Maintenance Technology May 2013

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18 What’s At The End Of Your Rainbow?When the reality of CMMS implementation and use seems to fall

short of your site’s “pot-of-gold” expectations, knowledge and experience can help bridge the gap. But where do you get it? John Reeve, Cohesive Information Solutions, Inc.

24 Big Money TalksWilliam C. “Bill” Livoti

26 The Importance Of Best Effi ciency Point (BEP) Are you so focused on the e� ciency of your motors that you’ve lost sight of the equipment they’re driving? Take a step back: Understanding factors involved in pump performance, for example, is key to optimizing a � uid-handling process. Eugene Vogel, Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA)

EXPERT Q&A30 Sage Advice:

Understanding RCM In written answers to questions posed during a 2012 Webinar sponsored by SMRP’s Pharma Special Interest Group (SIG), noted industry icon Anthony M. “Mac” Smith gets to do one of his favorite things: Expound on the bene� ts of Reliability Centered Maintenance. Special To MT

UTILITIES MANAGER

ContentsFEATURES

DEPARTMENTS DEPARTMENTS

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6 My Take

8 Stuff Happens

12 Uptime

15 Motor Decisions Matter

16 Don’t Procrastinate… Innovate!

33 Technology Showcase

36 Marketplace

38 Information Highway

38 Classifi ed

39 Supplier Index

40 Viewpoint

MAY 2013 • VOL 26, NO 5 • www.MT-ONLINE.com

CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

The Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit isTHE Capacity Assurance Conference

Information-Packed Presentations & In-Depth Workshops Galore!

April 30-May 3, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, IL.

For More Information, Visit www.MARTSConference.com ASAP!

®

MAY 2013 MT-ONLINE.COM | 3

YOUR SOURCE FOR CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

This year’s Maintenance and Reliability Technology Summit is in the books.

To view all MARTS 2013 presentations, visit www.MARTSconference.com/archive.

ARTHUR L. RICEPresident/CEO

[email protected]

BILL KIESELExecutive Vice President/Publisher

[email protected]

JANE ALEXANDEREditor-In-Chief

[email protected]

RICK CARTERExecutive Editor

[email protected]

ROBERT “BOB” WILLIAMSONKENNETH E. BANNISTERContributing Editors

RANDY BUTTSTADTDirector of Creative Services [email protected]

GREG PIETRASEditorial/Production Assistant

[email protected]

ELLEN SANDKAMDirect Mail

800-223-3423, ext. 110 [email protected]

JILL KALETHAReprint Manager

866-879-9144, ext. 168 [email protected]

Editorial Offi ce:1300 South Grove Ave., Suite 105

Barrington, IL 60010847-382-8100 / FAX 847-304-8603 WWW.MT-ONLINE.COM

Maintenance Technology® (ISSN 0899-5729) is published monthly by Applied Technology Publications, Inc., 1300 S. Grove Avenue, Barrington, IL 60010. Pe-riodicals postage paid at Barrington, Illinois and addi-tional o� ces. Arthur L. Rice, III, President. Circulation records are maintained at Maintenance Technol-ogy®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Maintenance Technology® copyright 2013 by Applied Technology Publications, Inc. Annual subscription rates for nonquali� ed people: North America, $140; all others, $280 (air). No sub-scription agency is authorized by us to solicit or take or-ders for subscriptions. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Maintenance Technology®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Please indicate position, title, company name, company address. For other circulation information call (630) 739-0900. Canadian Publications agreement No. 40886011. Canada Post returns: IMEX, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5, or email: [email protected]. Submissions Policy: Maintenance Technology® gladly welcomes submissions. By send-ing us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technol-ogy Publications, Inc. permission, by an irrevocable li-cense, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned.“Maintenance Technology®” is a registered trade-mark of Applied Technology Publications, Inc.Printed in U.S.A.

Subscriptions:FOR INQUIRIES OR CHANGES CONTACT JEFFREY HEINE,

630-739-0900 EXT. 204 / FAX 630-739-7967

4 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY MAY 2013

May 2013 • Volume 26, No. 5

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6 | maintenance technology MAY 2013

MY TAKE

W ho among us hasn’t found a challenge-based reality television series to wrap our minds around for a while? There are so many to choose from. My favorites over the years have been Project Runway, Shark Tank and HGTV’s Design Star and All-American Handyman. That was until I heard about a new one (which, as I write this column, hasn’t aired its first episode).

Based on what I’ve read and clips I’ve seen, Discovery Channel’s Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius could make a strong case for retaining that expensive cable subscription you’ve considered dropping. And for demanding (perish the thought) that your kids stay glued to the tube.

According to promo material posted on www.discovery.com, the series works like this: Each week, contestants will be asked to solve a “seemingly impossible engineering challenge” using their own intellect—in just 30 minutes. Based on logic and design, judges will determine the best engineering concept and select two captains to lead teams in executing the project. The team that executes best will remain safe, but the losers will have to face the judges, who will send someone packing.

Speaking of judges, the two on Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius do appear to have some street cred: Dr. Christine Gulbranson is a nanotechnologist and renewable energy innovator. Mark Fuller is the President and CEO of WET, a company behind what it says are “some of the world’s most innovative water-based designed environments and experiences, including the Fountains of Bellagio, in Las Vegas.” (Coincidentally, the winner of the first season’s competition will earn $50,000 and a one-year contract to work at WET.)

By presenting a weekly snapshot of honest-to-goodness engineering in an exciting light and via a proven format, this Discovery series could do what we’ve been harping on for so long in our magazines: Capture the hearts and minds of the skilled workforce of tomorrow while they’re still young, and begin moving them in the direction of technical careers sooner than later. Not to minimize those awesome STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) educational initiatives we’ve been hearing about, but this, after all, IS TELEVISION. Despite our best intentions, most children today are never very far away from it and its impact. Taking the spotlight off shock-value, problem-generating series like Buckwild, Ridiculousness, etc., and shining it on positive problem-solving has to be a plus.

I’m hoping the new show quickly gains traction with viewers and that droves of savvy advertisers will want to wrap their messages around it. Since commercial success will be crucial to its survival, I urge the producers to place more emphasis on engineering issues and less on the dynamics and intrigue running through the contestants’ living quarters. And, while it may be too late to weigh in on this, given the fact that the first season is probably “in the can,” I also vote for putting plenty of women on the competing teams. For now, though, let’s just rejoice that this type of show exists… and that others like it might be in the works. MT [email protected]

PS: On a related note, I recently listened in on a Siemens-sponsored Washington Post Live Webcast that brought government officials and leading executives together to discuss “America’s New Manufacturing.” It and a follow-up conference call with Siemens Industry Sector, North America CEO Helmuth Ludwig were some of the most thought-provoking events I’ve “attended” in a long time. For video highlights of the Webcast, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/postlive/conferences/manufacturing.

Well, Duh?

Jane Alexander, Editor-In-Chief

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STUFF HAPPENS

NEWS

ASHRAE LAUNCHES EXPANDED JOBS OPPORTUNITY BOARD

CERTIFIED

Members of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers) now have increased opportunities to fi nd jobs through the association’s expanded jobs board. A recent expansion between ASHRAE and BirdDog (a supplier of cloud-based recruitment and applicant tracking technology), which have been working together since 2009 to provide job-board support at www.ASHRAEjobs.com, will make it easier for employers to fi ll built-environment technology positions, as well as provide ASHRAE members with an improved means of identifying and applying for jobs in their chosen fi elds. The expanded site specifi cally allows employers that are interested in hiring ASHRAE members to post their listings throughout the BirdDog family of job boards and ensures that all ASHRAE members will be able to see the job posting.

“Our members are in high demand, and that’s good news,” explains Tim Wentz, Volunteer Chair of ASHRAE’s Publishing and Education Council, which oversees ASHRAEjobs.com. “Unfortunately, like so many industries, companies wanting to or already employing ASHRAE members report troubles fi nding the right candidate. The improved ASHRAE jobs site, along with its four years of history, gives us the foundation to expand our efforts and ensure the right talent is being matched up with right job.”

According to ASHRAE, its members are the global leaders of building technology. To qualify as a full ASHRAE member, a minimum of 12 years of professional experience in the industry must be shown.

The new jobs-board service launched April 15, 2013. Employers with questions about the expanded partnership should contact Bryan May of the BirdDog organization, at 515.473.9212.

The Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition (SMLC) has won a 2013 Clean Energy Manufacturing contract to develop the nation’s fi rst open, smart-manufacturing technology platform for collaborative industrial networked information applications. Under SMLC’s leadership, this $10 million project will receive $7.8 million in funding from the U.S. Dept. of Energy Offi ce of Energy Effi ciency & Renewable Energy’s

Advanced Manufacturing Offi ce. Overall objectives of the initial project are to design and demonstrate a common platform that enables data modeling and simulation technologies to actively manage energy use

in conjunction with plant production systems and show that real-time energy management can be a key driver in business decisions across many U.S. manufacturing operations. The SMLC is a non-profi t organization comprised of manufacturing practitioner, supplier and technology companies (including Emerson, Rockwell Automation, Honeywell and Invensys, among others); manufacturing consortia; universities; Federal agency and government laboratories. It supports the manufacturing industry through the pursuit of a comprehensive technology that no one company can undertake.

The Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition (SMLC)contract to develop the nation’s fi rst open, smart-manufacturing technology platform for collaborative industrial networked information applications. Under SMLC’s leadership, this $10 million project will receive $7.8 million in funding from the

Advanced Manufacturing Offi ce. common platform that enables data modeling and simulation technologies to actively manage energy use

in conjunction with plant production systems and show that real-time energy management can be a key driver in business decisions across many U.S. manufacturing operations. The SMLC is a non-profi t organization comprised of manufacturing practitioner, supplier and technology companies (including Honeywell and Invensys, among others); manufacturing consortia; universities; Federal agency and government laboratories. It supports the manufacturing industry through the pursuit of a comprehensive technology that no one company can undertake.

The

$7.8 million in funding from the Advanced Manufacturing Offi ce.

common platform that enables data modeling and simulation technologies to actively manage energy use in conjunction with plant production systems and show that real-time energy management can be a key driver

in business decisions across many U.S. manufacturing operations. The SMLC is a non-profi t organization comprised

GO FOR IT!

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) celebrated Earth Day by announcing that as of April 2013, more than 300 facility managers around the globe had earned their Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) certifi cation. Since the SFP credential was fi rst introduced in 2011, the rate of new facility managers earning it has quadrupled.

