Mechanical Technology August 2015

⎪ Proactive maintenance, lubrication and contamination management ⎪

is often overlooked and can be the key. This is plant performance. When plant performance is routinely measured and monitored as part of the production process it is automatically taken care of. Deficiencies show up quickly and the need for corrective action is obvious and usually taken care of. However, when aspects of plant performance are not routinely measured and monitored and deterioration occurs, the consequences can be very significant and nevertheless go undetected. This is because many degradation processes are slow and insidious. The worst is when the deterioration leads to rising operat- ing costs that eat into the bottom line to an ever increasing degree. The effects of reducing efficiency can be particularly pernicious, especially when it occurs in items like pumps, fans, compressors, boilers and their associated distribu- tion networks. In these situations it is not unusual to find that, eventually, the avoidable energy loss exceeds the energy consumed. The cost to the organisation, the environment and the country is huge. In addition, plant in this inefficient state requires more maintenance and is less reliable. So – the quick wins we are looking for lie right here. Think thermography to detect faulty steam traps, heat loss to defective or inadequate lagging, overheated bearings, motors with bad cores, heat loss and leaks in buildings. Think ultrasonic detectors to locate and quantify compressed air, gas and steam loss to leaks and faulty traps, passing

untold stories of prospective clients, upon being shown the latest offering, saying something like “So that is what that thing is!”. Invariably this is followed by scratching through a cupboard in a back room somewhere, dusting off an infra-red camera, vibration analyser or ultrasonic detector with long-dead batteries with an “Aha! I thought I saw one of those here somewhere.” At this point the salesman knows he is in for a hard sell. Any one or more of the reasons mentioned above will have tripped up the organisation and experience will be negative. So how do you prevent yourself (and your organisa- tion) from falling into the same hole, or getting out of it if you are already there? Getting out is worse! As always, the key lies in careful research and planning. Do your home- work. Know where you want to get to. Identify and anticipate the hurdles and don’t underestimate them. Ensure there is visible management support and com- mitment. Build a solid foundation. Look for the quick wins that are meaningful and will give the initiative the boost it will most certainly need. But, you might ask, where to look and for what? So let’s consider what could make for meaningful quick wins in today’s economic climate and business landscape. First, be reminded that predictive maintenance starts with condition monitoring, but there are two aspects to plant condition. The most common is health status, which is linked to reliabil- ity. This is very, very important and is a foundational pillar supporting predictive maintenance, but there is another that

Ultrasonic detectors can locate and quantify compressed air, gas and steam loss to leaks and faulty traps, passing process valves, cavitating pumps, over lubricated bearings and more. process valves, cavitating pumps, over lubricated bearings and more. Most findings in the above categories are associated with quick, easy and low discovery costs. Similarly the corrective interventions are usually simple and low cost, yet yield significant benefits. These are quick wins that will easily earn rec- ognition and support by rapidly helping your organisation’s bottom line. These two technologies are so well suited to finding low hanging fruit be- cause of their versatility. Look for this when evaluating your starting point and consider both plant health and perfor- mance. With many strings to your bow you are a lot more likely to hit a target that will add value and put you on a sound footing. q

"Training is the cornerstone of an effective ultrasound inspection program." Allan Rienstra, SDT North America

Our Level 1 & 2 Airborne and Structure Borne Ultrasound Inspector's courses are a 3-day comprehensive mix of theory and practical experience and provide maximum transfer of knowledge, skills, and abilities. User Group discussions for CBM Ultrasound users and Underground Tank Testing. Don’t miss this opportunity to work one-on-one with the worlds most experienced ultrasound trainers and inspectors.

COURSE DATES UAS Software Training 31 st August & 1 st September Level 1 2 – 4 September 2015 Level 2 7 – 9 September 2015 Tank Test Training 7 – 9 September 2015 User Group 10 th September 2015

Tom Murphy

For further information and registration: www.martec.co.za• Tel.: +27 11 326 2708 • Cell: +27 76 903 7235 • Email: matthew@martec.co.za

Mechanical Technology — August 2015

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