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table of contents
October 2013 / Vol. 33, No. 10
specialists
25 / HUMAN CAPITAL
Open Door Policy
Don’t let unimportant issues interrupt your day and your
personal life
27 / ASSET MANAGER
7 Steps to a Planned Environment
How to build an effective work program
31 / TECHNOLOGY TOOLBOX
Materials Get Around
Assembly and conveyance benefit from new innovations
61 / Big Picture
Do We Need 20 MW Gas Engines?
Lubrication plays a major role in Turkey’s energy production
66 / ENERGY EXPERT
From Source to Site
features Do we measure energy efficiency logically?
32 / COVER STORY
Thermo Sapiens columns and departments
Meet the new breed of infrared inspector
7 / FROM THE EDITOR
42 / Performance Management Meet Me at the Summit
Improve Wrench Efficiency American manufacturing is on its way up
Measure time and motion to assess productivity
9 / Strategic Maintenance
50 / Energy Monitoring Opportunities in Energy Costs
Find Industrial Energy Waste Conventional accounting points to high-percentage improvements
Identify problems, quantify solutions, and prove the ROI
13 / Plant Profile
56 / Labor-Hour Analysis Focused Automation and Logistics
Schedule Compliance Texas manufacturer leverages safety and manufacturing synergy
The importance of labor-hour analysis and the use of associated
metrics 15 / Tactics & Practices
Monitor to Keep the Air Predictable
63 / PRODUCT ROUNDUP PdM keeps compressed air systems running efficiently
How to Handle Fluids
Pumps and seals for every application 17 / WHAT WORKS
• New control system implementation reduces response time
without outages
• Ohio manufacturer boosts air quality with fume extraction
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. measures
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. 59 / IN THE TRENCHES
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PLANT SERVICES, Putman Media, Inc., PO Box 3435,
Northbrook, IL 60065-3435. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Qualified reader subscriptions are accepted Picture This
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
When safety concerns and proprietary information collide
non-qualified subscribers in the U.S., subscriptions are $96 per year. Single copies are $15.
Subscription to Canada and other international are accepted at $200 (Airmail only) © 2013 by
Putman Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in 62 / Management MeasureS
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 Energy Management Dashboard
PLANT SERVICES magazine appears on the public domain of PLANT SERVICES’ Website, and may
also appear on Websites that apply to our growing marketplace. Putman Media, Inc. also publishes Budget-based KPIs for cost savings
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. 64 / CLASSIFIEDS / AD INDEX
www.PLANTSERVICES.com October 2013 5

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IN MEMORY OF
JULIE CAPPELLETTI-LANGE,
FROM THE EDITOR
MIKE BACIDORE, EDITOR IN CHIEF
Vice President 1984-2012
PUTMAN MEDIA, INC.

555 W. Pierce Rd., Suite 301,
Itasca, IL 60143
(630) 467-1300 Fax: (630) 467-1120
MIKE BRENNER
Group Publisher MEET ME AT THE SUMMIT
mbrenner@putman.net
American manufacturing is on its way up
EDITORIAL STAFF
MIKE BACIDORE
Editor in Chief
As U.S. manufacturing employment future of American manufacturing. The
mbacidore@putman.net continues to take two steps forward, second full day’s keynote address will be
followed by two steps back, factory given by Lynn Gambill, chief engineer,
J. STANTON MCGROARTY, CMRP
Senior Technical Editor output has rallied and surged on the manufacturing engineering and global
smcgroarty@putman.net backs of motor vehicle assemblies, ma- services engineering, at Pratt & Whitney,
ALEXIS GAJEWSKI
chinery, consumer goods, and electri- who’ll discuss what “Made in America”
Associate Editor, Digital Media cal equipment. That’s certainly good means in the 21st Century.
agajewski@putman.net news and sets the table for an encour- Additional speakers at this year’s event
STEPHEN C. HERNER aging finish to 2013. include individuals from Subaru, Kenna-
V.P., Creative Services But how do you parlay that into a metal, Nike, Caterpillar, ABInBev, Tyco,
sherner@putman.net
strong run well into 2014 and beyond? Halliburton, Archer Daniels Midland,
DEREK CHAMBERLAIN Last year, I was invited to chair the
Art Director American Manufacturing Strategies
dchamberlain@putman.net PUT ON YOUR CLIMBING
Summit (www.manufacturing-summit.
DAVID BERGER, P.ENG. com) in Chicago. It was one of the better SHOES, AND LET’S MAKE OUR
Contributing Editor
conferences of the year with present- WAY TO THE TOP.
PETER GARFORTH ers from companies such as Lockheed
Contributing Editor Martin, Coca Cola, Dell, Gartner, Eaton,
SHEILA KENNEDY Ford, Kaiser Aluminum, National Husky, Honeywell, Kraft Foods, Royal
Contributing Editor Center for Manufacturing Sciences, SAP, Air Force, and Purdue University.
TOM MORIARTY, P.E., CMRP Harvard Business School, University of A variety of tracks are set up to meet
Contributing Editor Wisconsin, and MillerCoors. the needs of every attendee. From
This year, the conference moves to workforce development, manufacturing
PUBLICATION SERVICES Chicago’s western suburbs at the Renais- leadership, manufacturing strategies,
CARMELA KAPPEL sance Convention Center in Schaum- and operation excellence to innova-
Assistant to the Publisher burg, Illinois, a bit closer to O’Hare tions, maintenance and reliability, and
ckappel@putman.net
Airport. I will once again be chairing the tools, tactics, and technologies, the
JERRY CLARK event, Oct. 21-13, and this year’s lineup is sessions fi ll the needs of every plant and
V.P., Circulation
jclark@putman.net power-packed and ready to roar. manufacturing executive.
Susan Elkington, vice president, So, put on your climbing shoes, and
JACK JONES
Circulation Director
manufacturing, at Toyota, and Ken let’s make our way to the top. This year
jjones@putman.net Dean, vice president, quality systems, at is finishing strong, but next year will
Nestlé Purina, will open up the sessions be here before we know it. Your plans
RITA FITZGERALD
Production Manager during the first day’s afternoon sessions. are most likely in place for 2014, but
rfitzgerald@putman.net Elkington will discuss Toyota’s work there’s a lot to be learned that can still be
CLAUDIA STACHOWIAK
with Project Lead the Way to create a implemented. Make your arrangements
Corporate Account Executive science- and math-literate workforce, now to be at one of my favorite events of
Foster Reprints and Dean will explain Nestlé Purina’s the year. You’ll learn a lot. And be sure to
(866) 879-9144 ext.121
claudias@fosterprinting.com 15-year journey to improve capabilities stop by and say, “Hello,” when you meet
and exceed customer expectations. me at the Summit.
EXECUTIVE STAFF To commence the first full day, Chris-
JOHN M. CAPPELLETTI tine Furstoss, global technology director,
President/CEO manufacturing & materials technolo-
KEITH LARSON
gies, at GE Global Research, will deliver Mike Bacidore, Editor in Chief
V.P., Content the keynote address on inventing the mbacidore@putman.net, (630) 467-1300 x444
WWW.PLANTSERVICES.COM OCTOBER 2013 7

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strategic maintenance
J. Stanton McGroarty, CMRP, CMfgE, Senior Technical Editor
Opportunities in Energy Costs

Conventional accounting points to high-percentage improvements
In many companies, utility cost is an orphan. I port of monthly utility cost by vendor should not take more
remember one plant tour where the VP of manufacturing than a day or two for most accounting groups to provide.
took me aside and said in a conspiratorial tone, “Here is Monthly values are important because they allow rough
where we actually make all our profits.” He was referring estimates of how much energy is split between seasonal
to the heat treatment department of the huge transmission expenses, usually HVAC, and process utilities, which should
plant he ran. “We run seven days a week here, regardless of be uniform by month, unless production is seasonal.
how busy the rest of the plant is. We pull in work from all The utility cost report will begin to provide a sense of how
over the Detroit metro area and mark it up by several times great the opportunities for energy cost reduction might be.
our cost. Our total profit in the heat treat is more than the
net profit for the whole plant.” The utility cost report will begin to
“That’s amazing,” I said. “Just so I understand — how is provide a sense of how great the
the cost of gas for heat treatment charged?”
“Oh, that doesn’t matter,” he replied. “It’s all in overhead.”
opportunities for energy cost
I wish I could relate that his face went white at this point reduction might be.
and he ran to accounting to see how much cost he was
ignoring in his pricing model. But I can’t. He had answered
the question to his own satisfaction. His silo was secure. Most vendors are available to provide some free help, as well.
Today most manufacturing managers have a better un- Electric utilities particularly are on the ropes for capacity
derstanding of cost management than my Detroit friend did, in many areas. They are actually grateful when a customer
but it’s not generally because of their accounting systems. comes to them to ask about conservation. The same is true
The realization has come to management that energy is of gas and water providers in many areas.
expensive, but limited help is available to answer questions Once cost by energy vendor has been identified, the
about exactly how expensive it is and what can be done detective work can be divided up among available techni-
about it. In fact, most manufacturing managers don’t really cal talent. In a one-engineer shop, it may only be possible
know how much they spend on energy, despite the availabil- to study one utility at a time. The new accounting report
ity of tools to answer the question easily. will determine which utility it should be. Given the cost
There are two general approaches to energy cost reduc- information and the availability of talent to address it, the
tion. One is to engage a consulting or software organization. project manager can decide how many utilities to pursue
These groups have the capability to set up direct monitoring and how to assign the work load.
of energy and, to some extent, other utility usage. And they From this point forward in the investigation, each util-
can directly control some of it. Most organizations aren’t ity or expense can usually proceed independently. There
ready to sign up for cost saving projects of this magnitude, may be some exceptions, but, as a rule, the electrical
though. Others don’t have the need for this level of technol- effort can proceed independently of the gas investigation.
ogy. But many companies aren’t sure what they need. By splitting the efforts, the project manager can assign
The good news is that most organizations already have different groups to different utilities, thereby limiting
accounting tools to quantify utility spending and attri- the amount of time required of each participant. Also,
bute it, at least roughly, to key functions where it can be since each utility has its own vendor or set of vendors, the
controlled by management. The first part of the project, staff working with each utility can be different without
accounting for utilities, is easy. causing any communication problems. There may even
Energy spending is usually confined to about half a dozen be an opportunity to institute some friendly competition
vendors. Which vendors they are depends on the specific between utility groups. To ensure uniformity of reporting
plant, but the variety is limited. Electric power is usually and management’s acceptance of results, it may be that
supplied by one vendor. Gas, water, heating oil, sewage treat- the project manager will wish to use the same accounting
ment, and vehicle fuel usually have one vendor each. A re- support across all utilities.

strategic maintenance
The next step will be for each utility group to divide the management initiative on a pay-as-you-go basis, using as
use of its utility among primary users. Electric power, for in- much in-house talent as possible. After all, energy manage-
stance, may be divided among areas like process heating, air ment is a marathon, not a sprint. Internal learning is the key
make-up, HVAC, conveyor drives, pumping, and a few spe- to sustainability of the effort.
cific high-usage machines such as air compressors, Banburies, Most of the opportunities that the organization elects to
cold headers, resistance welders, or paint ovens. Each list will pursue will not be huge surprises. Well-known techniques
be very industry-specific. When accounting data, electrical are available to control power factor, move electrical usage
capacity, multiple meter readings, and hours-of-use data are to low-rate times of day, capture and use waste heat from
combined, it becomes surprisingly easy to attribute electrical equipment, reduce belt slippage, cool and reuse condensate,
power and expense to the places where it is consumed. With reduce compressed air leakage, repair steam traps, and make
electricity, don’t forget to determine which operations are other mundane improvements. But when these opportuni-
disrupting power factor, too. This can be a huge opportunity. ties are quantified and placed in a company-wide Pareto list,
Similar reviews of water, gas, and other utilities can usual- they suddenly become newsworthy, important, and urgent
ly allow technical and accounting teams to determine where in a way they hadn’t been before. Not incidentally, the same
the other utility cost is generated. Once the utility attribu- attributes accrue to the manager who does the work to bring
tion is done, it should be assembled into a single report and them into view. The fact that the fixes are well-understood,
presented to the project manager and the project manager’s far from making them uninteresting, makes the improve-
boss. For most companies, this will be the first time this ma- ments a low-risk shot at success.
jor expense set has been laid out as a list of opportunities for
cost reduction. Usually, the next step will be to identify a few J. Stanton McGroarty, CMRP, CMfgE, is senior technical editor of
low-investment, high-return efforts that will put the power Plant Services. Contact him at smcgroarty@putman.net.
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PLANT PROFILE
Focused Automation and Logistics

Texas manufacturer leverages safety and manufacturing synergy
Duoline Technologies’ 130,000 sq ft facility in

Gilmer, Texas, opened in 2010. Duoline manufactures
fiberglass-epoxy internal linings used for corrosion protec-
tion in oilfield steel tubular goods, called “tubulars” in the
trade. Duoline uses focused automation and superior logis-
tics to produce these oilfield safety and reliability products
in a lean environment and distributes them worldwide. Half
of Duoline’s output currently goes to Dubai, Brazil, and
Canada from the Port of Houston. The Gilmer location also
supports efficient domestic distribution.
The Duoline story provides another example of how the
synergy between safety and manufacturing efficiency can
produce a solid market position for U.S. manufacturing,
with precise operational focus working hand in hand with to NACE International — The Corrosion Society (www.nace.
safety improvements. org), which also explains that, within the oil and gas industry,
effective management of corrosion will contribute toward
Effectiveness and Efficiency achieving the following benefits:
“In 1964, Duoline Technologies began manufacturing • statutory or corporate compliance with safety, health,
fiberglass liners in Odessa, Texas,” says David Marshall, and environmental policies
president and COO of Robroy Industries (www.robroy.com), • reduction in leaks
Duoline’s parent company. “Duoline Technologies’ filament- • increased plant availability
wound glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE) liners protect oilfield • reduction in unplanned maintenance
tubulars from corrosion. These liners are installed for use on • reduction in deferment costs.
onshore and offshore oil and natural gas production sites. “Major oil companies are looking for better solutions to
Major oil producers have been using GRE liners since the reduce the high cost of corrosion caused by carbon dioxide,
1960s because these liners have proven to be more robust hydrogen dioxide, and oxygen found in many downhole and
than internal plastic coatings. GRE liners are also a lower- injector wells,” adds Marshall. “Many manufacturers find it
cost alternative to corrosion resistant alloys.” very challenging to meet the high standards set by most major
Duoline Technologies manufactures a niche product line oil production companies. These standards are non-negotia-
in the oil and gas marketplace, says Marshall. “As such, the ble because companies do not want to be liable for environ-
company has been on a path of long-term growth,” he ex- mental accidents; product failure is not accepted. Duoline
plains. “Since the new plant began production three years ago, Technologies helps our customers to meet this challenge
Duoline has grown approximately 10% annually. This growth head-on with its manufacturing process. This unique process
helped the company to reach a goal of more than 100 million enables the company to produce a high-quality product that
ft of Duoline successfully installed worldwide. Right now 25 more than meets the demands of major oil producers.”
people are employed in Gilmer, divided between shift workers There we have it again — manufacturing prowess and a
and administrative staff, including management, engineering, keen sense for safety helping a U.S. manufacturer establish
sales, and marketing. Duoline expects to grow about 20% next a solid market.
year, creating a long-term need for additional staff.” A lean team in Texas is producing corrosion protec-
tion against downhole failures and the kind of leaks and
Corporate Citizenship blowouts that have kept the news media working overtime
The annual cost of corrosion in the oil and gas production in- in recent years. Moreover, they are successfully marketing
dustry is estimated to be $1.37 billion with approximately $463 them domestically and internationally, adding jobs in the
million annually just for downhole tubing expenses, according Lone Star State.

