by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Jan 17, 2021 | RAM Tools & Methods, Workforce Issues
What do COVID-19 recovery, robots, integrated automation systems, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), RCM, re-shoring of jobs, and hiring talent have in common? Yes, they’re here, now, and they challenge many traditional ways of managing a business. But there’s...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jan 17, 2021 | Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
Lean times are here again. Travel is out, and for good reason. Training is on hold, as it has been on several occasions since 1950. We know this because tough times have descended upon us before. What’s different now is the driving public has become the shut-in public...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Jan 16, 2021 | Asset Management, RAM Tools & Methods
The ultimate goal of the maintenance work management process is to ensure that the highest priorty jobs are executed effectively and on time to prevent functional failure of plant equipment. Achieving this goal requires that each of the serially connected...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Jan 16, 2021 | Lubrication Corner, Maintenance Management
A manufacturing client recently asked me a seemingly difficult question: Does a simple, universal, inexpensive, easy-to-implement maintenance strategy that’s capable of substantially increasing machine reliability and availability actually exist? My answer...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Jan 16, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
We’ve heard the terms “Machine Learning (ML)” and “Artificial Intelligence (AI)” a lot over the past few years. Even the term “Neural Networks” has entered into the marketing language of the moment. The concepts behind these terms...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Jan 10, 2021 | Newsletter Column, RAM Tools & Methods
While driving my car several weeks ago, I felt a slight vibration in the steering wheel. I initially thought it might be due to snow buildup in one of the front wheels, but a visual check revealed clean wheels. During my next drive, though, the vibration became...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Jan 10, 2021 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
Emerson, St. Louis, MO, has released its ASCO™ 141 Series Advanced Redundant Control System (ARCS) to provide a redundant solution for a variety of emergency-shutdown valve applications found in the chemical, power, oil and gas industries. Available globally, it...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jan 9, 2021 | Plant Operations, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
Years ago, a reliability-engineer acquaintance wrestled with a possible cardiac problem. He decided to observe its development and progress on a portable blood-pressure monitoring machine. Toward the end of its usefulness, the device had been giving him readings that...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Jan 9, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
In this article, we use Electrical Signature Analysis (ESA) to evaluate a drive-end bearing in a 1210 rpm, 1.5 MW, 690 Vac wind-turbine generator. The problematic 6330M bearing was found during routine analysis of a wind-power site. One of the challenges of projecting...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Jan 9, 2021 | Maintenance Management, RAM Tools & Methods
“Procedure-based maintenance” will be invaluable in this era of growing skills shortages and the need for greater machine reliability. Machine complexity, coupled with the impact of the skills crisis and business needs for improved performance, has created a situation...
