Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation articles from March 2004

Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation archives from March 2004

Thern winch.
March 1, 2004... This line of winches and cranes is available in a range of sizes. Rated from 500 lbs. to 76,000 lbs., the units can lift, pull, or position equipment in tight spaces. All models are designed to be portable and can withstand tough operating...

Filter.
March 1, 2004... Ultipleat SRT (stress-resistant technology) filters for hydraulic systems combine a compact element design with filtration media. The filters incorporate curved pleat technology with stress-resistant and anti-static media to improve fluid...

Scrubber.
March 1, 2004... The 9000 Series rider-operated double scrubbers, models 9082 and 9090, utilize disc and cylindrical scrub methods simultaneously. The direct-throw cylindrical brush provides aggressive scrubbing and debris pick-up as it controls dust with wet...

Don't miss Cliffie.(Editorial Comments)
March 1, 2004... Cliffie's back. Not on Cheers II, but on the Travel Channel as host of a new series called Made in America. I'm talking, of course, about everyone's favorite postal carrier, Cliff Clavin, who spent 11 TV years pontificating next to his buddy...

Ford closes Edison, NJ, plant.(Industry Newsline)
March 1, 2004... Ford Motor Co. closed its Edison, NJ, assembly plant last month, removing 900 jobs and a $70 million payroll from the area. According to the company, about 350 workers will retire and another 150 will transfer to jobs at Ford plants elsewhere...

Utility will spend $1.2 billion to upgrade 2 West Virginia plants.(Industry Newsline)
March 1, 2004... American Electric Power said it will spend $1.2 billion for new pollution controls at two of its coal-fired plants in West Virginia. The controls will be installed over the next four years at the company's Mitchell Plant near Moundsville and at...

GM-made fuel cell goes on line at Dow plant.(Industry Newsline)
March 1, 2004... A fuel cell made by General Motors was put into service last month at a Dow Chemical plant in Freeport, TX. It will be used to convert hydrogen into electricity for Dow's facility, which is considered the largest chemical manufacturing facility...

Bumble Bee to merge with Canadian canner.(Industry Newsline)
March 1, 2004... Bumble Bee Seafoods, the San Diego, CA-based tuna canner, is being sold to Canada-based Connors Bros. Income Fund for $385 million in a deal that will create the largest branded seafood company in North America. New Brunswick-based Connors is...

EPA's Performance Track program adds 39 members.(Industry Newsline)
March 1, 2004... The EPA last week added 39 new facilities for membership in its National Environmental Performance Track (PT) Program. PT rewards facilities that voluntarily exceed regulatory requirements, implement environmental management systems, work with...

Study says subsidies needed to make solar competitive.(Industry Newsline)
March 1, 2004... A new study of the market for solar-energy products says government subsidies will be needed to make solar price-competitive with natural gas and oil in the short term. In "'North American Solar Power Markets," research group Frost & Sullivan...

Lean and green: best practices: Naturally Vitamins, Inc.: this company's Arizona-based manufacturing facility represents the owner's belief that environmental responsibility and the production of nutraceuticals go hand in hand.(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... Manufacturing quality takes on a new meaning when the product being made is for human consumption. This is true in any food industry, but it's especially true in the world of nutraceuticals, where products are designed to provide medical or...

WESTEC 2004 Advanced Productivity Exposition.
March 1, 2004... * The WESTEC 2004 Advanced Productivity Exposition will be held March 22-25 in Los Angeles, CA. Sponsored by the Society for Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the annual event will feature product exhibitions from metalworking and other industrial...

Invensys.
March 1, 2004... * Invensys, a Lake Forest, CA-based maker of industrial and automation software, will offer a series of free conferences for senior-level manufacturing professionals who want to better utilize plant assets. The Invensys Plant Intelligence...

Association for Facilities Engineering.
March 1, 2004... * The Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE) marks its 50th anniversary in 2004. Begun in 1954 as the American Institute of Plant Engineers, the 5,000-member Ohio-based trade group was renamed in 1996. AFE provides education,...

NA 2004 Material Handling & Logistics Show & Conference.
March 1, 2004... * The NA 2004 Material Handling & Logistics Show & Conference will be held March 28-April 1 in Cleveland, OH. Sponsored by the Material Handling Industry of America, the event will include an Educational Conference, 50 free seminars, and four...

Sony Corp.
March 1, 2004... * Sony Corp. said last month it will use a new, corn-based plastic in the panels of a new line of digital disc players it will launch this fall. The Japan-based electronics maker helped develop the strong, biodegradable material, which is made...

