Plant Engineering articles from December 2003

Plant Engineering archives from December 2003

Solutions.(Forum)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... In reading the Solutions in the October 2003 issue, I found that the first solution for sharp edges on wire ties was written correctly, but was shown incorrectly. There is no cutting performed in this solution, only twisting. The best device to...

New books of note: mechanics' friend.(Forum)
December 1, 2003... Seldom does a technical manual come along that can be called a "gem." Industrial Machinery Repair: Best Maintenance Practices Pocket Guide is one of those books. Ricky Smith and Keith Mobley have compiled a manual that is chock full of useful,...

New books of note: asset maintenance guidance.(Forum)
December 1, 2003... Asset Maintenance Management: A Guide to Developing and Improving Performance is a major entry in the literature of maintenance management. Editor Alan Wilson and a group of knowledgeable contributors have teamed to provide a handbook...

Asset coverage.(Comment)
December 1, 2003... One of the hot initiatives these days seems to be asset management. It's about time. Companies are finally coming to the realization that caring for their physical assets and even making them increasingly productive, instead of letting them...

Workers protest: incentive plan deemed unfair.(Human Side)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... To say that the workforce objected to the company's recently announced incentive plan would be the understatement of the year. The union kept haranguing management with worker protests of unfairness. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Since the...

Business attire: are your employees dressed too casual?(Human Side)
December 1, 2003... What is this world coming too? The world of the workplace, that is. Has your plant gone too casual, asks Personnel Policy Service policy and compliance experts in its HR Matters E-Tips. "Are you seeing more skin, tattoos, and piercings...

New plant, same old union.(Human Side)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The company, a small manufacturer, was going downhill. Located in a depressed area, the plant was rundown and ramshackle. Its plumbing and heating were defective. It was in danger of polluting the environment. Its two buildings were beyond...

Anti-company obscenity.(Human Side)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Maintenance Foreman George Rose told Murray Adams, the plant's unit representative, "Keeping the operation profitable in these difficult times is tough enough without having to tolerate the blasphemous abuse of an employee working against his...

Seniority and right of self-promotion.(Human Side)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Maintenance Department Mechanic George Rolfe had filled in from time to time as Instrument Repairman on an ad hoc basis. When, in response to lagging orders, management was forced to announce layoffs on the bulletin board, Rolfe found his name...

Employee too old to be trainable?(Human Side)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... When maintenance department Group Leader Tom Bolden opted for early retirement, Arthur Fiske, a 56-yr-old man, was hired to fill the vacancy. Maintenance Supervisor Gerald Korff decided after three months that Fiske wasn't working out...

Firing someone for off-duty drug use.(Human Side)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The company's drug policy stated that an employee who tested positive for drugs was subject to termination. Thus, following her recent test, Supply Room Attendant Mildred Brokowski was summoned to her boss's desk. "Marijuana showed up...

Job duties aren't clearly defined.(Human Side)
December 1, 2003... Service Equipment Mechanic Harry Keller had it up to his collarbone with the job. He was being shunted all over the plant with no apparent purpose, plan, or design. One day, he was assigned to monitor refrigeration equipment, the next day fire...

Measuring overall craft effectiveness: how OCE impacts your bottom line.(Management Side)(overall craft effectiveness)
December 1, 2003... This is the final part of a three-part series. Part 2 appeared in the November issue, p 31. World-class overall craft effectiveness is still being defined, since the concept of OCE is rather new. There are a limited number of case studies...

Data collection: improving efficiency on the plant floor.(Plant Electronics)
December 1, 2003... We need to breathe life back into manufacturing! I realize that the answers to manufacturing's problems are not simple or straightforward. The complexities of a global economy along with the thirst for constantly increasing profits and stock...

Intelligent variable speed pumping.(Fluid Handing/Maintenance)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... Key Concepts * Optimizing pumping systems improves plant performance. * Variable speed pumps save energy and reduce maintenance. * Intelligent pumps automatically adjust to system changes. ********** In today's business...

A physical analogy for ac electrical power.(Electrical/Reactive Power)
December 1, 2003... Key Concepts * Current and voltage are in phase for resistive loads. * Inductive reactance causes current to lag supplied voltage. * Capacitive reactance causes current to lead the supplied voltage, thereby correcting phase angles...

Maintenance Tips & Tricks winners.
December 1, 2003... Winner of the 2003 "Maintenance Tip of the Year" is Mark Coomes, Ferro Corp., Evansville, IN. He received $1000 for his suggestion on how to lock out an airline under repair. Runners-up are Mike Holmes, Halocarbon Products Corp., N. Augusta,...

Limiting noise from conveyor rollers.(Material Handling)
December 1, 2003... Key Concepts * Conveyor rollers can be a noise hazard in many plants. * Bearings and frame wear are major sources of conveyor noise. ********** A primary source of plant noise stems from conveyor rollers. If one roller makes a...

Handheld instruments for every price and performance category.(Special Advertising Supplement: Resource File)
December 1, 2003... PowerXplorer[TM] PX5 Setting a new standard for enhanced performance and ease of use, the PowerXplorer[TM] delivers a range of advanced features. Digitized high-speed sampling to capture and analyze microsecond-wide transients (Dranetz...

