Well, Duh?

Who among us hasn’t found a challenge-based reality television series to wrap our minds around for a while? There are so many to choose from. My favorites over the years have been Project Runway, Shark Tank and HGTV’s Design Star and All-American Handyman. That was until I heard about a new one (which, as I write this column, hasn’t aired its first episode). 

How prepared are you?
For example, how many of you and/or your teams get work orders from a CMMS package? Do you ever obtain enough information to get a head start on a problem before going out to investigate it? Have you ever been suspicious of an operator’s response to an alarm from the DCS?

The answer to these types of dilemmas could be an MES application—which can provide a wealth of information about process status prior to personnel heading out to deal with a problem. This information often can precede a work order in the sense that crews are able to see problems trending and prepare in advance for corrective actions. Based on my past experience in engineering roles, I believe there’s great value in knowing up front what tools and spares to take along on a job (and perhaps cut out a second or third trip).

At Hannover, I spent some time at the Forcam stand (www.forcam.com), where CEO Franz Gruber explained how MES working with CMMS can pay big dividends when it comes to getting processes back online quicker.

Are you going mobile?
Speaking of getting information, how many of you are using smart phones and tablets in your facilities these days? I realize doing so can be difficult or prohibited in hazardous or classified areas, but there are many areas where it’s not. Using these commercial technologies in personal life inevitably bleeds over into business life. (That’s how the first PCs invaded businesses in the 1980s.) Manufacturers are now even working on Class I Div. 2 tablets. What a fantastic way to research problems without the need to find a computer: Just pull out your portable device and access a few key pieces of diagnostic information. However, the word is that personnel in maintenance areas—from technicians to supervisors—seem to be lagging in adopting mobile technologies.

A recent study by the enterprise asset management supplier IFS (www.ifsworld.com) found that 75% of users have little to no mobile access to their EAM or CMMS. Only 34% reported using a handheld mobile device to work in these systems. This is not to mention gleaning trending or component information from other software programs that could be accessed via a smart phone or tablet app. (I recently saw 
a demo of a soon-to-be-released app of this type that makes finding key information quick and easy. Stay tuned.)

But the IFS findings point to a corporate IT obstacle, as well. “The study indicates that those who limit remote access to connection solutions like VPN tend to be less likely to report high levels of access and are less likely to be working in the software from a handheld device,” IFS North America Vice President for Energy and Asset Management Patrick Zirnhelt told me.

Mobile devices are key to the next generation of productivity. We need to convince IT that opening up the system, most likely through implementing cloud technology, will pay dividends in productivity and profits. It’s time to plan your implementation and get moving.MT

Gary Mintchell, gary@garymintchell.com, Co-founder and long-time Editor-in-Chief of Automation World magazine, now writes at www.garymintchellsfeedforward.com.

Putting The Pieces Together 

How close to 100% reliable is your most critical equipment… the equipment that should perform as intended the first time, every time? It should be 100% reliable for safety, environmental or just plain business purposes. What organization would be satisfied with 45% reliability of these critical processes? Probably none. But under-performing processes are more common than many can imagine.

How will you respond when a motor breaks down in your plant? A common course of action is to repair the unit if that costs less than replacement. As shown by the chart below, however, total costs of motor ownership depend more on a motor’s efficiency than repair or replacement costs. Typically, the energy to operate a motor represents 95% of its lifecycle cost, while purchase and repair costs represent less than 5%. Motor Decisions Matter^SM (MDM) can help you make the cost-effective choice through resources like the MDM Decision Tree, which diagrams the steps in the decision-making process.

The MDM Website (www.motorsmatter.org) links you to resources like the Horsepower Bulletin [Ref. 1] that can help inform your repair-replace decisions. Developed by Advanced Energy, it breaks down the many aspects of lifecycle costing and helps users establish guidelines for repairing or replacing a motor based on size, operating hours and cost of electricity. Another useful resource, MotorMaster+ 4.0 [Ref. 2], was created by Washington State University and the U.S. Department of Energy. This comprehensive program compares the financial results of various repair-replace decisions. 

Once the true lifecycle cost of a motor is understood, you can make a sound decision about whether to replace it with an energy-efficient motor or to repair using best practices.