Ford Motor Co.
March 1, 2004... * The Ford Motor Co. said it will add 300 jobs at its Chicago Assembly Plant and as many as 300 more at a supplier campus nearby as it gears up to produce four new models there. The plant is Ford's first in North America with a flexible...

Calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... * Mar. 22-25 * WESTEC Advanced Productivity Exposition; Los Angeles, CA; Society of Manufacturing Engineers; 800-733-4763; sme.org. * Mar. 29-31 * Supply Chain World North America 2004; Chicago, IL; Supply Chain Council; 412-781-4101;...

Mobile barricade system.(Security Products)
March 1, 2004... The self-contained MP5000 high-security mobile barricade system can be towed into position to control vehicle access. No sub-surface preparation is required. Once positioned, it unpacks using hydraulics to raise and lower itself. A DC-powered...

Lock.(Security Products)
March 1, 2004... Users of the Schlage VIP (Value Integration Platform) can monitor door openings with their existing, third-party-access control panels and software. The open-architecture platform connects the lock to a panel-interface board. The lock opens...

Fire-protection panels.(Security Products)
March 1, 2004... This line of fire-protection technology includes fire-alarm control panels, conventional panels and voice evacuation-control panels. Fire-alarm control panels include the MS-9200, the all-new MS-9600 and the MS-9200UD. All three feature...

Fire system.(Security Products)
March 1, 2004... The NetworX NX-8E-CF tire system is a 12-v integrated burglary/fire product. It provides up to 192 zones of protection for tire and intrusion. It supports cellular backup and access control. It also supports the PinPoint-address-able sensors....

NA 2004 Material Handling & Logistics Show Conference, Cleveland, OH, March 29 to April 1.(Show Preview)
March 1, 2004... Inventory Cart The inventory cart is useful for transporting supplies, orders, or tools from point to point. Shelves can be added or repositioned with a rubber mallet to fit a variety of load sizes. Cart includes a push/pull handle and...

Heat exchanger.(Heating Equipment)
March 1, 2004... BCF heat exchangers offer pre-engineered, fixed tubesheet designs for any industrial application. There are 110 models available with heat-transfer surface areas. Features include all non-ferrous construction with non-asbestos, compressed fiber...

Heating system.(Heating Equipment)
March 1, 2004... The Tubothal heating system consists of high-power, multi-shank, heavy-gauge wire heaters protected with FeCrAI alloy radiant tubes (APM tubes). Operating at temperatures as high as 1250 degrees C, an aluminum-oxide film forms on both the inner...

Thick-film heating elements.(Heating Equipment)
March 1, 2004... Thick-film heating elements from the ECAE/HEATRON product line offer high-watt density, high operating temperatures and fast ramp-up to operating temperatures. Substrate choices include ceramic-insulated aluminum, alumina, or alumina-nitride...

Ceramic heater.(Heating Equipment)
March 1, 2004... DK series ceramic heaters feature a honeycomb tile design that provides radiant surface for increased output and efficiency. The 14-model line includes designs for horizontal or angle mounting, and with one to four burners. Space-Ray...

Guardrail.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... RAILGUARD 200 sets up without drilling holes and without tools. It can establish a perimeter around dangerous machines and can prevent falls. A stainless steel model for sanitary applications is also available. Features include opening gate...

Spill Caddy.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The PIG MRO Spill Caddy for non-corrosive spills provides access to absorbent materials, personal protection items, and reference materials. Double-wall, polyethylene construction protects contents from moisture, dirt and damage. It can be...

Splicing strand.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... EZSplice, a conveyor-belt splicing strand can repair Flat-Flex open-mesh, stainless steel wire belting. The strands link onto the conveyor belts and are available in various configurations to fit specific wire-gauge sizes and belt designs....

Tool storage.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Magnum Series 46- and 56-in. chests and carts are available in blue, black and red in the 10-drawer chests and 12-drawer tool carts. Each unit has roll-cage construction, the Posi-Latch drawer securing system, ball-bearing slides, a...

Check roof openings for OSHA compliance.(Tech Check)
March 1, 2004... Roof openings are present in virtually all non-residential buildings. Several types of products can be used to cover them, which serve a variety of purposes. These include providing ventilation of additional light, smoke venting, and/or...

Industrial conveyor:.(Product focus: material handling equipment)
March 1, 2004... The 6200 series conveyor platform is engineered with the Wedge-Lok system, which prevents damage by locking the pulley end from moving during a sharp impact. Flat-belt and cleated-belt end-drive models available. Quick belt changes are possible...

Frame.(Product focus: material handling equipment)
March 1, 2004... The stainless steel take-up frames for use in food-industry conveyor systems provide support for conveyor shafts. Available in wide and narrow models, they deliver correct conveyor-belt tension while withstanding frequent washdowns and harsh...

