Plant Engineering articles from July 2004

Plant Engineering archives from July 2004

What you need to know.(NFPA 70E)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... I read with great interest the article that came out in Plant Engineering in regards to NFPA 70E (May 2004). The information was very informative. However, the picture in Figure 3 shows an electrician measuring for voltage on a rather...

Human Side.(NFPA 70E)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... Pregnancy discrimination In the April 2004 issue, Mr. Dreyfack has a manager uphold a blatant pregnancy discrimination action. In the "Can pregnancy be considered a dischargeable offense?" case, the interviewer that asked a leading...

Margins stand at all-time low.(Forums, manufacturing costs, operating materials)(Illustration)
July 1, 2004... Producers of operating materials and supplies are under increasing pressure to hike prices. The reason: covering the cost of manufacturing these supplies is becoming more and more difficult. Indeed, the cost of manufacturing in the PLANT...

Do you need permission?(Comment)(management skills)(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... Rummaging through some old files, I ran across a report on one of these high-level conferences where outstanding CEOs and others share the secrets of their success. You know the ones I mean--big-name motivational speakers and big-time fees to...

Employee's life is made miserable: is company liable?(Human Side)
July 1, 2004... Jessica Kelly was a clerical employee in the maintenance department. Her life was made so miserable by John Brandon, her supervisor, that she had fainting spells, suffered a nervous disorder, and had to undergo medical treatment. Both her...

Uncontrolled temper: is it a dismissible offense?(Human Side)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Some people seem created to reason and rationalize; others seem put on earth to rant and rave. Maintenance department painter Mike Milligan was of the latter variety. With Mike, a simple conversation could turn into a brawl. Ditto his boss. ...

Does bargaining unit have say in picking supervisor?(Human Side)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... When Maintenance Department Group Leader Jack Bancroft quit unexpectedly, Maintenance Manager Al Schimmer was beset with a rash of rank and file applicants who felt qualified for the job. Schimmer ran his eyes down the list and eliminated...

Firing employee for turning customers against company.(Human Side)
July 1, 2004... A group of employees worked with union organizers to bring their local into the plant. Bill Richardson, a mechanic, was one of this group. In recent months the company had run into hard times, and Richardson, along with two other workers,...

Johnnie loves Jane: can they date?(Human Side)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What happens when a state regulation is in conflict with a company regulation? It depends. A case in point occurred when Jerry, a maintenance department group leader, and Alice, an executive secretary, struck up a mutual attraction and...

Compensating employee who is almost qualified.(Human Side)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... When a vacancy for Instrument Repairman was posted six maintenance department employees applied for the job. Maintenance Foreman Sherman Leiberman reviewed each applicant's work record and experience and awarded the promotion to Mechanic Grade...

Can strike time be converted to vacation time?(Human Side)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Both sides tried to agree, but one or the other or both didn't try hard enough. The inevitable consequence was a walkout and strike that lasted more than a month. Eventually, as is always the case, management and the bargaining unit...

Optimizing total cost of ownership.(Management Side, total cost analysis, life-cycle management)
July 1, 2004... When total cost of ownership (TCO) is applied broadly, the tools and concepts enable users to make a measurable impact in plant operating costs and margins. Their value comes from refocusing decision-making processes based on price and purchase...

Understanding event data collection: Part 1.(Plant Electronics)(Financial management)
July 1, 2004... Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part series on the importance of effective event data collection for reliability analysis. The second part will appear in the August issue. Collecting event data is a minimum requirement to measure...

Filtering hydraulic systems.(Power Transmission Maintenance)
July 1, 2004... Fluid power is one of the most reliable and repeatable forms of power and motion control. All that is required is a comprehensive state-of-the-art design and modern contamination control. When problems are encountered, 75% to 80% of the time...

Digital multimeter essentials.(Instruments)
July 1, 2004... A digital multimeter (DMM) is like an electronic tape measure for making electrical measurements. It may have any number of special features, but a DMM primarily measures volts, ohms, and amperes. This article provides the essentials required...

HVAC retrofit project requires high-level innovation.(Construction HVAC)
July 1, 2004... Back in the late 1950s, air-conditioning had not yet become a routine part of building construction. So it wasn't a consideration when the L-shaped Building 101 on Boeing's St. Louis campus was first constructed in 1958, nor when a second phase...

Disposable compressor filters.(Compressors Maintenance)
July 1, 2004... During the past several years, compressed air users have become increasingly conscious of the environmental impact and associated costs of disposing of compressor fluid system filters. These filters remove particulate and entrained air...

Intrinsic safety in hazardous locations.(hazardous materials classification and standards, occupational safety tips)
July 1, 2004... Since the dawn of the industrial age, using electricity in potentially explosive areas has been problematic. Electrical equipment may generate arcs, sparks, or hot surfaces, which could cause an explosion. Hazardous materials such as...

