Failure Behavior Patterns
When listing failure modes in an RCM study, also associate the type of failure behavior pattern. The type of maintenance applicable to each mode will vary depending on whether it is a random, wear-out or wear-in pattern. Whilst knowledge and experience is a reasonable basis for determining the pattern, if there is some historical data available, sort it by failure mode and calculate the time in service prior to each failure mode occurring. Put these figures into one of the Weibull software packages and examine the shape of the curve. It is often surprising the difference between what we may have thought to be the behavior to the actual failure pattern revealed through data analysis.

Tip provided by ARMS Reliability Engineers

Download ARMS Reliability Engineers latest RCM whitepaper - “Budgeting for Reliable Operations”, Mick Drew & Jason Ballentine
http://www.reliability.com.au/index.asp?pgid=428

When your vibration spectrum shows bar pass or roll pass frequencies with sidebands, check for shaft misalignment, soft foot or sprung foot problems. All of these can put undue torque on the rotor or stator and can appear to look like electrical problems.

Tip provided by Alignment Supplies
http://www.alignmentsupplies.com/

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The use of the strobe light during normal collection routes has been an aid for positive identification of problems. One of the best applications for this is gear mesh issues, provided that the gears are visible like in the case of the drive side paper machine. Other common faults we have verified using a strobe include weak motor bases, severe soft foot, cracked belts, unmatched belt sets, faulty sheaves. If the customer, meaning maintenance mechanic or maintenance manager, is/are readily available then showing them the problem where they can physically see it with the aid of a strobe light reinforces your analysis & recommendation.

Tip provided by IVC Technologies
http://www.ivctechnologies.com/

Optimized common sense maintenance in a slowing economy, is there such a thing?
Times are tough, cut backs are prevalent and pressure is mounting. If you mention “Common Sense”, ‘Optimize’ and ‘Maintenance’ together, then there’s usually some reference to consultants and budgets. The truth is you don’t need to spend a lot of money on expensive software and you surely don’t need to invest lots of your time in getting a program moving.
It is time to simplify, get back to basics and familiarize yourself with what we like to call ‘common sense maintenance’.
Random and Sudden Failures – These won’t be prevented by maintenance
• Equipment that changes from operational to functional failure quickly and you don’t know when it will happen. So you need to consider the risk and likelihood of it happening as well as spares and skills required to get it back on line. These types of failures cause a breakdown almost every time.
Random and Predictable Failures – Condition based maintenance
• If you don’t know when the equipment item will fail and it gives lots of consistent indicators before it happens, you can consider condition checks. Be sure that the frequency of inspection is shorter than the time between the indication and functional failure. Beware! Over inspection may introduce complacency or add unnecessary cost. Determining the right frequency is done by asking the right people questions about the rate of decay.
Known Safe Life – Hard time maintenance
• If you know when the equipment will fail, just fix it before it does.
Hidden Failures – Normally associated with protective devices
• If an item could fail and you won’t know about it until an unrelated event happens (i.e. a high trip switch seizes), we call these Hidden Failures. You might need to go failure finding (or testing). How often you test is all about the risks and likelihood. More frequent testing means less risk of multiple failures. Beware! Sometimes the testing can introduce more potential failures than it manages, so it needs to be balanced.
Now consider the following.
• Look for low or no cost opportunities by talking to your colleagues. Operators, Trades people and Supervisors are fantastic resources.
• Pick one equipment item, print out the PM’s/ check lists. Walk to the equipment and while you’re thinking about the basics, with a bold marker, check off what’s good and what’s not. You’ll find tasks that are vague or poorly written, tasks directed at equipment/components that do not exist, equipment/components that are missing tasks and some tasks that are just a waste of time. You may even find some problems that can be fixed with little or no investment. The next step is to get the changes approved and implemented.
• Try to direct your PM’s at root causes and not consequences. This can save lots of time.
• Take one step at a time. Focus on implementation.
1hr a week is all that you need to kick off a reliability improvement program and add value to your company and your position, but you need to stick to it, follow up and communicate.
Opportunities are everywhere. Putting yourself out there and taking action, is sometimes the hard part.

Tip Provided by OMCS International
You can find more low cost tips and info at out our website. There’s a free online tutorial, tools to help clean up your maintenance program and keep track of all of those opportunities you just found. http://www.reliabilityassurance.com

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Have your electric motors been analyzed for proper size application?
Many motors are improperly sized for their normal use and poor maintenance practices can also contribute to less efficient operation.
By using the proper sized motor, the facility will realize the best efficiency and energy savings possible. In addition, properly sized motors have been shown to be much more reliable than motors that are over- or under-sized.
Tip supplied by SKF

Webinar Invitation: Identifying energy efficiency opportunities and improving asset reliability
Date: Friday, February 20, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM EST
Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/199131791

2-Plane-it
As we move into a world of digital balancers with time-synchronous averaging or digital filters, balancers have become quicker and more accurate.  In the days of analog balancers and strobe lights, we used polar paper and plotted a vector solution to balancing problems.  Due to the complexity of vectoring a two-plane balancing solution, we tended to avoid two-plane balancing at all costs.  Even with the advent of computer-calculated solutions, we still tended to defer to single-plane balancing if possible, due to the relatively poor signal filtering of the instruments at the rotor running speed. 

The new generation of balancing instruments allow for precise filtering of the vibration at running speed.  Thus, two-plane balancing is significantly improved as it is now more accurate, allowing for better plane separation, and is since the computer performs the two-plane calculations.  Now when looking at a balancing application and asking yourself, is this a single plane or two plane problem? You can safely default to two-plane without fear.  Even though an additional calibration run is required for the second plane, it will be faster than using the single-plane method and going back and forth between the two balancing planes.

Other Balancing Applications
http://www.ludeca.com/prod_balancing_app.php

Tip provided by LUDECA, INC.
ALIGNMENT * VIBRATION * BALANCING
http://www.ludeca.com