EMS June 2011

Contacts

PublisherMichael Dominguez

Editorialeditors/contributing: Jon Barret,

Christer Idhammar, Alan France

AdvertisingPaul Clappison - Magazine

Paul Miles - Online Advertising

[email protected]

Websitewww.engineeringmaintenance.info

Phonetel: +44(0)1634 731646

Fax: +44(0)1634 631644

AddressMSL Group, Cobalt House, Centre

Court, Sir Thomas Longley Road,

Rochester, Kent, ME2 4BQ

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38 - 39

40 - 41

46 - 47

49 - 50

Maintenance best practice – Reliability

Improvements drive down maintenance

Costs

Industry News pages

IRISS Case study – Paper Mill boosts

RCM program with cost savings

generated through IR program

Product Spotlight – Vibration Monitoring

PILZ – Harmonising Productivity with

Machine Safety

Product Spotlight – Portable Calibrators

Industrial Doors

OEE

Buyers Guide

5engineeringmaintenance.infoJune/July 2011

MAINTENANCE BEST PRACTICE

Most organizations focus more on cutting maintenance

costs, and, as a consequence, maintenance costs go down

temporarily, only to increase much more than the initial savings.

In addition, reliability goes down, paving the way for losses that

can be substantial. This behavior and results have been proven

many times, especially in economic downturns. The root cause

of this phenomenon is often shortsightedness and what the late

quality leader Dr. W. Edwards Deming described as one of the

most serious diseases in American industry: “the mobility of top

management.”

The three case studies that follow demonstrate what happened

in two organizations that focused on cost reductions and in a

third organization that focused on Results Oriented Maintenance.

RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS DRIVE DOWN MAINTENANCE COSTS

An organization must focus on sustainable results, not just cutting costs. Three case studies illustrate.Results-oriented organizations focus first on the quality and volume of production throughput, followed closely by the cost to produce the required quality and volume. This approach will improve reliability performance, which will drive manufacturing costs down.

Case 1: Cost and head count reduction

Case 2: Aggressive cost reduction

The accompanying graph shows a 3-year case study in a food

processing organization with an aggressive cost reduction

program. A key measure used in maintenance benchmarking

exercises was the number of maintenance crafts people and first

line managers such as planners and supervisors.

The head count reduction was done through attrition and layoffs.

The major mistakes by this organization were:

• To cut costs by reducing only the number of employees

and not considering reducing the need for maintenance or

improving work processes.

• To focus on number of employees, instead of hours of

maintenance work, including overtime and contractor

hours. Case 2: Aggressive cost reduction

The graph for this case shows results at a chemical plant, a

high-cost producer in its market, where management decided to

do whatever it took to cut costs, mainly in maintenance. When

the cost-saving initiative started, market prices for the plant’s

products were low and profitability in a short-term perspective

was low compared to other plants in the corporation. The fast-

paced cost reduction actions included:

• Operations took over maintenance and only did

maintenance work that was judged absolutely necessary.

• Planners were laid off and planning of work was

discontinued.

• Scheduling was discontinued.

• Maintenance prevention activities such as shaft alignment

were abandoned and lubrication was handed over to

operators without training and implementation of a

documented program.

• he preventive maintenance program was handed over to

the operators, without training in what to do or how to

inspect. The preventive maintenance inspectors were laid

off.

• Shutdown crews were merged with another plant about 1

hr drive from the subject plant.

• Painting programs were abandoned.

• Training of crafts people was discontinued.

After realizing the catastrophic consequences of what had

happened, the mill took initiatives to bring maintenance to

world-class status. Results are very encouraging and the mill

is today one of the top performers. Reliability is approaching

94 percent. Maintenance costs have gone up, so has quality

production throughput, and manufacturing and maintenance

costs per ton are lower.

The actions taken to bring maintenance to world-class

status included:

• Reinstating preventive maintenance inspectors and revising

the preventive maintenance program.

• Bringing maintenance back to a central maintenance

function.

• Developing a partnership between maintenance and

operations instead of a customer-supplier relationship.

6 engineeringmaintenance.infoJune/July 2011


Case 3: Reliability improvements first, costs second

• Focusing on planning and scheduling and front line

implementation of these practices.

• Developing employees’ capabilities toward joint goals.

• Making capital investments in new equipment and

restoration of worn out equipment.

• Implementing front line management action indicators.

This plant manufactures the same product as the plant described

in the previous case, but it decided to focus on reliability

improvements instead of only cost reduction. This included:

• A clearly outspoken and established partnership between

operations, engineering, and maintenance was forged.

• A change was made from a reactive to a planned and

scheduled maintenance organization. Less than 10 percent

of all maintenance work was planned when the initiative

was launched. Ten years later more than 85 percent of all

work is planned and scheduled.

• A strong vibration analysis program was implemented.

When it started, the average vibration level was 0.23 in./

sec. Today it is down to 0.11 in./sec.

• Lubricators were professionally trained. This resulted in

better filtration and water removal, better seals, oil testing,

and fewer types of lubricants. Cost for lubrication was

reduced by 60 percent.

• All rotating equipment above 1000 rpm is balanced

dynamically before it is put into service.

• Many equipment bases were improved and equipped with

jack-bolts to improve alignment precision.

• Electric motors and rolls in storage are marked and rotated

twice a month.

• Alignment training, standards, and execution were

implemented.

• Stores inventory and services were analyzed and improved.

Service level now stands at 96 percent and stores value has

been reduced by more than 30 percent.

• Adherence to preventive maintenance schedules was

increased to over 90 percent.

Reliability pays

Reliability improvements increase production

throughput and drive down maintenance costs.

Maintenance cost reduction is a consequence

of reliability performance; it is never the other

way around.

The number of crafts people was

reduced by 14.3 percent the first year.

After 1 year, 6 percent were hired back.

In the same period, contractor spending

went up 88 percent. Total maintenance

hours including overtime, contractor

hours, and in-house hours went up

10.5 percent. Total maintenance costs

went up 29.2 percent. On top of that,

reliability and production throughput

decreased 6 percent. This plant is now

investing in hiring and training more

maintenance people, implementing lost

maintenance practices, and moving

all maintenance resources back to

professional maintenance management

after initially decentralizing maintenance

to operations.

Case 1: Moving maintenance resources to operations and cutting craft personnel



In the first 2 to 3 years maintenance costs dropped from $35 million/yr to $27 million/yr and results were hailed as good. However, reliability started to decline. When beginning this initiative, overall production reliability (OPR)—the product of quality performance, time performance, and speed performance—was 93 percent; it bottomed at 78 percent 6 years after the start of the initiative. At this time the market price for the plant’s products had doubled. The drop of 15 percent in OPR and quality production output corresponded to a loss of over 300,000 tons during some very good years when product could be sold at top prices. Financial losses because of low OPR resulting from shortsighted maintenance cost savings are conservatively estimated to exceed $1.2 billion over a 3-yr period.

During the first 3 years, maintenance costs increased 8 percent (2.5 to 3 percent/yr). During the same period, reliability as measured by OPR, and consequently also production throughput, increased steadily from a low of 83 percent to 90 percent. Reliability continued to increase to 92 percent. In financial terms, a short-term increase in maintenance costs of about $3.3 million resulted in savings of $17 million annually. The value of increased and sold production represented $18 million annually. Total maintenance costs were reduced by 40 percent. Today this plant survives another economic downturn because of the reliability initiative it initiated and implemented.

Case 2: Lingering effect of 2 years of cost cutting

Case 3: Focus on reliability

Article supplied by :Christer Idhammar Founder and Executive Vice President IDCON, INC

For further information please contact us on:Tel: +1 919 723 2682 | Email: [email protected] visit www.idcon.com


INDUSTRY NEWS

ENSURE RELIABLE GAS DETECTION WITH NEW DRAEGER WIRELESS SAFETY NET

For further information contact:

Customer Service, Draeger Safety UK Limited,

Ullswater Close, Blyth Riverside Business Park,

Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4RG.

Tel: 01670 561200

fax: 01670 356266

www.draeger.com.

Operating as an all-round safety network, the new Draeger X-zone 5000 uses wireless technology to automatically connect multiple monitors for reliable, continuous detection of toxic, combustible and explosive gases.

Ensuring that personnel have the confidence to work worry free, even in the most dangerous environments, these transportable units are quick to deploy and easy to set up. Issuing a loud alarm as soon as a gas is detected, they also change colour to clearly identify the alarm status. The areas where gas has been detected are indicated by red visual alarms. Safe atmospheres and, therefore, a safe escape route are confirmed by green visual alarms.

By simply placing Draeger X-zone 5000 units around potentially dangerous areas or where maintenance or shutdown work is being carried out, these robust, waterproof units will ensure increased levels of safety in any application. As soon as one of the units detects a gas it immediately transmits an alarm to each of the others, warning everyone in the area that a danger exists. At the same time, a loud evacuation alarm is emitted and a patented 360º alarm amplifier ensures that it is heard with the same intensity in all directions.

Up to 25 Draeger X-zones can be used at any one time, forming a complete wireless network to suit the specific application, including those where an explosion hazard might exist. In addition to Zone 0 ATEX performance, they also offer a lower cost of ownership by combining flexible monitoring capabilities with a long sensor life and enhanced battery performance.

Allowing gas ingress from every side, it can be fitted with up to four sensors to detect as many as five gases at once. The Drager X-zone 5000 provides simultaneous measurement of gases and vapours such as hydrocarbons, hydrogen and other explosive, combustible or toxic gases.

Unlike portable instruments which usually leave the scene with the wearer, the Draeger X-zone 5000 can be left in situ for up to 120 hours continuous operation, issuing an alarm as long as the danger exists.


LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS

The installation of a new ABB WaterMaster electromagnetic flowmeter is helping energy company RWE npower fulfill its MCERTS commitment. The 1,400MW power station, based in Didcot, Oxfordshire, has always monitored the amount of cooling water that it discharges from the site, but this extra tier of instrumentation will enable it to verify that the readings provided by the existing meters are accurate. “We’ve already got three meters on our cooling water purge system but we’d like to be able to verify their performance,” says Peter Harrison, Senior C&I Engineer. “We’re now installing an MCERTified WaterMaster electromagnetic meter from ABB at a point where all three flows come together. This means we can verify the readings from the other three meters, in addition to verifying the WaterMaster itself, insitu using the WaterMaster’s onboard verification system.” Launched in 2008, the WaterMaster was one of the first flowmeters to be awarded a Class 1 MCERTS conformity certificate for closed pipe flow measurement. MCERTS is the Environment Agency’s certification scheme to ensure that companies have effective measures in place to monitor their effluent flow. Industrial sites need to meet MCERTS requirements whenever their discharges must be monitored and controlled as part of their permits under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR). Civil works are about to begin on the installation and the new, two-tier system should be up and running later this year. “I’ve used ABB flowmeters before in my previous work and I’ve always found that they perform well. I like to think this one will provide the same great performance,” says Mr. Harrison. RWE npower is also taking the opportunity to upgrade its data logging facilities with the addition of a ScreenMaster videographic recorder from ABB. ABB can also provide additional support in the form of annual verification services, including verification of installed WaterMasters utilising VeriMaster verification tools. This can assist with demonstrating an ongoing robust metering regime in preparation for possible quality management system (QMS) audits in the future.MCERTS and the self-monitoring of effluent flow is just part of a wider philosophy within the Environment Agency to promote “better regulation”. This means encouraging companies to

comply with and even exceed legal requirements without constant supervision. “MCERTS is all about helping to protect the environment through more accurate monitoring and collection of data relating to emissions to air and discharges to water,” says Tony Hoyle, General Manager for ABB’s UK and Ireland Measurement Products business. “ABB has long been a supporter of the MCERTS scheme, having achieved the first ever MCERTS product approval certificate for its ZFG2/ZDT zirconia oxygen analyser system in 1999. We followed this tradition by making our WaterMaster flowmeter one of the first to beMCERTified for closed pipe flow measurements.” ABB has released a comprehensive new guide to the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) and MCERTS, the Monitoring Certification Scheme of the Environment Agency (EA). Entitled MCERTS and EPR – a guide to environmental EPR legislation and monitoring systems and services, the guide is a useful point of reference for anyone responsible for the monitoring of emissions to air or water at an EPR regulated site.

ABB WATERMASTER HELPS RWE REMAIN MCERTS COMPLIANT

RWE NPOWER VERIFIES ENERGY

READINGS WITH ABB FLOWMETERS

AND VIDEOGRAPHIC RECORDERS

For more about ABB’s offering for MCERTS applications

or to obtain a copy of ABB’s new guide,

email: [email protected]

or call: 0870 600 6122

ref. ‘MCERTS’ or ‘MCERTS guide’.

For help with any technical terms in this release, please

go to: www.abb.com/glossary

For more information:

Tony Hoyle

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0870 600 6122




“We reviewed operations carefully and have now successfully integrated customer service, aftersales and project sales,” said Mark Hodgens, Managing Director. “Combining as a single business is an important milestone, our customers and suppliers will be receiving formal communication over the coming weeks.”

Although Nederman have completed several notable acquisitions, both in the UK and internationally, following successful flotation on the OMX Stockholm Stock Exchange in 2007 this has been on a different scale, doubling Nederman’s size and positioning it as the global market leader in industrial air filtration. The group now makes combined annual sales of around £195 million in nearly 60 countries (with 27 fully owned companies) supported by manufacturing and assembly plant in 8 countries.

Whilst Dantherm and Nederman have overlapped in the market, the systems are really complementary. Nederman’s industrial air cleaning systems typically run to 15,000 m3 where Dantherm’s reach 150,000 m3 and cover specialist market segments including foundries, smelters and wood dust.

“In reality, many of our customers need a mix of systems,” said Mark Hodgens. “The overall expertise in industrial air cleaning is impressive, we can now meet the market with a broader and more complex product range.”

NEDERMAN AND DANTHERM FILTRATION COMBINE IN THE UK

KABELSCHLEPP ON UK MANUFACTURING AND THE HANOVER FAIR 2011

Following last year’s acquisition of Dantherm Filtration by Nederman, the combined business began trading in the UK as Nederman Ltd on 01st April 2011.

Further information is available on request from Nederman by contacting 08452 743434 or at www.nederman.co.uk .

One plus one equals more than two, that´s how you could draw a balance after a year of collaboration between KABELSCHLEPP and the Tsubaki Group. Things have been happening in more areas than just the product range. The worldwide presence and customer service were also intensively expanded.

Along with the sales and on-site service, the product program was also expanded. For example, in the universally applicable UNIFLEX Advanced plastic chain series, the type series 1665 with an inside height of 44 mm is now available in an additional inside width: 200 mm. That makes eight widths in total, covering measurements from 50 to 250 mm. Type series 1320 was also expanded; an inside width of 50 mm is now available, as well as models with new bending radii of 38 and 48 mm. The weight-optimised cable carriers in this series are well-suited for a broad range of applications. They are equipped with internal sound dampening for an especially quiet run and offer numerous possibilities for interior partitioning. An aluminium tray system is now available for the type series 1555 for vertical, hanging applications Amongst its many applications, it is suitable for use in fast-moving storage and retrieval machines with high lateral acceleration and is available as a complete system, ready for installation and connection, including carrier stop, cables and tension relief. The modular construction makes it especially easy to install. Standardised dimensions and basic components result in short delivery times and custom-modification for affordable solutions.

KABELSCHLEPP presents new developments and improves existing ones.

For UK and Ireland, please contact:Kabelschlepp Metool, Metool Products Ltd. www.metool.com / [email protected] +44 (115) 9225931 Fax +44 (115) 9258183

The range of cranes that can be supplied include both single and double girder overhead travelling cranes together with slewing jib cranes and underslung cranes incorporating special low-headroom trolley designs. Cranes with parallel hoists and synchronised lifting hoist arrangements can also be supplied, with individual hoist capacities up to 100 tonnes.

J D Neuhaus specialise in the provision of crane systems adapted to suit individual requirements. This can include remote radio control of the crane lift and traverse operations, covering comprehensive application requirements and even simultaneous operation of multiple hoists. For lifting operations on offshore rigs or sea going vessels, crane systems can be fitted with rack and pinion drive systems to ensure safe operation during bad-weather conditions. Control boxes with receiver can also be customised to suit specific electro-hydraulic interface requirements, together with all necessary system tubing in stainless steel where required.

All equipment is designed and rated for use in explosion-endangered areas. The standard rating is EX II 2 GD IIA/II 3 GD

IIB T4 (X), with higher classifications also available on request. Super-silent operation is combined with sensitive, infinite controls including controlled load-lowering in the event of supply oil failure, together with an integrated overload switch-off function. Oil or HFC pressure fluids can be used at intake pressures of 100 to 180 bar. Only two supply connections are required per hoist with leakage oil drained internally for maximum safety.

Further information is available on request to:J D Neuhaus GmbH & Co. KG, 58449, Witten-Heven, Germany Telephone: +49 2302 208-219 Fax: +49 2302 208-286 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.jdn.de

HYDRAULIC CRANE SYSTEMS ADAPTED TO USER REQUIREMENTSWhere a hydraulic power system supply

is available on site, then hydraulic cranes

from J D Neuhaus can be a more practical

option for all lifting and handling operations

than their well established compressed air

operated products.


INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS

It’s available as an integrated module for the new plics®plus sensor generation, or as a standalone instrument PLICSMOBILE T61, which can be powered from the existing signal cable, by battery or other renewable energy source. The SIM card and integrated modem allow worldwide data transmission via the mobile network GSM/GPRS – including ‘dial in’ remote diagnosis and service using industry standard PACTware FDT/DTM software. PLICSMOBILE is stand alone, nothing else needed, no other intermediate signal boxes or modems nearby. Cabling can also be left out too: an integrated energy system manages any battery supply of sensor and emitting unit ( an integral in-housing mini battery pack, providing once-a-day readings for over a year, will follow in October this year) . This means PLICSMOBILE offers real capability and flexibility in deployment, especially in the area of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) they can be installed and operate independently with any VEGA technology - measuring liquid in tanks or silo levels up to 75m with battery power only, and sending data globally. With the options of ; PLICSMOBILE, PLICSRADIO and HART Wireless compatibility, VEGA can now cover practically any application in wireless communication from local to global.

PLICSMOBILE looks set to change the way remote inventory and VMI systems are deployed in future by integrating everything into the measurement device for level applications from water level to silo levels up to 75m

VEGA LAUNCH NEW REMOTE MONITORING SOLUTION FOR LEVEL AND PRESSURE

A new transmitting and receiving unit, PLICSMOBILE, fits seamlessly into VEGA’s modular plics® system.

Doug Anderson-VEGA Controls Ltd

Kendal House, Victoria WayWest Sussex, RH15 9NFWeb: www.vegacontrols.co.ukE-Mail: [email protected] +44 1444 870055Fax +44 1444 870080

A leading business insurance specialist today announced it was launching a new direct-to-market brand, enabling engineering businesses to arrange instant and competitively-priced cover online, directly with the company. Markel UK, which boasts over 20 years’ experience in offering business insurance for professionals, confirmed that Markel Direct would simplify the process of setting up business insurance, offering new product innovation and some online quotes in just 90 seconds, courtesy of its new website – www.markeluk.com Markel Direct will offer clients in the engineering sector easy payment options. Customers will benefit from online documentation and a more streamlined approach to arranging business insurance than is currently available. Key products available include cover for professional indemnity, employers liability, public and product liability (general liability), directors and officers liability, office buildings and contents and business interruption. Specialist policies for homeworkers and

home based businesses are also available to buy online. The Leeds based company, a division of A-rated Markel International, revealed the launch of Markel Direct would offer engineering businesses the opportunity to arrange specialist cover directly with Markel for the first time. Steve Carroll, managing director of Markel UK, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of Markel Direct today, which is a significant development for us and promises to assist those in the engineering industry looking to take out cover. “Our aim in creating the new website is to enable customers to buy cover direct from us in a simple and straight-forward way. Setting up business insurance is often considered to be a complex and daunting process, so we wanted to assist customers with an easy to use website and the quickest quote turnaround in the industry. “Markel Direct represents a fantastic opportunity for engineering businesses of all sizes, but particularly SMEs, to take advantage of our extensive range of products at competitive prices.”

LEADING SPECIALIST INSURER MARKEL LAUNCHES NEW BRAND AND WEBSITE TO ASSIST ENGINEERING SECTOR

MARKEL DIRECT TO SIMPLIFY AND STREAMLINE

INSURANCE WITH ONLINE QUOTES IN 90 SECONDS

For more information, visit www.markeluk.com






The sensor makes fluidic systems more reliable by enabling the detection of liquid flow within the range of a few ml/min and less. For such measurements the sensor offers a short response time below 100 ms. Its output signal of either 0 or 5 volts indicates whether the current flow rate is above or below the specified flow switch level. At continuous flow rates above this limit the identification of air bubbles within the flow channel is equally consistent. Maximum flow rates are accepted up to 220 ml/min. Fluidic connections can be made via 1⁄4-28 standard fittings, suitable for connecting plastic tubing with outer diameters of 1/8” (3.2 mm) or 1/6” (1.6 mm). Barb connector adap- ters are available as an alternative.The tiny, light sensor is designed for integration into bio-medical applications and general process control solutions. An excellent chemical resistance and bio-compatibility are ensured by its non-invasive measurement through the wall of the straight, internal glass capillary (diameter 1.8 mm) and fluidic connectors made of PEEKTM high-end plastics. The new product is based on a digital MEMS chip and expands Sensirion’s existing line of high-quality liquid flow products by employing a simple and cost-efficient solution.

