Sales of power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) products by U.S. manufacturers sales rose 2.0 percent while sales by Canadian manufacturers dropped 13.1 percent in May, according to sales data released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in its Market Outlook Report.
 
For U.S. manufacturers, comparing May 2010 to May 2009, sales are up 13.2 percent compared to sales at this time last year. Canadian manufacturers’ current-month-to-current-month sales are also up but at a slower rate at 5.5 percent.
 
Confidence in the market by both U.S. and Canada manufacturers are holding relatively neutral positions—5.0 and 4.9 respectively on a scale of 1 (very pessimistic) to 10 (outstanding).

Month-to-month sales for product categories between April 2010 and May 2010 for Canadian manufacturers are reported below.
 
Canadian Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales
(March 2010 vs. April 2010)
 

Product	Percent Change
Shaft Couplings	–38.2%
Variable Speed Drives	–25.9%
Unmounted Bearings	–15.8%
Mounted Bearings	–12.9%
Gear Products	–8.3%
Mechanical Drive Systems and Other PT Products	–7.7%
Clutches & Brakes	–5.6%
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products	17.8%

The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by the Power Transmission Distributors Association. The full report includes U.S. and Canadian manufacturer data for sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, clutches and brakes, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems and other PT products. 
www.ptda.org/MOR

U.S. and Canadian manufacturers’ sales dropped in April, after increases in February and March, according to sales data released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in its Market Outlook Report. Sales in the U.S. dropped by 0.7 percent while Canadian sales dropped 10.4 percent.
 
For U.S. manufacturers, sales for April 2010 are up 12.7 percent compared to sales at this time last year. Canadian manufacturers’ year-to-year sales rose 15.2 percent for the same period.
 
Breaking a three-month neutral position of 5.0, U.S. manufacturers’ confidence gained a tenth of a point, rising to 5.1 on a scale of 1 (very pessimistic) to 10 (outstanding).  Canadian manufacturers also rose from a negative position of 4.8 to a positive outlook of 5.1. 

Month-to-month sales for product categories between March 2010 and April 2010 for Canadian manufacturers are reported below.
 
Canadian Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales
(March 2010 vs. April 2010)
 

Product	Percent Change
Gear Products	–14.9%
Mechanical Drive Systems and Other PT Products	–12.1%
Mounted Bearings	–11.8%
Unmounted Bearings	–9.4%
Shaft Couplings	–7.5%
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products	–0.3%
Variable Speed Drives	11.2%
Clutches & Brakes	24.4%

The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by the Power Transmission Distributors Association. The full report includes U.S. and Canadian manufacturer data for sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, clutches and brakes, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems and other PT products. 
www.ptda.org/MOR

U.S. and Canadian manufacturers’ sales increased for the third consecutive month in March, with U.S. manufacturers posting an increase of 5.6 percent and Canadian manufacturers’ sales rising by 18.5 percent, according to sales data released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in its Market Outlook Report. 
 
For U.S. manufacturers, sales comparisons between the first quarter of 2010 and 2009 still reflect sales declines. U.S. manufacturers’ year-to-date sales are down 3.4 percent compared to sales at this time last year. Canadian manufacturers’ year-to-year sales rose by 7.7 percent for the same period.

For the third month, U.S. manufacturers’ confidence maintained a neutral position of 5.0 on a scale of 1 (very pessimistic) to 10 (outstanding).  Canadian manufacturers’ maintained the position of 4.8. 
 
Month-to-month sales for product categories between February 2010 and March 2010 for Canadian manufacturers are reported below.
 
Canadian Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales
(January 2010 vs. February 2010)
 

Product	Percent Change
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products	-32.1%
Clutches & Brakes	-14.7%
Mounted Bearings	7.9%
Mechanical Drive Systems and Other PT Products	8.8%
Unmounted Bearings	13.1%
Gear Products	39.6%
Shaft Couplings	89.5%
Variable Speed Drives	103.3%

The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by the Power Transmission Distributors Association. The full report includes U.S. and Canadian manufacturer data for sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, clutches and brakes, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems and other PT products. 
www.ptda.org/MOR

U.S. and Canadian manufacturers’ sales increased for the second consecutive month in February, with U.S. manufacturers posting an increase of 14.1 percent and Canadian manufacturers’ sales rising by 5.6 percent according to sales data released by the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) in its Market Outlook Report. 
 
