The Right Tool - Plant Services › assets › digital_issue › 1004.pdf · 2013-08-21 · te ium...

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ap

ril

20

10

How to Baseline Vibration p.37

Why Efficient Motors Cost Morep.39

Myths and Legends of Mechanical Pipe Jointsp.41

Beyond Fluorescent Lightingp.19

WTT20YA Syndromep.50

The Right ToolCMMS/EAM software

tackles today’s toughest challenges

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The Carbon Zero compressor features a built-in energy recovery system that circulates cooling water through all the different components within the compressor unit. The resulting hot water can be used across multiple applications. Meaning that under certain design conditions your compressor can become a “net zero” energy consumer and recycle 100% of the electrical energy used.

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features20 / COVER STORY

The Right ToolCMMS/EAM software tackles today’s

toughest challenges

37 / PREdiCTiVE TEChnOlOgiES

Vibration Amplitude CriteriaUse actual vibration data to baseline machine condition

39 / MOTORS

The Cost of higher Motor EfficiencyHow manufacturers improve electric motor efficiency and why they cost more

41 / VAlVES And PiPing

in the grooveCommon myths about mechanical pipe joints

17 / huMAn CAPiTAl

Where does it Say That?Process discipline relies on flow charts, RASI tables, and guides

19 / TEChnOlOgY TOOlbOx

beyond Fluorescent lightingOnce-exotic LED, OLED, and nanotechnologies move mainstream

50 / EnERgY ExPERT

WTT20YA Syndrome“We tried that 20 years ago and it didn’t work…”

columns and departments

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table of contentsAPRIL 2010 / VOL. 31, NO. 4

7 / FROM ThE EdiTOR

The Opium WarsWe don’t know much about history

9 / uP And Running• ROI: PdM’s Secret Weapon?

13 / WhAT WORKS

OEM Air System indicted in MassachusettsGlass maker clearly benefits from new survey after oven addition

14 / YOuR SPACE

The Value, and Cost, of QualityDisciples of TPS and TPM see Toyota’s solution within its system

46 / in ThE TREnChES

A depressing storyAcme expects workers to be in place when the shift starts

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www.PLANTSERVICES.Com APRIL 2010 5

PLANT SERVICES (ISSN 0199-8013) is published monthly by Putman Media, Inc., 555 West Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143. Phone (630) 467-1300, Fax (847) 291-4816. Periodicals Postage paid at Itasca, IL and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor Information: Frontier/BWI,PO Box 1051, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, L2A 5N8. Printed in U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PLANT SERVICES, Putman Media, Inc., PO Box 3435, Northbrook, IL 60065-3435. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Qualified reader subscriptions are accepted from PLANT SERVICES managers, supervisors and engineers in manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Canada. To apply for qualified-reader subscriptions, please go to www.plantservices.com. To non-qualified subscribers in the U.S., subscriptions are $96 per year. Single copies are $15, except the September and December issues which are $36. Canadian and foreign annual subscriptions are accepted at $145 (Foreign airmail $200/yr). Single copies are $81. © 2010 by Putman Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication August not be reproduced in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner. In an effort to more closely align with our business partners in a manner that provides the most value to our readers, content published in PLANT SERVICES magazine appears on the public domain of PLANT SERVICES’ Website, and August also appear on Websites that apply to our growing marketplace. Putman Media, Inc. also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, CONTROL DESIGN, FOOD PROCESSING, INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING, THE JOURNAL, PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING and WELLNESS FOODS. PLANT SERVICES assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items published.

exclusives

A new standard in steam measurementRising energy costs and pending regulations call for a better way.www.plantservices.com/articles/2010/01steammeasurement.html

White Paper: SPCC compliance solutionsSpill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Regulations require many facilities to create plans to prevent the discharge of oil into national waters.www.plantservices.com/whitepapers/2010/010.html

Find proportional, integral and derivativeHow to use Ziegler-Nichols principles to tune PID loop controls.www.plantservices.com/articles/2010/04pidloopcontrols.html

Road to Reliability: life cycle costing – A reliability toolFollow these 12 steps to get control of your LCC program. www.plantservices.com/articles/2010/03roadtoreliability.html

Enter Plant Services best Practices AwardsOur Best Practices Awards recognize techniques, work processes, product and service implementations as expressed in a short application story. The contest is open to anyone with a good story and the right to tell it. The equipment category entry deadline is April 15, 2010.www.plantservices.com/bestpractices/index.html

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from the editorpaul studebaker, cmrp

the opium WarsWe don’t know much about history

anyone who’s followed America’s crush on renewable energy from a reli-ability perspective appreciates the fact that a typical 1 MW windmill puts sev-eral tons of gearbox and generator about 300 ft. in the air, with a 200-ft. diameter blade assembly spinning on one end. It’s hard to keep the power transmission sys-tem aligned, and the plethora of moving parts can lead to a whole new definition of “high maintenance.”

So when GE conceptualized a 3.6 MW windmill for offshore use, it eliminated the gearbox by using a direct-drive design with a 20-ft. diameter gen-erator rotor studded with hundreds of neodymium-iron-boron rare earth magnets (www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-03/next-gen-wind-turbine). Rare earth materials have starring roles in high-efficiency industrial motors, hard drives, earbuds, cruise missiles, and many other critical products.

Back in the 1990s, China put most of its rare-earth competitors out of business by cutting prices and buying producers, and now supplies more than 95% of the world market.

For this and many other reasons, when relations with China get chilly, U.S. in-dustrialists sweat. But they shouldn’t be surprised, and they wouldn’t be if they knew a little world history.

A typical American learns some American history and not much else. I’m an American so I was intrigued when my friend, the history buff, told me there is nothing unusual about China’s recent re-actions to Western political and market pressures. “China has always been a very self-absorbed and isolationist country,” he told me. “Especially since the Opium Wars.”

A quick trip to Wikipedia taught me that in the 1800s, the West made a

fortune exporting opium to China. “The government in Peking noted that the for-eigners seemed intent on dragging down the Chinese through the encourage-ment of opium addiction...In the spring of 1839, Chinese authorities at Canton confiscated and burned the opium.

“In the war that followed, the Chinese couldn’t match the technological and tactical superiority of the British forces.

In 1842, China agreed to the provisions of the Treaty of Nanking. Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain, and other ports, including Canton, were opened to British residence and trade....The French and Americans....in 1844 gained the same trading rights as the British. The advantages granted the three nations by the Chinese set a precedent that would dominate China’s relations with the world for the next century.

“This began the period referred to by the Chinese as the time of unequal treaties – a time of unprecedented deg-radation for China. The humiliation the Central Kingdom suffered is still remem-bered and strongly affects important aspects of its foreign policy.”

This is not the first, and probably won’t be the last, time the wind out of China turns chilly. No problem, as long as we can get our magnets.


this began the period referred to by the Chinese as the time of unequal treaties.

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editorial staff

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The inaugural “State of the Condition Monitoring Industry” survey, recently completed by Plant Services for Azima DLI (www.azimadli), suggests that predictive main-tenance (PdM) programs are widely perceived as cost-effec-tive and important to the financial health of manufacturers, but often fail because return on investment (ROI) is hard to prove and the programs are difficult to manage and support.

The survey was conducted in February, 2010, and included responses from 163 Plant Services subscribers, primarily middle management and plant engineers. Of those sur-veyed, 65% have a machine condition monitoring/predictive maintenance program in place. The top three components of those programs are vibration analysis/monitoring, lube oil analysis, and thermography. Of those who don’t currently have a program in place, 16% plan to start one this year.

While the majority of respondents agree that predictive maintenance programs directly affect the bottom line, when queried about barriers to success, difficulty demonstrating ROI was one of the top factors. ROI remains an important measure of program traction that resonates with the C-suite.

“In the survey, 32% of respondents said ROI is hard to prove,” says Burt Hurlock, CEO, Azima DLI. “If you can gather the information and agree on how to calculate it, it’s actually easy to prove.” Plants must adopt the right tech-nology and partner services to enable managers to better capture and report the benefits of condition monitoring programs, focusing on metrics such as decreased downtime, improved productivity, and cost savings related to improved equipment health and reliability.

“We’ve worked with the U.S. Navy and tracked the ROI since 1977,” Hurlock says. “It’s never been less than 12:1 and has ranged up to 23:1.” That’s the ratio of maintenance cost savings – reduced labor, avoided machine damage, elimina-tion of unnecessary maintenance, and overhaul optimiza-tion – to the cost of condition monitoring systems, labor, and services on a fleet of aircraft carriers. “And the Navy doesn’t consider any costs associated with lost production or lost opportunity,” he adds.

Some 25% of respondents indicated that their program isn’t viewed as strategic by C-level executives. “We find that upper-level management typically falls into one of two mindsets. The top companies recognize investment value, and will do anything that makes economic sense,” Hurlock says. “The others have decentralized management – we call

them ’60s companies. The executives are business people and abdicate responsibility for anything directly related to manufacturing to the plant managers. The plant managers are budget-driven and many haven’t been trained to think in terms of investment and return. They think visibility might be used against them when they could be using the numbers to get the resources they need from management.”

An overwhelming majority (76%) of respondents indi-cated that they’re satisfied with current programs, but more than half acknowledge that it’s difficult to know exactly what solutions and tools are needed to maintain a success-


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ROi: pdM’S SecReT WeapOn?Survey shows plants often need help to sustain predictive programs

geT HeLp gOing gReenUGL Unicco Sustainable Services expanded its com-prehensive sustainability program that incorporates energy, water, and waste management, as well as green cleaning, landscaping, and support for U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification proj-ects. The expanded sustainability initiative is sup-ported by a new Web site, www.greenservice.com.

RepORT RecOMMendS STRaTegieS TO ManuFacTuRingA new report by economists Joel Popkin and Kath-ryn Kobe, noted experts on issues related to prices, wages, productivity, and technology, finds that manufacturing requires specific pro-growth policies to generate jobs and remain globally competitive. Commissioned by the National Association of Manu-facturers and the Council of Manufacturing Associa-tions, you can find it at www.nam.org/popkinreport.

THeRe’S an app FOR caLcuLaTing dRive SavingSThe $avings Predictor application is now available on Apple iTunes for iPhone (OS 3.1.2 or later) and iPod touch. The mobile application estimates energy sav-ings when using a variable-frequency drive instead of conventional volume control methods. When used to control the speed of fans and pumps in building, industrial, automation, and water/wastewater applica-tions, the payback period for installing drives is usually less than three years and can be less than one year.

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tions and tools are needed to maintain a successful program. Insufficient staff, limited in-house expertise, and poor training topped the list of factors that degrade the results of PdM programs.

Because of an exodus of talent, streamlined operations, and restricted budgets, Azima DLI found that many plants are challenged to retain the expert analysis resources necessary to

keep their condition monitoring pro-grams running smoothly, or simply don’t know how to initiate a fresh start for a previously well run program.

“The survey corroborates our projections of outsourcing as a trend in predictive maintenance,” Hurlock says. “This crystallized in the reces-sion of 2009, when companies that started to build out complete in-house programs found their budgets cut, and their survival depending on lean, reli-able, agile manufacturing. They came to us for PdM services.”