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TACTICS & PRACTICES
Monitor to Keep the Air Predictable

PdM keeps compressed air systems running efficiently
Operating a compressed air system can be costly, if Checking the compressors and pumps using vibration
routine monitoring isn’t done. PdM technologies and strate- analysis will provide lots of benefit, says Michael D. Howard,
gies can be used to improve efficiency and avoid failures. MSc, CMRP, director, reliability solutions, Mobius Institute
Clogged compressed air filters and leaking or failed con- (www.mobiusinstitute.com). “An online vibration monitor-
densate drains can cause contamination problems in down- ing system may provide critical analytical data to allow you
stream components and even contaminate the product itself, to plan and schedule maintenance on your terms, rather
if it comes in contact, explains Ron Marshall, member of the than the machine’s,” he suggests. “At the very least, regular
project development committee, Compressed Air Challenge monitoring using route-based vibration analysis will enable
(www.compressedairchallenge.org). “Pressure differentials
on main filters can be monitored during regular mainte- Equipment monitoring is an
nance and changed before they cause problems,” he says. effective strategy to improve
Equipment monitoring is an effective strategy to improve
compressed air system efficiency and avoid costly downtime,
compressed air system efficiency
says Brian Blum, CTS optimization marketing/Department and avoid costly downtime.
of Energy - Airmaster+, Atlas Copco Compressors (www.
atlascopco.us). “Compressed air systems can consume up to
40% of the total energy a plant consumes on a yearly basis,” the organization to ensure the asset is running at design ef-
he explains. “Advanced data monitoring provides plant op- ficiency between scheduled data collection intervals.”
erators with the tools to recognize and react in real time.” Using an adaptive system master controller helps spread
Compressed air systems can be the source of large hidden out maintenance intervals, offers Waheed Chaudhry, engi-
expenses within a facility, warns Trent Phillips, condition neering manager, Kaeser Compressors (us.kaeser.com). “In
monitoring manager, Ludeca (www.ludeca.com). “A lot of addition to selecting the most energy-efficient combination
facilities install additional compressed air systems, because of units to meet current demand, they also balance load
their existing systems are unable to supply the required hours among multiple units,” he explains.
demand,” he explains. “However, no one ever asks why the Pipe thinning is a hidden defect, and it takes place before
additional capacity is required. Have additional processes a leak develops, says T.J. Garten, subject matter expert —
been added or other things that require additional air capac- electrical, Allied Reliability (www.alliedreliability.com).
ity? Or is it simply due to a lack of maintenance?” “Pipe thinning usually occurs in the area of elbows and
Proper maintenance of compressors would include moni- where the pipe size changes step up or down; the air turbu-
toring of the bearings, explains Maureen Gribble, director, lence is greater in these areas,” he explains. “By monitoring
UE Systems (www.uesystems.com). “Ultrasound is com- and detecting pipe thinning, piping can be scheduled to be
monly used to monitor bearings and provides early indica- replaced before leaks occur.”
tors of bearing failures,” she says. “With bearings comes the The most common faults with rotating machines are im-
need for lubrication, another area where ultrasound is an balance, misalignment, looseness, and roller bearing wear,
extremely effective tool. By utilizing ultrasound as a part of explains John Bernet, vibration product specialist, Fluke
a reliability-centered lubrication program, you can deter- (www.fluke.com). “Using vibration meters to quickly screen
mine exactly when your bearing requires lubrication.” these machines will give the operators and technicians the
Most leaks are found at pipe, hose, or tube connections, peace of mind they want that the machine will keep run-
says Kirk Edwards, application engineer, Exair (www.exair. ning, or they may need to take a closer look,” he says.
com). “Make certain to apply thread sealant correctly and Each PdM technology provides benefits to maintaining
install the connections per their instructions,” he explains. and operating a compressed air system, explains Daniel J.
“Leaks can also be minimized by making sure to use as low Hogan, vibration/oil analyst, Azima DLI (www.azimadli.
an air supply pressure as possible; the lower the working com). “However, these technologies are best leveraged when
pressure, the less air will escape a leak.” used together in an integrated manner,” he says.

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what works
Cogeneration Migration
New control system implementation reduces response time without outages
The Ripon Cogeneration Plant (Ripon Cogen) in

Ripon, California, partnered with Maverick Technologies
(www.mavtechglobal.com) to perform a DCS migration
of an existing proprietary Westinghouse WDPF BOP
control system to a non-proprietary control system without
any scheduled outage of the facility. A human-machine
interface (HMI) for systems outside of the BOP was to be
incorporated into the new control system.
The BOP control system is a complex and interdependent
control system that involves all of the related areas within the
overall Ripon Cogen vicinity including HRSG control, gas com-
pressor, ammonia plant, chiller, and water treatment. This was
an entirely brownfield project with all of the inherent problems
and constraints: zero impact to production, limited number of
shutdown opportunities, limited and unreliable documentation,
older and unreliable equipment, physical space limitations, and
internal resources with competing production priorities. DCS power requirements dropped
Performing logic and wiring conversions at the same time by 50% compared to the legacy DCS.
is considered to be an excessive risk. The phased imple-
mentation installed and tested the Rockwell Auomation
PlantPAx system using simulation software. Maverick’s engineers analyzed the existing DCS hardware
system and developed a low-risk hardware replacement plan.
The customer needed a BOP DCS migration for the follow- Westinghouse WDPF redundant processor drops were replaced
ing reasons: with redundant Rockwell Automation ControlLogix L73 pro-
• decreasing availability of hardware cessors using device level ring (DLR) for I/O communications.
• serviceability issues Existing Westinghouse Numa-Logic I/O was replaced with
• proprietary networks 1756 ControlLogix.
• proprietary operating system with no vendor support
• failed historian server The BOP includes the following units:
• no automated report generation • heat recovery steam generator(HRSG)
• downtime issues. • de-aerator and feed water system
• gas compressor system
Maverick’s Westinghouse WDPF engineers analyzed the • compressed air system
existing system and developed a functional specification. After • water treatment plant.
taking a fresh look at plant operations with Ripon Cogenera-
tion’s operation and maintenance staff, Maverick developed a Non-BOP systems migrated into the PlantPAx DCS include
new enhanced functional specification for the BOP DCS. the following units:
PlantPAx process objects were selected for the BOP devel- • turbine control
opment of additional functionality. Once the new applica- • water distiller plant
tions were proven to function as desired, the Westinghouse • ammonia chiller plant.
WPDF control system will be replaced by the PlantPAx dur-
ing the shutdown period. The Wonderware HMC applica- The new DCS system architecture is as follows:
tions for the turbine control, chiller, and distillation are also • Westinghouse WDPF drops 1 and 2 were replaced by a
being migrated into the PlantPAx system. redundant PlantPAx L73 ControlLogix processor.

what works
• Westinghouse WDPF Drop 3 with • 25% I/O chassis expansion capacity are HART protocol enabled for
seven I/O points were eliminated, has been provided. enhanced troubleshooting and
and the I/O moved to new Drop 1 • Communications will be redundant maintenance of plant process
Allen-Bradley PlantPAx L73 Con- Ethernet/IP via DLR for remote I/O. instruments.
trolLogix processor. • A ll analog input and output •F actoryTalk Historian Site Edition
Summit CentriPump_Layout 1 8/8/2013 3:27 PM Page 1 (SE) is provided for historical log-
ging with a FactoryTalk enabled OSI
PI historical engine (1000 Tag).
Problem Solving
•F actoryTalk VantagePoint EMI is
being provided for trend visualiza-
tion, production report visualiza-
Synthetic Lubricants tion, and four additional customer-
specified reports (total of five
reports will be provided).
New CentriPump Lubricants from Summit • FactoryTalk View SE redundant HMI
servers and screens will help to vi-
Improve your pump reliability, extend MTBF*, reduce downtime and sualize and control the cogeneration
energy consumption with Summit’s New CentriPump lubricants. These balance of plant.
newly formulated lubricants are resistant to rust, oxidation, corrosion • New control system includes pri-
mary domain controller, engineering
and improve wear protection. CentriPump lubricants have excellent workstation/historical server, FT
low temperature fluidity and high temperature stability. They are VantagePoint reporting, primary
compatible with most process fluids being pumped and commonly HMI server, backup HMI server, and
two operator workstations.
used seal materials. Call Summit today for a distributor near you.
*mean time between failure Metrics that have improved as a result
of this DCS project include:
•P lantPAx DCS power requirements
dropped 50% compared to the
legacy DCS. It was an unexpected
positive.
• Response to any problem with the
BOP DCS went from weeks to 15
minutes with the PlantPAx DCS.
• Operators are able to respond to
process upsets much more quickly
due to the additional information
provided by the new DCS system.
Ripon Cogen experienced no

unscheduled outages during the
migration process, and the facility
started up on schedule. The facility
ramped to full power on the first day
of operation. There have been fewer
Summit
Industrial Products
outages due to the enhanced control
and speed of the control system.
Future projects with Ripon Cogen
include continued plant automation
9010 CR 2120 800.749.5823 and report improvements.
Tyler, TX 75707 www.klsummit.com Made in USA
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what works
Welding Made Breathable

Ohio manufacturer boosts air quality with fume extraction measures
As a manufacturer and supplier of OEM and aftermar- — a lot of welding. And with all that welding comes the
ket diesel fuel tanks, Cleveland Tank & Supply (www.cleve- potential for weld fume in the various production areas.
landtank.com) operates a busy shop floor to keep up with “Everything we build gets welded,” notes David Wilson,
customer demands and its “immediate shipment” promise. Cleveland Tank & Supply’s operations manager. “Depending on
About 10 years ago, the company, which occupies a the application and material used, we can easily weld 10 tanks
33,000-sq-ft facility less than five miles east of downtown per day per booth. We obviously generate fume all day long.”
Cleveland, first made its mark as a buyer and seller of tanks The company took a threefold approach to reducing haze
and evolved into niche manufacturing for companies requir- and improving overall air quality on the shop floor. First, it
ing 1,000 tanks a year or less. Even while employing fewer installed a free-standing fume extraction system that reduces
than 50 total workers and running only two shifts, this com- the overall concentration of welding fume on the floor. Both
pany has become a powerhouse in the diesel fuel tank market. Ferris and Wilson say the company initially looked at fume
In any given week, Cleveland Tank extraction systems that have arms ex-
produces tanks to fit various makes of The manufacturing tending to individual welding booths but
vehicles, oil fields, specialty equipment,
process for standard, decided the facility would be best served
and trailers, as well as ones made of steel, with a system that provided comprehen-
aluminum, or stainless steel and designed in-stock products, as sive protection for the entire shop floor.
for specific custom applications. well as tanks custom- They started investigating options by
The company serves a variety of designed to customer talking with about 10 different vendors.
industries, including oil field, medical When they heard about the Circula-
specifications, involves
and fire/rescue, safety, mining, hydrau- tor from Lincoln Electric, they were
lic fracturing, recycling and refuse, plasma cutting and intrigued, says Ferris. This stand-alone
construction, forestry, and school welding on every tank. system uses continuous filtration and
transportation. The largest tanks the airflow to extract and filter welding
company manufactures are 200 gallons for side-mount ap- fume released during the most common welding fabrication
plications and 300 gallons for non-side-mount. processes. It supplements natural, draft ventilation or forced
Besides its long-established goal to provide immediate ventilation through the roof and wall fans, if necessary.
shipment of in-stock tanks to its customers, the company For Wilson and Ferris, this system made the most sense
also prides itself on the fact that all of its tanks — in-stock for Cleveland Tank’s needs.
and custom orders — are “Made in the USA,” fabricated in “There used to be a haze overhead throughout the whole
the heartland out of the U.S.-produced materials. facility, and, to mitigate that, we would have to run exhaust
“All of our products are made only from domestic alumi- fans all year, even in the winter. This made it pretty cold in
num, steel, and stainless steel,” notes Rich Ferris, the com- the work areas,” says Wilson. “Now, using the Circulator, we
pany’s vice president and general manager. “All of our tanks rarely, if ever, need to turn on those fans.”
are stamped with ‘Made in the USA,’ and we mean it.” Next, they focused on the high-definition plasma table.
The manufacturing process for standard, in-stock prod- Plasma cutting is an application that inherently generates
ucts, as well as tanks custom-designed to customer specifi- dust, fumes, and potentially hazardous sparks. At this par-
cations, involves plasma cutting and welding on every tank. ticular table, workers run between 200 and 300 aluminum
Cleveland Tank’s shop floor, which encompasses nearly and stainless steel sheets per day, ranging in size from 36 x
17,500 ft of space, features a high-definition plasma-cutting 96 in. to 72 x 120 in.
station; approximately 10 MIG and TIG welding booths for Cleveland Tank wanted to eradicate the fume and partic-
steel and aluminum products, roughly 250 to 300 tanks per ulate matter in this work zone, in light of the high produc-
week; and a stainless steel welding booth. The company also tion and the materials used. It also sought a fume extraction
is in the process of installing a robotic MIG welding system. solution that could stop sparks created during the cutting
This heavy, constant production boils down to one thing process from entering the extraction system’s filter.

