Plant Engineering articles from August 2005

Plant Engineering archives from August 2005

Valuing engineering--and our readers.(Comment)(Editorial)
August 1, 2005... All too often, we get pat answers and anecdotal evidence as a response to the challenges we face on every front of manufacturing. We examine layoff numbers and study oil prices and watch global manufacturing centers emerge and wring our hands...

SME honors Intel, Colorado schools for introducing girls to engineering.(Small and medium sized companies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Education Foundation of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers awarded its annual $5,000 "Building the Future Award" to a collaboration between Colorado Springs School District 11 and Intel Corporation. The award was presented at the SME...

Burgett appointed new ASHRAE president.(Lee Burgett )
August 1, 2005... The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers installed Lee Burgett as its new president at its annual meeting June 25-29 in Denver. Lee Burgett, P.E., Fellow ASHRAE, serves as consultant to Trane, a...

Spirax Sarco acquires EMCO Flow Systems.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Spirax Sarco, Inc. has purchased EMCO Flow Systems of Longmont, CO, from Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. EMCO will be organized as a division of Spirax Sarco, with operations headquartered in Longmont. The EMCO network of independent...

CAFTA passage hailed by trade groups.(Forum)
August 1, 2005... The narrow victory for the Central American Free Trade Agreement in the U.S. House in the early morning hours of July 28 was hailed as a victory for President Bush and a victory for the manufacturing sector. The National Association of...

Fluke acquires LEM Instruments.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Fluke Corporation announced in June the acquisition of LEM Instruments, a division of LEM Group. "The acquisition of LEM Instruments is a tremendous complement to our growing electrical business," said Jim Lico, president of Fluke...

Schneider Electric expands Telemecanique PLC distribution.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Schneider Electric will supply Telemecanique PLCs and related automation products through its Square D distribution channel, effective July 1. According to Schneider Electric, this decision followed growing customer demand for automation...

Inflation in softwood slows (a bit), but others pick up the slack.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Like a summer heat wave that just won't break, inflation in construction and maintenance supplies shows little sign of abating. Today price inflation is accelerating in 16 of 21 industries from the PLANT ENGINEERING construction and maintenance...

Price/cost/demand roundup.(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... Price/cost/demand roundup Construction & AVERAGE PRODUCT PRICES (1) maintenance % CHANGE DURING 12 MONTHS ENDING supplies Industry 3 months ago Current month Sawmill products 10.94 ...

When promoted, how long does past seniority last?
August 1, 2005... Bill Chernoff had been a hardworking and conscientious member of Tony Royal's work group for more than three years. It was thus no surprise when, upon Tony's retirement, Maintenance Supervisor Arthur Sondheim, appointed Bill to take over the...

When work rules slow down productivity.
August 1, 2005... It happened in an Ohio manufacturing plant. A top-level management meeting was in progress. The subject: Productivity. The key question was expressed by the company's CEO: "Why, despite our push to tighten staff and improve performance is...

Evaluate training when looking at performance.(tips to Manage mechanics in the Maintenance departments)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... First, in an effort to improve productivity among mechanics in the maintenance department, time estimates were set up for each job assigned. Next, in order to evaluate performance, a comparative judgment was made periodically by Maintenance...

How long does a probationary period last?(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... When Jeff Tarnapol applied for a job in a Connecticut auto parts plant, he was offered employment and placed on probation for 30 days. After three weeks he developed a severe cold. Maintenance Foreman Ed Glassner advised him to take off and...

Pay frequency change a right of management.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... "You can't make that decision unilaterally!" Union Delegate Lewis Grissom charged angrily. Grissom was referring to the company's recently posted announcement that effective the following month a switch would be made from weekly to biweekly pay...

When on company email, watch your opinions.(Human side)
August 1, 2005... Maintenance Supervisor Chris Darvan, having been summoned to Plant Engineer Roy Rockford's office, found his boss rip-roaring mad. Rockford, an email in hand, was shaking his head in disbelief. "How in the world could you have sent a...

Employee's lie leads to discharge.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... One February day Maintenance Department Utility Worker Frank Mitchell requested a three-day leave to visit his mother in Chicago who was seriously ill. Maintenance Supervisor Charley Schwartz readily acquiesced. When Mitchell returned...

Testing for promotion must be fair for all.(Jamie Cortez put in for a promotion in a textile company )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A southern textile company included a clause in its labor agreement that read as follows: "Tests are useful tools in helping management to assess an employee's qualification for hiring, promotion and assignment. The form and content of such...

Military leave time accrues for vacations.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Vacation-entitled forms were being passed out. Instrument Repairman Mark Schirmer handed his in at once. Having recently returned from four weeks military leave, he was looking forward to a real vacation. Two days later, when the form was...