For those with a condition monitor-ing/predictive maintenance program in place, just over half of the respon-dents use a combination of in-house and outsourced solutions. While only 8% currently outsource data collection and analysis, based on this survey, outsourcing might be on the rise: Of those handling programs in-house, 53% responded they believe there are benefits to outsourcing the program.

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to data analysis“Many programs have been left

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oEM air systEM indictEd in MassachusEttsGlassmaker clearly benefits from new compressor system survey after oven addition

in the fall of 2004, custom architectural glass manufac-turer Solar Seal (www.solarseal.com), South Easton, Mass., updated its process for heat treating glass with one of the most modern convection ovens in the industry. The new oven package came with a third-party air system that in-cluded a 200-hp compressor and two 120-gal. receiver tanks.

The company’s existing Kaeser Compressors plant air system included a 50-hp SFC 37 variable-frequency-drive air compressor, a TD 61 Secotec refrigerated air dryer, an OR 250 oil removal filter, and two 240-gal. tanks. This system supported applications throughout the plant over a range of demand from 57 cfm to 195 cfm at 108 psig to 110 psig.

“We didn’t have any choice in the compressor brand for the oven package,” says Eric Shaw, vice president, Solar Seal. “Our Kaeser equipment had always proven dependable, and their representatives reliable. If we had the option, we would have selected an air system with a name we trusted.”

Shortly after the purchase of the glass oven package, Shaw and Bill Geary, Boston sales representative for Kaeser (http://us.kaeser.com), discussed both the new oven and the existing plant air systems. They concluded that because of Solar Seal’s growth, both air systems should undergo a Kaeser Air Demand Analysis (ADA).

Kaeser Service Technician Brian Fahey installed moni-toring sensors at strategic locations throughout the two air systems. During eight days of normal plant activities, the sensors collected data on load/unload signals, pressure sig-nals, demand flow, and required operational power.

The oven package’s 200-hp machine provided 905 cfm, but the ADA determined the system’s demand ranged from 150 cfm to 635 cfm. The compressor was constantly cycling on and off – a big problem with a unit that size – because the two 120-gal. tanks provided only minimal storage capacity. The rapid cycling caused excessive wear on the compressor, and it required a large, avoidable amount of electricity to produce an adequate flow.

“The oven’s air system was using a significant amount of energy unnecessarily,” says Geary. “We knew we could design a system to better meet the customer’s fluctuating demand, while saving a significant amount in energy costs.”

Kaeser engineers recommended eliminating the 200-hp compressor and combining the plant and oven air systems into one central system with a Sigma Air Manager (SAM) master controller. The SAM can control four compressors

from a single control signal and turn on compressors only when they’re needed, so it often enables system operation at lower pressures and significantly reduces energy waste associated with leaks and artificial demand. The SAM also recognizes demand trends and balances compressor load hours for more effective maintenance scheduling.

Kaeser incorporated the existing dryer, filter, and tanks into the new system, and uses the SFC 37 as a trim com-pressor. The central system has a SAM 4/4, a TG 301 Dual Control Demand dryer, KFC 1000-3M flow controller, an additional 2,200-gal. air receiver, and an Aquamat 6 for responsible condensate removal.

The third-party system was replaced with a 40-hp ASD 40S compressor and two 60-hp BSD compressors (one BSD 60 is used strictly for backup). The two 120-gal.tanks were removed from the system and one of the 240-gal. tanks was inserted as a “wet” tank before the TG 301 dryer. The TD 61 Secotec dryer was taken in on trade, as the TG 301 dryer would handle the new system. This modular solution of us-ing base load and trim compressors had a projected annual energy savings of $19,687, with a payback of 3.5 years.

Another significant financial incentive was a sizeable rebate from National Grid. The high-efficiency equipment qualified Solar Seal for $32,639. The SAM’s ability to opti-mize systems by avoiding unnecessary loading of additional machines and operating within a narrow pressure band contributed to the hefty monetary incentive.

Solar Seal appreciates its new glass-tempering oven, but found significant energy-saving opportunities in the compressed air system that came with it.

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your space

The Value, and cosT, of QualiTydisciples of Tps and TpM see Toyota’s solution within its systemBy Bob call, cMrp

comedians have only to look to politicians for great ma-terial, and we don’t have to look far to find examples of how things in the world of reliability can go so wrong, so fast. As I write, we get deeper and deeper into what I will call the “Great Toyota Reliability Story of 2010.”

Toyota’s massive recall for “accelerator” problems is the stuff of manufacturing legend, though certainly not in the sense that Toyota wishes. Not even the earthquake in Haiti

overshadows the outcry for the heads of Toyota leadership and for all their vehicles pulled from U.S. roads. What a fickle lot we are. Seemingly overnight, all of us became experts in automobile functionality and reliability - we who drive around with bald tires, worn-out wipers, and old oil.

The media seems to have become “Toyota Paparazzi,” and is, I believe, single-handedly driving down the value of Toyota stock. No doubt this is wearing on Toyota leadership. Unfortunately, it’s human nature to attack and destroy those at the top of their game. But, I don’t discount the seriousness of the potential hazards to drivers and owners. The issues for Toyota are real and must be addressed.

This is about quality: how it builds and sustains your business, and how a quality lapse can bring it down. Toyota’s reputation as a leader, and THE leader in business process and quality, was no accident. Disciples of the Toyota Pro-duction System (TPS) and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) can easily understand how Toyota got to the top: through rigorous process, incessant demand for quality, and employee engagement at every stage from design to sales.

So, what is quality? It’s a look, a feel, a functionality, an acceptable state for delivery to a customer. It’s defined by engineers, proven by testing, taught to operators and maintenance personnel, then manufactured and delivered to a customer, who is the ultimate authority. Does it do what I need? Does it do what you said it would? Does it function as designed? Does it function without failure? These are some of the questions that must be answered to determine quality.

Early on, we’re good at delivering high-quality goods. We can sustain this level years, sometimes decades. We’re pretty

safe at quality while we keep the original players who were on the ground at the beginning. They have focus, drive, and a sense of urgency to “make it right the first time.”

However, as soon as there’s a crack in focus, the slide be-gins. The degradation of quality begins at the point when the first team member leaves and is replaced by someone new. The change is negligible at first, but every time someone is replaced, the negative grows. What’s lost is hard to define. It could be a new member’s focus on quality, a small decrease in process knowledge, the remaining team’s failure to train and instill a sense of purpose.

There can be many reasons for quality to go downhill on the plant floor. At higher organizational levels, it might be an someone looking for a more cost-effective (lower-quali-ty?) part to increase profit margin. Upper executives can get caught up focusing on shareholder, not quality. (I wonder how many Toyota shareholders actually drive Toyotas.) Ulti-mately, the decline continues until there’s a negative quality breakthrough, and we get embarrassed.

Acknowledging that businesses must make a profit to exist, we can’t overstate the long-term effects of “less-than-first” quality. We might maintain market share and reputa-tion for a while. Some “middle man” out there is willing to take less-than-first quality product and re-sell, but in the long run, it will come back around to bite us. If you want to sustain market share, keep your quality control program in place, and less-than-first quality must be unacceptable.

No one can ever lose sight of the value, or the cost, of quality. Sustained, long-term quality brings market share and a good reputation. I recall a saying from my Navy days: one “aw-shucks” can outweigh a whole bucket of “attaboys.” Some of the nation’s big companies prove that axiom.

No doubt, Toyota will emerge from this even stronger and more reliable. Its leadership will put TPS and TPM to work, determine the root causes, eliminate them, and come out with an even better automobile. Toyota will see this as a wake-up call to re-focus on what made them one of the most successful and admired companies in the business world.

When you look at your operation, ask yourself, “What is the value, and cost, of quality?” Quality, or lack of it, will determine your reputation and future for you.

Bob call, cMrp, is a principal consultant with life cycle engineering. e-mail [email protected].

as soon as There is a crack in focus, The slide Begins.

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SETUP1

MEASURE2

DIAGNOSE3

1

2

3

New Fluke 810 Vibration Tester: When you need an answer now…

Control unplanned downtime, prevent recurring problems, set repmanage your resources with an entirely new approach to vibratioFluke 810 helps you locate and diagnose common mechanical prorepair actions in three simple steps.:

Vibration testing has never been easier

The 810 asks for basic machine information you already know. Itsfeature gives you fi eld tips for setting up and taking measuremen

SETUP11

3542778B_810_Ad_pumps-Systems_PltSrvcs.indd 1 3/9/10 11:12 AMPS1004_FPA.indd 16 3/31/10 4:32 PM

Where Does It say that?Process discipline relies on flow charts, rasI tables, and guides

I’ve been working with a technology firm that offers cus-tomized solutions for unique situations. Each such solution is different in some way. And, like any organization with multiple people, each person developed their own way of approaching the strategy and test plan each custom applica-tion demanded. While this story refers to a specific service organization, you can easily recognize the same scenario in many organizations.

The company in question wanted to learn from past projects, apply continuous improvement techniques, and improve the accuracy and efficiency of its solutions. It wanted to analyze technical and business performance data generated by the customized installation and testing services.

The manager asked his team members for their calcula-tions that justified test plan selection. The team members looked at each other and back at the manager with a distressed and quizzical expression. The manager looked back at them and asked, “What’s your process for calcu-lating the proper set up? You do have a standard process, don’t you?”

One of the team members then said, “I’ve been doing this for years, and I know what I’m doing. I don’t need to write that stuff down.” The other team member nodded in approval.

Now, they were getting to the heart of the problem. Experienced technicians felt they knew how to do their job, with or without documenting exactly what they did. Upon deeper questioning, it became apparent that each team member had their own way of developing instal-lation and testing plans. Each, of course, thought their method was best.

The manager had a problem. There had been 20 or 30 customized projects completed during the past two or three years. Some were successful and some weren’t. The manager wanted to analyze the projects to see if there was a pattern. Without data, there was no way to compare effectiveness of project methodologies.

What was the temperature and humidity? How good was the power quality feeding the equipment? What was the load on the system? How long did it take for initial indications of positive results to appear? Did the project cost exceed the value gained by spending time and effort on it? You get the picture.

It was obvious that the team needed a way to get on track. The answer was to get their processes under control and gather the right information so it could be analyzed.

A process that’s under control yields consistent outcomes. The best way to establish control is by ensuring everyone in-volved understands the objectives. This often is done in the

form of a charter with explicit descriptions of the purpose, objectives, and the definition of success. A charter provides guidance on what needs to be done and why; it provides a common goal for everyone.

Next, map out the process graphically. Use flow charts and process diagrams to lay out the sequence of functions or events to be performed. Graphical representations show where activities fit in the big picture; they provide informa-tion about the where and the when pieces of the puzzle.

The next step is to set up a RASI table to identify who needs to be involved. RASI is an acronym that means re-sponsibility, accountability, support, and information. RASI tables have specific descriptions of who is accountable and responsible for each box on the flow chart. It also identifies who supports, who is supported, and who needs or provides information to carry out the process.

The final action is to write a narrative description of the each step in the process. This guide must clearly commu-nicate the process in words. A process guide also forms the basis of a good training program.

