As maintenance costs keep rising it is important to realize a maximum benefit from condition monitoring systems. However a maintenance program is very rarely in place when the condition monitoring equipment is specified, purchased and installed. Quite often the data collected is not used to produce actionable output for maintenance personnel.

We help our clients establish a working Predictive Maintenance Program for newly installed and existing equipment. This work is done in a few stages:

• Need assessment – this includes classification of equipment into critical duty, moderate duty and intermittent duty and assessment of the current maintenance philosophy, practice and capacity.
  

• Program Initiation – includes identification of the equipment and data to be used, selection of measured parameters, acquisition system design, alarm routing design, education and training
  

• System Integration – includes selection and procurement of sensors, data acquisition modules, data management and analysis hardware and software, and user interface devices as well as system installation and set-up
  

• PdM Implementation – data collection and storage, prognostic trend analysis and fault diagnostics, reporting, alarm delivery, training

Predictive Maintenance Program provides benefit from utilization of data collected with the condition monitoring system. The necessary basic functions of it are:

• Protection - monitoring of machine and system parameters in real time and initiation and distribution of alarms and machine shutdowns when necessary.
  

• Diagnostics – in case of a machine of process fault the system provides enough data to diagnose the fault for a fast and effective repair.
  

• Prognostics – before the fault occurs the system warns about a potential future fault through registering changes in data trends and by correlating machine and process parameter changes.

The goal is to provide actionable output for maintenance personnel. Many organizations could realize substantial savings in maintenance costs by establishing a working Predictive Maintenance Program.

GP Solutions offers the following implementation and consulting services:

• Implementation Planning: A range of services available to ensure a rapid and successful startup of the GP MaTe system. These services include on-site consulting that results in a complete set of tasks required to implement the system to fully meet your goals. GP consultants will review your existing workflow and information sources and make recommendations on the configuration of the system, code table usage, and codification schemes. GP Solutions can bring their experience from working with customers at hundreds of sites to ensure your success—at a very reasonable cost.
• Equipment Failure Analysis (EFA): A relatively inexpensive systematic approach to identify preventive maintenance tasks for critical equipment. The EFA process prioritizes plant equipment based on existing equipment history to ensure all critical equipment is included in the plant preventive maintenance program. All Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements are addressed during the EFA process.
• Preventive Maintenance Program Review and Design: A comprehensive development of preventive maintenance tasks for all major plant components. This approach does not require any operating history and can be developed for existing or newly constructed plants.
• Maintenance Procedures: Preventive/predictive and corrective/overhaul procedures (component, task and activity based) tailored to the experience and training needs of your organization. Procedures are site/equipment specific and are supported by Computer Aided Design drawings and detailed data sheets. Procedures address OHSA and EPA requirements.
• Maintenance Audits: Review and evaluation of organizational, functional and productivity guidelines. Recommends actions and programs with implementation methods for areas of improvements.
• Spare Parts Analysis and Review: Reviews and/or develops spare parts philosophy, identifies and prioritizes component spare parts, selects components for on-site inventory, and determines part availability. This review determines needed program changes to ensure parts are available when and where they are needed, and are of the proper quality. It will also identify overstocking due to component obsolescence, and make recommendations for dispositioning these items.
• Materials Management Analysis and Review: Reviews and/or develops proper material handling, storage and control techniques for material management organizations. This review identifies proper storage environments, safe and proper material handling techniques, and required in-storage control techniques. The review addresses the proper controls and programs for age-sensitive material, and needed in-storage preventive maintenance programs.
• Materials Management and Procurement Procedures: Development of procedures to control all materials management, purchasing, material receipt, quality control and contracting activities. These procedures are site-specific and can be developed for all industrial facilities, regulated industries (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, Department of Defense) and facilities operating under U.S. government procurement regulations (Federal Acquisition Regulation).

The power of information management is having the ability to enter your data once and use it repeatedly in a variety of ways throughout your organization, creating efficiencies and reducing error. Burns & McDonnell approaches projects with the philosophy that information management must result in a measurable productivity enhancement for our clients.

Information Technology Strategies:

Our philosophy is productivity enhancement through three main information management strategies:

• Data conservation: Information is conserved during routine business activities. All data usage, maintenance and creation is coordinated with a business data model.
• Mitigation of proprietary software entanglements: You must be able to easily move information throughout your enterprise; proprietary software systems hinder this ability. We will help look for options within your systems that allow for open data storage and exchange, allowing you to have options within your information management systems.
• Leverage information management standards: Information management standards not only define hardware, software and data within your enterprise, they also service as a strong leverage point by which you can automatically have your enterprise data model updated through ongoing business processes.

