Standard Handbook of Plant Engineering, Third Edition
Packed with tables, formulas, charts, graphs, and checklists, this guide offers you the cutting-edge information you need to keep your plant operating at peak efficiency and profitability.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Standard Handbook of Plant Engineering, Third Edition
Chapter 5.10: Computers
Thomas E. Wiles
The Golf System, Inc.
Plano, Texas
OVERVIEW
There are three basic maintenance requirements for computers: hardware maintenance, operating system maintenance, and software maintenance. Each of these areas will be addressed individually. The modern microcomputer has an effective life span of about 10 yr. Capacitors drift over time. It takes about 10 yr for critical capacitors to lose enough of their capacitance to adversely affect the reliability of the machine. Computers older than 8 yr are living on borrowed time. Other critical components also fail with time (microprocessor, chipset, etc). While the actual life of these components cannot be accurately predicted, the incidence of failure increases very rapidly after 10 yr.
HARDWARE MAINTENANCE
Production facilities are generally very marginal environments for computers. The two problems are environmental contaminants and power. Power is addressed in Chap. 3.6. Environmental contaminants consist of dirt, dust, insects, heat, and chemicals.
Dirt, Dust, and Insects
Keeping the computer clean is the cornerstone of reliable operation. The best way to clean a computer is to blow the contaminants out with compressed air. This should be done on a regular basis, depending on the contaminant buildup in the computer. In a high-contaminant environment, the computer should be cleaned once a month. In a relatively clean environment, once a quarter is acceptable. When the machine is cleaned all cards fitting in edge connectors, plus the computer s memory, should be reset. This prevents film buildup on these connectors, which can cause the computer to run...
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2002 under license agreement with Books24x7
