We are starting to think about creating “steam trap” rounds. Initially, it was thought that Thermography might be the best choice for this. But I’m wondering if Ultrasonic might be a better choice, especially for those traps that are accessible without ladders.

I would be interested in your experiences with either or both of these technologies use on steam traps.

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I have seen during many walkdowns where too many shims have been utilized to make vertical corrections, sometimes as many as 10. When this many shims are used a condition referred to as spring or squishy foot occurs.

Rule of thumb is no more than four (4) shims to be used under any foot. Replace multiple thin shims with single-thickness plates. Imperfections in the shims (too many) can cause the spring or squishy foot at the rate of approximately three mils per shim.

Reader tip provided by Carol Pettit, PdM Engineer, TVA, Madison, Alabama

Thanks Carol - your Maintenance Tips hat is on the way!

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The inefficiencies of your current EAM solution really have you pinned down. Worse yet, high costs coupled with annoying migration issues leave no wiggle room for future upgrades.

Let Avantis set you free. For a limited time only, trade in 50% of your current EAM software licenses for the Avantis EAM solution. FREE. Take advantage of this offer for a fast and low risk move to Avantis.

Learn more about this special offer

Use the “alt-PrtScrn” keys when assembling information from many sources to speed up report generation. I now use PowerPoint as my “scratchpad” for all report generation because of the picture tools and word processing functions available and the picture cropping, contrast and lighting controls in this software package and dump all my infrared scans, digital pictures, current logger results, offline and online motor test results along with a slide of the work order as they all come from different software packages.

These reports are easy to email to one and all, file for future use, and to easy to update with “after repair” test results including a copy of the completed work order, all in one nice package, ready for instant showing anywhere, whether it be at work or a major reliability conference. Which, by the way is where I picked up this little morsel!

Award winning tip provided by our good friend Jim Zuidema, Electrician, Alcoa, Bettendorf Iowa

Make Plans to see Jim’s Presentation at PdM-2006 - The Predictive Maintenance Technology Conference

Benchmarking and Best Practices

Xerox defines benchmarking as follows: To search for industry best practices which lead to superior performance.

To understand this definition completely we must first be clear what is meant by best practices. They are practices that enable a company to become a leader in its respective marketplace. However, Best Practices are not the same for all companies.

For example, if a company is in a declining market, in which the pressures are to maximize profits with a fixed sales volume, one set of best practices might allow market leadership. However, if the company is in a growth mode with profits dictated by gaining rapid market share, a different set of best practices would be appropriate. Therefore, BEST is determined by business conditions, not by a fixed set of business practices.

From Benchmarking Best Practices in Maintenance Management by Terry Wireman, Published by Industrial Press

Benchmarking Best Practices Self Paced Training Course

The SMRPCO Board of Directors has approved a rewards program for submission of candidate CMRP exam questions. The “5 for 50 Rewards Program” has been established for calendar year 2006 to encourage anyone (SMRP member or not) to submit valid questions that may be added the CMRP exam question “bank.” The basic reward for five (5) valid questions submitted is a US$50 gift card useable worldwide. Alternative awards may also be chosen, such as a US$50 credit against CMRP recertification fee or receipt of a SMRPCO golf shirt and baseball cap (which have a combined value of about US$50).

Progressively more valuable awards are also offered for submission of additional candidate questions. For example anyone submitting eight (8) acceptable questions during 2006 will receive a US$100 gift card or combination of two US$50 rewards. Ten (10) valid questions can earn rewards totaling US$140.

Questions submitted to meet requirements for 3 year recertification as a CMRP are also eligible for rewards.

Learn more about the 5 for 50 Rewards Program

Developing Winding Shorts

Electric motor shorts are not instantaneous. They normally start with some type of weakness or defect between conductors that is aggravated by the electrical environment, contamination, starts and stops or aging. In the first stage, small changes to the capacitance of the insulation cause a small change in phase angle and or current/frequency response readings with MCA. As the change continues, the fault becomes more reactive and, in the second phase of a developing winding short, the phase angle and/or current/frequency test result changes are greater as the capacitive values of the insulation system changes more and the motor may begin ‘nuisance tripping.’ In the final stages of winding shorts, the fault area becomes less resistive as the fault temperature increases, at some point, the copper may vaporize between conductors, coils or from conductors to ground. This final stage is the only point where insulation testers and multi-meters can detect the fault, while MCA can detect the earlier stages up to months in advance, in systems under 600 Volts.

Tip provided by ALL-TEST Pro, LLC
http://www.alltestpro.com
Tel: 860.395.2988

More Motor Testing Resources

Practice makes permanent, not perfect. Many organizations today depend on OJT (On-The-Job-Training) which is fine if the “teacher” is doing the job correctly. In many cases the teacher has bad habits that are passed on to the students and those bad habits spread. Many believe that you should WRITE WHAT YOU DO and DO WHAT YOU WRITE. The potential flaw is, what you write may not be correct! However, if we follow the incorrect information, we would be in compliance.

Tip provided by the Reliability Center Inc.
Tel: 804-458-0645
http://www.reliability.com

Human error caused loss of Mars orbiter