Maintenance Technology January 2011

For more info, enter 61 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Electrical+Reliability&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.electricalreliability.com

For more info, enter 62 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 63 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 62 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=herguth&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.herguth.com

THETHEBEHIND

MACHINEMACHINE

REGIONAL SALES SUPPORTNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSPORTATION

REGIONAL TECH CENTERSLOCAL SALES FORCE

NATIONAL HARDWARE & SOFTWARE CALL CENTER

Learn more by clicking on the “FAST Solutions” ad on fastenal.com or calling 1-877-265-8247

FAST 5000 SMFAST 5000POTENTIALLY30%OR MORE

CUT CONSUMPTIONWiSh you could SAy ThiS?“This program has taken all the negatives of crib transactions and made them non-existent. Heavy-use products are always available, always visible, and you can’t get them without proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.” -Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR

proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.” proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.” proper coding, which allows you to track activity in a meaningful way.”-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor-Wayne Young, Purchasing Supervisor Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR Sulzer Pumps, Portland, OR

Ask about our optional locker set for larger or check-in/check-out items.


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=fastenal&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fastenal.com

18 Bonding And Grounding Issues In Power Distribution Systems� e importance of a stable power supply can’t be overstated. How healthy is yours?Frank Waterer, Schneider Electric, Power Systems Engineering Division

24 Rockwell Automation: Clocking In For A Greener Tomorrow

Sustainability has become a key part of corporate strategy and customer solutions. Rick Carter, Executive Editor

30 Thru-Panel Voltage Detection Makes Sense With NFPA 70E & CSA Z462

You have enough on your plate. Complying with standards shouldn’t be a struggle.

32 3 Low-Cost Ways To Cut Downtime By Using Fuse Indication

Ever wish open fuses could tell you where they’re located? � ese days, some can.

contentsJanUaRY 2011 • VOL 24, nO 1 • www.MT-OnLInE.com

Features

dePartMeNtsOn tHE ROaD tO SUStaInaBILItY

tHE RELIaBILItY FILES

Your Source For CAPACITY ASSURANCE SOLUTIONS

tHE QUESt FOR SaFE OPERatIOnS

© G

REG

EPPE

RSON

— FO

TOLIA

.COM

14 The Call For Zero Defects EverywhereWord to the wise: Don’t overlook the human factor in this pursuit.Burt Hurlock, Azima DLI

4 Publisher’s Statement

6 My Take

8 Uptime

12 Don’t Procrastinate… Innovate! 23 Motor Decisions Matter

34 Technology Showcase

36 Marketplace

38 Classifi ed

38 Information Highway

39 Supplier Index

40 Viewpoint

JANUARY 2011 mt-online.com | 3

TECHNOLOGYM A I N T E N A N C E

®YEARS

• exclusive online-only content • late-breaking industry news • 12 years of article archives

www.MT-online.comwww.www.• suppliers/products/services• comprehensive events calendar• professional development opportunities and more. . .

suppliers/products/services

Your Source For Capacity Assurance

Solutions

http://www.MT-online.com

http://www.MT-online.com

January 2011 • Volume 24, No. 1

arthur l. ricePresident/CEO

[email protected]

bill kieselExecutive Vice President/Publisher

[email protected]

JaNe alexaNderEditor-In-Chief

[email protected]

rick carterExecutive Editor

[email protected]

rObert “bOb” WilliaMsONkeNNeth e. baNNister

raYMONd l. atkiNsContributing Editors

raNdY buttstadtDirector of Creative Services [email protected]

GreG PietrasEditorial/Production Assistant

[email protected]

elleN saNdkaMDirect Mail

800-223-3423, ext. 110 [email protected]

edWard kaNeReprint Manager

800-382-0808, ext. 131 [email protected]

editorial Office:1300 South Grove Ave., Suite 105

Barrington, IL 60010847-382-8100 / FAX 847-304-8603 WWW.Mt-ONLINE.COM

Maintenance Technology® (ISSN 0899-5729) is published monthly by Applied Technology Publications, Inc., 1300 S. Grove Avenue, Barrington, IL 60010. Pe-riodicals postage paid at Barrington, Illinois and addi-tional offices. Arthur L. Rice, III, President. Circulation records are maintained at Maintenance Technol-ogy®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Maintenance Technology® copyright 2011 by Applied Technology Publications, Inc. Annual subscription rates for nonqualified people: North America, $140; all others, $280 (air). No sub-scription agency is authorized by us to solicit or take or-ders for subscriptions. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Maintenance Technology®, Creative Data, 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Please indicate position, title, company name, company address. For other circulation information call (630) 739-0900. Canadian Publications agreement No. 40886011. Canada Post returns: IMEX, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5, or email: [email protected]. Submissions Policy: Maintenance Technology® gladly welcomes submissions. By send-ing us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technol-ogy Publications, Inc. permission, by an irrevocable li-cense, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned.“Maintenance Technology®” is a registered trade-mark of Applied Technology Publications, Inc.Printed in U.S.A.

Subscriptions:FOR INquIRIES OR ChANgES CONtACt JEFFREy hEINE,

630-739-0900 EXt. 204 / FAX 630-739-7967


4 | maintenance technology JANUARY 2011


®YEARS

Y ou may have read about the recent release of Mark Twain’s autobiography—100 years after his death. News of this much- anticipated event reminded me of one of my favorite Twain quotes: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

He, of course, was referring to some confusion around the illness of a cousin. Somehow, an obituary had been written, erroneously listing the famous author as the dearly departed. Today, more than a century later, I think this quote could easily apply to some of us in the B2B arena who are still delivering print publications and ancillary products to specific markets. To paraphrase Mr. Twain: “The reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.”

At Applied Technology Publications there’s still plenty of life left— and lots of growing going on! We spent much of the economic down-turn expanding our print, online, digital and other products and are excited about the future, especially since maintenance and reli-ability professionals are so crucial to the global economic recovery. We are ready and eager to help you get this show on the road! Here are just a few of the great new things we’ve begun rolling out in Maintenance Technology this month:

n “Maintenance & Reliability Innovator Of The Year Award” (in conjunction with Ken Bannister's new semi-monthly column entitled “Don't Procrastinate…Innovate!”) (Pg. 12)

n “On The Road To Sustainability,” a quarterly feature about companies on their journeys to a sustainable tomorrow. (Pg. 24)

n “The Reliability Files,” articles from leading suppliers whose primary mission is to help keep your operations up and running. (Pg. 29)

n Monthly “Technology Showcases” and, my favorite, quarterly “Green Gadgets,” “Efficient Gadgets” and “Reliable Gadgets” sections that provide snapshot views of products and services to help you do your jobs better, faster and more safely. (Pgs. 34 and 28 respectively)

This list reflects just some of the new growth you’ll find amid our already strong lineup of offerings—including a bigger and better MARTS (Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit) that kicks off April 26 with the 2nd Annual “Reliability Gives Voice to Autism” charity gala. Our goal is to give you everything you need. Moreover, we want to serve you better than ever. MT

bill kiesel, Publisher

alive & kicking. . . and Growing strong

PUBLISHER’S StatEmEnt

• Materials tear, jam or curl

• Webs and fi lms cling to themselves

• Electronic sensors fail, making false readings

• Hazardous sparks or shocks

• Product clings to itself, rollers, machine beds

• Dust attraction ruins surface fi nishes

When the humidity is low, static electricity problems will happen.

EXAIR manufactures a complete line of static eliminators to remedy common static problems. Many use our engineered air ow products to minimize air use and noise while delivering maximum results by moving more static eliminating ions to the product surface.

If you would like to discuss an application or request a catalog, contact:

Prevent Shocks, Jamming, Tearing and Static Cling!

Ion Air Jet™Delivers a concentrated blast ofionized air prior to shrink wrapping, packaging and printing.

Ionizing BarEliminates static cling, dust attraction and jamming on paper, plastics and lm.

Watch Our Brief Video!How To Get Rid of Static & Dust!

www.exair.com/48/47048.htm

www.exair.com/48/470.htm

Manufacturing Intelligent Compressed Air Products Since 1983

Ion Air Cannon™Ideal for hard to reach spaces or con ned areas that require a concentrated ionized ow.

Super Ion Air Knife™Produces a laminar sheet of air ow that oods an area or surface with static eliminating ions.

Super Ion Air Wipe™The uniform 360° ionized airstream neutralizes and cleans continuously moving surfaces.

Ion Air Gun™Eliminates static and dust fromparts prior to assembly, packaging, painting or nishing.

11510 Goldcoast Drive • Cincinnati, Ohio • 45249-1621 • (800) 903-9247 • fax: (513) 671-3363E-mail: [email protected] • www.exair.com

@exair


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=www.EXAIR.COM++48&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.exair.com%2F48%2F470.htm


6 | maintenance technology JANUARY 2011

MY TAKE

It’s a done deal. A new year is upon us and so are new energy rules. Or had you forgotten? It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If you’re like me, you’re finding it harder and harder to keep up-to-date on everything you need to know.

For example, in the flurry of end-of-year activities last month, you may have overlooked a particularly important event: On December 19, 2010, the Energy Independence and Security Act (“EISA”) that was signed into law back in 2007 quietly became a very important part of your life. If you’re an industrial motor user and you didn’t take note of that fact, you should—with an emphasis on getting up to speed quickly and being able to comply with the new law.

In simple language, EISA expands the previously mandated energy-efficiency standards from the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) for a wider range of industrial motors manufactured for sale in the United States. Specifically, EISA calls for the following:

n A broad range of general-purpose motors must now meet higher energy-efficiency standards.

nEPAct motors must now upgrade to NEMA Premium Efficiency standards.

nMany previously exempt motors must now upgrade to EPAct standards.

Whoa! While you’ve had several years to prepare (or steel) yourself for these stiffer regs, you might still require significant assistance on the road to full compliance. Not to worry. The Motor Specialist Website (www.TheMotorSpecialist.com) may be one of the best sources you can consult to get the job done. What operation wouldn’t want its very own eminently qualified, expert motor specialist working on its behalf 24/7/365—and at no charge? Now, you have one…right at your fingertips…wherever and whenever you need it. Designed to help you cut through the confusion and find the answers to all your EISA questions, this new Website is powered by the MRO giant Motion Industries, working in partner-ship with Baldor Electric Company and US Motors. It’s fully stocked with all the information, tools and support your organization could possibly need to make the transition from the old days to the bright new EISA reality in which we now find ourselves.

Although no one will hold it against you if you forgot to toast the dawning of EISA in your New Year celebrations, you can’t afford to forget www.TheMotorSpecialist.com in 2011. I suggest that you make it one of your “go-to” sites this year—visit it early and often.

In the meantime, Happy New Year to all! Thank you so much for your support over the past 23 years. I’ll say it again—and I really like saying it, too—we couldn’t have done it without you! MT

[email protected]

Out With The Old, In With The New

Jane Alexander, Editor-In-Chief

Invest in Gold

• Energy Efficient

• Unmatched Quality

• Superior Reliability

• Quickest Delivery Available

Electric motors consume 63 percent of all electricity usedin U.S. industry. Designed and built to meet or exceedNEMA Premium® efficiency standards, Baldor•Reliance® Super-E® motors run cooler, last longer and cost less every minute they operate. Fractional to 15,000 Hp, Baldor•Reliance Super-E motors reduce your electricity costs with a return on your investment that’s as good as gold. baldor.com 479-646-4711

©2010 Baldor Electric Company


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Baldor&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baldor.com

8 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY JANUARY 2011

UPTIME

“Our maintenance workforce is growing older, and the pool of qualified applicants for maintenance positions is growing smaller. Where do we find our replacement technicians? How do we prepare them for these jobs?”

These questions have been and will continue to be front and center in every maintenance manager’s mind. Competition for top skilled maintenance industrial technicians has exploded. The sources of qualified recruits have dwindled—and are now overtaxed. Yet our manufacturing plants, commercial and industrial facilities and our transportation fleets still need quali-fied technicians to assure their continued performance and reliability.

