Plant Engineering articles from April 2005

Plant Engineering archives from April 2005

Why isn't everyone doing it?(Comment)(motor management program)(Editorial)
April 1, 2005... So I'm at National Manufacturing Week, and I'm moderating the live Webcast PLANT ENGINEERING did that was sponsored by Kaman Industrial Technologies in conjunction with Rockwell Automation on the advantages of setting up a motor management...

Do your homework on CCTV Networks.(Letters to the editor)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I just read the article about Digital CCTV Network Solutions (February 2005, p. 75). The authors sound like digital video recording was just introduced. In fact, the technology has been around for more than 10 years now. Analog is still...

PLANT ENGINEERING honored for circulation excellence.(Forum)
April 1, 2005... The editors of Circulation Management magazine presented PLANT ENGINEERING magazine with its Gold Award for business-to-business magazine circulation excellence. Publisher Jim Langhenry received the Gold Award plaque at the annual Product of...

Margins continue to shrink in valve market.(Forum)(production costs )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Increasing production costs continue to put extreme pressure on suppliers of operating materials and supplies. Luckily for the plant engineering budget, suppliers won't enjoy the big price hikes they want. Manufacturers of valves...

Price/cost/demand roundup.(Illustration)
April 1, 2005... Price/cost/demand roundup Construction & AVERAGE PRODUCT PRICES (1) maintenance supplies % CHANGE Industry 3 months ago Current month Wood pallets 2.40 2.83 Polishes &...

Review of manufacturing regs needs a push.(Forum)
April 1, 2005... One of the loudest screams from the manufacturing sector is that federal regulations hamstring U.S. companies by imposing additional rules and additional costs on the manufacturing process. Now the White House has promised to review regulatory...

OSHA puts 14,000 employers on notice for high injury rates.(Forum)
April 1, 2005... The easiest way to reduce workers comp costs is not to have injuries in the first place, which is the point OSHA hopes to make with approximately 14,000 letters sent during March to employers, letting them know their injury and illness rates at...

World process automation market heading to $64B.(Forum)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... A new study finds the process automation market is showing signs of recovery, and could grow at a rate above 5% a year in the next three years. A report by the ARC Advisory Group in Dedham, MA found the worldwide market for total process...

Flexibility enhances the best of rules.(Human side)(Editorial)
April 1, 2005... The 17th century philosopher and theologian Robert Burton wrote that "no rule is so general which admits of no exception." It's a thought for rule makers and rule enforcers--managers and supervisors--to ponder. Presumably, rules are...

Can a supervisor pitch in to get things moving?(Human side)
April 1, 2005... What could have possessed him to accept this job? Maintenance Foreman Joe Cadbury thought bitterly. He could have been a salesman, a scientist, or a podiatrist. How did he wind up a supervisor? He couldn't have been thinking clearly. ...

Can you restrict overtime on health preservation grounds?(Human side)
April 1, 2005... When Utilityman Craig Donnelly suffered a heart attack and died two-and-a-half hours into his overtime stint, Plant Manager Calvin Crowley was disturbed. "That guy never should have been permitted to put in those extra hours," he said. "If...

Can a labor relations delegate study the contract on company time?(Human side)
April 1, 2005... When the union was voted out two years ago, a Labor Relations workforce group was appointed to help settle labor-management disputes. Electrician Grade I Charley Davis was elected Committee Leader to head the group. One day, 15 minutes...

Performance appraisals: do them right, or not at all.(Human side)
April 1, 2005... Are performance appraisals worth the time and effort? Most managers and supervisors agree they can be useful if performed thoughtfully and documented diligently. Appraisal sessions help pinpoint performance problems, make plans in...

Don't sit still for employee threats.(Human side)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Second Grade Welder Tony DeCicco stomped up to his boss's desk smarting for a fight. "What's the problem," Maintenance Supervisor Charley Greenstein asked. "This 5-day suspension I was just handed. I got three kids to support. I can't...

No compromise with safety violation.(Human side)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Group Leader Bill Crenshaw happened to be passing through a new section of Building C when he noticed that Electrician Class II Art Tracy was working on a fuse box without a safety helmet. A policy manual ruling italicized for emphasis...