Any process (simple or complex) can be documented this way. Once it’s documented, it falls on supervisors and managers to establish process discipline. An organization using process discipline will generate better data. While this doesn’t auto-matically mean that the processes will be efficient, at least the data will be consistent. And consistent processes and data are needed to identify opportunities for improvement.

tom Moriarty, P.e., CMrP, is president of alidade Mer Inc. Contact him at [email protected] and (321) 773-3356.


a Charter ProvIDes guIDanCe on What neeDs to be Done anD Why; It ProvIDes a CoMMon goal for everyone.

huMan CaPItalTom moriarTy, P.E., CmrP

PS1004_17_humancap.indd 17 3/31/10 4:12 PM

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PS1004_FPA.indd 18 3/31/10 4:33 PM

Technology ToolboxSheila Kennedy

beyond FluorescenT lighTingonce-exotic led, oled, and nanotechnologies move mainstream

Fluorescent lights, generating less heat than incan-descents and more lumens per watt, are being tailored to meet industrial needs. Solid-state light-emitting diode bulbs with standard-size bases can replace filament bulbs. LED platforms hitting the market should enhance the technolo-gy’s appeal and adoption rate, and the future looks bright for organic LED (OLED) and nano-based lighting technologies.

Specialty needs: Hazardous locations require specialty lighting. AZZ Rig A Lite’s RFNK62 fluorescent lights are for offshore and land rig drilling environments, where wet and rugged conditions require heavy-duty lighting with func-tional and dielectric strength and corrosion resistance. The RFNK62 handles flammable gases, vapors, and liquids. It has a shatter-resistant lens; a marine-grade, welded alumi-num housing and lens frame; heat-resistant gasket; stainless steel hardware; and two safety cable connections.

A19-size light bulbs have an energy-efficient, mercury-free replacement option. LEDtronics offers 7-watt LEDs that re-place 40W to 50W incandescents on a flexible voltage range with no special adapters. The DEC-A19-5X1W Series has a diffused, domed lens that directs light at a 95° beam and has a horizontal beam spread of approximately 130°. They come in warm white and pure white, with ratings to 85 CRI.

Keeping current: Some users are hesitant to install integrated LED fixtures. A modular platform affords greater upgrade and service flexibility than integrated platforms. GE Consumer & Industrial’s LED module twists onto a fixture’s housing and can be upgraded as LED technology advances. Maintenance is easier because component failures don’t require replacing the entire fixture.

The puck-shaped, dimmable module makes thermal and electrical connections on contact as it is twisted into the socket. One luminaire supports multiple modules with dif-ferent color temperatures and beam angles. A switch enables three light levels. GE’s LED business, Lumination, acquired the technology from Journée Lighting, and Journée will manufacture the luminaires that use the module in 2010.

Going organic: Organic LEDs are the next step in the technology. Regular LEDs are suited to directed light and spotlights, whereas organic LEDs generate a subtle, diffused light from the surface of a flat panel, with low heat emis-sions and a high controllability. Although not yet powerful enough for full illumination and small current panel sizes, developments in organic LED technology continue apace.

A goal at Philips is transparent, OLED-coated windows that simulate daylight, and rolled OLED panels to wallpaper a room with light. The company envisions illuminated ceil-ings and luminous curtains and furniture using flexible and moldable panels. Its Lumiblade OLED panels are available as samples, and a starter kit for designers and architects explains the technology and potential applications.

GE collaborated with industrial design students from the Cleveland Institute of Art on OLED design ideas. GE chal-lenged them to conceptualize applications using the OLED technology. Hundreds of concepts were proposed, including illuminated stairs, safety outerwear, flexible signs, light-up wallpaper and under-shelf lighting. Some ideas are high-lighted in videos on YouTube’s GELightingFuture channel. GE’s product management and research teams reviewed the ideas and the company expects to introduce its first com-mercialized OLED products in late 2010 or 2011.

Nano is big: Researchers at Berkeley Lab developed nanocrystals that emit blue light efficiently when exposed to UV light. The blue luminescence could provide an inexpen-sive alternative to solid-state lighting. Generally, solid-state lighting combines red, green, and blue emitting materials to produce white light, but blue light emitters have been more difficult to make. Evidence suggests Berkeley Lab’s non-toxic magnesium oxide nanocrystals could provide bright light that consumes less energy and has a longer lifespan. The lab is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through its Office of Science.

e-mail contributing editor sheila Kennedy, managing director of Additive communications, at [email protected].


www.rigalite.comwww.ledtronics.comwww.gelighting.com

www.research.philips.comwww.cia.eduwww.lbl.gov

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PS1004_23_TechTool.indd 19 3/31/10 4:15 PM

Despite the uncertainty regarding the global econo-my, and the maturing of the computerized maintenance management system/enterprise asset management (CMMS/EAM) software industry, companies from every sector continue to upgrade, replace, or buy new asset management software applications. This is especially true for asset-in-tensive industries because of the pressure to better manage ever-increasing asset lifecycle costs, while increasing the quantity and quality of production through greater asset reliability and performance. Another key driver appears to be the growing demands of regulatory bodies that seek tighter controls, greater accountability, and more detailed data capture and reporting.

Many senior management teams have come to the realiza-tion that, given the aging workforce being replaced across North America with younger, less experienced technical resources, modern knowledge management tools such as a CMMS/EAM are critical to help smooth the transi-tion. These tools retain much of the knowledge lost when

technicians and other maintenance staff retire or leave, for example, standard operating procedures and job plans, failure analysis data,diagnostic techniques, and a complete asset history. Furthermore, younger technical resources have come to expect these tools, and are comfortable and proficient in their use.

There are 10 key trends in the industry, including important features and functions to consider if you’re contemplating the purchase of any CMMS/EAM products or services. Many of these features and functions are excerpted from the online Plant Services CMMS/EAM Software Review (www.PlantSer vices.com/CMMS_Review), where you can directly compare the capabilities of a wide range of software packages.

1. InDustry specIalIzatIonIn the eyes of customers, one of the most important criteria in selecting a CMMS/EAM vendor and its products or ser-vices is the perception of how well vendors can demonstrate that they fully understand your business. This includes


ManaGeMent / Software

CMMS/EAM software

tackles today’s toughest challenges

By David Berger, P.Eng., Contributing Editor

PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 20 4/1/10 10:46 AM

knowledge of your industry, asset classes, regulatory pres-sures, competitive challenges, and even equipment. A large nuclear plant will have different CMMS/EAM needs than those of a small transportation company or a municipality.

Thus, if a vendor claims to specialize in a given industry, it should have experts on staff with deep experience working for companies in the customer’s industry. This facilitates develop-ing features and functions that satisfy the needs of the industry, as well as configuring and implementing the software in a manner that fully exploits its potential. Examples of special-ized functionality are calibration capability for Life Science companies, electronic signature for the food industry, Facility Condition Index (FCI) for university campuses, auto-polling of networked IT assets and help desk capability for IT mainte-nance service providers, and ability to handle compatible units and job estimating for the telecommunications industry. Other factors to look for in a CMMS/EAM vendor include:

• Percentage of sales volume stemming from the specialty industry

• Number of customers in the industry• An independent industry user group that meets on a

regular basis• An advisory council that provides input into the ven-

dor’s product development• Beta development programs to partner with the industry

for product development• A Web site specific to the industry presenting customer

networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities • Industry-specific newsletters• Standard industry data like VMRS codes and equipment

hierarchy for fleet management companies, oil and gas industry failure codes, or aircraft industry problem/cause/action codes

2. EntErprisE thinkingMore companies, big and small, are looking for enterprise as-set management solutions that span the needs of multiple de-partments, divisions, and strategic business units. A typical mining enterprise, for example, might have one solution for maintaining production equipment at a given site, one for mobile equipment, another for managing multiple facility assets, and yet another software solution for maintaining IT assets. Consider finding an enterprise-wide solution to help you think more strategically about managing your company’s assets.

This doesn’t necessarily require using a single software vendor for enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM), human resource information system (HRIS), EAM/CMMS, and other applications. There are excellent best-of-breed solutions for each of your asset management requirements that you should consider. Conduct a needs assessment and cost-benefit analysis to determine the best approach to managing your assets across the enterprise.

From a strategic perspective, whatever you choose, integration will be a key issue. The trend towards more strategic asset manage-ment across the enterprise is accompanied by a greater need for integration of various applications, from the shop floor to the ex-ecutive suite. This is especially apparent in complex production environments, where

large-scale manufacturing execution systems (MES), human machine interface (HMI), program-

mable logic control (PLC), and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are tracking product, process, environmental, and asset conditions.

More and more, these shop-floor data collection vendors are looking to the CMMS/EAM world to trig-ger maintenance work that keeps the machines running efficiently and effectively. The CMMS/EAM is the meat in


MAnAgEMEnt / Software

PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 21 4/1/10 10:46 AM

the sandwich, integrating with shop � oor-level applications, and higher-level systems such as ERP.

Enterprise thinking for your CMMS/EAM application also must consider the complete asset lifecycle, including key stages such as engineering design, build and/or procure-ment, operation, maintenance, modi� cation, and disposal. In the past, each stage was a silo with respect to people, processes, and systems. e trend during the past few years has been to manage assets throughout their lifecycles bet-ter by improving the integration across silos. For example, advanced CMMS/EAM vendors track asset lifecycle costs, asset/component move history including modi� cations performed externally, and all major and minor revisions to an asset from “as designed” to “as installed” to “as modi� ed” throughout its life.

us, your strategic asset management thinking at the en-terprise level must consider integration along three dimen-sions as described above:

• Horizontally across the many locations, divisions, de-partments, etc.,

• Vertically from the shop-� oor to the executive suite• Over the entire life of the asset, from design to disposal

22 APRIL 2010 WWW.PLANTSERVICES.COM

MANAGEMENT / SOFTWARE

Introduction screen

Priorities screen

Comparison screenComparison screen

Find a better mousetrap at www.PlantServices.com/CMMS_Review

The Plant Services CMMS/EAM Software Review is designed to allow you to compare packages across a comprehensive range of capa-bilities. It offers the option of weighting capabilities to refl ect their importance in your application and receiving a calculated rankingof the software offerings according to your specifi cations.

As the “Introduction” screen explains, you can use the review to simply browse the results of our verifi ed vendor survey data, compare products and fi nd further information on particular packages and vendors. Or, you can have the system rank packages accordingto your customized and advanced criteria. Clicking on “SoftwareAspects” lets you weight them individually (Table 2) so the compari-son engine can calculate scores and present packages according tohow well their strengths match your weightings.

Clicking on an individual software aspect in the “Introduction” screen brings you to a “Priorities” screen, which shows the exact survey questions used to establish the package score for that aspect. Exercising your option to rank a question less than “very important”factors its score so it has less weight in the calculated comparison.

You can hand-pick packages and compare them for various aspects, or enter weightings and priorities and click “Calculate” to bring you to the comparison screen. Here, you’ll see a side-by-side comparison detailing the level of functionality for each capability.

