Reliability


Petro-Canada Lubricants wins international award

News image

PEM Staff | Jul 29, 2010

Petro-Canada Lubricants has once again won an International Stevie Award for Best New Product or Service of the Year in the manufacturing category in the 2010 International Business Awards. The award recognized recent breakthroughs in the Purity FG food lubricant line. "Petro-Canada Lubricants is honoured to have been recognized by the ...

Read more

PEM launches exclusive Terry Wireman newsletter Aug. 3

PEM Staff | Jul 19, 2010

Beginning Aug. 3, 2010, industry guru Terry Wireman — author of 21 maintenance and reliability textbooks and frequent guest speaker — will be writing the content for a monthly PEM e-newsletter entitled Wireman's Wire. Click here to subscribe. For a sneak peek at what's to come, he will begin with an ...

Read more

Can you can beat the ABB Reliability Challenge?

News image

PEM Staff | Jul 19, 2010

ABB Reliability Services has teamed up with tracermedia interactive to develop a serious game that will entertain and educate plant professional. The goal of the ABB Reliability Challenge is for players to have fun and experience firsthand how reliability decisions impact overall business performance. As a member of a failing ...

Read more

Proper tire pressure key to fleet reliability, longevity

PEM Staff | Jun 30, 2010

Riding on properly inflated tires should be a priority for every one of the thousands of motorists who will be hitting Canada's highways during this summer's driving season. Drivers who take the few minutes needed to measure and, if necessary, adjust their tire pressures before heading out can be assured that ...

Read more

UE Systems develops new touch-screen ultrasonic monitoring tool

News image

PEM Staff | Jun 28, 2010

UE Systems has developed the Ultraprobe 15,000 Touch, which provides plant inspection professionals the ability to use iPhone-like touch-screen technology to analyze conditions with a wide range of on-board features including: a spectral analyzer, the ability to take equipment temperature with an infrared thermometer, photograph test points with an on-board ...

Read more

SKF launches new range of shaft alignment tools

News image

PEM Staff | Jun 28, 2010

SKF Canada Ltd. has introduced a new range of shaft alignment tools that have been designed to be easy to use and harness the power of lasers to achieve pin-point accuracy in the alignment of shafts. The new TKSA series is the latest development of SKF’s alignment tool range, and consists ...

Read more

Report explores true cost of wind turbine operations, maintenance

News image

PEM Staff | Jun 17, 2010

Independent wind energy analysts have been working with Wind Energy Update to determine what factors into operations and maintenance costs. They have been exploring how much turbine operators and investors can expect to invest in operations and maintenance over coming years — and how such costs can be mitigated. Data analysed ...

Read more

New 'Laser Align' iPhone app available for download

PEM Staff | Jun 14, 2010

Ludeca Inc., a provider of laser alignment and condition monitoring solutions, presents its Laser Align iPhone application, a free reference tool for shaft alignment of rotating equipment. With this app, you can access important reference material and learn about key laser shaft alignment concepts. Laser Align features the following tools with ...

Read more

Schneider launches Maintenance and Modernization Consultancy

PEM Staff | May 13, 2010

Schneider Electric's new Maintenance and Modernization Consultancy (M2C) evaluates existing automation equipment, processes and support to recommend and prioritize actions for optimizing productivity, reducing future costs, minimizing unscheduled downtime, improving technical personnel skills, identifying potentional automation and control component support issues and reducing non-production inventory without risking machine uptime. Suited for ...

Read more

SKF Lubrication Solutions division relocates to Mississauga

News image

PEM Staff | May 12, 2010

SKF Lubrication Solutions division has relocated to a 22,000-sq.ft. facility in Mississauga, Ont. The lubrication division will have the team of sales, customer service, engineering and service operations together to better serve Canadian customer needs.  (This facility will also be home to the SKF Economos Sealing and Engineered Plastics team.) In ...

Read more

'More streamlined' Canadian Manufacturing Week back in October

PEM Staff | May 5, 2010

Now that the recession is declared over and economists are predicting an imminent turnaround, there’s no better time for Canadian manufacturers to rediscover themselves, according to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). And they say that with a new format, new location and an improved program, Canadian Manufacturing Week (CMW) ...

Read more

KSB boosts its presence in Canada

News image

PEM Staff | Apr 9, 2010

Mississauga, Ont.-based KSB has strengthened its Canadian presence by expanding its engineering and sales team for environmental products. Professional engineer Rashid Jamal (image, left), a native of India with over eight years’ experience as an application engineer for centrifugal pump installations in North America, has joined KSB’s in-house engineering team ...

