IMC-2007 - the 22nd International Maintenance Conference
Dec 4-7, 2007
Daytona Beach Hilton Florida

Meet workshop leaders who can show you new methods for reliability like:

Paul Barringer
Ron Moore
Terry Wireman
Joel Levitt
Steven Thomas
Ricky Smith
Steve Turner
...many more at IMC-2007

Call toll free (888) 575-1245 or…

Find out more about IMC-2007 online

Use of a pocket voice recorder during route data collection allows for notations of manual data collection and also reminders of equipment condition.

These handy devices can also be used with an ultrasound tester to record wave files for analysis and reporting.

Anything to assist my aging memory cells is an invaluable tool to have in my pocket!

Reader tip provided by Carl Collins
Reliability Engineering Technician
BASF Catalysts LLC
Huntsville AL

Thanks Carl - your Stainless steel diamond plate Reliabilityweb.com coffee mug is on the way!

Send in your own maintenance tip and get a hat or coffee mug

Attend Thermal Solutions®, the conference for professional thermographers, motor circuit analysis technicians and reliability leaders.

January 21-24, 2008 in Sarasota, Florida USA.

• Three tracks of paper presentations
o Infrared Thermography for Condition Monitoring
o Motor Circuit Analysis (NEW for 2008)
o Building Thermography

• Exhibit Hall featuring all major IR and MCA equipment manufacturers

• Case study analysis forums (NEW for 2008)

• “Ask the Expert” consultation sessions

• Educational Short Courses

• Endless Networking Opportunities

Those who should attend this conference include maintenance technicians, program managers, reliability engineers, electrical contractors, mechanical engineers, maintenance supervisors, plant managers.

Find out more about Thermal Solutions

Join us for a Web Workshop on November 16

Please join Jack R. Nicholas Jr., CMRP for the final workshop of a 10 part series of Predictive Maintenance (PdM) Program Management.

In the 10th Workshop Jack discusses:

• Predictive Maintenance (PdM) Program Self Assessment Auditing Methods
• Overall PdM Program Assessment
• Vibration Analysis Program Assessment
• Infrared Thermography Program Assessment
• Lubrication and Oil Analysis Program Assessment
• Motor Current/Power Analysis Program Assessment
• Electrical Insulation Testing Program Assessment
• Transformer Testing Program Assessment
• Electrical Machine Testing Program Assessment
• Airborne Ultrasound Testing Program Assessment

The presented material will last 50-55 minutes with extra time set aside for questions and answers. Please allow extra time to attend if you are interested in participating in the question and answer sessions.

Space is limited. Reserve your Web Workshop seat now

Understanding Temperature Measurement Resolution

When studying infrared camera specifications, the number of pixels in the camera’s infrared detector array is often used for comparison. It is important to note that the number of pixels doesn’t necessarily indicate the camera’s ability to discern the temperature of small objects. Camera spot size is the specification that describes an infrared camera’s ability to make small temperature measurements. Some cameras calculate temperature based on a 3x3 or 4x4 matrix of infrared pixels, others much smaller. In most cases the spot size performance of IR cameras is adequate but as cameras with lower and lower resolution are available, users will need to more closely evaluate the actual measurement spot size just as buyers of low cost spot pyrometers must since the lowest cost devices typically feature 6:1 spot size (at six feet the measurement spot is 1 foot). Without recognizing the limitations of spot size, an infrared camera user may have measurement errors when performing an infrared inspection of equipment. Most often, measurement errors are low (meaning that objects are hotter than measured) which could have serious implications. Know your camera’s spot size and make sure that your measurement distance is adequate or whether you need to consider a telephoto lens or a camera with higher resolution.

Tip provided by Electrophysics
Tel: (973) 882-0211

Infrared Inspections made easy

Manufacturers have been seeking the means to optimize asset performance. This Aberdeen benchmark report investigates the ways top performing companies develop corporate cultures of reliability and leverage investments in advanced APM tools to improve asset performance monitoring, predictive analytics, asset management, maintenance activities for top line and bottom line improvement in performance.

Request your complimentary copy of the Aberdeen Group report entitled “Ground Up Strategies for Asset Performance Management.”

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

Many end users have taken laser alignment equipment and “checked” alignments on equipment that has been running satisfactorily, and very often with vibration data that falls well within alarm thresholds, only to find the alignment out of normal alignment tolerances. In this instance, the vibration data should be the determining factor.

If the equipment is running well, leave it alone. It would however be a very good practice to keep this alignment data and use it in the future for intentional misalignment of this particular machine. It is quite possible that the machine had in fact been deliberately misaligned when cold and stopped to compensate for positional changes that occur due to thermal growth or dynamic load shifts.

Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com
Tel: 305-591-8935

More Alignment Resources

Reliability Engineering, What it takes to make it successful

In “World Class” organizations a reliability engineer is expected to be the reliability expert and the facilitator of best reliability practices in an organization. The key is that a reliability engineer must be a force and efficiency multiplier by using their skills to enhance all work focused on asset reliability from utilizing tools such as RCM (reliability centered maintenance) to root cause failure analysis.

• Reliability Engineers are typically degreed engineers and are certified as a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professionals from the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals. (Send me a email and I will provide you with the training and certification path I recommend, degreed engineer or not)

• Reliability Engineers track and eliminate equipment problems which are known as “bad actors”. The “bad actors” are identified as the top 5 assets in the past 30 days that have:

- Highest maintenance cost
- Highest maintenance labor hours
- MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure)

• Reliability Engineers are the quality assurance person for all projects (capital, minor construction, rebuild, etc).

• All assets are ranked based on risk and consequence. This list is aligned with the asset condition list which provides management with the identification of there highest risk assets in the worst condition.

• Reliability Engineers are the trainers and facilitators for all Reliability Centered Maintenance or Failure Modes and Effect Analysis work.

• Reliability Engineers are the “gate keepers” for changes made to the P-F Interval for any asset considered critical.

• Reliability Engineers are never focused on any project which does not impact asset reliability.

Tip provided by Ricky Smith, CMRP
Co-Author with Keith Mobley
Rules of Thumb for Maintenance and Reliability Engineers

Get a copy of Rules of Thumb for Maintenance and Reliability Engineers