STUFF HAPPENS NEWS

Inspiration For Those Battling The Enemies Of Reliability & Productivity

Send your favorites to [email protected].

We’ll be selecting one or two (maybe even three) to feature each month. Be sure to give full credit to the individual (dead, alive, real or fi ctional) that uttered or wrote the words, and why those words inspire you. Don’t forget to include your complete contact info.

Have you read, heard, seen, thought or written down something that falls into the realm of “fi ghtin’ words”

for the maintenance and reliability community?

FIGHTIN’WORDS

BIZBUZZ...


!BRIGHT SPOT

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Air-pollution control specialist CECO Environmental Corp. has announced its plans to acquire Met-Pro Corp., the well-known provider of product-recovery, pollution-control, fi ltration

and fl uid-handling solutions, including Fibroc fi berglass reinforced plastic (FRP)

pumps used in desalination. Management of both companies will remain in leadership positions with Jeff Lang serving as CEO, Ray De Hont as COO and Neal Murphy as CFO. The acquisition is subject to standard closing conditions, including stockholder approval.

In conjunction with its recent 2013 Pump Appreciation Day festivities, ITT Goulds Pumps donated $25,000 to the International Emergency Cardiovascular Care Program supported by the American Heart Association and its global partners. Held on the second Tuesday of April each year, Pump Appreciation Day is marked by various distributor events and public recognition for winners of the Heart of Industry and Industry Pulse Awards.

Got items for Stu� Happens? Send your news to [email protected]


Chicago-based Prime Advantage, a buying consortium for small and midsized manufacturers, has released fi ndings from its fi fth annual Group CFO Survey, revealing the top fi nancial projections and concerns of its member companies’ CFOs in 2013. The respondents’ main focus in 2013 is on growth, with nearly all of them (96%) believing U.S. manufacturing will expand or stay the same this year. Other highlights: 72% rated their optimism about fi nancial prospects as moderate to high, an increase of 10% over last year; 46% of these manufacturers have engaged with local educational providers to train workers (up 19% in 2012); and 49% say they plan to increase the number of employees in 2013 (up from 41% in 2012).

“Vision without a process is a fantasy. If there is no plan or process to our vision, then it is

only a dream.”

Dave Alires, a Maintenance Manager with the U.S. Postal Service Network Distribution Center in Denver, supplied the following quote. It’s one of many he’s posted near the time clock. He heard a minister use it:

We thank you and the USPS so very much, Dave. Best wishes. . . Keep up the good fi ght.


STUFF HAPPENSNEWS

Title: Business Fables and Foibles

Author: Ron Moore

Reviewed By: Bob Williamson, Contributing EditorReviewed By: Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

Title: Business Fables and Foibles

Author: Ron Moore

Reviewed By: Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

Title

Author: Ron Moore

Reviewed By: Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

MT’sBook Club

Recommended Reading For Maintenance & Reliability Pros

Have you read a book that could be of value to other readers of MT? Tell us why in 50 words or less.

Visit www.mt-online.com/bookclub for Book Club Rules and submission forms. Or, after reading those rules,

send your reviews directly to [email protected].

“This new book by a respected consultant and author features 35 fi ctitious and satirical short stories about maintenance & reliability and business conditions we may fi nd ourselves reacting to (and embracing). While his book Making Common Sense Common Practice is a hard-hitting how-to reference, Ron uses a a light-hearted, story-telling style in this collection. My favorites include ‘TPM-Totally Painted Machines’ and ‘Reliability Centered Misery.’” . . . BW

WHITE PAPERCORNER

Showcasing In-Depth Technical Articles From Your Suppliers WHITE PAPERCORNER


TOPIC: Checking voltage frequency ratio on variable speed drives with the new Fluke 2-channel ScopeMeter® 190 Series II portable oscilloscopeThe difference between an oscilloscope and a DMM (digital multimeter) can be summarily stated as “pictures vs. numbers.” A scope adds a wealth of information to the numeric readings of a multimeter. While displaying instantaneous numerical values of a wave, it also reveals the shape of the wave, including its amplitude (voltage) and frequency. With such visual information, a transient signal or other sources of disturbances that may pose major consequences to a system can be captured, displayed then measured and isolated.

With their unique triggering and measuring functions, Fluke ScopeMeter 190 Series II portable oscilloscopes are ideal for analyzing the voltage-frequency ratio of pulse-width-modulated variable speed drives. Read more on this topic at www.mt-online.com/white-papers.

Sponsored Information

Got items for Stu� Happens? Send your news to [email protected]


AUTOMATION INSIDER

Get the Most From Your Software Systems

By Gary Mintchell

Germany’s Hannover Fair is billed as the world’s largest

industrial trade show. That’s where I was last month—

with just over 200,000 of my closest friends—browsing

my share of more than 6000 exhibits. While capacity assur-

ance may not have been explicitly referenced, readers of this

magazine would probably recognize it as an overarching

theme running through the products on display. Here are a

couple of issues that caught my attention.

How prepared are you?For example, how many of you and/or your teams get work

orders from a CMMS package? Do you ever obtain enough

information to get a head start on a problem before going

out to investigate it? Have you ever been suspicious of an

operator’s response to an alarm from the DCS?

The answer to these types of dilemmas could be an MES

application—which can provide a wealth of information

about process status prior to personnel heading out to deal

with a problem. This information often can precede a work

order in the sense that crews are able to see problems trending

and prepare in advance for corrective actions. Based on my

past experience in engineering roles, I believe there’s great

value in knowing up front what tools and spares to take

along on a job (and perhaps cut out a second or third trip).

At Hannover, I spent some time at the Forcam stand (www.forcam.com), where CEO Franz Gruber explained

how MES working with CMMS can pay big dividends when

it comes to getting processes back online quicker.

Are you going mobile?Speaking of getting information, how many of you are using

smart phones and tablets in your facilities these days? I realize

doing so can be diffi cult or prohibited in hazardous or classi-

fi ed areas, but there are many areas where it’s not. Using these

commercial technologies in personal life inevitably bleeds over

into business life. (That’s how the fi rst PCs invaded businesses

in the 1980s.) Manufacturers are now even working on Class I

Div. 2 tablets. What a fantastic way to research problems without

the need to fi nd a computer: Just pull out your portable device

and access a few key pieces of diagnostic information. However,

the word is that personnel in maintenance areas—from techni-

cians to supervisors—seem to be lagging in adopting mobile

technologies.

A recent study by the enterprise asset management supplier

IFS (www.ifsworld.com) found that 75% of users have little

to no mobile access to their EAM or CMMS. Only 34% reported

using a handheld mobile device to work in these systems.

This is not to mention gleaning trending or compo-

nent information from other software programs that could be

accessed via a smart phone or tablet app. (I recently saw

a demo of a soon-to-be-released app of this type that makes

fi nding key information quick and easy. Stay tuned.)

But the IFS fi ndings point to a corporate IT obstacle, as well.

“The study indicates that those who limit remote access to

connection solutions like VPN tend to be less likely to report

high levels of access and are less likely to be working in the soft-

ware from a handheld device,” IFS North America Vice President

for Energy and Asset Management Patrick Zirnhelt told me.

Mobile devices are key to the next generation of produc-

tivity. We need to convince IT that opening up the system,

most likely through implementing cloud technology, will

pay dividends in productivity and profi ts. It’s time to plan

your implementation and get moving. MT

Gary Mintchell, [email protected], Co-founder and

long-time Editor-in-Chief of Automation World magazine,

now writes at www.garymintchellsfeedforward.com.


By Gary Mintchell By Gary Mintchell


12 | mAintenAnce tecHnoloGY MAY 2013

UPTIME

Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

Putting The Pieces TogetherIn Pursuit of 100% Reliability

How close to 100% reliable is your most critical equipment… the equipment that should perform as intended the fi rst time, every time? It should be 100% reliable for safety, environmental or just plain busi-ness purposes. What organization would be satisfi ed with 45% reliability of these critical processes? Prob-ably none. But under-performing processes are more common than many can imagine.

Reliability is NOT a maintenance program. In other words, maintenance alone can’t achieve the highest levels of equipment reliability in a sustainable manner. That’s because “maintenance actions” aren’t the solu-tions to most causes of unreliability.

Equipment reliability vs. process reliabilityReliability improvement is about driving out variations in the way equipment and processes perform. Improving equipment and process reliability is a constantly moving target, especially when more than one machine is involved; and when humans are involved; and when non-standard work processes are involved; and… well, you get the idea. Which now brings us to “process reliability.”

There’s often a tendency to focus on equipment reli-ability improvement. While that IS important, we must also consider the process within which the equipment operates. The “process” produces a useful output, while a piece of equipment may only contribute to a portion of that output. The causes of unreliability may be fairly easy to identify and correct when “equipment reli-ability” is the target. Conversely, when multiple equip-ment items must perform as part of a single process, the causes of process unreliability can be huge. Process reliability improvement will likely be a never-ending battle unless the causes of process unreliability are addressed in a balanced manner.

To fully appreciate Manufacturing Process Reliability Variables, take a look at the accompanying diagram of a fi lling-packaging process. Improvements to “process reliability” must focus on the entire fi lling-packaging line’s capacity to produce at desired levels of production effi ciency, quality and cost per unit for each scheduled operating shift. To improve overall process reliability, we must understand what the process as a whole tells us about the causes of unreliability.

Expected vs. actual reliabilityAgain, to be reliable, the process “does what it is supposed to do in stated operating conditions for a stated period of time.” Every major part of the manu-facturing process will affect the overall reliability. Start by counting the major UNITS contributing to manufacturing process variability. I count 89 major units associated with our diagram—including 18 humans conducting manual and equipment-related tasks (calculated 6 people X 3 crews).

Each of these 89 separate UNITS must function properly for the manufacturing process to produce a single product. But it’s about more than performing properly—they all must perform together, at the same time, in sequence. Every one of these 89 UNITS is a VARIABLE. Still, if it’s a reliable process it will do what it is supposed to do in stated operating conditions for a stated period of time: three eight-hour shifts per day/seven operating hours per shift.

Is 45% reliability acceptable?For discussion’s sake, let’s say that to justify its exis-tence, our hypothetical fi lling-packaging process is expected to perform at 85% reliability per shift. If we target each of the line’s 89 variables at 99% reliability, overall process reliability won’t exceed 40.9%. Ouch!

What if we narrow the fi eld? Historical data indi-cates that nine of the line’s UNITS almost never have problems during scheduled operating times: electrical power systems (4), the compressed air system (1), the accumulators (2), bulk storage (1) and blend-mix (1). That means 89 variables are now reduced to 80. If we target each of them at 99% reli-ability, overall process reliability will be no better at (ouch, again) 44.8%.