Dock lift.(Product focus: material handling equipment)
March 1, 2004... The T2000 series of dock lifts includes 10 lift models. The 8-in. lowered-height of these units allows them to be installed in a pit or on top of the ground. The lifts come equipped with 5-hp power unit, bridge, hand rails, pushbutton control...

Pallet truck.(Product focus: material handling equipment)
March 1, 2004... The adjustable deluxe pallet truck features an adjustable fork-width design. Adjustment requires only the loosening and tightening of the front and rear fork bolts. All trucks come standard with additional features such as pump-overload bypass...

Conveyor guide rail.(Product focus: material handling equipment)
March 1, 2004... Conveyor guide rails featuring stainless steel sheath with a "C" design is clamped and inserted into the UHMW to create a stiff rail. Compatible with commercially available clips and brackets, the guide-rail positive insert design prevents them...

Container.(Product focus: material handling equipment)
March 1, 2004... StakNest containers feature a heavy-duty, one-piece stack-and-nest design. The asymmetric stacking posts provide strength. The molded-in, full-grip handles facilitate lifting by one or two people. Two models accommodate an optional snap-on lid...

Level measurement.(Tech specs: instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... * BulkSonics provides noncontact, ultrasonic, continuous-level measurement * It consists of two groups of sensors and stand-alone transmitters * XL-70 remote-monitoring unit and MessengerWare software yields real-time monitoring with...

Leak-detection system.(Tech specs: instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... * The Qualitek 6000 automatic multi-channel modular leak-detection system performs synchronous and asynchronous testing * Connectivity includes serial ports permitting data transfer to a printer or computer for data download * Results...

Carbon-dioxide monitor.(Tech specs: instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... * The MicroPac plus carbon-dioxide monitor is an ultra-compact gas measuring and warning device * It covers the 0-5.0% volume range * LCD-concentration display features audible, visual and vibrating alarms * It monitors worker...

Gas chromatograph.(Tech specs: instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... * The Voyager portable gas chromatograph for on-site identification of common VOCs in air, water and soil is self-contained and portable * It utilizes a three-column analytic engine along with PID and ECD detectors * The operator can...

Hygro-thermometer.(Tech specs: instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... * Model RH101 is a hygro-thermometer, which includes a built-in, noncontact InfraRed (IR) thermometer * Measurements range from -58 to 932 degrees F in locations that are unsafe or hard-to-reach * The 8:1 field of view allows a 1-in....

Vibration-monitoring device.(Tech specs: instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... * The SDC002 VibeAlarm is a DIN-rail-mountable monitoring unit designed to warn against excessive machinery vibration * A 4-20-mA current loop output is provided through a screw terminal * Output can be specified in units of...

Bench scale.(Tech specs: instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... * The 3700LP series features weighing capacities ranging from 10 to 250 lbs. * There are three sizes: 10x10 in.; 14x14 in.; and 18x18 in. * Performance encompasses a height profile of 3.2 in. or less, depending on the model *...

Degreaser.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Grease Grabber removes floating grease and oil under harsh conditions, such as freezing temperatures, fluctuating levels and turbulent liquids. Features include a stainless steel tail pulley and belt retainer. Using only a 28x7-in. mounting...

Thread-repair system.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... Full-Torque, a high-tech repair system for cracked bolt-hole threads is based on Spiralhook thread geometry. Available in most common inch and metric sizes, the bolt or stud is torqued into the insert and pulls up on the insert, which increases...

Pinch valve.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Series 75 manual pinch valve is used on abrasive and corrosive slurries. An elastomer sleeve provides wear resistance and isolates the valve body and operating mechanism from the process material. The replaceable sleeve is the only wetted...

Valve assembly.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... This test valve assembly allows user to observe condensate removal and monitor steam-trap performance. It consists of two stainless steel, general-purpose ball valves and a two-bolt universal mount. Valves feature oval quarter-turn handles,...

Lift Truck.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The SIDEWINDER LiftTruck moves in any direction in the most limited of spaces. It features an AC-power system with control technology, variable lift speed, variable travel speeds (up to 6.2 mph), and ergonomic joystick controls. The unit's...

Vinyl curtains help manufacturer split the difference in shared space.(Field Report)
March 1, 2004... As a leading designer and manufacturer of hydraulic motion control systems, the PowerPacker division of Milwaukee, WI-based Actuant Corp. has changed location to accommodate its business and size. Recently, the company expanded some of its...

Sensor.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The Temposonics G-Series linear-position sensor uses electronics and a microprocessor-based design, Features include a programmable sensor set-up and diagnostic capabilities for installation and troubleshooting in the field. Red- and green-LED...

