by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Sep 4, 2020 | Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods, The Bloch Files
A reliability professional’s workday is almost entirely proactive. Such individuals are quasi “Fire Preventers;” they are not “Fire Fighters.” They use much of their available time to obtain answers to three questions: 1. Is an upgrade possible or do we...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Aug 2, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, The Bloch Files
This column is a brief follow-up to my recent article, “Revisit Your Bidders’ Lists, Sooner Than Later” (July 25, 2020). While focusing specifically on pumping systems, some of the suggested strategies (and stated opinions) discussed here could have...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jul 25, 2020 | Plant Operations, The Bloch Files
Not too long ago, I had a two-day interchange of correspondence with a machinery engineer. Located overseas, he was asking for my opinion on a situation of potential concern. The following is a lightly edited version of this round of communications. THIS WAS THE...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jul 5, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, The Bloch Files
In 1984, I was reporting to an enlightened Reliability Manager at a leading multinational petrochemical corporation. At some point, he asked for a briefing on equipment-reliability issues at one of our plants. As I explained, projects at several of our sites were...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Jul 4, 2020 | Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods
Consider the following remarks from the real world. Do they sound familiar or, more precisely, have you heard similar comments around your operations (or a client’s)? “Recently, our top executives announced that our cost of manufacturing still wasn’t what it...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Jun 28, 2020 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations
For most businesses, the first and second quarters of 2020 will go down in the record books as their worst ever. With many non-essential-deemed manufacturing operations having to lay off or furlough much of their workforces and slow down or mothball their plants, the...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jun 27, 2020 | Plant Operations, The Bloch Files
It was a long time ago. While absolving an apprenticeship in communications technology from 1950 to 1953, I became aware of certain stamped sheet metal chassis and resin-coated wires gathering dust in the shop’s basement. The dusty items were part of...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Jun 26, 2020 | Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods
“Maintenance” alone cannot make equipment and processes reliable. Often, a maintenance department is reacting to problems caused by decisions and/or actions of other departments. Further, in high-reliability plants, the maintenance department is NOT a “supplier” of...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jun 19, 2020 | Plant Operations, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
The answer to the above question is, of course, “no.” That brand of the otherwise very astute Ford Motor Company went out of business in late 1959. Chances are management was slow in recognizing that the car-buying public had a number of choices that...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | May 29, 2020 | Asset Management, Plant Operations
Taking care of your machinery, equipment systems, and facilities is more than good maintenance. It’s basically good medicine for better health and freedom from injury or illness. The physical assets in our businesses must be healthy to perform as intended. That’s what...