The era of maintenance skills shortages has been growing for more than two decades. This situation is a result of the conditions I’ve discussed in previous columns: Aging Baby Boomers; fewer young people entering careers in industrial maintenance; a precipi-tous decline of vocational/technical education in our schools; an overemphasis on “a college education” by our society, our politicians and our schools. Couple these factors with the myth that manufacturing is on the way out in America and you have the “perfect storm.” Riding this one out will take foresight, plan-ning, out-of-the-box thinking and leadership.

In those previous articles I’ve also spoken of some solutions: Educating local school boards, teachers and administrators on your business’ need for entry-level maintenance technicians; helping local and federal politicians understand the skills-shortage situation in your own business and others in your area; setting up in-house training programs and working with local community colleges. There’s one more: Grow your own maintenance technicians.

The seeds for growing new maintenance technicians have already been sown in many of our plants and facilities. They now need to be cultivated, nurtured and harvested. Let’s explore how you can begin growing your maintenance workforce of the future, right in your own facility.

Define entry-level requirementsFirst, we need to ask what it is that entry-level main-tenance technicians must be able to demonstrate to be productive. Begin with the abilities of your current

top maintenance performers. Most likely, they started out with good mechanical aptitude and ability. They were able to work with their hands. Their problem-solving skills and their ability to think through puzzles were superior. A healthy work ethic, safe work habits and the ability to communicate and work with others, coupled with reading, writing and basic math skills have also been important in these top performers’ success. Finally, since the working familiarity with computers and software has become so essential in today’s plants and facilities, your top performers typically have been willing and able to learn new skills, new machines and follow written procedures.

That’s it! Here you have the dozen or so basic require-ments for an entry-level maintenance technician. Given this set of basic knowledge, skills and aptitudes, an entry-level candidate should be able to learn and master the job-performance requirements of a mainte-nance technician in your plant.

Look for candidatesNow we need to begin looking for people with the entry-level requirements listed above. Consider your experienced production-equipment operators and setup technicians. They have informally demonstrated many of these entry-level requirements in their present roles. Some may be very senior employees; others might be young upstarts who may be getting a bit bored with their limited work assignments.

Bob Williamson, Contributing Editor

Growing Your Own: Part I

With our aging workforce and

fewer qualified applicants for

maintenance positions, where

do we find new technicians and

how do we prepare them?

JANUARY 2011 MT-ONLINE.COM | 9

UPTIME

The good news is that they are already employed in your company. They know their way around. They understand how things get done. Moreover, they have a track record that’s available for scrutiny. You can observe their actions and behaviors. You can discuss their poten-tial with their current supervision. These factors alone, however, should not be a basis for selecting them to be an entry-level maintenance technician. They’re simply a good starting point for your selection process.

If your plant has a collective bargaining agreement with a labor union, the selection process you use must be consistent with that agreement. Generally, labor agreements state “the most senior qualified person” is to be selected for a higher-level job role. Seniority/years of service are the easy part. The challenges lie in what constitutes “qualified.” That’s covered next.

Interview and check referencesThis phase of the process involves initial discussions with the potential candidate’s supervision and area manage-ment. Some businesses already have processes in place for selecting and promoting from within. Use these processes whenever they exist. In some cases, site leadership and human-resources management may get involved in making such a transition happen. The bottom line here is to open doors and seek support for this approach to filling maintenance vacancies and/or preparing for the future.

The candidate interview process should be no different than when interviewing potential employees off the street. What IS different are the reference checks and the discussion about work history with these candidates. Since they are current employees, they have histories with the company—which are matters of record and should be consulted. Information about their work and abilities also can be gleaned from/through other records, including quality reports, changeover times, equipment efficiency, productivity, etc.

Look for demonstrated abilityThis part of the “growing-your-own-skilled-mainte-nance-workforce-of-the-future” process answers the question of whether specific candidates have the demon-strated ability to succeed in the proposed maintenance technician job role(s). Remember, such individuals are not yet skilled technicians—they are still “candidates.”

Here, we’re looking for “potential” to succeed. Prior maintenance experience is a plus.

Without such a “demonstration” process, many companies use the “probationary” period on the job to assess a candidate’s abilities to succeed in the job role. Without specific on-job performance requirements, this approach is time-consuming, often ineffective and incomplete.

Let’s start with the basic requirements discussed earlier (in the sixth paragraph)—assuming these are consistent with your own list. What is the best and fairest way to determine a candidate’s abilities in each of these areas?

n Mechanical ability: Work history and demonstration

n Work with hands: Work history and demonstration

n Problem-solving: Work history and demonstration

n Healthy work ethic: Work history

n Safe work habits: Work history

n Communications: Work history and interview

n Work with others: Work history

n Reading, writing and basic math: Demonstration

n Computers and software: Work history and demonstration

n Ability to learn: Work history and demonstration

n Follow written procedures: Work history and demonstration

Demonstrated abilities must be based on actual job-performance requirements, not some off-the-shelf assessment process.[1] I prefer simple simulations that allow the candidate to use the most basic tools of the trade interacting with actual parts and maintenance-related procedures. Since I am a mechanic, I’ll outline a simple mechanical simulation for the candidate to demonstrate his or her abilities.

Our skills-shortage storm has been growing for more than two decades.

Riding it out will take foresight, planning, out-of-the-box thinking and leadership.


UPTIME

Step #1… Combine related requirements to be included in a simu-lation activity. From the preceding list: Mechanical ability; Work with hands; Problem-solving; Reading, writing and basic math; Follow written procedures; Ability to learn.

Step #2… Assemble simulation device(s) with basic tasks to be completed. Consider the application of bearings, shafts, threaded fasteners, cotter pins, gears or chains and sprockets, drive belts, hydraulic or air cylinders and controls, sliding components, cams, temperature/pressure gauges, spare parts, etc. Make sure this assembly reflects components and devices that are common to machinery in the plant.

Step #3… Write simple, straightforward procedures (or work instructions) to perform specific tasks with the simula-tion device(s) consistent with procedures used by mainte-nance in your plant. Consider tasks that involve measuring, alignment, adjustment for fit, sizes, part replacement, lubri-cation, taking readings, solving problems, etc.

Keep in mind that the procedures (or work instructions) must have a “standard” for successful completion. Consider these: The device must rotate freely with no binds; within 0.04”; plus/minus 2 F degrees; no safety violations; function properly, etc.

Step # 4… Develop a sequence of procedures to be demonstrated and the methods to be used in setting up the simulation device. Be able to set up and show proper operating condi-tions of the simulation device. Write simple work orders that describe the problem to be solved on the device.

Step #5… Have several top skilled maintenance mechanics attempt the simulated tasks using the work orders and procedures. Adjust the tasks, work orders and procedures as needed.

Step #6… Set a reasonable timeframe for each task to be completed based on the times set by your top skilled mechanics. Consider that successful candidates may take three to four times longer since they do not have the same level of experience.

Step #7… Write an administrative procedure that outlines how to set up and administer the assessment process using the simulation device. Get the appropriate approvals to proceed from leadership, human resources and labor union leaders.

You now have a basic skills-assessment process that will assist in the selection of current employees who have the potential to succeed in a mechanical-maintenance-job role.

Setting up maintenance training processesNext month, in “Growing Your Own: Part II,” we’ll outline the approaches and methods for setting up a basic main-tenance-skills training program using in-house talents, online and off-the-shelf resources and local tech schools (if available). Stay tuned…MT

[email protected]

Reference1. Assessments must be consistent with the Federal Uniform Guidelines for Employee Selection Procedures requirement for “job-content validity” based on current job-performance requirements.

The seeds for growing new maintenance technicians have already been sown in

many operations. They now need to be cultivated, nurtured and harvested.

This article has identified basic requirements for entry-level technicians. With

this knowledge, skill and aptitude set, a candidate should be able to master the

job-performance requirements of a maintenance technician in your plant.

APRIL 26-29, 2011

The Capacity Assurance Conference!

APRIL 26-29, 2011

The Capacity Assurance

Conference!MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMITMAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT

MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMITMAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT

Reliability Is Gold

MARTS 2011 Attendees Will Enjoy...

www.MARTSconference.comHyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago), IL

• A four-day educational experience created exclusively for reliability professionals

• 30 hour-long Conferences over two days – Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 28 – kicked off by international reliability expert

and best-selling author James Reyes-Picknell

• 7 full-day Workshops on Tuesday, April 26

• 6 full-day Workshops on Friday, April 29

• Two professional certifi cation opportunities

Now entering its eighth year, MARTS is an exciting learning event in a great location that helps reliability professionals at all levels improve their skills

and excel on the job. Pricing and attendance options for every budget make it easy for individuals or groups to share the MARTS experience.

Registration is open at www.martsconference.com

Meet The Experts At


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=MARTS&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.martsconference.com


12 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY january 2011

DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

In 2000, Hollywood released a powerful movie based on Sebastian Junger’s book The Perfect Storm. It chronicled the true story of the loss of the Andrea Gail fishing boat and its entire crew in 1991, during an unusual extratropical storm known as the “Halloween Nor’easter,” or “The Perfect Storm.” Since that time, the term “perfect storm” has become a metaphor for any rare event in which a confluence of trends and circumstances align and begin building toward a bleak outcome.

Sadly, a perfect storm can grow into a tragedy of epic proportions without being noticed by those who are about to experience its wrath. As you’ve previously read in this magazine (and will continue to read)—this month in Bob Williamson‘s “Uptime” column and in the “Technology Showcase” about Maintenance Management on page 34, for example— North America’s industrial might is now being chal-lenged by a perfect storm set into motion by myriad problems. These include, first and foremost, educa-tional systems that aren’t particularly interested in teaching vocational skills and, in many cases, aren’t adequately equipped to teach and train on emerging technologies. The situation is being exacerbated by the lack of apprenticeship opportunities; increased global competition for those left in the skilled labor pool; rapid deterioration of capital assets and infra-structure; and the fact that many in our knowledge-able, well-trained, highly experienced, yet aging, workforce are about to retire en masse. And that’s not just my assessment.

Statistics on the issue abound, including this: The Employment Policy Foundation (EPF) proj-ects we’ll suffer an 80% skill loss over the next 10 years as the Baby Boomer generation officially becomes eligible for retirement. We must recognize that a large percentage of those skilled jobs will be lost forever—and that the remaining workforce will

be expected to absorb and cope with the devastating results. The clock is ticking faster and faster…

We cannot and must not rely on government to legislate a solution for us. YOU are the solution! If we are to successfully confront this growing catastrophe, we must first recognize the elephant in the room, work out a plan of action and learn to work smarter by adopting practices that add value to everything we do. The time for procrastination is past; the time for innovation is here.

This column is dedicated to helping you work smarter through the application of innovative approaches and solutions designed to combat the effects of skilled-labor attrition and, in turn, help you deliver a more competitive product or service that will generate more profit that can then be reinvested in the engine of America. Along with my new column, Applied Technology Publications, parent of Maintenance Technology and Lubri- cation Management & Technology magazines, is launching the “Maintenance & Reliability Innovator of the Year Award” program. The competition will allow you to “pass on” and share your successful innovative gizmos, gadgets, procedures, methods and ideas with the rest of the maintenance and reliability community. Look for more details next month in this publication and online at www.MT-online.com.

The truth about innovationInnovation is the successful implementation of a creative, ingenious or imaginative idea that both changes and improves the way we do business. An innovative idea can manifest itself as a change in the way we currently view and perform a process; in the way we measure, check or analyze for acceptable condition; in the way we organize resources to deliver increased value; or in the way we adopt inventive and practical devices as labor-saving tools.

Ken Bannister, Contributing Editor

Tick-Tock: Time To Innovate!

“Innovation comes from the producer – not the customer.” …W. Edwards Deming

january 2011 MT-ONLINE.COM | 13

DON’T PROCRASTINATE…INNOVATE!

Improvement success can be delivered and measured in many ways, including: maintenance improvements (i.e., increased asset reli-ability, reduced asset maintainability); opera-tional improvements (i.e., cycle time, production output, product quality, customer service); and safety and environmental improvements (i.e., accident/incident reduction, energy reduction, carbon footprint reduction. All of these improve-ments can be measured and tracked through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

It should be noted that true innovation tends to exemplify itself through simplicity and practi-cality. Once implemented, an innovation is often showered with comments such as “I could have done that,” or “I don’t know why we’ve never done this before!”