Best Practice Motor Repair-Rewinds
Motor repair-rewinds that are improperly performed, or performed on a motor with significant damage, have the potential to degrade its nameplate efficiency. Since even a small decrease in motor efficiency can cause a marked increase in your total operating costs, it pays to make sure your repair maintains motor efficiency. Best-practice repair services can do just that. As detailed in the ANSI/EASA AR 100 standard [Ref. 3] developed by EASA, the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (www.EASA.com), and approved by ANSI (the American National Standards Institute), a 22-page document defines recommended best-practice repair-rewind by establishing guidelines for each rewinding and rebuilding step. A 2003 study by EASA and the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) found that best-practice rewind-repair procedures maintain motor efficiency within ± 0.2%—and in some cases can improve motor efficiency [Ref. 4]. 

When it comes to motor rewinds or repairs, work with your local utility and motor service provider to develop and implement a repair policy that makes efficiency a priority. More resources, including a 2011 Webcast, Motor Management Truths and Consequences: Understanding Electric Motor Rewinds and Efficiency [Ref. 5], are available in the “Helpful Resources” section of the MDM Website. Visit us
online to start making cost-effective motor management decisions today. MT 

1.www.advancedenergy.org/md/knowledge_library/resources/Horsepower%20Bulletin.pdf

2. www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_deployment/software_motormaster_intl.html

3. www.easa.com/energy

4. The Effect of Repair/Rewinding On Motor Efficiency; EASA/AEMT Rewind Study and Good Practice Guide; http://www.easa.com/energy

5. www.motorsmatter.org/events/May11/MDM_EASAMotorRepairSlides.pdf; and https://vimeo.com/28827577

The Motor Decisions Matter (MDM) campaign is managed by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), a North American nonprofit organization that promotes energy-saving products, equipment and technologies. For further information, contact MDM staff at mdminfo@cee1.org or (617) 589-3949.

The Why Factor

In 2011, Applied Technology Publications (parent of Maintenance Technology and Lubrication Management & Technology magazines) launched its first “Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year” competition. The level of response we received for that inaugural competition overwhelmed us. Response for the 2012 competition was just as exciting, making it difficult for the judges to choose an overall winner and three runners-up. The 2012 competition, like the one in 2011, reconfirmed our belief that the spirit of innovation is alive and well—and working hard—in the maintenance and reliability community. It was reflected in all entries, each of which managed in one way or another to challenge the status quo and current orthodoxy regarding the true meaning of “innovation.”

When the reality of CMMS implementation and use falls short of ‘pot-of-gold’ expectations, knowledge and experience can help bridge the gap. But where do you get it?

F

During a recent tour of a waste-to-energy plant in Central Florida, the conversation turned to our National Energy Policy (or to be more specific, the lack thereof) and Federal tax credits for renewable energy. My host shared some alarming facts with me—along with his concerns and frustration. 

His facility had recently been acquired by a company that has patented a promising WtE technology called “Advanced Thermal Recycling” (ATR®). Although the plant is now using ATR, it’s limited in how much power it can produce due to—get ready for this—lack of trash! Here’s our dirty little secret: More than half the waste produced in this country goes into landfills. Only a quarter to a third is recycled, and a very small amount is used for energy recovery. 

I left that Central Florida operation enlightened by the innovative technology I had seen, but bewildered as to why our country has failed to embrace waste-to-energy as a solution to a couple of nagging problems (i.e., where do we find new sources of energy and what can we do about our ever-growing mountains of waste). 

Looking back at the history of WtE in the United States, it seems as though both politics and special-interest groups may have had a hand in running the long roller-coaster ride this viable technology has found itself on. 

A Brief history of WtE in the U.S.

