April 12, 2007 MARCON-2007 Workshop
May 8-11, 2007
Knoxville TN
April 8 Workshop – Human Error Reduction – Robert Latino, Reliability Center, Inc.
Manufactures that incorporate root cause analysis into their reliability efforts have found most root cause analysis results uncover human error as a contributor to the event being analyzed. Equipment start–up is always a concern because maintenance and operations spend log hours working to restore equipment availability as soon as possible. Many times during or shortly after start-up equipment fails. When investigations are completed a bearing was installed incorrectly, an impeller was installed backwards, the wrong lapping compound was used, and the list goes on.
You can manage human errors like these much like you manage the safety of your employees. In fact, proper understanding of human error traps can keep employees safer. When employees are aware of potential human error traps they can take actions to avoid results that may injure the employee and or damage company assets. This process can best be introduced using first line supervision as the driver to uncover and manage potential human error traps. When the concepts of this class are fully utilized safety incidents are decreased and reliability is improved through longer runs without incident. More than 7000 supervisors have benefited from taking this course.
Following the workshop there are 34 Reliability Improvement case studies from organizations like Northrop Grumman, Sandia National Laboratory, Alcoa, Duke Energy, Michelin, Eastman Chemical, US Army, The National Gas Co. of Trinidad and Tobago and Agrium.
MARCON-2007 offers extraordinary learning and professional networking in a relaxed setting in downtown Knoxville.
To register please call 865-974-9625 or…
April 12, 2007 Computer Tip - MS Windows Reliability: Get a Life!
Reliabilityweb.com has built its entire business on Microsoft Windows platform with the exception of Uptime Magazine and Reliability Magazine - who use Macintosh platforms.
As different MS Windows problems would creep up and require time and attention - our magazine editors would quietly wonder why we simply accepted these circumstances.
As I returned from a visit to the ACIEM 9th International Congress on Maintenance (excellent by the way) in Bogotá Columbia, we experienced a catastrophic shutdown and MS Windows failure. We did have a back up system however - due the extensive amount of programs and data we use to support Reliabilityweb.com - the time required for system normalization was over 72 hours.
My tip?
Follow me in performing the ultimate “Windows upgrade” and switch to Macintosh. It may not be Bill Gates fault that all the miscreant worm and virus writers obsess on Windows but I am ducking out of this battle and going the way of Steve Jobs.
Enough is enough!
Tip provided by Terrence O’Hanlon, CMRP
Publisher and new Mac convert
http://www.apple.com
April 12, 2007 Over 180 FREE Infrared Seminars
FLIR is offering over 180 FREE Infrared Seminars throughout the United States and Canada in 2007. These seminars were created to bring novice and long-time infrared users up to speed with the latest on infrared.
To register, visit FLIR’s Infrared Seminar site or call 1-800-254-0633.
April 12, 2007 Alignment Tip
The virtual move.
Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to “try” a correction due to the fact that you couldn’t make the correction that the laser provided? Maybe over-or under-shimming is a possible solution.
To “try” different options in the laser system, you simply go to the THERMAL GROWTH feature of your unit, Select the proper machine that you would like to try virtual corrections on and input the desired amount you wish you try at the proper foot with the same sign as the proposed move and then view the results screen. Try different combinations until you reach the best solution for your alignment. Don’t forget to remove the “virtual corrections” BEFORE making the actual corrections.
Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935
April 12, 2007 Training Tip
Tech Tip: Training Plan
Maintaining the Capabilities of Your Knowledge Workers
Are you aware of the capabilities of your people? Build a training plan to manage your training program. A training plan will help keep the maintenance department functioning properly by managing the knowledge gap. Normally it is Human Resources who implements corporate-wide training initiatives that relate to all personnel. The training plan is similar to a maintenance plan in that you are maintaining the knowledge and experience requirements for the maintenance department and its most valuable assets. A training plan will also help with budgeting and justification of the training needed to continue meeting the goals of the department.
