“I’m 18 years old and don’t especially want to go to college. I’m not sure what I want to study or what kind of a program or career to pursue. I’ve got good grades. I suppose I could figure it out if I went to college like my parents and teachers want me to do.” Hold on just a minute! There is, unfortunately, entirely too much emphasis in America on pursuing a “college education/having a college degree.”

Not everyone “needs” a college education to be highly successful. About half of the high-school graduates won’t go on to college. Many who do will not finish a degree. Couple that with a high-school dropout rate of about 30%, and it’s clear we are fooling ourselves into believing that the pathway to success in life is a college education. 

Basic education that is focused on how to become a productive member of society can be obtained in high school with some post-secondary trade, industrial or vocational education, or through formal and structured on-job training such as apprenticeships. Problem is, in the past two generations, we have rarely exposed school-age students to meaningful careers in business and industry that do NOT require a college degree. 

This trend has created a huge and growing skills mismatch in many business and industrial sectors in America. Still, if you ask most educators, teachers, counselors, school board members, politicians and parents, they typically DO NOT consider “post-secondary industrial and technical education” or “trade school” to be as valuable as a “college education.”

Consider this: A skilled trades- or crafts-person can earn from $50,000 to $85,000 per year in a rewarding career without the huge expense or debt of a college education. Careers in maintenance can be highly rewarding and diverse. So why don’t educators, teachers, counselors, school boards, politicians, community leaders and parents promote these rewarding careers? What has happened to our “industrial education” curriculum in schools?

The total cost of a four-year “college education” can run from $100,000 to more than $500,000 plus personal expenses and transportation costs. That’s a huge financial gamble for someone who is faced with a significant career indecision, is not interested in “college,” has a marginal academic record or someone who has to rely on loans for the cost of his/her college “experience.” After all, there is NO guarantee of a “high-paying job” after four years of college.

Skills mismatch
This “industrial-education” deficit has also created a significant mismatch between the skill sets required by the tens-of-thousands of open jobs in America and the skill sets among the job seekers. Just look at one of the current, highly publicized examples—North Dakota. In this state, there are more job openings than applicants in three occupational groups: “Installation, Maintenance and Repair,” “Production” and “Construction and Extraction.” (And this has been a multi-year deficit.) What’s more, these broad job groups require applied skills and knowledge in maintenance, repair, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, fabrication, machining, tool & die and welding/cutting. In November 2011, according to the North Dakota Job Service, out of a total of 19,627 jobs, the state had 4246 openings in these three job groups. 

North Dakota, however, is not the only place where there’s a rapidly growing skills shortage. It’s just the oil and gas exploration and production in the Bakken trend—America’ largest known reserves of light, sweet crude oil—that’s capturing all the attention.

There are honorable and rewarding maintenance careers in a huge part of our economy. In some sectors there is a growing skills shortage that will only get worse. In these industries there are tens-of-thousands of job openings. But because of a “skills mismatch” most people looking for work are not qualified. 

Maintenance MIA
In the past two years there has been a renewed emphasis (yes, again) on careers in manufacturing (i.e., the U.S. Department of Labor, Department of Education and the White House in all their discussions of the “Manufacturing Skills Certification System,” “advanced manufacturing skills” and “Skills for America’s Future”). But, awareness- and skills-building for careers in industrial maintenance and repair have been missing in action in many middle- and high-school programs. This gap, in my opinion, reflects a serious mistake based on misconceptions about what careers “industrial maintenance” truly represents. 

I’ve had (and continue to have) many conversations with younger plant maintenance technicians. This is what I frequently hear: “If I knew these types of jobs existed and could have taken classes to prepare me better, I would have been really excited about school. But, despite my lack of interest, my teachers and counselors kept pushing me toward college.”

The U.S. Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics lumps “maintenance jobs” into a category called “installation, maintenance and repair.” Most people—not necessarily readers of this magazine—could be thinking that “maintenance” jobs are in manufacturing plants… and that manufacturing is on the decline in America… so, why pursue careers in maintenance? This type of thinking would be flawed.

What’s a maintenance career?
“Maintenance is the least defined of all industrial activities.” I’ve been saying that for years. Why? There are no clear job roles that can be easily converted into an easy-to-sell career path or educational program of study. After all, where would someone with “installation, maintenance and repair” skill sets really work?