The site also offers articles, white papers and resources tohelp you increase your familiarity with CMMS/EAM software,solve problems and get the most from your existing orfuture implementation.

PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 22 4/1/10 10:49 AM

I F S – THE GLOBAL ENTERPR ISE APPL ICAT IONS COMPANY

www.IFSWORLD.com

“Our business changes every six months.

Our systems take a yearto catch up.” Customer mandates, regulation and

market conditions are changing fasterthan ever. How do you keep pace? By thetime you implement most enterpriseapplications your needs have alreadychanged. The answer is IFS.

IFS – first in enterprise agility• The first software package built from

the ground-up on a Service-OrientedComponent Architecture (SOCA), com-bining the agility of service orientationwith the proven benefits of components

• IFS’ seventh generation of componentsand second generation of SOA -- themost stable platform on the market

• Roll out functionality in stages,addressing your needs in priority order

• Easily integrate with legacy systemsor other third-par ty software

• ERP, EAM, SCM, CRM, PLM

Read our white paper on Design, Operate, Maintain for valuable insight onhow your maintenance activities can play a greater role in the success ofyour business. Call 1.888.437.4968 today to get your copy.

SEE US ON PLANT SERVICES’ ONLINE CMMS COMPARISON TOOL.

PS1002_IFS_page_dom.pdf 1 1/27/10 1:24 PM

PS1004_FPA.indd 23 3/31/10 4:33 PM

3. The WebDuring the past decade, many CMMS/EAM vendors struggled with how best to transform their client/server offerings to Web-enabled or Web-based products. Some vendors went the Web-enabled route, which requires their customers to have software such as Microsoft Terminal Server or Citrix to run the client-server application via

the Web. For those vendors that took the more expensive Web-based route, their software had to be rewritten to run native within the Web environment. Web-based applica-tions don’t require users to have any additional software on their computers, other than an Internet browser for simply displaying the user interface, not running the ap-plication nor processing data.


MANAGeMeNT / Software

Table 1: Compare these packages in detail at www.PlantServices.com/CMMS_Review

Com

pany

/W

eb si

tew

Pack

age

Revi

ew d

ate

Annu

al s

ales

Num

ber o

f cu

stom

ers

Cost

Annu

al

mai

nten

ance

cost

Aleier Inc. www.aleier.com FM1i INNOVUS 1.0.055 12/13/2006 $1.7 million More

than 50 $19,750 per site, rental/hosted/ASP pricing customized 22%

Aleier Inc. www.aleier.com FM1j interprise 6.2 12/13/2006 $1.7 million More

than 50Single-site enterprise $27,500, multi-site enterprise $37,950, rental/hosted/ASP pricing customized 20%

Ashcom Technologies, Inc. www.ashcomtech.com MaintiMizer 4.0 3/6/2008 $3 million 3,500 $1,679 per concurrent user, hosted/ASP $90 per month per user 18%

AssetPoint www.assetpoint.com TabWare EFX EFX00 2/27/2006 Less than

$25 million 123 $4,000-$7,000 per concurrent user 20%

Blue Mountain Quality Resources www.coolblue.com

Regulatory As-set Manager R 2 1/9/2009 Less than

$20 million 50$18,750 for 5 users, $37,500 for 10 users includes server license, $2,000 per additional user, unlimited requester licenses included with all systems

15%

Centric Maintenance Systems www.centricmaintenance.com

API Pro V5Xe SP2 1/12/2007 $6 million 350 $5,000 per concurrent user, rental $250/month/concurrent user 15 – 18%

Conception INTERALwww.interal.com INTERAL 7.0.2 3/11/2010 Less than

$5 million 400 Per concurrent user, first license $3,500 - $4,500, additional $2,000 - $3,500. Web version concurrent licenses start at $2,000/blocks of 5 15%

CWorks Systems Inc. www.cworkssystems.com CareWorks 4.0.0 3/16/2009 Less than

$5 million 700 $2,100 per concurrent user (minimum 3), ASP $60/month/concurrent user

15% (free if ASP)

Cybermetrics www.cybermetrics.com FaciliWorks 8i 2/6/2006 $3.9 million More than

1,500 $2,499 server license plus $1,699 per concurrent user 21%

IBM www.ibm.com

IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.1.1.6 3/19/2010 More than

$200 millionMore than 10,000

$4,600 per user (minimum 5); enterprise 50 users for $150,000-$175,000, Maximo Essentials is priced for organizations with less than 25 users and has reduced functionality. Hosted/ASP starts at $9,000/year for up to 10 users

20%

Inforwww.infor.com Infor EAM 8.4 2/23/2009 More than

$120 millionMore than 15,000

$4,799-$9,995 per concurrent user, $1,599-$3,395 per named user, SaaS at $99/month/named user, Hosted/ASP $33/month/named user 20%

IFS www.ifsworld.com IFS Applications 7.5 11/23/2009 $150-$200

millionMore than 2,000

$2,500-$3,000 per user, infrastructure hosting $5,000-$7,000/ month plus license costs 18%

Invensys www.avantis.net Avantis.PRO 4.1 2/10/2006 More than

$35 million 720 $5,000 per concurrent user 18%

Ivara Corporation www.ivara.com Ivara SuprEAM 5.0 1/26/2007 $16 million More

than 60 Site license or rental fee based on business metrics 20%

Lawson Software www.lawson.com

Lawson Enterprise As-set Management (EAM) 5/21/2007 $41 million More than

250 $2,460-$3,800 per named user (minimum 20) 18%

Maintenance Connection www.maintenance connection.com

Maintenance Connec-tion Onsite/Online 2.5 2/29/2008 Less than

$25 million 500 $2,799 per concurrent user, rental/hosted/ASP $199/month/user 18%

Megamation Systems Inc. www.megamation.com DirectLine 2.21 4/8/2010 $4.9 million 650 $195 per 80 hrs of use (unlimited named users), includ-

ing training, support, hosting all infrastructure, upgrades Included

Mincom Inc. www.mincom.com Mincom Ellipse 6.3 2/19/2009 More than

$150 millionMore than 650 $4,400 per concurrent user, Hosted/ASP $7,000-$70,000/month 22%

Oracle www.oracle.com

Oracle Utilities Work and Asset Manage-ment 1.7.15.2

2/11/2008 $18 billion total company

$2,995 per user (0-75), $2,495 per user (76-150), $1,995 per user (more than 150); hosted/ASP available, pricing depends on scope 22%

Smartware Group www.bigfootcmms.com

Bigfoot CMMS Internet/ Enterprise Edition 8.0.1 2/28/2008

Less than $5 million 1,032

Subscription $33 per month per user, minimum 5; Hosted/ASP $22,500 for 20 users and 20 requestors; $500 per additional user

18% (free if Bigfoot hosts)

PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 24 4/1/10 12:01 PM

Your equipment is your businesses’ lifeblood. Don’t let unexpected downtime destroy your bottom-line. Routine inspections and scheduled maintenance reduce the likelihood of production failure. But when the unpredictable happens and you’re down, call Martin for unbelievable response to your specific needs.

Martin has been manufacturing quality Power Transmission & Bulk Material Handling products in the USA for nearly 60 years. Our dedication to quality and service allows us to offer the most reliable line of replacement products in the industry.

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For More Information Contact Your Nearest Martin Distributor

PS1004_FPA.indd 25 4/1/10 1:11 PM


MANAGEMENT / Software

Although the debate continues to rage, many customer IT departments insist on web-enabled software only, due to a long list of advantages such as:

• The application runs entirely on the server for better control over performance, integration, security, etc.

• The application is available from any computer in the world using a common browser, without any additional software such as Citrix required

IBM Maximo asset Management delivers a comprehensive view of asset types – production, delivery, facilities, infrastructure, transpor-

tation, and It – across an enterprise. this holistic perspec-tive allows companies to see every asset. to help maximize the return on assets, Maximo provides the ability to develop comprehensive programs for preventive, predictive, routine, and unplanned maintenance. together, these programs help reduce costs and increase asset reliability. Maximo is used in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, con-struction, transportation, utilities, and telecommunications.www.ibm.com/tivoli/maximo

IfS applications is a global leader in enter-prise asset management (eaM) and enterprise resources planning (erP) software function-ality designed to maximize enterprise value

during an entire asset lifecycle. IfS speaks to the entire design, operate, maintain (DoM) process. Industrial facil-ity designers and those who operate and maintain those facilities need to work together closely to improve plant efficiency and business profitability over time. IfS applica-tions facilitates this tight collaboration by supporting key business projects including projects/engineering, manu-facturing, maintenance, and the supply chains involved.www.ifsworld.com

Infor eaM solutions (previously Datastream) enable manufacturers,

distributors, and services organizations to maintain the avail-ability, reliability, and operational safety of their plant, equip-ment, facilities, and other assets. Infor eaM solutions help asset-intensive companies meet environmental and compli-ance goals, optimize maintenance resources, increase the efficiency of inventory and reduce operating costs and energy use. Industry-leading eaM/CMMS solutions include Infor eaM MP2, Infor eaM Business edition, Infor eaM enterprise edition, and Infor eaM asset Sustainability edition – a break-through solution that integrates energy demand management.www.infor.com/eam

INteraL Maintenance is functionally rich with low in-vestment, scalable, and con-

figurable to your business. Its unique graphic presentation of your maintenance operation allows you to manage your work and resources all from the one screen. Users appreciate this because of the resulting simplicity of use. Using today’s proven technology, INteraL offers multiple security/access levels, and remote device functionality for single and multiple sites. INteraL Standard system (single site) is completely upgrad-able to INteraL enterprise (multiple sites) when your busi-ness needs drive you in that direction. Purchase and monthly hosting options are available to suit your financial preferences.www.interal.com

founded in 1984, Megamation Systems has been providing main-tenance management solutions for more than 25 years. Megama-tion’s flagship offering is DirectLine maintenance management software as a service (SaaS) delivered over the Internet. DirectLine is designed

to help streamline work orders, perform comprehensive preventive maintenance and leverage industry best prac-tices. It’s one of the most feature-rich, customizable, and reliable maintenance solutions available. In the company’s past three annual surveys, more than 98% of clients say that DirectLine meets or exceeds their software needs.www.megamation.com

New Packages for 2010 at www.PlantServices.com/CMMS_Review

• There’s no threat of interference from other applications or a mismatch of software versions on the user’s computer

Another key trend in the Web world is the rising popular-ity of e-procurement. CMMS/EAM vendors have added a variety of features during the years, including links to MRO parts supplier catalogs within the CMMS/EAM application, e-quotations, electronic release management, electronic purchase orders, management of purchase cards, and electronic funds transfer. This has reduced costs for some companies dramati-cally through better management of supplier performance, improved pricing, reduced paperwork and administration, lower inventory levels, and reduced stockouts.

4. OPERATiONAl ExCEllENCE ANd bEST PRACTiCESWith today’s intense global competition and the recent economic downturn, it’s not surprising that companies are fixated on best practices, measurement, and the pursuit of operational excellence. CMMS/EAM vendors responded to this trend with a powerful array of software tools such as key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor important

PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 26 4/1/10 10:58 AM

© 2010 Copyright Hyster Company. Hyster and are registered trademarks of Hyster Company. HYSTERAMERICAS.COM

NOT ALL IRON IS CREATED EQUAL. WE PITY THE STUFF THAT ENDS UP AS REBAR.

