by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jun 11, 2021 | Plant Operations, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
Steam traps are found in virtually every industrial steam system. They allow separation of steam from condensate and are indispensable for equipment reliability and thermally optimized-systems efficiency. It is generally known that traps can fail either “hot”...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | May 28, 2021 | Asset Management, Plant Operations, The Bloch Files
When the bid invitations for a major petrochemical facility were sent to several pump manufacturers some 45 years ago (in 1976), not all bothered to reply. The three that did, though, pointed out that they could not accept warranty responsibilities for the several...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | May 23, 2021 | Asset Management, Newsletter Column, Plant Operations
Humans are funny. One might assume that the big prize of increased profits and safer, more environmentally-responsible operations would motivate enterprises to adopt the practices of high-reliability organizations. That, however, is rarely the case. It turns out that...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | May 22, 2021 | Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods
Have you ever wanted to implement a maintenance improvement program or project, only to have it voted down or shelved by management? Sadly, many great ideas, even if they make great economic sense, never receive sponsorship unless presented to management in the...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | May 15, 2021 | Asset Management, Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods
In my last article for The RAM Review (May 8, 2021), I focused on the important role metrics play in driving behaviors in a plant (see link below) I want to carry on with that theme this week to discuss mean time between failure (MTBF), mean time to failure (MTTF),...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | May 15, 2021 | Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, over 4,760 trillion Btu of steam energy represents 40% of the total energy used in industrial process applications. The efficiency of steam production by fuel ranges from 85.7% efficiency (natural gas) to 90.3% (coal) with...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | May 9, 2021 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, The Bloch Files
Context is crucial when you’re providing, receiving, or understanding information. Consider the following process-industry examples. While we’ve touched on them in past articles and presentations over the years, they reflect how the true picture of an...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | May 8, 2021 | Asset Management, Plant Operations, RAM Tools & Methods
We’ve all heard the adage “what gets measured gets done.” To be more precise, however, what gets measured gets rewarded, and what gets rewarded gets done. In the April 18, 2021, issue of The RAM Review, I asked this question: “Are you seeking reliability, yet...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | May 7, 2021 | Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
When it comes to a production operation, energy, process, reliability, and waste stream aren’t stand-alone elements. And they really don’t differ much from one another. In fact, the results associated with improving or ignoring each of these areas are...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | May 2, 2021 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, Training & Qualification, Workforce Issues
This column kicks off a new series of discussions in The RAM Review on workforce development in the post-pandemic era. Because workforce issues have plagued many industry sectors for years, some for decades, the “new normal” we’re in must include a...
