by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Dec 14, 2019 | Learning from Mistakes, Plant Operations
Complaints about problem parts in plant operations seem almost endless these days. They come from all sectors and go on and on and on. Maybe you’ve heard some, or even expressed concerns of your own that are eerily similar to the following: “These bolts, right...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Dec 14, 2019 | RAM Tools & Methods, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
This article is the final installment of a two-part discussion on networking and adult education that I began in my Dec. 2019, 2019, newsletter column for The RAM Review. It provides closure to the cliff-hanger at the end of Part I: how a single networking contact...
by Jim Seffrin, CMRP | Dec 13, 2019 | IR Thermography, RAM Tools & Methods
A common question among thermographers is, “How much temperature differential is needed to obtain good data?” In this article (a combination of two previously published shorter ones), we discuss required temperature differentials for building inspections. Proper...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Dec 9, 2019 | Newsletter Column, RAM Tools & Methods, The Bloch Files
Although I have written about the following conversation before, there’s another angle to it, and a very quantifiable one at that. I believe this angle is worth highlighting. It was exactly 20 years ago, in 1999, when I had a very productive discussion with the...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Dec 8, 2019 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
According to Rockwell Automation, Milwaukee, WI, the latest release of its FactoryTalk Batch software can improve productivity of design teams and assist operations with improved system reliability and enhanced mobility capabilities. Key features include the ability...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Dec 7, 2019 | RAM Tools & Methods, Safety Matters, Workforce Issues
“D’ya think I’m stupid? Checklists are for dummies.” “I know what I’m doing. I’ve done it for years.” “Why would I ever need a checklist?” These types of remarks sum up what, even now, is a widely held view among maintenance and reliability teams on many plant floors....
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Dec 7, 2019 | Maintenance Management, RAM Tools & Methods
Power transfer from electric motors or engine-drive pulleys to driven shafts by way of chains and sprockets or v-belts is an application of legacy systems that are still very relevant in today’s plant. While these types of driver-driven transmission systems are...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Dec 7, 2019 | Cut the FLAB, Maintenance Management
In many plants, the maintenance instructions provided with work orders can be terribly vague. Details on the proper tightening of threaded fasteners, however, is essential in avoiding looseness-related vibration in rotating equipment and leakage in piping flanges....
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Dec 2, 2019 | Newsletter Column, The Sustainable Plant
Here’s some late-breaking good news: The 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially ended on Saturday, Nov. 30. The bad news: The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season kicks off in just a few months (on June 1). With regard to production plants located in coastal...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Dec 1, 2019 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
Emerson, St. Louis, MO, has introduced the Daniel V707 back pressure control valve with an adjustable spring that doesn’t require diaphragms or pilots. According to the company, these features and others, including a metal-to-metal seat, protected O-rings,...