Read more

Get Predictive with CMMS: What software can do when it comes to PdM

News image

Kris Bagadia and Brett E. Smith | Aug 25, 2010

Many organizations are only using their computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) as a record-keeping tool, but by not fully utilizing the system, maintenance is missing out on opportunities to save time and money. A properly implemented CMMS will increase productivity by improving work process flow, helping to migrate from reactive ...

Read more

Getting Started: Lay the groundwork for an oil analysis program

News image

Bill Quesnel | Aug 16, 2010

Laying the groundwork for an oil analysis program will ensure it runs with a minimum of problems and effort and will ensure the best return on investment. Review these recommendations prior to meeting with a current or proposed oil analysis vendor. Set Program Targets and Goals Setting program goals is paramount to ...

Read more

Beginning a Maintenance Strategy: Proactive Maintenance

News image

Terry Wireman | Jul 28, 2010

There are many organizations that reduced the size of their maintenance organization and focused strictly on a “fix-it-when-it-breaks” strategy during the recession. Now, as the recession is starting to ease, companies are beginning to review their maintenance organizations and are focusing on implementing a proactive approach to equipment/asset management.  Unfortunately, they ma...

Read more

7 costly causes of nozzle wear

News image

Jon Barber | Jun 25, 2010

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself that the waste and inefficiency caused by using worn spray nozzles just can’t be all that significant. If so, it’s time to change your thinking and determine if nozzle wear is a problem in your operations. Like many other processors, you may discover that you ...

Read more

Know the features in your PM system

News image

David Berger | Jun 14, 2010

Whether you are a big or small company, a simple starting point for moving from a fire-fighting mentality to a more planned environment is to implement a preventive maintenance (PM) program. For starters, even a manual system at virtually no cost goes a long way toward making significant improvements to ...

Read more

7 steps for lubrication in harsh applications

News image

Ken Bannister | May 14, 2010

Regardless of specific industry, the resource sector is highly dependent upon mechanical equipment to power its operational processes. With up to 70 percent of mechanical failure directly/indirectly attributed to ineffective lubrication practices, resource-type reliability is intrinsically linked to good lubrication practices (GLP). ...

Read more

9 lubrication systems that keep chains up and running

News image

Mike Deckert | May 10, 2010

There are several leading factors that contribute to accelerated chain wear, including incorrect chain selection and installation, inadequate chain tension, environmental exposure and, of course, improper lubrication. In fact, according to chain manufacturers, 70 percent of all failures are a direct result of some form of improper lubrication. ...

Read more

Ontario egg-processing plant places focus on food-grade lubricants

News image

PEM Staff | May 3, 2010

Each week, six million eggs pass through the Burnbrae Farms processing plant in Strathroy, Ont. That’s 1.2 million eggs that are washed, graded and packaged there daily. “We are concerned about two things,” senior plant supervisor Alex Davenport says. “You have to make sure the eggs are safe and you don’t ...

Read more

Six ways outsourced maintenance saves

News image

Ron Hoffman | Apr 20, 2010

With today's limited internal resources, it's tough to transform machine maintenance from reactionary to preventive, and ultimately proactive, despite the obvious upsides in higher overall equipment efficiency (OEE), better process control and lower total cost. Outsourcing this requirement to a third-party specialist, however, is a cost-effective alternative, according to companies ...

Read more

PdM Power: Looking at the big picture with infrared

News image

André Rebelo | Apr 9, 2010

Predictive maintenance (PdM) changed irreversibly upon the introduction of infrared, or thermal imaging, technology. If your job is to assess the condition of plant assets through equipment condition monitoring, you know that infrared cameras have migrated from being a "nice-to-have" technology to a "must have." PdM industry thought-leaders now count infrared ...

Read more

Sound Waves: Ensure equipment health with ultrasound

News image

Alan Bandes | Mar 29, 2010

In today's environment, generating revenues for any industry is important. Profit margins are shrinking and often the difference between a profit and a loss can be as simple as improving efficiencies. Locating sources of energy waste, identifying failure conditions in electrical and mechanical systems all contribute to helping improve the ...

Read more

Roller Chain: Get more life out of your roller chain to reduce costs

News image

PEM Staff | Feb 22, 2010

The Diamond Chain Company says that roller chain drives are one of the primary systems used in industry to transmit power and convey products. Since roller chain drives are widely used, productivity is highly dependent on the performance of roller chain. Roller chain that suffers from premature elongation ("stretch") due ...