• 1885: U.S. Army builds the first garbage incinerator on Governor’s Island in New York Harbor, and Allegheny, PA, builds the first municipal incinerator.
• Early 20th century: Some U.S. cities begin gener-ating electricity or steam from burning waste.  
• 1920s: Atlanta sells steam from its incinerators to the Atlanta Gas Light Co. and Georgia Power Co.
• 1970: Clean Air Act ends open burning at U.S. landfills, opening the door for WtE technology and forcing cities to look at this type of technology with regard to trash disposal.
• 1975: The first privately built WtE plant opens in Massachusetts.
• Late 1970s: The Federal government begins funding feasibility studies for local governments interested in setting up new WtE plants.
• 1980: The 1980 Energy Security Act provides insured loans, loan and price guarantees and purchase agreements for WtE projects using municipal solid waste.
• 1980: The Energy Security Act authorizes research and development for promoting the commercial viability of energy recovery from municipal waste.
• 1986: The Federal Tax Reform Act (FTRA) is implemented, which both helped and harmed the development of WtE facilities. While the FTRA extended Federal tax credits available for such facilities to 10 years, it unfortunately repealed the tax-free status of WtE plants that were financed with industrial development bonds.
• 1990s: With the expiration of tax credits, WtE plants begin to fall out of favor.
• 2007: The U.S. has 87 WtE facilities, consuming about 31.4 million tons of solid waste (which represents 12.5% of all municipal solid waste disposal).
• 2010: Eighty-six WtE plants with the capacity to process more than 97,000 tons of municipal solid waste per day are operating in 24 states.
• 2012: There is a sudden increase in WtE sector activities as companies begin developing new technologies for converting municipal garbage into electricity, heat and biofuels.

Interesting WtE Facts
Estimates by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and BioCycle magazine on the amount of U.S. waste and modes of disposal give some indication of the potential we have with waste-to-energy technology. Look at the accompanying tables and consider the following:

• Approximately one ton of waste will produce 525 kWh of electricity (roughly what a quarter-ton of coal or a barrel of oil produces). 
• During combustion, the volume of waste material is reduced by about 90%, and its weight by 75%.  

Fifteen states have categorized waste-to-energy as a resource in their renewable portfolio standards. Yet, while some Federal laws have categorized waste-to-energy as a renewable resource, some Federal and state tax advantages given to other renewable resources ARE NOT available to WtE facilities. Furthermore, as you might expect, special-interest groups in various parts of the country staunchly oppose waste-to-energy.

Renewable energy and waste disposal
From a semantics perspective, although waste-to-energy may not actually be a renewable source of energy, it most certainly is saving our environment. I would definitely categorize WtE as a “Green Solution” and submit that it should be subsidized by Federal tax credits. This technology has a future: What better way to kill two birds with one stone?

Like any other energy source, however, there are downsides: Emissions, odor from the waste prior to incineration, convoys of trash trucks and the proverbial engine blocks that could be thrown by irresponsible individuals into dumpsters and, in turn, destroy WtE processing equipment are just a few of them. Can these issues be overcome?  Given the technology available today, I think so. 

My next column (coming in August’s MT) will discuss how a WtE plant works and more. UM

Bill Livoti is Power-Generation Business Development Manager for WEG Electric Corp. and Electric Machinery Co., Inc. 

Sources

1. “Municipal Waste Production” (Chapter 18), Window on State Government, Susan Combs, Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts, http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/energy/renewable/municipal.php

2. “Waste to Energy: A Mountain of Trash, or Pile of Energy,” Melissa C. Lott and David Wogan, http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/2011/09/12/waste-to-energy-a-mountain-of-trash-or-a-pile-of-energy/

3. Recovered Energy, Inc., Presents the Recovered Energy System, http://recoveredenergy.com/d_wte.html

Best-in-Class Power & Run Time From Intelligent Rotary Hammers 

Milwaukee Tool has expanded its M12 FUEL™ line of power tools with the new M12 FUEL™ 5/8” SDS Plus Rotary Hammer for drilling holes of up to 5/8” in concrete and masonry. According to the company, this electro-pneumatic unit not only offers 75% more speed and the largest SDS Plus bit capacity in its class, at only 10” long and 3.9 lbs, it performs comparably to much larger tools at a fraction of the size and weight. Designed, engineered and built by Milwaukee Tool, the product’s 12-volt brushless POWERSTATE™ motor provides up to 6200 BPM and up to 900 RPM. New Milwaukee REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 batteries allow up to 2X more run-time, 20% more power and 2X more recharges than standard Lithium-Ion batteries, and function in extreme conditions  (below 0 F/-18 C) with fade-free power. An advanced REDLINK PLUS™ Intelligence hardware and software system ensures continuous full-circle communication between tool, battery and charger to optimize performance and overload protection.

