March 23, 2006 Maintenance Conference Tip
Make the most of your next maintenance and reliability conference or trade show by mapping activities and setting goals in advance.
One way to do this is to sit with the conference brochure or print out the session details from the event web page and “MAP” the sessions you wish to attend.
Many conferences run multiple tracks and it is advisable to get into the room early to reserve your seat. You may even get a special bonus and met the presenter as he/she prepares. You can ask a question and have your own private session before the learning session even starts.
Reliabilityweb.com offers a free Maintenance Conference Pre-Flight Checklist that can make your experience more productive at any maintenance and reliability conference.
Click here for the MaintenanceConference Preflight Checklist (45K PDF
March 23, 2006 Motor Testing Tip
Motor Circuit Analysis (MCA) impedance readings can be used to evaluate the insulation condition of cables in the electric motor system. When testing an electric motor from the Motor Control Center (MCC) and a fault is detected with MCA tests including resistance, impedance, inductance, phase angle, current/frequency response and insulation to ground, it is important to isolate the motor from the circuit to confirm motor condition. If the test results are the same, then the fault is in the motor; If it improves, but the motor still shows faults, then the fault is in the motor and possibly the cable; If the fault goes away, or the readings change significantly, the fault may be in the cable.
To confirm the cable condition, disconnect the cable at the MCC and at the motor and separate the ends from each other. First, test each cable leg to ground. While IEEE Std 43 provides an insulation to ground limit of 5 MegOhms for systems under 600 Volts and 100 MegOhms for systems over 600 Volts, it is recommended that the cable should have an insulation value greater than 100 MegOhms. Testing impedance between cable phases will identify a breakdown of insulation, damage or contamination, between conductors. By experience, a good phase to phase test of cables of over 100 feet should be greater than 800 Ohms of impedance.
Tip provided by ALL-TEST Pro, LLC
http://www.alltestpro.com
Tel: 860.395.2988
March 23, 2006 Have you signed up for the PdM Program of Year yet?
If you do not blow your own horn - who will?
Uptime Magazine is inviting you to nominate your Predictive Maintenance program in any of the following categories:
• Vibration Analysis
• Ultrasonics
• Infrared
• Motor Testing
• Oil Analysis
• Alignment
There will also be a grand prize award for the best overall Predictive Maintenance program.
Entry is free and the initial form is very simple to complete so what are you waiting for? You have to be in it to win it!
March 23, 2006 Electric Motor Tip
A white “quick dry” paint stick is a handy tool to carry and use before disconnecting unmarked or illegible motor leads prior to offline motor testing in a motor control center. One mark for T1, 2 marks for T2 and three marks for T3.
It only takes a minute to do and the paint markings stay legible long term. Another quick, effective and inexpensive way to lessen the chance of hooking up a motor wrong.
Reader tip provided by Jim Zuidema, Electrician, Alcoa, Bettendorf IA
March 23, 2006 Maintenance Tip
When fishing items in a hollow wall, instead of using a fish tape, try using small fixture chain. It easily falls straight down and can be captured with a small wire with a hook on the end and then pull it out the opening. It is also usually strong enough to attach whatever you are trying to fish through the wall. Using this method will reduce the amount of time and aggravation normally seen during this type of task.
This Maintenance-Tip Challenge Winning Tip provided by Mike Hutson, Reliability Engineer, United States Gypsum Company, Norfolk, VA
March 23, 2006 LORD Launches Global Distributor Network
LORD Corporation – a leader in the management of motion, vibration and noise – has launched a distributor network to aid in the global distribution and services of their balancing systems and other technologies.
LORD currently has distributors in the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, India, Taiwan, Japan as well as a number of representatives in North America. The distributors have the ability to sell, install and service LORD Corporation’s proprietary balancing technology—a permanently mounted system that continuously monitors vibration levels and corrects unbalance while a rotating piece of equipment is in operation. The balancer has proven to increase the operating efficiency and production of a plant by drastically reducing conventional “off-line” balancing and maintenance.
LORD selected companies that are recognized as experts in their field and involved in Condition Based Maintenance (CBM). For a complete listing of distributors for LORD Balancing Systems, visit http://www.lord.com and click on “Find a Distributor.”
March 23, 2006 Ultrasonic Testing Tip
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE TRENDING BEARINGS ULTRASONICALLY
No matter whose airborne ultrasound equipment you are using, you should always ask yourself these questions:
(1) Is my equipment “repeatable”? *Many of the makes & models today are not repeatable.
(2) Can I take two models of the same manufacturer and achieve identical or very similar readings (plus or minus 2-3 dB’s is acceptable)? *Only a couple of today’s airborne ultrasound manufacturers calibrate the contact probe to a known value that assures repeatability. The difference could be 2-3 or 15-16 dB’s or more.
(3) Is “sound quality” more reliable than trending dB’s?
*No. Trending a bearing overtime or using a comparative method will yield more information as to the condition of the bearing.
(4) Should bearings be lubricated before trending? *Yes. Lubricating the bearings before trending is a good idea. A non-lubricated bearing, can easily be mistaken for as a failure.
(5) If I lose a contact probe and purchase another, will my new readings be identical or very similar? *Possibly, not all contacts probes are calibrated to a known value. Check with your particular manufacturer and ask for assurances.
(6) Are bearing “contact points” identified? *Always retake readings at the same point as before. Consistency is important. Depending upon which unit you use, holding the instrument at the same angle and/or position is critical for repeatability. Try using a permanent marker to mark the point for future readings. Possibly, attach a washer to the surface to provide a non-slip point.
Tip provided by Jim Hall
Ultra-Sound Technologies
Tel: (770) 517-8747
http://www.ultra-soundtech.com
March 23, 2006 Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Tip
Optimizing your Root Cause Analysis efforts means that we should not be content and rest on our laurels that we have succeeded in eliminating the risk of recurrence of an event. True Root Cause Analysis optimization involves Knowledge Management (KM) of the information used to solve the problem.
If other people in your organization are not made aware of your findings and conclusions, then they risk the same thing happening in their areas. Root Cause Analysis also involves putting such information at the fingertips of those that need it most!
Tip provided by the Reliability Center Inc.
http://www.reliability.com
Tel: 804-458-0645