About Burns & McDonnell:

From airports to refineries, power plants to water treatment facilities, military bases to electrical distribution, we deliver planning, design and construction expertise that creates the results our clients expect. And our culture empowers every employee-owner to fulfill our mission: Make our clients successful.

Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is a 100% employee-owned firm composed of more than 2,500 engineers, architects, construction experts, planners, estimators, economists, technicians and scientists representing virtually all design disciplines. Our experts work in offices nationwide and around the globe.

Please click on the links to the right for more information or request a quote today!

REGISTER TODAY - ITW GEMA APPLICATION & MAINTENANCE TRAINING

October 14 & 15, 2008

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Our popular class is designed for operators and people responsible for the upkeep, troubleshooting, and maintenance of ITW Gema powder coating systems. Operators will also learn proper and efficient application techniques with the latest equipment, as well as troubleshooting and maintenance skills. Training includes hands-on instruction with the OptiFlex® Manual and OptiFlex Automatic Series.

OUR TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Attendees will learn how the equipment is designed to work, then how to use and maintain it. The first day consists of lecture from our Customer and Technical Service Supervisor. The second day will include hands-on applications work in our lab with ITW Gema's expert application technicians.

HOW TO REGISTER

Cost is $350.00 for early registration. Hurry ... classes fill up fast!

Click here for a Registration Form

Contact Mike Smith at msmith@itwgema.com or 1-800-628-0648 for details or click here to learn more about ITW Gema training opportunities.

The philosophy of RimatriX5 is based on a rack-optimised configuration of IT infrastructures, with the modularity to permit adaptation to specific demands, from single-rack solutions to full-scale computer centers. Power management in RimatriX5 bundles the demands of redundancy, scalability and maximum availability. From power input and routing in the racks to dedicated signal and voltage distribution, the principle of scalability is implemented consistently. With the 'cooling' module, climate control solutions can be matched exactly to the specific application requirements, be it passive cooling, active air cooling or even liquid cooling systems. Software-assisted planning tools minimise investment outlay and provide for maximum peace of mind. The integration of various preventive aspects, such as access authorisation, temperature monitoring and administration, video monitoring and smoke detection, makes CMC-TC the central point of information in the data center. Temperature, smoke and vibration sensors, together with sophisticated access control solutions and tested enclosure fire extinguisher systems, provide reliable rack protection against external influences and tampering. Targeted remote maintenance and diagnosis for sensitive parameters extend the service life of active components. With new remote management software, Rittal offers security and remote maintenance from a single partner. The operating status of the UPS backup can be documented, power management implemented for individual modules and operating hours of batteries and fans can be evaluated for preventive intervention – all from a single software interface. Whether server room or data center, whether high or highest availability, the unique individual RimatriX5 modules can be adapted to individual changes in demand at any time. With RimatriX5 from Rittal, users receive a one-stop system solution for secure, reliably available and cost-efficient IT infrastructures. RimatriX5, from Rittal, is an integrated overall concept for modern data centers with comprehensive service and five perfectly matched IT modules: Rack, Power, Cooling, Security as well as Monitoring and Remote Management.

Improved Cylinder Duty Cycle - A Case Study from Industrial Resource Group, LLC.

Problem:

A coke plant was spending in excess of $500,000 / year in hydraulic cylinder repair and had been previously trying to reduce repair cost by pursuing vendors with a low cost repair philosophy. The combination of high heat and coke dust created an environment that is one of the most challenging in any industry.

Process:

• As cylinders were brought to them for remanufacture the failure mode was determined.
• Original design parameters were compared with existing application realities.
• The equipment was observed in operation and production and maintenance personnel were consulted.
• Upgrades in materials and design for both seals and hard components were agreed upon and implemented.

Results:

• During their trial period the company noted two things:
• IRG's remanufacture costs were approximately 30% more than previous vendors.
• IRG's remanufactured units were lasting longer. A lot longer.

• In two instances cylinders that had duty cycles in the 4-6 week range were extended to the 12-16 month range.

• At the end of the first full year a savings in excess of $250,000 in remanufacture cost alone was realized. When the removal and replacement costs and down time costs were considered the savings were significantly higher.