WHAT WORKS
“We wanted to be assured that the system would suck up “While developing our specification plan for this particu-
everything that burns on the table and pose no fi lter fire lar area, we discovered that our levels of hexavalent chro-
risk,” says Ferris. mium were 1.5 times over the allowed limit,” explains Ferris.
The answer was Spark Guardian, part of Lincoln Electric’s “This discovery gave us even greater incentive to select the
Guardian fire safety solution for fume control systems. This best system and get it up and running.”
system, working in tandem with the Circulator, now pre- The company ultimately specified Lincoln Electric’s
vents sparks from passing through and on to the extraction Downflex Downdraft table, a dual-purpose workbench and
fi lter’s system. It also serves as an in-line, pre-separator that extraction unit designed specifically to remove weld fume at
reduces dust load in the connected system. the source — a must for the regulations governing stain-
“It has exceeded our expectations,” says Ferris. “Because less steel welding. The addition of this unit made notable
we can use it with our comprehensive fume extraction improvements to the booth’s air quality.
system, we have been able to cut stainless steel on the table. “The air is so much cleaner in the booth,” says Mike McA-
That’s something that would be unheard of if we hadn’t put voy, welder at the facility. “It’s definitely noticeable.”
these fume extraction measures into place.” And furthermore, the hexavalent chromium levels are
As Cleveland Tank officials were formulating their now well below the limit after installing the downdraft table
air-quality-improvement measures, they also knew in the stainless steel booth.
from the start of this process that they also wanted to “The remediation has been phenomenal,” notes Ferris,
install extraction measures in the shop’s stainless steel adding that all three installed fume extraction solutions
welding booth. Welders in this booth fabricate up to have produced significant increases in air quality through-
five stainless steel tanks per week, as well as stainless out the manufacturing facility. “The functionality and versa-
steel straps and brackets. tility of these three units working together is terrific.”
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Compare These Blowoffs Facts About Blowers

There are a variety of ways to blow the water from the bottles shown in the photo below, Energy conscious plants might
but which method is best? To decide, we ran a comparison test on the same application think a blower to be a better choice
using four different blowoff methods: drilled pipe, flat air nozzles, Super Air Knife due to its slightly lower electrical
(each using compressed air as a power source), and a blower supplied air knife (using consumption compared to a
an electric motor as a power source). Each system consisted of two twelve inch long air compressor. In reality, a blower is
knives. The following comparison proves that the EXAIR Super Air Knife is the best an expensive capital expenditure
choice for your blowoff, cooling or drying application. that requires frequent downtime
The goal for each of the blowoff choices was to use the least amount of air possible to get and costly maintenance of filters,
the job done (lowest energy and noise level). The compressed air pressure required was belts and bearings.
60 PSIG which provided adequate velocity to blow the water off. The blower used had Here are some important facts:
a ten horsepower motor and was a centrifugal type blower at 18,000 RPM. The table at Filters must be replaced every one
the bottom of the page summarizes the overall performance. Since your actual part may to three months.
have an odd configuration, holes or sharp edges, we took sound level measurements in
free air (no impinging surface). Belts must be replaced every three
to six months.
Drilled Pipe Blower Air Knife Typical bearing replacement is

at least once a year at a cost near
This common blowoff is very inexpen- The blower proved to be an expensive,
sive and easy to make. For this test, we
$1000.
noisy option. As noted below, the pur-
used (2) drilled pipes, each with (25) chase price is high. Operating cost was • Blower bearings wear out quickly due
1/16" diameter holes on 1/2" centers. considerably lower than the drilled pipe to the high speeds (17-20,000 RPM)
As shown in the test results below, the and flat air nozzle, but was comparable required to generate effective airflows.
drilled pipe performed poorly. The initial to EXAIR’s Super Air Knife. The large
cost of the drilled pipe is overshadowed • Poorly designed seals that allow dirt and
blower with its two 3" (8cm) diameter
by its high energy use. The holes are moisture infiltration and environments above
hoses requires significant mounting space 125°F decrease the one year bearing life.
easily blocked and the noise level is compared to the others. Noise level was
excessive - both of which violate OSHA high at 90 dBA. There was no option for • Many bearings can not be replaced in the
requirements. Velocity across the entire cycling it on and off to conserve energy field, resulting in downtime to send the
length was very inconsistent with spikes like the other blowoffs. Costly bearing assembly back to the manufacturer.
of air and numerous dead spots. and filter maintenance along with
Blowers take up a lot of space and often
downtime were also negative factors.
produce sound levels that exceed OSHA
Flat Air Nozzles noise level exposure requirements. Air
As shown below, this inexpensive air nozzle EXAIR Super Air Knife volume and velocity are often difficult to
was the worst performer. It is available in The Super Air Knife did an exceptional control since mechanical adjustments are
plastic, aluminum and stainless steel from job of removing the moisture on one required.
several manufacturers. The flat air nozzle pass due to the uniformity of the lam-
provides some entrainment, but suffers To discuss an application, contact:
inar airflow. The sound level was
from many of the same problems as the extremely low. For this application, EXAIR Corporation
drilled pipe. Operating cost and noise energy use was slightly higher than 11510 Goldcoast Drive
level are both high. Some manufacturers the blower but can be less than the Cincinnati, Ohio 45249-1621
offer flat air nozzles where the holes can blower if cycling on and off is possible. (800) 903-9247
be blocked - an OSHA violation. Velocity Safe operation is not an issue since the Fax: (513) 671-3363
was inconsistent with spikes of air. Super Air Knife can not be dead-ended. email: techelp@exair.com
Maintenance costs are low since there
are no moving parts to wear out. www.exair.com/85/423.htm
See the Super Air Knife in action.
www.exair.com/85/akvideo.htm
The Super Air Knife is the low cost way to blowoff, dry, clean and cool.
Blowoff Comparison
Comp. Air Sound Annual
Horsepower Purchase Approx. Annual First Year
Level Electrical
Type of blowoff PSIG BAR SCFM SLPM Required Price Maintenance Cost Cost
dBA Cost*
Drilled Pipes 60 4.1 174 4,924 35 91 $50 $4,508 $920 $5,478
Flat Air Nozzles 60 4.1 257 7,273 51 102 $208 $6,569 $1,450 $8,227
Blower Air Knife 3 0.2 N/A N/A 10 90 $5,500 $1,288 $1,500 $8,288
Super Air Knife 60 4.1 55 1,557 11 69 $534 $1,417 $300 $2,251
*Based on national average electricity cost of 8.3 cents per kWh. Annual cost reflects 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.
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Open Door Policy

Don’t let unimportant issues interrupt your day and your personal life
What does it mean to have an open door policy? Does done on time and maintain good performance?
it mean you have to drop whatever you’re doing whenever I asked Able if he had as many disruptions to his day as
someone brings any issue to your attention? the others were reporting. He said, “Hell, no. I like fishing
One of our clients is about halfway through a major and watching my kid’s soccer practice too much.”
maintenance management improvement project, including So how did he keep the disruptions from sidetracking his
initiation of a new enterprise software suite, reorganization day? Because, he said, his people and the operations people
of shops, and focus on process discipline. As part of the new he supported all knew he had a daily schedule.
way of doing things there is a weekly meeting for six area Part of that daily schedule was that if there was something
maintenance supervisors facilitated by the maintenance
manager. The meeting is a report out of previous action Manage your open door so that
items, review of performance measures, new business, and you have time for fishing or
closing with new action items for the coming week. Dur-
ing the new business discussion the supervisors were being
for enjoying time with your
encouraged to focus on getting their responsibilities done in kids at soccer practice.
a timely manner. One of the supervisors piped up and said,
“We get distracted all day long; it’s hard to get everything
done.” Two of the other five supervisors nodded in agree- that was not an emergency that they should only come to
ment. The manager said, “Well, do the best you can.” The him with the problem during certain times of the day. “For
manager was ready to move on to the next business item. an emergency, I will drop whatever I am doing and handle
Now it was my turn to pipe up because the manager did it; but everyone knows it had better be a true emergency.”
not address the problem. One of the supervisors said, “I have an open door policy
“Before we move on, can you characterize for me the types with my guys. If they have a problem they can come to me
of interruptions we are talking about?” any time.” I replied that an open door should mean that
One of the supervisors said, “Well, I start reviewing com- you’re open to hear issues. It does not mean people are al-
pleted work orders, like you guys have been harping on us lowed to disrupt your day whenever they feel like it.
about. And every time I start getting some momentum, the We discussed categorizing issues in two ways: importance
phone rings or one of my guys is at my door with some issue and urgency. There are four combinations — important
about a replacement tool or a question about some training a and urgent, important and not urgent, not important and
guy wants to attend or an operations person is causing some urgent, and not important and not urgent.
sort of problem. It never stops. There are just not enough • Important issues need to be dealt with, but beware of
hours in the day.” people overstating importance.
I asked the supervisors how many hours they actually • Urgent issues should only disrupt your day if they are
spent at the facility each day. The answer from five of the important.
six supervisors was between nine and 12 hours. The answer • Important and not urgent should be addressed by schedul-
from the sixth, we’ll call him Able, was eight hours. ing times to hear about these issues.
I asked the group if Able’s job had a significantly differ- • Not important issues, urgent or not, should be addressed
ent volume of work, if it was less prone to emergency work only when all other responsibilities have been met.
or urgent work, or if he was provided with better resources An open door policy does not mean that you have to
than the other supervisors. The answer was “no.” In fact drop what you’re doing. Each person gets 24 hours in a day.
if anything Able was selected to lead that area because of Manage your open door so that you have time for fishing
the difficulties in supporting that area. We reviewed Able’s or for enjoying time with your kids at soccer practice.
shop performance measures; his shop had better perfor-
mance than his peers’. Tom Moriarty, P.E., CMRP, is president of Alidade MER.
So the obvious question was: Why did Able get things Contact him at tjmpe@alidade-mer.com and (321) 773-3356.

is your erp
a pain in
THe asseT?
ease your pain.

Most ERP software does a poor job at enterprise asset management (EAM) tasks like mainte-
nance and asset lifecycle management. Only IFS Applications offers class-leading EAM as part
of an agile, fully integrated enterprise resources planning (ERP) suite. So you can implement
EAM with components of ERP, an entire ERP package or even integrate EAM seamlessly with
your legacy ERP system. So your business can be as agile as your thinking.
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asset manager
david berger, P.Eng.
7 Steps to a Planned Environment

How to build an effective work program
There are two categories of work done by maintainers, templates for asset groups such as pumps, flooring, bridges,
namely, work that is expected and work that is unexpected and forklifts. Templates can be used to describe assets using
or anomalous. Work that is expected is built into your work attributes relevant to a given asset group. The asset master
program, complete with work plans for assets regardless of should also contain any relevant attachments including
maintenance policy, including “run to fail.” Your objective drawings, manuals, and videos.
should be to build a work program that balances the cost One of the most important fields on the asset master is
and effectiveness of the work program, with the risk that “asset criticality.” Some CMMS packages use a sophisti-
the unexpected will either happen infrequently or with little cated scoring algorithm to generate criticality, while others
consequence if it does.
This column describes initial steps in moving from a “fire- Fundamental to any work program
fighting” mode to a more planned environment, including is a complete record of static
key elements of a work program.
1. Asset hierarchy: The first step in developing a compre-
information for each asset in the
hensive work program is to establish a logical hierarchy on asset hierarchy.
the CMMS for all of your assets. This includes parent-child
relationships from the highest level down to individual com-
ponents and even failure modes. use a single-digit, user-definable drop-down, ranging from
One of the difficulties companies encounter in defining the low to high criticality. The asset criticality is essential for
asset hierarchy is deciding what level of granularity is required. prioritization when planning, scheduling, assessing risk,
Should each floor in a building be an asset? What about each and determining areas of focus for continuous improve-
room? Is a door an asset or part? Determining how many levels ment. For example, when creating a work program, always
in the hierarchy will depend on several factors: start with the most critical assets.
• Will be there be sufficient history collected for this asset to 4. Parts master: Once the asset hierarchy and asset master
warrant the additional administrative effort? have been determined, a standard bill of material for each
• Could failure modes and cause codes defined at the parent asset is defined. This includes parts that will be:
level provide sufficient clues as to the history of lower-level as- • catalogued and kept in inventory with a specific minimum
sets? For example, for the asset “exhaust system,” cause codes quantity, reorder point, reorder quantity, preferred sup-
like “corroded muffler” and “corroded exhaust pipe” allow plier, lead time, and cost
users to treat mufflers and exhaust pipes as parts not assets. • catalogued but not kept in inventory
2. Failure tree: For each asset or asset group, the problem, • not catalogued but referenced on the CMMS — for ex-
cause, and action codes are identified. The more advanced ample, link to OEM or an attachment on the asset master.
CMMS packages present these codes as nested and hier- As with the asset master, all tombstone data for cata-
archical, allowing users to associate a short list of problem logued parts are defined, such as part name, description,
codes to a given asset, a specific list of cause codes only and serial number, if relevant, as well as template-based
relevant to each of the short-listed problem codes, and a attributes relevant to each parts group like belts, bear-
selection of action codes tied to each cause code. The failure ings, and switches.
tree forms the basis for analytics on the CMMS, such as root 5. Maintenance policies: There are only three ways mainte-
cause analysis (RCA) and Pareto analysis for troubleshoot- nance work is triggered as follows:
ing and continuous improvement. • use-based maintenance (UBM) — triggered by meter (for
3. Asset master: Fundamental to any work program is a example, every 3,000 miles), time (for example, every three
complete record of static information for each asset in the months), or an event (for example, every snowstorm)
asset hierarchy. This includes tombstone data such as asset • condition-based maintenance (CBM) — triggered by
type, manufacturer, make, model, serial number, and date of condition of the asset assessed through automated, semi-
installation. Most CMMS packages also allow user-definable automated, or visual inspections, (for example, pressure

asset manager
It’s not the brush
sealing the door. It’s
reduced energy costs.
exhibits certain trend characteristics or hits an upper/
Problem solved. lower control limit)
• fail-based maintenance (FBM) — triggered by failure of
the asset (run to fail).
For each asset, perhaps for each failure mode for the more
critical equipment, determine the maintenance policy that
best balances risk in terms of probability and impact of
failure, with asset lifecycle cost, performance, reliability,
availability, and quality of output. Use the CMMS to analyze
equipment history in determining optimal maintenance
policies. Other sources include industry data, consultation
with the equipment manufacturer, and experimentation.
6. Work plans: Drafting meaningful work plans is crucial to
the success of your work program. Work plans set the stan-
dards for how your maintenance policies will be implemented
across the enterprise, including allowable local deviations.
Work plans should be defined on the CMMS and either
auto-populate work orders when maintenance is triggered or
are attached. Work plans for all three maintenance policies
should include:
• standard procedures
SUSTAINABLE • safety procedures
• Long-lasting • standard materials required
• All components are recyclable • special tools and equipment required
• standard skills required
ENERGY-EFFICIENT
• asset downtime requirements
• Seals better than other weather strip products
• standard labor hours
• Prevents up to 98.5% of air infiltration around • quality standards
all types of doors • any attachments such as drawings, tables, detailed descrip-
ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND tions, videos
• Deters pests, reducing the need for pesticides • maintenance frequency for UBM
• Components made of inert materials; no off- • inspection intervals for CBM
• relevant checklists.
gassing or VOCs
7. Budget: The total cost of the work program can be
calculated using advanced CMMS packages by extending
standard labor hours and material requirements from work
plans. Other line items in the work program cost summary
should include:
•n on-maintenance work based on history and future
expectations
• non-maintenance activities
• cost implications of capacity planning.
However, this is the cost from the asset’s perspective. Sup-
For more than 25 years, Sealeze has provided brush-based pose management expects a 10% decrease in budget next
solutions for weatherseal and pest control.
year. More comprehensive CMMS packages allow simulation
capability to evaluate the change in risk and cost when adjust-
800.446.7325 ments are made to the labor and material standards.
e-mail: weatherseal@sealeze.com
www.sealeze.com
ISO 9001 Certified Email Contributing Editor David Berger, P.Eng, partner, Western
Management Consultants, at david@wmc.on.ca.
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Technology Toolbox
Sheila Kennedy
Materials Get Around

Assembly and conveyance benefit from new innovations
Material handling system innovations are adding speed In a continuous-motion machine, line jams can occur and
and efficiency to existing applications and extending the gaps or voids can grow over time. Electronic sensors aid in
value of the systems to complex materials and logistical con- the monitoring and control of product movement. The Zero
ditions. Automated storage and retrieval systems perform Gap II Infeed conveyor technology from Standard-Knapp
more functions and work faster. Large assembly operations modulates the transition from an upstream product con-
can be conducted in smaller places. New conveyor technolo- veyor to the original infeed of a machine. It uses electronic
gies provide better control of hard-to-manage materials. population sensors to manage conveyor speed, line pressure,
Multi-tasking automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/ and balance as the product is distributed into multiple lanes
RS) provide added efficiencies in material handling. The high- for infeed. It is compatible with low-pressure conveying ap-
throughput, mini-load DuoSys AS/RS from Daifuku Webb
can also sort and group items. It has two cranes that function New conveyor technologies provide
simultaneously and independently in the same aisle. Up- better control of hard-to-manage
time and maintainability is increased because one crane can
remain in operation while service is performed on the other.
materials.
Multiple cranes are managed by a single off-board controller,
and multiple systems can be stacked on top of each other.
“What’s unique about DuoSys is both cranes can access plications such as tray packers, shrink bundlers, intermittent
every load, passing each other without interference. This motion case packers, and rotary packers.
allows it to sustain a throughput that is unmatched by or- “The Zero Gap II Infeed conveyor assembly is designed
dinary mini-load systems,” says Daifuku Webb application to minimize line pressure, prevent pressure transfer from
engineering manager Melissa Kann. one conveyor to another, and deliver the pack pattern you
DuoSys also is designed to save energy as a result of need,” says Patrick Nelson, tray/shrink engineering manager
its lightweight design and the ability to deactivate one or for Standard-Knapp. “It breaks the line pressure twice: just
more cranes during periods of low utilization. Regenerated before the zero gap section during pattern forming and at
electricity created during deceleration is sent to other cranes the end of zero gap during transfer to the machine’s infeed.”
through a regenerative converter. Flexible screw conveyors, which move bulk material at
Facilities with tight quarters or that have no cranes have virtually any angle, are being incorporated in a widening
new options for massive, heavy load, indoor assembly opera- array of applications. Flexicon recently custom-engineered a
tions. The In-Plant, Self-Propelled Modular Transporter (IP- flexible screw conveyor to meet a packager’s height restric-
SPMT) from Doerfer’s Wheelift Systems Group supports ap- tions and special characteristics of the blended material,
plications weighing from 50 tons to more than 400 tons. The which tends to become airborne and cling to solid surfaces
engine-driven transporter leverages the company’s Uniload because of static electricity. “The conveyor consists of a
fluid equalizing suspension wheel technology, allowing it to specially designed flexible helix rotating within a flexible 4.5
maneuver in tight quarters with precise control of all move- in. (11.4 cm) O.D. polymer tube, powered by an electric mo-
ment within a fraction of an inch. Small-diameter, solid tor at the discharge end,” says David Boger, vice president of
urethane wheels allow for low deck heights. sales and marketing for Flexicon.
“The omni-directional capabilities incorporated within each
Wheelift Transporter offers near autonomous movement of Email Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy, managing director of
high-capacity loads in any tightly populated industrial environ- Additive Communications, at sheila@addcomm.com.
ment,” says Tom Phillips, business manager for Wheelift Sys-
tems at Doerfer. “The suspension technology provides each unit Reference Web sites:
with self-loading capabilities, provides load equalization for www.daifukuwebb.com www.standard-knapp.com
operation on existing floors requiring little to no modifications, www.wheelift.com www.flexicon.com
and permits very fine positioning of the load in six axes.”