And what about the operating crews? Two of our three crews are highly experienced and rarely (if ever) cause any problems. Unfortunately, that leaves us with a six-person crew that is quite inexperienced, still in training and routinely causing problems. Until this crew is fully qualifi ed, it can’t be expected to perform all of its tasks at 99% reliability—which, alas, has a direct effect on overall process reliability. Don’t bother with the calculation here… but you get the idea. People MUST perform their tasks reliably, too.

properly for the manufacturing process to produce a single product. But it’s about more than performing

MAY 2013 mt-online.com | 13

UPTIME

So, is 44.8% reliability acceptable for the filing-packaging line? Is that what it was designed to do? Is that level of reliability going to meet the business goals? NO, NO and NO.

Improving process reliabilityFirst, we must determine what the DATA is telling us about the major causes of unreliability. Is it a specific piece of equipment? A packaging component? Operator or maintainer errors? The key activity at this point is to determine the MAJOR causes—the most penalizing losses to the business (typically referred to as the “low-hanging fruit”).

The major causes of unreliability could lead to lower production rates than planned or higher defect rates than allowable, both of which translate into higher costs per unit and/or late deliveries to customers. Sometimes the cost of maintaining reliability can be so high that the cost per unit produced has a negative impact on the business.

The tools to address causes of unreliability will vary depending upon where they are focused. Take for example the following macro-level data analysis:

n The most penalizing problem in the process: “cartoner jamming”◆ Four parts are coming together:

carton, insert, bottle, glue◆ Potential causes of “cartoner jamming:”

◆ Cartoner out of time (adjustment)◆ Cartoner out of time (deterioration, wear)◆ Cartoner not set up properly for the product◆ Packaging: Carton size or shape variation

from standard◆ Packaging: Product container variation

from standard◆ Conveyor: Debris buildup (glue, paper,

carton pieces…)◆ Cartoner: Debris buildup (glue, paper,

carton pieces…)

Filler Capper Level Detect

Accumulation Labeler Neck

BandDate

Coder

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InsertFolderCartoner

Glue System

BundlerCaseErector

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Maintenance & repair proceduresSetup/Changeover proceduresTrained & qualified people Process controllersData collection process

INPUT:Utilities: Electrical, comp. airBulk productPackage componentsOperating proceduresQuality & testing procedures

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14 | mAintenAnce tecHnoloGY MAY 2013

UPTIME

◆ Feeder: carton feeder/magazine damaging cartons (loaded wrong?)

◆ Conveyor: bottle feeding screw not aligned with cartoner

◆ Cartoner: running above/below specifi ed speed◆ Insert folder: insert is out of location◆ Insert folder: insert is not folded properly

(loaded wrong?)◆ Labeler: labels on bottles not fully glued: fl agged◆ Cartoner: proximity sensors out of position

(multiple locations)◆ Air pressure is incorrect◆ Electrical power variation: power quality

The takeaway from these documented causes of “cartoner jamming” is that not all are correctable by maintenance actions. In some cases, this may be related to improper tools used for adjustments or the fact that procedures are unavailable or not followed. Other defi ciencies may include a lack of training to the level of being “qualifi ed” to operate, set up or maintain; inadequate levels of detail in

PM procedures; lack of timely PM completion; or no PM addressing the problem areas.

Critical factors in improving process reliabilityYou have a lot of pieces to put together in pursuit of 100% reliability. Keep all of them in mind.

Data collection, analysis and trending must be accurate (and reliable). Focus on the major causes, the most penal-izing and chronic problems fi rst. Think beyond “equipment reliability” and consider the process as a whole.

Finally, remember that the points of unreliability are a continually moving target. “Maintenance” is NOT the only solution for all causes of unreliability. Furthermore, creating a “reliability mindset” among the entire work-group is essential. MT

Robert Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, and member of the Institute of Asset Management, is in his fourth decade of focusing on the “people side” of world-class maintenance and reliability in plants and facilities across North America. Email: [email protected].


32 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY OCTOBER 2007

Tools To Manage Motor Breakdown

BOOSTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

H

The Motor Decisions Matter (MDM) campaign is managed by the Consortium for Energy Effi ciency (CEE), a North American nonprofi t organiza-tion that promotes energy-saving products, equipment and technologies. For further information, contact MDM staff at [email protected] or (617) 589-3949.

ow will you respond when a motor breaks down in your plant? A common course of action is to repair the unit if that costs less than replace-

ment. As shown by the chart below, however, total costs of motor ownership depend more on a motor’s effi ciency than repair or replacement costs. Typically, the energy to operate a motor represents 95% of its lifecycle cost, while purchase and repair costs represent less than 5%. Motor Decisions MatterSM (MDM) can help you make the cost-effective choice through resources like the MDM Decision Tree, which diagrams the steps in the decision-making process.

The MDM Website (www.motorsmatter.org) links you to resources like the Horsepower Bulletin [Ref. 1] that can help inform your repair-replacedecisions. Developed by Advanced Energy, it breaks down the many aspects of lifecycle costing and helps users establish guidelines for repairing or replacing a motor based on size, operating hours and cost of electricity. Another useful resource, MotorMaster+ 4.0 [Ref. 2], was created by Washington State University and the U.S. Department of Energy. This comprehensive program compares the fi nancial results of various repair-replace decisions.

Once the true lifecycle cost of a motor is under-stood, you can make a sound decision about whether to replace it with an energy-effi cient motor or to repair using best practices.

Best Practice Motor Repair-RewindsMotor repair-rewinds that are improperly per-formed, or performed on a motor with signifi -cant damage, have the potential to degrade its nameplate effi ciency. Since even a small decrease in motor effi ciency can cause a marked increase in your total operating costs, it pays to make sure your repair maintains motor effi ciency. Best-practice repair services can do just that. As detailed in the ANSI/EASA AR 100 stan-dard [Ref. 3] developed by EASA, the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (www.EASA.com),and approved by ANSI (the American National

Standards Institute), a 22-page document defi nes recommended best-practice repair-rewind byestablishing guidelines for each rewinding and rebuilding step. A 2003 study by EASA and the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) found that best-practice rewind-repair procedures maintain motor effi ciency within ± 0.2%—and in some cases can improve motor effi ciency [Ref. 4].

When it comes to motor rewinds or repairs, work with your local utility and motor service provider to develop and implement a repair policy that makes effi ciency a priority. More resources, including a 2011 Webcast, Motor Management Truths and Consequences: Understanding Electric Motor Rewinds and Effi ciency [Ref. 5], are available in the “Helpful Resources” section of the MDM Website. Visit us online to start making cost-effective motor manage-ment decisions today. MT

1.www.advancedenergy.org/md/knowledge_library/resources/Horsepower%20Bulletin.pdf

2. www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_deploy-ment/software_motormaster_intl.html

3. www.easa.com/energy4. The Effect of Repair/Rewinding On Motor

Effi ciency; EASA/AEMT Rewind Study and Good Practice Guide; http://www.easa.com/energy

5. www.motorsmatter.org/events/May11/MDM_EASAMotorRepairSlides.pdf; and https://vimeo.com/28827577


MAY 2013 MT-ONLINE .COM | 15


DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

In 2011, Applied Technology Publications (parent of Maintenance Technology and Lubrication Management & Technology magazines) launched its first “Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year” competition. The level of response we received for that inau-gural competition overwhelmed us. Response for the 2012 competition was just as exciting, making it difficult for the judges to choose an overall winner and three runners-up. The 2012 competition, like the one in 2011, recon-firmed our belief that the spirit of innovation is alive and well—and working hard—in the maintenance and reliability community. It was reflected in all entries, each of which managed in one way or another to challenge the status quo and current orthodoxy regarding the true meaning of “innovation.”

In her book, The Power of Why, Amanda Lang questions and successfully answers how curi-osity and the ability to ask “why” fuels change in both business and personal lives. She goes on to investigate the small child’s urge to question “why” at everything new in the world and how few parents continue to foster and sustain that curiosity, choosing instead to shut it down with a simple “just because!” retort. Moving into the school system, the curious and ever-questioning child, unless mentored by caring educators, can soon be muted—and frequently shunned by peers and teachers alike.

Clayton Christenson, often referred to as the ”Father of Innovation,” published results of a groundbreaking study with co-authors Jeffrey Dyer and Hal Gregerson in a 2011 book The Innovator’s DNA—Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators. The six-year study of more than 500 of the world’s top innovators concluded that the number-one attribute or discovery skill of any innovator is the ability to ask “why”—questioning the unquestionable! The book reasons that a manager often only

asks “how” (i.e., “How are we going to speed up production?”) An innovator, conversely, asks “Why is production so slow?”

In the world of reliability, we’ve long used a simple, highly effective five-stage approach for getting to the root cause of failure. This “5-Why” process merely involves asking “why” the compo-nent or system failed, then questioning the answer with “why” for a total of five times. Often, the root cause can be found in fewer than five answers.

Innovators aren’t afraid to challenge common wisdom and are unaccepting of the “because we’ve always done it that way attitude.” In his book The Future of Management, Gary Hamel quotes a study that shows—regardless of what country they live in—only 14% of employees are highly engaged, and as many as 62% merely show up to work for the paycheck! In this “who cares” culture, the answer to making America great again is in the fostering of an environment that nurtures innovative thought and encouraging the asking of “why” or “why not.”

Hamel notes that “managers are the gatekeepers of innovation,” meaning they must be open to and work diligently to not only promote the “why” culture, but support ideas to fruition. Fortunately, we’ve seen many organizations—both end-users and OEMs—doing just that (including the 2012 sponsors of our award program, Dreisilker Motors and Scalewatcher). We thank them all as we highlight this year’s “Maintenance & Reli-ability Innovator” awards!

2012 Grand Prize Winner Our “2012 Maintenance & Reliability Inno-vator” “Grand-Prize winner” received a “grand slam” from the judging panel—and is truly worthy of this year’s top award. Leading a team from WaveOn Technologies, Inc. (Osceola, WI) that included Charles Miller, CTO, and Suman Minnaganti, Project Manager, CEO Chad Erickson submitted “Lubricheck,” a unique, handheld “first alert” oil-condition testing

Ken Bannister, Contributing Editor

The Why Factor


DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

device. As innovators do, the team had asked “why” there was no instant, reliable, easy method of spot-checking oil to know if its condition truly warranted a changeout. They then set out to build one.

