubleshooting guide alone will typically cover the costs of most RCM analyses over a three year period.
Tip provided by Doug Plucknette
RCM Discipline Leader
Allied Reliability, Inc.
Tel: 888-414-5760
Find out more about RCM Blitz - Fast Reliability Centered Maintenance
March 27, 2008
Maintenance Scheduling Tip
Weekly Maintenance Schedule
Always include Operations Management in your weekly Maintenance Scheduling meeting along with Maintenance Managers and Coordinators.
Operation’s early acceptance of next week’s schedule will often result in improved equipment availability and schedule compliance.
Tip provided by Kin Cook
AssetPoint LLC
(864) 458-3333 Phone
March 27, 2008
MARCON 2008 - Maintenance and Reliability Conference
May 6-8, 2008
Knoxville Marriott
Knoxville, Tennessee
Now in the 12th year of presenting an annual conference in the vital area of maintenance and reliability, the University of Tennessee Maintenance and Reliability Center, together with Reliabilityweb.com, is again providing an opportunity to interact with attendees from both industry and academia; from both the private and the public sectors; from organizations just starting in maintenance and reliability to those well along in their journey.
This conference will allow the attendees to immerse themselves in ideas—some new, some reinforcing already known truths—to help them better prepare for meeting and beating the competition. In addition to the excellent papers, panel discussions and other formal exchanges, there will be plenty of time for networking and sharing with both old and new acquaintances.
March 27, 2008
Reliability Tip
Machine Repairs.
Tired of repeating the same old repairs day in and day out.
Then change your troubleshooting culture to reflect reliability.
[Root Cause]and [Eliminating Unplanned Failures]!!!!!
Call it RAMP-P.
Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Predictability and be Proactive.
When performing a repair try these steps.
1) Gather as much information as you can from the operators or others that operate the equipment.
2)Understand the failure. Problem and Failure modes.
3)Can this be monitored [ by human or technology ]. Identify the parameters.
4) Find the Root Cause / Source of the problem.
5)Correct the failure.
6)VERIFY the REPAIR. [Very Important] Verification by fact’s.
7)Perform Root Cause Analysis and apply countermeasures to eliminate or reduce the failure.
! In Everything Man Designs carries the seeds of it’s own Destruction !!
Reliability must be built in at design to be most effective. So please offer your suggestions to those responsible for procurement and evaluation of equipment.
Work Smart and make sound decisions based on fact. Not the touchy / feely method. You must provide factual data. This alone will provide the necessary information to others so to aid in the improvement of assets reliability.
Reader Tip provided by Landon B. Humphrey
Maintenance Supervisor
Denso Mfg
Maryville TN
Thanks Landon - your stainless steel, diamond plate Reliabilityweb.com coffee mug is on the way!
March 27, 2008
Vibration severity monitoring + Shock pulse monitoring
The backbone of all proactive maintenance is up to date data on the machine status, obtained with two well-tested frontline techniques.
Vibration severity monitoring according to ISO standards diagnoses general machine condition. Shock pulse monitoring with the True SPM Method gives early warning of bearing deterioration, the most common cause of machine failures.
March 27, 2008
Installing Infrared (IR) Windows Tip
Don’t be Caught Short-handed During Your Install
You have lined everything up and planned out all of the details for your Infrared Window Installation. Your pre-assessment was complete and thorough, and you have a good estimate of how many IR Viewing Panes you require, where they need to be placed, etc. But did you plan for the unexpected?
During installation, you may find that the interior of a couple of cabinets are a bit different than anticipated and maybe you need another couple windows or a different size than you have on-hand. You might find that you need spares, but those switchgear and the MCC’s need to be up and running again by tomorrow – not enough time even for an overnight delivery. Thank goodness you remember to “be prepared:” You ordered a few extra windows and in various sizes and therefore “planned for the unexpected.” You probably won’t get your picture on the wall of fame in the lobby, and probably no one will even know how smart you were. But if you didn’t plan for the unexpected, how many people would have known then?
We suggest that if you are completing an infrared window installation program that you hold an additional 10% above your estimate in various sizes. If you want some help, just contact us and we’d be happy to answer any questions you might have about planning for, installing or using IR windows.
Tip provided Martin Robinson
IRISS
Tel: +1 (941) 907-9128
Email:
March 27, 2008
Maintenance Tip
What if maintenance and surgery were both performed the same?
I noticed some interesting things the other day while waiting for a family member to have in-patient surgery at the hospital. Being a “die-hard” maintenance guy I figured out the way to have efficient and effective maintenance…
Approach it the same way the Doctor’s and Nurse’s did at the hospital. I know before you dismiss the idea all together think about it for a minute. This entire event was the ultimate planned, scheduled, and coordinated activity I had ever witnessed.
Although the event was not-pre-planned or scheduled, it had a standard “job plan” (task understanding). The Doctor and Nurse each understood the job requirements. An operating room was pre-scheduled for such emergencies (contingency planning). The Doctor’s scheduled was updated to accomplish the surgery while completing all other surgery’s scheduled for that day (contingency scheduling). Required instruments to perform the surgery were staged in the operating room (staging of necessary task items). The surgery was scheduled for 45-minutes and was completed in 45-minutes (schedule adherence). After the patient was moved from the recovery room and was being prepared for release the Doctor followed up to insure the surgery was successful (asset follow up to ensure proper operation).
The most amazing part was never once did I see the Doctor or the Nurse run to the storeroom for additional parts or have to research technical information. Imagine if your organization performed with the same level of efficiency and effectiveness? Or imagine if your maintenance personnel were performing surgery on you…
Remember task understanding, contingency planning, contingency scheduling, staging of necessary items, schedule adherence, and follow-up are all essential to successful maintenance. If not you could be in for a long recovery…
Tip provided by Dave Bertolini
Managing Principal
People and Processes, Inc.
March 20, 2008
Maintenance Tip
The basic principle in being a good technician is not only doing your job it’s being able to convince your peers that you trust your tools and their outcome.
All of us in the reliability world understand there are a lot of tools out there that can predict problems. But the hardest part is convincing our peers the predictability is worth the time to investigate.
I enjoy using our Infrared camera and pocket bearing detector on the back shift. They assist me in helping the mechanics determine that either the equipment needs taken down now or that a problem is on the way.
Painting a picture with the Infrared camera for morning meetings is as good as a vibration analysis graph and it’s easy for others to understand.
Not to say we don’t have equipment that still fails with all the analyzers in place for warning signs. Like they say, they’re Predictive Maintenance tools, we have to find out what the root cause is making it fail so often.
I hope this helps..remember we have to be able to sell what we believe in.
Dane A. Snowden
Team Ldr/Maintenance Dept.
M&M Mars Snackfood Division
Snowden’s Electrical Maintenance
Ooltewah TN
Thanks Dane - your stainless steel diamond plate Reliabilityweb.com coffee mug is on the way!
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March 20, 2008
Becoming a Procedures Based Organization
Join us for a Web Workshop on April 4
Advancing Reliability Workshop #3: Beating the Odds in Reliability & Maintenance – Becoming a Procedures Based Organization
In this 3rd of 11 web workshops Jack Nicholas Jr. discusses the elements for a sustainable reliability based maintenance program such as:
* Written procedures
* Checklists
* Training on leading practices
* Policies that encourage willing compliance
* Process analysis and continuous improvement
There are several polls conducted throughout the Web Workshop that provide a real time snap shot of attendees practices. Results will be discussed to highlight workshop lessons.
The presented material will last 50-55 minutes minutes with extra time set aside for questions and answers. Please allow extra time to attend if you are interested in participating in the question and answer sessions.