MICRO FLOW SWITCH AND BUBBLE DETECTOR FOR LIQUIDS

The new LG01 for the detection of liquid flows and air bubbles. The Swiss sensor manufacturer Sensirion AG is launching the LG01 micro flow switch for ultra-low liquid flow rates and bubble detection.

LG01 website: www.sensirion.com/lg01 LG01 datasheet: www.sensirion.com/lg01-datasheet

The state of the art rail depot is part of a £363 million contract to build the new East London Railway in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. The depot is divided into a series of separate working areas, located across two large buildings. The two-road wheel lathe shed and heavy cleaning building, measuring 90m x 17m, as well as the primary maintenance facility building measuring, 105m x 37m, that also features a main workshop, heavy stores and workshop area and a small parts store.

NOR-RAY-VAC SIGNALS A NEW ERA AT NEW CROSS GATE

When the new train maintenance depot at New Cross Gate required a heating solution, Emico-Rail and consultants BBP Building Services Ltd working in conjunction with AmbiRad, specified Nor-Ray-Vac radiant tube heating. With effectiveness and economy as top priorities, the highly efficient system would provide the ideal working environment for vital train maintenance.

For further information, please contact Tracey Lawrence at CFA on:Telephone: 01622 754295 | Fax: 01622 758485Email: [email protected]

With its patented design encompassing special aluminium multiport tubes and fins currently used in the aerospace heat transfer sector, the Clix Cooler provides energy efficiency along with reliability. Fully welded tube to header joints and autonomous sections reduce the effects of stress caused by cyclic pressure and temperature changes. Multidirectional airflow also helps keep the heat exchanger face clean so maintaining a longer optimum working performance, so extending service life, minimising unscheduled downtime and resulting costs. Forward Industrial’s team of experienced engineers will also maintain the Clix Cooler unit, with servicing and cleaning every 12 months to ensure maximum efficiency, particularly suitable for those businesses who do not have staff available to undertake maintenance.

Unlike traditional heat exchangers, the Clix Cooler can be delivered in virtually ‘flat pack’ form meaning it can be assembled in most locations. The modular construction means less need for heavy lifting gear during initial assembly as well as ongoing servicing and repairs, so giving further cost savings. Forward Industrial is offering Clix Cooler with five years on site warranty cover on the matrix and three years cover on the system motors, giving customers additional reassurance.

UNIQUE MODULAR HEAT EXCHANGER FOR PERFORMANCE AND SAVINGS

Clix Cooler from Forward Industrial Products is a new, completely unique, modular forced air heat exchanger that is significantly more efficient and cost effective than traditional copper tube aluminium finned coil type heat exchangers.

For more information on Clix Cooler contact Forward Industrial on 0121 708 3070.Email: [email protected]; www.forwardindustrial.co.uk


INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS

Flowcrete has vast experience within the industrial flooring industry - carrying out projects for Blue Chip clients including Bentley Motors, the RAF and BAE Systems - backed up with best in class customer and technical support services.

When a plant manager requires a strong, robust coating for a flooring project, Flowcrete has the expertise to deliver a system able to stand up to heavy-duty traffic movement, bulky machinery and physical attack, through the installation of an industrial flooring system from our toughest flooring range.

Our systems are engineered to ensure plant managers get more from their floors, with formulations geared up for specific areas within individual manufacturing environments to maximise longevity and extend the life-cycle of the finish.

Flowcrete UK Ltd has rigorously tested its industrial floor coating systems and selected the strongest materials to offer plant manager clients hardy, resilient and powerful resin floor surfaces that represent the best in class approach to durability.

The company’s extensive product offering includes the industry-leading Industrial Floorzone concept, unique to Flowcrete UK.

This system delivers the damp-proof membrane and high strength Isocrete floor screed, topped off with a performance resin floor finish – all from a single source and installed by Flowcrete’s approved contractor network.

Flowcrete’s flooring systems also include anti-slip, acrylic and epoxy based floor finishes made-up of durable quartz beads and polyurethane resin floor screeds, as well as polyurethane terrazzo systems that contain tough flint and granite aggregates.

Get More From Floors – Get More DurabilityLeading industrial flooring manufacturer

Flowcrete is putting on a robust show of

strength with the development of a marketing

campaign that firstly highlights how durability

is the foundation of a fit-for-purpose system

underfoot for plant managers.

For further information please contact:[email protected] visit us on the web at: www.flowcrete.co.uk

The Hydraulic Wrench Testers will be invaluable to a variety of end users, such as:

• Organisations with many hydraulic wrenches wishing to avoid the costs and potential delays of using a calibration sub-contractor

• Tool hire companies needing to ensure that their wrenches are calibrated before being hired out for a job

• Calibration and tool repair companies or laboratories specialising in providing expert calibration services

Hydraulic torque wrenches use either square drive or hollow hexagonal link outputs, so Norbar has produced a wide range of hex to square drive adaptors to ensure that their test pots are compatible with most hydraulic torque wrenches. The three versions of Norbar Hydraulic Tool Calibration Fixtures have capacities of 7,000 N.m, 50,000 N.m and 80,000 N.m respectively and are compatible with a range of Norbar transducers extending from 1½ inch up to 3½ inch square drives. Transducer capacity ranges are from 250 - 2500 N.m

up to 8,000 - 80,000 N.m. The lightweight and compact design is easy to transport and the built in bench or deck mount points provide operational flexibility.

Philip Brodey, Sales & Marketing Director of Norbar, comments: “This is the first time that Norbar has produced an off-the-shelf range of products for testing hydraulic torque wrenches. These test pots are compact and robust and enable optimum performance to be achieved from this important torque product group. Users also have the assurance of traceability, which is essential for confirming that a torque tool is producing the required torque.”

NORBAR LAUNCHES HYDRAULIC WRENCH TESTERSNorbar Torque Tools has launched a new range

of products for testing hydraulic torque wrenches

from 250 N.m up to 80,000 N.m. Comprised of a

Hydraulic Tool Calibration Fixture and a Transducer,

which link to a Torque Measuring Instrument, these

devices will accurately calibrate both square drive

and hexagon link torque wrenches.

For further information:Norbar Torque Tools Ltd, Beaumont Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 1XJTel 01295 270333 [email protected]



ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Prior to the installation of the GEM® steam traps, the mechanical traps regularly failed open, closed or partly open, necessitating regular replacement and maintenance. It was calculated that due to trap failure ELANTAS Deatech was wasting a large proportion of its steam production, which in turn was increasing energy costs.

Thermal Energy International organised a bucket test to measure the live steam loss through the trap at various condensate load conditions. This proved that the GEM® technology was significantly more efficient over varying loads.

ELANTAS ENJOYS SIGNIFICANT STEAM SAVINGS WITH GEM®

“Thermal Energy International has supported the project throughout with a survey of the steam traps, a payback report and bucket test”, says Mr Giorgio Monni, Plant Manager at ELANTAS Deatech’s Ascoli Piceno plant. “The GEM® venturi steam system has provided us with real savings and the prospect of a large reduction in maintenance costs”.

Such has been the success of the GEM® technology at the Ascoli Piceno site that Thermal Energy International received an additional order for GEM® steam traps for the company’s site in China and this year received a further order for GEM® traps for the Ascoli Piceno plant.

Available in a wide range of sizes for a full cross section of applications, the hardwearing GEM® steam traps are manufactured from corrosion resistant stainless steel and are guaranteed for 10 years, eliminating the need for repair or replacement. The GEM® steam traps can provide a fast payback from reduced energy costs and increased equipment reliability. In addition it can improve product processing by enhancing process control, and can also reduce equipment repairs, downtime and replacement costs.

ELANTAS Deatech S.r.l, a member of

the global specialty chemical group

Altana AG, and a leading producer of

insulating materials for the electrical and

electronics industry, has revealed that it

is achieving significant savings in steam

consumption at its site in Ascoli Piceno,

Italy following the installation of Thermal

Energy International’s GEM® steam traps.

ELANTAS Deatech has now replaced all of

the mechanical steam traps on its process,

utilities and steam distribution pipeline

with the GEM® venturi orifice design.

Thermal Energy International Inc, 1 John Street,

Bristol, BS1 2HR

Tel: 0117 917 7010

Fax: 0117 917 7011

www.gemtrap.com


INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS

The conference theme “NDT IN SERVICE OF SOCIETY” reminds us of why our discipline is so important and why we need to share our knowledge, technology and experience for the benefit of all. ICNDT therefore want to do everything possible to maximise the benefits of this opportunity to the whole African NDT community.

ICNDT events to be held during the conference:

1) Open Session in the conference on IAEA projects in the NDT field• to allow IAEA to showcase its work• to promote discussion on future projects

2) Workshop for Regulators designed to inform regulators of the value of NDT and how to ensure its reliable delivery.

3) Workshop on Qualification and Certification of NDT personnel including the proposed ICNDT Multilateral Recognition Agreement

4) Open Session in the conference on IAEA projects in the NDT field• meet “buddy” societies willing to be mentors• meet Certification Bodies willing to be partners• website shell scheme

5) ICNDT Research workshop• Opportunities to meet researchers from large international

laboratories

Sourcing DC drives is becoming more and more difficult. „Most of the major drives manufacturers are publishing longer lead times. In a breakdown, this could pose users a serious problem“, explains Gary Keen, Sales Director with Sprint Electric. “Ex-stock availability on DC drives is one of our founding principles. And because we know how important it is for our customers to receive their orders without delay, we never stop improving how we manage our stock levels in response to their needs.” The ex-stock availability of Sprint Electric dc drives, often with direct equivalents for competitor models, allows users to source the DC drives they need without having to suffer a lengthy lead time.

Sprint Electric offers a wide range of DC motor control, with over 150 models covering both 1 phase and 3 phase, regenerative

and non-regenerative DC motor applications together with digital slip ring motor controllers. Sprint Electric’s full range of products include analogue and digital DC drives from 12 Amps up to 2250 Amps. Whether in retrofits or original equipment, DC drives from Sprint Electric are being used in many different applications around the world.

DC DRIVES AVAILABLE EX STOCKArundel, England, June 2011. DC drives

from Sprint Electric are available ex stock.

The drives manufacturer offers 1 phase

and 3 phase DC drives from stock up to

2250 Amps. Up to 87 percent of orders

get dispatched from the factory in Arundel

on the day of ordering.

Mr. Gary KeenRudford Industrial Estate, Ford, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 0BDTel: 0044 (0)1903 730000 Fax: 0044 (0)1903 730893E-mail: [email protected]: www.sprint-electric.com

18th WORLD CONFERENCE ON NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTINGNOW is the time to start planning your involvement in the 18th World Conference on NDT in Durban, South Africa 16 -20 April 2012.

For More event details And to register online please visit:

www.wcndt2012.org.za

The 18th WCNDT will be a “once in a working

lifetime opportunity” for many of us to take

part in a major NDT event in Africa. The World

Conference is organised every four years and

moves around the globe with ICNDT members

from Europe, Asia-Pacific, Pan America, and

Africa bidding for the privilege so arguably

Africa’s next turn will not come before 2028.


INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS

The acquisition was carried out by the ERIKS Core Competence Centre for fittings and actuators in Germany – AMG Pesch GmbH in Cologne – which itself was acquired by ERIKS at the beginning of 2011. AMG Pesch GmbH is expanding its German supply and delivery offerings with this acquisition of the business activities of Sodeco. As a result, AMG Pesch will become an authorised distribution partner of the JC (ball valves) and TTV (butterfly valves) brands in Germany. Existing employees of the former Sodeco Armaturen GmbH will be fully integrated into the organisation of AMG Pesch GmbH in Cologne. AMG Pesch GmbH will then be supported by a reliable team of around 90 employees, offering wide-ranging know-how, with many years of experience, a proven

and extensive product range and the latest in the field of valve technology. These factors, in combination with a well-stocked depot, make the company one of Germany’s leading providers in this industry. The activities of AMG Pesch comprise the construction, design, manufacture, marketing and sale of high-quality actuators, special fittings, standard fittings and assemblies in the fields of valve and flow technology. The company’s customers are original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and end users, particularly in the chemicals, energy, pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, food technology and pump and plant construction market segments. This acquisition represents a continuation of ERIKS Germany’s strategy of consistently strengthening and expanding its market position in the area of valve and flow technology.

ERIKS ACQUIRES BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OF SODECO ARMATUREN GMBH IN COLOGNE, GERMANY

Yesterday ERIKS concluded an agreement

with the owners of the Sodeco group in

Belgium regarding the acquisition of the

German business activities of the Sodeco

subsidiary Sodeco Armaturen GmbH in

Cologne.

For further information, please contact:

Robyn Bradley, Marketing Executive, ERIKS UK

T: +44 (0)121 508 6219

M: +44(0)7740 452743

[email protected]

Intellinova Compact is a high performance system, well suited for remote monitoring or industrial environments with measuring points in spread-out clusters. Wind turbines, pumping stations and auxiliary equipment in the pulp and paper industry are a few examples where Intellinova Compact is the ideal condition monitoring solution. Fans and gear boxes are other typical applications. Because it implements the new and sophisticated SPM® HD measuring technique, it is also the appropriate choice for any low speed application, such as agitators, crushers and conveyors.The system is available in three versions, each with a fixed channel configuration for shock pulse and vibration measurement. All versions come with multiple rpm and analog inputs as well as status outputs. The size of the industrial enclosures is merely 300*300*155 mm (11.8*11.8*6.1in) or 380*300*155 mm (15*11.8*6.1in), making the system easy to install. As an option, all units have wireless communication capability, enabling remote monitoring, service and support. Utilizing all the channels, Intellinova Compact is a very cost efficient solution. By installing multiple smaller units, connected through a standard Ethernet cable, the costs for transducer cabling can be significantly

reduced. When configured with application specific data, Intellinova Compact also works as a standalone unit, using the status outputs for alarm purposes.

SPM INSTRUMENT INTRODUCES INTELLINOVA® COMPACTSPM Instrument, leading worldwide provider of

condition monitoring technology and products,

now announces the arrival of Intellinova

Compact, the latest addition to the successful

Intellinova family of products for online condition

monitoring of rotating machinery.

SPM Instrument UK Ltd.

Tel +44 1706 835 331

http://www.spminstrument.co.uk

[email protected]



PAPER MILL BOOSTS RCM PROGRAM WITH COST SAVINGS GENERATED BY ITS IR WINDOW PROGRAM

Overview:

A paper mill in Georgia had run a very successful infrared

inspection program for a number of years using a local,

contract thermographer working with the mill’s in-house

electricians. Although the program had a good track

record, senior management was concerned about the

potential impact of NFPA 70E requirements, and how

best to comply with them. The plant commissioned IRISS

Inc. to conduct a cost-benefit analysis -- and present its

recommendations.

Analysis of Inspection Program:The annual infrared surveys focused on the power distribution equipment as detailed in Table 1.

Table 1:

Application Total Qty Qty Insp

13.8 kV Primary Switch 27 15

Secondary Switchgear 48 48

Transformers (13.8 kV) 22 14

MCC’s 50 50

Miscellaneous Switchgear 26 26

Generators 6 9

Total Assemblies 179 159

Table 2:

Man-Hours

Total Assemblies 159

Inspection Compartments 233

PPE Suit-up Time 0.5Hrs 88.0

Time Taken to Remove Covers 0.4Hrs 186.4

Time Taken for IR Inspection 0.2Hrs 46.6

Time Taken to Replace Covers 0.4Hrs 186.4

Electrician Waiting Time 93.2

Thermographer Waiting Time 186.4

Total Billable Man-Hours 787.0

Unproductive Man-Hours 367.6

Twelve of the 27 pieces of 13.8kV primary switchgear were not included in the inspection due to the presence of switched interlocks (which automatically de-energize the gear upon opening). In addition, the thermographer was unable to inspect eight HV (High-Voltage) transformer cable compartments under load due to the energized work restrictions implemented by the plant safety manager. The review showed that 11% of the plant’s critical assets were never inspected during the annual survey.

A time study was completed detailing the man-hours and the costs involved in completing the annual IR inspection based on NFPA and OSHA safety mandates.

Cost Analysis of Traditional Inspection:The client had been using a contract thermography company for more than seven years, and was very happy with the service. The IR survey crew consisted of two in-house electricians and one contact thermographer. The hourly wrench time (time spent on productive labor) rate for the electrician was calculated at $68, and the contract thermographer’s rate was $150 per hour ($1,200 a day). Traditionally, the whole inspection required 29 days to complete. This translated into 787 billable hours (as seen in Table 2).

The entire inspection team dressed in 40 Cal/cm2 PPE (personal protective equipment) in accordance with NFPA 70E and OSHA

mandates for energized work. They spent on average 30 minutes to suit-up and dress-down -- twice a day. This was a total of 88 hours related to PPE over a 29-day cycle. The thermographer spent 186.4 hours waiting for panel covers to be opened/closed to provide him with access. Similarly, the electricians spent 93.2 hours (46.6 hours x two men) waiting for the thermographer to complete his work once the panels were removed.

After analyzing the time studies, facility management was surprised to learn that a staggering 367.6 hours (46.7%) of the total project time for the traditional open-panel surveys was non-productive (PPE suit-up, thermographer wait-time, electrician wait-time, etc.). A task breakdown is shown in Table 2.

CASE STUDY : IRISS


Table 3 details the man-hour costs for the infrared survey using a contract thermographer without infrared windows or viewports. The following assumptions are made:• Total man-hours per inspection of “inspectable” equipment:

787 hours (29 days)• Staff electrician internal charge-out rate $68 per hour• Contract thermographer charge-out rate $150 per hour• PPE suit-up twice daily, per man (30 minutes per man, per

suit-up)• 48 minutes per compartment panel for safe removal,

refitting, (per man for a two-man team)• 12 minutes per panel for infrared scan.• 233 individual panels to inspect (Table 2)

Table 3:

Total Cost of Traditional Inspection

Removal and Replacement of Panels

373 $25,316

Infrared Inspection 47 $6,990

Electrician Wait-Time 93 $6,329

Contract Thermographer Wait-Time

186 $27,960

PPE Suit-up Time 88 $8,324

Total $74,919

Infrared Windows:In search for an alternative approach that was both safer and standards-compliant, the corporate reliability engineer investigated how infrared inspection windows (commonly referred to as IR windows, viewports or sight glasses) might be utilized. It was determined that:• Use of IR windows would provide non-intrusive access to

electrical applications. Surveys could be conducted during periods of peak-load without elevating risk to either plant assets or processes.

• Use of IR windows or “sightglasses” would eliminate the

Investment:The facility’s 179 applications with 263 inspection compartments required 312 infrared inspection windows (Table 4) in various sizes:

143 units, two-inch diameter (VPFR-50)107 units, three-inch diameter (VPFR-75)62 units, four-inch diameter (VPFR-100)

The 312 windows represented an investment of $51,405.00. IRISS, inc. also provided a cost-benefit analysis comparing in-house installation versus out-sourced.

need for a supporting cast of electricians to remove and reinstall panel covers. These critical personnel would then be available to perform other tasks which were often being outsourced.

• Use of IR windows and closed-panel inspection would eliminate high-risk tasks during inspections -- increasing safety for thermographers.

• Use of infrared windows for routine inspections of healthy equipment did not require the elevated levels of PPE required in 70E, since as stated in 70E 100: “Under normal operating conditions, enclosed energized equipment that has been properly installed and maintained is not likely to pose an arc flash hazard.”

• In NFPA terms, an IR window maintains electrical equipment in an “enclosed” state and it maintains energized components and circuit parts in a “guarded” condition. Therefore, the hazard/risk category would be equivalent to reading a panel meter, using a visual inspection pane for lockout/tag-out confirmation, or walking past enclosed, energized equipment.

• Use of infrared windows would improve inspection efficiency. It would allow increases in inspection frequency for those mission critical or suspect applications.

CASE STUDY : IRISS


Table 4:

Application Quantity

13.8 kV Primary Switch 27

Secondary Switchgear 48

Transformers (13.8 kV) 22

MCC’s 50

Miscellaneous Switchgear 26

Generators 6

Total Assemblies 179

Inspection Compartments 263

IR Windows 312

Table 5:

IR Window Supply & Contracted Installation Team

Infrared Windows $51,405

Install Costs for 312 IR Windows $19,760

Total $71,165

Table 6:

IR Window Supply & Internal Installation Team

Infrared Windows $51,405

Install Costs for 312 IR Windows $8,893

Installers Training Course $995

Total $61,293

Out-sourced installation (Table 5) was based on the following assumptions: • A two-man installation team can comfortably install 40

inspection windows in one shift• 312 infrared inspection windows would require eight shifts

to install completely (shutdowns permitting)• The cost of the contract installation team was calculated

as follows: eight days at $625 per man, per day (total cost $1,300 per day) for a total of $10,400

• Installer would charge a flat $30 fee per window -- in addition to the daily rate ( 312 windows x $30 = $9,360)

• Total installation charge: $19,760

In-house costs (Table 6) were calculated using the following assumptions: • A two-man team can comfortably install 40 inspection

windows per shift• 312 infrared windows would require eight shifts, or 128

man-hours, to install• The complete project could be managed around shutdowns• In-house team costs were calculated as follows: 128 man-

hours at $68 per man/per day for a total cost of $8,893• No additional charge incurred per windowClient would retain IRISS for a day of on-site installation training at $995The client decided to use in-house manpower for the installation due to the savings. The Jumpstart Installation training was scheduled for the first day of the shutdown so the in-house electrical staff could be properly trained.

Total savings to the customer by adopting an in-house install program were $9,872.00 -- almost a 14% savings over an out-sourced installation team.