Struggling to fund the costly design and devel-opment stage of their Lubricheck device, the WaveOn team turned to what could be consid-ered a rather innovative approach for producing engineered products: They took the advice of Charles’ teenage children and sought cloud funding through kickstarter.com—which puts creators and backers together to collectively raise substantial amounts of venture capital funding one dollar at a time. The only caveat is that the project must reach its funding goal for the creators to receive their money. Money raised, the Lubricheck product hit the market in the second half of 2012.

At the heart of the Lubricheck unit is a battery-operated sensor that sets up an electrical excita-tion field, which changes in a known manner when a fluid, such as oil, is placed on the sensor pad. When oil becomes oxidized, it also becomes acidic and will affect the electrical field differently than new oil. Lubricheck’s electronics interpret these types of changes and display them through a series of 10 LED lights that light up GREEN (when the oil tests OK), or AMBER or RED when it doesn’t (depending on the severity of condi-tion problems and the urgency of a changeout). Although the unit is primarily designed for fleets and can be switched to analyze diesel or gas engine oil, it can also be used to check most lubricating oils.

2012 Runners-Up 1. Doug Sackett, of Smith Brothers Oil (Smith) (Bartow, FL), submitted an innovative way to support the reliability programs of Smith customers by replacing old bulk oil tanks with new totes and a “clean and fill” tote management system. When empty, Smith picks up the totes and takes them to

its own facility to clean and fill with filtered oil. The oil is then “loop” filtered, checked with a particle counter and certified as clean before returning to the customer.

2. Martin Robinson, of IRISS Corp. ( Bradenton FL), submitted an innovation that made a good idea even better. IRISS took an already innovative electrical-panel polymer plastic infrared and visual inspection window and redesigned it into a lifetime-warrantied inspection window that’s impact-resistant, stays clear throughout its life and can be customized to any shape or size. This new product solves the limited life and visual clarity failures of previous inspection window materials, which makes it safer and less expensive over its life cycle.

3. Wesley Valverde of Lightning Bolt & Supply (Baton Rouge, LA), submitted a wireless Customer Managed Inventory (CMI) solution for fasteners, fittings and MRO inventory replenishment. This unique scanner, provided free to the company’s customers who are on the program, can read all competitor inventory labels and uses an Apple app to upload “bolt bin” orders using the scanner or an optical camera. This allows customers to have their refill orders taken care of more efficiently and competitively.

Moving forwardCongratulations to all our innovating winners, as well as to other great ideas that didn’t make it into the winner’s circle this year or last. Now it’s time to get ready for the 2013 Maintenance & Reliability Innovator Award Program. It launches with the June issue of Maintenance Technology. Stay tuned for details. MT

Ken Bannister is author of Lubrication for Industry and the Lubrication section of the 28th edition Machinery’s Handbook. He’s also a Contributing Editor for Lubrication Management & Technology. Email: [email protected].

Innovators aren’t afraid to challenge common wisdom and are

unaccepting of the ‘because we’ve always done it that way’ attitude.



What’s At The End Of Your Rainbow?

Finding CMMS Success

John ReeveCohesive Information Solutions, Inc.

When the reality of CMMS implementation and use falls short

of ‘pot-of-gold’ expectations, knowledge and experience

can help bridge the gap. But where do you get it?

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Following obligatory introductions and opening remarks, the consultants launched into a litany of observations, opportunities and recommendations. The assembled management team—already vastly familiar with consultant presentations—wanted value for its money. Not everyone in the room, however, was sure they needed outside help. Still, the consultants thought they were doing pretty well until one of the plant managers asked, “What company can we visit that has industry best practices for asset management and is also using the same CMMS software we do?”

A member of the consultant team responded quickly: “That type of client organization may not exist.” Just as quickly, he realized this response fell short of expectations. The room had grown silent, indicating that the managers were curious, they would probably judge the capabilities of the consulting fi rm based on the consultants’ answer to this one question.

Suddenly, a second consultant stood up and drew an illus-tration on the white board—it depicted a long rainbow that disappeared into a golden pot. The implication was clear: Management’s goal was worthy, but perhaps unrealistic.

The elusive pot of goldThe managers gathered in the conference room that day assumed the consultants had many experiences to share. Thus, if they were as good as they claimed to be, they should be able to point to and arrange a visit to a client site with a bona fi de CMMS success story. Seeing, after all, is believing.

The consultant team understood the intent of the question—and also knew of many companies with various best practices. Unfortunately, they also realized that no single site encompassed all of the best practices the manage-ment team might want or need to see. They encouraged the managers to expand their thoughts.

While the consultants agreed that the type of requested site visit could be of great value, they suggested that some additional questions needed to be asked and clarifi cations made, including:

■ Because a single company might not exist with all of the desired best practices, which among several companies that meet best-practice criteria should be included?

■ Must the visited companies all be in the same industry as the prospective client? For example, Henry Ford came up with his idea for the assembly line when he visited a hog farm. Thus, it can be acceptable for a company to go outside its own industry when looking for improve-ment ideas.

■ Is the defi nition for "best practice" clear? If each mana-ger in the conference room were asked to write down his/her idea for best practice design, would they have similar answers?

■ Creative solutions to complex problems can be found in many places, even outside the prospective client’s own company (sometimes where and when they're least expected). Examples are applications of newer tech-nology, clever use of a product or anything else.

■ If a target best-practices company were to be identifi ed, would they agree to such a visit? Or might that company worry about giving away competitive information?

■ How many people would the visiting organization send? Are the right people available internally to make such a visit? How would it be conducted and how much time should be allocated to glean adequate information?

■ What questions would be asked? The visitors would need to organize a list of topics in advance.

Suggested topics might cover these three areas:

1. Software—Data content & accuracy, analytical reports, integration, KPIs, error checks

2. Process—CMMS SOP, standardization, business rules, defi nitions, advanced processes

3. Organization—O&M roles and responsibilities, buy-in, training, core team function, business analyst, CMMS expert, reliability team

The consultants had signed in at the front desk and the management team joined

them in the conference room. The project leader started the meeting by reviewing

its purpose, which purportedly was to discuss lessons learned and other opportu-

nities relating to reliability, process effi ciency and, most important, overall use of

the company’s CMMS. Something was left unsaid, however. This gathering had a hidden

agenda: to evaluate the consultants.



■ The visiting team might discover undesirable processes and data at a host’s site. While this would not necessarily be discussed with the host, it could still be instructional as examples of situations to avoid. These might include large/growing maintenance backlog, poor work prioriti-zation, lack of failure analysis and many others.

Attitude and buy-inSometimes the best practice is simply one of cultural buy-in. Any organization can install and set up a CMMS—but a lot fewer can get everyone engaged. When it comes to staff engage-ment and buy-in on this issue, many questions can arise:

■ Are all levels aware of the importance of creating a true knowledge base and analytical reporting?

■ Do the skilled trades understand the system's purpose?

■ Is there fear among some that CMMS is a tool to micro-manage personnel?

■ Are work orders created for all work performed?

■ Is completed work properly documented and closed out?

■ How does management plan to create buy-in?

Some believe this process is like raising children: Countless parents have fi gured it out—their children become respectful, self-motivated and want to do the right thing. Others never get the hang of it. When dealing with industrial mainte-nance and reliability professionals, it can be important to remember that the best of the best do not need a rule for every fi eld on the screen.

The purpose of benchmarkingVisiting other organizations for the purpose of mutual self-improvement—one type of benchmarking—is itself a best practice. Most consultants can help with the deci-sion to do this based on the previously noted conditions. Once the decision to visit another operation is made, the benefi ts become clear: Visitors will get to see how others implement, use and benefi t from their CMMS software. Other activities can be used to reinforce this knowledge, including:

■ Research—Read as much as possible about subject of interest in books, trade magazines and on the Internet. Become a student of asset and reliability management.

■ Training—Attend training classes on specialty topics, such as failure analysis, analytical reporting, advanced scheduling and others.

■ Virtual participation—View online user forums and follow threads of interest or start your own topics. Be part of a debate.

■ Attend industry events — These include user-group meet-ings and trade events. Listen to presentations, take notes and establish new contacts. Ask questions.

The purpose of consultantsExperience does matter. Over a 10-year period, a seasoned consultant may visit up to 50 client organizations. But even that many visits may not be enough to discover a best-of-the-best site. The one thing a consultant can usually claim is that he/she has found and documented best practices. It's with this knowledge base that they can provide extensive thought leadership across all areas of asset, work and reliability management.

Sometimes, the best practice is simply one of cultural buy-in. Any organization can install

and set up a CMMS, but a lot fewer can get everyone engaged.



Within any consulting fi rm you’ll fi nd a mix of managers, programmers and working-level consultants. In many cases, management-level staff began as working-level consult-ants and, thus, have knowledge of both software and industry-leading practices that can be of enormous value to clients. The working-level consultants on their staffs can be expected to have knowledge of implementation and operational challenges based on the real-world events they regularly encounter in the fi eld. They also would have documented trends and practices—good and bad—and know which advanced processes add true return on investment (ROI).

A formal CMMS review by consultants can take weeks—if not months. Such systems are complex: Even if the software is best-of-breed, processes surrounding it can be weak. So, on a visit by a prospective customer's team to an actual clientsite, how many questions is it reasonable to ask? A checklist can help visitors stay focused. The team should also be careful to not overwhelm the host organization, meaning the review should be completed in a day or less. In today’s busy work-place, it’s hard to get all stakeholders in the same meeting at the same time. (Nor would you want a meeting that large.)

Based on these facts, a site visit requires considerable pre-trip preparation by the visiting organization.

While the process of determining sites to visit and ques-tions to ask don't have to involve a consultant, there can be a value in doing so. Consultants can leverage the experience of others on their staffs not just to come up with a list of relevant questions to ask, but to identify client sites that are open to such visits. Do the math: A staff of 20 consultants with 10 years of fi eld work each brings a total of 200 man-years of experience to the table. It can also be helpful to have a third-party make the initial contact.

Important informationConsidering a consultant? Keep the following questions and answers in mind.

Question: What do you do when you are already world-class?ANSWER: It’s good to be confi dent, but better to seek ongoing improvement. There is value in performing a formal CMMS system and process review, which includes a long-range (fi ve-year) plan. If you stand still, the odds are great you will get passed by.




Question: What can go wrong when implementing the world’s best CMMS? ANSWER: The software is the easy part. The real magic is in the surrounding process and procedure. Don’t assume software will fi x poor process. And remember that advanced processes have the most prerequisites.