An innovative idea is usually born of an indi-vidual—but nurtured and implemented through team effort. This means that if innovation is to flourish, we must all think entrepreneurially (as if the business in which we work belongs to us). Make no mistake: Your business is not a business without the strengths you bring to the table.

If an idea is to flourish, it must be able to with-stand scrutiny, meet the needs of your organiza-tion, be backed up with a solid business case, pass a risk-analysis review and provide a valid return on investment (ROI) statement that outlines how the idea’s implementation success is to be measured in tangible terms. (My March column will focus on providing the tools to help you develop a strong business case and ROI state-ment.) Additionally, the idea must be presented and sold to management in a professional manner. (If your organization has a “suggestion box” or “improvement box” program, it probably reflects all the previously mentioned requirements.)

Remember, too: If an innovative environment is to flourish, it will be the result of a combined effort of the frontline workforce within mainte-nance and operations, as well as supervisors and

managers who must take ideas, allow them to be tested or piloted and rolled out into the plant.

Seeking out opportunityAs a change-management consultant, I’ve always believed that the best ideas—and the easiest to implement—probably can be found “in your own backyard.” Frontline personnel have a special inti-macy with their equipment assets, processes and procedures. If existing instructions or methods don’t make sense, many of them will adopt innovative “workarounds” or more streamlined approaches to their work, and only share them with management if there’s an open environment for positive change. This sets up an excellent starting point for any innovation program.

As you may have heard before, the mainte-nance department has typically been successful in spite of itself. Thus, depending on the current level of best-practice operation, any mainte-nance department could easily be guilty of causing well in excess of 50% of unnecessary maintenance work due to inefficiencies in managing its resources and inefficient PMs. Furthermore, many of the residual operations-caused maintenance can be managed out with the right approach. Accepting this fact opens up a massive innovation opportunity for every main-tenance department. In future installments of this column, we’ll explore the differences between what the maintenance department manages versus what it actually controls—and how it must be innovative in its approach to seek out the value opportunities in both aspects of its business.

I hereby issue a challenge to all maintenance and reliability professionals (including management) to immediately don your innovative-thinking caps. Begin writing down whatever improvement ideas you have and prepare yourself for a wave of innova-tion as we explore ideas to help us make it through our perfect storm. Tick-tock…tick-tock… MT

[email protected]

“Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time.”

…Bill Gates

“Everything begins with an idea.” …Earl Nightingale

THE QUEST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS

The Call For

Zero Defects Everywhere

THE QUEST FOR SAFE

The Call For

Zero Defects

LL


Burt Hurlock, CEO Azima DLI

Word to the wise:

Don’t overlook

the human factor

in this pursuit.

The CEO of a global, forward-thinking industrial company

is renowned for repeating “Effi ciency, Reliability, Safety.”

To the uninitiated, these three words seem to express inde-

pendent operating objectives. Anyone involved in operations

management or maintenance, however, knows they are highly corre-

lated and, perhaps, even inextricably intertwined.



Only by acknowledging these kinds of dynamic correlations can managers begin to imagine an optimized state of opera-tions with manageable variables perfectly calibrated to achieve “zero defects.” In truth, “zero defects” is an idealized state of being, with no precedent; however, contemplating the path to zero defects forces us to explore the root cause of imperfections in our processes—an activity that was receiving a great deal of attention throughout large industry in 2010. The unusually high incidence of large-scale industrial accidents in recent years, espe-cially in the oil and gas sector, has prompted corporate boards and management teams to demand institutional commitments to zero-defects processes and procedures. The question we find ourselves asking is whether continuous-improvement processes in pursuit of “zero defects” are enough in themselves to drive efficiency, reliability and safety.

Large-scale, sophisticated industrial enterprises, which repre-sent a small minority of the U.S. industrial base, understand risk correlations so well that independent industrial researchers assign them a special designation. They’re called “Collabora-tors,” earning their name by correlating the performance of their supply-chain vendors tightly to their own performance metrics. The Collaborator-vendor relationship is unsustain- able without continuous-improvement processes that constantly adjust for responses to the marketplace, which are, in turn, constantly informed by the Collaborators’ continuous market- sensing processes.

The designation that researchers assign to those on the other end of the industrial-company spectrum is “Reactors.” Reactors tend to be too overwhelmed by the multi-dimen-sional variables of large-scale industrial processes to attempt to manage them all at once, or to correlate combinations of managed variables to desired outcomes. Instead, Reactors use independent point solutions to solve problems as they arise, even though these problems may have common origins—problems that are, therefore, highly correlated.

Which kind of company do you think has the greatest chance of approaching zero defects? Which kind of company do you think has the best chance of achieving larger strategic objectives such as lowest unit product cost, highest quality output, lowest spoilage rate and best safety record? Even though the answer is intuitively obvious, we find very few large industrial enterprises actively engaged in correlating a wide range of performance metrics. When it comes to managing production processes, we find that managers fall neatly into one of two camps. Let’s call them the “chaos theorists” and the “faithful.”

The chaos theorists have no vision or faith in a grander scheme in which hewing to the prescribed path leads to a better outcome. They believe operations entails taking risks, that defects are a fact of life, that asset life cycles cannot be materially influenced and that “run to failure” is an immutable law of nature. The faithful believe the opposite. As one customer told us wistfully, “To the (chaos theorists), no argument (for continuous improvement) is sufficient. To the faithful, no argument is required.”

A fascinating paradoxThere are few things in life so measurable as an industrial production process. To engineers, such processes should be a feast for trial and error and continuous improvement. Failure modes for all types of machinery can be well defined, accidents can be studied and averted and all processes yield to efficiency improvement. Indeed, continuous improve-ment presents huge opportunities to build institutional knowledge, competitive advantage and economic oppor-tunity and value. To argue to the contrary is to reject the correlation between value and learning.

Even if these observations were not self-evident, one need look no further than the handful of companies that capture the majority of economic rents in oil and gas, pharmaceu-ticals, consumer products manufacturing and distribution, and even commercial airlines. The economic winners are not always the biggest, nor the most creative. They are the leaders in continuous process improvement and in how they generate, use and share information—in how they learn and in how they apply learning. With such conspicuous examples of the continuous-improvement pay-off, why are these “faithful” so few, and the “chaos theorists” so prevalent? We find a fascinating paradox in a world largely populated by engineers unable to apply the basic process principles of engineering. Why should this be so?

The human factorContinuous process improvement is hard. In some ways it runs contrary to the notion of achieving definable objec-tives, of success as a destination. Continuous improvement implies an unachievable goal, like a horizon forever out of reach. It requires continuous effort and sustained leader-ship. Continuous improvement also depends on intellectual honesty and accountability. The process can’t improve unless the results—good or bad—are visible and accurate, and the individuals tasked with capturing them are forthcoming. Even where such virtuous behavior can be introduced, it only flourishes in an environment where employees trust managers to use the information to the advantage of the enterprise. In fact, the more we focus on the behaviors required to support continuous-improvement processes, the more we understand continuous improvement as a system of belief based on a basic faith in the ability to drive inefficiency, risk and defects from the system. How often do we find so many virtues concentrated in one place, let alone a workplace?

The obstacle to broad adoption of continuous-improve-ment processes is human nature. Who embraces work without end? Who really believes that challenging the status quo at work is good for your career? And in how many places is challenging the status quo good for your career? Behaviors and environment are cultural characteristics that are extremely difficult to establish and perpetuate, especially


in very large, distributed organizations. Where organizations succeed in establishing trust and belief in a system dedicated to forever asking whether everything can be improved, they rapidly establish positions of outright dominance. There are few more insurmountable competitive advantages than a culture committed to competing against itself, especially when it’s already in the lead.

Virtuous circles (and vicious cycles)The combination of circumstances and personalities required to foster a continuous improvement environment may seem impossibly beyond reach. Yet we know they’re not, because a few very successful companies have achieved leadership positions based almost entirely on continuous process improvement. How do such enterprises achieve culturally driven performance superiority?

The answer begins at the top. “Effi ciency, Reliability, Safety” is a statement of belief—a guiding principle. If that’s all the CEO ever says, no one will intentionally stand in the way of any of those words. Thus, the seeds for a certain kind of behavior are planted.

‘Effi ciency, Reliability, Safety’

is a statement of belief,

a guiding principle. If that’s all

the CEO ever says, no one will

intentionally stand in the way

of any of those words.

About Azima DLIAzima DLI (www.azimadli.com) is a premier provider of predictive machine condition monitoring and analysis services that align with customers’ high standards for reliability, avail-ability and uptime. Azima DLI’s WATCHMAN™ Reliability Services utilize fl exible deployment models and proven diag-nostic software backed up by strong analytical expertise to deliver sustainable, scalable and cost-effective condition-based maintenance programs. The company’s bundled solutions enable customers to choose comprehensive, proven programs that ensure asset availability and maximize productivity. Azima DLI is headquartered in Woburn, MA, with offi ces across the U.S. and international representation in Asia-Pacifi c, Central America, Europe and South America.




Supported by measurement systems and feedback loops, the behaviors may become self-perpetuating, and should they lead to the rewards of success, the behaviors become self-reinforcing. Who leaves a company where success builds on success, where opportunities for improvement and advancement are unbounded and where you can see the impact of your work in the advance-ment of the company? The answer is “the people you don’t want around.”

Continuous-improvement cultures attract, retain and concentrate talent, and exorcise weak links in a vitally interconnected ecosystem. Where there is always room for improvement, in areas such as “Efficiency, Reliability (and)Safety,” the potential for triggering a virtuous circle of behavior patterns is very real. In contrast, where leaders fail to articulate a system of belief that places the enterprise ahead of the individual, self-preservation creeps in, information-sharing breaks down and learning comes to a halt—the so-called vicious cycle.

Continuous process improvement is more an organic value system than a rigorous process of rules and guide-lines. It begins with visionary leader-ship in pursuit of competitive strategic high ground. It ties every function and activity back to the strategic objec-tive, and finds correlations between variables that inform the systematic removal of inefficiencies and risks. Be it a production process, mainte-nance strategy or safety standard, the environment encourages challenging the status quo, entrusts employees with advancement of the enterprise and maintains a basic faith and belief in the potential for a better outcome. These are human ideals and behaviors first, and processes second. These quali-ties and behaviors need cultivating, both through inspired leadership and tolerant, motivated employees. Where these human factors converge, industrial leadership is born, formi-dable competitors emerge and prin-ciples that drive zero defects become achievable. MT

Burt Hurlock is CEO of Azima DLI, a leading provider of predictive machine condition monitoring and analysis services.

AcknowledgementsThe author acknowledges the book Don’t Just Fix It, Improve It! A Journey to the Precision Domain, by Winston P. Ledet, Winston J. Ledet and Sherri M. Abshire for the idea behind the title of this article and related concepts.

For more than a decade, ComRent® has set the standard for load banking primary and backup power systems.

888.881.7118 ComRent.com

“ Thanks...to the ComRent team...(we accomplished) successful completion of an aggressive two day full systems integration testing regimen with full design load...”

Ron VysmaProject Manager/Engineer

Community Health Network

L O A D B A N K R E N T A L S & S E R V I C E S

CR922 Medium Voltage Load Bank

9389-CR Quote_4.5x7.5.indd 1 12/17/10 5:04 PM



http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Comrent&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comrent.com



Bonding And Grounding Issues

In Power Distribution Systems

A safe, productive and

viable operation calls for

a stable power supply.

How healthy is yours?

Frank WatererSchneider Electric

As the foundation of an operation’s power supply and distribution capabili-ties, a safely and effectively bonded grounding system is critical in providing a low impedance path to earth that stabilizes voltage. Stable voltage, in turn, is a crucial component in maintaining the safety, reliability and effi ciency of operations. The following points outline the fi ve principles behind an effective bonding and grounding system via a low impedance path, and describe the applicable differences between bonding, grounding and earthing. By following these principles, operations and facility managers can help ensure that their power supplies are as safe, reliable and effi cient as possible.