THERMOGRAPHY / ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
MEET THE NEW BREED OF INFRARED INSPECTOR
I was recently called to a medium-sized manufacturing loose connections. He stated they also could immediately
plant to discuss providing infrared services during the con- verify their repairs by using the imager and watching the
struction of a new addition. While there, I asked the plant temperature of the connection drop to a “normal” operat-
manager and his facility engineer about the predictive main- ing range. The engineer was quite happy with this system,
tenance program for their switchgear and the possibility of stating it was efficient and no time was wasted by needless
providing thermographic services. The engineer stated they reports or sending another worker to fi x the problem at a
already had a program in place. The plant had purchased a later date. The problem was found and solved on the spot.
small IR imager and used it to find “hot spots.” Thermogra- What could be the problem with that? The most serious
phy of electrical switchgear involves imaging the electrical problem is that such a method is in violation of OSHA stan-
components while they are in an energized or “live” state. dards and “NFPA 70E: Electrical Safety in the Workplace” and
They employed a two-person team to walk around the plant “NFPA 70B: Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment
looking at switchgear. While both were trained electricians, Maintenance.” If anything, such as an arc flash, were to happen
neither was a certified thermographer. Whenever they found during the survey, the plant would be subject to substantial
a “hot spot,” they fi xed it immediately by tightening any fines immediately, not to mention damage to equipment, loss of
32 OCTOBER 2013 WWW.PLANTSERVICES.COM

By Brad Gilbertson,
Sandhills Thermal Imaging
production, and the serious injuries or loss of life of plant work- Safety First
ers. This plant’s procedures were cobbled together in the belief Safety is always a priority. While we all hear a constant stream
that these time-saving shortcuts will also save money. The costs of criticism against bureaucracy in general, and OSHA in
associated with a single accident likely would wipe out all the particular, we need to remember one thing: every standard,
savings associated with previous shortcuts. law, regulation, or guideline is put into place because someone
There were no pre-planned routes for them to follow; has been injured or killed by an event the rule is designed to
no images of anomalies found that were saved for future prevent. When dealing with electrical hazards and worker
reference; no reports generated, documenting the anoma- safety, OSHA references NFPA 70E and 70B. Informative
lies found during the survey; and no method of tracking Annex J of NFPA 70E describes the process of determining
problem areas or their repairs and the costs associated with if an energized work permit is required. No energized work
same. And, of course, because they were making repairs permit is required for systems of less than 50 V. The next step
“on the fly,” there were no energized work permits. At least is determining if there will be live components exposed. The
there was one positive note: the employees on the IR team answer is “yes” because a thermographic survey requires that
performed their tasks in the appropriate PPE. components be energized and exposed for viewing. And next

Thermography / Electrical Systems
Every Picture Tells a Story

Figure 1. In the image to the left, the emissivity is placed at a very low setting to show how the imager interprets the input variables. At
right, the same image is shown with the emissivity set to 0.99. Notice the change in temperature. Without all variables being known and
taken into account, the exact temperature will not be known. But the image is still qualitative, and an experienced thermographer can
interpret the image for useful information without the temperature reading. The breaker at “A” is rated for 15 A and is currently loaded at
9.7 A (65% of capacity). The breaker at “B” is rated for 20 A and is currently loaded at 7.6 A (38% of capacity). The infrared condition of
the wire tells the story. No amount of tightening will change the condition of the fuse. The loading on Circuit “A” is above optimum.
is the crucial part. What type of work will be performed? person doing the work. While this might seem tedious to
Any planned physical contact such as making or tightening some, it helps to ensure not only worker safety and manage-
connections or removing or replacing components while the ment awareness and support of the work being performed.
system is energized requires an energized work permit. A This factor can also address a morale issue. In most cases, the
thermographic survey doesn’t require any physical contact maintenance department and its workers are invisible to plant
with the exposed energized parts and therefore does not re- operations until something important breaks. If nothing
quire an energized work permit. Any problems found during seems to break, the tendency is not to credit proper and con-
the thermographic survey will need an energized work permit tinuous maintenance, but rather to believe “that’s how things
if the repairs are to be made while the system is live. are supposed to be.” The requests for work permits allow
While an energized work permit isn’t needed for a ther- management to see that well-planned and safely executed on-
mographic survey, repairs aren’t performed while the ther- going maintenance is responsible for the efficient operations
mographic survey is taking place. An energized work permit of the plant. In this case, visibility is the key to a well-run and
is issued for each individual item that needs repairs or properly funded predictive maintenance program.
other work. In other words, it is not a “blanket” permit. For
example, “All distribution panels in Maintenance Corridor Certified
A” is not a proper listing. The request gives a description and I never use the word “camera” when referring to an infrared
location of the circuit or equipment, along with what work imager. A “camera” is a consumer item that can be bought at
is being done and a justification about why the work is being any bigbox store. Cameras employ “point-and-shoot” technol-
conducted while the system is energized. The individuals ogy and are simple and easy to use. While modern imagers
doing the actual work must describe the procedures they come in a form factor very similar to cameras, that is where
will use and the safe work practices to be employed. Filling the similarities end. It may be true that almost anyone can
out the permit leads the personnel through shock-hazard pick up an imager and record an image, will it be a useful im-
and arc-flash analysis. It forces them to determine the vari- age? A common misconception with thermography is that in-
ous safety boundaries and plan methods of restricting the frared imagers measure the temperature of an object. They do
access of unqualified personnel from the work area. not. Every object in nature emits varying amounts of infrared
There must be documented evidence of a job briefing, radiation. The amount of radiation emitted will be influenced
which includes a discussion of any job-related hazards and by object temperature, surface condition, target shape, and
how they will be mitigated. The approval for the work permit viewing angle. This is called emissivity. Human skin emits
comes from the plant’s general manager and is also signed infrared radiation at a very high level, while shiny metals
by the safety manager, the maintenance manager, and the such as copper emit very little. An object can also reflect the
34 October 2013 www.PLANTSERVICES.com

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THERMOGRAPHY / ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
infrared energy from its surroundings. possible errors and mistakes during
Introducing This is called reflectivity. Emissivity imaging and interpreting data (Figure
the Fluke and reflectivity are linked. Objects with

high emissivity have low reflectivity,
2). It is highly recommended that a
level-III certified thermographer take
Energy and vice versa. The thermographer

must enter the correct emittance of an
part in the design, implementation, and
oversight of the plant’s IR predictive
Efficiency object into the imager in order to get an
accurate temperature.
maintenance program. Level II should
be considered the minimum level of
Resource Other variables that must be consid-
ered include ambient air temperature,
certification for an individual imaging
electrical equipment. A level-II certified
Center humidity, and distance to the target.
Therefore, the imager can be used to
thermographer is qualified to interpret
and evaluate the results of imaging
show qualitative thermal differences in with respect to applicable codes, pro-
Everything you an object. In other words, the trained
thermographer can detect thermal pat-
cedures, and specifications, as well as
properly calibrate imaging equipment.
need to know terns in an object and determine when Many applications of IR thermography
about identifying an anomaly exists. Remember reflec- are qualitative in nature, and level-I
tivity? A lot of electrical equipment thermographers are able to perform
energy waste and is metal and is highly reflective of infra- those tasks. However, the imaging of
saving money. red radiation. The component being electrical equipment involves the more
imaged can even reflect the thermogra- advanced knowledge and experience
• Case studies pher’s own body heat and an inexperi- of a level-II thermographer to record
enced or untrained thermographer can accurate quantitative data. Utilizing
• Success stories mistake that reading as the temperature properly trained personnel reduces
of the component. And detecting a hot liability while increasing the credibility
• Interactive spot isn’t the only issue. Is the increased of the program.
illustrations heat due to a loose connection? Or is
the circuit overloaded? These separate MEASURE TO MANAGE
• Check lists anomalies have their own character- The key to any successful program is
• Videos and istics, and a trained thermographer proper documentation. Documentation
can tell the difference without first isn’t done for its own sake. With a prop-
more sticking a screwdriver into an energized erly implemented program, the docu-
panel to check for connection tightness mentation serves a higher purpose and
(Figure 1). And some types of breakers helps to justify the funding of the pro-
are designed to operate at a particular gram. The documentation is the basis
temperature, which may be elevated for all of the metrics that allow manage-
compared to the other types of breakers ment to make the important decisions
in the same panel. about the plant. If maintenance is simply
Paragraph 11.17.1 of NFPA 70B wandering around tightening loose con-
states, “Infrared inspections of electri- nections without recording or docu-
cal systems are beneficial to reduce menting anything, what does manage-
the number of costly and catastrophic ment know or learn about the condition
www.Fluke.com/ equipment failures and unscheduled of the plant? They may only know the
SaveEnergy plant shutdowns.” The use of thermog-
raphy to perform surveys of electrical
cost of paying the maintenance worker
and the monthly amount spent on basic
equipment is not only validated by repair parts. Without documentation or
NFPA 70B, but is recommended. It is a report of some kind, how will anyone
also recommended that the personnel see a trend or know if there is a bigger
conducting thermographic surveys be problem that needs to be solved? Are
“qualified and trained personnel who the same connections loose each time?
have an understanding of infrared Let’s say that, over the course of a year,
technology.” Engaging a trained and the plant replaces five breakers a month
certified thermographer can prevent on average. Those repairs may go un-
©2013 Fluke Corporation
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noticed if not documented and tied to may perform thermographic surveys

other maintenance reports. The repairs as their full-time jobs, or they may
could mean nothing if each replacement only perform them monthly. Having
was for a different piece of equipment. dedicated personnel, or at least using the
But what if each replacement was for the same personnel each time, allows them
same piece of equipment? Now we know to gain familiarity and expertise with
the problem is much bigger than a bad the task and each other. This familiar-
breaker. And remember, thermography ity and experience build competency
allows the maintenance team to see the and increase efficiency. The team might
early signs of developing problems. The be as small as two personnel. One will
problems then can be fixed before they open and close electrical panels, while
halt production and cause unscheduled the other images the equipment once
shutdowns; or they can be monitored it is exposed. Whoever is using the
until the next scheduled shutdown. imager needs to be a trained and certi-
The information gathered by the fied thermographer. While the use of
thermographers is documented in a re- electricians is not required, all members
port. The reports are given to manage- of the team must be qualified personnel.
ment with an analysis of the equipment A qualified person is defined by NFPA
imaged during the survey. The report 70B as someone “who has the skills and
will list which equipment was imaged knowledge related to the construction
and which equipment had anoma- and operation of the electrical equip-
lies, along with a classification of the ment and installations and has received
anomaly. In the reports, it’s useful to safety training on the hazards involved.”
include not only the numbers, but also Working around energized systems
a pie chart displaying the criticality of comes with inherent dangers, and
the various anomalies found. It displays possible emergencies and responses
system health at a glance. The report must be addressed. OSHA requires that
is also used to generate work tickets capabilities for both CPR and first aid
for the maintenance department. The be provided for in some fashion when
individual work tickets also are used performing work on electrical systems
to request energized work permits, if over 50 V, as stated in OSHA General
repairs are to be made to an energized Industry Standards (29 CFR, Part 1910,
system. The maintenance department subpart R). There is no further guidance
then makes the repairs and documents on the matter, and having trained EMS
that work. The repair is verified and personnel on standby at the plant would
documented in either a follow-up or the satisfy the requirement. However, that
next regularly scheduled thermograph- is not a practical solution. If an accident
ic survey. With the proper documenta- occurs, every second matters, and im-
tion feeding a database, management mediate help is necessary to save lives.
can track the overall health of the From a practical standpoint all members
system at any given time. The system of the team should be trained in first
can be as low-tech as manually created aid and certified in both CPR and the
spreadsheets, or you can use CMMS/ use of automated external defibrilla-
EAM software. The point is that it al- tors (AEDs), along with training in the
lows managers to see trends or patterns proper release of individuals caught in a
in the plant’s equipment through the live circuit. While it would be easier to
maintenance program. They are also simply have one of the team members
better able to calculate costs for mainte- trained as a first responder, what hap-
nance and see the value of the program. pens if that individual is the one who is
incapacitated in an accident?
Ideal IR/Thermography Greater efficiency can be achieved
The ideal method is to have a dedicated using a team of four. In such a configu-
predictive maintenance team. The team ration, the first person is opening cabi-
Trained and Certified

Figure 2. Engaging a trained and certified thermographer can prevent possible mistakes during imaging and data interpretation.
(Source: Stockton Infrared)
nets, the second is imaging the switchgear, and the third is re- Conclusion
cording anomalies and taking notes, while the final member Without an electrical preventive maintenance program,
is closing the cabinets which have already been imaged. While management takes on a greater risk of serious electri-
performing the thermographic survey, the team’s sole job is cal failure, and the resulting consequences. A well-run
conducting the survey along a predetermined route. They im- program will minimize costly breakdowns and unsched-
age the switchgear along the route and record their findings, uled shutdowns, as well as reduce accidents, potentially
which are later documented in their report. The team does not saving lives. The program can identify problems at an
attempt to fix any of the problems they find along their route early stage before they become major problems that will
— remember, they don’t have energized work permits. require costly and more time-consuming solutions. Any
Survey routes are determined by the program manager predictive maintenance program requires the support of
and are dependent on the size of the plant and the systems top management. The programs require investments in
involved. A small plant might have only one route and can be equipment, proper training for the personnel involved,
imaged in a day. Large plants or plants with several com- and the extra resources needed for proper administra-
plex systems may have multiple routes. A basic route may tion. Adding thermographic surveys to a maintenance
only need to be surveyed once a year, while others may need program can bring significant cost savings to the plant’s
quarterly surveys. In some cases it may be a good idea to have operation. But there is more to it than simply purchasing
the critical components of the plant’s operation on one route, an imager. The program must be well-planned, admin-
with other sections of the plant broken up into other routes. istered, and in compliance just like every other aspect of
That critical route then can be surveyed as needed to provide the plant’s operation. Properly executed, the program will
a snapshot of system health to management. That critical save money while saving lives.
route may get walked monthly or as otherwise directed, while
the other routes get surveyed on separate schedules. The im- Brad Gilbertson is a certified level III infrared
portant part is having the preplanned route. Doing so allows thermographer at Sandhills Thermal Imaging
for repeatable surveys, which allow for easy system compari- in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Contact him at
sons between multiple surveys of the same route. brad@sandhillsthermalimaging.com.