CASE STUDY : IRISS


Table 7:

Total Cost of Inspection Using IR Windows

Inspection Time 53 $7,950

PPE Suit-up Time 0 $0.00

Total $7,950

The Installation:The installation of the inspection panes was conducted during a seven-day shutdown, using two install teams. The majority of the windows were installed while equipment was de-energized, in what NFPA terms an “electrically safe work condition”. However, some installations involved energized gear and needed to employ the traditional safety measures such as use of PPE, energized work permits, etc. The work occurred during normal business hours since this allowed more flexibility. The plan called for two teams working a twelve-hour shifts. Installers were quickly and safely working at a rate of approximately six windows per hour. As they progressed through the learning curve, the teams became more proficient, hitting an install rate of seven to eight windows per hour (versus the budgeted five per hour).

Cost Analysis with Windows:With the infrared windows installed, there was no requirement to remove panels or wear increased levels of PPE. In addition, inspections were now performed on the 11% their applications that had previously been considered “uninspectable”. Finally, the entire task became a one-man job.

The windows also increased efficiency and economy-of-motion. Total man-hours to complete an inspection dropped to just 53. As a result, the new survey dropped from almost $75,000 to just under $8,000 (as detailed in Table 7). Because of the efficiencies achieved, the mill saves $68,964 per inspection -- a 92% savings.

ROI:Table 8 combines the data from the previous tables to illustrate the ROI (return on investment) that the mill realized from its infrared window program. The table details the total investment using three scenarios: 1) traditional open-panel inspections with a contract thermographer and two staff electricians; 2) the same contractor using infrared windows; and 3) an in-house thermographer using infrared inspection windows. It then compares the ROI that the mill was able to achieve using windows and either a contract or in-house thermographer.

Switching to infrared windows is shown to pay dividends in just one inspection cycle. Over $5,600 in savings can be put back into the budget by the end of the first cycle. After just five inspection cycles, the mill shows a savings of over $273,542.

Plant management was encouraged by these projections, so they decided to invest in an infrared camera and training for two of its engineers (one electrical and one mechanical). Two engineers were enrolled in a Level I thermography course at $1,250 per man. An additional $1,500 per man was budgeted for travel and expenses. The new camera totaled $8,000. The total investment to start up the new internal inspection team was $13,500.The cost of in-house inspection (47 hours x $68.00) amounted to $3,196 per inspection, yielding a savings of $3,794 per inspection (or 54%) compared to a contractor.

ROI of the new program using internal resources was achieved within the second inspection cycle; by the fifth cycle, the ROI was over $280,000.

Because inspections can now be completed with greater ease and without increased risk to plant, personnel and processes, the mill increased the frequency to quarterly, reflecting best-practice recommendations that originally were not considered feasible.

CASE STUDY : IRISS


Table 8:

ContractorTraditional

Contractor Windows

ROI Contractor Windows

vs/Contractor Traditional

In-House Windows

ROI In-House Windows

vs/Contractor Traditional

ROIIn-House Windows

vs/Contractor Windows

312 Windows:One-Time Investment

None $51,405 $51,405

Window Installation: One-Time Investment

None $9,898 $9,898

IR Training & Camera: One-Time Investment

None None $13,500

Labor Costs: Per Inspection Cycle

$74,919 $7,950 $66,969 $3,196 $71,723 $4,754

Investment: Inspection Cycle 1

$74,919 $69,253 $5,666 $77,999 $(3,080) $(8,746)


$149,838 $77,203 $72,653 $81,195 $68,643 $(3,992)


$224,757 $85,153 $139,604 $84,391 $140,366 $762


$299,676 £93,103 $206,573 $87,587 $212,089 $5,516


$374,595 $101,053 $273,542 $90,783 $283,812 $10,270

5 yr. Investment:QUARTERLY Inspection Cycle

$1,498,380 $220,303 $1,278,077 $138,723 $1,359,657 $81,580

Conclusion: The new inspection process using infrared windows brought

significant ROI to the plant in just one quarter, while reducing

the risk of catastrophic failure among the plant’s critical power

distribution systems.

Management succeeded in:

• Increasing safety

• Facilitating inspections of previously “uninspectable”

equipment (11% of critical assets were not inspected in the

old program)

• Increasing the frequency of inspection -- while saving

money

• Safeguarding profitability by eliminating high-risk behavior

that posed a risk to plant assets and production

The purchase of the IR camera and training for the maintenance

engineers quickly paid dividends. It allowed the plant to improve

the maintenance program while operating in full compliance with

the requirements of NFPA and OSHA.

An infrared window program provides a cost-effective and safer

alternative to traditional open-panel inspections. To learn more,

visit www.iriss.com where you will find more case studies and

white papers.

Martin RobinsonLevel 3 Thermographer, President & Chief Engineer,IRISS, inc.

CASE STUDY : IRISS


INDUSTRY NEWS

Chemical solutions that have been introduced over the past few years incorporate bases which inhibit metal corrosion caused by the long term effects of acid build up. Chemicals used to clean or purge industrial and food processing equipment can also have strong bases which are similarly detrimental to the performance and life expectancy of fluoroelastomer sealing products. However, the DuPont™ high performance elastomers utilised for Viton® Extreme™ production are capable of meeting the highest challenges by providing:• Overall fluids resistance• Exceptional base resistance• Significant processing advantages compared to existing

TFE/Propylene polymers

Dichtomatik is an authorised DuPont™ licensee and approved UK source for all Viton®, Vamac®, Kalrez® and Zalak® O-rings, seals and finished products. As a customer focused supplier, they are able to offer full technical support, service and supply for specific applications in the aerospace, chemical processing, oil & gas, energy, utilities, automotive and heavy duty/offroad markets, together with the food and pharmaceutical Industries. Performance enhanced variations of Viton® Extreme™ products are also available to cover specific applications, while maintaining the superior processing attributes of the Viton® Extreme™ range.

Viton® Extreme™ TBR-SA totally base-resistant Viton® polymer that utilises APA technology and a revolutionary bisphenol cure site for an improved TFE/Propylene copolymer.This provides:• Inherent resistance to caustics/amines• Good resistance to hydrocarbon oils, acids and steam• Superior compression set resistance and lower volume

swell for longer seal life and wear resistance• Superior processing versus other TFE/Propylene polymers

Viton® Extreme™ TBR-605CSThis elastomer can be used in oil and gas, chemical processing, utilities, automotive and heavy duty/off highway applications. Due to its chemical structure, like all other TFT/Propylene products, it is not recommended for automotive or aircraft fuel sealing.

Viton® Extreme™ ETP-SThis is an upgrade to ETP-900 that significantly improves processing and end-use performance, while retaining the excellent fluid resistance of its predecessor. It provides:

• Excellent resistance to acid, hydrocarbon and low molecular weight esters, ketones and aldehydes

• Inherent resistance to base attack and volume changes in highly caustic solutions, amines and hot water

• Low-temperature flexibility (Tg –10°C)• Improved compression set and physical properties for

superior seal performance• Better mould flow, faster cure rates, and improved mould

release and fouling for efficient manufacturing

Viton® Extreme™ ETP-600SWhile officially classified as an FEPM by ASTM D1418, the performance characteristics of Viton® Extreme™ ETP-600S combine the best characteristics of an FEPM and a specialty type Viton®. In complicated environments and chemically aggressive applications where standard FKMs or FEPMs are not an option, ETP-600S is the fluoroelastomer of choice. ETP-600S truly is the best of both worlds, with very low swell in hydrocarbons, it provides exceptional service for automotive oil seals and oil field applications, as well as automotive and aircraft fuels.

Dichtomatik is a leading worldwide supplier of sealing solutions to many diverse industries and is able to offer outstanding customer service and support. Working closely with DuPont™ Performance Polymers European technical centre in Geneva, the leading global supplier of speciality elastomers and supporting technologies, they are able to provide innovative solutions to help customers stay ahead of the competition.

For fast and friendly technical information and service, please call 0845 463 1039, with full technical information on the Viton® Extreme™ range available on www.viton-extreme.co.uk.

The brand names Kalrez®, Viton®, Zalak® and Vamac® are all registered trademarks of DuPont™ Performance Polymers.

VITON® EXTREME™ SEALS OFFER HIGH pH RESISTANCEDichtomatik Ltd, the sealing specialists, can

now offer Viton® fluoroelastomer sealing

products that have been subject to DuPont™

proprietary Advanced Polymer Architecture

(APA) technology. These products, called Viton®

Extreme™, feature base-resistant polymers to

ensure improved long term performance in the

presence of high pH chemicals.

Further information is available from:Dichtomatik Ltd, Donington House, Riverside Road, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8HXTelephone: 01332 524401 Fax: 01332 524425e-mail: [email protected]


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - DRY LUBRICATION

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - VIBRATION MONITORING

At MillerCoors, water is everything. From brewing to pasteurizing to shipping, water is essential to run the factories. “It’s the main ingredient in our beer. It helps clean our brew kettles. It helps water our crops,” states Kim Marotta, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for the company. As part of its environmental commitment the company is determined to reduce its water usage without impacting on its products. In order to create “America’s Best Beer Company” MillerCoors wants to “grow its business the right way”. One initiative is to move away from wet lube!Converting many of its lines to dry lubrication is to be a significant contributor in the company’s 2015 water goal of reducing its water usage by 15%.

For example, in the Fort Worth brewery 9 out of 10 lines are converted to Dry Lube. The brewery is now on target to save 9 Million gallons of water a year. By using 3.40 barrels per barrel of beer produced, Fort Worth uses the least water across the eight Miller Coors breweries. It is also the third-lowest water consumers within its parent company, SAB Miller, with 77 large breweries worldwide. Dry Lube Ltd is proud to have helped MillerCoors reach this standard and is positive it can continue this excellent relationship; to save more by using less.

SAVING MORE BY USING LESS MILLERCOORS TO MOVE AWAY FROM WET LUBE.

It can take as much as eight pints of water to produce one pint of beer. High water and sewerage prices as well as greater environmental awareness have increasingly put brewing under pressure to improve its sustainable performance and in particular its use of water, energy and transportation.

Dry Lube Ltd, 93 George StreetEdinburgh, EH2 3EST: 0131 240 1292W: drylube.co.ukE: [email protected]

Vibration modules are a cost effective solution for monitoring the condition of industrial machinery giving the facility to provide multiple outputs, for example, RMS velocity, enveloped or peak ‘g’, 0-10V, 4-20mA and buffered acceleration. They introduce additional signals which can be scaled to suit the specific application in order to achieve the best results.

Popular models in the range include the HS-530 and HS-535 which are DIN rail mounted, offer a choice of triple or quad output and require a 24 V DC supply.

The range of vibration modules provide flexibility with input - 100mV/g from a constant current accelerometer operating over a typical frequency range from 2Hz up to 10kHz. Filters are also included for gE, g pk-pk and velocity, depending on the required model. Select modules are available with a BNC so any

commercially available data collector can be inserted to retrieve signals for data analysis.

With a compact design, the modules can be easily built and configured into a multi-channel system that can also act as a protection monitor for critical machinery.