Question: How do you create a true knowledge base within the CMMS? ANSWER: This is the most challenging goal. Supporting elements include: buy-in, asset-management vision, clear roles and responsibilities, business rules, training and error checking. With accurate data, you can create real business intelligence, improve decision-making and manage by excep-tion. Otherwise, you could be entering bad data on “day two,” the period immediately following go-live.

Question: How do we prepare for tomorrow’s inevitable change? ANSWER: Recognize that change can be in the form of new technology, government regulations or an industry accident. Good companies expect change. Your ability to react quickly can make the difference.

Bottom lineA strong organization welcomes change. It under-stands the importance of benchmarking activities and continuous improvement. A strong organization will also periodically engage consulting services to help its team identify new ideas, discuss trends and review opportuni-ties for improvement.

Consultants expect management teams to ask tough questions. Accordingly, they work hard to be the ones in the room with the best knowledge to solve whatever problems you throw at them—and help your organization fi nd that pot of gold at the end of your rainbow. MT

John Reeve has spent 25+ years supporting CMMS/EAM users across a wide range of industries. Today, as a Manager and Senior Consultant with Cohesive Information Solutions, he serves as Practice Leader for Maintenance & Reliability Solutions. Email: [email protected].


Unlock the Secrets that let you Tap your True Maintenance Potential

and Maximize Asset Reliability!

Unlock the Secrets that let you Unlock the Secrets that let you Unlock the Secrets that let you Tap your True Maintenance Potential Tap your True Maintenance Potential Tap your True Maintenance Potential Tap your True Maintenance Potential Tap your True Maintenance Potential

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For more information on this unique training program developed and delivered by internationally accredited lubrication and maintenance expert Ken Bannister, author of the best selling book Lubrication for Industry endorsed by ISO and the ICML as part of their certifi cation Domain of Knowledge Content.Contact ENGTECH Industries Inc at 519.469.9173 or email [email protected]

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VOLUME 2 / NO. 2 UTILITIES MANAGER | 24

XX UMBIG MONEY TALKSUM

What’s Up With Waste-To-Energy?

William C. “Bill” Livoti

For those unfamiliar with “waste-to-energy” (WtE), it’s the process of burning municipal wastes in large furnaces to produce steam that,

in turn, is used to drive turbines that generate elec-tricity. WtE has always interested me.

During a recent tour of a waste-to-energy plant in Central Florida, the conversation turned to our National Energy Policy (or to be more specifi c, the lack thereof) and Federal tax credits for renewable energy. My host shared some alarming facts with me—along with his concerns and frustration.

His facility had recently been acquired by a company that has patented a promising WtE technology called “Advanced Thermal Recycling” (ATR®). Although the plant is now using ATR, it’s limited in how much power it can produce due to—get ready for this—lack of trash! Here’s our dirty little secret: More than half the waste produced in this country goes into landfi lls. Only a quarter to a third is recycled, and a very small amount is used for energy recovery.

I left that Central Florida operation enlightened by the innovative technology I had seen, but bewil-dered as to why our country has failed to embrace waste-to-energy as a solution to a couple of nagging problems (i.e., where do we fi nd new sources of energy and what can we do about our ever-growing mountains of waste).

Looking back at the history of WtE in the United States, it seems as though both politics and special-interest groups may have had a hand in running the long roller-coaster ride this viable technology has found itself on.

A Brief history of WtE in the U.S.

■ 1885: U.S. Army builds the fi rst garbage incin-erator on Governor’s Island in New York Harbor, and Allegheny, PA, builds the fi rst municipal incinerator.

■ Early 20th century: Some U.S. cities begin gener-ating electricity or steam from burning waste.

■ 1920s: Atlanta sells steam from its incinerators to the Atlanta Gas Light Co. and Georgia Power Co.

■ 1970: Clean Air Act ends open burning at U.S. landfi lls, opening the door for WtE technology and forcing cities to look at this type of technology with regard to trash disposal.

■ 1975: The fi rst privately built WtE plant opens in Massachusetts.

■ Late 1970s: The Federal government begins funding feasibility studies for local governments interested in setting up new WtE plants.

■ 1980: The 1980 Energy Security Act provides insured loans, loan and price guarantees and purchase agreements for WtE projects using municipal solid waste.

■ 1980: The Energy Security Act authorizes research and development for promoting the commer-cial viability of energy recovery from municipal waste.

■ 1986: The Federal Tax Reform Act (FTRA) is implemented, which both helped and harmed the development of WtE facilities. While the FTRA extended Federal tax credits available for such facilities to 10 years, it unfortunately repealed the tax-free status of WtE plants that were fi nanced with industrial development bonds.

■ 1990s: With the expiration of tax credits, WtE plants begin to fall out of favor.

■ 2007: The U.S. has 87 WtE facilities, consuming about 31.4 million tons of solid waste (which represents 12.5% of all municipal solid waste disposal).

■ 2010: Eighty-six WtE plants with the capacity to process more than 97,000 tons of municipal solid waste per day are operating in 24 states.

24 | UTILITIES MANAGER VOLUME 8 / NO. 2


UM BIG MONEY TALKS UM

William C. “Bill” Livoti

■ 2012: There is a sudden increase in WtE sector activities as companies begin developing new technologies for converting municipal garbage into electricity, heat and biofuels.

Interesting WtE FactsEstimates by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and BioCycle magazine on the amount of U.S. waste and modes of disposal give some indication of the potential we have with waste-to-energy technology. Look at the accom-panying tables and consider the following:

■ Approximately one ton of waste will produce 525 kWh of electricity (roughly what a quarter-ton of coal or a barrel of oil produces).

■ During combustion, the volume of waste material is reduced by about 90%, and its weight by 75%.

Fifteen states have categorized waste-to-energy as a resource in their renewable portfolio standards. Yet, while some Federal laws have categorized waste-to-energy as a renewable resource, some Federal and state tax advantages given to other renewable resources ARE NOT available to WtE facilities. Furthermore, as you might expect, special-interest groups in various parts of the country staunchly oppose waste-to-energy.

Renewable energy and waste disposalFrom a semantics perspective, although waste-to-energy may not actually be a renewable source of

energy, it most certainly is saving our environment. I would defi nitely categorize WtE as a “Green Solu-tion” and submit that it should be subsidized by Federal tax credits. This technology has a future: What better way to kill two birds with one stone?

Like any other energy source, however, there are downsides: Emissions, odor from the waste prior to incineration, convoys of trash trucks and the proverbial engine blocks that could be thrown by irresponsible individuals into dumpsters and, in turn, destroy WtE processing equipment are just a few of them. Can these issues be overcome? Given the technology available today, I think so.

My next column (coming in August’s MT) will discuss how a WtE plant works and more. UM

Bill Livoti is Power-Generation Business Develop-ment Manager for WEG Electric Corp. and Electric Machinery Co., Inc.

Sources1. “Municipal Waste Production” (Chapter 18), Window

on State Government, Susan Combs, Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts, http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/energy/renewable/municipal.php

2. “Waste to Energy: A Mountain of Trash, or Pile of Energy,” Melissa C. Lott and David Wogan, http://blogs.scientifi camerican.com/plugged-in/2011/09/12/waste-to-energy-a-mountain-of-trash-or-a-pile-of-energy/

3. Recovered Energy, Inc., Presents the Recovered Energy System, http://recoveredenergy.com/d_wte.html



U.S. Waste Disposal

Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and BioCycle Magazine.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and BioCycle Magazine.

UM DRIVEN-EQUIPMENT EFFICIENCIES


Understanding the factors involved in pump performance is key

to optimizing the fl uid-handling systems in your operations.

Have you become so focused on the effi ciency of the motors

around your plant that you’re losing sight of the equipment

those motors are driving? In many applications, pumps

included, the answer to the effi ciency question is best

addressed when the complete system is studied.

The Importance Of Best Effi ciency Point

(BEP)

Eugene VogelElectrical Apparatus Service Association

(EASA)

©Ko

nsta

ntin

Rom

anov

—Fo

tolia

.com

UM


Sooner or later, most maintenance professionals who work with pumps will encounter a pump curve and its key param-eters, one of which is Best Effi ciency Point (BEP). The BEP graphically represents the point on a pump curve that yields the most effi cient operation. For electric motors, effi ciency varies with load, with the best effi ciency being at about 75% of load. With rotodynamic pumps (which includes centrifugal and axial fl ow types), effi ciency depends on three important pump curve parameters—head, fl ow (i.e., capacity or volume) and power—as expressed in this simple equation:

As the equation shows, power is inversely proportional to effi ciency, which basically means pumps use less power when operating more effi ciently. But power is also directly proportional to fl ow X head (Q X H), both of which vary with demand in a rotodynamic pump system. If the system restricts the discharge of the pump, as when a discharge throttle valve is closed, the fl ow decreases and the head increases. Conversely, less restriction from the system means greater fl ow and less head. This relationship is illustrated by a pump curve that is specifi c to each pump (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Pump curve: head vs. fl ow

To understand BEP, it is essential to know that the fl ow through a rotodynamic pump varies from zero fl ow at “dead head” (discharge valve closed) to maximum fl ow at “run out” condition (no discharge restriction). Pump effi -ciency, it turns out, is a function of fl ow through the pump, although it is not strictly linear (see Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Effi ciency curve: effi ciency vs. fl ow

Effect of fl ow rateTo visualize how flow affects pump efficiency, imagine the flow of traffic on a highway, with efficiency measured as cars per minute. Late at night with no cars on the road (and therefore no traffic), efficiency is zero. Early in the morning, traffic moves quickly, but with few cars trav-eling, efficiency remains low. During rush hour traffic volume greatly increases, so bottlenecks form, traffic slows to a crawl and efficiency plummets. Usually, there is a time just before rush hour with lots of fast-moving traffic when the highway handles the most cars per minute—i.e., its BEP.

The BEP for a pump is similar (see Fig. 3). With the discharge valve closed (“dead head”) and zero fl ow, effi -ciency is zero. As the discharge valve opens (i.e., the discharge restriction is gradually reduced), fl ow and effi ciency gradu-ally increase, until the fl ow through the pump becomes more turbulent. At that point, effi ciency will start dropping and then continue to drop as the pump approaches “run out” condition (zero). As with traffi c fl ow on a busy highway, somewhere between “dead head” and “run out” condition, there is a fl ow rate at which the effi ciency is maximum—i.e., the BEP.

Note that the BEP in Fig. 3 occurs at a fl ow rate of about 1600 units—which coincides with the maximum value on the effi ciency curve. That fl ow rate also intersects the pump curve at a point equal to head of about 220 units.

