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 Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Jan 25, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives, Safety Matters
One of the least understood, yet critical, components of power quality is the grounding system. While we cannot cover all variations of these systems, it’s important to note that the primary methods are grounded/bonded; resistance ground; and,...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Jan 12, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives, Safety Matters
As noted in previous articles in this series on motor-driven equipment and electrical-system-reliability issues in today’s plants, the primary electrical concern is the supply to electric motors, i.e., the voltage. An electric motor is electrically designed around the...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Dec 20, 2019 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives, Safety Matters
Voltage unbalance and its most severe form, single phasing, cause up to 14% of power-quality-related motor failures. It’s important to understand that maximum current unbalance is not defined in standards for electric motors in their operating environment,...
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 Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, Editor | Dec 2, 2019 | Newsletter Column, Safety Matters, 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 Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Nov 29, 2019 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives, Safety Matters
Power quality involves a variety of impacts on the Voltage supply, the Current, and the grounding system While many standards and documents emphasize one part or another, the reality is all of these factors impact each other. Unfortunately, except for...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Nov 23, 2019 | RAM Tools & Methods, Safety Matters, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
While a plant’s efforts in areas related to reliability, availability, and maintenance (RAM) indicate appreciation for equipment assets, who or what beyond the HR department makes it a point to show similar “appreciation” for the site’s human assets? To put it in...
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 Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Sep 26, 2019 | Electrical Reliability, Safety Matters, Workforce Issues
While lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures are designed with the safety of maintenance professionals in mind, they also consider all workers who are typically around and/or operating the machines. As Leah Shenhold, a lockout/tagout engineer with Rockwell Automation,...