TMI's energy control products have become the industry standard in less than 15 years!
December 1, 2003... TMI incorporated, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania develops and manufactures quality products for the industrial door, material handling, loading dock and food service industries. The company was founded in November, 1988 and in that...

SOMAX[R]: maintenance management information systems.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... SOMAX is designed to operate in a multi-user LAN, WAN, or WEB environment. It is a complete maintenance, inventory and purchasing management system with powerful features not found elsewhere. Use SOMAX to manage Preventive Maintenance, Work...

Do you need stronger wrenches?(Tools)
December 1, 2003... Key Concepts * High-strength fasteners require newly designed wrenches. * Wrenches cannot be made larger; they would not fit many spaces. * Modern wrenches can transmit twice as much torque as older wrenches. ********** ...

Managing compressed air systems.(Air Compressors)
December 1, 2003... In a period that has seen increased revenue hard to come by, companies have been forced to squeeze even tighter on operating expenses. When you look behind the scenes of a "healthy company," you may see double-digit earnings but with revenue...

Benchmarking maintenance organization effectiveness.(Reference File)
December 1, 2003... At what level are the best maintenance organizations performing and how do they compare to the average maintenance operation... or to the worst? How well would your company score? These are the kinds of questions maintenance people ask...

Training: grease motor bearings.(Lubrication)
December 1, 2003... How to Grease a Motor Bearing is a 90-min, online training course at noria.com. It helps to answer questions such as: How frequently should bearings be greased? Should motor bearings be greased when running? Is there any risk of incompatibility...

Products: lube carts.(Lubrication)
December 1, 2003... E.S.P. mobile lube maintenance carts are available in a wide range of models with 75 to 100 variations. They feature a modular design that allows users to install different-size containers on the same cart and use a different pump with each...

Products: cordless grease gun.(Lubrication)
December 1, 2003... Model 575 12-V, cordless grease gun produces more grease on a single charge in high-pressure, high-flow applications than any other product. It features a flow rate of 5.25 oz/min at 1000 psi and a maximum delivery pressure of 6500 psi. It also...

Products: lube monitor.(Lubrication)
December 1, 2003... LUBE-VIEW flow monitoring system is designed to protect equipment from damage and costly downtime. It provides accurate monitoring of one to 24 lubrication lines in a compact, easy-to-install unit. Each line is monitored by a separate flow...

Suggestions: coupling info.(Power Transmission)
December 1, 2003... Configurator is an online tool that translates raw data into usable CAD drawings and dimensional data for various styles of flexible couplings used in applications including pumps, compressors, and gearboxes. Visiting the web site provides...

Products: servo valves.(Power Transmission)
December 1, 2003... D634-P direct drive, servo-proportional valve offers the highest flow for applications where speed is required while providing safety, energy savings, and responsiveness. The valve has integrated electronics and is available in 6, 10, and...

Products: gearmotors.(Power Transmission)
December 1, 2003... Inverter-duty gearmotors are specifically designed for use with adjustable speed controls. The line is rated at 3/8 hp, 230 V, three phase. An operating range of 10 Hz to 90 Hz features ratios from 5:1 to 75:1 in right-angle and parallel-shaft...

Products: hose couplings.(Power Transmission)
December 1, 2003... Swing-Couplings eliminate the common hazards associated with connecting and disconnecting pneumatic couplings and quick disconnects. They eliminate the hose whiplash effect by requiring the user to first pull back a locking collar, then swing a...

Products: bearing substitute.(Power Transmission)
December 1, 2003... DryLin R bearings are maintenance-free and dry-running, making them an ideal substitute for traditional ball bearings, especially in harsh, debris infested, or water-based environments. By reducing the clearance between the bearing liner and...

Products: versatile gearboxes.(Power Transmission)
December 1, 2003... Z-Series spiral-bevel gearboxes serve as speed reducers or increasers while delivering an efficiency of 96% to 99%. Available in seven sizes and six model types, the units are constructed of case hardened and lapped alloy steel, spiral-bevel...

Training: OSHA compliance course.(Environmental)(Environmental Resource Center )
December 1, 2003... Detailed information on how the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act may be implemented in your workplace will be presented February 18-19 in Raleigh, NC. Learn how to assure the health and safety of your employees while...

Products: dust collector.(Environmental)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... FilterMax DF is equipped with a wide range of filter cartridges and handles a variety of applications, from metal to nonexplosive dry dust. Its smooth inner surfaces and optimized angles allow for efficient air flow, and the automatic control...

Products: air quality monitor.(Environmental)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... DirectSense IAQ PPC is a pocket PC that accurately measures key indoor air quality parameters and also allows for extensive information from measurement locations to be entered into the mobile computer, facilitating detailed reporting. Each...

Literature: guide.
December 1, 2003... American Technical Publishers, Inc. 2003 Catalog American Technical Publishers is America's only employee-owned career and technical book publisher. Catalog covers books for the metals, electrical and building trades, written by and for...

Product mart showcase.
December 1, 2003... For additional information about any of these products, please write the numbers on the reader service card in the issue. Universal Belts That Beat The Competition. BlackHawk Pd[TM] reinforced straight tooth timing belts made with the...

Solutions.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Pick up chips * Problem: After drilling and tapping a blind hole, chips are left in the bottom of the hole. Is there an easy way to remove the chips short of trying to blow them out? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Solution: Hold an...