Milwaukee Tool, Inc.
Milwaukee, WI

Retrofittable Variable-Speed Refrigeration Motors  

The Nidec 56 Frame Variable Speed Condenser Motor for Supermarket/Commercial Refrigeration applications is designed to work with both split- and self-contained refrigeration systems. A key feature of the compact unit’s integrated motor and drive system is its use of ECM technology (permanent brushless magnet) According to the manufacturer, in addition to longer motor life, the variable-speed capabilities of the easy-to-install 56 Frame Condenser Motor translate can translate into higher efficiency, lower energy costs and greater precision in controlling refrigeration systems for end-users. Other features/benefits include:

• Integrated electronics for quick retrofit
• Active Power Factor Correction (PFC)
• Active thermal protection
• Dip switches allow easy set-up on factory floor or in field
• Sensorless feedback gives precise rpm without encoder
• 6 KV surge protection
• Rigid base or belly band mount
• Sine wave and ball bearings ensuring less noise and vibration

These units are well-suited for use by both OEMs and aftermarket/retrofit customers. 

Nidec Motor Corp.
St. Louis, MO

Understanding the factors involved in pump performance is key to optimizing the fluid-handling systems in your operations.

Respected industry icon Anthony M. ‘Mac’ Smith expounds on Reliability Centered Maintenance and some of the many benefits it can deliver. 

Following the economic challenges of 2008, the training landscape eroded; 2012, however, marked a notable turning point in Technology and Manufacturing industries. As highlighted in a Bersin by Deloitte report, The Corporate Learning Factbook 2013: Benchmarks, Trends and Analysis of the U.S. Training Market, mature manufacturing companies that were still focused on creating a learning organizational culture spent 20% more on training in 2012 than 2011 (up 9.5% over the previous two years). Learning and Development professionals agree that the focus of training in industrial sectors is no longer on “continuing education,” but on “continual learning” to ensure a competitive advantage.

Fig. 1. CPR Method of Design

The first differentiator of mature learning organizations is instructional design. Constrained by cost and desiring a high-impact learning experience, talent managers shifted toward pairing novices and experts through communities of practice that leveraged experiential learning opportunities. As skill gaps were assessed, instructional design took a blended approach to conceptual instruction via technology-enabled formats and reinforced skill application facilitated by coaches. Curriculum design became less abstract and more about giving employees what they needed to know to demonstrate desired skills (which were defined based on role responsibility and connection to the company’s strategic goals and objectives. Training, in turn, was measured by the organization’s ability to achieve each objective.

Mature learning organizations also recognized the importance of employee engagement in the learning process. Design of training had to support the various ways by which adults learn and provide relevant material for each employee without increasing costs. At the time of reengineering, training budgets were between $700 and $800 per employee (nearly half pre-2008 $1300-$1500 budgets): Even mature organizations could not afford to customize the training for individual employees. Course design called for a blended approach that standardized content while ensuring relevancy and flexibility for experiential learning. Breakout groups and simulations were incorporated to permit role playing and peer-to-peer dialogue. Coach-assisted practical exercises were engineered to facilitate skills application and immediate 
feedback, and downloadable real-world examples submitted by peers demonstrated each skill in detail for those who were less confident at first.

With the average age of plant population shifting and more technology-savvy learners among the ranks, Learning and Development leaders within mature organizations further set themselves apart by leveraging social media and virtual forums to deliver and reinforce skills application. Learning Management Systems provided chat rooms, live feeds, and online libraries where students could engage their peers in discussion. With “Branching” methods of delivering conceptual content via the Web, students were engaged in a realistic scenario, asked to make decisions along the way based on their personal understanding of a topic, then guided to additional content based on their responses. This facilitated a game-like environment that created relevance and scalability while maintaining content consistency at a lower cost per student.

The final differential deals with the pace of the learning process. Learning and Development leaders understood that adults working full-time and raising families had to be able to participate in training ad hoc. Both conceptual eLearning modules and skill-application assignments had to be structured in a way that allowed completion in short intervals and within a student’s day-to-day responsibilities. Using an adaptation of the popular “CPR” method of instructional design (Fig. 1), leaders challenged designers to constrain themselves to 3-5 minutes of conceptual content delivery, 10-15 minutes for practical exercises within eLearning modules, simulations and group breakouts, and 3-5 minutes to reinforce knowledge through interactive games, quizzes and other activities aimed at ensuring comprehension and retention. 

