Looking at your world from a vastly different perspective can be an eye-opening experience. The right maintenance move isn’t always the most obvious or the one based on ‘gut’ feelings. ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:50:35 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1845:getting-back-to-business-at-opry-mills-mall&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

High-quality emergency repair of electrical and power systems is key to a fast recovery from catastrophic weather events. ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:44:18 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1844:green-gadgets-farewell-to-several-bearing-lube-issues&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

According to SKF, its new DryLube Bearings eliminate the need for grease re-lubrication and perform virtually maintenance-free over a wide temperature range. ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:36:03 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1843:on-the-road-to-sustainability-a-profile-of-siemens-metallurgical-services-&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

Heavy metals, a contaminated site and increasingly stringent environmental guidelines have not kept this Michigan-based Siemens plant from becoming a real symbol of sustainability in action. Here’s why… ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:27:28 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1842:calculated-savingsdriving-energy-efficiency&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

Inefficient motor-driven systems lead to the loss of power. That’s  the equivalent of losing money. Lots of money. Taking a little time to do the math can help your operations change this equation. ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:16:12 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1841:technology-showcase-mechanical-and-hydraulic-equipment&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

The large, foundational category of mechanical and hydraulic equipment is what makes a facility a manufacturing plant.

]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:00:34 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1840:motor-decisions-matter-building-on-motor-management-considering-vfd-options&catid=297:july2011&directory=90  

Motor management is a great opportunity for motor-intensive industries (one that can lead to bottom-line savings and improved performance in motor systems). As you build or enhance your motor-management plan, don’t overlook the value of variable frequency drives (VFDs). They may be a great addition to your plan.

]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:51:27 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1839:the-reliability-files-combating-harmful-sludge-buildup&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

Problem
Imagine you are running a marathon—24/7/365—with a coach right behind you, constantly demanding more speed and reduced time splits. While your training regimen may have prepared you for the challenge, once you start the race, how do you ensure that your joints and limbs keep operating? Performance fluids play an important role in hydrating a runner’s system, purging toxins from organs and lubricating joints. Hydraulic equipment has similar needs in maintaining system performance.

Heavy-duty hydraulic systems in today’s industrial plants and mobile equipment endure some of the toughest operating conditions there are, running under extreme pressures, at increasing speeds and working harder than ever. Now, in light of the trend toward smaller reservoirs, even more stress is being put on this equipment: Air and heat don’t escape as easily as they do with larger reservoirs. Water may not separate as effectively. Contaminants can accumulate faster. The rate of oxidation rises, as does the risk of harmful sludge buildup. Even with a good filtering system, excessive sludge can plug filters, increasing equipment wear and seriously damaging the hydraulic pump. An indicator of high varnish potential—a resinous matter that forms hard deposits on components—sludge can signal real trouble for your operations.

Results from oxidation Test ASTM D943M (click to enlarge)

The bottom line…
As equipment runs harder, fluids can break down faster, risking total system failure and costly equipment downtime. A high-performance hydraulic fluid ensures optimal productivity while saving you money. But how do you go about selecting the right one?

Click to see Petro Canada's full-page advertisement.

Solution
Starting with base oil free of impurities is a good first move. Base-oil purity can give you insight into the product’s resilience—i.e., resistance to oxidative breakdown. The purer the base stock, the more it retains its “fresh oil” properties and the longer it is likely to perform.

Oxidation tests are another tool that can be used to identify a high-performance hydraulic fluid—to demonstrate that a fluid significantly reduces sludge formation, especially at extended operating hours. This, in turn, translates into fewer changeouts, reduced downtime and increased operating efficiencies. In other words, the fluid works harder so machinery doesn’t have to. Petro-Canada’s HYDREX™ AW 46 is just such a product. Our studies indicate that not all hydraulic fluids are created equal.

In fact, Petro-Canada’s HYDREX AW 46 has been shown to produce significantly less sludge than several competitor products, even at longer test hours. In a standard industry test (ASTM D943M), a high temperature (203 F/95 C), 99.5% oxygen flow, 20% water and copper and steel catalysts were used to accelerate oxidation to determine the rate of acidity buildup in various hydraulic fluids. When sludge from these filtered test fluids was examined, the competitor samples indicated accelerated oxidation and degradation.

Return on Investment
Sludge can be incredibly damaging to hydraulic components. By minimizing oxidation and reducing sludge buildup, a high-performance hydraulic fluid saves you both time and money—and helps make your equipment’s never-ending marathon a lot easier to run. 

Petro Canada
Mississauga, ON, Canada

For more info, enter 260 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:42:14 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1838:does-your-maintenance-contractor-care-for-your-assets&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

Manufacturers have long contracted out various facets of their maintenance work. They do this because contractors can provide value through lower cost structures, better resource control, access to crafts and specialty services and their ability to complete capital projects. This value proposition has not changed significantly over many years. ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:39:19 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1837:capacity-assurance-marketplace&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

SS Sanitary Check Valve

Check-All’s 3-A Sanitary Check Valve is an all-316/316L stainless steel unit with a standard 32 Ra or better finish, for use in new or existing sanitary systems. The 3SC design seals on the ID of sanitary ferrules with 3-A specified materials (standard is EPDM). This easily disassembled valve seals inside fittings such as Tri-Clover® Bevel Seat and Tri-Clamp®, Waukesha Cherry-Burrell’s   Q-Clamp® and S-Line® and others with ID dimensions equal to the “F” dimensions listed.