Many maintenance jobs are in manufacturing or “goods-producing” industries. Contrary to what countless people believe, the U.S. continues to have the largest manufacturing economy in the world. And, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland regarding “U.S. Manufacturing and the Economic Outlook”: “U.S. manufacturers are likely to become even more capital- and skill-intensive, leading to further productivity gains (emphasis added).” This continuing emphasis on manufacturing being “capital and skill intensive” should send a powerful message about the critical importance of careers in industrial maintenance and reliability.

Every physical-asset- and skill-intensive business and industry has equipment and facilities that need maintenance: That translates into 60 industry sectors. (The accompanying sidebar lists a partial breakdown of types of industries and sectors that offer “Installation, Maintenance and Repair” career opportunities. For a complete breakdown, refer to the online version of my column at www.mt-online.com/uptime.

Entry-level requirements
Careers in maintenance can be rewarding and personally satisfying. Many don’t require a “college education” in the traditional sense of a four-year degree. Regardless of business sector, careers in maintenance build on a person’s interests and abilities. Basic entry-level requirements should include evidence of a student’s interest in and ability to:

•  Diagnose mechanical problems
•  Seek solutions
•  Do precision work with their hands
•  Read
•  Write
•  Use math
•  Use computers
•  Verbally communicate
•  Work in collaboration with others 

All students in middle school and high school should be exposed to these basics as part of their developmental path—and, most important—as a way to assist them in making informed career choices and decisions.

Let’s do our part
As maintenance professionals and Americans we owe it to our youth, our schools, our country and our standard of living to spread the word: There are plenty of rewarding careers in industrial maintenance and repair. We also have not only the opportunity, but the obligation to encourage our educators, politicians, community leaders and well intentioned, deeply concerned parents to back off the ill-informed message that a college education is the (only) pathway to success in America.

Share this article and information about the industries that offer honorable, rewarding jobs in our field with your local school administrators and board members. Do your part in helping teach students in school and on the job. Most students learn by doing rather than reading and studying. Find ways to engage them in pursuing careers in maintenance and repair, as maintenance and reliability technicians. MT

RobertMW2@cs.com

60 U.S. Industry Sectors Offer Career Opportunities In Installation, Maintenance & Repair 

Goods Producing Industries:

Manufacturing: (21 industries)

• Food Manufacturing
• Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
• Textile Mills
• Textile Product Mills
• Apparel Manufacturing
• Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing
• Wood Product Manufacturing
• Paper Manufacturing
• Printing and Related Support Activities
• Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing
• Chemical Manufacturing
• Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
• Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
• Primary Metals Manufacturing
• Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
• Machinery Manufacturing
• Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing
• Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing
• Transportation Equipment Manufacturing; Motor Vehicles & Parts
• Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing
• Miscellaneous Manufacturing

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction: (3 industries)

• Oil & Gas Extraction
• Mining
• Support Activities

Construction: (3 industries)

• Construction of Buildings, Residential & Non-Residential (includes maintenance & repair)
• Heavy Civil Engineering Construction
• Specialty Trade Contractors, Residential and Non-Residential

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting: (5 industries)

• Crop Production
• Animal Production
• Forestry and Logging
• Fishing, Hunting and Trapping
• Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry

Trade, Transportation and Utilities:

Wholesale Trade: (3 industries)

• Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods:
• Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
• Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers

Retail Trade: (11 industries)

• Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers
• Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores
• Electronics and Appliance Stores
• Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers
• Food and Beverage Stores
• Health and Personal Care Stores
• Gasoline Stations
• Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores
• Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book, and Music Stores
• General Merchandise Stores
• Miscellaneous Store Retailers

Transportation and Warehousing: (11 industries)

• Air Transportation
• Rail Transportation
• Water Transportation
• Truck Transportation
• Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation
• Pipeline Transportation
• Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation
• Support Activities for Transportation
• Postal Service
• Couriers and Messengers
• Warehousing and Storage

Utilities: (3 industries)

• Electric Power Generation
• Natural Gas Distribution
• Water, Sewage and other Systems

Consolidated Coupling Catalog

 Emerson’s new Power Transmission Solutions  industrial coupling catalog covers Kop-Flex®, Jaure®, Morse® and Brown-ing® products in bore sizes to 43.5” and torque ratings to 329,000,000 lbs-in. Styles range from simple rigid and sleeve units to multiple types of disc, gear, chain, elastomeric, barrel, U-joint, shear-pin and tapered grid couplings. This 300-pg., consolidated resource also addresses custom units like flexible-coupling drive shafts.