Read more

Laser alignment kit

News image

PEM Staff | Aug 24, 2010

Pinpoint Laser Systems introduced its Pinpoint Proline Alignment Kit, a visual laser system for checking and measuring straightness, flatness, squareness, parallelism, leveling and other tasks. This kit combines the features of a transit, an infinitely long straightedge and laser alignment system all in one portable product. With a crisp, collimated ...

Read more

Mobile asset-data analyzer maintains reliability

News image

PEM Staff | Aug 24, 2010

Honeywell has released Field Advisor, the newest addition to its family of mobile productivity solutions that help industrial facilities keep their equipment running at optimum performance by recording critical asset data and ensuring it falls within safe operating limits. Its software helps plants to reduce costly emergency work by allowing ...

Read more

Engine-oil condition-monitoring system

News image

PEM Staff | Jun 7, 2010

IntelliStick Inc. has announced additions to its line of real-time, oil condition monitoring systems for fleets, trucks, cars, boats, heavy equipment and other applications. The new technology provides real-time reporting of engine oil level using a patent-pending electronic oil level sensor. This new method is a safer and more secure ...

Read more

ABB condition monitoring system

PEM Staff | Jun 7, 2010

The new ABB MCM Series 16 is an engineered product solution that utilizes the MCM800 monitor module for use as an independent stand-alone monitoring system or as a remote component of a fully integrated 800xA system. The MCM Series 16 system is custom configured from the factory to meet the ...

Read more

Corrosion monitoring

News image

PEM Staff | Jun 7, 2010

Pepperl+Fuchs introduces CorrTran AQUA, a complete corrosion-monitoring solution specifically designed to meet the corrosion monitoring needs of municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment facilities. CorrTran AQUA continuously monitors water and wastewater processes for general and localized corrosion, enabling users to determine the effectiveness of their corrosion inhibitors, and to ...

Read more

Flexible tubing for pneumatic and fluid applications

News image

PEM Staff | May 10, 2010

Ark-Plas Products Inc. manufactures a complete line of flexible tubing for pneumatic and fluid applications, available in virtually every increment from 1/16î ID to 1/2î ID.  Coiled tubing, with working lengths from 5 feet to 20 feet, is fabricated from Polyurethane, in all standard colors.  Metric sized tubing is also ...

Read more

M12-style accelerometers

News image

PEM Staff | Apr 10, 2010

Meggitt Sensing Systems has added three new accelerometers with M12 connectors to its product line. The M12 connector makes it easy to implement vibration monitoring where the existing infrastructure is already built around the M12 standard, such as the process industries. Several compatible M12 connector-cable assemblies are also now available. Accelerometers ...

Read more

SeeSnake microReel L100 and L100C inspection system

News image

Newswire | Jan 25, 2010

ELYRIA, OH — The newest addition to the RIDGID SeeSnake inspection product line, the SeeSnake microReel L100 and L100C inspection system, is a complete compact, portable drain inspection system for users needing to push cable distances of up to 100 feet in lines from 1-1/2 to 4 inches in diameter. Designed ...

Read more

KSB offers new maintenance-free support for propeller-type mixers for wastewater treatment plants

News image

Newswire | Jan 25, 2010

Mississauga, ON – KSB Pumps Inc. has introduced a new support structure for their AMAPROP line of submersible mixers, widely used in wastewater treatment facilities. Made from an advanced cast polymer concrete, the new AMAROC structures are corrosion-free, abrasion resistant and at least five times more resistant to mechanical impact ...

Read more

Immersion probe with integrated connector

Newswire | Jan 11, 2010

Dayton OH — Immersion probes with integrated connectors from Measurement Specialties are ideal for applications where they will be exposed to rapid temperature cycling, humidity, vibration and mechanical shock, and more.  The assembly consists of a NTC thermistor mounted in a brass screw-in housing.  The connector is crimped/cold rolled into ...

Read more

Universal Boot accommodates up to four pipes of various sizes

News image

Newswire | Jan 11, 2010

Agawam, MA – OMG Roofing Products has introduced the QuadFlash pipe boot that provides a fast and efficient option for sealing single or clusters of rooftop pipe penetrations. Unlike pitch pockets that can crack and fail as penetrations expand and contract, the QuadFlash boot accommodates building vibration and pipe movement ...

Read more

Balluff goes ultrasonic

News image

Newswire | Dec 18, 2009

This month marks the release of the Balluff family of ultrasonic sensors, which are designed for rugged, high-performance feedback when long sensing ranges and high accuracy are needed. Balluff ultrasonic sensors are used in many automated and process applications to detect the presence of targets or to measure the distance ...

Read more

 

Oil Analysis Basics

Editor Andre Voshart goes over best practices when starting or reviewing an oil analysis program at your facility.

PEM on Twitter