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RELIABILITY / PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Measure time and motion to assess productivity
By Phil Beelendorf, Roquette America
Reliability professionals who master the art of managing their

time efficiently stand a greater chance of producing the asset improve-
ment and cost reduction results that transform an organization into
an industry leader. Stephen Covey in his book “The Seven Habits of
Highly Effective People” discussed the importance of living in Quad-
rant II, focusing on what is important and not urgent, rather than what
is unimportant and urgent. But how are you supposed to do this, when
the phone never stops ringing, the emails just keep coming, and there’s
an endless line of people knocking on the door who just need five min-
utes of your time? While most companies with reliability programs
measure craft “wrench” efficiency, how many reliability professionals
measure their own wrench efficiency? Recognizing my own desire to
improve both efficiency and effectiveness, I developed and used a time
management tool to identify how I might improve my productivity.
Identifying and eliminating Quadrant III (urgent and unimport-
ant) activities allowed me to focus time and energy on Quadrant
II activities; the structured and disciplined approached helped to
increase my efficiency. As a byproduct, I was able to reduce my
work hours and gain control of my personal and professional life,
bringing it back into balance.
A journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step. And the first
step down the road to improved wrench efficiency is a thorough
understanding of how one’s time is spent. This understanding can’t
be gained without first measuring the amount of time spent on the
various activities that comprise the work week. To accomplish this
task, I developed an Excel spreadsheet in calendar form, listing the
various objectives I was responsible for completing, along with my
other activities. The list included core activities such as the pro-
grams I managed, noncore activities such as mandatory training,
answering emails, and other administrative tasks, and the key
objectives listed on my performance management plan. The objec-
tives on the performance management plan were treated as projects,
whether they were strategic, managerial, or developmental in nature.
During the initial three-month time-motion study, estimates on the
amount of time spent on core and noncore activities were experiential
guesses. The remaining hours were allocated to the various tasks that
needed to be completed that month to meet the due dates listed on

Sunday Monday Tuesday
Executable Training & Executable Training & Executable Training &
Total Meetings Meetings Meetings
work development work development work development
Week 30
Program #1 1
Program #2 5.75
Program #3 5.25 3.25
Strategic rollout #1 2 1
Supervisor (Dave)
3.5 .50 0.5
requests
Cost saving initiatives/
.5
opportunities
Peer requests 4.5 2.75 1.75
Develop and Manage MT
19.75 4.5 2
Group
Email folder and file
cleanup. Misc 5 min 4.25 0.25
requests. Other Admin.
B-direction setting .25 0.25
G-direction setting 1.75
Unaccounted for hrs. 1 1
Total Hrs 49.5
DATA ENTRY TAB

Figure 1. In the data entry tab, the individual activity hours are recorded.
my performance management plan objectives. The desired submitted plans started out 125-130% loaded; core, non-
goal of the initial time-motion study was twofold: to gain core, and planned activities equaled 125-130% of available
a better understanding of where my time was being spent hours. A target of 110% loading was established.
and to develop the discipline necessary to work in a planned • Submit a plan to senior management at the beginning of
environment the majority of my time. I was embarking on each month outlining the planned objectives scheduled
a journey; I was heading down the road in search of the an- for the month in question. Record the time spent on each
swer to the following question: Was I in control of my time planned objective. Measure planned activity efficiency and
and work activities, or were they in control of me? wrench efficiency.
It’s often beneficial to list an action plan for any activity • Gain an understanding of the habits and practices that
or project, so clear improvement goals can be set from the may limit efficiency. Develop the ability to work the major-
observations made. The following action plan was developed ity of the day on planned activities. Know exactly which
for the three-month time-motion study. planned activities are scheduled each day before the work
• Estimate the amount of time spent on daily core and non- day starts.
core activities. Record actual time spent on these activities • Identify hours spent on Quadrant III activities and record
to improve the accuracy of future estimates. observations of ways to improve overall efficiency.
• Establish an hours-worked goal for the typical work week. • Based on the observation made, develop an improvement
For this study, 50 hours/week was used. Determine num- plan to increase planned activity and wrench efficiencies.
ber of work days available in the month. After subtracting For our purposes, planned activity efficiency is defined as
the estimated hours spent on core and noncore activi- “number of executed (actual) hours spent on project (planned)
ties, develop a list of planned task objectives you commit activities divided by total planned project hours.”
to working on, based on completion date and priority. And wrench efficiency is defined as “number of scheduled
Estimate tasks associated with each objective and provide a core activity hours + number of executed (actual) hours spent
time estimate to complete all of the tasks planned for each on project (planned) activities divided by total available hours.”
objective that month. If there are too many hours sched- The time-motion study can be created to suit any position
uled, push low-priority tasks into the future; if you are or work situation. It can be used by people whose primary
under-scheduled, add additional tasks. For this study, the responsibilities are managing people or by people who spend

Reliability / Performance Management
Objective Monthly Monthly

Priority Task Description Task Due Date Comments Actual
Description Objective Calculation
High Program #2 XXXXXXXXXXXX July 7/22/2013 XXXXXXXXX 2 5.75
Medium Program #3 XXXXXXXXXXXXX July 7/31/2013 XXXXXXXXX 2 2
Medium Program #3 XXXXXXXXXXXXX July 7/31/2013 XXXXXXXXX 2 3.25
High Strategic rollout #1 XXXXXXXXXXXXX July 7/31/2013 XXXXXXXXX 2 2
Develop and Manage
High XXXXXXXXXXXXX July 8/3/2013 XXXXXXXXX 16 19.75
MT Group
High Peer requests XXXXXXXXXXXXX July 7/26/2013 XXXXXXXXX 3 2.25
Medium Peer requests XXXXXXXXXXXXX July 8/1/2013 XXXXXXXXX 2 2.25
Monthly Priorities Tab

Figure 2. In the monthly priorities tab, the monthly plan is developed.
the majority of their time managing

tasks or projects. Each person should 3 Month Time-Motion Study
consider setting up the individual time Hrs. Worked per Week
categories to best describe the work 6%
30%
week. The key is to accurately identify
15%
the work categories, accurately record
the time spent on each category, and
then identify those activities which
waste time and those which produce
the greatest return on time invested. 7% 18%
Once you understand how you spend 1%
your time and learn to recognize 1%
6%
what the important (Quadrant II) and 4% 6% 2% 4%
unimportant (Quadrant III) activi-
■ Program Management ■ Peer Requests
ties are, action plans can be developed
and implemented to improve overall ■ Strategic Initiatives ■ Training and Development- Personal
efficiency. Use these ground rules to
improve the results of your study: ■ Management Tasks ■ Mandatory Compliance Training/Meetings
• The time-motion spreadsheet has
■ Cost Savings Opportunities ■ Vacation/Holidays/Absences
two main tabs. The first is the data
entry tab, in which the individual ■ Supervisor Requests ■ E mail Folder and File Cleanup.
activity hours are recorded (Figure Misc 5 MinRequests. Other Admin
1). The second is the monthly priori- ■ Executive Requests
ties tab, in which the monthly plan is (other than supervisor) ■ Unaccounted for Hrs
developed (Figure 2).
• Individual tasks on the monthly First Three Months
priorities tab (task descriptions) are Figure 3. Breakdown of the first three months of the time-motion study.
categorized under the various activities
and objectives shown on the data entry Last Three Months April-June 2013
tab. In this way, they can be linked and intervals. Try to avoid rounding up per Week
Hrs. Worked you simultaneously. You might be
rolled up into the time-motion study. and attempt to keep 1% the most accu- surprised how often this occurs early
• As you think of tasks that need to be 11%
rate records as possible. in the study. You
26% very well might lose
completed in a future month, insert • Develop a category called “unac- track of time for 30 to 45 minutes
a line on the monthly priorities tab 5% for time” as a catch-all for
counted quite easily when you become dis-
along with time estimates and notes any2%activities that take less than 15 tracted or when things come at you
so planning the next month’s objec- minutes or for blocks of time where from multiple directions.
tives becomes easy. you2%completely lose focus because • Try to come to work each day with
• To make recordkeeping practical, of interruptions,
5% true emergencies, a mental plan of what29%you hope to ac-
record activity blocks in 15-minute 5% activities come at
or when multiple complish that day. As your discipline
7% 3% 4%
■ Program Management ■ Peer Requests
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Reliability / Performance Management
7% 18%
1%
1%
6%
4% 6% 2% 4%
Comparison of Wrench Efficiency: Three Month Baseline Versus April-June 2013 Period
■ Program
3 month baseline Management
April-13 May-13 ■ Peer Requests
June-13 April-June Ave. % Improvement
Total avaiable hrs 190 220 220 200 213
■ Strategic Initiatives ■ Training and Development- Personal
Scheduled hrs (core activities) 49.3 52.5 56.4 37.7 49
Scheduled hrs (non-core activities) 58.6 ■ Management
51.9 Tasks 52.1 ■ Mandatory Compliance
49.6 51 Training/Meetings
-12.6%
Planned project hours 113 136 141.5 137 138 22.3%
■ Cost Savings Opportunities ■ Vacation/Holidays/Absences
Over/under -30.9 -24.3 -30.6 -24.3 -26 -14.6%
Executed project hrs 47 ■ Supervisor
100.25 Requests
119.25 ■ E mail Folder 112
115 and File Cleanup.137.2%
Misc 5 MinRequests. Other Admin
Planned activity efficiency 41.6% 73.7%
■ Executive Requests84.3% 83.9% 81% 93.9%
Wrench efficiency 50.7% (other69.4%
than supervisor)
79.8% ■ Unaccounted 75%
76.4% for Hrs 48.4%
Wrench Efficiency
Table 1. The greatest improvement was seen in the number of executed project hours, which more than doubled.
improves, you will find this gets

easier and easier. Realize some days Last Three Months April-June 2013
will bring emergencies and your best Hrs. Worked per Week
laid plans will go in the tank. Don’t 1%
11% 26%
get discouraged. Shake it off and
come to work the next day with the
5%
attitude that things will be better.
2%
• It only takes about 10 minutes each
day to keep track of time. Keep a piece 2%
of paper sitting on the corner of your
desk and record time blocks as you 5% 29%
move from task to task. At the end of 5%
the day, record the information into 7% 3% 4%
the time-motion spreadsheet.
After three months of recordkeeping, ■ Program Management ■ Peer Requests
I developed a clearer understanding of
■ Strategic Initiatives ■ Training and Development- Personal
where my time was going. The results of
the time-motion study, combining sev- ■ Management Tasks ■ Mandatory Compliance Training/Meetings
eral objectives and activity categories
into broader ones for graphical clarity, ■ Cost Savings Opportunities ■ Vacation/Holidays/Absences
are shown in Figure 3.
■ Supervisor Requests ■ E mail Folder and File Cleanup.
Several interesting observations Misc 5 MinRequests. Other Admin
made during the study presented the ■ Executive Requests
cold hard facts, painting a revealing if (other than supervisor) ■ Unaccounted for Hrs
not disturbing picture of inefficiencies
I had subconsciously developed over Most Recent Three Months
time in my work habits. Figure 4. Breakdown of the most recent three months of the time-motion study
• I was working on average 56.8 hours (April-June 2013).
a week.
• 21% of my time was either unac-
counted for, spent answering emails, to accomplish on any given day. I times, I randomly moved from task
or on other administrative tasks. had planned activities and meetings to task on the day I became aware of
• I became too easily distracted. I scheduled, but, often, I didn’t have a it. I did this quite often with the daily
noticed I had the habit of reading blueprint for the entire day clearly laid tasks associated with program man-
emails which popped up on my out in my mind before I went to work. agement. An email came in; I looked
computer screen instead of staying • I didn’t always organize my work in at it and took care of it.
focused on the task at hand. large enough blocks of time to cre- • About 16% of my time was spent
• I didn’t always know what I planned ate synergistic efficiency. Instead, at addressing supervisor, other senior

MISSION EQUIPPED:
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RELIABILITY / PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
manager and executive, and peer requests, most of which Commit to the 50 Hour
weren’t made with a time horizon that allowed me to Work Week
schedule and plan them. Most of these requests had a short
time horizon and weren’t planned for at the beginning of
the month. If the requestor felt it needed to be done sooner
than later, I was forced into deviating from my plan. WORK
• I spent far too little time on personal development and
growth. Even though I scheduled time each week for this PERSONAL
activity, it was always the first thing to go when I needed to DEVELOPMENT SPIRITUALITY
meet an approaching deadline. While this produced short-
term results, it hindered long-term growth.
• Many times, I made a commitment without knowing
whether I had given a realistic completion date. This forced
me into working longer hours, delaying work on less criti-
cal projects to meet the deadline, or missing the deadline. NUTRITION HEALTH
• I didn’t always know which activities produced the greatest
return on time investment. I could measure payback, but FAMILY,
since I didn’t keep track of time spent, I did not know the FRIENDS,
COMMUNITY
return on my investment. This hurt my ability to focus my
attention on the top priorities.
You’ve heard the idiom that necessity is the mother of all
WHAT’S IMPORTANT
invention. Well, in my case, discovery was the mother of mine. Figure 5. Nothing motivates like a constant reminder of what is
I committed myself to reinvent the way I approached work in truly important in life.
hopes of improving my efficiency. Out of the observations listed
above and additional self discoveries made along the way, I em-
barked down the wrench efficiency road to self-improvement. I
put together and executed the following action plan: ers included the commitments they needed to make for me to
• I set a goal for myself to work 50 hours/week or less. I was complete the stated objectives. In a way, I was asking them to
committed to having more time and energy for the other share the responsibility for improving my wrench efficiency.
important activities in my life. • Unless it was a true emergency, I reviewed existing planned
• I identified the Quadrant III activities, which made up 21% workload before making commitments to new requests. I
of the time I spent at work, and resolved to reduce these also asked for realistic “when do you need it” dates. When it
wasted activities. Other than important emails, which I didn’t seem possible to meet the date, I prioritized existing
was expecting, I stopped reading my emails throughout work and communicated to senior management and the
the day, devoting time at the beginning and end of the day original requestors which objectives I would need to defer
and over lunch to read and answer them. to complete the new request. Reaching agreement and com-
• Emails responding to action items associated with the municating the inability to meet a deadline as soon as it is
various programs I managed weren’t answered the day recognized helps credibility and does less damage to your
they were received. Instead, they were moved to a folder on reputation as someone who is reliable and honors commit-
Outlook. They were read and answered in scheduled time ments than if you wait until the last moment to let someone
blocks to create synergistic efficiencies. know you will not meet your commitment.
• I got better and better at anticipating peer and executive A commitment to the above stated goals, a little bit of
requests. The monthly objectives I sent to the senior manag- hard work, and a disciplined approach combined to produce
SMRP CONFERENCE
Phil Beelendorf, CMRP, methods program coordinator at Roquette America, will present “Reliability Pro-
fessionals — Improve Your Wrench Efficiency!” at the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Profession-
als Annual Conference in Indianapolis on Oct. 15 at 4 PM. The presentation will explain how to use this
powerful tool to discover where you waste time. This knowledge and disciplined approach can help you
to increase efficiency, keep commitments, and stay focused on the important tasks. Increasing
productivity may also help to gain the healthy work/life balance we all strive for.