Where: BHP = brake horsepower Q = fl ow H = head n = effi ciency s.g. = specifi c gravity (remains constant)

Where:

BHP = x s.g.Q x H3960 x n

UM DRIVEN-EQUIPMENT EFFICIENCIES

Fig. 3. Head and fl ow at BEP

If the effi ciency of the pump changes with fl ow rate, a logical question might be “Why?” As mentioned earlier, one reason is that pump effi ciency directly correlates with turbulence in the fl ow—i.e., the greater the turbulence, the lower the effi ciency. Thus, it makes sense that the BEP is where turbulence is minimal.

Effect of impeller design Impeller design is the most signifi cant factor for determining the BEP of a pump because it dictates how effi ciently power (brake horsepower or BHP) is transmitted to the liquid being pumped (“pumpage”). A properly designed impeller optimizes fl ow while minimizing turbulence.

Pumpage enters the impeller eye and accelerates as it tra-vels radially outward toward the impeller discharge. As the liquid discharges from the impeller, it merges with liquid already in the impeller housing. If the impeller vanes are at just the right angle relative to the fl ow rate, incoming pumpage will merge smoothly with the swirling pumpage in the housing, minimizing turbulence, maximizing effi ciency and yielding the BEP for that impeller.

Designers use a series of vectors to calculate impeller vane angle for a certain fl ow rate. As shown in Fig. 4, vector V

t represents the speed of the vane tip (tangent and

relative to the impeller), and Vr represents the radial velo-

city of the pumpage fl owing out of the impeller. The discharge angle of the fl ow is V

m, the sum of vectors V

t

and Vr, which should match the impeller vane angle at the

discharge. The length of vector Vr changes with fl ow rate, so

greater fl ow through the pump means the pumpage must move faster as it exits the impeller.

Fig. 4. Impeller discharge angle vectors

Note that the fl ow rate changes the discharge angle, but the impeller vane angle remains constant. The BEP is the fl ow rate where the discharge angle matches the vane angle. Similar design factors apply to the impeller intake. Although impeller housing characteristics also play a role, the impeller design is the primary factor that determines the fl ow rate at which the BEP occurs.

Points to rememberThe most important thing to remember from this discus-sion is that any modifi cation of the impeller will change the BEP of the pump. Trimming the outside diameter (OD) of an impeller, replacing an impeller with one of different diameter or number of vanes or changing the rotating speed of the impeller will alter the BEP for the pump.

Before modifying an impeller in any way, make sure that you determine how the change will impact the pump curve, the effi ciency curve and the BEP. UM

Eugene Vogel is a Pump and Vibration Specialist with the Elec-trical Apparatus Service Association, Inc. (EASA), in St. Louis, MO. EASA is an international trade association of more than 1900 fi rms in 59 countries that sell and service electrical, elec-tronic and mechanical apparatus. Telephone: 314-993-2220; email: [email protected]; Web: www.easa.com.



UMEFFICIENT GADGETS

Best-in-Class Power & Run Time From Intelligent Rotary Hammers

Milwaukee Tool has expanded its M12 FUEL™ line of power tools with the new M12 FUEL™ 5/8” SDS Plus Rotary Hammer for drilling holes of up to 5/8”

in concrete and masonry. According to the company, this electro-pneumatic unit not only offers 75% more speed and the largest SDS Plus bit capacity in its class, at only 10” long and 3.9 lbs, it performs comparably to much larger tools at a fraction of the size and weight. Designed, engineered and built by Milwaukee Tool, the product’s 12-volt brushless POWERSTATE™ motor provides up to 6200 BPM and up to 900 RPM. New Milwaukee REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 batteries allow up to 2X more run-time, 20% more power and 2X more recharges than standard Lithium-Ion batteries, and function in extreme conditions (below 0 F/-18 C) with fade-free power. An advanced REDLINK PLUS™ Intelligence hardware and soft-ware system ensures continuous full-circle communication between tool, battery and charger to optimize performance and overload protection.

Milwaukee Tool, Inc.Milwaukee, WI

Retrofi ttable Variable-Speed Refrigeration Motors

The Nidec 56 Frame Variable Speed Condenser Motor for Supermarket/Commercial Refrigeration applications is designed to work with both split- and self-contained refrigeration systems. A key feature of the compact unit’s integrated motor and drive system is its use of ECM technology (permanent brushless magnet) According to the

manufacturer, in addition to longer motor life, the variable-speed capabilities of the easy-to-install 56 Frame Condenser Motor translate can translate into higher effi ciency, lower energy costs and greater precision in controlling refrigeration systems for end-users. Other features/benefi ts include:

■ Integrated electronics for quick retrofi t■ Active Power Factor Correction (PFC)■ Active thermal protection■ Dip switches allow easy set-up on factory fl oor or in fi eld■ Sensorless feedback gives precise rpm without encoder■ 6 KV surge protection■ Rigid base or belly band mount■ Sine wave and ball bearings ensuring less noise and vibration

These units are well-suited for use by both OEMs and aftermarket/retrofi t customers.

Nidec Motor Corp.St. Louis, MO



VOLUME 8 / NO.2 UTILITIES MANAGER | 29

EXPERT Q&A


Special To MT

Respected industry icon

Anthony M. ‘Mac’ Smith

expounds on Reliability

Centered Maintenance

and some of the many

benefi ts it can deliver.

Sage Advice:Understanding RCM

His three decades of exploring,

implementing and leveraging the

principles of RCM have given

Mac Smith valuable insight into

the subject. This Q&A is based on his

edited responses to several questions

from a 2012 Webinar sponsored by the

Pharma Special Interest Group (SIG)

of the Society for Maintenance and

Reliability Professionals (SMRP).

EXPERT Q&A


Q: What is RCM?SMITH: RCM is a maintenance strategy that originated in the 1960s when United Airlines developed it for the 747-100 aircraft. This approach was so successful that every U.S. com-mercial airplane since has specifi ed RCM methodology as its initial maintenance program to the FAA.

RCM contains four key principles. . .

1. Preserve System Function (or avoid system functional failure). Because its focus is on the system rather than specifi c equipment, this aspect of RCM signifi es its departure from the conventional maintenance mindset. With RCM, func-tion will guide resource use.2. Link Functional Failure and Equipment. RCM calls for a detailed, component-to-component system review to deter-mine what specifi c equipment failure modes could lead to functional failure. The identifi ed failure modes may deserve special attention.3. Determine Failure-Mode Criticality. Failure modes should be separated by the impact their occurrence will have on an operation, using the following guidelines:

■ Ocurrence will violate a safety or environmental requirement.

■ Occurrence could result in partial or complete plant outage.

■ Occurrence results in neither of the above (making this fail-ure mode benign and a possible run-to-failure candidate).

■ Is the occurrence known or unknown to system operators? Unknown failure modes are considered “hidden,” and are a special area of concern.

4. Defi ne the PM task to implement (assuring a proactive approach to the failure mode’s prevention, mitigation or, if hidden, its discovery).

In any RCM analysis, all four principles must be addressed. An analysis that ignores or short-circuits any of them can't be considered RCM. In cases where RCM has been perceived as ineffective, the reason is usually not RCM strategy, but the implementers’ failure to follow RCM procedures.

Q: What's the difference between Classical RCM and RCM2?SMITH: 80/20 systems are where 80% of maintenance issues are caused by 20% of the plant systems. The Classical view is that these systems deserve most of the attention and resources. The RCM2 process is based on the premise that every system of a plant needs full RCM treatment.

Another difference is the manner in which the second RCM principle—linking functional failure and equipment—is accomplished. Both Classical RCM and RCM2 use the Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA) approach, but differ in how to apply it. Classical RCM, for example, acknowledges that failure mode can be separate from failure cause by requiring that each be recorded separately during analysis. RCM2 makes no such distinction, allowing for both to be recorded in a single column.

Classical RCM also requires that the Effect portion of the FMEA process be recorded for each failure mode at three levels: locally, for the specifi c equipment involved; systemi-cally, for the system level in which that equipment resides; and at the plant level. Using these three levels assures that the analyst must carefully consider the possible cascading consequences of the failure mode all the way to its possible effect on the entire plant.

By contrast, RCM2 uses only a single column to record Effect. This can provide an inconsistent portrayal of failure-mode consequences if the failure is determined to affect only one level. Absent a complete picture of failure effect at all three levels, a later diffi culty can arise in the process to determine the potential safety or outage criticality imposed by the failure mode.

A third area of concern in the FMEA is the manner in which RCM2 records the selection of a PM task for each critical failure mode. Classical RCM requires that all reason-able PM actions proposed be recorded, not just the fi nal selection. In RCM2, only the selected PM task is recorded. Since these RCM analyses are often revisited, I have found it very useful to know all of the task options that were origi-nally considered, especially when the original does not seem to provide the expected result.

Q: What is the difference between failure mode and failure cause?SMITH: Failure mode describes what went wrong, usually with two or three words, one of which is a verb. Examples include “connecting shaft cracks” or “pipe joint leaks.” Failure cause describes why it went wrong, such as “low cycle fatigue” or “gasket age deterioration,” respectively, for the two examples noted. Separation of these terms is necessary because maintenance strategy must ultimately specify the task defi nitions that will be used to issue PM work orders that will eliminate or mitigate failure modes. It will be known, for example, how to avoid or mitigate the occurrence of shaft cracks (with vibration monitoring or alignment checks), but not that a work order is needed to specifi cally stop low cycle fatigue. Likewise, it will be known how to avoid serious leaks (by tightening joints or through periodic inspection), but not if a specifi c work order is required to stop the natural degradation that occurs over time with gasket materials.

EXPERT Q&A


Stated differently, failure mode is what directly results in a corrective maintenance action and, possibly, a plant or system outage. From a maintenance-strategy perspective, it’s also the failure mode that maintenance can stop or mitigate before it becomes a failure effect. And while maintenance work orders cannot realistically eliminate or mitigate a failure cause, an accurate estimate of causes can provide information needed for a change in design or operating procedure.

Elimination or mitigation of failure cause is a design issue, while elimination or mitigation of a failure mode is a main-tenance issue. If we mix up the two terms, it can be difficult (or impossible) to define what maintenance action should be taken versus what design change should be considered.

Q: How do we get RCM buy-in?SMITH: When trying to get organizational buy-in for an RCM program, the most important consideration is money or, more specifically, return on investment (ROI). Intro-ducing RCM into the operations and maintenance side of a plant requires top management to commit staff resources—mainly O&M supervisors and technicians—to perform RCM studies, then take actions to implement the findings.