Based on this type of model, students would spend no more than 25 minutes learning about a skill before they had enough of a foundation to go out and apply it. This required each competency to be broken down into a unique learning objective and content to be delivered in written, visual, and experiential formats in order to ensure a sufficient level of understanding. To build confidence and encourage skill application, coaches were provided to support the student, evaluate performance and supply the necessary level of personal follow-up instruction that would allow the skill to be repeated with confidence and mastery. Again, this prevented the training material from having to be customized for each employee, but still ensured a consistent level of learning across the organization.

What’s important to managers is making sure provided training is retained and applied and that it generates a return on the training investment. The return in the reengineered curriculum comes from direct application of its concepts to a site’s challenges through project-based learning. 

As skill application assignments are completed, projects and the educational experience move in parallel toward a target state. The idea is that the student gets to apply each portion of the training as it is received. When the training is finished, the project is also complete. This method generates a measurable change in performance that a manager can monitor. 

Having worked your way through this reengineered-training model article, try adopting some of the ideas in it to stretch your training dollars while improving results. Remember to put adequate time into instructional design and break topics into small pieces that can be communicated and readily applied within your plant. Use reinforced skill application facilitated by coaches to ensure understanding of material. Apply electronic media to boost motivation through natural competitiveness and allow content to be self-tailored based on performance. Incorporate project-based learning techniques to produce documented results and demonstrated success that can be leveraged to grow your efforts. With this combination, you should see a step change in the value of your training dollars and be able to bring your organization to a new level of performance. MT

With a combined 40 years of industrial experience backing them up, GPAllied subject-matter experts, Shon Isenhour and Darrin Wikoff have successfully reengineered the model for Maintenance and Reliability training. Their University of Tennessee accredited and award-winning inspired Blended Learning (iBL) program is a real-world example of the innovative concepts explained in this article. Take a test drive by visiting www.ibltraining.com and clicking the demonstration link, or email the authors directly at sisenhour@gpallied.com and dwikoff@gpallied.com.

The Worldwide Operator Training Simulator Market

According to the ARC Advisory Group (ARC), the worldwide market for Operator Training Simulator (OTS) software and services is set for rapid growth.  The retiring workforce, lack of experienced operators, and manufacturing expansion in emerging markets are major drivers for OTS. 

Operator training simulators are defined as dynamic simulators designed to train process operators using process simulators in the process industries. The study includes information about software technologies, tools, and methodologies that are both high-fidelity solutions that replicate plant operations exactly and generic simulators that are process- or application-specific.  Operator training simulation systems considered in the study include 2D, 3D, generic high fidelity, dynamic high fidelity and virtual type applications.

Currently, the market is at an inflection point. Widespread retirement and job-changing patterns of experienced workers and increased safety concerns are among the factors driving this market.  Suppliers are responding with dynamic high-fidelity solutions that include 2D, 3D, and immersive reality training.  In addition, OTS in the cloud is starting to be an integrated part of the training solution. 

To obtain this ARC report, visit: http://www.arcweb.com/market-studies/pages/operator-training-simulators.aspx. MT

Portable, High-Powered 

SPM Instrument has introduced a new member of its Leonova line of portable, high-powered vibration analyzers. Incorporating SPM HD technology, the rugged Leonova Emerald®, a sibling of the company’s feature-rich Leonova Diamond®, provides razor-sharp spectrums even where signals are weak and low in energy content. Its excellent signal-to-noise ratio, the manufacturer says, offers a distinct advantage when dealing with equipment like gearboxes, where weak signals are present among stronger ones. Measurement-data-processing, machine-fault-symptom computation and trending are all done in the instrument. Leonova Emerald also comes in an EX-approved version for hazardous environments. 

SPM Instrument, Inc.
Eugene, OR

AC Drives With Revamped Architecture 

ABB’s new low-voltage, industrial AC drive portfolio is built on a common architecture, designed to simplify operation, optimize energy efficiency and maximize output. The architecture lets the drives control virtually any type of AC motor, and interface across all major fieldbus protocols and remote monitoring solutions. Integrated safety features include safe torque-off (STO) that can prevent unexpected startup. 