the results I desired. The time-motion study in Figure 4,
with the same category combining for graphical clarity, il-
FIND YOUR TOOLS
lustrates improved performance in several key areas.
Planned activity and wrench efficiencies improved
THE FIRST TIME
dramatically. Additionally, reductions in hours spent on
non-core activities allowed an additional number of planned
hours to be scheduled each month. The greatest improve-
ment was seen in the number of executed project hours,
which more than doubled (Table 1).
Two of the most significant benefits realized from complet-
ing this exercise might, at first, appear intangible. But having
a better understanding of the time it takes to complete tasks
allows the reliability professional to better prioritize opportu-
nities and set realistic completion dates for requests. As you
get better at managing your workload and meeting deadlines,
you will instill confidence and build trust among peers, senior
management, and executive management. You, the reliability
professional, will create the perception that you are reliable.
A side benefit was a reduction in hours worked, dipping from
the aforementioned 56.8 hours/week down to 51.9. Not quite
my 50 hour/week goal, but I’ll take it. Throughout the process, I C
kept this goal at the forefront of my thinking. I tend to be a con-

M
ceptual thinker, so I find it helpful to create visual reminders to
help me stay focused on my goals. The graph shown in Figure Y
5 hangs on the wall of my work and home offices as a constant CM
reminder of what is truly important in my life. MY
Be careful not to confuse efficiency with effectiveness. As a

CY
Type A personality, I can get very passionate and zealous about
squeezing the most out of every minute of the day. Remember CMY
the comment about reading my emails when I eat lunch. Re- K
lational effectiveness is important to success in any profession

or activity. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to learn this.
Care should be taken to retain the ability to change focus from
tasks to people whenever interruptions occur during the work-
day. If you can’t change focus to actively listen to those who
knock on your door asking for “five minutes” of your time, all
the completed projects in the world will not erase the percep-
tion that you do not care about or have time for people.
The time-motion exercise and tools have helped me to
understand how to work efficiently, stay focused on the task
at hand, and prioritize work more effectively. A personal
development coach I know has a favorite saying: Where you
look is where you will go. Treat this activity like a roadmap
between two points; the time-motion study reveals where
you are at, the goals you set for yourself are your final desti-
nation, and the action plan you commit to completing is the
highway which will ultimately get you there. In conclusion,
consider this question: If you don’t know where you’re at,
how can you possibly get to where you want to go?
CribMaster, the company who delivers complete
Phil Beelendorf is methods program coordinator at Roquette tool kits and solutions that people count on when it
America. Contact him at phil.beelendorf@roquette.com really matters www.cribmaster.com/kitmaster
or (319) 526-3358.
or call us at 1.888.419.1399 for more details
By Leah Friberg, Fluke
Identify problems, quantify solutions, and prove the ROI

With energy savings, there’s intent and then there’s plan. The answer is: Don’t try to manage every kW consumed
Industrial facilities in the United States show a sustained by your facility. This is the “wisdom of experience” part of
interest in energy management. That’s the intent: Reduce the equation. Divide the facility into the electrical infra-
overall energy usage or sustain usage but increase the amount structure and then key systems.
produced per kW used. The plan? Sometimes that’s a problem. Energy savings start with two basic tactics: a general
In manufacturing, a plan will only stick if it has both inspection of key systems and targeted data gathering, in-
the wisdom of experience guiding the vision and the ROI cluding logging energy usage at the main service entrances
numbers to back up the reason. But in energy, there just and at those key loads. Identify how much a system is
isn’t the body of research out there for an industrial plant specified to consume, determine how much it is currently
manager to use, to set baselines for what “reasonable” ener- consuming, and identify wasteful practices, either in the
gy usage looks like in a manufacturing facility. So, how do hours and type of operation, or in the equipment/system
you assess what portion of current energy usage is reason- itself. To achieve the savings, the facility must address the
able and what is wasteful, or of that wasteful portion, what waste, either by changes in operation, in maintenance, or
provides high enough ROI to address? in equipment/controls.
The ROI under discussion here is the cost/kWh as charged
by the utility. Those units carry a different rate depend-
ing on time of day and year. Reducing that expense is the Complex
savings. The investment is the materials and labor required Power (S)
Imaginary
to change energy consumption. The return is the period of

time it takes for the reduced utility bill to pay for the invest- Reactive
ment. The gravy comes after the expense is paid off. Power (Q)
Returning to the issue of the plan, how then do you draw
up an ROI estimate when there is no industry standard for
reasonable energy usage?
Profiling industrial energy usage

Industrial energy usage varies based on mulitple variables:
• plant age Real
• load type and size Real
• operational schedule, both hours/week and intensity of Power (P)
loading
• number of workers Energy Definition and Measurement
• climate Figure 1. Energy is expressed in real, reactive,
• maintenance philosophy. and apparent power.

Production / Energy Monitoring
110.00
Weds 7th Jan

100.00
Thurs 5th Feb
90.00 Sun 25th Jan
Weds 10th Jun

80.00
kWh
Sun 17th May
Fri 31st Jul

70.00
Sat 25th Jul
60.00 Sat 20th Jun
50.00
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Energy Consumption
Figure 2. Set up energy logging equipment to measure overall level and quality of consumption and then trace when energy is consumed.
Energy components transferred to the load and some portion flows back. The net
Before we explain how to trace energy consumption, let’s transfer of energy to the load is zero: no work is produced.
revisit how we define and measure energy. In reality, all loads have a combination of resistance,
Energy is expressed in real, reactive, and apparent power inductance, and capacitance, creating both real and reactive
(Figure 1). power in a system. For that reason, electrical systems are
Energy flow is described by: designed to tolerate a certain amount of reactive power. The
• real (P) or active power in Watts (W) problem comes when too much reactive power is generated.
• reactive power (Q) in Volt Ampere reactive (VAR) Not only is there insufficient real power to produce the re-
• complex power (S) in Volt Ampere (VA) quired work, but the overall work-generation capacity of the
• apparent power, the magnitude of complex power (VA). system is compromised. That’s why utilities penalize their
The mathematical relationship of real, reactive, and appar- customers if their loads produce too much reactive power:
ent power can be represented by vectors or expressed using It’s waste power that costs money to generate, but can’t be
complex numbers, S = P + jQ (where j is the imaginary unit). used. Most utility bills track VARs (reactive power), and
Reactive power does not transfer energy — it does not pro- many calculate power factor, where power factor is a rating
duce work — so it is represented as the imaginary axis of the of how far below 100% real power a system has fallen. Most
vector diagram. Real power moves energy, so it is the real axis. utilities require their customers to stay above .95 PF.
The rate of energy flow in a system is dependent on the
load — is it resistive, reactive, or both? Tracing energy consumption
With a purely resistive load, voltage and current reverse The understanding of basic energy components enables an
polarity at the same time, at every instant the product of electrician to set up energy logging equipment to measure
voltage and current is positive, and only real power is trans- overall level and quality of consumption and then trace
ferred. Therefore, work is produced. when energy is consumed by what (Figure 2).
If the load is purely reactive, the voltage and current are Log power at the main and secondary panels and at major
out of phase, and the product of voltage and current can be loads. Record kW, kWh, and power factor over a representa-
positive or negative, indicating some portion of the energy is tive period of time.

PRODUCTION / ENERGY MONITORING
TEST THEM ALL

Figure 3. How do we really know which systems hold the most potential energy ROI? This provides a very accurate pic-
ture of the real power consumption on
three-phase circuits and loads.
The biggest power savings come from
determining when power usage peaks,
evaluating power factor and overall
power consumption compared to util-
ity invoices, and possibly rebalancing
loads. Even just a couple minutes of
peak usage can increase the utility rate
for a couple hours, days, or weeks.
Rescheduling loads may allow a
company to take advantage of times
of day when power is cheaper. Check
how far below “1” the power factor is,
and check the utility invoices to see if
there’s a penalty for poor power factor.
If there is, the power logger can help
to trace the sources. Then, after you’ve
made energy upgrades, reconnect the
logger to prove out the benefit of your
efficiency improvements.
UNDERSTANDING ENERGY
WASTE POINTS
Every system and operation has the
potential to be a point of waste that
can be mitigated or remedied. Electri-
cal subsystems, compressed air, steam,
and specific electromechanical sys-
tems are a good place to start, but each Identify and quantify: dards and identify maintenance
operation has its own potential waste • Thermal scan the drive panel and solutions such as rebalancing.
points that should be measured. mechanical load for overheating • Thermally scan couplings/shaft/belts,
The goal is to map the energy use of indicative of electrical inefficiency. bearings, and fan.
specific equipment and processes to • Log power over time; check total • Check current and voltage levels.
look at where energy is being wasted kWh, power factor, peak demand, • Thermally scan termination/junc-
to quantify the waste and prioritize unbalance, and harmonics. tion box and windings, and conduct
improvements or replacements, based • Test vibration levels against stan- insulation resistance testing.
on life of the equipment and which
modifications can deliver the best
return on investment.
Energy mapping also provides a
baseline from which to measure the
effectiveness of energy saving projects How to Avoid being One
to justify the cost.
of the Companies Exposed
Common wastes in the electrical
subsystems: to OSHA Fines:
• Loads commonly left on after hours
or unnecessarily run at peak rate
time of day. Let Us help You with
• No controls on motor might mean
more output created than required. a Complete Electrical
• Over-voltage/current conditions
cause excessive power consumption Systems assessment.
to compensate.
• Phase unbalance causes the load to
consume power without being able
to use it.
Identify and quantify:

• Thermal scan the electrical panel and
mechanical load for overheating.
• Log power over time: How much
power is consumed at what time of
day and with what amount of waste?
Common wastes and inspection

points in electromechanical systems:
• Excess friction from alignment,
bearings, imbalance, and looseness
overworks the motor, consuming Every year OSHA issues multi-million dollar fines and penalties.
excessive power. Being prepared doesn’t require a fixation on OSHA standards.
• Uncontrolled loads left on after OSHA inspects for “recognized hazards” which also include
hours, run at peak rate times, create hazards identified in industry consensus standards like
more output than required, or suffer NFPA 70E and the National Electrical Code.
from over-voltage/current conditions
AVO Training Institute, with its 50 years of experience
and phase unbalance. has provided safety program development for all types
• Aging mechanical devices consume of industries worldwide. We offer your organization a total
so much more power than new high- Business Solution that works for your individual needs. Call today,
efficiency models that early replace- we can help keep your people safe and your company compliant.
ment may be justified in reduced
kWh consumption alone. Our Arc Flash Analysis Experts
Can Help Your Facilities Become Compliant
www.avotraining.com/ps or call 214-714-9787
PRODUCTION / ENERGY MONITORING
Common wastes and inspection points in compressed air

systems:
• Excessive leaks in compressed air lines lead to excess op-
eration to maintain supply.
• Compressors left on outside of time of usage waste energy.

• Power log at compressor to baseline consumption.
• Measure pressure at compressor and point of use to deter-
mine amount of drop.
• Ultrasound scan lines to identify leaks.
Common wastes and inspection points in steam systems:

• Failed steam traps and insufficient insulation waste steam,
causing over-production to maintain necessary supply.

• Power log at boiler to baseline consumption.
• Thermally scan pipes and traps to identify insulation gaps
and blockages.
PROVE THE ROI

With the aforementioned lack of industry standards, how
do we really know which systems hold the most potential
energy ROI (Figure 3)? Our best material right now is case
examples that embody common situations. Here are several
examples for common industrial systems.
Electro-mechanical inspection
Facility type: steel recycling plant in Germany
Equipment type: belt-driven fan, for process cooling
Measurements taken: vibration testing
Problems noted: moderate unbalance, along with misalign-
ment and bearing wear
Savings: Rebalancing was required. A 350 kW motor was run-
ning at 80% of nominal power; measured power was about 280
kW. After rebalancing, power consumption was reduced by 3%.
SUPER AIR WIPE TM At a cost of 0.11 euro/kWh, annual savings tallied 8,094 euros.
Compressed air inspection

» Split design - no 360° air stream that is ideal for blowoff, Facility type: manufacturing
threading required drying, cleaning, and cooling of pipe, Equipment type: compressed air system
» Compact, installs in cable, extruded shapes, hose and more. Measurements taken: ultrasound inspection of compressed air
minutes
The split design offers easy clamping system (recommended complete data logging of compressor)
» Quiet! - under 75 dBA! around the surface of the material Problems noted: amount of compressed air produced in
comparison to the actual demand
» Many sizes available moving through it. Savings: Multiple savings opportunities were found. Total
annual savings of $50,600. Shutting down compressor on
Call now (800) 903-9247 weekends: annual savings of $32,700. Install solenoids, to
shut air off when machines are shut off: annual savings of
Manufacturing Intelligent Compressed Air® Products Since 1983
11510 Goldcoast Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45249-1621 $7,100. Repair 36 leaks: annual savings of $4,800. Filters
email: techelp@exair.com • fax: (513) 671-3363 installed in the system at a one-time cost of $6,000; annual
@exair To learn more go to: savings as a result of the fi lters: $6,000.
www.exair.com/85/425.htm
Document1.qxd 1/5/2006 7:44 AM Page 2
Clean, Dry Compressed Air Starts

with The Extractor/Dryer ®
Manufactured by
Change operations to take advantage of: LA-MAN Corporation
• lower cost energy times of day • Point of Use Compressed Air Filter to
• times when machinery can be turned off Improve and Extend Equipment Life
• sensors and controls that could enable systems • Removes Moisture and
Contaminates to a 5-Micron Rating;
to be turned off when not needed. Lower Micron Ratings are Available
• Models with Flow Ranges of 15

Set up infrastructure equipment startup/shutdown SCFM to 2000 SCFM Rated Up To
250psi are Standard
schedules for occupied vs. unoccupied modes.
• Differential Pressure Gauge
Built In to Indicate Required
For startup, stage equipment with large electrical Maintenance
power consumption at least 15 minutes apart to • Mounting Hardware

Included for Easy Installation
avoid peak demand charges.
• Weep Drain is Standard;
Float Drain or Electronic
Install variable-frequency drives (VFDs) for large Drain Valves Optional
motors and replace existing bad motors with
high-efficiency models.
Steam trap inspection

Facility type: manufacturing
Equipment type: boilers and steam lines
Measurements taken: thermal inspection of steam line
Problems noted: six steam traps not operating properly;
leaking coils in the plating tanks; steam leaks at plating
lines; opportunities to recover condensate
Savings: Six failed traps were replaced at a cost of $500 per trap.
Savings achieved: $3,200 per trap using known cost to generate
Test Hazardous
steam and heat loss calculations. Total savings: $16,200. Cargo Rail
Next step: Energy log at boiler supply panel before and after Loading Facilities
addressing leaks and condensate issues.
Increased productivity or reduced overhead?

