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| Respected industry expert Terry Wireman encouraged maintainers to improve their CMMS implementations at the recent IMC 2006 conference. | Attendees connected with exhibitors and learned about new MRO products at IMC 2006. |
At IMC 2006, everyone talked about reliability trends and how companies need to do a better job of managing their physical assets. Terry Wireman, vice-president of Vesta Partners, LLC, spoke to a standing-room only audience about increasing the return-on-investment (ROI) for computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) systems.
"With any CMMS implementation, there are 10 key points. They include: expectations, requirements, adjustments, implementation plan, implementation skills, required support, training, utilization, optimization and benefits," said Wireman. "Focus on these points and you can maximize your CMMS projects and reduce equipment failures."
"Don't set unrealistic timeframes with CMMS implementations. Management usually expects payback and immediate ROI, but you may have to adjust your policies and procedures with the CMMS project. You also don't want a CMMS culture or implementation that won't allow you to evolve. Some organizations fail to spend money on CMMS training and this is a big mistake. Training enables maintainers to accept the CMMS and improves the percentage of success."
Lubrication trainer and consultant Raymond Thibault, CLS, talked about why companies need to use lubrication best practices. According to Thibault, it's all about the "rights of lubrication." Key considerations include:
Right type
- OEM should be the primary source of lubricant recommendations along with the lube supplier; and
- Right viscosity grade is the most important factor.
Right amount
- Identify each point and the amount of lubricant to be added.
Right quality
Right place
Right time
- Re-lubrication intervals should be established based on the equipment type and criticality.
"Good lubrication practices are essential to any asset management program. Over or under lubricating equipment is the main cause of failures," said Thibault. "You want to develop lubrication scheduling through the CMMS system or other electronic program. I also recommend that maintainers keep records of lubrication activities.
"Not all lubricants are created equal. Never make the selection of a lubricant supplier solely based on price. Don't let purchasing make the final decision, either. Use high-price synthetics where appropriate to extend equipment reliability and drain intervals."
Oracle's director of maintenance solutions Scott J. Weiland outlined
how to get maintenance into the boardroom. "Maintenance can no longer
be at the back of the plant–it has to get inside the boardroom," he
said. "It's also crucial that maintenance professionals align
themselves more closely with the information technology (IT)
department. Then leave the 'information techno-garbo' up to the IT
gurus."
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| From left: Alan Dickinson, vice-president, quality and operations, Schneider Electric; Dave Fraser, vice-president sales and channel, Schneider Electric; Sam Shaw, PhD., president and CEO, NAIT; Terry Sawatzky, area sales manager Northern Alberta, Schneider Electric; and Terry Grant, Sr. technical representative, Industrial Controls and Automation. |
Schneider Electric makes generous donation to NAIT
TORONTO
— Schneider Electric donated $275,000 to the Northern Alberta Institute
of Technology (NAIT) for the creation of a Schneider Electric teaching
laboratory at the Edmonton school. The donation includes $50,000 for
curriculum development and the following products: Quantum PLCs and
Unity Pro software, Magelis XBT-GT HMIs, Vijeo Designer software and
ConneXium Ethernet switches.
NAIT is one of
the largest institutes of technology in Canada, providing education in
business, advanced technologies and skilled trades to more than 72,000
students annually at eight campuses in Alberta. The Institute is the
largest apprenticeship trainer in Canada, providing training to 50
percent of tradespersons in Alberta and 17 percent nationally. NAIT
also delivers 35 different apprenticeship programs and is the sole
provider in Alberta of 15 of these trades.
"Providing
resources to train young technicians and engineers through our College
Partnership Program will help NAIT address an increasing shortage of
technically skilled people required by Alberta's booming economy," says
Gavin de Mello, director, human resources.
SKF acquires Precision Balancing & Analyzing
KULPSVILLE,
PA — In a move that strengthens SKF's value-added, spindle-repair
competence, the company's subsidiary, SKF USA Inc., acquired Precision
Balancing & Analyzing (PB&A) of Mentor, OH. Along with a
facility in Atlanta, GA, PB&A has 40 employees with annual sales of
US$ 7 million.