ABB
New Berlin, WI

Remote Cable-Drive Valve Operator 

Smith Flow Control’s FlexiDrive cable drive system allows remote operation of valves in hard-to-reach or inaccessible locations. Its flexible linear drive cable connects a hand wheel to a valve up to 100 feet away, and can operate in water up to 50’ and temperatures from -65 to +400 F. Capable of delivering adequate torque output for most manual valve situations, the system can transmit drive to a valve up to 60 meters from the operator station. This product is suitable for use with any conventional wheel-operated industrial valve/device, including oil, gas and chemical-processing applications.

Smith Flow Control
Erlanger, KY

Auto-Calibrating CO2 Sensor 

The SMART-Sensor™ LCD from Reliable Controls now includes an integrated CO2 sensor option with an auto-calibration feature that can establish a baseline CO2 level for any space. The easy-to-program sensor allows users to connect with up to 10 configurable parameters. The unit also includes a non-dispersive infrared optical sensor, a 0-2000 PPM range and optional manual calibration. I/O and humidity and occupancy sensors are available. 

Reliable Controls Corp.
Victoria, BC, Canada

Thermal Imagers With Simultaneous Electrical Readings 

Fluke’s expanded CNX^TM Wireless Test Tools system includes Ti1XX Series Thermal Imagers with a free upgrade in SmartView® software that enables the imager to capture and display electrical measurements wirelessly. The system is a set of test tools that wirelessly connects multiple measurement modules and sends simultaneous readings to a CNX main unit up to 20 meters away. 

Fluke Corp.
Everett, WA

Radiation-Resistant Vibration Monitoring 

Meggitt’s radiation-hardened vibration sensors meet specific requirements for the reliability of monitoring equipment in nuclear environments. Operable up to 248 F (120 C), mechanical components used in its Wilcoxon 793R sensors can tolerate a cumulative radiation exposure of 1 x 107 RADs and still meet original manufacturing specifications. Model 797R is a side-exit, low-profile IsoRing accelerometer with tight sensitivity tolerance of 100 mV/g, ±5%. Its velocity transducer houses ultra-low-noise electronics for clear signals at very low vibration levels, and has a frequency range of 2 Hz to 7 kHz. 

Meggitt Sensing Systems
Germantown, MD

Energetic Women is an organization with an important mission: “To increase the pool of promotable women in Energy Operations and Engineering.” As “Our Values Statement” notes, we will always:

• Communicate in a positive manner
• Provide an encouraging and supportive environment
• Respect each other’s diverse experiences, background and contribution
• Encourage collaborative, inclusive and professional dialog  

Job Satisfaction And You

It was a recent posting on 24/7 Wall St. (“Insightful Analysis and Commentary for U.S. & Global Equity Investors,” at www.247wallst.com) that put my column-writing brain into gear this month. Entitled “The Most (and Least) Satisfied Professions,” it discussed a 2012 telephone survey of 172,286 individuals over the age of 18 that was conducted by Gallup-Healthways. The findings were reported in something called the “Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index” that tracks—tada!—well-being in the U.S. I was so troubled by the results noted below that I considered clicking on a link about miserable American cities just to make myself feel better.

Getting The Most From

This month’s column is dedicated both to consultants and their clients (with a bit more emphasis on the clients getting the most out of mutually beneficial client-consultant relationships).

Consultants abound. There are plenty of them (us) offering a range of just about any type of assistance and services your business might ever need. I’ve served as a consultant to hundreds of businesses and thousands of individuals for much longer than I care to add up. I have also rubbed shoulders with countless consultants in related and unrelated fields. You can trust me on this: All consultants are not created equal. Celebrate the differences!

One could use modulation control mode, which is similar to driving a car with the pedal to the metal and using the brakes to provide constant speed. Modulation control chokes off the inlet flow to the compressor to control the output pressure. This mode of operation is the least efficient way to provide constant pressure, with the compressor consuming 85% power even at only 50% output flow. 

Another control mode involves loading and unloading a compressor between two set pressure points, with the average of the two readings providing the desired pressure.  This approach is similar to driving down the highway and controlling the speed by throwing the vehicle’s transmission alternately into drive and neutral. Air compressors in this mode of operation use less power than modulation—but can still consume between 70 and 85% power at a 50% loading level, depending on the frequency
of cycles.

A third mode is akin to a driver on a busy highway who repeatedly starts and stops his engine (slowing down or going faster) to reach a desired average speed. This method would be equivalent to a start/stop compressor operating mode: an efficient way to run small compressors, but hard on the motor.