A stable power supply is the backbone of any building,

plant or facility. Failures or instability resulting from a

poorly designed power distribution system can nega-

tively impact safety, production and the bottom line of a

company’s operations.



1.0. Principal purposes of a bonding and grounding systemThe principal purposes for an “effectively bonded grounding system via a low impedance path to earth” are intended to provide for the following:

1.1. Provide for an applicable reference to earth to stabilize the system voltage of a power distribution system during normal operations.The system voltage is determined by how the secondary winding of any power-class or distribution-class transformer is actually confi gured, as well as how the windings are refer-enced to ground or earth. The primary function or purpose of the system bonding jumper is to provide for an applicable reference to earth for the system voltage at the origins of the specifi c and separately derived system to stabilize the voltage (i.e., 600Y/347V, 480Y/277V, or 208Y/120V, 3 Phase, 4 Wire, Solidly Grounded, “WYE” Systems or a 240/120V, 3 Phase, 4 Wire Solidly Grounded “DELTA” System [see Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B]). The system bonding jumper is employed as a direct connection between the Xo terminal of a supplying transformer, generator or UPS output terminals and earth. This jumper is usually connected within the same enclosure as the power supply terminals and is not normally sized to carry large magnitudes of phase-to-ground fault current.

Fig. 1A. Solidly grounded “WYE” systems

Fig. 1B. A solidly grounded “DELTA” system

1.2. Create a very low impedance path for ground fault current to fl ow in a relatively controlled path. The exact point and time where a phase-to-ground fault might occur cannot be determined. Depending, however, on the exact point of the phase-to-ground fault within a specifi c power distribution system, multiple return paths are likely to occur between the point where the fault conductor makes contact with a conductive surface and the Xo terminal of the supplying transformer or local standby

generator. Consequently, it is desirable and preferred that the majority of the ground-fault current fl ows primarily in the specifi c equipment bonding jumpers and equipment ground conductors directly associated with the fault circuit. If the impedance in the equipment bonding jumpers and equipment ground conductors associated with the faulted circuit is too high, then signifi cant magnitudes of phase-to ground fault current will likely take various other parallel paths in order to return to the source winding of the power supply. These various other uncontrolled and unexpected return paths can subject facility personnel to dangerous touch-potential differences—which can cause death, injury or permanent damage to internal organs. In addition, other unaffected equipment could be negatively affected or damaged by potential rises and unintended fl ow of current.

1.3. Create an effective and very low impedance path for ground fault current to fl ow in order for overcurrent protective devices and any ground-fault protection systems to operate effectively as designed and intended.During the time of the phase-to-ground faulted condition, the subjected equipment bonding jumpers and the equip-ment grounding conductors are intended to function as a very low impedance path between the point of the fault and the ground bus within the service equipment or the standby generator equipment. Consequently, these affect equipment bonding jumpers, and the equipment grounding conduc-tors constitute 50% of the total power circuit during the period in which phase-to-ground fault current is fl owing. If the impedance in the ground-fault return path is not effec-tive low enough, then the overcurrent protective devices employed in the circuit as fuses and thermal-magnetic circuit breakers will be ineffective to prevent substantial equipment damage. If the impedance in the ground-fault return path is too high, then the resulting fl ow of phase-to-ground fault current might actually be lower than the rating of the fuses and thermal-magnetic circuit breakers installed to protect the affected circuit.

Per NEC® 250-4(A)(5), to meet the requirements of an effective ground-fault current path “electrical equipment and wiring and other electrically conductive material likely to become energized shall be installed in a manner that creates a permanent, low impedance circuit facilitating the operation of the overcurrent device or ground detector for high-impedance grounded systems.” The ground-fault current path must be capable of effectively and safely carrying the maximum ground-fault current likely to be imposed on it from any point in a specifi c power distribution system where a ground fault may occur to the return to power supply source. Earth cannot be considered as an effective ground-fault current path. There-fore, randomly inserting individual ground rods into the soil to connect to remote electrical equipment will not provide an effective return path for phase-to-ground fault current.

240V240V

208V

120V

120V

A

B

C120/240V, 3 4W

208Y/120V, 3 4W 480Y/277V, 3 4W

120V 277V120V 277V

120V 277V


The primary function or purpose of the main bonding jumper (or MBJ) located within the service equipment is to provide a low impedance return path for the return of phase-to-ground fault current from the ground bus in the service equipment to the respective power supply source such as service transformers, standby generators or the output terminals of onsite UPS via the neutral conductors. The MBJ must be adequately sized to effectively carry all phase-to-ground fault current likely to be imposed on it. In addition, the MBJ is another bonding jumper that is often employed to stabilize the system voltage with respect to ground or earth. The MBJ, however, is only a small portion of the ground-fault return path for phase-to-ground fault current to return to the Xo terminal of the respective power source.

1.4. Limit differences of potential, potential rise, or step gradients between equipment and personnel, personnel and earth, equipment and earth, or equipment to equipment.It is extremely important that all conductive surfaces and equipment enclosures associated with any power distribu-tion system be effective bonded together via a low imped-ance path. As partially explained in paragraph 1.2 above, without a very low impedance path for ground-fault current to fl ow in a relatively controlled way, potential rises or step potential differences are likely to occur at other locations within the power distribution system. However, during non-faulted conditions, part of the normal load current will fl ow through the conductive surfaces, equipment enclosures and earth, if any current-carrying conductor is connected to earth at more than one location. For example, if any grounded conductor (neutral) were to become connected to any conductive surface or equipment enclosure down-stream of the MBJ, then part of the load current would fl ow through the conductive surface, equipment enclosure or the earth because a parallel path will have been created.

1.5. Limit voltage rise or potential differences imposed on an asset, facility, or structure from lightning strikes, a surge event impinging on the service equipment, any phase-to-ground fault conditions, or the inadvertent commingling of or the unintentional contact with different voltage system.When lightning strikes an asset, facility or structure, the return stroke current will divide up among all parallel conductive paths between attachment point and earth. The division of current will be inversely proportional to the path impedance Z (Z = R + XL, resistance plus inductive reactance). The resis-tance term should be very low, assuming effectively bonded metallic conductors. The inductance and corresponding related inductive reactance presented to the total return current will be determined by the combination of all the individual inductive paths in parallel. The more parallel paths that exist in a bonding and grounding system will equate to lower total impedance.

2.0. Differences between bonding and grounding The terms “bonding” and “grounding” are often employed interchangeably as general terms in the electrical industry to imply or mean that a specifi c piece of electrical equipment, structure or enclosure is somehow referenced to earth. In fact, “bonding” and “grounding” have completely different meanings and employ different electrical installation methodologies.

2.1. Bonding“Bonding” is a method by which all electrically conductive materials and metallic surfaces of equipment and struc-tures, not normally intended to be energized, are effectively interconnected together via a low impedance conductive means and path in order to avoid any appreciable potential difference between any separate points. The bonded inter-connections of any specifi c electrically conductive materials, metallic surfaces of enclosures, electrical equipment, pipes, tubes or structures via a low impedance path are completely independent and unrelated to any intended contact or connection to Earth. For example, airplanes do not have any connection to the planet Earth when they are airborne. However, it is extremely important for the safety and welfare of passengers, crew and aircraft that all metallic parts and structures of an airplane be effectively bonded together. The laboratories and satellites orbiting in space above the planet Earth obviously have no direct connection with the surface of our planet. All conductive surfaces of these orbiting labo-ratories and satellites, though, must be effectively bonded together to avoid differences of potential from being induced across their surfaces from the countless charged particles and magnetic waves traveling through space.

The common way to effectively bond different metallic surfaces of enclosures, electrical equipment, pipes, tubes or structures together is with a copper conductor, rated lugs and appro-priate bolts, fasteners or screws. Other bonding means between different metallic parts and pieces might employ brackets, clamps, exothermic bonds or welds to make effective connections.

In addition to preventing potential differences that may result in hazards, effectively bonded equipment can also be employed to adequately and safely conduct phase-to-ground fault currents, induced currents, surge currents, lightning currents or transient currents during abnormal conditions.

2.2. Grounding“Grounding” is a term used rather exclusively in North America to indicate a direct or indirect connection to the planet Earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the Earth. The connection(s) to Earth can be intentional or unintentional by an assortment of metallic means.

A designated grounding electrode is the device that is intended to establish the direct electrical connection to the Earth. A common designated grounding electrode is often a copper-clad


or copper-fl ashed steel rod. The designated grounding electrode, though, might be a water pipe, steel columns of a building or structure, concrete-encased steel reinforce-ment rods, buried copper bus, copper tubing, galvanized steel rods or semi-conduc-tive neoprene rubber blankets. Gas pipes and aluminum rods cannot be employed as grounding electrodes.

The grounding electrode conductor is a designed conductor used to connect grounding electrode(s) to other equipment grounding conductor(s), grounded conductor(s) and structure (see Fig. 2).



305-591-8935 • www.ludeca.com

WatchVIDEOSOnline

ShaftAlignment

Rotalign® ULTRA

VIBXPERT® II

& GeometricMeasurement

VibrationAnalysis

& Balancing

Easy-to-usesolutions for your

maintenance needs!Sales • Rentals • Services

Fig. 2. A grounding electrode is generally required at separate buildings.

Grounding electrode required at separate buildings

See exception for single-branch circuit that includes an equipment-grounding conductor.

See us at AHR 2011Booth #C1611

Metal underground water pipe in contact with earth for 3.0 m (10 ft) or more

Metal frame electrode of building (Effectively grounded)

Concrete encased electrodes

Ground rod or pipe electrodes Minimum 2.5 m (8 ft) long

Plate electrodes or ring electrodes

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Ludeca&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ludeca.com



2.3. Earthing “Earthing” is a term used in Europe or other countries that employ International Electric Commission (IEC) standards. The term “earthing” in European or IEC countries is synony-mous with the term “grounding” in North America.

3.0. Common issues found with bonding and grounding systems in commercial and industrial power distribution systems

■All utilities (service-entrance ground bus, water lines, gas lines, telephone grounds, cable grounds, metallic sewer lines) are not effectively bonded together and connected to the building’s structural steel.

■All structures are not effectively bonded together.

■EMT conduits with set-screw couplings are employed as the ground-fault return path.

■No grounding bushings are employed.

■Bonding and grounding terminals are improperly installed.

■Bonding and grounding conductors are terminated in the wrong location.

■Bonding and grounding connections are loose.

■Grounding conductors are undersized.

■Mechanical grounding connections are oxidized and reduced.

■Lightning abatement system directs lightning currents into the building via connections to building steel.

■No direct access to external ground grid system is avail-able for inspection or testing.

■The external ground grid system is deteriorated.

■The external grounding system is damaged (or was removed) during subsequent excavation work.

■No external grounding system is installed.

■Damage to an external grounding system could have been caused by previous lightning strike(s).

■Damage to an internal bonding and grounding system could have been caused by direct mechanical force, neglect and/or previous phase-to-ground fault.

■Records of initial ground grid testing do not exist.

■Records of regular inspections and maintenance of grounding systems do not exist.

■Drawings or records detailing the existing grounding system are unavailable.

The real bottom lineWhen designed and implemented correctly, bonding and grounding systems can optimize power distribution, thus allowing the effi cient and reliable delivery of power to a facility’s multiple operating systems, buildings and other operational components. Additionally, a system can be stra-tegically designed to minimize damages and power failure in the event of power outages and emergencies—thus making a well-designed power distribution system of utmost importance to your operations. MT

Frank Waterer is with Schneider Electric’s Power Systems Engi-neering Division. He has over 22 years experience with Square D in various engineering and R&D roles. Waterer’s activities in the area of engineering standards includes having served as chairman of the PES/IEEE Committee responsible for the design, development and installation of all IEEE Standards relating to all surge-protective devices.

By following these principles, you

can help ensure that your power

supplies are as safe, reliable and

effi cient as possible.