The best ore goes on to become members of the Hyster team, a full line of trucks that

derives their exceptional power to perform from 80 years of integrity, engineering

excellence and quality design. Throw in durability and reliability, and the end result is

lift trucks that are as tough as nails and as dependable as all get-out, day in and day out.

2765_HST2368_FortisPS.indd 1 3/9/10 11:07:27 AMPS1004_FPA.indd 27 3/31/10 4:34 PM


MANAGEMENT / Software

measures, dashboards to display critical information in a format makes it easy to spot anomalies and monitor trends, and plant optimization and analytics to iden-tify problem areas, their root causes, and the most appropriate corrective actions.

Plant optimization requires integration with shop-floor data collection systems, as described above, to monitor the general health of assets. As well, advanced tech-niques, such as root cause analysis (RCA) and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), are becoming more popular to optimize asset performance and reliability.

5. SuSTAiNAbiliTyIt used to be said that until sustainability has a clear payback, businesses wouldn’t be interested in much more than pay-ing lip service to it. However, on average, manufacturers spend almost four times as much on energy as they do on MRO capital equipment and services. As well, some large international companies prefer suppliers that have carbon management programs, such as many of the member companies of the Carbon Disclosure Proj-ect, a not-for-profit company formed in 2000 for collecting climate change data. So, with energy prices rising, regulatory pres-sures increasing, and better monitoring technology, there’s now plenty of motiva-tion for a focus on sustainability.

Most modern CMMS packages pro-vide at least the basic tracking of energy consumption by asset or asset type for commodities such as electricity, gas, and water, using condition-based monitoring functionality. More sophisticated pack-ages offer such features as:

• A dashboard layout or thermal map representing energy consumption of your assets, with drill-down capabil-ity on hot spots to determine actual-versus-expected energy consumption of an individual asset flagged as “in the red”

• A carbon footprint calculator and tracker, to translate energy consump-tion into level of carbon emission, and assist in carbon management

• A workflow engine or notifica-tion capability to alert users to any

anomalous situations, such as rising energy consumption for a given asset, sustainability-related preven-tive maintenance tasks that are long overdue, or repetitive problems like excessive power surges

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Table 2. Selection Criteria with Example Weights

Company information Weight

Company Profile 4

financial Position 6

Customer Installations 5

Competitive advantage 5

20

Product & Hardware

Configurability 4

web architecture 2

open Systems 3

9

Technical information

recovery & Backup 2

auditing & Security 2

Documentation 2

Interface requirements 4

10

Support Services

Support 6

ease of Implementation 10

training 5

21

Cost Effectiveness

Base Package 35

options & additions 10

on-Going Services 10

General 5

60

Technical Specs

User Interface 16

work Planning & Scheduling 16

Health, Safety & environment 16

Maintenance optimization 16

KPIs & analysis tools 16

80

TOTAl SCORE 200

PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 28 4/1/10 10:58 AM

www.Applied.com/motormanagement

Scrap Your Energy-Hogging MotorsDid you know that a motor’s initial purchase price

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6. Risk managementAs assets become smarter, computers more complex, and humans more dependent on technology, the risk of cata-strophic failure increases. As a result, every company has ex-perienced a steady rise in regulatory pressures from industry groups and all levels of government. CMMS/EAM vendors have responded with better controls to mitigate risks, and improved reporting capability to facilitate communication with regulatory bodies. For example, development of elec-tronic signatures was a direct result of the Food and Drug Administration’s 21 CFR Part 11 ruling for food processors and pharmaceutical companies.

Other features that assist in better management of risk and reporting to regulators include:

• Sophisticated security for user groups or individuals to prevent unauthorized actions such as editing of data within a given module, screen, field, etc.

• Audit trail capability that tracks user login and logout, as well as all changes to the database

• Error-checking capability for validating the format, range, or logic of data that is entered by the user

• Notification or alarming functionality to alert manage-ment of any anomalous situations, such as when a key

performance indicator is trending out of control• Automated workflow, such as approvals, for ensuring

procedures are followed• A powerful report generator that can filter and sort data

in a matter acceptable to regulators

7. mobile technologyIn my view, one of the most important emerging trends is the growth of mobile technology. Although mobile solu-tions began as the answer to the needs of remote and mobile workers in industries such as transportation, municipal gov-ernment, and real estate, it has proven to be of much greater potential in every sector. The key isn’t to think of the mobile device as just a terminal onto the main system that happens to have a smaller screen. This is exactly the thinking when companies outfit vehicles with laptops for their maintenance workers and simply configure them as a remote office. How-ever, the real potential lies with the rapidly-changing market for smaller personal devices like small tablets, Apple iPad or iPod, Android devices, Blackberry devices, Symbian devices, Pilot units, and so on.

These devices could bring revolutionary change to the way companies manage their assets, in the same way cell phones


management / Software

One location - Worldwide motor knowledgeNetworked Automated Analysis The success of any predictive maintenance program is in the details. Getting those details in a usuable format involves a great deal of hard work. Baker/SKF takes some of this hard work and makes it easier. Finally, by utilizing the new SKF Online Motor Analysis System-NetEP, automatically analyze real time data from anywhere an Internet connection exists. Understand the condition of your rotating equipment through preset alarms. Get immediate notification upon an event. Keep your machinery working at an optimal level while minimizing the costly occurance of motor failure.

To learn more on how Baker/SKF can help maintain your assets and improve your bottom line, talk to your Baker/SKF representative or visit us at www.bakerinst.com.

PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 30 4/1/10 10:58 AM

FLIR’s Mission Catching problems before they turn into nightmares

Visit www.fl ir.com or call 800.464.6372 to schedule your free demo and fi nd out why FLIR has been the most trusted name in thermal imaging for 45 years.

Know what elite warfi ghters and plant engineers have in common? No room for error.The #1 manufacturer of infrared cameras in the world, FLIR has been helping engineers and technicians keep aging production lines moving during the worst economy in decades; the cost of failure is catastrophic to families and businesses alike.It’s no surpise that FLIR is the #1 manufacturer of infrared cameras in the world.

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transformed the way we communicate. This will only come to pass if CMMS/EAM vendors begin to write applica-tions that are more suited to the size and power of mobile units. Further-more, the software functionality must significantly assist maintainers in completing their work.

For example, will the mobile device ensure technicians have the right in-formation, parts, and tools to complete the job? Is the device fully integrated with a barcode scanner, GPS unit, camera, and other technology needed to do the job? Is there a personalized dashboard that can alert technicians to anomalous situations, and then provide diagnostic tools to correct the problem quickly? Will the technicians

love their easy-to-use devices and wonder how they survived for so long without them?

No doubt we have a ways to go before this scale of transformation occurs. In the meantime, CMMS/EAM vendors are writing mobile applications or working with partner companies to extend the reach of their CMMS/EAM software, as shown in detail in the Plant Services CMMS/EAM Software Review (www.PlantSer vices.com/CMMS_Review).

8. Condition-based maintenanCeFor many years, there has been a grow-ing interest in reliability as maintenance departments move from a firefighting mentality to a more planned environ-

ment. To accomplish this transition, managers must establish for each asset or component a maintenance policy describing on what basis maintenance is triggered. Policy options are:

1. Failure-based maintenance: Main-tenance triggered by failure of the asset or component (ie, let it run to fail)

2. Use-based maintenance: Mainte-nance triggered by time (eg, weekly), by meter (eg, every 5000 miles), or by a given event (eg, a snowfall)

3. Condition-based maintenance: Maintenance triggered by a condition (eg, temperature exceeds 70 degrees)

Selection depends on the cost of implementing each policy, and sever-ity of consequences if the asset or component should fail. For example, changing the oil in a vehicle can be triggered by engine failure, a regular time interval or meter reading such as every three months or 5000 miles, or when the level of particulate in the oil exceeds a threshold. Because of the excessive downtime and maintenance costs involved, as well as potential safety risks, you would not want to let the engine run to failure. On the other extreme, monitoring the level of par-ticulate by sending out oil samples for regular lab testing might be too high a price to pay for the increased accuracy.

Thus, for some vehicles, changing the oil every three months or 5000 miles provides the right balance of cost versus benefit. For other vehicles, such as mobile mining equipment, where engine failure might be catastrophic and oil changes expensive, it might indeed pay to monitor the condition of the oil through regular lubrication analyses.

When condition monitoring is the preferred option to optimize the reli-ability, availability and performance of the asset, the more sophisticated CMMS/EAM packages have a host of advanced features, detailed at www.PlantServices.com/CMMS_Review.


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PS1004_20_34_CMMS.indd 32 4/1/10 10:59 AM

To resolve stubbornsystem problems, we dig deep.

Bad-acting pump systems are like weeds. If you don’t get the root, they just keep coming back. And keep eating a disproportionate share of your repair, maintenance and energy budget. Plus dollars due to lost production. But you don’t have to live with them. Call ITT. Our REsolve service specializes in eliminating bad actors by performing a root cause analysis that solvesthe problem once and for all. REsolve is one of a complete suite of ITTPlant Performance Services dedicated to keeping the total cost of ownership of your plant’s systems as low as possible. For more information, visit ittpps.com. Or call 1-800-734-7867.

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PS1004_FPA.indd 33 3/31/10 4:36 PM

9. SchedulingMoving to a more planned environment requires better tools for planning, scheduling, and coordinating maintenance activities, in-cluding major shutdowns. Even failure-based maintenance can be planned in the sense that you make a deliberate choice to run the asset to failure, and have a standard job plan ready when it occurs. Today’s CMMS/EAM vendors developed some incredible graphical tools to assist planners, schedulers, and turn-around managers in matching the anticipat-ed workload for a user-definable time period, with the availability of the right labor skills and competencies, spare parts, tools, special equipment, and facilities. Critical function-alities are listed and evaluated for current package offerings at www.PlantServices.com/CMMS_Review.

10. PricingThere are almost as many pricing schemes as there are CMMS/EAM packages available. The latest trend in pricing appears to be the recent rise in popularity of software as a ser-vice, or SaaS. This option provides a block of hours of login time at a fixed price, regardless of how many users consume those hours. The price typically includes unlimited training, support, and implementation assistance. Other pricing schemes are shown the pack-age descriptions in Table 1.

concluSionThe CMMS/EAM industry continues to ma-ture as evidenced by the mergers and acquisi-tions of the past decade, although the level of this activity seems to have slowed in recent years. Industry consolidation has resulted in more streamlined costs because of economies of scale, and greater expenditure on research and development to produce a better software product. Additionally, CMMS/EAM vendors have an extensive network of partners that expand their product and service offerings. Many of these vendors have chosen niche markets in which to focus, such as a single asset class (eg, fleet), a given industry (eg, life sciences), or a product/service theme (eg, reliability-centered maintenance). This is all good news for you, their potential customers, as you search for innovative ways to improve bottom-line performance.