Check-All Valve Manufacturing Co.
West Des Moines, IA

For more info, enter 30 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Piezoelectric Accelerometers For Nuclear Environments 

Meggitt’s Endevco® model 7703A series is a high-temperature, radia-tion-tested piezoelectric accelerometer family designed for general vibration measurements on structures and objects, including those in nuclear environments. Available in ranges of 50, 100, 200, 300 and 1000 pC/g, devices in the series feature a 10-32 side connector and highly stable shear mode construction, offering low base-strain sensitivity, high resonance frequency, insensitivity to thermal transients and excellent output stability over time. They’re ground-isolated to prevent EMI/ground loop interference and hermetically sealed to avoid external contamination.

Meggitt Sensing Systems
A Meggitt Group Division
San Juan Capistrano, CA

For more info, enter 31 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Arc Flash Analytics 

DC Arc Flash Analytic software from  ArcAd is intended for arc flash and shock-hazard analysis in DC power systems, including photovotaics, battery banks, rectifiers and telecommunications equipment. The program takes system voltage, available short-circuit current and other factors, then determines incident energy released by arc flash, hazard-risk category at working distance and flash-pro-tection boundary. It performs analyses using metric or imperial units, saves input configurations and calculations and generates customized warning labels.

ArcAd, Inc.
Etobicoke, ON, Canada

For more info, enter 32 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Non-Electric, Liquid Drum Vacuum

Exair’s compressed air-powered Reversible Drum Vac™ offers an effective way to clean up liquids, including coolants, hydraulic oils, spills, sludge, tramp oil and wastewater. With no moving parts, it provides main-tenance-free operation. This system includes  a 110-gal. drum with bolt ring and lid, shut-off valve, drum dolly,  10’  vaccum hose,  ABS Spill Recovery Kit, aluminum wand, 11” and 24” crevice tools, skimmer tool, 20’ compressed air hose and tool holder. 

Exair Corp.
Cincinnati, OH

For more info, enter 33 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Problem-Solving Multimeter

Built to withstand harsh environments, Ideal Industries’ 490 Series Multimeter offers users a feature-rich tool with True RMS readings, Auto AC/DC voltage (1000V) and current mode with frequency indication, auto selection for resistance/continuity/diode/capacitance, plus data acquisition and logging of up to 20,000 records when used in unattended monitoring of signals over time. High Frequency Rejection (HFR) mode provides accurate voltage/frequency readings on non-sinusoidal waveforms, such as those in adjustable speed drives.

Ideal Industries, Inc.
Sycamore, IL

For more info, enter 34 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Quick-Setup, Short-Term, Natural Gas Power Option

Aggreko’s 1300 kW natural gas generator provides a new rental option for users needing quick and effective short-term power generation. It incorporates the Cummins QSK60 gas engine, an emissions-control engine technology used within the temporary utility market. Turbocharging and low-temperature after-cooling ensures efficient performance. The product’s modular design, standardized in 20’ ISO containers, allows for easy transportation and flexible installation. Packaged control technology lets units be set up in parallel in minutes. On-board synchronizing gear automatically integrates into the grid, minimizing disruptions and fluctuations in power. These quiet, smokeless, “lean-burn,” units can be scaled up or down, allowing capacity to change with demand. EPA-compliant, they meet the most demanding U.S. emissions guidelines.

Aggreko
Houston, TX

For more info, enter 35 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

High-Temperature Accelerometer

IMI Sensors’ low-cost, high-temperature ICP® accelerometer model HT602D01 is intended for vibration measurements on paper machines and many other higher-temp applications. These ceramic shear units include a 2-Pin MIL-C-501 side-exit connector in a low-profile housing. Environments up to +325 F/+163 C can be tolerated. The sensing element provides a sensitivity of (±10%) 100 mV/g (10.2 mV/(m/s²) with a frequency range of (±3dB) 30 to 480000 cpm (0.5 to 8000 Hz).

IMI Sensors
A division of PCB Piezotronics
Depew, NY

For more info, enter 36 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Attention-Grabbing, Cut-Resistant Safety Gloves

Youngstown Glove’s Titan XT™ lined with Kevlar® product is highly visible, cut-resistant and durable. Foam padding and TPR knuckles across the top of the hand protect users from smashing, pinching and cuts due to heavy machinery, power tools and broken glass. The company says the palms on these colorful products exceed Level 3 on the ANSI/ISEA 105-2005 Mechanical ratings for cut resistance.

Youngstown Glove Co.
Agoura Hills, CA

For more info, enter 37 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:21:34 +0100 http://www.mt-online.com//index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1836:viewpoint-delving-into-social-media-law-business-issues-and-risks-&catid=297:july2011&directory=90

People are social animals. We want to belong,  share our feelings and influence other people. Social media has our names all over it. Today, through texts, tweets, blogs, wikis, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the like, we can interact, network, communicate and exchange information with individuals and entities worldwide. ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:12:55 +0100