For U.S. manufacturers, sales comparisons between February 2010 and February 2009 still reflect sales declines.  U.S. manufacturers’ year-to-date sales are down 9.0 percent compared to sales at this time last year. Canadian manufacturers’ year-to-year sales rose by 0.3 percent for the same period.

U.S. manufacturers’ confidence maintained a neutral position of 5.0 on a scale of 1 (very pessimistic) to 10 (outstanding).  Canadian manufacturers’ confidence rose to 4.8 from 4.6 in February. 
 
Month-to-month sales for product categories between January 2010 and February 2010 for Canadian manufacturers are reported below.
 
Canadian Manufacturer Percent Change in Product Sales
(January 2010 vs. February 2010)
 

Product	Percent Change
Variable Speed Drives	-36.2%
Shaft Couplings	-30.2%
Gear Products	-6.7%
Mounted Bearings	7.4%
Unmounted Bearings	9.3%
Mechanical Drive Systems and Other PT Products	18.7%
Clutches & Brakes	24.7%
Positioning Systems/Linear Motion Products	31.5%

The Market Outlook Report is published monthly by the Power Transmission Distributors Association. The full report includes U.S. and Canadian manufacturer data for sales and order trends for mounted bearings, unmounted bearings, variable speed drives, positioning systems/linear motion products, gear products, clutches and brakes, shaft couplings and mechanical drive systems and other PT products. 
www.ptda.org/MOR

At a recent automation show in Paris, France, manufacturing engineers crowded around a computer screen that was remotely diagnosing faults in a servo drive. Using a standard Web browser, the engineers jogged the axis, ran profiles, and watched the movement of the drive 300 miles away in Sophia, France, over live Web camera feed. When a random fault occurred, the demonstrators easily diagnosed a broken feedback connection on the motor.

The most impressive part of the experience, however, was realizing that the entire process was accomplished using proven, readily available commercial technology that allows components from different manufacturers to be mixed and matched freely, easily, and inexpensively. The technology demonstration won awards in the Business Solutions and the Integration and Comprehensive Solutions categories at the Automation Europe show.

The system features programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with embedded Web servers that enable users to work with information in graphic form, as well as servo drives communicating with controllers over a SERCOS-compliant (Serial Realtime Communication System) fiber-optic link.

The backbone of the entire system is a TCP/IP-enabled Ethernet—rather than a proprietary—network, which makes it possible to share factory floor information throughout the enterprise over an Intranet and around the world over the Internet.

The result is a "transparent factory" that allows anyone with proper security clearance and network access to pull information from the PLC, display it on custom Web pages and change the parameters from anywhere in the world.

Using a servo drive with integrated SERCOS support, diagnostic data from the amplifier is combined with the diagnostic data from the PLC-based motion control and displayed on a Web page as graphical elements. Drive and motion parameters and even the PLC program itself can be modified—and the system retested—over the Internet without ever leaving the browser environment.

That's a marked departure from traditional proprietary plant networks (Interbus, Profibus, ControlNet, etc.), which provide a heavily customized, one-way architecture that collects production and diagnostic data, interprets it, and displays it on a Web server.

These types of systems provide users with no means to react to the data and send back commands that are then automatically implemented. The prevalence of such one-way systems has, in fact, inhibited the deployment of more open Internet technology in manufacturing.

Truly open, Ethernet-based systems that employ innovative uses of open servos, SERCOS, and the ability to embed a Web site directly into a PLC module could trigger two major directional changes for the industry: users will have the ability to remotely access machine control and diagnostic functions; and users will be able to use their existing PCs and laptops as operator interfaces, reducing the number of interfaces required on the factory floor.

Many users can use this new open system technology to help eliminate unscheduled equipment downtime. For example, if a user can remotely monitor increases in amplifier current draw, commonly caused by overheated bearings, the user can predetermine bearing failure. By significantly reducing downtime, users could potentially add tremendous value to their equipment without any significant incremental investment.

The web-enabled modules could allow users to remotely access all of their machinery and modify production parameters. Any authorized network subscriber could adjust machine throughput to meet raw material constraints or make modifications to manufactured product based on orders. This ability to customize production enables the end user to minimize raw material and inventories of finished goods.