The biggest hurdle is often to get approval for a pilot project to determine how RCM will work within the plant and its culture. In making its decision, management will consider the cost to do this, including consultant charges, versus what they can expect in terms of ROI.

Using the 80/20 approach, I’ve not found it difficult to convince O&M management to try a pilot program. But if you have to sell the program, it behooves you to play a key role in selecting both the system for the pilot as well as the personnel who will supply the data and information for the RCM analysis. Be sure to focus on critical equipment for the best ROI, and to choose top people. Make no mistake: The proper database for an RCM analysis will come from the “A” team of craft technicians.

If you meet the ROI test, your next challenge will be to gain buy-in from the larger O&M population. You may now have a handful of converts from the successful pilot project, but to make this a plant-wide program, a majority of their peer technicians must be brought onboard. No matter what you try, things won’t happen overnight— but the following strategies can help change mind-sets:

1. Embark on a steady training program regarding RCM and its potential benefits for all who might interface with its analysis and implementation. People tend to automati-cally resist change, especially if they don’t understand what RCM is about. Count on individuals who have experienced the successful pilot project to be key participants in your training efforts.

2. Maintain program visibility at the management level on what's happening and what's planned Define KPIs that are to be religiously tracked and frequently reviewed with management. You must keep management on your side and not let them lose sight of the fact that ROI is trending in the right direction.

3. Consider designating an “RCM Champion” who will be responsible for assuring that the above actions happen.

Based on my 30-year experience with Classical RCM imple-mentations, about 60% succeed and 40% either never get off the ground or stall after the pilot project. The failures can be traced to one or more of the above three factors not being done.

Q: What about the 20/80 systems?SMITH: Concern for 20/80 systems—or “better-behaved” systems—was first expressed to me in the 1980s by U.S. Air Force management at the Arnold Engineering Center, in Tennessee. It came after three years of multiple, successful Classical RCM Projects on 80/20 systems. My response, which also proved successful, was to develop the Experience-Centered Maintenance (ECM) analysis methodology.

ECM is not RCM: It is data-driven while RCM is function-driven. ECM data comes from two sources. The first is data obtained from existing PM tasks, which is analyzed to see if the tasks performed as expected and, if not, what should be changed. The second source is data obtained during corrective maintenance events from the previous 12 to 18 months—and follow-up analysis to learn why these unexpected failures occur-red and how they could be prevented.

The ECM process takes about one-fourth the time of a full-blown Classical RCM study. But ECM isn't intended for use on 80/20 systems: Those problems typically require more than a minor correction to the existing PM Task structure. ECM also does not explore the full range of possible failure modes that could initiate functional failures. Q: What's the future of RCM?SMITH: The answer is self-evident: U.S. industry is still predominantly in the reactive maintenance mode and, for the most part, doesn't even recognize the application of the 80/20 rule. RCM can change that unfortunate situation to a shift toward proactive maintenance. The opportunity is there for those who choose to seize it. MT

Mac Smith is Principal Consultant with AMS Associates (San Jose, CA.)His 50+ years in engineering include 24 with GE’s aerospace, jet-engine and nuclear-power operations. He has personally facilitated more than 75 RCM studies and authored two books on the subject. Telephone: (408) 532-7126; email: [email protected].

EDITOR’S NOTE: Go to www.mt-online.com/smith for the unedited version of Smith’s answers to the Webinar questions.

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

On the horizon and moving toward you...

Following the economic challenges of 2008, the training landscape eroded; 2012, however, marked a notable turning point in Technology and Manufacturing industries. As high-

lighted in a Bersin by Deloitte report, The Corporate Learning Factbook 2013: Benchmarks, Trends and Analysis of the U.S. Training Market, mature manufacturing companies that were still focused on creating a learning organizational culture spent 20% more on training in 2012 than 2011 (up 9.5% over the previous two years). Learning and Development professionals agree that the focus of training in industrial sectors is no longer on “continuing education,” but on “continual learning” to ensure a competitive advantage.

The fi rst differentiator of mature learning organizations is instructional design. Constrained by cost and desiring a high-impact learning experience, talent managers shifted toward pairing novices and experts through communities of practice that leveraged experiential learning opportunities. As skill gaps were assessed, instructional design took a blended approach to conceptual instruction via technology-enabled formats and reinforced skill application facilitated by coaches. Curriculum design became less abstract and more about giving employees what they needed to know to demonstrate desired skills (which were defi ned based on role responsibility and connection to the company’s strategic goals and objectives. Training, in turn, was measured by the organization’s ability to achieve each objective.

Mature learning organizations also recognized the impor-tance of employee engagement in the learning process. Design of training had to support the various ways by which adults learn and provide relevant material for each employee without increasing costs. At the time of reengineering, train-ing budgets were between $700 and $800 per employee(nearly half pre-2008 $1300-$1500 budgets): Even mature organizations could not afford to customize the training for individual employees. Course design called for a blended approach that standardized content while ensuring relevancy and fl exibility for experiential learning. Breakout groups and simulations were incorporated to permit role playing and peer-to-peer dialogue. Coach-assisted practical exercises were engineered to facilitate skills application and immediate

feedback, and downloadable real-world examples submitted by peers demonstrated each skill in detail for those who were less confi dent at fi rst.

With the average age of plant population shifting and more technology-savvy learners among the ranks, Learning and Development leaders within mature organizations further set themselves apart by leveraging social media and virtual forums to deliver and reinforce skills application. Learning Manage-ment Systems provided chat rooms, live feeds, and online libraries where students could engage their peers in discussion. With “Branching” methods of delivering conceptual content via the Web, students were engaged in a realistic scenario, asked to make decisions along the way based on their personal under-standing of a topic, then guided to additional content based on their responses. This facilitated a game-like environment that created relevance and scalability while maintaining content consistency at a lower cost per student.

The fi nal differential deals with the pace of the learning process. Learning and Development leaders understood that adults working full-time and raising families had to be able to participate in training ad hoc. Both conceptual eLearning modules and skill-application assignments had to be struc-tured in a way that allowed completion in short intervals and within a student’s day-to-day responsibilities. Using an adap-tation of the popular “CPR” method of instructional design (Fig. 1), leaders challenged designers to constrain themselves to 3-5 minutes of conceptual content delivery, 10-15 minutes for practical exercises within eLearning modules, simulations and group breakouts, and 3-5 minutes to reinforce knowledge through interactive games, quizzes and other activities aimed at ensuring comprehension and retention.

TRAINING REENGINEERED: Stretch Your Training Dollar By Leveraging Technology

By Shon Isenhour and Darrin Wikoff, GPAllied, LLC

Incorporating ideas from these authorsinto your organization’s training program can help improve your training results.


TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE


Based on this type of model, students would spend no more than 25 minutes learning about a skill before they had enough of a foundation to go out and apply it. This required each competency to be broken down into a unique learning objective and content to be delivered in written, visual, and experiential formats in order to ensure a suffi cient level of understanding. To build confi dence and encourage skill application, coaches were provided to support the student, evaluate performance and supply the necessary level of personal follow-up instruction that would allow the skill to be repeated with confi dence and mastery. Again, this prevented the training material from having to be custom-ized for each employee, but still ensured a consistent level of learning across the organization.

What’s important to managers is making sure provided training is retained and applied and that it generates a return on the training investment. The return in the reengineered curriculum comes from direct application of its concepts to a site’s challenges through project-based learning.

As skill application assignments are completed, projects and the educational experience move in parallel toward a target state. The idea is that the student gets to apply each portion of the training as it is received. When the training is fi nished, the project is also complete. This method gener-ates a measurable change in performance that a manager can monitor.

Having worked your way through this reengineered-training model article, try adopting some of the ideas in it to stretch your training dollars while improving results. Remember to put adequate time into instructional design and break topics into small pieces that can be communicated and readily applied within your plant. Use reinforced skill application facilitated by coaches to ensure understanding of material. Apply electronic media to boost motivation through natural competitiveness and allow content to be self-tailored based on performance. Incorporate project-based learning techniques to produce documented results and demonstrated success that can be leveraged to grow your efforts. With this combination, you should see a step change in the value of your training dollars and be able to bring your organization to a new level of performance. MT

With a combined 40 years of industrial experience backing them up, GPAllied subject-matter experts, Shon Isenhour and Darrin Wikoff have successfully reengineered the model for Maintenance and Reliability training. Their University of Tennessee accredited and award-winning inspired Blended Learning (iBL) program is a real-world example of the inno-vative concepts explained in this article. Take a test drive by visiting www.ibltraining.com and clicking the demonstration link, or email the authors directly at [email protected] and [email protected].

Fig. 1. CPR Method of Design

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE


For more info, enter 75 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 77 at www.MT-freeinfo.com


The Worldwide Operator Training Simulator Market

According to the ARC Advisory Group (ARC), the worldwide market for Operator Training Simulator (OTS) software and services is set for rapid growth. The retiring workforce, lack of experienced operators, and

manufacturing expansion in emerging markets are major drivers for OTS. Operator training simulators are defi ned as dynamic simulators designed to

train process operators using process simulators in the process industries. The study includes information about software technologies, tools, and methodologies that are both high-fi delity solutions that replicate plant operations exactly and generic simulators that are process- or application-specifi c. Operator training simulation systems considered in the study include 2D, 3D, generic high fi delity, dynamic high fi delity and virtual type applications.

Currently, the market is at an infl ection point. Widespread retirement and job-changing patterns of experienced workers and increased safety concerns are among the factors driving this market. Suppliers are responding with dynamic high-fi delity solutions that include 2D, 3D, and immersive reality training. In addition, OTS in the cloud is starting to be an integrated part of the training solution.

To obtain this ARC report, visit: http://www.arcweb.com/market-studies/pages/operator-training-simulators.aspx. MT


Arc Flash Protection& Electrical Safety

70E

• Live, Instructor Led Training

• Identify Electrical Hazards

• Safety Related Work Practices

• MaintenanceRequirements

• Call or Visit for a Complete Schedule

www.AmericanTrainco.com1-877-978-7246

Creating a Better, Safer and More Ef cient Maintenance Workforce

Public Seminarsor Training at Your Facility


CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE


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AC Drives With Revamped Architecture

ABB’s new low-voltage, industrial AC drive portfolio is built on a common architecture,

designed to simplify operation, optimize energy effi ciency and maximize output. The architecture lets the drives control virtually any type of AC motor, and interface across all major fi eldbus protocols and remote monitoring solutions. Integrated safety features include safe torque-off (STO) that can prevent unexpected startup.