Tip provided by Rob Apelgren, CMRP
SUCCESS by DESIGN
Ph: 800 392-9025 ext 202 (USA) or 860 577-8537 ext 202
http://www.motordiagnostics.com
Find out more about effective training from SUCCESS by DESIGN
April 12, 2007 Oil Analysis Booklet
Oil Analysis is a cornerstone of any successful predictive maintenance and machinery condition monitoring program.
Insight Services’ helps customers understand why oil analysis is vital to a successful reliability program. They get it. The more knowledge maintenance and reliability professionals have, the greater the value that can be returned from the PdM program.
Insight Services developed this book to help everyone understand oil analysis. This booklet is designed to help you establish an effective oil analysis program for increased reliability.
April 12, 2007 Root Cause Failure Analysis Tip
How do you assure the “Crime Scene” is preserved for Root Cause Failures Analysis?
Much has been written about the magnitude of Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) and the importance of preserving the evidence at the beginning of the investigation. Many have compared preserving the evidence as the same as preserving “the Crime Scene”. For the police, preserving the Crime Scene begins when the call comes in and officers are quickly dispatched to string the yellow tape. But how do you confirm that the Crime Scene is preserved at your plant?
It begins by ensuring that your RCFA Program has clearly defined entry points, set criteria for which a RCFA must be initiated. Typical criterion includes: Production Impact, Maintenance Impact, Injury or Death, and Repeat Failures. Once the entry criteria are established, the next important step is to communicate those criteria to the plant population. The criteria can be published in newsletters and other plant publications in order to reach the greatest audience. In addition, the criterion should be posted around the plant site so when entry conditions are exceeded, there is an understanding and clear instructions on how to proceed and who to call.
The last step in order to ensure that the Crime Scene is preserved is to establish a “Crime Scene kit”. The kit should contain yellow tape (yes, yellow tape) to cord off the area, a digital camera, a form for identifying witnesses, interview forms, and a form for identifying plant conditions. Pens/pencils, markers, plastic bags of various sizes should also be included within the kit.
Once the plant personnel know who to call when the entry conditions are met, you are prepared to respond to preserve the evidence, thus your RCFA investigations will be more secure and easier to complete.
Tip provided by Ken Bass, CMRP
Management Resources Group, Inc.
For more information about RCFA and Reliability Strategy Development visit MRG’s website
April 12, 2007 Maintenance Tip – Failure Modes
A note on the analysis of a failed Babbitt bearing on a multiple unit solid coupled DC Motor Generator set with non circulated pedestal oil sumps.
When a Babbitt bearing failure occurs on a large MG set with as many as 8 bearing pedestals the vibration spectrum can range from a single predominant peak at the operational speed to many multiples of 1x. It is very common to find that the point of highest amplitude is not always the location of the failed bearing. A very intense search ensues for the failed component only to find that the first two or three pedestals that are inspected are not the location of the failure. To locate the bad bearing you need only shine a flash light through each of the sight glasses until the dark “sparkly” oil is observed. When this pedestal is disassembled it will undoubtedly be the primary source of the problem you seek.
The reason for this is that the dynamic forces on the shaft have already worn away at the babbitt bearing until the internal clearances have “opened up” to the point where hydrodynamic lubrication is no longer occurring. In essence, the bearing lost its oil wedge and the shaft is being supported by the other bearings in the train. With no oil wedge it is impossible for the rotor dynamics to impart vibration through the babbitt bearing to the bearing housing where the measurement is being taken. So it only appears that this isn’t the bearing with the problem.
Lessons Learned: In some cases we need to step back from the technology and look at the failure mode as a progression of events that change over time.
Tip provided by Jerry Rose
Lead Analyst
Allied Reliability
http://www.alliedreliability.com
http://www.alliedreliability.com
Request your free copy of “Why RCM Doesn’t Work” from Allied Reliability