Power Transmission Solutions
A unit of Emerson Industrial Automation
Florence, KY

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

Arc Flash Protection System 

The TVOC-2 from ABB’s Low Voltage Products division is a new generation of the company’s Arc Guard System™ that provides enhanced arc flash protection. It detects faults in low- and medium-voltage switchgear and disconnects power provided to the arc within 30 to 50 milliseconds. TVOC-2 is now UL-listed, and when installed with ABB’s Emax circuit breakers, carries a functional safety rating of SIL-2 that confirms the product has achieved the standard required to protect both humans and equipment.

ABB, Inc.
New Berlin, WI

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

Laser Alignment In Explosive Environs

 LUDECA has introduced what it says is the first wireless module certified for laser alignment of machinery in explosive environments.  The unit operates with the OPTALIGN smart EX or ROTALIGN smart EX laser shaft alignment systems by PRUEFTECHNIK. Measurement data is transferred between the measurement sensor and alignment computer using the ATEX/IECEx-certified EX RF module, which makes alignment jobs easier and more convenient without compromising operator safety. According to LUDECA, it and PRUEFTECHNIK are the only companies currently offering this capability for equipment alignment in the types of explosive atmospheres that can be found in petrochemical, mining and other process operations.

LUDECA, INC.
Doral, FL

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

Expanded Motor Lineup

 Baldor has added 98 new ratings to its line of  Reliance® Super-E motors with Internal AEGIS Bearing Protection Rings that offer off-the-shelf availability of units with pre-installed internal shaft grounding. The new ratings expand the company’s existing 4-pole line of TEFC & ODP designs through 100 hp, and add a number of 2- and 6-pole models. 575V TEFC motors from 1 to 50 hp in size have also been added to the lineup, as have TEFC & ODP close-coupled pump models.

Baldor Electric Co.
A member of the ABB Group
Fort Smith, AR

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

Environmentally Friendly Removal Of Limescale

 ScaleBlaster notes that its environmentally friendly product can eliminate limescale deposits in pipes, cooling towers, boilers and numerous other applications. An integrated circuitry system produces a complex modulating frequency waveform that hits the resonant frequency of calcium molecules, causing them to lose their adhesive properties. Existing scale is removed without the need of chemicals, salt or maintenance.

Scaleblaster, Inc.
North Largo, FL

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

Process Heating & Cooling Systems

 Mokon’s Full Range process heating and cooling systems offer temperature ranges of 50 to 600 F  (10 to 315 C). Combined with a chiller, a Mokon heat-transfer fluid system is a self-supporting unit providing heating and cooling in one compact package. The systems are suitable for jacketed vessels, mixers and reactors; multiple-zone processes; installations where rapid cooling is required; and other processes that require both heating and cooling.

Mokon
Buffalo, NY

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

Sprayable Ceramic Coating

Henkel’s Loctite® Nordbak® 7255^TM is a two-part, sprayable ceramic coating designed to protect metal surfaces on industrial equipment from wear, abrasion and corrosion. Packaged in a reusable dual-cartridge dispenser, it may be quickly and evenly applied to large surfaces and complex or intricate areas. The coating features a solvent-free, thixotropic formulation and is suited for use on tank linings, mixing vessels, pump housings, impellers, chutes, troughs and centrifuge components.

Henkel Corp.
Rocky Hill, CT

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

User-Friendly, 6-Tools-in-1 Handheld Troubleshooter

 According to Test Products International (TPI), its feature-rich, easy-to-use handheld Model 440 combines the features of a multimeter with the waveform of a single-input 1 MHz bandwidth oscilloscope that offers true RMS auto-ranging DMM. Advanced capabilities include:

• Viewing waveform to verify power quality delivered to VSDs
• Measuring voltage and frequency at the same time
• 400µF for checking motor start and run capacitors
• DC µAmps for checking flame safety controls
• DC mV for checking thermocouples

Trend Mode allows surges and dropouts to be graphically displayed. Communication to a PC is available by using an optional RS-232 cable and software. The 440 comes standard with rechargeable battery and adapter. TPI offers a range of optional accessories.

