by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Nov 18, 2019 | Newsletter Column, RAM Tools & Methods
In the retail world, November is celebrated for its “Black Friday” shopping events, during which old stock and “nice to have” luxury items are purchased at what seem to be fire-sale prices by enthusiastic consumers, just in time for the December holiday season. Taking...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Nov 17, 2019 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
According to AutomationDirect, Cumming, GA, its IronHorse HBR series helical-bevel gearboxes combine a helical gearset with a bevel gearset to create an output perpendicular to the input. Helical gears are said to offer a smoother, quieter operation than most other...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Nov 15, 2019 | Asset Management, Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods
We see them prominently displayed on the walls of all types of businesses: safety policies, environmental policies, quality/customer-satisfaction policies. Often signed by a top corporate officer, such policies proclaim an organization’s commitment to safety, the...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Nov 15, 2019 | RAM Tools & Methods, The Bloch Files, The RAM Library Collection
The following excerpt is taken from material I prepared for the first of 14 chapters of my upcoming book, “Fluid Machines: Improving the Life of Pumps, Gas Compressors and Turbines,” (ISBN 978-3-11-067413-2). Its German publisher, De Gruyter, Berlin...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Nov 14, 2019 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives, Safety Matters
Power harmonics are power-frequency notches in sinusoidal Voltage or Current that occur due to switching power supplies. In single-phase supplies, such as laptops, lighting, displays, and similar, you have 3rd harmonics. That means, if you have a 60Hz system, the 3rd...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Nov 11, 2019 | Newsletter Column, RAM Tools & Methods, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
If you’ve ever wondered how good Reliability Managers groomed their successors in the 1960s and 1970s, read on. I have written and spoken about this topic many times over the years. The following information is taken from a one-day teaching and networking session...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Nov 10, 2019 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
Best known for its machine-safeguarding and combustion-safety solutions, Rockford Systems, Rockford, IL, has expanded its industrial-safety portfolio with the addition of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) items. Designed to reduce the wearer’s...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Nov 9, 2019 | Maintenance Management, Plant Reliability in Dollars and $ense
Ensuring that your maintenance teams have the right parts, at the right time, in the right condition to execute precise and effective maintenance is crucial. After all, the best technicians working with the best tools, procedures, and instructions can’t execute...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Nov 8, 2019 | RAM Tools & Methods, Workforce Issues
“We keep having equipment problems, not the same equipment all the time, but the same causes on the same shift, almost every time. We know what we need to do from a reliability perspective, but we can’t get anybody else to change the way they do things. How do...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Nov 8, 2019 | RAM Tools & Methods
Don’t be misled. “Data” does not equal “information.” Real “information” in areas of reliability, availability, and maintenance (RAM) is derived from the collection of relatable or valuable data that can then be used to make fact-based, management decisions. The...