In addition to the above, the vibration modules can be interfaced using wireless technology which reduces the cost of installation and overall maintenance.

HANSFORD SENSORS LTD SEE INCREASE IN THE POPULARITY OF VIBRATION MODULES FOR MONITORING INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK (7th June

2011) - Hansford Sensors Ltd announced today

that it has seen an increase in the popularity and

usage of their broad range of vibration modules.

The modules act as an interface between an

accelerometer and a control system and are used

as part of the predictive maintenance process

in industries such as, but not limited to, steel,

quarrying, food and pharmaceuticals.

For more information on the extensive range of Hansford Sensors products, please visit:www.hansfordsensors.com.


VIBRATION MONITORING

The VIBXPERT II Basic platform is a 1-channel vibration

data collector which can be upgraded at any time to 2

individually configured channels via a special pass code

it’s user upgradable and does not require hardware

changes.

All forms of machine vibrations, bearing conditions,

process data and visual inspection information can be

collected and stored on the expandable Compact Flash

Card (up to 8 gigabyte) for report generation or for later

transfer to the OMNITREND software for further analysis,

reporting and archiving.

The VIBXPERT II vibration analyzer provides an easy-to-

use icon driven platform that offers comprehensive analysis

functionality for the diagnosis of simple or very complex

vibration problems. Capabilities include order spectrum,

phase, cepstrum, cross-channel phase, orbits, run-up

and coast-down measurements, bump test, negative

averaging and more. Analysis tools, including various

cursor types, machine-specific frequency markers, signal

post processing, and extensive bearing databases are

included for evaluating each spectrum. Alarm notifications

based on ISO standards or user-defined standards are

visually identified with the aid of coloured LEDs.

VIBXPERT II is lightweight vibration meter —only 1.2Kg!

Its robust housing is dustproof and water resistant (IP65).

VIBXPERT II is delivered with a carrying pouch with

includes a breakaway shoulder strap for safety during

data collection.

The VIBXPERT II vibration analyzer features modular

functionality including dynamic balancing, extended time

waveform recording, transient data capture, UFF file

export, Modal/ODS support and more.

As with all Pruftechnik vibration data collectors with

the new VIBXPERT II you will enjoy the benefits of free

updates, low ownership cost and unlimited tech support

from the proven leaders of maintenance technology.

A NEW PORTABLE VIBRATION ANALYZER — WITH FULL COLOUR DISPLAY, FAST DATA ACQUISITION AND POWERFUL DIAGNOSTICS TOOLS.

The VIBXPERT II handheld vibration

analyzer combines the advantages of a

rapid processor with a brilliant energy-

efficient colour VGA display. Enhanced with

an Fmax of 51KHz and up to 102,400 Lines

of Resolution, all machinery problems can

be captured and easily analyzed on the

VIBXPERT II large colour screen.

For details and our free 180 page guide to

Condition Monitoring, Laser Shaft Alignment

and Dynamic Balancing contact

Pruftechnik Ltd, Plant Lane Business Park,

Burntwood WS7 3GN

or phone 01543 448350, Fax 01543 275472,

email [email protected]

Optionally available:

Modules for Dynamic Balancing, Recording, Modal

Analysis and Operation Deflection Shape (ODS)

and VIBCODE automatic measurement location

identification.





PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - LEVEL SENSORS

Select from various series of sensor products, including

both non-contact and contact type solutions. Cosense

sensors have no moving parts, therefore no wear and

no chance of mechanical failure. Cosense offers a wide

range of sensors for OEM applications, both standard and

custom, to meet fluid detection requirements in tubing as

small as 1.6” ( 1.6 mm) in diameter to tanks 25 feet (7.6

meters) in depth and all configurations in between. In

addition, Cosense ML series transmitters can be utilized

for non-contact fill verification in bottles, test tubes,

microplates, etc. with accuracies of +/-0.007” (0.18 mm).

FLUID MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS USING COSENSE ULTRASONIC TECHNOLOGY

Cosense Inc.

155 Ricefield Lane

Hauppauge, New York 11788

631-231-0735

[email protected]

www.cosense.com

Gain a higher sense of reliability and a lower cost of ownership with Cosense Ultrasonic Liquid Level, Air-in-Line and Precision Measurement sensors.

Scientech uses Stress Wave Analysis which provides

the earliest available indication of failure-causing

conditions while also providing a continuous picture

of the stresses being applied to the overall system

and their impact. Unaffected by rotational speeds

and providing lubricant status, StressWave provides

information unavailable from traditional vibration

system. Acting as a stand-alone system, integrated

with advanced pattern recognition software like the

Scientech PdP product or your own existing process

control system, you can accurately determine asset

SCIENTECH STRESSWAVE SYSTEMSScientech ushers in the next

generation of Condition Based

Management with the Scientech

StressWave System. conditions that allow you the user to determine

optimum operating conditions of the asset while

maximizing availability and minimizing fatigue on

critical components.

For More Information Please Contact:

200 South Woodruff Ave.Idaho Falls,ID 83401

Phone: 208.529.1000 Fax: 208.524.9282 http://scientech.cwfc.com/


MACHINE SAFETY

Designers of plant and machinery are normally responsible for implementing the safety-related requirements and for selecting the components used for safe monitoring. However, designers are spoilt for choice, which makes choosing the most appropriate safe sensor or actuator/sensor combination a difficult task.

Sensor systems operate using different principles and so it is important that designers fully understand the implications of using each type. The challenge is to try to harmonise productivity with machine safety and user-friendliness. If a safeguard is not user-friendly, there may be a temptation to manipulate a safety guard, putting the machine operator at risk. Designers need to identify potential cases in which safety devices might be manipulated and then to eliminate these at the machine development stage.

Certain considerations will help the designer to decide which components should be used for the safe monitoring of movable guards in accordance with EN 60947-5-3. Typical questions that should be asked include: is the cover frequently opened and closed? Does the process need protecting as well as the operator? Are components exposed to high vibration or extreme temperatures, or are they used in potentially explosive areas?

Mechanical safety switchesFor simple safety gate applications where there is no increased risk of manipulation, mechanical

HARMONISING PRODUCTIVITY WITH MACHINE SAFETYSafety gates, protective covers and

machine guards prevent hazards

associated with moving parts.

However, the correct functioning of

a safeguard can only be guaranteed

by using the appropriate sensor

technology. Alex Bryce, Sales

Manager at Pilz Automation

Technology, considers the sensor

systems currently available and

the selection criteria that designers

should consider.

safety gate switches are widely used. These are used for simple safety gate monitoring or with a mechanical guard locking device, which uses increased extraction force on the actuator to prevent the gate or cover from being opened unintentionally. Many applications require two mechanical switches to guarantee the required level of safety, which increases engineering costs significantly.

Another consideration here is that swarf can quickly be deposited on the sensor, restricting its function. Also, if safety gates drop over the course of time, the lifetime of a mechanical switch is reduced considerably.

Mechanical safety bolts are complete solutions comprising a safety switch, handle and bolt. These provide protection where safety gates are difficult to adjust, as well as on safety gates that are frequently opened and closed. A mechanical guide on the actuator ensures that the actuator engages with the safety switch correctly when the safeguard is closed.

Mechanical hinge switches provide an elegant solution for rotating or hinged gates and flaps. These provide better protection against manipulation compared to other mechanical solutions because they are concealed within the hinge, which also saves on installation space.

Non-contact safety switchesGates, covers and flaps often need to be opened repeatedly for operational or assembly purposes, to enable operators to access or reach into the protected area.


MACHINE SAFETY

Here, the risk of a gate being mechanically misaligned is high.

The disadvantage of mechanical guard locking devices is that they only have limited tolerance for misaligned gates. For this reason, non-contact safety switches provide an attractive alternative, particularly if there are high vibrations. These switches have a higher response tolerance, allowing greater flexibility in the way they are attached to the machine.

Rugged non-contact switches are also suitable for applications that require protection types higher than IP67. These switches are able to meet safety requirements up to PLe of EN ISO 13849-1, and SIL 3 of EN/IEC 62061, or Category 4 of EN 954-1.

When it comes to deciding on the acting principle of the sensor, important distinctions need to be made. Whilst magnetic safety switches provide only limited protection against manipulation due to the technology used, coded safety switches achieve up to 100% protection against manipulation. As a result, magnetic safety switches should be concealed or installed in such a way that they are invisible to operators.

If a safety switch cannot be concealed or if 100% protection is required, RFID coded safety switches are ideal. RFID technology enables a clear assignment between sensor and actuator. RFID coded safety switches operate in accordance with the ‘key lock principle’ whereby only one key – a unique version – fits a lock. Given that the actuator is installed using one-way screws – which can only be loosened via a special tool – a very high level of protection against manipulation is achieved.

It is also important to understand that magnetic safety switches have limited suitability if metal swarf is present, which can be attracted to the magnet and deposited on the switch, leading to operational problems or even failures. Although a safety-critical situation cannot arise as a result, plant availability and productivity will suffer. Here, coded switches are ideal, as RFID is unaffected by metal swarf.

Various coding types mean that different levels can be achieved in terms of security against manipulation. The greatest protection is provided by systems in which an actuator is uniquely assigned to a switch. Sensors with ‘normal’ coding are also available if the demands on manipulation protection are less stringent (one lock, many keys).

Gate closed in case of dangerRisks can remain even after a machine has been shut down, due to moving parts. In ‘hazardous overrun’ cases such as these, the use of a safe guard locking device is mandatory. This means that the gate cannot be re-opened until standstill has been safely detected or a time delay has elapsed. Here, mechanical guard locking devices with spring interlocks are typically used. The spring interlock guarantees that the gate can only be opened when it is safe to do so.

Integrated systems More can be achieved by using integrated safety gate systems that combine safe monitoring, safe guard locking and control elements, including additional functions such as E-STOP and escape release. All components – whether mechanical or electronic – are integrated.

Complete systems such as these help to reduce the time and costs associated with project configuration, design, documentation, purchasing and installation. Furthermore, if sensors and evaluation devices are sourced from a single supplier, this means that the interfaces between the various components are already compatible.

For More Information Please Contact Pilz:

Pilz Automation Technology

Telephone: 01536 460766

Fax: 01536 460866

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.pilz.co.uk


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - PORTABLE CALIBRATORS


The 35mm removable calibration volume has room for

several probes with both standard and custom drilled

inserts available to suit all probe sizes.

One model is ideal for the validation of Washer Disinfectors,

Steam Sterilisers and Autoclaves and uses a fixed block

with pockets for a reference probe and the type of test

sensor commonly used in validation applications.

The Fast-Cal includes a PC interface with cable and

software, padded carrying case and traceable calibration

certificate.

THE ISOTECH FAST-CAL RANGE OF TEMPERATURE CALIBRATORS

Rugged on site calibrators to provide

a solution for the fast calibration

and checking of thermocouples,

platinum resistance thermometers

and other temperature sensors over

the range -35°C to 650°C.

