Have you checked to make sure that your plant’s equipment is breathing properly? According to Trent Phillips, CRL, CMRP, you should.
The Global Reliability Manager at Novelis (Atlanta), Phillips discussed the issue of poor equipment breathing in a recent blog post for Ludeca (Doral, FL).
As he noted, while dirt particles as small as 5 microns can easily damage bearings and gears, gearbox vents and hydraulic breather caps only prevent particles larger than 25-45 microns from being ingested into machinery from the surrounding air. Moreover, those vents and caps don’t prevent moisture ingress into the equipment.
The solution to the problem, Phillips wrote, is to install good-quality desiccant breathers on your equipment.
CLICK HERE to read Phillips’ detailed post with pointers on selecting and maintaining desiccant breathers.TRR
Managing Editor Jane Alexander has spent the past 20 years in the editorial trenches of several RAM-related publications. Contact her at jalexander@theramreview.com.