Maintenance staff who have access to remote start-up support can upload their PLCs with pertinent information such as technical drawings, electrical specifications and other vital information to ensure smooth operation with maximum production. OEMs could minimize their on site start-up personnel after machine installation, and control engineers could spend more time at the OEM facility, adding value to future designs.

Machine operators can use the system to display statistical summaries. Any network subscriber could customize a Web page within the PLC platform to display production data in a manner that is meaningful to that user. Because the data is displayed graphically, an end user could make modifications with any standard Web browser without requiring a great deal of specialized training.

Today any complex machine requires its own stand-alone human-machine interface (HMI) so that operators can make changes, monitor processes and input or extract key information. With a web-enabled module, users can turn any computer or laptop into a HMI. Authorized personnel can dial up the PLC's Web address and access real-time machine data and/or change machine parameters using a standard Web browser. Operator screens designed with a standard HTML editor or by adding Java applets from within the browser can translate data into usable information and allow operators to manipulate virtual knobs and dials just as they would manipulate the real things. By taking advantage of Internet browser technology, anyone with proper clearance can access and read the information in a PLC without special proprietary knowledge — and they can then issue instructions to change the PLC-controlled processes. Users get the advantages of a PLC with the user-friendly graphic interfaces of a Web browser.

Remote motor diagnostics will become possible when web-enabled PLC motion modules and servo amplifiers are both SERCOS-rated. These systems should feature a fibre optic ring which takes full control of amplifier and motors. When the PLC address is dialed up, the user can access the motion module remotely and poll the amplifier.

This approach, which Schneider Electric is calling the "Transparent Factory," is made possible by segmenting Ethernet networks to eliminate the speed and determinism issues of the past. Intelligent bridge and router technologies form a path to extract information while providing determinism and speeds of 100 MB, 1 GB, and even faster speeds in some applications. Because Ethernet is the backbone of choice for many business applications, transporting data between applications and systems is no longer an expensive and error-prone task. Using proven commercial technologies and international standard protocols such as SERCOS, Transparent Factory takes advantage of off-the-shelf items such as Ethernet cards, hubs, routers, and Web browsers, thereby lowering the costs associated with training, support, and infrastructure procurement. The open architecture also allows a factory's automation environment to evolve with technology.

With this approach, the factory floor is no longer a remote, desolate island of proprietary networks that can communicate with the business world only through expensive, customized hardware and software. Instead, automation equipment is a natural extension of the massive world network that links virtually every other business system. And the availability of open, SERCOS-based servo systems extends the reach of those systems all the way down to individual drives. The combination of Ethernet-based Internet access and SERCOS-accessible drives on the factory floor could forever change the industrial automation landscape.

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Angelo Sanfilippo is a Motion Specialist at Schneider Electric.
You can reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
(A version of this article first appeared in the July 2000 issue of Motion Control magazine.)

It's 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning and Tom, the night-shift millwright in the maintenance department of an automotive parts supplier manufacturer, receives a call from a line supervisor. A section of a conveyor line has stopped working, and product is backing up. In his troubleshooting task, Tom has determined that there is a faulty chain drive which is coupled to a three-phase motor. He informs the line supervisor that an entire section of the line will be shut down while he performs the necessary repair. While Tom performs the work, a line worker who is unaware of the problem energizes the disconnect switch supplying the conveyor — and ends up requiring hospitalization for the resulting injuries to his right hand.

Uncontrolled energy sources kill or seriously injure hundreds of Canadian workers every year. The above accident didn't just happen as a result of failure to communicate between the maintenance worker and the line supervisor, or between the line supervisor and the other worker. It happened because of the lack of a comprehensive, effective lockout-tagout program.

A proper electrical and mechanical lockout-tagout procedure will ensure that the equipment or machinery requiring servicing is de-energized, isolated and locked out from all sources of energy prior to any repair or maintenance work being conducted. It also prevents the inadvertent start-up of the equipment or machine. The control or release of any stored energies must also be applied.