The long road to maintenance parts-management success.(Management side)
August 1, 2005... When Dennis Marcucci arrived at Gonnella Frozen Products in 1997 to head the company's information system department, he already knew the company and its mission. He also knew that the breadmaker needed a fresh approach to its maintenance...

Supplying power for electronic circuits.(Plant electronics)
August 1, 2005... Electronic circuits require dc voltage and current to operate. Some circuits use a "single-sided" power supply, meaning that the reference voltage is 0 V and the operating voltage is some positive value, such as 5, 12 or 15 Vdc. The value of...

The best of Tips & Tricks 20 years: apply these tricks to save time, money, and aggravation.(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... Over the past two decades PLANT ENGINEERING magazine has been publishing the entrants and winners in our Tips & Tricks competition. Since 1994 we have limited the winners to three, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Out of these winners we have selected...

The business case for compressed air systems.(Compressors/ Management)
August 1, 2005... Do you operate a compressed air system as a business, understanding the financial consequences of your actions or as a misunderstood necessity? Do you carefully consider additions and changes as you would with electricity or water? Is the...

Take a step-by-step approach to analyze motor starting problems.(Motor Maintenance)
August 1, 2005... When troubleshooting a faulty electric motor, time (or in this case downtime) is money. This notion was drilled into my head in my early years and has proven itself over and over again. Isolating the problem in the shortest amount of time saves...

Hybrid ceramic bearings: more mettle than metal.
August 1, 2005... At one manufacturing plant, bearings on a grinding spindle were wearing out much faster than it was thought they should, resulting in frequent downtime and costly replacements. The machine used oil-lubricated, precision all-steel bearings. The...

Lubricant storage strategy takes 'out-of-drum' thinking.
August 1, 2005... Lubricating fluids are used throughout the manufacturing plant. Such fluids include gear lubricants, greases, cutting oils, bearing oils, hydraulic fluids, engine oils and others. The supplier's role in to determine the quality of the...

Match floor care equipment to the cleaning task at hand.
August 1, 2005... A clean work environment promotes worker safety, productivity and product quality. In addition, the cleanliness of your plant, warehouse or machine shop conveys a quality image that carries over into higher employee morale and positive...

Flowmeters.(Instrumentation)
August 1, 2005... The Flex-MASSter ST98 flowmeter series features a 316L stainless steel thermal mass flow-sensing element with an all-welded surface. The flowmeter series supports a wide range of gas flow measurement applications and provides precise and...

Gas ignition control.(Instrumentation)
August 1, 2005... The 36-60-EC Edge-Connect gas ignition control for 24 VAC OEM applications. The control eliminates miswiring, increases installation speed and, when compared to quick connect designs, reduces repetitive motion stress during assembly....

Pressure transducers.(Instrumentation)
August 1, 2005... PX209 series pressure transducers are designed for tough vibration and shock environments. The sensor uses a micro-machined diffused silicon diaphragm and proprietary thin film media and dielectric isolation barriers. A proprietary ASIC...

Current monitoring.(Instrumentation)
August 1, 2005... CMR-600D current monitoring system includes a split-core current sensor, two-wire current transmitter and a current monitor display with two adjustable setpoint alarm relay outputs. The system is ideal for monitoring undercurrent or overcurrent...

Instrumentation amplifier.(Instrumentation)
August 1, 2005... The AD8553 instrumentation amplifier (in-amp) offers precision at voltages as low as 1.8 V, and a high signal-to-noise ratio. Applications include medical, industrial and communications designs where precision is mandatory. Its high dc accuracy...

Quick-change tubing cutter.(Tools and Welding)
August 1, 2005... Quick-Acting Tubing Cutters offer a large, ergonomic knob design that lets users apply more force to cut through tubing much faster. A quick-change wheel pin enables changing cuter wheels by hand in only a few seconds. The quick-change pin also...

Hard surfacing welding wires.(Tools and Welding)
August 1, 2005... VertiWear 600 and VertiWear AP gas shielded, flux cored hard surfacing wires provide impact and abrasion resistance. They are designed for surfacing mild and low-alloy steel components that are prone to abrasive wear and medium to high impact...

Roll Adjuster.(Tools and Welding)
August 1, 2005... Roll Adjuster is an alignment tool for the alignment of rollers, shafts and web-handling systems. Typical applications include paper mills, converting lines, printing presses, plastic bag lines and coating lines. The tool is placed on the top...

Four-beam laser.(Tools and Welding)
August 1, 2005... DW084K is a self-leveling four-beam laser that provides the user with a tool that offers repeatable accuracy, visibility, and durability. The unit features a self-leveling mechanism that has a magnetically dampened pendulum that levels on...