ABBNew Berlin, WI

Remote Cable-Drive Valve Operator

Smith Flow Control’s Flexi-Drive cable drive

system allows remote operation of valves in hard-to-reach or inaccessible locations. Its fl exible linear drive cable connects a hand wheel to a valve up to 100 feet away, and can operate in water up to 50’ and temperatures from -65 to +400 F. Capable of delivering adequate torque output for most manual valve situations, the system can transmit drive to a valve up to 60 meters from the operator station. This product is suitable for use with any conventional wheel-operated industrial valve/device, including oil, gas and chemical-processing applications.

Smith Flow ControlErlanger, KY

Portable, High-Powered Vibration Analyzer

SPM Instrument has introduced a new member of its Leonova line of portable, high-powered

vibration analyzers. Incorporating SPM HD technology, the rugged Leonova Emerald®, a sibling of the company’s feature-rich Leonova Diamond®, provides razor-sharp spectrums even where signals are weak and low in energy content. Its excellent signal-to-noise ratio, the manufacturer says, offers a distinct advantage when dealing with equip-ment like gearboxes, where weak signals are present among stronger ones. Measurement-data-processing, machine-fault-symptom computation and trending are all done in the instrument. Leonova Emerald also comes in an EX-approved version for hazardous environments.

SPM Instrument, Inc.Eugene, OR

Auto-Calibrating CO2 Sensor

The SMART-Sensor™ LCD from Reliable Controls now includes an integrated CO2 sensor option

with an auto-calibration feature that can establish a baseline CO2 level for any space. The easy-to-program sensor allows users to connect with up to 10 confi gurable parameters. The unit also includes a non-disper-sive infrared optical sensor, a 0-2000 PPM range and optional manual calibration. I/O and humidity and occupancy sensors are available.

Reliable Controls Corp.Victoria, BC, Canada

AC drive portfolio is built on a common architecture,

PPM range and optional manual calibration. I/O and

machine-fault-symptom computation and trending are all

can transmit drive to a valve up to 60 meters from the



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Radiation-Resistant Vibration Monitoring

Meggitt’s radiation-hardened vibration sensors meet specifi c requirements for the reliability

of monitoring equipment in nuclear environments. Operable up to 248 F (120 C), mechanical components used in its Wilcoxon 793R sensors can tolerate a cumulative radiation exposure of 1 x 107 RADs and still meet original manufacturing specifi cations. Model 797R is a side-exit, low-profi le IsoRing accelerometer with tight sensitivity tolerance of 100 mV/g, ±5%. Its velocity transducer houses ultra-low-noise electronics for clear signals at very low vibration levels, and has a frequency range of 2 Hz to 7 kHz.

Meggitt Sensing SystemsGermantown, MD

Thermal Imagers With Simultaneous Electrical Readings

Fluke’s expanded CNXTM

Wireless Test Tools system includes Ti1XX Series

Thermal Imagers with a free upgrade in SmartView® software that enables the imager to capture and display electrical measurements wirelessly. The system is a set of test tools that wirelessly connects multiple measurement modules and sends simultaneous readings to a CNX main unit up to 20 meters away.

Fluke Corp.Everett, WA

meet original manufacturing specifi cations. Model 797R software that enables the imager to capture and display software that enables the imager to capture and display

UNIQUE BEARING AND VIBRATION ANALYSIS

Tel. 1-800-505-5636leonovabyspm.comspminstrument.com

Leonova Emerald® is a portable in-strument for condition monitoring. This rugged data collector offers advanced and cost-effective meth-ods for shock pulse and vibration analysis. The SPM HD® measuring technique enables detailed bearing analysis also at very low speeds.

The instrument efficiently manages extensive measuring routes and large amounts of measurement data.

Also available in Ex version.

Contact us today for a complete condition monitoring package!


For rate information on advertising in the Information Highway Section Contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 / E-mail: [email protected]

INFORMATION HIGHWAY

CLASSIFIED


PIP is a consortium of process plant owners and engineering construction contractors harmonizing member’s internal standards for design, procurement, construction and maintenance into industry-wide Practices. PIP has published over 450 Practices. A current listing of published Practices is available on the PIP website at: http://pip.org/practices/index.asp.

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U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC is excited to announce the integration of Kabel-Schlepp America into its operations as part of the Tsubakimoto Chain Company’s global ac-quisition of the German-based Cable & Hose Carrier manufacturer. KabelSchlepp America will now operate as a division of U.S. Tsubaki and will expand Tsubaki’s presence in the U.S. market by adding cable & hose carrier systems to its already extensive product lineup.

The ability to identify, verify and locate every voltage source from the outside of electrical panels greatly reduces electrical risks. That’s why we’ve incorpo-rated two of our most popular products - ChekVolt® and VoltageVision® - into one unique, exclusive product called The Combo Unit..

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Air Sentry® is a leading developer of contamination control products that keep particulate matter and excess moisture from the headspace inside gearboxes, drums, reservoirs, oil tanks, etc. that hold oils, greases, hydraulic fl uids, and fuels. Air Sentry breathers and adapters ensure longer fl uid life, better lubrication and lower maintenance costs.

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847-382-8100 x110 800-223-3423 [email protected] [email protected]

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For rate information on advertising in the Classifi ed Section contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 / E-mail: [email protected]

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Increase reliability while decreasing costs with Inpro/Seal application solutions. The inventor of the original bearing isolator, Inpro/Seal’s technologies increase the reliability of rotating equipment and provide real cost savings by improving MTBR. Our superior customer service and streamlined production processes allow for same-day shipments on most products, even new designs.

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Index MAY 2013 • Volume 26, No. 5

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May 2013 • Volume 26, No. 5



Air Sentry ................................................................www:airsentry.com ............................................83 .......................38

American Trainco ..................................................www.americantrainco.com ...............................76 .......................35

Baldor Electric Company ......................................www.baldor.com ................................................63 .........................2

Bartlett Bearing Company, Inc. ............................www.bartlettbearing.com .................................64 .........................4

Cascade Machinery Vibration Solutions .............www.cascademvs.com .......................................69 .......................10

EASA .......................................................................www.easa.com ....................................................86 .................... IBC

Engtech Industries Inc. ..........................................www.engtechindustries.com .............................88 .......................22

Exair Corporation ..................................................www.exair.com/48/462.htm .............................66 .........................5

Fluke ........................................................................www.fl uke.com ..................................................70 .......................10

Fluke ........................................................................www.fl uke.com/7reasons ..................................87 ......................BC

Foster Printing Services .........................................www.fosterprinting.com ...................................73 .......................23

Grace Engineered Products. Inc. ..........................info.graceport.com/4mt2013............................67 .........................7

Grace Engineered Products. Inc. ..........................www.grace.com ..................................................82 .......................38

Inpro/Seal, LLC .....................................................www.inpro-seal.com ..........................................81 .......................38

Mapcon Technologies, Inc. ...................................www.mapcon.com .............................................85 .......................38

Meggitt Sensing Systems .......................................www.wilcoxon.com ...........................................62 .........................1

Meltric Corporation ..............................................www.meltric.com ...............................................75 .......................35

PdMA Corporation ...............................................www.pdma.com .................................................72 .......................21

Process Industry Practices .....................................www.pip.org .......................................................68,84 ...............9,38

Revere Control Systems .........................................www.reverecontrol.com ....................................78 .......................37

SKF CMC ................................................................www.bakerinst.com ...........................................71 .......................14

SPM Instrument, Inc. ............................................www.spminstrument.com ................................79 .......................37

Strategic Work Systems, Inc. .................................www.swspitcrew.com ........................................65 .........................4

Test Products International ..................................www.testproductsintl.com ................................74,77 ..................35

U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC ...............www.kabelschlepp.com.com ............................80 .......................38

Yaskawa ...................................................................www.yaskawa.com .............................................61 .................... IFC


viewpoint

Energetic Women is an organization with an impor-tant mission: “To increase the pool of promotable women in Energy Operations and Engineering.” As “Our Values Statement” notes, we will always:

n Communicate in a positive manner

n Provide an encouraging and supportive environment

n Respect each other’s diverse experiences, background and contribution

n Encourage collaborative, inclusive and professional dialog

The launch of Energetic Women was first publicized via the June 2007 Midwest Energy Alliance (MEA) Energy Delivery News & Solutions eNewsletter, in an article with the same title as this Viewpoint: “Ladies of the Energy Industry Unite! (MEA Announces NEW “Energetic Women” Group!)”

Fast-forward six years and it’s easy to see that we’ve grown to be much more than a newsletter item. A partial list of our activities/milestones includes:

n Hosting the 6th Annual Energetic Women confer-ence this year (June 12 -14, in Baltimore, MD)

n Hosting bi-monthly Webinars on various topics

n Providing articles on leadership and development

n Providing tools for mentorship

n Providing online leadership training

n Inspiring book clubs/reading recommendations

n Having a LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter presence

n Exceeding expected participation and sponsorship

What does Energetic Women mean to me? First, it’s a confidence-building organization. It is also a growing movement—one that’s expanding as we learn more about what women are seeking in the areas of leadership and development while working for a utility company. The tools we offer, however, are useful and meaningful to women seeking advancement or enhanced skills in their current roles, regardless of industry sector.

As a woman working in the utility operations field for 10+ years, my experience has been somewhat different from that of others who came before me. I’ve been able to actually see, know and work alongside a number of women who have become professional engineers. Though this pool may be small, I realize that I was blessed with an opportunity early in my career that many never have.

The reality is that more times than I care to admit in the course of my work, I’ve been the only woman at the table with an engineering background. I want that to change. Since becoming involved with Ener-getic Women, I’ve begun leveraging tools provided by the organization to guide my steps as I “Lean In” and try to be an example to other women with interest in engineering and operations.

Although increasing numbers of women have begun venturing into roles traditionally held by men, Energetic Women will continue to inspire and support women in the utility industry. Over time, we hope more and more women will say they chose to pursue engineering and operations paths based on utiliza-tion of the networks, training, mentors and tools our organization built to pave the way to career develop-ment, advancement and success.

Energetic Women today is the beginning of what may be the future of utility operations training and development—for both women and men. I invite you to visit us at www.energeticwomen.org. Mt

Kimberly Smith is Operations Supervisor for Pied- mont Natural Gas, in Charlotte, NC. A mechanical engineer, she also serves as Chair of the Energetic Women organization.

Kimberly M. Smith, Piedmont Natural Gas

‘Ladies Of The Energy Industry Unite’

the opinions expressed in this viewpoint section are those of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect those of the staff and management of Maintenance Technology magazine.

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