by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Mar 22, 2020 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
According to Emerson, St. Louis, its recently released Daniel T-200, a titanium-housed transducer, for the company’s gas ultrasonic flow-meter product line, marks the first use of metal 3D printing to enhance the acoustic performance of these types of devices in...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Mar 22, 2020 | Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
The title of this column is a serious, common-sense recommendation, and for good reason. Sadly, we have migrated to an environment with a “fog index” that is greater than ever before. So, while my recommendation isn’t intended as a commentary on managers who might...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Mar 21, 2020 | Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods
Operator involvement in equipment care is a fundamental of reliability improvement and offers many benefits, starting with the fact that there are more equipment operators than maintainers. Other benefits come from the fact that: ♦ Operators are closer to the...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Mar 20, 2020 | Maintenance Management, RAM Tools & Methods
The global pandemic we’re now facing has put all of us, individuals and businesses alike, on an emergency footing. COVID-19 has already closed down or seriously affected the operation of most public facilities, and is likely to bring much of industry to a severe...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Mar 19, 2020 | Asset Management, RAM Tools & Methods
The bull market had a great 11-yr. run. However, COVID-19 has produced a precipitous drop in the stock market and a global recession seems inevitable. In just a matter of weeks, plants and factories that were capacity-constrained have found themselves...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Mar 15, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, The Bloch Files
Roughly 25 years ago, a respected colleague, Fred Caspari, had just retired from his reliability-management position with LUSC (Large U.S. Company). Two other colleagues and I heard him speak on “Abandoning the World-Class Maintenance Approach at a Major Multinational...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Mar 15, 2020 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
According to ABB, Zurich, its MegaFlex DPA uninterruptible power system (UPS) combines the highest efficiency with what is said to be among the smallest footprints available in the IEC and UL markets. The company’s MegaFlex line targets those markets with power...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Mar 15, 2020 | Asset Management, RAM Tools & Methods
Executing equipment maintenance is as much about behaviors as it is about skills. Think of a skill as knowledge about HOW to do something, while a behavior is related more to understanding WHY—basically having an appreciation for the motivation. Behaviors are very...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Mar 15, 2020 | Learning from Mistakes, Plant Operations
Automation, networking, data acquisition, machine analytics, Industry 4.0, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). . . what’s next? For those of us who are comfortable working with our robust, tried and true legacy machines, equipment and systems, all this talk about...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 14, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Maintenance Management, Motors & Drives
In ball-bearing machines, the bearings are often cited as the primary cause of electric-motor failure. There are numerous lubrication and application issues that impact bearing life, as well as basically cause reduced life. While we will continue to return to the...