Can a search firm keep recruiting?(Human side)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Fair is fair, Assistant Plant Engineer Edgar Davis decided when tipped off that Arnold Griffen, a top-rated engineer, had been approached by a recruiter from Simmons & Lowe, the executive search firm that had placed him 14 months prior. If he...

Is a "no vacation" decree enforceable?(Human side)(Apex Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Apex order was a whopper, one of the largest in the company's long history. Received in the middle of June, an August 15 delivery date was specified. "It's absolutely essential," Plant Manager Dan Goodfriend proclaimed at a...

Bringing better IT security to the plant floor.(Management side)
April 1, 2005... Our needs and capabilities for sharing information with others are expanding exponentially. From e-commerce drivers, to communications with the supply chain and other partners, our intellectual property is getting more exposure, while at the...

Making a difference with information standards.(Plant electronics)
April 1, 2005... Most organizations continue on their relentless push to do more with less as a fundamental business strategy. As everyone seeks greater efficiencies, plant engineering, operations, and maintenance staffs have less time to apply to anything...

Find the right strategy for control automation.(Automation)
April 1, 2005... The term control automation strategy has no "official" definition. It was chosen to demonstrate that the traditional roles of automation in manufacturing have changed over the years and the lines that separate them is becoming increasingly...

In predictive maintenance programs, strategy comes first.(Maintenance Power Transmission)
April 1, 2005... All rotating equipment requires optimum installation, running conditions, and maintenance in order to deliver long life at the lowest cost to the operator or machine owner. With increasing interest in proactive approaches, predictive...

Ask the right questions when selecting an insulation tester.(Instrumentation)
April 1, 2005... With models available ranging from handheld to barely portable, and from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars in cost, the task of selecting an insulation tester may appear daunting. By organizing and evaluating the priorities, the...

Keep compressed air system draining on task and on time.(Compressed Air / Maintenance)
April 1, 2005... One of the most common problems with downstream compressed air equipment is a service report of excessive liquid--or death by drowning. A flood of liquid water goes downstream, overwhelms filters and dryers and ends up in the compressed air...

Honoring innovation: PLANT ENGINEERING recognizes Product of the Year, Top Plants winners.
April 1, 2005... Honoring everything from the smallest product to the largest of manufacturing facilities, innovation was on display at PLANT ENGINEERING's 17th annual Product of the Year awards at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago. A major event during...

EH&S Safety Catalog.(Products)
April 1, 2005... The 2005 Cole-Parmer Environmental Health & Safety Catalog has 96 pages with a broad selection of new safety instrumentation, plus facility safety and personal protection products. Expanded product lines include air sampling, air quality, gas...

Automated Test System.(Products)
April 1, 2005... The Galaxy Automated Test System for MSA portable gas detection instruments has the latest features expected in an automated recordkeeping and calibration test system. The one-button system allows users to place an instrument in a test stand...

Limited combustible cables.(Products)
April 1, 2005... DuPont has introduced certified limited combustible cables. The cables reduce smoke up to 20 times more than conventional, code compliant plenum cables, reducing the risk of damage to sensitive electronic equipment, such as those found in LANs...

Mesh Door Cabinet.(Products)
April 1, 2005... The new Mesh Door Cabinet by Stanley Vidmar features all steel construction, and a door with four mesh "windows" cut into its face. The cabinet was designed for storage of critical response equipment, including handguns, gas masks, ammunition,...

Machine Safety Guide.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Pilz Automation Systems has published its "Guide to Machinery Safety, 6th edition" detailing machinery safety regulations and standards for the U.S. and Europe. The 238-page reference guide information on machine safety regulations and...

Key safety interlocks.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Fortress Interlocks has extended its range of mGard trapped key safety interlocks. The company's range of modular door locks, bolt locks and key exchange units now come complete with rotary switches for power or control isolation. The company's...

Grunau to install HVAC for GE office.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Grunau Company has been hired to design and install the HVAC system for the new $85 million GE Healthcare division headquarters in Wauwatosa, WI. A unique aspect of the project is that the 475,000 square foot facility has been divided into...

Portable AC units.(Products)
April 1, 2005... MovinCool's Office Pro 36 portable air conditioner protects against heat-related problems, especially data loss to computer and telecom equipment. The Office Pro 36 provides 36,000 Btu/h of cooling and operates on 230V power. Simply attach a...