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Inpro/Seal Company has been in the business of bearing protection for rotating equipment for 32 years and counting. We have been supplying bearing protection for the IEEE-841 motors since they were first introduced. It is only logical that we would expand into the field of motor shaft current mitigation to protect motor bearings. The CDR is:

Machined entirely out of solid corrosion resistant and highly conductive bronze, the CDR/MGS is capable of carrying 12+ continuous amps. They are made exclusively by the Inpro/Seal Company in Rock Island, IL, to ensure consistent quality and same-day shipments when required.

The CDR and MGS (Motor Grounding Seal) products were developed in our own Research and Experimentation Laboratory and then extensively tested and evaluated by professional motor manufacturing personnel. Our standard guarantee of unconditional customer satisfaction of product performance applies. We stand behind our products.

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PS1004_FPA.indd 36 3/31/10 4:37 PM

A basic principle of machinery vibration analysis is evaluating whether speci c vibration amplitudes are exces-sive and, if so, to what degree. Many criteria provided by manufacturers and other entities simply say that no single spectral peak should exceed a prescribed amplitude. Others are even more basic and establish overall broadband limits for a given machine or test location. Still others get more speci c and creative by establishing amplitude limits within each of a handful of frequency bands.

� ere also are long-established severity charts that pres-ent contours of amplitude versus frequency, with provi-sions that account for machine type (reciprocating, etc.) and size. A major problem with simpli ed approaches is that serious discrepancies can occur. One machine can ap-pear to be bad because it produces one very high vibration tone, which is proven to be benign. Another machine can easily meet general amplitude criteria while producing a strong series of high-frequency ball bearing tones indicat-ing serious bearing wear.

� e solution is to let the machines dictate what is acceptable.Consider a group of eight identical machines, say, large

motor-driven centrifugal pumps. Each is set up for vibration testing using identical variables, including two frequency ranges. Each has two test locations on the motor and two on the pump. Permanently attached bronze pads provide consistent triaxial data with good frequency response.

It is important to establish consistent and repeatable test operating conditions to achieve an apples-to-apples compari-

son. Instead of using a xed frequency scale (in CPM or Hz), the spectral data need to be order normalized with respect to the rotating speed of a reference sha� . Order normalization allows the various spectral peaks associated with rotating forcing frequencies to line up. While this approach doesn’t apply to xed-frequency excitation from electrical or external sources, the resulting shi� on an orders scale can be mitigated by using consistent test speeds.

Collect one set of initial data from the eight pumps. It is possible to directly compare vibration signatures for each test location. � is procedure requires as much art and judg-ment as logic. If ve of the eight vibration signatures look relatively similar, those ve test samples are assumed to rep-resent machines with no signi cant problems. Appropriate so� ware then incorporates the ve samples into an average baseline signature and computes the average amplitude and the statistical standard deviation (one sigma).

Additional rounds of testing add more samples to this baseline a� er applying comparative judgment. � e baseline construction can stop a� er about 20 or 25 test samples are taken because the values of average and sigma change very little with additional samples.

� e sigma value accounts for natural variations of speci c amplitudes. As an analogy, assume that the average daily high temperature is 80°F while the actual temperature rang-es from 70°F to 90°F for 85% of the time. Would the weather be abnormally hot if the temperature is 89°F one day? If, one day, the temperature is 71°F, is the weather abnormally cold?

WWW.PLANTSERVICES.COM APRIL 2010 37

RELIABILITY / PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

ps1004_37_38_pdm.indd 37 3/31/10 4:16 PM

� e answer to both questions is “no.” If, on the other hand, weather statistics show a more narrow range, say between 75°F and 85°F, then 89°F becomes abnormal. Similarly, it’s wise to use the average plus sigma vibration amplitude as a criterion, as opposed to using a simple average value. It’s not worth arguing whether the baseline amplitude criterion should use one, two, or three sigma. As long as the criteria are applied consistently and empirically, the system can work.

� is is the optimum approach for establishing amplitude criteria if a monitoring program covers multiple identical machines. It’s particularly bene� cial if a site has only one machine of a speci� c model, but the same model is installed at other sites. Using test samples from multiple sites to con-struct a single set of baseline signatures for one model solves the problem of establishing a reliable baseline. A mature av-erage baseline signature allows an analyst to assess machine condition according to what one expects to see (logical) and what one has seen in the past (empirical).

� e approach of using average plus/minus one sigma has been applied to a wide variety of machines. � e accumulated experience with these signatures yields the idea that perhaps this complex set of criteria can be regressed to a more gener-al tool for amplitude evaluation. In other words, it would be

advantageous to have some basis for evaluation the � rst time you perform a vibration test on a machine. Is it possible for one set of vibration signatures to serve as a generic baseline for a component type?

� ere are two major obstacles to this concept. Consider centrifugal pumps. First, some pumps are inherently noisy, while others are inherently quiet. Using a single set of signatures to assess all centrifugal pumps could result in overstating or understating fault severity. Second, forc-ing frequencies can vary (number of pump impeller vanes, for example). A six-vane impeller can have normal but prominent vibration at 6x, 12x, and 18x rotational speed but much less vibration at other 1x harmonics. A pump with a � ve-vane impeller will produce a di� erent set of prominent peaks at 5x, 10x, etc.

� e same situation arises with motors (rotor bars cause frequency sidebands at twice electrical line frequency) and gearboxes (at gear tooth counts). � is second problem can be solved at least in part by means of an active-baseline synthesizer.

Machinery vibration analysis, whether performed manually or by diagnostic so� ware, requires some sort of baseline. � at baseline needs to exhibit realistic amplitudes at various forcing frequencies and noise � oors. � e ideal baseline is derived from empirical test data from machines of the same model.

If that’s unavailable, a synthetic baseline can be derived from similar components, but it is a generic and less precise alternative. A reliable baseline of amplitude criteria not only facilitates speci� c machine fault diagnoses, but more importantly, leads to more consistent and accurate severity assessment and trending over time.

Bill Watts is a senior vibration engineer at Azima DLI in Poulsbo, Wash. Contact him at [email protected] and (360) 626-0043.


RELIABILITY / PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

PdM for drives “Keeping drives healthy”Vibration and alignment “Measuring your vibes”Vibration basics “Vibration analysis: what does it mean?”Pump monitoring “Continuous monitoring of sealless pumps: the next step”Fan vibrations “Don’t allow fan wheels to work with bad vibes”Vibration analysis “Condition monitoring under control”Thermography / vibration “Two powerful predictors”Gear vibration “Understanding and minimizing industrial noise”Ultrasonics and vibration “Bad Vibrations”

For more, search www.PlantServices.com using the keywords amplitude, baseline and signature.

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ps1004_37_38_pdm.indd 38 4/1/10 12:03 PM


CATEGORY / TOPIC

Effi ciency of large motors has been increasing for some years. Now, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is consider-ing mandating higher energy-e� ciency requirements for small motors. Motors with greater energy e� ciency generally cost more than standard motors of equivalent power. � is forces motor users to justify the higher initial cost by means of energy savings accrued during the projected life of the motor.

Motor e� ciency is de ned as the power output divided by the power input. Subtracting the output power from the input power reveals the machine losses. � erefore, the only way to improve e� ciency is to reduce these losses.

So, how do motor manufacturers accomplish that? � e Na-tional Electrical Manufacturers’ Association (NEMA) standard MG1 says that motors can be tested in several ways following Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standard 112 for polyphase motors. Method 112B allows the manufac-turer to separate the losses into categories that include:

• Stator copper losses (I2R) that are a result of current in the windings

• Rotor copper losses (I2R) that are a result of current in the rotor

• Core losses that result from magnetizing the steel. � ese consist of hysteresis and eddy current losses.

• Friction and windage losses that result from bearing friction and the rotor moving the air inside the motor

• Stray load losses that are de ned as losses not accounted for elsewhere.

STATOR COPPER LOSSTwo ways to reduce stator copper losses are by reducing the electric current � owing through the stator and reducing the winding’s ohmic resistance. � e magnetic � ux produced in the motor’s stator is driven across an air gap to interact with the rotor conductors. � is produces a rotor eld that inter-acts with the main eld � ux and produces the output power.

A certain amount of current is needed to magnetize the stator steel while the balance produces the output power. � e e� ciency is raised by reducing the magnetizing current. Motor manufacturers accomplished this by increasing the steel stack length (core length).

� e copper losses also can be reduced by reducing the wind-ing resistance. � is requires a larger wire size. � e slot sizes are xed for a given stator lamination con guration, so there’s a limit on how much wire can be inserted into it. It would be possible to exceed the slot size limit only by redesigning the lamination to increase the slot size. � is requires new stamping dies, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

ROTOR AND CORE LOSSESOne can reduce rotor losses by decreasing the rotor’s ohmic resistance. Motor manufacturers increase the rotor end ring, redesign the rotor slot, and use copper rotor conductors instead of aluminum. All these options cost money. � ere’s a lower limit on rotor resistance because as it drops, the full-load speed increases. Changing end rings is a relatively small

How manufacturers improve electric motor effi ciencyand why they cost more By William H. Yeadon, P.E.

How manufacturers improve electric motor effi ciency

PS1004_39_40_motors.indd 39 4/1/10 11:01 AM


energy / Motors

expense compared to redesigning the rotor slot and convert-ing to copper conductors, but it adds expense nonetheless.

Core loss can be lowered by reducing the magnetic flux density and by changing the steel type. The hysteresis com-ponent of core loss is determined by the characteristics of the steel when magnetized in one direction then demagne-tized and remagnetized in the other direction. This is largely a function of the steel type and processing.

The eddy current component of the core loss results from the changing magnetic field inducing voltages and currents in the steel core. It’s a function of the steel type, thickness, and pro-

cessing and can be reduced by upgrading the steel type and using thinner laminations. This alloy is more costly and more laminations are needed for a given core length to produce the same power.

Motor lamination alloys are usually known in the industry by their M Grade number. For instance, a common steel used in motors is 24-ga. M56. This steel has a core loss of around 5 watts per pound. The so-called “better steels,” such as 29-ga. M19, exhibit a core loss of about 2 W per pound under similar op-erating conditions. Using M19 steel in place of M56 steel requires more steel to produce the same output

power. And, the number of laminations for a given core length increases. Both factors increase the motor cost.

Friction and windage lossThese losses have two major components: bearing friction and cooling system losses. Bearing friction is a function of the bearing size, lubricant, and the approach used to seal the bearing. Because most bearings are chosen as a function of the load and application, it leaves little room for change, other than using better grease and seals.

Windage loss results from having to move cooling air through the motor. The cooling fan constitutes the largest part of the loss. Motors have cooling fans to maintain temperatures within the limitations of the insulation system. The fan can be removed if it’s possible to control the temperature within safe limits in other ways. In most cases, however, some means of cooling is required. Improving the entire cooling system to reduce air flow losses is a reasonable goal. Improved cooling systems usually require the addition of baffles and venturis, which add cost.

stray load lossStray load losses are those not accounted for in the other loss categories. They’ve been the topic of many papers and much discussion over the years. There’s evidence that some stray load losses are caused by eddy currents in the tooth tips and rotor surface, as well as rotor bars being shorted to the lamination steel. These losses can be reduced somewhat by changing the rotor manufacturing methods. But, these additional operations, too, lead to increased costs.