Is It Time For An Energy Assessment?

BOOSTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

H

The Motor Decisions Matter (MDM) campaign is managed by the Consortium for Energy Effi ciency (CEE), a North American nonprofi t organiza-tion that promotes energy-saving products, equipment and technologies. For further information, contact MDM staff at [email protected] or (617) 589-3949.

ow long has it been since your operations had an energy assessment by an actual energy professional: one year… two years…never? Taking

a step back, just what is an energy assessment—and is it really worth the trouble?

An energy assessment (sometimes called an “energy audit”) provides a better understanding of how energy is used throughout your facility and identifi es opportunities for energy savings. It may take the form of a walk-through of your operations to identify specifi c opportunities, or it may involve detailed measurement and analysis of specifi c processes and systems.

There are often many energy-saving opportuni-ties at a facility, from “quick wins,” repairs and tune-ups that involve minimal disruptions to equipment and processes, to more signifi cant upgrades and process improvements. In the case of motor-driven systems, an energy audit may reveal ineffi cient or improperly sized motors, variable frequency drive (VFD) retrofi t opportunities, process changes that reduce motor speed or duty and other repair and optimization opportunities.

Is an energy assessment worth the time and money? If improving plant effi ciency and reducing operating costs is a core strategy at your facility, then investing in an energy audit is well worth the effort. A skilled professional can help identify numerous and, sometimes, hard-to-spot opportunities, as well as help quantify potential energy savings and payback period for identifi ed changes. Energy audits may also lead to intangible benefi ts—such as increasing your team’s awareness of how energy impacts the bottom line.

Getting startedTo get started, collect your most recent motor inventory data, system schematic, motor test results and (if applicable) previous audit results. If these resources are not readily available, begin by taking a basic motor inventory, including motor nameplate data, estimated operating hours and the electric costs to operate your facility.

Next, contact a qualifi ed energy assessor. Your local utility may offer an assess-ment program or provide a list of licensed energy service providers in your area. The U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Tech-nologies Program (ITP) offers audit assistance to qualifi ed plants.[1] The MDM Website [2] has links to system optimization, resources from local utilities and plant energy-management resources. Before committing to an audit, know up front what the approximate time and cost will be and the typical improvements and evaluation criteria that are recommended for your type of facility. Review case studies and references. Be prepared to put together an implementation plan and take action based on the assessment results.

Regularly monitoring motor energy consump-tion, making motor-system effi ciency improve-ments and tracking improvement over time are key components to sound motor management. Performing an energy assessment is a big step toward identifying savings opportunities, estab-lishing savings goals and—very important—achieving results! MT

References1. ITP Best Practices Plant Assessments, www.eere.energy.gov/industry/bestpractices/plant_assessments.html2. www.motorsmatter.org/resources/index.asp


JANUARY 2011 MT-ONLINE .COM | 23


ONTORoad

THE

Rockwell Automation: Clocking In For A Greener Tomorrow

Rick Carter Executive Editor

Sustainability has become a key part of this venerable company’s corporate strategy and its holistic solutions for customers.

Time is of the essence on this crucial journey…


Don’t be confused by the last sentence. While corporate-leadership statements like this are sometimes used as a caveat to temper expectations, that’s not the case here. Nosbusch’s comments preface an engaging, positive-result overview of this 107-year-old industrial giant’s efforts to tap new effi ciencies for itself and its customers through a mission-changing commitment to safe, sustainable manufacturing practices. Rockwell Automation has embraced sustainability for the long run, and the best evidence may be its own headquarters facility.

The green roofFly, drive, train, bike or walk into Milwaukee and you can’t miss the company’s main headquarters building on South Second Street. Its 280-ft. clock tower, which features the one-time Guinness-certifi ed largest four-faced clock in the world, overlooks the city’s South Side skyline. Built in 1962, the tower and large, international-style building that supports it were once Allen-Bradley’s world headquarters. Today, the

Rockwell Automation name is prominently displayed on the structure—although it no longer houses manufacturing opera-tions, it looks as if it still could. Many of the massive industrial buildings on this 80-acre campus appear unchanged from an era when manufacturing was king.

Unchanged, that is, until you reach the ninth fl oor of the clock-tower building. There, from a glass-lined hallway, the view opens to include a decidedly non-industrial expanse of green that covers a large portion of an adjoining fl at roof all the way to the building’s edge. The green itself is alive with various species of sedum, the low, tough succulent plant that’s favored for use in hot, dry areas, making it perfect for today’s green roofs. The idea of putting 48,500 sq. ft. of it on the 71,000-sq.-ft. roof was to cut building energy and maintenance costs, and to reduce water runoff. Completed in October 2010—at a cost of just over $1 million—the green roof is Rockwell Automation’s latest, and perhaps most visible example of the company’s sustainability mission in action or, as those behind the effort call it, the company’s ability to “walk the talk.”

“We really see that the mission of our company is to make the world more effi cient and productive,” says Majo Thurman, director, safety and environmental, echoing Nosbusch. “This is our defi nition of sustainability.” She explains that a “fundamental switch” in corporate philosophy occurred three years ago “when we really looked at how our products could help our customers become sustainable. But it’s the external messages,” she notes, “that really help from an internal point of view. Our senior leadership now invests more internally to make sure we’re doing those same prac-tices in-house. You can see how our leadership has embraced sustainability.”

The green roof was not a slam-dunk. An earlier effort failed because “we couldn’t make the numbers work,” says Thurman. It took a city grant that covered 80% of the cost for Rockwell Automation leadership to green-light the project. The money came from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for the roof ’s projected ability to offset 1.3 million gallons of stormwater per year. Because grant rules required the company to pay for the project up front,

project. The money came from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for the roof ’s projected ability to offset 1.3 million gallons of stormwater per year. Because grant rules required the company to pay for the project up front,

Rockwell Automation president Keith Nosbusch opened the company’s 2009 Corporate

Responsibility Report, titled “Smart, Safe and Sustainable Manufacturing,” with the

following observation: “Our mission is to improve the standard of living for everyone

by making the world more productive and sustainable. That’s what we do every day.”

Diffi cult times, he added, had changed this well-known provider of automated and power solu-

tions into “a very different company” than what it had been the year before.

Selected Sustainable Gains at Rockwell Automation, 2009

Compared with 2008, Rockwell’s 55 manufacturing and core locations:

Used 15% less electricity

Used 4% less natural gas

Decreased direct and indirect CO2 emissions by 12%

Reduced solid waste generation by nearly 30% and recycled or reclaimed 80% of that solid waste

Source: Rockwell Automation Corporate Responsibility Report, 2009.


then seek reimbursement, “it was still a cash-fl ow challenge,” says Thurman, who acknowledges that projects of this size are not for everybody. “But most states or utilities have a program to help identify and fund energy-effi ciency proj-ects,” she adds, “so it really helps to get to know the people who have the grant money.”

For Rockwell Automation, which had begun preaching sustainability worldwide for itself and its customers, the roof project made sense as both a symbol of its commitment to sustainability and for its practical potential to reduce facility costs. While the reduced-stormwater benefi t only helps the city, the roof will do as much or more for the company. “We estimate the green roof will require us to do one less reroofi ng, which costs about $800,000,” Thurman reports. “That would have been 20 years out. Now we shouldn’t have to reroof for 40 years, so we undid one whole cycle.”

Its green roof was also expected to save the corporation about $50,000 annually in energy costs—though this could not be quantifi ed until it actually was in place. To measure possible savings, sensors were installed on the new roof to record temperature and other environmental characteristics. These readings will tell the company how and when changes

in the building’s energy use can be attributed to the roof ’s insulating qualities. According to Thurman, for compa-nies of Rockwell Automation’s size, $50,000 in potential savings isn’t enough on its own to justify such a project—but every little bit helps. As she puts it, “We’re looking at every little pocket we can.”

The green method Looking at every little pocket is a key part of Rockwell Automation’s Industrial GreenPrint Methodology™, a sustainability initiative unveiled in its entirety in November 2010. As much an overarching framework for achieving industrial energy effi ciency as a platform for Rockwell prod-ucts and services, Industrial GreenPrint “helps companies view energy as a resource to be managed versus simply an unavoidable overhead cost,” according to the company’s 2009 report. “Our goal,” it continues, “is to transform manu-facturers from passive energy users into strategic managers of their energy resources.” While the company makes equipment and software that can save or measure energy, the Industrial GreenPrint effort is not built exclusively around technology. As with most manufacturing initiatives,

ONTORoad

THE

Majo Thurman, director, safety and environmental, stands on the green roof at Rockwell Automation’s Milwaukee, WI, headquarters, beneath the corpora-tion’s landmark clock tower. Over time, the hearty sedum plantings (shown in the inset) that cover 48,500-sq.-ft. of roof surface are expected to help generate signifi cant savings in a number of areas.


As with most manufacturing initiatives, successful stainability efforts

at Rockwell Automation and elsewhere depend in large part

on the ability of employees to grasp key concepts.

As with most manufacturing initiatives, successful stainability efforts

at Rockwell Automation and elsewhere depend in large part

on the ability of employees to grasp key concepts.

successful sustainability efforts at Rockwell Automation—and elsewhere—depend in large part on the ability of employees to grasp key concepts.

“We’ve been doing a lot of education on simple things like turning out the lights,” says Thurman. “We have light sensors in many of our offi ces, for example, but where we don’t, it must become behavioral.” She notes that other simple pursuits have included reprogramming electrical systems to not ramp up on holidays when most workers are not present. Rockwell Automation software and monitoring equipment had long provided this type of 24/7 usage data across the company, but, in Thurman’s words, “it took a new perspective to react to it in a sustainable way.”

For many behavior-based sustainable tasks like these, a little training or encouragement can be enough to make a difference. Others may need little more than common-sense engineering decisions, such as those involving equip-ment reductions. Thurman points to the fact that much of the company’s sustainable-related savings “have come from downsizing equipment to meet current demands.” For example, the corporation’s energy costs in Milwaukee dropped dramatically when compressors and transformers were downsized as the headquarters buildings transitioned away from manufacturing activities toward corporate, engi-neering and marketing functions.

For projects requiring investment (i.e., green roofs), it’s usually necessary to build a saving-based case for implemen-tation. “They must show profi t as the fi rst step,” says Phil Kaufman, business manager for industrial energy manage-ment. It’s a case made through measurement.

“Most manufacturers are already measuring a variety of things for whatever they manufacture,” Kaufman says, “but probably for regulatory reasons or recipe optimization, not consumption purposes. So we say, leverage what you already have in sensors and bring that to where we can tie energy usage to manufacturing output.” He adds this should involve all aspects of manufacturing: production, maintenance, engineering, facilities management, safety and health.

This can also be where things get more complicated, and where expertise like Rockwell Automation’s can help make sustainable sense of the numbers. Kaufman fi nds that many customers “collect data, but don’t know what it’s telling them.” One of the biggest hurdles is getting manufacturers to look at real-time energy pricing. “People ignore their electrical bill. You need to translate into dollars what those numbers tell you and show what that means. Don’t just pay a bill every month,” says Kaufman. “Know where your energy is being consumed, and manage it as if it was a raw material.”

Kaufman notes that Rockwell Automation software can be used to create energy signatures that help improve asset performance and lead to “an energy roadmap that gets you to where you’re managing energy against production output, and becoming as effi cient as possible. Once you have that information,” he says, “we start talking about Industrial GreenPrint: Get the drives in place. Get the motor-overload relays in place that have sensing capabilities. Get circuit breakers with sensing capabilities. Get these things where appropriate, virtualize where you don’t think it’s appropriate and understand where your accuracy lies.”

ONTORoad

THE

Case in Point: Sustainability Simplifi edTechnicians at Rockwell Automation’s high-current test lab in Milwaukee recently took a giant leap toward sustainability simply by changing their daily routine. “We continually track what we consume in our peak energy periods, and have found a lot of things that go on during peak, which creates a huge spike,” notes Phil Kaufman, business manager for industrial energy management. At the test lab, a 12-hour demand schedule would begin each day just after 10:00 a.m., “when the price is the highest,” says Kaufman. He noticed, though, that the lab’s energy use spiked each morning at 10:15, the time technicians turned on their equipment and set up for the day. When Kaufman told the technicians they could reduce energy costs if they turned on their equipment just 30 minutes earlier, they gladly complied. “And when we reworked the numbers,” he says, “the savings was $90,000 a year, just by moving them ahead a half hour.”