The next question is a an important one: Once you identify
FAST!
a path to reduced energy consumption, do you funnel that
savings into increasing the plant yield (same kWh consump- Our Model 344 Short Finder Rail Bonds & Rail
tion producing greater volumes) or into other business works fast to help keep your rail Bond Connections
strategies (profit margins, price realization)? spur grounded and safe. A reading
Reducing energy consumption is just good business. By comparable to ohms is displayed in Track Grounding
power logging each major system and mapping those costs
an easy-to-read digital bar graph. Wires
against utility bills to quantify where and when consump- The 344 is a 2-wire, low resistance, Track Grounding
tion is occurring, companies can often realize savings by AC ohmmeter and is used Wire Connections
simple operational and schedule changes. By identifying extensively by railroads across
inefficient or outdated equipment, companies can justify North America. Insulated Rail Joints
and prioritize replacement. And, by reducing overall energy
Complete Kit Part No. 344-1005. Made in the USA.
consumption, companies reduce operating costs, improving
their competitiveness in the marketplace.
Leah Friberg is education and public affairs 7225 Duvan Dr. • Tinley Park, IL 60477
manager at Fluke. Contact her at (708) 444-4908 • Fax (708) 444-4962
Email: info@sandcco.com
leah.friberg@fluke.com.
www.sandcco.com Reliable Tools for the Long Haul
Maintenance / Labor-Hour Analysis
By Fortunatus Udegbue,
CMRP, PMP, FOGAEC
Electrophysics Technologies
The importance of labor-hour analysis and the use of associated metrics
About one-third of every dollar of maintenance costs is A brief look at the maintenance labor management situa-
wasted as a result of unnecessary or improperly carried-out tion in most industries helps us understand this opportunity
maintenance, according to R. Keith Mobley, principal, sub- better. Most managers would agree that they can’t control and
ject matter expert, Life Cycle Engineering (www.lce.com). improve things they can’t measure, and most industrial man-
Since more than $200 billion is spent annually on plant and agers have not invested in the tools to measure and manage
facility maintenance, says Mobley, poor maintenance man- maintenance labor. This is partly because the data process-
agement is something like a $66 billion problem. ing to do the job hasn’t been available very long and because
Conservatively, 42% of total maintenance cost is mainte- maintenance cost is typically about 10% of a company’s oper-
nance labor cost, according to Dr. Alan Wilson, author of ating cost. Most managers probably felt they had bigger fish
“Asset Maintenance Management.” Moreover, direction of to fry. For maintenance and reliability professionals, though,
maintenance labor has a huge impact on the cost of main- the realization that we have the opportunity to conquer a $66
tenance material. This means that optimization of main- billion opportunity is exciting. Below are some observations
tenance labor has the potential to significantly reduce the on where we can begin attacking this issue.
waste in total maintenance cost. It is certainly a valid place Maintenance labor analysis often fails to yield desired
to attack maintenance waste. results because of several key factors, two of which are:

• lack of management focus on labor utilization analysis and The challenge from this example is that analysis of the
effective stewardship labor reported in the CMMS becomes impossible because
• lack of documentation of maintenance labor reporting the maintenance analyst doesn’t know exactly what time
guidance. is being reported. Benchmarking of maintenance labor ef-
Employees give attention to whatever management has fectiveness and efficiency will be impossible as the analyst
clearly defined as very important. can’t make an apples-to-apples comparison to leverage
In most computer maintenance management system good practices or eliminate bad actors. Documented guid-
(CMMS) software, where the work order system is used to ance for reporting maintenance labor, if it’s properly rolled
record maintenance history, recording of the man hours out and entrenched in the maintenance organization, will
used to complete the work is weakly emphasized, if it is solve the problem and standardize maintenance labor data
emphasized at all. The alternative way to determine main- that’s reported, making it easier to analyze.
tenance labor hours is the use of work studies, which is very
expensive compared to continuously reporting, audit- Maintenance Labor Benchmark
ing, and analyzing labor hours through the CMMS. Also, If we must improve maintenance labor utilization, then we
organizations rarely carry out work studies, so maintenance must determine a benchmark for it. For this to happen we
labor forecasting is mostly based on guesswork without any must establish a guidance document for reporting labor
effectively validated data. utilization and ensure everyone is trained to use it and the
In cases where utilized maintenance labor is reported, organization is periodically audited to ensure total compli-
the reporting is usually not uniform because there is no ance. The guidance document should include:
company-wide guidance on what is the organization’s ac- • a separate column for reporting actual time-on-tool
ceptable standard. Some report wrench time, while others (wrench time)
report the entire labor time. • time spent on travel to and from equipment location
For example, a technician who starts off his day by 7 AM • number of maintenance executioners
spends one hour to obtain a work permit, takes two hours to • skill level of maintenance executioners
gather tools and materials, waits one hour for isolation and • time spent on work permit
access of equipment to be worked on, travels one hour to • time spent on isolation and access of equipment
and from equipment location, performs actual maintenance • time spent on post-work execution housekeeping
work on equipment for three hours, uses one hour for house- • time spent on post-work execution documentation.
keeping, and then spends 30 minutes on the maintenance
history update in the CMMS. The content of the guidance document should be
With respect to the example above, one technician in a designed into the work order system in the CMMS for
plant could report the labor time as “three hours” — the reporting during the work completion documentation. An
actual time spent on maintenance work; another technician audit process should be continuously carried out to ensure
in the same plant could report “six hours” — the sum of compliance. The categorization of labor time from work
time to gather tools and materials, time to isolate and access execution reporting will easily enable the analyst to find
equipment, and the actual time spent on maintenance work; out the category that is the bad actor or best practice to
and another technician could even decide to report the leverage improvement efforts. Without this categorization
entire nine hours and 30 minutes — from 7 AM to when the the bad actors and best practices are masked, and we lose
work was reported in the CMMS. the opportunity for improvement.
SMRP Conference
Fortunatus Udegbue, CMRP, PMP, CEO of FOGAEC Electrophysics Technologies, and Ricky Smith, CMRT, CMRP,
principal reliability advisor at Allied Reliability Group, will present “7 Deadly Sins of Data Centric Maintenance
Management” at the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals Annual Conference in
Indianapolis on Oct. 15 at 2:45 PM. The presentation will focus on seven major issues that can drive
the wrong organizational behavior for managing the maintenance function in any organization. The
presentation will show the cost/benefit analysis of maintenance data management, the data that is
required for effective maintenance management of any assets, and what data is optional and
why. In addition, remediation concepts will be introduced that would put an organization on
the right path toward achieving effective and efficient maintenance management using a
data-centric maintenance management approach.

Maintenance / Labor-Hour Analysis
Hypothetical Reporting forecast will be done with a very high level of confidence,
Example 1: A technician who starts his day by 7 AM spends thus making long lead planning realistic. The case below
one hour to obtain the work permit, two hours to gather tools demonstrates a typical analysis of the effect of using work-
and materials, one hour waiting for isolation and access of order count for schedule compliance and analyzing actual
equipment to be worked on, one hour traveling to and from labor hours and planned labor hours to determine the exis-
the equipment location, three hours on actual maintenance tence of significant differences between them.
work on equipment, one hour for housekeeping, and 30 min- Plant A has 10 work orders as follows: work orders 0001
utes on maintenance history update in the CMMS. to 0006 contain 8 hours of work each, work orders 0007 and
Example 2: A technician who starts off his day by 7 AM 0008 contain 16 hours of work each, and work orders 0009
spends 10 minutes to obtain the work permit, 10 minutes to and 0010 contain 32 hours of work each. If we schedule all
gather tools and materials, no time waiting for isolation and 10 work orders in a week, and only work orders 0001–0006
access of equipment to be worked on, 30 minutes traveling to are completed, following the traditional work order sched-
and from the equipment location, six hours on actual mainte- ule compliance , we will be 60% compliant, while in terms
nance work on equipment, 10 minutes for housekeeping, and of actual execution work hours, we are 33% compliant (48
30 minutes on maintenance history update in the CMMS. hours/144 hours). The schedule-compliant calculation in
The total labor for Example 1 was reported as nine hours, terms of actual execution work hours assumes there is no
30 minutes; and the total labor for Example 2 was seven significant difference between planned work hours and actual
hours, 30 minutes. The assumption then is that both have work hours and should be the goal of maintenance organiza-
the same number of labor hours. While this is true on the tions. The work hour planned into the system must be driven
surface, we would have lost the following opportunities by a generally agreed-upon definition of what the organiza-
because the labor reporting was not categorized: tion means to be a work hour before we can get any meaning-
• Learn from Example 1 the strategy they applied to achieve ful improvement by using the schedule-compliance metric.
low time-on-tool (three hours) and apply it to improve the The planned work hour must not be significantly different
extremely high time-on-tool (six hours) for Example 2. from the actual execution work hour, or else our work order
• Learn from Example 2 the strategy they applied to achieve schedule compliance won’t be considered effective, thus becom-
low time on tasks other than the actual maintenance work ing a waste of resources. If the basis for determining the planned
(one hour, 30 minutes, total) and apply them to improve work hour is different from those for determining actual work
the extremely high time on the actual maintenance work. hours, schedule compliance will be insignificant since you can’t
get any quotient from two oranges divided by two mangoes. If
Work Order Schedule Compliance the number of planned man hours is not significantly the same
Most organizations calculate this metric as the ratio of complet- as the number of actual man hours, then the use of planned
ed work orders to total scheduled work orders. The drawback is, man hours to determine capacity leveling will be useless.
since the dimension of this metric is work order count, and not Experience has shown that most maintenance execution-
labor hours, we aren’t being effective. When we speak of sched- ers when reporting actual execution labor-hours simply rep-
ule, our primary focus should be time. Schedule compliance licate the planned labor-hours in the actual execution labor-
should be used to measure how well work-order labor hours hour record in the work order system. You need to watch out
adhere to the plan, thus ensuring efficient use of labor hours. for this bad practice when you are analyzing data. If the data
For efficient labor resource deployment, actual execu- is too good to be true, ask questions. It is almost impossible
tion labor hours must not be significantly different from the for you to plan eight hours for a job and the actual execution
planned labor hours, or else there will be underloading or time also becomes eight hours. When you see this, it’s a sign
overloading of the labor resources. The target is a balanced there’s foul play and you need to engage your maintenance
loading of labor resources. This can be determined from executioners so as to eliminate reccurrence. Training and
actual labor-hour data, which is correctly reported in the one-on-one mentoring is good approach.
CMMS and continuously being analyzed with the forecasted
plan until there is a consistent indication of no significant Fortunatus Udegbue is CEO at FOGAEC Electrophysics Technolo-
difference between actual execution labor hours and the gies, a Nigerian asset-management consulting company. Contact
planned labor hours. Another advantage is the labor-hour him at f.udegbue@fogaecelectrophysics.com.

in the trenches
Picture This
When safety concerns and proprietary information collide
Scotty Skittish worked in a key area of the Acme Convinced that he was going to have to take matters into
plant, where state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment his own hands, Scotty took photographs of his worksite
was housed. Acme prided itself on staying one step ahead with his cell phone, including the spraying device, in an
of its competitors with its technology, and the company effort to document what he felt were dangerous conditions.
implemented several measures to keep corporate snoops He told his coworkers that he was contemplating a call to
away from the plant and to prevent espionage from within. OSHA. He never did call the federal or state agency, but he
For example, Acme’s employee handbook discussed the did show the photos to an employee of one of Acme’s sup-
importance of protecting company information and ex- pliers, who was on-site delivering materials.
plicitly banned all recording devices in the workplace. When senior management learned that Scotty had taken
Scotty worked on a patented device that sprayed an epoxy the photos and showed them to someone outside Acme, he
paint thinned with xylene on the surface of industrial cylin- was fired on the spot. He filed a wrongful discharge suit,
ders. He had concerns about air quality near the equipment, claiming he was terminated because of his whistleblowing
though, and he was vocal about them. He insisted that the activities. He also filed an unfair labor practice complaint
air ventilation system in the plant was insufficient. Although with the National Labor Relations Board.
he was provided with a rubber air purifying respirator with To make matters worse, Scotty threatened to post the pho-
replaceable filters, he asked for better filters because he said tos on Instagram and send them to Plant Services magazine
the paint spray was seeping through his mask. He wanted in hopes that a meaty exposé on the safety hazards at Acme
additional protective gear to cope with the paint fumes and would be imminent.
took it upon himself to ask Acme’s purchasing manager
to procure a ventilation fan with a hose and cartridges for How could Acme have averted the unwanted exposure? What
his respirators that had “something with a chemical on it” can it do now?
to better filter the epoxy-xylene paint. He also wanted new
gloves. However, the purchasing manager consulted Acme’s A labor and employment analyst’s response:
director of safety about Scotty’s requests and was met with Most states have certain exceptions to the standard no-
an eye roll. Scotty’s requests were denied. tion of “at-will” employment — “public policy” reasons
for which employers are not permitted to terminate
employees. One common exception: firing whistleblow-
ers is generally frowned upon. However, depending on
the jurisdiction, Acme likely will escape Scotty’s wrong-
ful discharge suit because Acme can point to a legitimate
reason for firing him: violating company policy prohib-
iting photographs of the worksite. Also, Scotty never
actually “blew the whistle,” so he won’t be able to prove
that whistleblowing was the reason for his termination.
Moreover, most states require an employee to state a
very clear public policy that would be undermined if an
employer were allowed to terminate an employee under
the circumstances. Here, for example, Scotty probably
would have to cite a specific safety law or regulation
and demonstrate that he had an “objectively reasonable
belief ” that Acme was breaking it.
On the other hand, Acme likely will be liable for vio-
lating the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), based
on the labor board’s current careful scrutiny of employer

in the trenches
policies and handbook provisions. The board has taken way in assuaging his fears. Also, Acme’s employee hand-
issue with policies that employees might interpret as book should include a clear policy outlining what steps
interfering with their ability “to engage in concerted, employees should take if they have concerns about safety
protected activity” with coworkers. Acme’s blanket hazards in the workplace. If an employee’s direct supervi-
no-photos policy would likely fall under this banner. A sor is unresponsive, the safety manager, not the purchasing
complete ban on taking photos could have a “chilling” manager, is the appropriate contact person.
effect on employees’ efforts to band together to resolve Finally, instead of a no-photos policy, Acme could protect
workplace problems. Scotty’s conduct is a good example. its interests by asking plant employees to sign a confiden-
He talked to his coworkers about going to OSHA; he may tiality policy, ensuring that proprietary information is not
have intended to show his photos to his coworkers or shared with outside parties and outlining the consequences
even to a union organizer. Safety concerns, incidentally, of a breach. Even the NLRB has acknowledged that em-
are a common impetus. ployers have the right to protect their trade secrets and
If the no-photographs policy is unlawful under the other valuable information. Scotty would be in breach of
NLRA, then discharging Scotty for violating the policy will the agreement if he went public with the photos and could
be considered a separate breach of the labor law. And the be held legally accountable. Failing that, Acme could have
fact that Acme’s plant isn’t unionized doesn’t matter. The bought Scotty’s silence with a severance, conditioned on his
NLRA applies to both union and nonunion worksites. confidentiality, along with a waiver of his right to sue.
Acme also should have addressed Scotty’s fears before
he ever started taking photos. While it seems at first glance Lisa Milam-Perez, J.D., labor and employment analyst
that his concerns are unfounded, Acme has a duty to inves- Wolters Kluwer Law and Business, (773) 866-3908,
tigate his concerns. Doing so would have likely gone a long lisa.milam-perez@wolterskluwer.com
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THE BIG PICTURE
Hakan Yildiz and Murat Gezgin, Wärtsilä Turkey
Do We Need 20 MW Gas Engines?