For more information visit:

http://www.isotech.co.uk/fast-cal

Or contact Isothermal Technology Limited directly on

Tel: +44 (0)1704 543830, E-mail: [email protected]

For compressed air applications, the perfect choice is the lightweight 750g dew point hand-held DM70. It has the fastest wet-to-dry response time on the market - just minutes - it’s immune to compressor oil and recovers quickly from saturated conditions. The probe can be directly inserted into pressurized pipelines. For lubrication and hydraulics oil filled systems, the ideal preventive maintenance tool is the hand-held meter MM70. MM70 measures moisture in oil, indicating the margin to free water formation and thus enabling corrective actions before water causes problems. To control environmental conditions quickly, but reliably in life science industries like pharmaceutical and biotechnological research, manufacturing and storage, a hand-held humidity and temperature meter HM70 is ideal choice. It is handy also for

calibrating Vaisala’s fixed transmitters.The Vaisala CARBOCAP® Hand-Held Carbon Dioxide Meter GM70 is perfect for demandingspot-measurements in laboratories, greenhouses and mushroom farms. The meter can also be used in HVAC and industrial applications, and as a tool for checking fixed CO2 instruments. All of these hand-helds have multilingual user interfaces and graphical displays with data logging capability. Long operation in the field is guaranteed via low power consumption.

RELIABLE HAND-HELD METERS FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS

Regardless of industry, make maintenance and

spot-checking easy, fast and reliable with Vaisala’s

portable measurement instruments for dew point,

relative humidity, temperature, moisture in oil and

carbon dioxide. Two parameters, e.g. humidity and

carbon dioxide can be measured concurrently. All

hand-helds are compatible with Vaisala’s fixed

units for easy in-situ checking.

www.vaisala.com

tel. +44 1638 576200

[email protected]



PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT

The heart of the Beamex® ICS is a powerful combination of

calibration hardware; pressure, temperature and multifunction

calibrators, automatic temperature baths, automatic pressure

regulators and standard off-the-shelf calibration management

software configured by Beamex to your exact requirement,

facilitating seamless lines of process and data flow from your

business and maintenance management systems to your

calibration technicians and back.

Beamex calibrators, workstations, calibration software and

professional services form the most integrated, automated

calibration system available on the market.

GET A SMARTER, MORE EFFICIENT AND ACCURATE SOLUTION FOR CALIBRATING!

The Beamex® Integrated Calibration

Solution (ICS) improves the quality

and efficiency of the entire calibration

process through faster, smarter and

more accurate management of all

calibration assets and procedures!

Address:Beamex LimitedNewtown Grange Farm Business ParkDesford Road, NEWTOWN UNTHANKLeicestershire, LE9 9FL, United KingdomPhone: 01455 821 920Fax: 01455 821 923E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.beamex.com

MKT 50 in combination with platinum resistance

thermometers (Pt 100 and Pt 25.5) is designed for

temperature measurements of the highest accuracy

and calibrations (comparison or fixed point) for industry,

laboratories and research. It has a measuring range of

-260 °C to +960 °C and is traceable to national standards.

Using calibrated thermometers you can achieve a

measurement uncertainty (instrument and sensor) in

the range 1-10 mK. Fully compliant to ITS-90 and IEC

751. The MKT 50 measures the temperature, resistance,

resistance ratios, standard deviation and mean values. Up

to 30 sets of calibration constants for individual PRTs can

be stored, allowing plug & play operation.

MKT 50 is a robust, mains or battery operated with

Ethernet and RS-232 interfaces for remote operation and

data collection.

MKT 50 MILLIKELVIN 2 CHANNEL THERMOMETERHigh-precision temperature measurement

with measuring accuracy up to 0.001 °C (1

mK) at an attractive price.

Anton Paar Ltd13, Harforde Court, John Tate RoadHertfordSG13 7NW - UK

Tel: +44(0) 1992 514730 Email: [email protected] Web: www.anton-paar.com


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – INDUSTRIAL GEARBOXES

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – INDUSTRIAL DOORS

Nord Drivesystems has extended its family of high-integrity industrial gearbox units, adding a family of high-power models with maximum torque ratings up to 200000 Nm.

The Industrial gearboxes employ Nord’s proven Unicase concept. The gearbox case is a single piece casting, with all bearing seats integrated and machined in a single process. This optimises strength and eliminates sealing surfaces that could deflect under the effect of torque or radial forces — minimising the possibility of oil leakage and ensuring precise bearing alignments. The resulting high-integrity gearboxes deliver smooth, low noise operation with an extended long product life.

HIGH-TORQUE INDUSTRIAL GEARBOXES COME IN HIGH-INTEGRITY SINGLE-PIECE HOUSINGS

Single casting with integrated

bearing seats, allowing higher

shaft loadings, longer lifetimes,

delivers superb efficiencies of up

to 96% and minimises oil leakage

possibilities, available with helical

or bevel gear combinations.

For More information Go To:

http://nord.com/

There are four choices in the High Power Unicase family, offering maximum torques of 60000, 90000, 135000 or 200000 Nm. Available in helical-parallel shaft or helical/bevel right-angled drive configurations, a very wide range of gear ratios can be specified using two-, three-, or multi-stage reductions. The gearboxes are ideal power transmission solutions for material handling and processing equipment in applications such as steel manufacture, aggregates, mining and grain handling. The low losses of the helical gearing technology means that Unicase gearboxes can deliver excellent energy efficiencies of up to 96%-plus.

IAC offer a wide range of door models - including several available from stock, or can design and manufacture to suit specific applications. All IAC doors are fabricated from steel and come complete with high quality acoustic seals, hinges and furniture options. IAC have recently developed a new acoustic sliding door, excellent for maximising usable space while still protecting areas from noise disturbance. Over 1,000,000 IAC acoustic doorsets have been installed in industrial buildings throughout the world for some of the

world’s leading industrial brands including Rolls-Royce, Air Products, FG Wilson, Cummins, Volvo, Yara, Bajaj, Suzuki, MoD, BMW, Ford, Westland Helicopters and many more.

INDUSTRIAL ACOUSTIC DOORS FROM A WORLDWIDE MANUFACTURER

IAC is the world’s largest manufacturer of noise control products and the UK’s leading supplier of industrial acoustic doors. With over fifty years experience in design and manufacture, architects and specifiers prefer IAC acoustic doors. IAC doors are precision engineered and can be opened and closed by one person, regardless of size.

IAC House,Moorside Road, Winchester,SO23 7US, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1962 873000Fax: +44 (0) 1962 873111Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – INDUSTRIAL DOORS

Industrial Door Repair – 24 hour Call out.Let our experience save you time and money. We offer a fast professional service to keep your loading areas working and your products moving. Our technical surveyors offer free advice and, when necessary we can despatch a rapid response repair team to deal with emergencies.We carry large stocks of spare parts for all types and makes of doors. Our experienced engineers are fully trained and based locally in your area.Our low cost, no strings service agreements can reduce down time and help you budget.Our Professional maintenance and repair service is available 24 hours a day.

In the unlikely event that a door or shutter is beyond ecomonical repair, our factories can quickly manufacture a replacement for installation with minimum inconvenience to your operations.

Manual doors can be converted to electric operation by our factory trained personnel. Choose from a wide range of control options - from simple push buttons to sophisticated remote controls and induction loops.

• Reliable 24 hour Emergency call out and same day repair service

• Fully trained maintenance teams carry up to date safety passports

Call us to discuss your needs on: +44800 581890

INDUSTRIAL DOORS SUPPLIED, INSTALLED AND REPAIREDLocal Engineers working throughout the Northwest, Carrington Doors is a well established firm with a wealth of knowledge in the INDUSTRIAL Door business. Over the years we have successfully installed and repaired thousands of industrial doors. We offer a comprehensive service with prices that cannot be beaten.

The detection area covers a depth of 3900mm by a

width of 5700mm at an installation height of 4500mm.

The presence and activation area are independently

adjustable to fit the needs of every installation. Standard

the OA-4500 comes with 2 relays, one for activation and

one for safety.

OPTEX INDUSTRIAL DOOR SENSORThe Optex OA-4500 is the new active

infrared door sensor standard for

industrial doors up to a mounting height

of 4,5 meter. The sensor is developed

as a combination sensor for safety and

activation, the active infrared presence

detection protects against early closing

of the door, while the activation area

activates the door when entering the

detection area. Optex Technologies BV

Tiber 2

2491 DH The Hague

The Netherlands

Tel. +31 70-4194100

Fax +31 70-3177321

email: [email protected]

website: www.optex.nl

The OA-4500 increases the safety around the door by

preventing it from closing when someone or something

is nearby. The flexible setting of the detection area offers

a large variety to comply with the needs of the industrial

door market.


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – ENERGY MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – FLOW METERS

Belle Greve Pumping Station is undergoing an upgrade to

prolong its lifespan, work started in 2008 and it is crucial to the

island’s future sewage management programme. Aquaflow

a division of T-T Pumps were approached by the principal

contractor working on behalf of Guernsey Water because three

DN600 wedge gate valves that had been supplied a few years

ago by a framework manufacturer, had heavily corroded due to

being in a saltwater environment.

These valves play a crucial role in controlling the flow and

therefore it was very important they were put right as soon as

possible. Following extensive discussions between Aquaflow

and themselves, to ascertain hydraulic parameters and

installation characteristics we proposed a solution endorsed

with technical argument. T-T Pumps Aquaflow secured an order

to supply three replacement DN600 gate valves that would with

stand these arduous conditions. Aquaflow upgraded the seat

and spindle nut material to aluminium bronze and spindle in

super-duplex stainless steel. The ductile iron bodied valves were

tripled coated in a marine grade two-pack resin to greater than

800 microns.

BELLE GREVE PUMPING STATIONT-T TO THE RESCUE!

Cheshire based Aquaflow a division

of T-T Pumps are always prepared to

leave their comfort-zone to deliver

solutions that exceed expectations!

E-mail: [email protected]: 01630 647200

LED can replace sodium, HID & fluorescent bulbs to reduce energy consumption 50-80% and last many times longer. Money is saved by reduced electricity, reduced maintenance and reduced heat gain, without containing any toxic mercury. Silvermere International offers the highest performance commercial LED systems available with up to 150,000 hour lifespan, and represents several product lines to source the right product for each application. Our LED retrofits can be installed into almost any existing fixture, making it easy to transition to LED and save energy. Wherever you are located, Silvermere can help you improve lighting efficiency for commercial/municipal applications. Please contact us today to request more info or discuss your lighting needs.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT COMMERCIAL LIGHTING SYSTEMSSome facilities use up to 50% of their electricity load for lighting. This can be significantly reduced by using high-performance skylights for natural lighting and energy-efficient solid-state LED for electrical lighting in place of traditional gas discharge bulbs.

SILVERMERE INTERNATIONAL GROUP – LIGHTING DIVISIONSt. Paul, MN USAEmail: [email protected] web: www.silvermereinternational.com

Raise Your Standard of Lighting!