In the three modes described above, average pressure could be adequately achieved, but it would come with either higher-than-desired energy consumption or wider pressure fluctuation. In a compressed air system, the desired result is a constant steady pressure—one set high enough to provide sufficient power to compressed air consumers, yet low enough to limit the energy consumption of the compressed air system.

Leveraging VSD control
VSD-controlled air compressors have accurate controllers on board that sense the actual pressure and speed up or slow down the compressor so as to keep a constant discharge pressure. The benefit is that the pressure can be set at a lower, more efficient level. Moreover, as the motor slows, the power consumption is almost linear to the speed reduction, saving even more. These units are more expensive and more complex than standard fixed-speed compressors but often, especially when an air compressor needs to be replaced anyway, the new VSD compressor will pay back the extra cost very quickly.

While these types of units are most appropriate for smaller single- and two- compressor systems, they can save significant energy in larger multi-compressor systems—if applied and controlled appropriately. To determine if VSD compressor control is appropriate for your plant, have an energy analysis of your system performed by a qualified compressed air energy-service company.

More information on this topic and many others can be found on the CAC Website (www.compressedairchallenge.org), in our online Library and our Best Practices for Compressed Air Systems Manual. MT

Is Benchmarking 

When was the last time someone in your organization suggested a benchmarking study, for maintenance or any other company function? Here’s my guess: A long time, if ever. A chief exception: multi-site operations where cross-site benchmarking is policy. But that’s internal benchmarking, which was not the focus of this month’s questions for our MT Reader Panel. We were looking for Panelists’ experience with external benchmarking (where an organization’s cost and performance data is evaluated against that of the same function at a different, similarly sized company, especially one identified as best-practice).

This organization-wide approach to boosting performance and results calls for an all-hands-on-deck focus on continuous improvement and added value.

Symptom:

Dear Dr. Lube: While changing out unreadable sight-gauges on some large gearbox reservoirs, we discovered a wall of sludge in the tank bottoms. Is it preventable?

Diagnosis: 

Large gearboxes are almost always oil-lubricated, and typically employ a dual system wherein the reservoir is filled with oil to a determined level—usually designated on the sight gauge—to ensure partial lubricant coverage of lower mating gear teeth at all times. At speed, gears use surface tension on their teeth to “pick up” and transfer lubricant to other gears and bearings through “meshing” action and by “flinging and splashing” lubricant in all directions within the sealed reservoir. The “splash” method often involves a pressurized delivery system. An internal gear-driven pump picks up oil near the reservoir bottom and delivers it under pressure to bearings and gears that are difficult to service with traditional “splash” lubrication.

{loadposition articlelube0213}

Sludge is a “telltale” sign of a neglected gearbox. Neglected oil decomposes in the presence of oxygen, water and heat. This oxidation process is caused by depletion of the lubricant’s additive package for various reasons. The end result is deposits of varnish, tar and contaminants that thicken much of the oil into that gooey soup we call “sludge.” It sits on reservoir bottoms and deposits on mechanical internals, leaving a liquid with little or no lubricating properties.

Prescription: 

Reservoir sludge is most definitely preventable. Here’s how:

• Mechanically remove as much sludge as possible and use a recommended solvent-based flushing fluid to clean the remainder.
• Label the reservoir clearly to designate the correct lubricant manufacturer, product name and viscosity to be used, and indicate the same details on PM work orders.
• If the reservoir exterior is regularly cleaned with water, ensure the fill cap and breathers (if applicable) are waterproof and always in place, or position a water-deflection shield over the reservoir. 
• Ensure the correct lubricant is used for the application ambient temperatures. 
• During change-outs, make sure the cap and breathers are reinstalled, and that the lubricant is transferred using dedicated clean equipment. 
• Always fill to the correct level; do not overfill! 
• Use regular oil analysis to determine when to change oil based on condition—and don’t forget to change it and the filter! MT

Dr. Lube, aka Ken Bannister, will present “Industrial Lubrication Fundamentals: Certification Preparatory Workshop,” a three-day, ICML-related Professional Development Course, at MARTS 2013. For details on this value-added lube-training opportunity, visit www.MARTSConference.com. E-mail: doctorlube@atpnetwork.com.

Long regarded as one of the most sustainability-conscious companies in the world, the respected bearing maker now includes this green building standard in its expansion plans.