Recognizing where the accuracy lies can hinge on the proper interpretation of details, such as knowing the difference between effi ciency and economy. Kaufman tells of a customer who managed a bank of eight chillers, some powered by steam, some by electricity. “They always picked the most effi cient chillers to run,” he says, “but not always the most economical.” His distinction acknowledges a variable in the equation: real-time energy costs. In this case, regardless of which chiller units ran most effi ciently, he says, it was the cost of energy at the time of use that determined the system’s true economy. When this customer needed to run more than two chillers at a time and mix energy sources, says Kaufman, “they didn’t know what they were doing, based on real-time pricing. We put in a solution that fi gured the total economic cost and saved them about $3 million per year, just by picking the right piece of equipment at the right time. Real-time pricing combined with the effi ciency of the equipment,” he says, “changes your entire picture.”

To greener days There are many ideas for new sustainability projects on Thurman’s wish list for the headquarters complex and Rockwell Automation’s 27 global manufacturing sites, including solar. Not all of them come from her, Kaufman or their staffs. “Everybody wants to get involved,” says Kaufman. “In the last two years, we’ve had people coming to us asking how they can help. Before, they didn’t have time for you. It’s refreshing.”

Much of the forward-thinking momentum comes from the company’s employee-led Sustainability Task Force. With 80 members (located mostly at the company’s large Milwaukee and Cleveland sites), the force is about the employees having their own good ideas and implementing them within their sphere of infl uence. Self-governed and all-volunteer, the group advances sustainability in unique ways, including one that convinced suppliers to switch to paperless billing.

The company is also taking steps to reduce its worldwide carbon footprint, and to make sustainable-performance metrics broadly visible “so we can start to see baselines,” says Kaufman. The visualization effort involves making sustainability data “more available in our Web interfaces and in the plants as part of the Rockwell Automation Production System,” explains Thurman. The goal is to have the system scorecards that now include traditional manufac-turing measurements “also show other measures like energy effi ciency and safety on that same screen to engage our employees and get them to help bring the numbers down,” she says. “We’re working to manage that data so we can get it back out in a timely fashion.”

Thurman’s only regret so far is not being able to react to all the good sustain-able ideas that come in. Kaufman agrees: “We’re too small a group to handle all of them.” But, he refl ects, Rockwell Automation has always been about improving effi ciencies for manufacturers and its own facilities—using its own products and systems. The difference now? “Scarcities and regulations have really started people thinking about consumption more than any other time in history, and we’ve looked hard at how we can rely on what we have to do this. In just the last two years,” he notes, “we created a real path to sustainability. Now we have to keep working it.” MT

ONTORoad Sustainability

THE


EXAIR’s new High Temperature Air Amplifi er offers a simple, low-cost way to move high

volumes of hot air to surfaces requiring uniform heating while in a furnace or oven. Amplifying airfl ow up to 18:1 at outlet, it’s most effi cient for pushing high volumes of hot air to points that typically remain cool. With no impellers or moving parts to wear out, it’s rated for environments (even corrosive ones) up to 700 F (374 C). The unit’s surface is protected by a mil-spec coating process (developed for the aircraft industry) that allows for easy disassembly or cleaning. Effi ciency is high; the sound level is low (at only 72 dba). Applications include directing hot air to mold cavities for uniform wall thickness of plastic parts, exhausting smoke and fumes, distributing heat in ovens or molds and sampling fl ue gases. The High Temperature Air Amplifi er is constructed of type 303 Stainless Steel and available in 1-1/4” (32mm) diameter only. Prices start at $359.

High-TemperatureAir Amplifi er ForMoving Hot Air


Green

EXAIR Corp.Cincinnati, OHwww.EXAIR.com

GadgetsSPO

NSO

RED IN

FORM

ATION


RELIABILITYTHE

F I L E SRELIABILITYF I L E S

Volume 1 Number 1

M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY®


Sponsored Section

30 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY Sponsored Information THE RELIABILITY FILES / JANUARY 2011

RELIABILITYTHE

F I L E S M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY®


ProblemWorkplace electrical safety has found its way into every facet of our electrical world. Maintenance departments strug-gle to keep equipment running while staying compliant with NFPA 70E/CSA Z462 standards. As a result, they look for smarter, safer and more productive ways to keep machines operational. Enter thru-door voltage detection.

SolutionKeeping personnel away from live voltage is foundational to electrical safety. More important, electrical safety demands a precise answer to the question, “Is there voltage?” Thru-panel voltage detectors go a long way in providing the crucial fi rst answer to this overarching question, while a voltmeter provides personnel with a second, redundant answer. Thru-door voltage detectors provide much needed “visibility” of voltage from outside the enclosure without exposing personnel to the hazard. Not surprisingly, companies using thru-panel voltage detection on their equipment have found this concept to be overwhelmingly embraced by all levels of maintenance and reliability professionals.

Here are two key benefi ts offered by thru-door voltage detection. More benefi ts can be found at info.graceport.com/mt1:

Increased Productivity and Safety with Mechanical LOTO… Workers must isolate electrical energy when performing mechanical LOTO (lockout/tagout) procedures. Externally mounted voltage detectors provide a means of checking voltage inside an electrical panel safely—from outside the panel. Without them, a mechanic performing mechanical LOTO would be required to work in tandem with an electrician, who, using a voltmeter

would physically verify voltage inside an electrical panel. In this case, the electri-cian is exposed to voltage. With thru-door voltage detectors, the mechanic can single-handedly check for zero electrical energy without any exposure to voltage.

Reduced Voltage Exposure and Arc Flash Risk with Electrical LOTO…Voltage is the common denominator in an electrical accident or an arc fl ash.

No voltage means no accident, no arc fl ash. Electricians performing electrical LOTO with an installed thru-panel voltage detector reduce their own risk because they are able to pre-check the internal voltage state without opening the enclo-sure. Next, they open the panel to replicate a zero energy reading with their voltmeter as per NFPA 70E 120.1.(5). Because of the lessened risk of voltage exposure with an installed thru-panel voltage detector, some conclude that once the panel is open, the need for personal protection equipment (PPE) is also reduced. Whether or not you agree with this, voltage detectors remain a low-cost, redundant voltage verifi cation tool that reduces arc-fl ash risk, increases safety and enhances productivity—all for an installed cost of $150.

Return On InvestmentThose who work in the automa-tion world need electrical safety. NFPA 70E and CSA Z462 are vital elements in providing safe work envi-

ronments. Before thru-door voltage checking, companies had to sacrifi ce productivity for the sake of safety. Now, by incorporating thru-panel voltage detectors, employees working

on machines can do so with confi dence.

Philip Allen is president of Grace Engineered Products.

He believes increased electrical safety and productivity are natural byproducts when exposure to voltage is reduced or eliminated. For more information on thru-panel voltage detection, please visit info.graceport.com/mt1.

Grace Engineered ProductsDavenport, IA

would physically verify voltage inside an

ronments. Before thru-door voltage checking, companies had to sacrifi ce productivity for the sake of safety. Now, by incorporating thru-panel voltage detectors, employees working

on machines can do so with confi dence.

Grace Engineered Products. He believes increased electrical safety


Thru-Panel Voltage DetectionMakes Sense With NFPA 70E & CSA Z462

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=graceport&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Finfo.graceport.com%2Fmt1

"The Thru-Door Electrical Safety People"info.graceport.com/mt1

800.280.9517

Increase Safety WhileEnhancing EmployeeProductivity!

No-touch voltageportal makes warning

labels interactive!

Thru-Panel Voltage DetectionMake Sense with NFPA 70E and CSA Z462

LISTED

L®C US

UL TYPE 4X

IND. CONT. EQ. 496Y

UL File: E256847

™

LISTED 3JZC

L®C US

UL TYPE 4, 4X, 12

40-750VAC / 30-1000VDCPotted Construction w/ 6’ Lead3-phase and ground

600 Volt Rated (AC)UL Type 4X Construction

Integral 6’ Lead Wire

Features Features

This down-sizing

is getting ridiculous.

Part Number: P-R1A0033W-NPLPH

GRACE E N G I N E E R E DPRODUCTS,INC



32 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY Sponsored Information THE RELIABILITY FILES / JANUARY 2011

RELIABILITYTHE

F I L E S M A I N T E N A N C E

TECHNOLOGY®


ProblemEvery minute of downtime is costly, so open fuses must be found and replaced quickly. The process includes tracing down the open circuit, donning PPE (personal protective equipment) and testing to pinpoint the open fuse. Workers might well wish an open fuse could talk and tell them where it is located. Well, now it can.

SolutionFuses and fuse holders are now avail-able that can tell operators that they have opened, increasing safety and reducing downtime—which in some industries can cost more than $50,000 per minute. Fuse indication is accom-plished in three different ways: on the body of the fuse, on the fuse holder and remotely by communicating with other systems.

#1. Indicating fuses…The simplest way to know which fuse is open is to use indicating fuses on which a darkened indicator window on the side of the fuse provides instant visual identifi cation of a down circuit. By clearly showing whether the fuse is open or not, indicator fuses minimize the hazards of poking around an ener-gized circuit panel to locate the open fuse. Operators can test the circuit, replace the fuse and get equipment running quickly and safely.

#2. Indicating fuse holders…Indicating fuse holders that indicate an open fuse with a light have been recently introduced. In a dark electrical panel, a bright red neon light on the fuse holder provides an obvious reminder that power is still on, as well as a time-

saving notifi cation of which fuse is open. An indicating fuse holder may be used with indicating fuses that will confi rm which fuse needs to be replaced.

#3. Remote indica-tion technology… The third way for you to begin a dialog with your fuses is through remote indi-cation fuse holders. Far simpler than sys-tems that requireproprietary network protocols, a remote indicating fuse holder communicates fuse status with a signal that may be wired into any existing PLC or plant monitoring system. A PLC or system may be programmed to alarm in various ways, such as a stack light, audible alarm or text message. If the user programs the PLC with specifi cs about the fuse, additional information such as fuse type, part number, necessary PPE and where replacement fuses are located can be communicated.

In this way, the maintenance worker has all the information he/she needs to handle the problem in one trip. There’s no need to walk around the plant just to fi nd the problem—workers can bring new fuses and correct PPE with them, thus avoiding extra costly trips back to the storeroom.

Estimates are that remote indica-tion can cut a 52-minute process down to 16 minutes. Remote monitoring

throughout the manufacturing envi-ronment saves time for lean staffs and improves the uptime of offi cial loads via immediate detection and notifi ca-tion of problems.

Return On InvestmentIn this economy, the focus has shifted from expensive, time-consuming pro-jects to fi nding low-cost ways to cut downtime. Indicating fuses and fuse holders provide three easy ways to achieve this goal. Don’t look at them as mere components. Think of them as important partners on your journey to electrical safety and uptime.

For more information on indicating fuses and fuse holders, please visit www.littelfuse.com.

LittelfuseChicago, ILFor more info, enter 261 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

3 Low-Cost Ways To Cut Downtime By Using Fuse Indication

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=littlelfuse&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.littelfuse.com

JANUARY 2011 / THE RELIABILITY FILES MT-ONLINE.COM | 33

www.littelfuse.com/fuseblocks


KNOW WHERE TO START TROUBLESHOOTING

Indication of Forward Thinking

DIN-Rail Mounting Eases Installation

Smaller Footprint & Drop-InReplacement Holes Enables Upgrade

Indication Improves FunctionalityIntroducing LF Series Fuseblocks

Increase efficiency and troubleshoot faster, reduce downtime and improve your bottom line. Littelfuse indicating fuseblocks allow you to instantly know which circuit is open.

