by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Feb 14, 2020 | Asset Management, Plant Operations
We all face challenges in our day-to-day work—challenges that sometimes really test our skills. But we make it through fairly unscathed. OK, maybe a bit scratched up, bruised, worn out. That’s what we run into quite often in the world of industrial maintenance. Our...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Feb 14, 2020 | Lubrication Corner, Maintenance Management
There are few definitive studies on rolling-element bearing reliability /life that are based on industry uses and working conditions. There are, however, many claims that indicate the vast majority of such bearings never achieve their engineered-life rating (some...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Feb 10, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Safety Matters
One of the hallmarks of a best-practice maintenance organization is its preparedeness and ability to respond to emergency situations, whether they have occurred or could occur. The definition of an emergency is commonly understood to be a situation or occurrence that...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Feb 9, 2020 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
The recently launched GF77a Gas Find IR camera from FLIR Systems Inc., Wilsonville, OR, is the company’s first fixed-mount, un-cooled, autonomous leak-detection camera designed specifically to visualize methane and other industrial gases. An addition to FLIR’s optical...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Feb 8, 2020 | RAM's Human Factor, Safety Matters
“Human error” is an often-cited cause or contributing factor in accidents and failures. We routinely see this with our plant equipment. But, identifying ways to reduce or eliminate “human error” can be challenging without a structured process for indentifying and...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Feb 8, 2020 | Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
The manufacturing, mining and metals, and process industries have always had a tenuous relationship with the subject of environmental sustainability. These industries, by definition, use enormous amounts of natural resources, energy, and water and tend to directly and...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Feb 7, 2020 | The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
There is an obvious truism about making progress: “The first step toward getting somewhere is not to stay where you are right now.” For reliability professionals, this means that retaining and defending the existing state of affairs at a plant or corporation...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Feb 3, 2020 | Maintenance Management, Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files
Perhaps you, too, have seen a storeroom packed full of startup spares (usually two wear parts or parts that, in the past, failed due to “random coincidence”). In any event, “random coincidence” is how my car dealer’s service manager explained things...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Feb 2, 2020 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
The GATE GARD Limit Switch from Schneider Electric (Andover, MA) is designed to detect if press gates or machine doors are closed before a machine is allowed to cycle. According to the company, this solid-state, self-contained Square D-brand device detects the unique...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Feb 2, 2020 | Training & Qualification, Workforce Issues
The U.S. manufacturing sector continues to grow, even as a skills shortage persists. With the intelligent use of technologies and automation, we will continue to need many more skilled people in the manufacturing labor force. The U.S. military veterans my just be that...