PB&A's capabilities comprise
the repair and upgrading of spindle mechanisms, including anti-friction
spindle ball or roller bearing, as well as belt-driven or motorized,
standard or high-frequency units from most spindle manufacturers.
PB&A's product line complements SKF Precision Technologies
spindle-repair operations in Grafton, WI and Armada, MI.
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New Toyota 8-series lift truck at work.
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Toyota introduces new 8-series lift trucks in Canada
TORONTO — Toyota Industrial Equipment, a division of Toyota Canada
Inc., in conjunction with Toyota Material Handling USA, Inc. (TMHU),
recently introduced its line of 8-series lift trucks, which includes
3,000 to 6,500-pound, internal-combustion cushion and pneumatic-tire
models.
Toyota says that its 4Y engine features an exclusive closed-loop
fuel system design that automatically adjusts and optimizes the
air-fuel mixture ratio. This system works in conjunction with a
three-way catalytic muffler, together minimizing emissions, such as
hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO).
As a result, the 8-series gasoline, LPG and CNG-configured models
will produce 70 percent less smog-forming emissions than the 2007 U.S.
federal EPA standards. This emission system also meets the more
stringent 2010 California Air Resource Board (CARB) emission standards,
says the company.
"In the 8-series, we've delivered an environmentally friendly lift
truck that reduces operation costs, enhances operator safety and also
meets California 2010 emission standards three years early," says
Shankar Basu, president and CEO of TMHU.
With the optional multi-function digital display, the 8-series lift
truck performs self-diagnostics through a built-in analyzer, which
eliminates the need for a hand-held unit, says the company. When the
truck is in Analyzer Mode, it displays the status of the electrical
system and allows instantaneous access to information detected by the
controller, which reduces downtime, says the company.
The 8-series also features a programmable planned-maintenance hour
meter that notifies operators of the need for routine maintenance and
service via the digital display monitor.
"We're very excited about providing the new 8-series to the Canadian
market. The reliability, ergonomic and serviceability enhancements make
the truck suited for any type of application, including the harshest of
environments," says Rob Reinders, director, Industrial Equipment
Division, Toyota Canada, Inc.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 4-8, 2007
BSA Convention
The
Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) will hold its annual convention
at the Marriott Marco Island Resort, Marco Island, FL. For more
information, contact the BSA at tel: (630) 858-3838; email: info@bsahome.org; Web site: www.bsahome.org.
May 15-17, 2007
Plant Maintenance & Design Engineering Show
The show is Quebec's largest marketplace for plant maintenance and
design engineering equipment, supplies and services. The show will be
held at Place Bonaventure in Montreal. For more information, contact
the Society of Manufacturing Engineers toll free at (888) 322-7333.
May 31-June 2, 2007
PTDA Canadian Conference
The
PTDA Canadian conference has become the place where the Canadian power
transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry meets. The PTDA Canadian
conference will be held at the Le Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Quebec
City. For more information, contact the PTDA at tel: (312) 516-2100;
email: ptda@ptda.org; Web site: www.ptda.org.
Product Focus
Power up with QT gensets
Generac
Power Systems offers the QT series gensets, which help protect against
disruptive and costly power interruptions. The new model line up
includes liquid-cooled offerings with outputs ranging from 20 to 150
kilowatts, all with sound-attenuated enclosures and the Quiet Test
feature. The 100 and 150 kW models are compatible with Generac's
Modular Power System, making possible the creation of higher output
systems, says the company. QT gensets are natural gas or LP vapour
fuelled, so there isn't the fuel-spillage, spoilage or odour concerns
that are common with diesel models, says the company. OHVI (overhead
valve industrial) engines power Generac's air-cooled products. They're
matched with new, high-output alternators to produce greater amounts of
standby power, says the company. All the 2007 automatic standby
products feature Rhino-Coat, which is Generac's new textured paint
finish. This durable, long-lasting protection provides consistent
coverage and better bonding to seams and edges to resist corrosion,
says the company.
www.generac.com
Today's e-newsletter is sponsored by...
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