There are two common misconceptions of lockout?±tagout, one being that it only involves the electrical system, and the other that lockout-tagout procedures only pertain to the maintenance department — the electricians, millwrights or industrial mechanics. Many workers are aware that they have to shut the power off on a machine before working on it (this involves the physical interruption of the line conductors feeding the motor, a stop pushbutton or an interlock are not acceptable means). However, that machine may be supplied by pneumatic, hydraulic or steam energy, all of which can be as lethal as electricity. Gravity, too, is a source of potential energy capable of causing injury.

Lockout-tagout programs involve more than just the maintenance department. Other workers such as operators, tool set-up, sanitation and mixing room workers need to know:

• The characteristics of the machine or equipment;
• How it operates;
• What hazards are involved;
• What specific steps to follow when something breaks down; and
• What not to do before, during and after a shutdown.

Some companies have adopted a "six-step procedure" (Prepare for shutdown; equipment shutdown; isolate equipment from energy sources; apply lockout-tagout devices; control or release stored energy; verify). Unfortunately those six steps are not specific enough to provide adequate protection to the worker. An energy control lockout-tagout procedure must be adapted to each piece of equipment in the plant. This lists the sources of energy, the magnitude, the location of the isolating device(s), the method of lockout-tagout and how to verify. An energy control lockout-tagout placarding system is an excellent method for providing a visual aid coupled with online instructions on how to safely isolate and lock out the piece of equipment.

Under OSHA Regulations — CFR 1910-147, an energy control placarding system is mandatory on every piece of equipment in the plant that has multiple primary energy sources (two or more), or equipment where the main electrical disconnect switch is not within the "line of sight."

A circuit breaker lockout-tagout device is shown above. Section 42 (1) Regulation 851 ?± Industrial Establishments requires that the power supply to electrical installations, equipment or conductors be disconnected, locked out and tagged before any work is conducted.

Devices such as the gate valve lockout-tagout device make lockout-tagout more convenient for the worker.

Locks

• Must be made by a reputable manufacturer and provided by the employer. This is to preclude workers from using inferior locks, which can be tampered with or opened by other keys.
• Combination locks or locks with duplicate keys are not recommended.
• Locks used for lockout-tagout purposes must be used for that purpose only — not for tool boxes, lockers or storage sheds.
• Should be checked when purchased to ensure that no two or more locks can be opened by the same key.
• May issue each authorized employee their own personal lock(s) imprinted with their name, lock number or department.
• Some companies may have the company name or insignia stamped on it.
• Standardized shape and size. Colour coding may vary from department to department.

Len Cicero is a master electrician and president of Lenco Enterprises. This article first appeared in the March/April 2001 issue of Canadian Occupational Safety.

Although maintenance has historically been viewed by management — and the general public — as being dirty, unattractive, a "necessary evil," and a job for "grease monkeys," the mighty computer has created a new legitimacy for maintenance over the past 10 years. Today's computerized maintenance management systems are at least as sophisticated as accounting and finance systems, and embrace all the latest hardware and software technologies, including Internet-based applications.

A decade ago, management would tell me, as a consultant, that maintenance people were incapable of data entry because their fingers were too big and greasy. Selecting a computerized maintenance management package was seen as the responsibility of the Information Systems department, in most cases with little or no consultation with maintenance. Maintenance people were not considered experts in this area. This perception became increasingly absurd as production equipment and facilities maintained by maintenance people incorporated more and more sophisticated electronics.

That's the good news. The bad news is that CMMS receives a disproportionate amount of attention by management, far more than it really deserves. This is because many companies believe computers are the panacea to all the problems facing modern maintenance departments.

This misconception began just after the recession in 1982, when maintenance departments were still reeling from the effects of extensive cost-cutting programs. In most cases, budget cuts included staff reductions, especially maintenance planners and clerical support for maintenance management systems. Thus, even maintenance departments boasting good manual systems had to carry the burden of increased clerical responsibility shared among fewer people. This was the death of many maintenance management systems.

When the cloud lifted in the mid-1980s, companies saw the computer as a means of saving the annual salary expense associated with hiring back clerical support personnel lost in the recession. Firms rushed into computerization without proper planning for such a major change. Thus, systems were purchased which did not satisfy the specific needs of the users, and were too rigid to mold to the company's specification.