Save time in new installations or upgrades by utilizing the DIN-Rail mount/release feature or universal mounting holes that allow for drop-in replacements. Improved functionality makes the new Littelfuse LF Series fuseblocks a real time-saver in your facility.

LF Series Fuseblocks meet your needs for safety, efficiency, and design.

Now that’s what we call forward thinking.

LF_AD_Maintenance_Technology_v5.indd 1 10/5/10 5:25:38 PM

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=littelfuse&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.littelfuse.com%2Ffuseblocks

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

Abroad swath of industrial offerings are grouped under the umbrella of “maintenance management,” many of which involve outside (or contract) providers. They include training and professional development, engineering

and consulting services and equipment-repair and overhaul services, among others.* The importance of these to industrial enterprise has grown signifi cantly for two big reasons: (1)The skilled-labor shortage has driven the demand for training. (2)The recent economic slump has driven the demand for consultants—who can improve effi ciencies—and for contract (or outsourced) operations—that can help smaller staffs maintain equipment and facilities.

Though manufacturing enters 2011 in a period of upswing, these trends are unlikely to subside. Rising energy costs alone will keep U.S. industry on an effi ciency learning curve, reinforcing its need for the professionals and the tech-nology that can help companies maximize energy dollars. But the most signifi -cant driver in this category is the one-two punch delivered by vast numbers of retiring Baby Boomers, coupled with low numbers of younger, trained replace-ments. This “perfect storm” topic has dominated industrial circles for years, including having been discussed in numerous articles in this magazine. While efforts are underway to address it, no single, effective broad-based solution has emerged. In one recent survey of 700 global companies, more than half of respon-dents (51%) said they believe that problems resulting from the ongoing loss of talent could hinder growth. Another indicates that this yawning “job gap”—the difference between the number of available, qualifi ed workers and the number of open jobs—will continue to widen, creating as many as 5.7 million “vacant” jobs by 2018. Organizations confronted with this dilemma have created their own solu-tions, using combinations of outside training and development help, software that enables better transition of tribal knowledge and outreach efforts involving community colleges and other local connections. Interestingly, the burgeoning workforce crisis is not confi ned to one industrial area—it affects all levels of expertise. It’s also not confi ned to the U.S.

All of these trends are expected to benefi t the contract (outsourced) services sector. Most maintenance and reliability professionals have contracted for (or outsourced) something over the course of their careers, and surveys place the current overall percentage of manufacturing-related outsourcing at about 40% and growing. Given the vast number of creative, fl exible contract or outsourced options available to plants and facilities—and the worsening workforce constraints under which they’re trying to operate—this is probably right on track.

Rick Carter, Executive Editor

*Defi nition determined by Maintenance Technology editorial staff.

For more info, enter 00 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 70 at www.MT-freeinfo.com


Maintenance Management

Looking at trends in products

and services in the area of...

...What’s up?

Arc Flash Protection& Electrical Safety

70E

• Live, Instructor Led Training

• Identify Electrical Hazards

• Safety Related Work Practices

• MaintenanceRequirements

• Call or Visit for a Complete Schedule

www.AmericanTrainco.com1-877-978-7246

Creating a Better, Safer and More Ef cient Maintenance Workforce

Public Seminarsor Training at Your Facility

InfoSightChillicothe, OH Ph: 740.642.3600

www.infosight.com

According to InfoSight, its PERMALABEL® is the most durable on-demand barcodeable metal identifi cation label (metal tag) in the industry. Ultra-abrasion resistance, high-temperature survivability and an ability to withstand rough handling and high-pressure hot chemical washes are just a few of the benefi ts offered by these products. Made from anodized aluminum, they can be attached via adhesives, riveting, nailing, etc. InfoSight’s KE28xx and LabeLase® printers can image 1D or 2D barcodes, man-readable numbering and lettering, even company logos onto these labels in real time.

Scuff-Proof Metal ID Tags


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=American+Trainco&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.americantrainco.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=infosight&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.infosight.com

TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

“OFF”Button

www.meltric.com • 800.433.7642

UL Switch rated plugs and receptaclesenable quick motor connection anddisconnection. Safety features protectfrom electrical hazards and maintain NFPA70E hazard risk category 0. Operates as“line of sight” motor disconnect.

Also an ideal Welding Receptacle


For more info, enter 73 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 72 at www.MT-freeinfo.com



What’s Up With February’s Technology Showcase?

We Look At Trends In The Area Of

LUBRICATION

IA, MT, NE, ND, SD, WY, AB, MB, SK

ARTHUR L. RICE847-382-8100 x106; Fax 847-304-8603

[email protected]

AR, AZ, CA,* CO, KS, NV, NM, OK, UTJERRY PRESTON

480-396-9585 [email protected]

IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, OR, TX, WA,WI, BC

TOM MADDING847-382-8100 x108; Fax 847-304-8603

[email protected]

CT, ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT, ON, QC VINCENT LeGENDRE

508-428-3331; Fax [email protected]

AL, SoCA,** DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, PA, SC, VA, WV

JIM HANLEY610-793-3093; Fax 610-793-3094

[email protected]

OH, KY, TNJOHN DAVIS

440-463-0907; Fax [email protected]

* CA (from LA – North)**SoCA (from Orange County – South)

Calling All Advertisers!

Want to see your products and/or services featured here?

Please contact your ad rep:

Specializing InMachinery Health Personnel

PM & PdM Field Service • Mgt • Sales • Hrly Nationwide • Confi dential • All Fees Company Paid

www.lineal.com [email protected]

TOLL FREE 877-386-1091Se Habla Espanol

MSE of Canada Ltd.Your Choice For Early-Warning

Insulation Fault Detectors*Can you predict motor failures weeks in advance? We can. Let us show you how. One of our newest products, the MHV-H 13800 insu-lation monitor, is designed to provide the safe monitoring of electrical insulation integrity in medium voltage motors to 13.8kV.

• Max. line voltage 13.8kV with Intermediate Resistor Block (IRB 13800) on the left, and 7.2kV with IRB 7200 on the right.

• IRB confi guration allows safe operation, even in emergency situations such as phase loss (current limited by the high impedance to a maximum of 1.4 milliamperes, i.e. 28% of the mandated GFCI trip level).

• Test voltage 400V DC, current limited for personnel safety.

• Alarm range up to 100 Megohm; built-in vacuum contactor rated; surge capacitor discharge delay; remote alarm and reset features.

*Our MotoSafe™ and FailSafe™ insulation moni-toring technologies are proven and used by major industries and navies around the world.


MSE of Canada Ltd. Concord, ON

Ph: 905.738.3744www.msegroup.net



http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=www.faciliworks.com&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faciliworks.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=meltric&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.meltric.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=mse&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msegroup.net

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=lineal&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lineal.com


CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE

For more info, enter 30 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 31 at www.MT-freeinfo.com For more info, enter 32 at www.MT-freeinfo.com


Quick-Disconnect Safety Cables

Breakaway safety cables from IMI Sensors help protect technicians and equipment during route-

based vibration monitoring by quickly disconnecting if a sensor or analyzer cable becomes accidentally entangled. Designed to withstand harsh environments, they feature EMI/RFI shielding and multiple connector confi gurations, including two-pin MIL style, BNC plugs or jacks that are compatible with most major data-collector manufacturers.

IMI SensorsA division of PCB Piezotronics, Inc.Depew, NY

Updated Equipment Safety-System Software

Version 2.1.1 of Invensys Opera-tions Management’s Triconex® Trident™ safety system has two

new input modules that enhance worker safety, reduce downtime and deliver more accurate trip analysis in power and turbomachinery applica-tions. One module enables faster response to unsafe equipment condi-tions; the other optimizes trip data analysis to prevent future upsets.

Invensys Plano, TX

Reliable CO Gas Sensor

With its extended calibration frequencies, Sierra Monitor’s Model 5100-04-IT Carbon

Monoxide Gas Sensor Module requires non-intrusive, one-person calibration no more than every six months. SIL-2 Certifi ed for long-term reliability, this network-enabled instrument features a choice or combination of outputs including 4-20 mA; Serial RS-485 Modbus RTU interface; SMC Sentry digital bus interface; or optional 8-amp integral alarm/warning relays plus 2-amp trouble alarm relay.

Sierra Monitor Corp.Milpitas, CA

For more info, enter 77 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 77 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 77 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 74 at www.MT-freeinfo.comFor more info, enter 76 at www.MT-freeinfo.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=PIP&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pip.org

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Engtech&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.engtechindustries.com


CAPACITY ASSURANCE MARKETPLACE



Interactive Online Lockout/Tagout Training

Summit’s online “Lockout/Tagout: Control The Energy” training covers de-energizing

and restoring equipment to ser-vice, planning, safety measures and more. The company’s online offerings are multimedia presen-tations that combine expert content with video, animations, audio and interactivity.

Summit Training SourceGrand Rapids, MI



Strong, Disposable Nitrile Gloves

According to Magid, its ambidextrous, powder-free and latex-free 5-mil.

EconoWear® T9330 Dispos-able Nitrile Gloves provide better resistance to punctures, abrasions and chemicals than disposable vinyl or latex gloves. Available in sizes XS-XXL, they’re packed 100 per dis-penser, with 20 dispensers in a carton.

Magid Glove & SafetyChicago, IL

Additions ToMachine-Safety Line

Elobau’s machine-safety line now includes solenoid interlocks, emergency stop buttons and standstill monitors that

complement the company’s safety sensors and control units for applications up to SIL 3 and PLe. Safety sensors in SS housings for food processing applications also are available.

Elobau Sensor Technology, Inc.Gurnee, IL

Additions To

www.TheMotorSpecialist.com

For your industrialmotor information.


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Strategic+Work+Systems&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.swspitcrew.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=motor+specialist&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themotorspecialist.com

For rate information on advertising in the Information Highway Section Contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at: Phone: (480) 396-9585 / E-mail: [email protected]

INFORMATION HIGHWAY

CLASSIFIED


PIP is a consortium of process plant owners and engineering construction contractors harmonizing member’s internal standards for design, procurement, construction, and maintenance into industry-wide Practices. PIP has published over 450 Practices. A current listing of published Practices is available on the PIP website at: http://pip.org/practices/index.asp.

For more info, enter 81 at www.MT-freeinfo.comwww.pip.org

For rate information on advertising in the Classifi ed Section Contact your Sales Rep or JERRY PRESTON at:

Phone: (480) 396-9585 e-mail: [email protected]

ATP List Services

www.atplists.comContact: Ellen Sandkam

847-382-8100 x110 800-223-3423 x110

[email protected] [email protected]

1300 S. Grove Ave., Suite 105, Barrington, IL 60010

Customized, Targeted Lists

For Your Marketing Needs

RENEWIn order for us to send

to you FREE, we are required by the US Post Offi ce to have a

completed and signed renewal form once a year.

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

RENEWIn order for us to send

to you FREE,we are required by the US Post Offi ce to have a

completed and signed renewal form once a year.

MMAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY

You may renew online at

www.mt-online.com

For more info, enter 82 at www.MT-freeinfo.comwww.ludeca.com

LUDECA, INC. - Preventive, Predictive and Corrective Maintenance Solutions including laser shaft alignment, pulley alignment, bore alignment, straightness and fl at-ness measurement, monitoring of thermal growth, online condition monitoring, vibration analysis and balancing equipment as well as software, services and training.

OFF ButtonProvides push buttoncircuit disconnections

Arc Flash ChambersPrevent Exposure toArc Flash

Safety ShutterSimplifies NFPA 70Ecompliance

www.meltric.com • 800.433.7642

Minimum need for PPE whenconnecting and disconnectingelectrical equipment.

Specializing InMachinery Health Personnel

PM & PdM Field Service • Mgt • Sales • Hrly

Nationwide • Confi dential • All Fees Company Paid

TOLL FREE 877-386-1091www.lineal.com [email protected]

Web Spotlight: MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

For more info, enter 80 at www.MT-freeinfo.comwww.MT-online.com

Online home of Maintenance Technology magazine, the dynamic MT-online.com portal serves the critical technical, business and professional-development needs of engineers, managers and technicians from across all industrial, institutional and commercial sectors who have specifi c interest in and responsibility for the availability, energy ef-fi ciency, safety and environmental integrity of countless equipment systems and processes-and, thus, the viability and profi tability of their organizations. The goal of MT-online.com is quite simple: to help plants and facilities leverage their increasingly precious time and resources and achieve best-of-class/world-class status via state-of-the-art asset management strategies, technologies and methodologies.