Gas cylinder brackets.(Tools and Welding)
August 1, 2005... Cylinder brackets maximize floor space while eliminating clutter and safety hazards by properly storing gas cylinders. They meet OSHA regulation standard CFR 1910.101. The brackets secure cylinders with a nylon strap and buckle tight to prevent...

Lighting management.(Lighting)
August 1, 2005... DmF6 series inverter is designed to power up to six cold cathode fluorescent lamps with combined lamp power up to 60 w, and providing a starting voltage up to 2400 V, with full flicker-free brightness control. Inverters feature an optimized...

Grease transport, disposal.(Lubrication)
August 1, 2005... GOLD (Grease One-Way Logistics and Distribution) system features a protective container that holds up to 1,800 pounds of grease--the equivalent of nearly five typical grease drums--and prevents contaminants, such as air and water, from entering...

Soft conveyor chain.(Material Handling)
August 1, 2005... FlexLink conveyor chain is gentle on soft products and offers increased efficiency and service life, even in environments where dust and particulates are a problem. The chain features smooth surfaces and link interfaces for improved gentleness...

Modular rack security.(Material Handling)
August 1, 2005... The company offers a new security option for its modular racking systems that provides part-containment when point-of-use racking systems are unmonitored on the plant floor. Features include metal sides and retractable front and rear shutters,...

Lifting columns.(Material Handling)
August 1, 2005... Telemag TFG lifting columns deliver push or pull force for loads up to 2500N. Used for a wide range of medical, industrial and workplace applications, the rigid aluminum profiles and precision glide pads enable the columns to lift off-center...

Air heaters.(Heating)
August 1, 2005... Direct gas-fired air heaters (certified to the new ANSI Standard Z83.4) that are capable of achieving 160 degrees F maximum temperature rise with a discharge temperature of 160 degrees F at 0 degrees F outdoor air temperature. The technology...

Heat transfer fluid.(Heating)
August 1, 2005... PG-1 is a high quality food-grade heat transfer fluid for use in closed loop, liquid phase heating and cooling systems. It is non-toxic white mineral oil with an operating temperature of more than 600 degrees F. In the chemical process...

Furnace lining spray.(Heating)
August 1, 2005... Met-Silcast, a spray-on nanoparticulate refractory, is now available for furnace construction and repair in the glass, petrochemical, and copper industries. It can be applied in hours to create a low-cost, renewable furnace lining that improves...

Process training simulation.(Automation)
August 1, 2005... UniSim Design Suite R350 offers steady-state and dynamic simulation, design, performance monitoring, optimization and business planning for the oil and gas production, gas processing, petroleum refining and chemical industries. The software...

Pluggable I/O connectors.(Automation)
August 1, 2005... The 753 series pluggable wiring connectors for the company's modular I/O system feature an integrated pull-tab re-lease for a simple and quick toolless operation; mini-W S B marker tags on the connector and I/O module for easy identification;...

Protective gloves.(Safety)
August 1, 2005... Zorb-IT Ultimate protective gloves feature a cut-resistant shell make from aramid fibers spun with Lycra. They absorb oil and water to provide improved grip and handling from a shallow-dipped glove. Available in sizes XS-XL. [ILLUSTRATION...

Infrared technology could revolutionize aircraft deicing a different, better way.(INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING)
August 1, 2005... Joseph J. Seymour, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, recently said, "This facility will enable carriers at JFK to improve their on-time performance for departures and minimize cancellations while strengthening...

Natural gas helping to clear the air N[O.sub.x] reduction still a priority.(INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING)(United States. Department of Energy)
August 1, 2005... Of all the commercial fossil fuel options, natural gas has the longstanding reputation for being the cleanest and having the lowest emissions. Is this accurate, and could we be doing an even better job? A look at the typical emission levels of...

Hitting the humidity sweet spot natural gas humidifiers make the climate perfect.(PLANT & BUILDING UTILITIES)
August 1, 2005... Most times of the year, the humidity level of ambient outdoor air is not ideal for the indoor environment. Summer months are too humid, and building dehumidification is required. This is widely understood. Strangely, the need for humidification...

Boiler designs being transformed major efficiency and emission improvements.(STEAM & POWER GENERATION)(American Insulated Wire)
August 1, 2005... In a situation that is frequently repeated in the industrial world, an American Insulated Wire (AIW) plant in Coffeyville, Kansas recently re-evaluated its plant process steam system. The plant uses steam at 250 psi to cure rubber insulation on...

CHP saving businesses money in South Jersey Gas utility plays a major role.(INSIGHTS AND ISSUES)(Combined Heat And Power)
August 1, 2005... Combined heat and power (CHP) technology promises energy savings for natural gas customers. While this decades-old technology is certainly not a new idea, until now it's been mostly reserved for large industrial facilities. That's changing in...