Building control systems.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Yaskawa Electric America, Inc., has introduced the E7L drive with bypass and touchpad control specifically for HVAC building automation applications that require the redundant operation provided by bypass, but which can defer service until...

Packaged heating, cooling.(Products)
April 1, 2005... York International Corporation's Unitary Products Group has introduced the Predator Low Profile Series, which provides contractors with a packaged heating and cooling unit that is lighter weight and easier to conceal. Selecting the unit can...

Networked sensor.(Products)
April 1, 2005... R-Series magnetostrictive position sensor is now offered with standard CANbus, DeviceNet, and Profibus outputs. Sensor is available in flexible, hydraulic, profile and high-pressure sensing element application housings. Fieldbus models also...

Controller with text.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Model 3204 process controller has a text display, high accuracy input, five onboard process recipes with 48 parameters per recipe, and an ammeter display, which derives its input from a CT. Text display aids in configuration by describing setup...

Circular process recorder.(Products)
April 1, 2005... CT7300 2-pen circular process chart recorder measures and records up to two process variables from a variety of inputs. Record and optional alarm settings are easily configured for multiple recording applications. To protect your process, the...

PB switches for harsh environments.(Products)
April 1, 2005... IP series of push-button switches has been expanded for use in harsh environments. In addition to a variety of momentary-action switches, this series now offers latch-action on/off models, which feature two-position actuators for clear...

Optical data readers.(Products)
April 1, 2005... MAC340 andMAC344 are fixed-mounted data matrix readers for product identification or online data recording. Optical readers feature an optical anti-mirror system to suppress light reflections on glossy surfaces. Ambient light problems are...

Temperature controllers.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Series M temperature controllers are 1/16 DIN and are designed for thermal control applications such as plastics, food processing, furnaces, packaging, and environmental chambers. Controllers include autotune software, dedicated auto/manual...

Water jets and pumps.(Suggestions)
April 1, 2005... The website, www.nlb.com, features video clips of water jets performing a variety tasks and an FAQ section filled with helpful charts and tables. Visitors interested in water jet pumps can scroll through diesel, electric, bare shaft pumps, or...

Welding cleanup.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Scotch-Brite Radial Bristle disks and brushes are tough plastic, rotary tools embedded with sharp Cubitron abrasive grain. They can be used for cleaning metal prior to welding, removing discoloration and sealant, and deburring without damaging...

Utility blades have long life.(Products)
April 1, 2005... The LENOX Gold bi-metal utility blade features a titanium nitride coated edge, which offers up to five times life when compared to standard carbon steel blades, making it the longest lasting utility blade on the market. Users can extend the...

Prep heavy wall pipe.(Products)
April 1, 2005... MILLHOG Dictator hydraulic ID clamping tool is designed for machining up to 20 inch, Schedule 160 pipe in the field and features only eight sets of clamps for the full working range of the tool. Providing 6500 lbs-ft. of torque, this tool can...

Don't lose tools.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Tools have sometimes been mistakenly left in machines after maintenance. The consequences can range from lost tools, to expensive and sometimes dangerous damage to a machine. The latter is called foreign object damage or FOD. Mobile Work-center...

Dual-purpose pump calibrates.(Products)
April 1, 2005... Model PHP pneumatic hand pump is a source of pressure and vacuum. Mount an analog or digital pressure gauge to the top of the unit for a complete calibration system. The pump provides pressures up to 600 psi and vacuum down to -28.5 in. Hg....

Measurement methods.(Training)
April 1, 2005... The quality of work performed by maintenance personnel will be significantly improved by using appropriate measurement tools. Measurement Methods computer-based training program describes measurement methods commonly required for day-to-day...

Welding seminar.(Training)
April 1, 2005... The Blodgett Welding Design seminar covers essential issues relating to welded structures and weldments such as: determining weld size, controlling distortion, arc welding processes and procedures, mechanical properties of welded connections,...

New filtration technology keeps cooling tower water clean.(FILTRATION TRENDS)
April 1, 2005... Every cooling tower has its unique dirt conditions, space constraints and other special characteristics. Filtration systems must take these into account in order to maintain particle free water. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Orival filters...