Probably the greatest mistake made by management was skimping on the user training budget to keep implementation costs reasonable. Additionally, as was stated earlier, users and key stakeholders such as operations people were often not involved in the initial decision-making process. This created bitterness and resentment towards both the system and the people that shoved it down their throats. Finally, some companies made the critical mistake of selecting a vendor who could not provide adequate support.

These problems still persist today. Most companies that do make the investment in CMMS, however, reap some benefits. The greatest savings stem from improved maintenance department productivity and reduced downtime. This, in turn, comes from better planning and scheduling for preventive maintenance and regular work orders, as well as quicker response time. A comprehensive equipment history allows good management decisions respecting equipment replacement and labour utilization. There can be significant material savings as well through reduced maintenance inventory levels, better purchasing, and improved material planning and control.

Since microcomputer-based maintenance management systems were first introduced, hundreds of vendors have appeared offering a wide range of packaged software. Prices range from several hundred to several million dollars. As is true with other software applications, high price does not necessarily coincide with high functionality. Many high-cost packages have not kept pace with market trends because of the excessive research and development costs, especially those born out of a mainframe environment. As well, client server, Internet, relational database and other technologies leveled the playing field for applications traditionally developed for micros, minis and mainframes. Thus, many low-end systems are newer and built with leading-edge tools thereby allowing more features and functions than older, more expensive packages.

The difference then, primarily comes down to number of users, but also to the degree of specialization, integration requirements, database requirements, third-party tools, degree of customization, and so on. There are of course some differences in features, but this is not necessarily related to the price of the package. Higher-end packages do, however, tend to have a greater overall quantity of sophisticated features across all four key components as described below.

1. Preventive maintenance (PM)
Many top management groups have identified PM as an easy means of keeping the high cost of unplanned downtime to a minimum for critical parts and equipment. Every company should strive to find the optimum balance amongst reactive, preventive, and predictive maintenance. Reliability-centred maintenance (RCM) is another technique for reducing reliance on breakdown maintenance as the modus operandum. All CMMS packages are weak in providing advanced analysis tools for determining which combination of techniques is optimum for a given piece of equipment.

One area of strength and growing importance for most CMMS vendors is condition monitoring. This allows users to track key measures and ensure they are within an acceptable range. When a hard measure such as downtime or a even a soft measure such as the number of days a PM routine was missed hits a setpoint or trends outside control limits, an alarm is activated, notification is given, an action is initiated through workflow software, and/or a report is generated.

2. Work order control
Work order control provides the means to plan, schedule and control labour and material. Sophistication in this area lies primarily in how budgeting and scheduling are accomplished, and how easy it is to enter and analyze data for a given project or job.

For example, the ideal system provides a split screen for scheduling with a bar graph on the top half of the screen showing available hours versus planned hours. Jobs can be dragged and dropped dynamically to balance the workload. The bottom half provides a listing of the work orders depicted graphically in the top half. The planner can sort, filter or even change trade availability or work orders by due dates, crewing, etc. on the bottom half of the screen and watch the graph on the top half refresh as a result. The full work order and availability calendar by tradesperson should also be accessible via another window, by drilling down on the summary listing on the bottom half of the screen without leaving the scheduling module in "simulation mode". Once the planner balances the workload, the corrections and final schedule are saved.

3. Supply chain management
What used to be referred to as simply "inventory control," then "materials management," is now lifted to new heights under the banner "supply chain management" as companies continue to adopt inventory reduction programs such as lean manufacturing. It is incredible to see how far and fast CMMS vendors have taken this concept since the rise in popularity of the Internet. Some vendors have created separate divisions or spin-off companies that provide e-commerce, e-business, e-procurement and e-marketplace products and services for their customer base. Other advanced features include vendor performance analysis, service level management and simulation, sophisticated economic order quantity algorithms, and ABC/XYZ analysis.

4. Equipment history
Every CMMS package must provide a summary of labour, material, and downtime costs associated with maintaining a given piece of equipment. But the more comprehensive packages provide such analysis tools as asset reliability and performance, production impact assessment, maintenance statistics, activity-based costing/management, and reliability-centred maintenance analysis done up front to determine all possible failure modes and effects. Some packages have even developed a troubleshooting database linking problem, cause, and action codes using a lightweight form of "expert system".

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David Berger is a regular contributor to PEM.