Test Products International (TPI)
Beaverton, OR

For more info, enter 05 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Expanded Thermal Imaging Lineup

 Milwaukee Tool continues to expand its product offerings with the introduction of its new 160x120 Thermal Imager, powered by M12™ for professional maintenance and troubleshooting applications. The device features 160x120-pixel, high-resolution thermal images, a visual camera for standard pictures and what the company says is the broadest temperature range in its class (-10 to 

350 C/14 to 662 F). It incorporates a five-button interface and no-blur, no-wait display that updates the screen image 60 times a second. The 160x120 Thermal Imager kit includes Thermal Imager Report Software that makes analyzing images and generating reports quick and easy. Users can download images from the device with the included 2GB SD card or USB connection port. Powered by REDLITHIUM™ battery technology, the product leverages Milwaukee’s M12™ battery system for quick charging and easy field replacement.

Milwaukee Tool Corp.
Milwaukee, WI

For more info, enter 06 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

This month's Technology Showcase is brought to you by:

• 120.1(1) Identify all sources of electrical energy.
• 120.1(3) If possible, visually verify the isolator blades.
• 120.1(5) Use an adequately rated voltage detector.
• 120.1(5) Physically contact the voltage source.
• 120.1(5) Checks voltage phase-phase-ground.
• 120.1(5) Ensure the voltage detector functions before and after the procedure.

Permanent Electrical Safety Devices (PESDs) mounted to the outside of your control panel and wired to every voltage source entering your panel provide a way to verify and identify all sources of electrical energy without exposing workers to that energy (120.1). An illuminated 3-phase voltage indicator verifies the isolator blades of disconnects and circuit breakers while giving a visual indication outside the panel (120.3). The CAT III/IV rating of thru-door voltage indicators and non-contact voltage portals are adequately rated for use in power-distribution systems. Because both devices are physically wired to the voltage source, they meet the 120.1(5). A voltage indicator not only checks voltage phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground, but it performs this function every second of every minute of every day. When a non-contact voltage detector (NCVD) is used in conjunction with voltage portals, each device checks the other to ensure proper functionality before and after the procedure. Furthermore, the NCVD can be checked to another voltage source.

Voltmeters test voltage, then are put back in the tool belt, but a voltage indicator hardwired to the source voltage stays on the job and tests voltage all the time. It is like a lifeguard watching out for workers to make sure no voltage shows up during the work or task. It finds voltage so voltage doesn’t find you. MT

To learn more about specific recommendations and practices, email the author: philallen@grace-eng.com.

For more info, enter 04 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

Sponsored Information

The SSC tool calculates estimated annual energy costs and potential savings from upgrading to a higher efficiency motor. Calcu-lations are based on two simple pieces of information that you enter: cost of electricity and annual operating hours. With these inputs, the SSC provides a side-by-side comparison of estimated annual operating costs and savings for 1-500 hp general-purpose motors, including 1200 RPM, 1800 RPM and 3600 RPM in both totally enclosed fan-cooled (TEFC) and open drip-proof (ODP), at different efficiency levels.

For 1-200 hp, the SSC calculates the costs of operating your motor currently (based on your electricity price and hours of operation), then compares the costs and potential savings associated with operating motors with the following different efficiency levels: Pre-Energy Policy Act (estimated motor efficiencies prior to 1997); Energy Policy Act (federal minimum efficiency levels required by the 1992 law, effective 1997); and Energy Independence and Security Act (higher federal minimum efficiency levels required by the 2007 law, effective 2010). For 201-500 hp motors, costs and potential savings associated with different efficiency levels are similarly calculated.

Consider a 200 hp, 1800 RPM, TEFC, general-purpose motor, running 8000 hours annually with electricity costs of $0.08 per kWh: Using the SSC, we can see that this costs approximately $102,083 per year, if the unit has a pre-Energy Policy Act efficiency level. The cost would be approximately $99,260, if the motor has an EISA efficiency level. The $2823 difference between these operating costs could be your annual savings if you upgrade to a higher-efficiency unit.

As this example demonstrates, using the right tools, it can take just a minute to consider higher efficiency—which could lead to thousands of dollars in savings annually. At the very least, you’ll gain peace of mind just from understanding your options. As most managers know, you can’t manage what you can’t measure, so why not take a minute to get started with an easy, virtually “on-the-fly” (but effective) measurement. Who knows how much you could be saving!

Download the updated Simple Savings Chart today from MDM’s Website and start estimating ROI from upgrading to higher-efficiency motors.
For other proactive motor management tools, visit: www.motorsmatter.org/tools/index.asp. MT

This month's edition of the Reliability Files includes information from Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Here’s how proactive condition monitoring is helping an energy-services provider defuse a process safety challenge.

Once you lose control of your data, it’s hard to recover. Check out these tips for improvement.