Reducing motor losses will, by definition, increase efficiency. The losses are easily identified and quantified using IEEE methods. There’s a labor or material cost associated with each loss-reduction measure. Improved motor efficiency is achieved by improved materials, additional materials, and improved processing. All these cost money and drive up the cost to con-sumers. Motor manufacturers balance these costs against the improved efficiency benefits and the cost to the consumer.

william H. yeadon, P.e., is the owner of yeadon energy systems in iron river, Mich. (www.yeadoninc.com). contact him at [email protected] and (906) 265-7937.

ieee std 43-2000 “ testing the insulation resistance of rotating machinery”

Motor PdM “Health care for a motor-drive system”efficiency “an energy diet for electric motors”total cost of ownership “a little more now can save a lot later”Motor rewinds “an objective look at rewind technologies”

For more, search www.Plantservices.com using the keywords copper, lamination, and stator.

more resources at www.plantservices.com

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Grooved mechanical pipe joining is a technique pioneered during World War I as a fast, reliable way to transport fuel and water to the Allied troops. It has become a viable joining method on utility and process piping ap-plications when compared with welding, threading, and � anging. � e mechanical joint, or coupling (Figure 1), has four elements: the grooved pipe, the gasket, the coupling housings, and the fasteners. � e pipe ends have a cold

formed or machined groove that provides an engagement point for the coupling and a sealing surface for the gasket. � e gasket seals the pipe ends, trapping � uid within as it is enclosed by the coupling housings. � e housings are held together by bolts and nuts tightened with a socket wrench or impact wrench. � e coupling housing encases the gasket and engages the circumferential pipe groove to produce a leak-tight seal in a self-restrained pipe joint.

� e method has gained widespread use since its inven-tion 85 years ago, but many myths and misunderstandings regarding the grooved joint’s engineering and performance still exist.

� e bene� ts of using a grooved system are plentiful. Rigid and � exible coupling options meet system designers’ needs, a union at every joint allows for ease in system maintenance and retro� t, noise is attenuated as vibrations are reduced at each pipe joint, and the strategic use of sway bracing and rigid/� exible couplings accommodates seismic movements. However, the bottom-line question remains: Is it reliable?

Let’s explore some misconceptions about the grooved mechanical pipe joining method:

• � e indent from roll grooving introduces a pressure drop• � e grooving process weakens a pipe and leads to stress

failures• Couplings can’t produce a truly rigid joint and, there-

fore, the piping system sags over time and requires ad-ditional support compared to a welded system


IN THE GROOVEBy Gary Trinker

Common myths about mechanical pipe joints

THE ASSEMBLY

Figure 1. Four elements comprise a mechanical joint: the grooved pipe, the gasket, the coupling housings, and the fasteners.

PS1004_41_45_valves.indd 41 3/31/10 4:20 PM

Cut and roll groovingSome ask how the pipe groove is formed and how that affects the pipe’s performance in different applications. There are two types of grooving: roll grooving and cut grooving (Figure 2).

Used in approximately 90% of grooved piping applications, roll grooving is the most common meth-od. Roll grooving was developed more than 50 years ago for light or thin-wall pipe, which opened the door to a fast, economical method for mechanically joining such pipe. Roll grooving is now used on a wide variety of pipe sizes and wall thicknesses because it’s a fast, efficient, and clean pipe end preparation technique that doesn’t sacrifice pipe joint performance.

Roll grooving displaces a small portion of the pipe wall radially in a cold forming process. The pipe end is placed between the roll set of a grooving machine. The roll set closes, the pipe is compressed and rotated, and a groove is formed around the outside diameter, leaving a circumferential recess on the outside and an indent on the inside.

Roll grooving can be used on Schedule 5 through ANSI standard wall thickness carbon steel and stain-less steel, copper, and aluminum pipe or tubing, and up to schedule 80 PVC plastic pipe. Roll-grooved systems range in diameter from 3/4-in. to 60 in. in some materials.

Cut grooving, on the other hand, is commonly used on pipes of ANSI standard wall or greater and for abrasive applications, where the inside of the pipe wall needs to be as smooth as possible to allow materials to pass without obstruction. The smooth, continu-ous inside surface remains after the groove is cut, making cut grooving suitable for systems that require plastic coating, cement lining, or other protective linings for corrosion or abrasion reasons.

Cut grooving involves removal of one-third of the total pipe wall thickness to provide the lip that

engages the coupling housing. Cutting a groove removes less material, to less depth, than threading the pipe (Figure 3). Cut grooving can be completed manually or by using motorized tools.

Flow dynamiCsA concern associated with grooved mechanical piping is that the inside di-ameter indentation of roll grooving will upset the flow dynamics. However, the indentation is small, with smooth edges upstream and downstream (Figure 4). The indentation is at the pipe wall, where fluid velocity is lowest. The pres-sure drop is so small that it’s considered negligible when compared to other pres-sure drops, such as those from overall pipe friction, valves, bends, and branch connections.

Flow testing has confirmed that the joints exhibit good flow characteristics.


reliability / PiPing

rolled versus Cut grooves

Figure 2. The two types of groove configuration. The roll groove (above) differs slightly from the cut groove (below).

more metal remains

Figure 3. The groove, depicted by the black bar, removes less pipe wall material than threading

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Testing involved grooved and plain-end 4-in. Type K copper tubing, and 2 in. to 8 in. Schedules 10 and 40 carbon steel pipe at flow velocities of 4, 8, 12, and 16 ft./sec. at ambient water temperature.

Pressure taps located 10 ft. apart on a straight section of pipe (or tube) established the baseline measurement at the tested flow rates. Then, the pipe/tube was cut into four segments to insert three roll-grooved pipe joints between the pressure taps. After the new pressure losses were recorded, the baseline loss was subtracted out to de-termine the insertion loss. The average loss of each grooved coupling joint was equivalent to about 1/2 ft. of pipe.

Additional independent testing by Factory Mutual Research Corp. supports these findings. Factory Mutual’s Loss Prevention Data Technical Advi-sory Bulletin 2-8N stipulates that one equivalent foot of pipe be added for each roll-grooved joint on any pipe size. This is conservatively higher than actual test values, yet still relatively low compared to the values established for components such as valves and fittings. These values further attest to the low loss characteris-tics of roll grooved joints.

Roll grooving pressure drop is consistent and can be accounted for during system design. Although, in theory, welded systems produce little to no loss at the joints, variables of craftsmanship can lead to welding ma-terial entering the pipeline, interfering with flow and, in some cases, dislodg-ing and causing a system blockage.

GettinG past the Groove

Figure 4. The mechanical joint introduces only a small disturbance to the flow profile.

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Reliability / PiPing

PiPe stRess

Another concern is the ability of a grooved joint to per-form adequately under load. Regardless of pipe joint type, a pipe under load exhibits two forms of stress: longitudinal and hoop. Longitudinal stress is a tensile stress, tending to stretch the pipe axially. A failure from longitudinal stress produces a circumferential fracture. Hoop stress is “balloon-ing,” a radial expansion, and the potential failure mode is a lengthwise split. The calculations for determining stress also show that the hoop stress will be twice longitudinal stress:

Hoop stress = (P x OD) / (2 x Tw)Longitudinal stress = (P x OD) / (4 x Tw),

where P is the line pressure, OD is the outside diam-eter, and Tw is the wall thickness. This means that over-stress failures are most likely to occur along the length of the pipe – in a weld seam, for example – not on the pipe circumference.

Everything else being equal, a decrease in wall thickness results in an increase in hoop stress. In a grooved joint, the coupling housing, which engages the groove, prevents dia-metric expansion and reinforces the pipe. This suggests the

grooved technique doesn’t produce greater hoop stress and, therefore, doesn’t weaken the pipe. Any potential increase in pipe hardness, reduction in tensile strength or reduction in elongation the roll grooving process produces has no effect on the pressure capability of the joint, and pipe material changes are comparable to any other cold-forming manufac-turing operations.

Cut grooving reduces the wall thickness by removing a narrow circumferential strip of material from the outside surface. The hoop stress remains approximately the same because the groove is narrow and reinforced by the full wall thickness of pipe on either side of the groove. The groove also is reinforced by the coupling key engaged in the groove, preventing it from expanding diametrically. However, the longitudinal stress increases proportionally with the decrease in the wall thickness. Therefore, if one half of the original wall thickness remains, longitudinal stress is doubled, or approximately equal to the hoop stress.

Because the cut groove depth in standard wall thickness pipe removes only about one-third the original pipe wall thickness, the hoop stress remains larger than the longitudinal stress. Any over-stress failure continues to occur along the length of the pipe, not at the groove, demonstrating that the groove area isn’t weaker than the longitudinal barrel of the pipe. Again, this means that the groove doesn’t compromise joint strength.

The pressure rating on a grooved mechanical pipe joint is determined in consideration of all the components involved. Grooved pipe has no rating without the corresponding coupling, and coupling ratings are a function of the piping material and wall thickness. Every manufacturer’s published pipe joint rating is calculated or tested on pipe that contains a groove, meaning that any potential effect of the groove on the strength of the pipe is incorporated in to the coupling’s performance rating.

Rigid veRsus flexible systemsAnother misconception about grooved mechanical pipe joining is that couplings can’t produce rigid joints and re-quire extra supports to prevent system sagging. The housing on a rigid coupling positively clamps the pipe to produce a rigid joint, providing system behavior characteristics similar to those of other rigid systems. The piping remains aligned and isn’t subject to axial movement or angular deflection.

Systems using rigid couplings need support techniques identical to those of welded systems when designed and in-stalled according to the hanger spacing requirements as noted in the ASME B31.1 Power Piping Code, ASME B31.9 Building

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a little bending is gOOd

figure 5. innate joint flexibility allows smaller thermal expansion loops.

ROll gROOving was develOPed mORe tHan 50 yeaRs agO

fOR ligHt OR tHin-wall PiPe.

PS1004_41_45_valves.indd 44 3/31/10 4:21 PM


RELIABILITY / PIPING

Services Piping Code, and NFPA 13 Sprinkler Systems Code.

In most utility and process systems, temperature � uctuation produces dimensional changes, stress, and potentially damaging forces. Flexible couplings accommodate the thermal e� ects by allowing for linear move-ment and de� ection (Figure 5). A series of � exible couplings in close proximity accommodates as much as 3 in. (76 mm) of linear movement. Flex-ible couplings can be used at changes in directions to provide stress-free o� sets, or on “traditional” expansion loops. However, by using � exible cou-plings at the elbows of the expansion loops, the loop may be reduced in size one-half to one-third the size of a loop of welded construction.

PROVEN RELIABILITY� e ultimate objective, reliability in me-chanical grooved pipe joining, has been proven through research, testing, and extensive evaluation. It has stood the test of time in some of the most demanding industrial applications, including power generation, primary and secondary oil production, Canadian oil sands high-pressure piping, biofuel production, and water system technologies, including reverse osmosis and nano� ltration. Furthermore, it has been a reliable component of mission-critical applica-tions such as data centers, � ammable chemical cleaning applications, locomo-tive engine fuel and cooling lines, and in hydraulic elevator services.