Lubrication plays a major role in Turkey’s energy production
Finnish engine manufacturer Wärtsilä (www.wartsila. Murat Gezgin, general manager, services, and Hakan
com) is a pioneer of gas-engine technology and has sold Yildiz, contract manager, Wärtsilä Turkey, are convinced of
more gas engines than any other original equipment manu- the important role that lubrication plays in the operation of
facturer (OEM). Worldwide, it has more than 700 experts their engines. See more at www.plantservices.com/wartsila.
working on research and development programs that are
designed to maintain its competitive edge. Wärtsilä has an PS: How important is the quality of the lubricant to the
extremely strong presence in Turkey, with its generating ca- performance of a gas engine?
pacity in the country exceeding 3 GW. Approximately 85%
of these plants run on natural gas. HY: It is vital. The Wärtsilä 18V50SG engine
In 2005 at a global gathering of all Wärtsilä operating that Odaş Elektrik is using has a power output
companies, Mehmet Ufuk Berk , managing director of of 18.3 MW. That means the engine produces
Wärtsilä Turkey, urged the company’s research and develop- 1 MW per cylinder, and that is a big chal-
ment teams to develop a substantially larger gas engine. He lenge. The engine is operating under extreme
knew there were technical challenges to be overcome and conditions. The technology is performing at very high peak
it would require a great deal of innovation, but he insisted pressures, and it is vital that the lubricant can cope with this
there was an emerging market need for gas engines of about challenge and support our engine in these conditions. The
20 MW. At the time, the largest gas engine on the market quality of a lubricating oil is one of the most crucial points for
was the 9-MW-rated Wärtsilä 20V34SG. the operation of an engine. If you don’t have a proper oil, you
Just five years later, Wärtsilä launched the 18.3-MW-rated will have a lot of problems on the machine parts, and you will
18V50SG, the biggest gas engine in the world. The first units have a lot of downtime, which causes a lot of trouble.
to be installed were in Turkey for a power plant on the north
coast. A few months later in the southeast of the country, PS: What steps can be taken to ensure research and
independent power plant operator Odaş Elektrik purchased development remains vitally relevant to OEMs and
three units; an order for four more soon followed. In less power plant operators?
than two years, Wärtsilä Turkey had sold 18 of these units.
With an output of some 18.3 MW, the Wärtsilä 18V50SG MG: The big issues for gas-engine opera-
spark-ignition gas engine is the largest gas combustion tors include maintenance, as the cost of
engine generating set in the world. The natural-gas-fueled operating engines can be a key parameter,
engine operates at more than 48% efficiency and is based on efficiency, and power output. Work closely
the technology of Wärtsilä’s smaller, established engines, with external companies, both OEMs and
such as the 20V34SG, but incorporates improvements that customers. We learn from them. We gain insights into how
maximize the power potential of the engine. the equipment and the lubricant operate in real-world situa-
Wärtsilä’s role extends beyond the supply of the engines. tions and about the problems they face.
The company has also an agreement with Odaş Elektrik un-
der which it provides scheduled maintenance services. Odaş PS: What trends are occurring in the gas engine market?
Elektrik does not, therefore, have to consider its maintenance
requirements or employ a maintenance team. Instead, it can HY: The use of gas engines has been growing rapidly since
focus exclusively on its core business of energy production. 2000. As the availability of gas has continued to increase,
The Odaş Elektrik power plant supplies the electrical grid so have gas engine sales. We saw a significant change in
during periods of peak demand, and so gas-fired recipro- 2004. That’s when we started to sell more gas engines than
cating engine technology was a perfect fit because it can be heavy-fuel engines. Moreover, the growth of renewable
fired up rapidly. The plant often has to be on standby waiting energy increases the need for flexible power plants such
for the order to run. Gas engines offer the ability to answer as those using gas-engine technology. The future for gas
with an immediate response. engines is extremely favorable.

management measures
Energy Management Dashboard

Budget-based KPIs for cost savings
The use of standard accounting tools to identify the equipment should be recorded, at least for a while. It is usu-
places where utility cost is incurred in a plant was discussed ally practical to capture days or hours of system use, whether
in this issue’s Strategic Maintenance column on opportuni- changeover is automatic or manual. If it is manual, then it is
ties in energy costs (p. 9). The utility usage data will show particularly important to document the activity during the
how to manage utility cost. As a rule, these practical projects training period. In some cases it will be practical to capture the
will drive measurable mechanical, electrical, or operational degree days of heat differential that are being offset by the new
results before they create significant changes in the organi- equipment. If possible, it is worth documenting that the change
zation’s financial results. Identifying and recording physical is in place and working. Then, when the effect upon HVAC cost
results as improvements are made will allow the organiza- becomes measurable, it will be possible to assign credit for the
tion to see that the planned operational changes are in place improvements. In the case of condensate reuse, it should be
possible to capture the amount of new coolant — usually water
— purchase avoided. Later, when financial results are reported,
Utility usage data will show how to
this is easily dollarized and added to the total.
manage utility cost. Belt slippage reduction — When a belt-slippage reduction
program is put into place, baseline slippage readings and im-
proved readings should be taken as improvements are made.
and will allow management to predict the financial impact To review KPI and financial connections to belt slippage
in a timely fashion. Done accurately, it will improve the programs, please read www.plantservices.com/beltslippage.
energy management project’s chances of getting the credit Reduction of compressed air and steam trap leakage —
that will be due for reducing energy cost. Compressed air leakage is usually captured with ultrasound
Derivation and significance: The exact nature of the equipment when the plant is down. It is often possible to
measurements to be made will depend upon what operational capture the estimated orifice diameters of the leaks as they
changes have been ordered. Here are some typical KPIs, drawn are stopped. Or, if compressor use during plant downtime
from the change examples in the Strategic Maintenance article: can be measured before and after the leak plugging effort,
Power factor improvement — Most power companies this may provide an estimate of project impact. Either way,
compute power factor and use it to drive penalties that can the ultrasonic checks should proceed at least quarterly for
be read in the power bill. The power factor numbers by area, a year to determine the effectiveness of the fixes. Of course
and the resulting financial impact can be read and reported good documentation of leaks found and fixed is essential. The
as they are delivered by the power company. Any unex- measurement of leakage and compressor activity will provide
pected changes can be reviewed and diagnosed immediately. forward-looking KPIs that can be reconciled with utility bills
This uses backward-looking values as forward-looking KPIs, to assign credit for the changes that have been installed.
that equip the organization to improve future results. Once the physical improvements to plant operations
Electrical load planning — If electrical load has been moved have been identified and correlated to financial results, they
to more economical times of day, results should be available on should become part of the plant’s annual budget. This will
a monthly basis. A KPI can be developed showing the percent- consolidate the gains and help remind managers of their
age of off-peak load that is being created. When compared to obligations to keep the improvements in place.
the baseline from the start of the utility management project, Capturing and perpetuating these benefits will help to
this should provide a numerical scorecard to explain financial establish maintenance and reliability’s strategic position
impact of the improvement. As with power factor, the results in plant management. It will also demonstrate that simple,
should be read and made available to the project team. real-world fixes you can apply today will pay for themselves
Waste heat capture and condensate reuse — Once heat and make the plant more sustainable.
exchangers or other scavenging devices have been installed on
equipment and proper heat exhausting gear has been added for J. Stanton McGroarty, CMRP, CMfgE, is senior technical editor of
times when the heat isn’t needed in the plant, use of the new Plant Services. Contact him at smcgroarty@putman.net.

product roundup
How to Handle Fluids

Pumps and seals for every application
Priming-Assisted Pump Thermica Gasket

The Prime Aire Plus line of priming-assisted Thermoseal has introduced a gasket material produced
pumps offers increased head and flow. with nitrile rubber (NBR), mica, and synthetic fibers for
The Prime Aire Plus line is available in use in high-temperature applications. Klinger thermica is
sizes up to 8 in. and provides flows up a universal gasket material that can be used when tempera-
to 4,950 gpm and heads to 475 tures exceed the limits of traditional Klingersil compressed
ft. These pumps are suitable for fiber gasket materials. The primary reinforcement of Klinger
both clear liquids and liquids thermica is mica. This layered, plate-like mineral and the
containing large solids and proprietary manufacturing process provide improved flex-
have the ability to fit other ibility and handling, premium load-bearing characteristics,
pumping installations. load retention, and sealability.
Gorman-Rupp Thermoseal
www.grpumps.com www.thermosealinc.com
Low-Speed Seal Pump monitoring

The OFS Type-2 model is a suitable choice in many sealing The Pump Health
applications for low- to moderate-speed equipment. The Monitoring solution
OFS Type-2 uses full contact, soft face is designed to detect
mechanical shaft sealing technol- and predict problems,
ogy, sized for OEM and custom including cavitation,
in-house process equipment. excessive temperature,
The OFS Type-2 seal model is vibration, process leak-
used on horizontal, inclined, age, seal pot level, and
and top entering shafts for differential pressure
split and unsplit installations. imbalance. The instruments are engineered to monitor
The OFS Type-2 seal model continuously. An asset management interface gives main-
does not require compressed air. tenance technicians, operators, and managers a view of all
Meco Shaft Seals conditions, with alerts for situations requiring attention.
www.woodex-meco.com Emerson Process Management
(800) 999-9307 / www.emersonprocess.com
Cavity Pump
Progressive Cavity Pumps are designed for valveless flow Smart Control
control and offer better flow stability than centrifugal Designed to be applied to any manufacturer’s centrifugal or
pumps with control valves. These pumps offer precision positive displacement pump, PumpSmart is engineered to
handling with virtually no pulsation and can be made in a deliver insight into pump performance through these sensor-
range of materials to accommodate all types of fluids, thick less functions: determining flow measurement within 5%
or thin, with or without of the pump’s rated flow using only four pieces of standard
solids, abrasive or cor- price book performance curve data; defining how much fluid
rosive. The stator is split can be moved per unit of energy; and shielding pumps from
axially into two halves, process upset conditions such as dry-run, dead-head, shut-off,
which are compression- minimum flow, and run-out. The MultiPump Control is built
fit together using four to enable coordination of two to four pumps, automatically
retaining segments. staging and destaging pumps as the load changes.
Seepex ITT Goulds Pumps
www.seepex.com www.gouldspumps.com

CLASSIFIEDS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
ADVERTISER INDEX
Allied Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 IDC-USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Atlas Copco Compressors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IFS North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
AutomationDirect.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Kaeser Compressors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
SALES OFFICES
Avo Training-Div of Megger . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Kaman Industrial Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Azima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 La-Man Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 MIKE BRENNER,
Baldor Electric Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Leviton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 GROUP PUBLISHER

AR, AZ, Northern CA, CO, ID, IL, MN, MT,
Banner Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Lubriplate Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
NE, NV, NM, ND, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA,
Clayton Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Ludeca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
WI, WY
Cushman Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Marcus Evans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Phone: (630) 467-1300, ext. 487
Diamond Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 N.E. Caterpillar Dealers* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fax: (630) 467-1120
Emerson Process Mgt - AMS . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Royal Purple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 e-mail: mbrenner@putman.net
Endress + Hauser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 S&C Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 JERRY BURNS,
Exair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,54 Sealeze, a unit of Jason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 DISTRICT MANAGER
FabEnCo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 SPX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 AL, Southern CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, LA, ME,
Flir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,47 Stanley Black & Decker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 MD, MA, MS, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC,
TX, VT, VA, DC, WV
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energy expert
peter garforth
From Source to Site

Do we measure energy efficiency logically?
Typically energy efficiency is seen as the reduction house reduction. In some cases, measures that historically
of metered energy use resulting from energy programs, would have reduced overall emissions may increase them.
while maintaining the same level of comfort, services, The picture becomes even more muddied as renewables
and production. In today’s more complex energy world, find their way onto the site itself. As long as efficiency con-
this simplistic definition can lead to decisions that may tinues to refer to only the meter, renewable supply within
not make the most sense in the long term. It seems timely the perimeter gets counted as efficiency. This is clearly a dis-
to take a look at broadening how efficiency is viewed. tortion since the overall energy use on the site has remained
Defining efficiency at the site meters ignores energy used to the same; simply some of the off-site supply is now being
supplied on-site. When referencing efficiency to source
Measuring efficiency in terms of energy, or primary fuel, the on-site renewables have an even
both site and source energy gives a bigger impact on reported efficiency despite the fact that the
end-use efficiency is unchanged.
more realistic picture of the This introduces the idea of a rigorous end-use defini-
overall impacts. tion of energy efficiency. This measures the actual energy
used in the final manufacturing processes and in the
heating, cooling, and lighting of buildings and in the IT
generate and transport electricity. This is typically twice the systems, irrespective of how that energy is supplied. This
amount of energy as the resulting electricity itself and repre- is a definition that is often the most challenging to capture
sents fuel that has been paid for by the end user. If efficiency but is arguably the most significant measure of the energy
is redefined relative to source energy, or primary fuel, we will effectiveness of the company’s processes.
capture the broader impact of our efficiency programs. When Comprehensive sub-metering is a prerequisite to measure
viewing energy in this way, it becomes clear that cutting elec- and manage end-use efficiency and is all too often a major
tricity use has a much greater impact on source energy than missing element in energy programs.
efficiency programs aimed at reducing natural gas usage. In addition to the absence of sub-metering, our own hab-
Measuring efficiency in terms of both site and source its and perceptions get in the way of using end-use efficiency
energy gives a more realistic picture of the overall impacts as a primary measure. We tend to think in terms of natural
of efficiency measures. A source energy view is arguably gas or oil to drive boilers, not heating. We instinctively jump
a stronger basis for estimating future risks since it relates to electricity to drive air conditioners, not cooling.
more directly to fuel prices and choices, along with regional To truly think in terms of energy end-use, rather than the
transmission investments and reliability. It also will high- utility that creates them, is a shift in mindset that takes time
light major differences in risk from site to site. If the energy and adjustment.
strategy includes greenhouse gas reduction targets, a source Measuring efficiency in terms of source energy and pri-
energy view is essential. If site energy is only considered, mary fuels is a powerful way to evaluate the impact of ef-
measures like on-site heat and power may appear to add ficiency programs on the environment, along with future
emissions, despite the fact that overall they may reduce cost and reliability risks. Measuring it in terms of energy
emissions if source energy measures are used. end-use independent of supply choices is a powerful way
Using source energy to assess efficiency is only part of of measuring the long-term energy competiveness of our
the story. It works well as long as the grid is broadly fueled buildings and production lines. Measuring efficiency at
by coal, gas, or uranium. This is rapidly changing around the utility meters is a compromise between these two,
the world as renewable, mostly hydro, solar, and wind frequently driving energy decisions that lack a sound
generation, are being added to the grids. As renewables strategic basis.
become more significant, the value of source energy as
a reference point for efficiency and risk changes. It also Peter Garforth is principal of Garforth International, Toledo, Ohio.
changes the contribution of on-site measures to green- He can be reached at peter@garforthint.com.

COMPRESSORS
Visit us
at the
Manufac
turing
Summit
2013
“The buck stops here.”

— Harry S. Truman
kaeser.com
When it comes to service,

Kaeser doesn’t pass the buck.
Everyone appreciates a company that stands behind its
products – no matter what. That’s Kaeser.
We don’t just sell equipment. We help you design your
system, install it, and service it. We can even monitor
it for you. Our goals are the same as yours: efficient
compressed air systems you can rely on.
Innovative technology … ultra-reliable products …
outstanding service. It’s no wonder Kaeser delivers the best
value for the price! Contact us today to learn more about the
powerful benefits of owning a Kaeser compressed air system.
Kaeser Compressors, Inc. • 866-516-6888 • kaeser.com/PS

Built for a lifetime is a trademark of Kaeser Compressors, Inc. ©2013 Kaeser Compressors, Inc. customer.us@kaeser.com

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