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=mt+online&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mt-online.com




http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=mt+online&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mt-online.com


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=atp+lists&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atplists.com

MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY/JANUARY 2007 87

ARTHUR L. RICEPresident/CEO

[email protected]

MADDINGVice President

[email protected]

BILL KIESELVice President, [email protected]

Business Staff

TERRI WYMOREDirector of Creative Services/Production

[email protected]

ELLEN SANDKAMDirect Mail

[email protected]

Sales Staff

AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA,MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE,

OK, SC, SD, TX, WI, Ontario Canada1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105

Barrington, IL 60010847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603

BILL [email protected]

KY, OH, TN135 N. Rocky River Road

Berea, OH 44017440-463-0907; Fax 440-891-1254

JOHN [email protected]

AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR,UT, WA,WY, British Columbia Canada

1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105Barrington, IL 60010

847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603TOM MADDING

[email protected]

CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY,PA, RI, VA, VT, WV, Quebec Canada,

Space Age, 225 Fuller StreetBrookline, MA 02446

617-232-2000; Fax 617-232-2951VINCE CAVASENO

[email protected]

Classified Advertising/Electronic Sales:1300 South Grove Avenue, Suite 105

Barrington, IL 60010847-382-8100; Fax 847-304-8603

TRACY [email protected]

20TECHNOLOGYM A I N T E N A N C E

®

YEARSYEARS1300 S. Grove Ave., Suite 105,

Barrington, IL 60010847-382-8100

FAX 847-304-8603

Index January 2011 • Volume 24, No. 1

ADVERTISER WEB RS # PAGE #




PH 847-382-8100 FX 847-304-8603

SALES STAFF

Access MT-freeinfo.com and enter the reader service number of the product in which

you are interested, or you can search even deeper and link directly to the advertiser’s Website.

Submissions Policy: M T gladly welcomes submissions. By sending us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technology Publications, Inc., permission, by an irre-vocable license, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned.

Reproduction of Materials: Materials produced by Maintenance Technology may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without permission. For Reprints: Contact the publisher, Bill Kiesel - (847) 382-8100 ext. 116.


IA, MT, NE, ND, SD, WY, AB, MB, SK


847-382-8100 x106; Fax 847-304-8603ARTHUR L. RICE

[email protected]

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING3629 N.Sonoran Heights

Mesa, AZ 85207480-396-9585

JERRY [email protected]

AR, AZ, CA,* CO, KS, NV, NM, OK, UT3629 N.Sonoran Heights

Mesa, AZ 85207480-396-9585

JERRY [email protected]

IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, OR, TX, WA,WI, BC


847-382-8100 x108; Fax 847-304-8603TOM MADDING

[email protected]

CT, ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT, ON, QC P.O. Box 1059

Osterville, MA 02655508-428-3331; Fax 508-428-2545

VINCENT [email protected]

AL, SoCA,** DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, PA, SC, VA, WV

1750 Holmes DriveWest Chester, PA 19382

610-793-3093; Fax 610-793-3094JIM HANLEY

[email protected]

OH, KY, TN135 N. Rocky River Road

Berea, OH 44017440-463-0907; Fax 440-891-1254

JOHN [email protected]

* CA (from LA – North)**SoCA (from Orange County – South)


®YEARS


®YEARS

American Trainco ................................www.americantrainco.com ....................70 ...................................34

Baldor Electric Company ...................www.baldor.com ......................................65 ..................................... 7

ComRent® International, LLC ..........www.comrent.com ..................................67 ...................................17

Cybermetrics Corp. .............................www.faciliworks.com ..............................72 ...................................35

Electrical Reliability Services ..............www.electricalreliability.com .................61 .................................IFC

Engtech Industries Inc. .......................www.engtechindustries.com ..................77 ...................................36

Exair Corporation ...............................www.exair.com/48/470.htm ..................64 ..................................... 5

Exair Corporation ...............................www.exair.com .........................................69 ...................................28

Fastenal ..................................................www.fastenal.com ....................................63 ..................................... 2

Grace Engineered Products. Inc. ....... info.graceport.com/mt1 .........................260, 280 ..................30, 31

Herguth Laboratories, Inc. .................www.herguth.com ...................................62 ..................................... 1

InfoSight ................................................www.infosight.com..................................71 ...................................34

Inpro/Seal ..............................................www.inpro-seal.com ...............................84 ..................................BC

Lineal Recruiting Services ..................www.lineal.com ........................................75 ...................................35

Littelfuse ................................................www.littelfuse.com ..................................261, 281 ..................32, 33

Ludeca Inc. ............................................www.ludeca.com ......................................68, 82 .......................21, 38

MARTS- Applied Technologies ........www.martsconference.com ...................66, 83 ....................11, IBC

Meltric Corporation ...........................www.meltric.com.....................................74 ...................................35

Motion Industries ................................www.themotorspecialist.com ................79 ...................................37

MSE of Canada Ltd. ............................www.msegroup.net .................................73 ...................................35

Process Industry Practices ..................www.pip.org ..............................................76, 81 .......................36, 38

Strategic Work Systems, Inc. ..............www.swspitcrew.com ..............................78 ...................................37

http://www.MT-freeinfo.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=American+Trainco&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.americantrainco.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Baldor&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baldor.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Comrent&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comrent.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=www.faciliworks.com&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faciliworks.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Electrical+Reliability&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.electricalreliability.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Engtech&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.engtechindustries.com


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=exair&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.exair.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=fastenal&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fastenal.com


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=herguth&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.herguth.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=infosight&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.infosight.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=inpro+seal&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.inpro-seal.com


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=littlelfuse&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.littelfuse.com



http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=motor+specialist&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themotorspecialist.com

http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=mse&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msegroup.net


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=Strategic+Work+Systems&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.swspitcrew.com

40 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY january 2011

viewpoint

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This month’s column is a follow-up to the author’s July 2010 Viewpoint entitled “Who’s Responsible?”)

The United States government has established the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the causes of the economic catastrophe we have been experiencing since

September 2008. Similar to the reasoning behind establishing the Pecora Commission of the 1930s (which investigated the cause of the Great Depres-sion), the government’s hope has been that this time, perhaps, we might learn from our mistakes. So far, things don’t look promising.

Something that has been barely mentioned throughout the ongoing recession is GRC: governance (the “rules”), risk (the “what if”) and compliance (the “obeying of the rules”). This legal concept provides the structures, systems, frame-works, principles and ideas on how corporations should conduct their operations and businesses so as to protect the interest of all stakeholders—be they employees, senior management, vendors, shareholders, customers, etc.

If GRC had been enforced in the financial sector—even in its present form—less damage would have resulted. Our economic crisis was man-made. Avoiding it required people with the foresight, imagination, courage and creativity to see it coming, speak out against it and do some-thing. As Paul Volcker, the ex-Federal Reserve chairman, said decades ago, “Someone must be willing to take the punch bowl away during the height of the party.”

In the case of our recent financial meltdown, since so many people failed in their respec-tive duties and obligations, havoc ensued. The gamblers and speculators—in that big casino called Wall Street—privatized their gains and socialized their risks. When Wall Street won, the players kept the loot. When Wall Street lost, we taxpayers had to ante up.

Now the “games” are over, the punch bowl has been drained and strong medicine must be admin-istered. Welcome to GRC. Let’s see how it works.

Governance exists when corporations set down their own rules, systems and guidelines that mandate, for example, what a board of directors is responsible for, what senior management’s role is and what all other stakeholders should expect to do in their jobs. The board sets the tone at the top and everyone under them must follow the rules.

(Governance also means that a business must obey any local, state or federal rules, regulations, statutes, etc. that apply to it. Despite all the past rules, regu-lations and statutes on the books, too many people within our financial sector have felt free to ignore them. Or, no one bothered much with enforcement.)

Risk means considering probabilities and conse-quences. Bad stuff happens all the time. Whether you’re looking at things from a safety angle or an economic perspective, know that people can be injured and lives destroyed. Make and execute plans, but also ask this: “What if they don’t work?” Why didn’t the so-called smart people on Wall Street follow these precepts? It can be summed by “IBG – YBG” (“I’ll be gone, you’ll be gone”).

Compliance means having the sense, discipline and control to obey the letter of the law—as well as the spirit of the law. Boards must assure all stake-holders that what is going on inside the corpora-tion has been fairly presented and accurate in the form of financial or other reports pertinent to any stakeholder. (Remember, to some degree, we’re all stakeholders in the financial sector.)

Will we take our medicine and start to behave accordingly? If we don’t, expect a repeat of the past. Next time, though, we may not have the means for another bailout. GRC is one of the remaining vestiges we have available to protect ourselves from another crisis. Mt

Steve Shaiman is an attorney, based in the Phila-delphia, PA, area.

Stephen Shaiman, Attorney

Governance, Risk And Compliance

the opinions expressed in this viewpoint section are those of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect those of the staff and management of Maintenance Technology magazine.

Get Ready!Get Set! Get Going!

APRIL 26-29, 2011

APRIL 26-29, 2011

The Capacity Assurance Conference!

MAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMITMAINTENANCE and RELIABILITY TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT

We thank all attendees, presenters and exhibitors for helping us make MARTS 2010 a rousing success. MARTS 2011 promises to be even

bigger and better! Check regularly on www.MARTSconference.com for event news and scheduling updates.

Put MARTS 2011 On Your Calendar Now!

Reliability Keeps Giving Voice To Autism

As in 2010, MARTS 2011 will kick off with another “Reliability Gives Voice to Autism” (RGVA) charity event. This gala evening of fun, food and entertainment at

MARTS 2010 was this year’s #1 industrial contributor to the Autism Society of Illinois. Stay tuned for details on how you and your company can be part of this great cause.

We’re grateful, too… Applied Technology Publications is delighted that others across the reliability community have chosen to join us

in the battle to raise awareness and funding for autism. To all of you, thank you for your contributions and good luck in your fi ght.

For more information, contact Bill Kiesel at [email protected]

“I am forever grateful for the eff orts made by the organizers and volunteers of RGVA on behalf of the Autism Society - Illinois.

With the success of the inaugural event, I am looking forward to the 2011 Reliability Gives Voice to Autism with exuberant anticipation.”

… Michael Gallivan, President, Board of Directors, Autism Society - Illinois

APRIL 26-29, 2011Education, Networking, Solutions To Your Problems!

Giving Voice To AutismAs in 2010, MARTS 2011As in 2010,

www.MARTSconference.comHyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago), IL

Calling all authors and publishers of reliability, maintenance and autism-related books! Submit your entries for the fi rstReliability Gives Voice to Autism (RGVA) Book Awards. Honoring the best titles in each category, these awards are co-sponsored by Applied Technology Publications and SUCCESS by DESIGN, with proceeds going to the Autism Society of Illinois.

The RGVA Book Awards competition is open to all writers and publishers who produce books written in English that are intended for the reliability, maintenance and autism genres. Independent spirit and expertise comes from publishers of all sizes and budgets, and books will be judged with that in mind.

Awards will be presented during the Reliability Gives Voice To Autism dinner on April 27, 2011, at MARTS(Maintenance & Reliability Technology Summit), at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont (Chicago, Illinois).

Reliability Gives Voice to Autism Book Awards

Know any good

books?

CALL FOR ENTRIES:

For complete rules and guidelines on submitting reliability, maintenance

or autism-related books for judging(including entry-fee info), visit:

www.MARTSconference.com




Same-day Shipping available


http://www2.nmgcertifiedmail.com/jikometrix/main/index.php?action=t&tag=inpro+seal&id=3136&[email protected]&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.inpro-seal.com

Maintenance Technology January 2011

Documents

Transcript of Maintenance Technology January 2011