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - GAS TURBINES

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - COUPLINGS

Improving Efficiency, Productivity and Reliability of Centrifugal Compressors and Gas TurbinesJuly11-13, 2011

Advanced Technology Gas Turbines & Planned Optimization of Combined Cycle Power PlantsNovember 22-24, 2011

LEARN FROM THE GAS TURBINE EXPERT DR. MEHERWAN P. BOYCE, PHD, P.E., C.ENG (UK)

DR. BOYCE, BEST-SELLING

AUTHOR, CONSULTANT, AND

DEVELOPER OF THE FIRST

TOTAL CONDITION MONITORING

SYSTEM (MECHANICAL & AERO-

THERMAL), WILL PRESENT TWO

LIMITED ENGAGEMENTS IN

LONDON IN 2011.

A world recognized expert in gas turbines, centrifugal

compressors, and combined cycle power plant systems,

Dr. Boyce has designed systems for offshore platforms,

refineries, natural gas facilities, pipelines, and power

plants. Major corporations, the EPRI, and the U.S.

Department of Energy consult with Dr. Boyce on designing

and recommending systems.

Dr. Boyce’s short courses are interactive and provide

practical information with minimal theory. Participants

are encouraged to bring challenges specific to their

environment for Dr. Boyce to solve. Total Condition

Monitoring and turbine and compressor characteristics

are discussed in-depth.

Secure your spot today!

www.boyceconsultancy.com

2121 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX, 77019, USA

1-713-807-0888

[email protected]


ULTRASONIC WALL THICKNESS MEASUREMENTEVEN FOR COATED MATERIAL

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - NON DESTRUCTIVE TEST EQUIPMENT

The disturbing influence of paint and varnish is compensated by assessing consecutive back wall echoes (“BE-BE”-mode). With this feature steel constructions can be inspected without surface treatment such as bridges, cranes and masts, ship hulls and conveyor installations or other safety components like gas cylinders, compressed air reservoirs and manufacturing-plants (chemistry, pharmaceutics, oil, gas, energy).

The easy and comfortable menu navigation keys are very user-friendly and in a comprehensible plain language. The readings are displayed in large and clear digits and a backlight illumination of the display ensures a convenient operation also for poor light conditions.

KARL DEUTSCH introduces the new

ECHOMETER 1076 TC (TC = Through Coat)

thickness gauge for exact wall thickness

measurement.

KARL DEUTSCH Prüf- und Messgerätebau GmbH + Co KG

Otto-Hausmann-Ring 101

42115 Wuppertal, Germany

www.karldeutsch.de

[email protected]

Phone (+49-202) 7192 - 0

Fax (+49-202) 71 49 32


OEE

Historically, many manufacturing processes have tended to overlook ‘Quality’ as a ‘constant’, or simply a KPI for the QC department, rather than an opportunity for manufacturing process improvement. This mind-set has changed significantly in the past few years with the price of raw materials reaching an all-time high, a real drive towards RFT manufacturing, and increasingly demanding customer-driven audits.

Today, quality inspections range from automatic inspection on CNC machines through final inspection of every product, to checks on an agreed number of examples. (Some operations even rely on the customer making the quality checks but this is a risky and often expensive strategy!)

With so many shop-floor systems available, the question is whether quality checks and record keeping should be paper based, part of a large ERP system, or a stand-alone application? There are business cases for all of these options, but logically, building quality checks into OEE measurement makes perfect sense, as ‘Quality’ is a vital part of the calculation.

Quality is directly linked to the assets that make the product, and the number of products made, which are both essential elements in OEE. Moreover, the following information is already available in any comprehensive OEE System:

• Asset structure• Product definitions • Number of rejects• Reject reasons and locations.

We are also likely to have employee definitions of ‘rejects’, a touch screen interface, and two-way communications already in

place, so to measure and check quality using another system is simply duplication of effort.Some companies still use paper based inspection methods; perhaps an A3 sheet with the checks to perform down the left hand side with the rest of the page split into 15 segments. Quality Operators then perform the inspection tasks at 15-minute intervals, and enter a pass or fail value in each of the segments. Completed sheets are then filed, usually with some data entered into a spreadsheet for analysis, and only ever looked at again during a crisis related to batch traceability.

OEE – THE QUALITY MEASURE.My previous articles have focussed

primarily on how to improve the

‘Availability’ and ‘Performance’

elements that form part of the OEE

calculation (A x P x Q = OEE); today, we

examine ‘Quality’. It may be an urban

myth, but Henry Ford is supposed to

have said “Quality means doing it right

when no one is looking.” An interesting

thought, but can we really expect to

achieve perfect quality in a modern

operation without regular sample

checking? Probably not.

Automate this process, and not only does it take the pain (and

margin for error) out of data entry, but it also means that the data

collected can be used to inform the manufacturing Improvement

Agenda.

There are two basic requirements to automate the process: an

administrator to manage the check creation and an operator

console to capture the results.

Lets start with what we want to inspect. For a specific asset and

product combination, five elements need to be defined.

1: What is the measure?

It could be moisture content, weight, length, colour, temperature,

visual comparison, or calibration test.

2: What is the range for pass or fail?

If legislation dictates the weight must be 100 grams, the pass

options could be 100, 101, 102, 103, whilst 99 and 104 grams

are both fails.

3: What response do we expect?

It may be a value, text, yes or no, signature or pin number sign

off

4: What do we do when a fail is registered?

Send an automated alert, send an advisory message, or stop

the plant?

5: What is the frequency?

It could be by time, shift, product or ad hoc.

Of course, the ‘quality’ check does not have to be directly

related to assessing the quality of the product; it could, for

instance, require the operator to check and top-up an oil mist

bottle every shift. In this case we just need to know the task


OEE

has been completed within the required frequency. (It’s now

clear to see the logic of including quality inspections in the OEE

management framework.)

Next we select a range of products or asset combinations, and

group the quality checks that are likely to be similar across the

plant; so the set-up process can be fairly quick. Once the quality

inspections are defined they can be scheduled to automatically

remind the Quality Operators when the checks are due. We can

then show when the checks are due, and react to any ‘missed’

inspections.

With a touch screen it’s quick and easy to enter the data, and

the results can be made visible across the plant: ‘ideal’ and ‘fail’

values can be clearly displayed so that the operator can just

touch the value of the measured sample.

Once the task creation and results are captured we need a few reports to measure adherence:• Did we meet the target frequencies?• Statistically how well are we doing?• Are we giving too much away?

With the values filed digitally, batch traceability is comprehensive. We have a record of the plant conditions when the results were captured, and we know which operator was logged on at the time. Because the quality element is recorded by the OEE System, we also know when production started and when it ended, how many products were made and the number of rejects. Crucially, we can also review every stoppage event or problem that occurred so we may be able to see which problem caused the quality issue in the first place.

The key advantage of building quality checks into the OEE System, is the ability to generate fully automatic alerts, so as soon as a critical fail is recorded we can send a text message and email to an individual or group, informing them that the values have fallen well below set parameters. This ensures that the quality issue can be rectified as soon as possible. It also means that there is no place to hide; the alerts can also be recorded so that we have a robust audit trail.

Of course quality measurement and recording can exist outside the OEE framework, but it makes sense to bring the two together as it results in time, resource, and financial savings. We

can use the existing hardware framework of touch screens for both activities, reducing our infrastructure outlay and improving return on investment. We can also remove much of the paper and provide instant reports, without duplicating the data analysis process. Much of the quality data is already captured in the system; the asset structure, product definitions, company calendars and employee definitions are already present. We can even use the existing employee security structure and pin codes for sign-off.

One final point, the operations team has access to stoppage and quality alerts in the same system. They can review production problems and successes and match them to quality results. Good production runs should deliver good quality statistics; the opposite may also be true. When urgent traceability is required; all the run parameters, people and products are accessible in a single place, which is especially useful during a customer audit.

John Ruskin famously said that ‘Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort’. The key word for me here is ‘intelligent’. Maintaining perfect quality doesn’t have to be arduous – with intelligent systems in place many factories could relieve the pressure on their manufacturing and operations teams, especially during audits.

Convinced? Ditch some of the endless paper trail, and try it; when the measurement systems are highly visible, and easily traceable, operations teams may agree with Ford that “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.”

Alan France, Operations Director of Idhammar Systems, has extensive experience in lean manufacturing with a background that includes several years as Engineering Systems Manager for the largest food company in Europe. A systems specialist, he now consults on the importance of underpinning lean initiatives with realistic targets and sound metrics.

Contact him by e-mail:[email protected], or visit www.idhammarsystems.com for more on CMMS and OEE software.


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT – LEAK TESTING

WHAT IS PRESSURE DECAY?Probably the most common (and one of the oldest) forms of leak detection as, in terms of sensitivity, it is generally utilised to find liquid leaks.

There are two basic types of pressure decay measurement methods:

THE GAUGE METHOD

THE TEST CYCLE

CONVERTING TO FLOW UNITS

THE DIFFERENTIAL METHOD

This method employs a single sided measurement device (transducer). The technique employed is to connect the product to be tested to a regulated gas supply, with the sensing device (transducer) in circuit to indicate the pressure achieved.The pressure is then ‘locked’ into the system by use of a shut-off valve, and the transducer continually interrogated for a drop in pressure.The main drawback with this method, is the sensitivity, and because of this is more susceptible to temperature and other external effects.

With this technique, the component is pressurised in the same way however the difference is that both sides of the measurement transducer are also pressurised to the same level as the product. One side of the measurement transducer is then connected to the component and the other to a sealed reference. Very small changes in pressure then cause an imbalance (pressure difference) which can be directly measured.

Typical specification of such a transducer :

Sensitivity 0.1 Pa

Range 2000 Pa

Accuracy 1%

Repeatability 0.5%

Speed of response <100 ms

Most modern pressure decay systems utilise the differential method:

We need to carry out the following steps:• FILL the component to the required test pressure with

air.• TEST for leakage from the product (measure the

pressure decay).• EXHAUST the air from the component, (vent to

atmosphere) to allow safe removal.

However when a confined volume (the component under test) is pressurised there are a number of effects, such as temperature increases, which can cause false readings in the measuring cycle, so we must add a further stage:

• STABILISATION in between the fill and test phases to relieve the ‘adiabatic’ effects.

Fisher Leak Systems LtdUnit 7 Tame Road Industrial EstateWitton, Birmingham, B67HS Tel: 0121 328 2515http://www.fisherleaksystems.com

Pressure decay measurement can easily be related to flow by considering the universal gas law.

PV = constant (At constant Temperature)

From this basic gas law we can derive the formula:

Flow = Rate of change of Pressure x Volume tested

Atmospheric Pressure

From this we can derive:

cc/s = mB/s x VOL(cc)

1013

Many systems have this formula built into the software, so that the equipment can display the leakage directly in terms of Flow.


BUYERS GUIDE 2011


BUYERS GUIDE 2011

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