Static transfer switch.(Electrical Products)(SuperSwitch digital static transfer switch monitors)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... SuperSwitc[h.sub.3] digital static transfer switch monitors incoming power and can transfer power between two ac power sources in less than 4 msec. Unit features increased reliability, reduced maintenance time, expanded diagnostics, small...

Power connector family.(Electrical Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... EPIC pin and sleeve connectors conform to IEC 309-2; are available in 20, 30, 60, and 100 A; and come in splash-proof (IP44) and water-tight (IP67) models. Some models can be assembled in less than 20 sec. Lapp USA, Inc. lappusa.com...

Surge protection.(Electrical Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The 37120-007 and 37277-007 surge protection devices (SPDs) are designed for plants with 3-phase wye-configured systems where surge protection for all 7 modes in the ac distribution network is required. Units feature metal-oxide varistors...

Wire stripper.(Electrical Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Kinetic Reflex wire stripper replaces several tools by featuring pliers, knife-type blades, bolt cutters with thread reformers, wire loop, and combination solid and stranded wire stripping holes for every popular wire gauge. Curved ergonomic...

Low profile battery.(Electrical Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The 12V 155FS front-terminal, valve-regulated, lead-acid (VRLA) battery features low profile, flame retardant cover and container, fast installation, and low maintenance. Battery capacity is 155 Ah at the 8-hr rate. Separators are encased in...

Gearmotor line.(Electrical Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Inverter duty gearmotor line is designed for use with adjustable speed drives and is rated at 3/8 hp, 230 V, 60 Hz, 3-phase. Operating range of 10-90 Hz offers a broad range of ratios in right angle and parallel shaft configurations. Features...

Dual panel meter with math.(Instruments & Controls Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... PAXDP dual process input meter allows users to monitor, scale, and display two, independent input sources, perform high-speed math functions on the input values, and display the results. With optional plug-in cards, the meter can generate...

Wireless I/O.(Instruments & Controls Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... XANT and N4ANT wireless I/O systems include transmitter, receiver, and antennae and associated enclosures. Transmitter/receiver system uses spread-spectrum frequency hopping with typical inplant range of 600-1000 ft. XANT is the explosion-proof...

Temperature controllers.(Instruments & Controls Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Broad line of high-accuracy temperature controllers offers many types and sizes. Controllers feature accuracy of [+ or -]0.1% full scale, sealed-front displays, bright LEDs that indicate PV and SP, PID control, and inputs that accept standard...

Bench-top thermometers.(Instruments & Controls Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... MDSi8 and MDSSi8 bench-top digital thermometers are available in single and 10-channel models. Meters feature a portable, rugged, metal case with tilting handle and a programmable color display with larger-than-normal digits. Universal sensor...

I/O modules.(Instruments & Controls Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... 1794-IB32 and 1794-OB32P 32-point I/O modules are designed for I/O installations where more than 128 I/O points are required in a single location or panel. Modules save panel space by reducing the number of modules required. The 1794-IB32 is a...

Access control.(Safety Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... CyberLock is an intelligent lock cylinder designed to convert existing mechanical locks into full-functioning access control systems without hardwiring. Authorized users are permitted access at specific times on pre-selected days. A...

Fire control.(Safety Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... IntelliKnight 5700 fire control communicator provides digital fire reporting over ordinary telephone lines and supports up to 50 addressable devices that allow the user to pin-point which device has been activated or needs attention. The drift...

Disposable gloves.(Safety Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... A black, disposable, nitrile glove with textured fingertip, NightHawk is ideal for workers in automotive, electronic assembly, and security environments. Glove offers the least allergenic disposable nitrile protection with ESD and...

Gas detector.(Safety Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... TS4000 intelligent toxic gas detector is a microprocessor-based transmitter designed to monitor toxic gases or oxygen deficiency and provide status indication and alarm outputs. Ideal applications are chemical, oil/gas, wastewater treatment,...

Durable footwear.(Safety Products)(DeWALT Industrial Footwear)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... A line of industrial footwear features Power Technology System for comfort and durability. Thirteen models are available, including two lightweight models, two models with an air-circulation system, and a model with a heel protection system....

Storage unit.(Safety Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The PIG twin IBC roll-top hardcover storage unit provides side-by-side protected storage of IBCs indoors, or outdoors, without the cost of two single units. Lockable doors and roll-top covers open from both sides, allowing easy access to...

Lockout/tagout.(Literature)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Safety Series is a free lockout/-tagout product catalog, including rotating gate valve lockouts and electrical plug lockouts, adjustable cable lockouts, modular lockout kits, snap-on safety hasps, lockout wall stations, and identification tags...