Mechanical joints are used in a variety of industrial piping services, including utility and process piping. However, they are not appropriate for all circumstances. Grooved mechanical couplings, like all joining methods and materials, have limitations. � ese limi-tations include excessively high and low temperature extremes, excessively high pressures, and chemical compatibility of the elastomeric seal with various chemical services. It is recommended to consult the manufacturer’s Web site, published literature or technical depart-

ment when questions arise about speci� c services and product performance.

Engineers, contractors, and own-ers can be assured that grooved piping technology has been thoroughly tested, both in research and in the � eld, and has demonstrated consistent strength and reliability. Myths about the process, sys-tem rigidity, elasticity and stress, and the � ow characteristics are easily explained.

When the versatile and economic nature of the method is considered, it’s clear that when appropriate, grooved mechanical pipe joining can and should be the preferred choice.

Gary Trinker is manager of engineering services at Victaulic Co., Easton, Pa. Contact him at [email protected] (610) 559-3300.

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Tess LaCoyle, a crew foreman at the Acme plant, had been diagnosed with severe depression and suffered periodic downer episodes during the past two or three years. Several times, the attacks were severe enough to cause her to be absent from work for various periods.

In spite of this, Tess generally received positive job performance reviews every six months. The only black marks in her personnel file were a few formal citations that criticized her attendance. In each case, though, Tess filed a rebuttal docu-ment that claimed her absences were re-lated either to family or personal illness.

One day last June, Tess didn’t punch in when the shift started. When Phil Tray-shon, the plant manager, walked through the department, he inquired about her. One of her direct reports, her sister, told Phil that Tess had been hospitalized the previous night for a nervous breakdown and was subsequently transferred to the mental health unit at another hospital. Phil arranged for flowers and a get-well card to be sent to her hospital room in the name of the crew that she led.

Mort Gage, the HR manager, complained to Phil that Acme didn’t receive formal notice that Tess needed

FMLA leave. Phil said he assumed that Tess would need FMLA leave when her sister told him about the hospitalization.

The following week, Tess’s doctor sent Mort a letter that indicated Tess needed to be off work for one more week and would return to work on July 1. But Tess didn’t return to the plant that day.

When Tess also didn’t return to work after the Independence Day holiday.

Mort phoned her at home to tell her that Acme never received formal notice of the need for FMLA leave and that she was suspended without pay. The discussion became quite heated on both sides, ending abruptly when Tess became quite angry about the idea of a suspension and shouted, “I quit.”

Tess filed a claim of retaliation and argued that there was no need for adherence to Acme’s strict formal re-porting rules because a family member informed the plant manager of the situ-ation. She argued that Acme already knew she needed leave as evidenced by the fact that Acme sent flowers to her hospital room. Tess also noted the short interval between hospitalization and termination as evidence of retaliation. Acme argued it never received formal notice that Tess needed FMLA leave, but acknowledged sending flowers to her in the hospital.

Special thanks to Charlie at Burrell Scientific.

How could this situation have been avoided? Did Acme receive constructive notice that Tess needed FMLA leave? Is it a case of rewarding “bad” behavior when a company sends flowers to a hospital-

ized employee? Was Phil obliged to apply for FMLA leave on Tess’ behalf when he learned she was hospitalized?

An ACAdemiCiAn sAys:FMLA allows an employee to take 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave, with some restrictions, for family or personal medical problems. The drill usually looks something like this: Tess doesn’t show up for work; Phil calls her home and finds that she’s been hospitalized; Phil calls HR and reports what he’s been told; and HR takes it from there and contacts, or attempts to contact, Tess.

Tess has several options at this point. In the simplest scenario, she can cover her absence with sick days, or personal days, or even vacation days, if she has any left. That would allow her to get paid for her absence, which she wouldn’t receive by taking an unpaid FMLA leave. Or, an-ticipating an extended absence, she could start unpaid FMLA leave. In either of the above cases, Tess must inform HR.

However, a problem arises if Tess isn’t able to make that decision or isn’t able to communicate (if she’s in a coma or heav-ily medicated). Given that situation, Tess would be unable to notify HR, which is usually required for FMLA leave, and HR has to make the decision. Acme could have put Tess on FMLA without receiving notification from her by send-ing her a certified letter saying Acme is putting her on FMLA leave. That would probably have taken care of it. Actually, that’s probably what Acme should have done in this situation when they were unable to talk with Tess.

Most companies have these proce-dures written in the HR policies and procedures manual. Because Acme (and Tess) didn’t follow the procedure, the case is going to end up in litigation, giv-

in The TrenChes

A depressing sToryAcme expects workers to be in place when the shift starts

PS1004_46_47_Trenches.indd 46 3/31/10 4:23 PM

ing the lawyers a wonderful opportunity to display their legal skills.Professor Homer H. Johnson, Ph.D., Loyola University Chicago(312) 915-6682, [email protected]

An Attorney sAys:Mort needs to get up to speed on the requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act. All that’s required to trigger the application of the FMLA is notice to the employer, via any means whatsoever, that an employee is absent for reasons covered by the FMLA. When Tess’ sister told Phil that Tess was hospitalized, that constituted actual, not constructive, no-tice that Tess was absent for a reason cov-ered by the FMLA. No “application” for FMLA leave by an employee is required. Once Acme received notice from Tess’ sister that she was absent for an FMLA-covered reason, the burden shifted to Acme to provide Tess with notice that she was entitled to FMLA leave. Appar-ently, Acme omitted this step as well.

The story doesn’t end there, however. Tess’ doctor released her to return to work on July 1st. She didn’t report to work on July 1st, she didn’t contact Acme and she didn’t provide a doc-tor’s note authorizing her to be off work beyond July 1st. In other words, Tess was absent without either proper authoriza-tion or notice. Rather than merely sus-pending her, Acme could have terminat-

ed her, provided that it terminated other employees under similar circumstances.

Finally, it’s obvious that Mort was extremely unhappy with Tess and her absence. Nevertheless, it makes absolutely no sense to suspend an employee who al-

ready is absent from work. The employee already is absent — what’s the point?Julie Badel, partner, epstein Becker & Green, P.C. (312) 499-1418, [email protected]

A PLAnt enGineer sAys:This situation could have been avoided if Mort, the HR manager, would have been more professional in his contact with Tess. I can only imagine the angst Mort must have experienced when he didn’t have a proper form filled out and signed by Tess. I’m sure that’s very important and we need to keep our forms cur-rent to reflect the current status of each associate, especially those who aren’t on the job or off on FMLA leave.

Of course, Tess wasn’t formally on FMLA because her medical problems prevented her from signing forms. This also could have been avoided if Tess hadn’t ended the conversation with “I quit” and had given Acme the common

courtesy of calling and letting HR know about her current situation. It would seem that Acme had waited two weeks to hear from Tess and she made no ef-fort to contact them. When the doctor reported that Tess would return to work

on July 1st, Acme had every reason to believe that she would be there. Is it too much to ask for an employee to call their employer to let them know why they are not on the job when scheduled? I don’t believe the question is whether or not Acme received “constructive notice” that Tess needed FMLA, but why she missed work and failed to call in after the doctor released her.

I think it was a kind gesture to send Tess flowers while she was hospital-ized, which in no way rewarded bad behavior. I don’t know of many people who would want to be in the hospital. I don’t believe that Phil could apply for FMLA on Tess’ behalf. Tess’ doctor and Acme HR could work that out with a fax machine and a few minutes of time. FMLA is a medical matter and the patient’s condition and medical records are only for authorized eyes to see.Jeffrey L. strasser, Bacova Guild(540) 863-2656, [email protected]

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WTT20YA SYndrome“We tried that 20 years ago and it didn’t work…”

The opportunities presented by energy for cost reduction and risk management with relatively modest investments are well documented in most industrial and commercial sectors. Thousands of exhibitions and sympo-sia, millions of PowerPoint slides, and acres of newsprint reinforce this positive message. In recent years this mes-

sage is getting more attention, triggering internal energy productivity assessments and external benchmarking. These invariably indicate attractive risk-adjusted returns for energy-related investments.

Against this background, it’s reasonable to ask why so few organizations invest in systematic energy productivity planning, management, and investment. There are many combinations of reasons; some rational, some less so. There is one particularly insidious obstacle that is all too often overlooked and deserves a few minutes in the spotlight. It’s a barrier thrown up at the early stage of evaluating changes in energy strategy. It can be so effective it will stop an energy efficiency initiative before it gathers any inertia or even seri-ous evaluation. It is what I call the “We tried that 20 years ago…” syndrome.

These days, the new look at energy is often triggered by a new set of eyes. It could be a new employee or consultant who brings a different energy experience from elsewhere. Increasingly it can be a question from a business or financial manager reacting to the increased general publicity over energy and climate change. It can be an employee with a passion for environmental issues. The common thread is that the trigger is from outside the traditional organizations that either have purchased energy or managed facility and process energy efficiency.

These groups typically have decades of experience try-ing to manage energy productivity against a company and national attitude that assumed unlimited supply, eternal low

costs, and acceptable environmental effects. This back-ground has been hardly conducive to creative and sustained management of energy efficiency. It’s common for these traditional groups over the course of their careers to have made just about every recommendation to improve energy productivity, only to see them delayed, diluted, or rejected by management that considered energy a peripheral non-strategic issue.

The changing risk patterns around energy and climate change legislation are pushing it up the strategic ladder in many companies. However, all too often the energy reassess-ments are done by external consultants, internal experts, and business and financial teams. At some point, they’re referred to the traditional groups for their opinion. Not unreasonably, the first reaction is “We tried that 20 years ago, and it was rejected, so why are we looking at it again?” Even worse, if the recommendations had been tried and had failed for whatever reason, the barrier will be even higher. In most companies, these groups are rightly seen to be the experts, and involvement of others may be seen as intrusive or even threatening. These cautious or negative reactions from the internally respected teams frequently carry enough weight to stall a renewed look, ultimately resulting in the non-competitive use of energy and potential exposure to high future risks. Recognizing this risk exists goes 90% of the way to resolving it.

These groups need to be involved as early as possible in the assessment and design of any new energy management approaches. Management needs to clearly communicate that they are open to new thinking and approaches, even if the newness is reevaluating old ideas that were formerly reject-ed. They equally need to communicate that they recognize not all good ideas were listened to in the past, but new times and new risks can change future decisions. Last, but not least, it must be clear that if the “WTT20YA…” syndrome is just an excuse for inaction or fear of new challenges, this isn’t acceptable.

Good leadership can bring the outstanding ideas and experience of decades to today’s new energy challenges. At the same it can bring new personal and professional enthusiasm to teams all too often ignored or sidelined in the past.

Peter Garforth is principal of Garforth International LLC, Toledo, ohio. He can be reached at [email protected].

enerGY exPerT

IT IS Common for TrAdITIonAL GrouPS To HAve mAde juST AbouT everY reCommendATIon To ImProve enerGY ProduCTIvITY, onLY To See THem deLAYed, dILuTed, or rejeCTed bY mAnAGemenT.

peter garforth

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