Connector.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The SBS50 Finger Proof connector is a 2-pole housing keyed to prevent accidental mating of components operating at different voltage levels. It features a slim, contoured ergonomic design; finger flat-wipe contact technology for hot plugging...

Hot-water heater.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The Top Down BoilerMate EZ hotwater heater is designed with the heat exchanger mounted from the top of the tank. Features include a full-length coil that is pre-assembled and tested; pre-piped, horizontal connections to the tank exterior; and a...

Safety guard.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The Post Protector is constructed of steel plate and is designed to absorb and distribute shock from sudden impact. It protects pallet racks and building columns against forklift or other vehicle collisions on its exposed sides. Installation...

Maintenance CD.(New Literature)
March 1, 2004... This software is designed to track and schedule maintenance for vehicles and/or equipment in your plant. It can be installed on any Windows PC, Windows or Novell network. Initial training and subsequent questions can be addressed through a...

Electric-motor study.(New Literature)
March 1, 2004... The results of a study analyzing the impact of repair/rewinding on the energy efficiency of motors can be downloaded at www.easa.com. The document, called "The Effect of Repair/Rewinding on Motor Efficiency" includes a practice guide. Motor...

Tube-sizing information.(New Literature)
March 1, 2004... Full-color information sheets describe the all-electric AES:150 tube-sizing system. It delivers industry standard I/O "drop-in" style segmented tooling. The power system is comprised of high-torque AC servo motors, a digital-drive controller,...

Stainless steel buyer's guide.(New Literature)
March 1, 2004... A 16-page buyer's guide details the inventory of stainless steel products that includes sheet, coil, plate, bars, tubing, pipe and structural shapes. The guide includes easy-to-read specification tables that detail mechanical properties,...

Door-automation brochure.(New Literature)
March 1, 2004... Brochure explains the advantages of using door automation equipment in your facility. Almost any swing/fold or sliding door can be automated in new or existing applications. Featured products include the Overcenter operator, Inertia operator,...

Loading-dock brochure.(New Literature)
March 1, 2004... The six-page foldout brochure is organized into five categories: trailer guidance; trailer movement; trailer environment; dock communication; and building protection. Each section is specifically designed to provide solutions for specific dock...

Ergonomic-products literature.(New Literature)
March 1, 2004... Ergonomic literature presents 15 products that can help protect employees from repetitive motion, cumulative trauma and lifting injuries. Among the lifts, carts and tables, the electric hydraulic scissor lift table features a four-sided...

Cutting head.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The Titespot keyseat-cutting head, available in shank styles, is designed for machining centers. The head incorporates a positive displacement ball-piston motor powered by a high-pressure coolant system. Odd or wide sizes can be produced by...

Proximity sensor.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The E2A proximity sensor is available in more than 220 models. Sensors come in various sizes, in shielded or unshielded construction, NPN or PNP output, a range of barrel sizes and materials, and a choice of wiring options. The extended sensing...

Sprocket.(Product News)
March 1, 2004... The line of synchronous products now includes the HTS (High Torque Synchronous) Sprocket and the Timing Pulley. HTS Sprockets also use the RPP tooth profile and are made to run with Whitehawk, HPPD+, RPP, RPP+, & HTD belts. The pulleys are...

Software seminar.(Training Aids)
March 1, 2004... Training seminars in AutoEDMS document management and workflow solution, will be held in Detroit, MI, and Redondo Beach, CA. Created for those who will be installing, supporting and/or managing the system, the seminar will teach the skills...

Course on viscosity measurement.(Training Aids)
March 1, 2004... This single-day course instructs viscometer operators on the tools and concepts for making viscosity measurements. Hands-on time is provided in a laboratory environment so attendees are asked to bring samples for testing. Arrangements can be...

Air-filtration seminar.(Training Aids)
March 1, 2004... A technical training seminar will be held May 12-15 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Scottsdale, AZ. Of interest to both new and experienced air-filtration personnel, mechanical engineers, technicians and facility managers, the topics will cover...

Lighting seminar.(Training Aids)
March 1, 2004... In conjunction with the California Department of Toxic Substance control (DTSC), a seminar called "The Lighting Crossroads" will be held in cities throughout California to help facility managers understand the new mandatory recycling...

Processing techniques seminar.(Training Aids)
March 1, 2004... Attendees of the 2004 Annual Polyurethane Manufacturers Association meeting (Atlanta, GA, May 2-4) are invited to enroll in the Processing Techniques Seminars (PTS), immediately following the meeting. The hands-on training seminars are targeted...