Plant Engineering articles from June 2004

Plant Engineering archives from June 2004

Top plants.(Call for Entries)
June 1, 2004... Do you work in a world-class plant? Then put your plant to the test in our new recognition program. PLANT ENGINEERING is now accepting applications for sites with outstanding plant engineering organizations. All entrants receive valuable...

Arc Flash Webcast.(Webcast Archived)
June 1, 2004... If you missed the Arc Flash Webcast on April 8, you can still view the entire event at plantengineering.com. In an arc flash incident, an enormous amount of concentrated radiant energy explodes outward from electrical equipment, melting metal,...

Product Showcase Guide.(Resources)
June 1, 2004... Check out the redesigned Product Showcase Guide, previously known as the Product Supplier Guide. This directory is the only one serving the plant engineering market exclusively. Visit the PLANT ENGINEERING homepage and click on the Product...

Channels.(Online)
June 1, 2004... * Air Conditioning, Ventilation, and Refrigeration * Compressors and Prime Movers * Computers and Software * Construction and Buildings * Electrical Power Distribution and Application * Environmental * Fire...

Motor management: survey indicates need for education.(Forum)
June 1, 2004... Motor Decisions Matter (MDM) commissioned a telephone survey of readers of PLANT ENGINEERING magazine in the summer of 2003. The survey was conducted to determine the awareness level among senior-level managers, corporate engineering staff, and...

Compressed Air Challenge.(Forum)
June 1, 2004... Compressed Air Challenge manual "Best Practices for Compressed Air Systems" ("Choosing a compressed air dryer," May 2004) can be ordered at compressedairchallenge.com.

Pipe wrenches.(Forum)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The "Solutions" page (April 2004) refers to the use of "pipe cheaters" on pipe wrenches and depicts a car jack being used to activate a pipe wrench. The manner in which the pipe wrench is depicted is not recommended and is potentially...

Call for speakers.(Forum)
June 1, 2004... Do you have an idea, an innovative solution, a unique application or success story that would benefit colleagues in the manufacturing industry? Share your insights by participating as a speaker in the National Manufacturing Week 2005...

Predictable price increases are expected.(Forum)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Three months ago we said that plant engineers wouldn't have to worry too much about higher prices ahead. Despite the fact that wholesale prices across the entire economy are rising, we stand by that prognostication. Indeed, we expect...

Price/cost/demand roundup.(Components of Manufacturing costs)(Illustration)
June 1, 2004... MAJOR COMPONENTS OF MANUFACTURING COSTS ANNUAL % CHANGE IN 2003 Industry SIC Domestic Imported Production ...

Tribal behavior.(human resource management )(Editorial)
June 1, 2004... The label tribal behavior usually conjures up some rather negative thoughts about how humans act, especially as it relates to groups of people. But in his book Great Boss Dead Boss. Ray Immelman uses the tribal metaphor to reveal a wealth of...

Employee in trouble: needs help, not lecture.(Human resource management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A week after returning from a three-week medical leave, Utility Worker Susan Walsh appeared at Alex Carpenter's desk. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "What now?" the supervisor asked. "My doctor says I need two more weeks of leave." ...

Getting rid of a dud: be sure to think twice.(human resource management)
June 1, 2004... Maintenance Supervisor Dave Vincent was asked by Charley Rice, his assistant, "In your 16 yr running this department, what's the biggest mistake you ever made?" His boss sighed. "Not what, but who. Ed McIntyre. Hiring Ed was the worst...

When personality irritates others.(human resource management)
June 1, 2004... Maintenance Supervisor Charley Dawne wondered: Did I make a mistake by promoting Joe Trayne to Carl's job? When Dawne's assistant resigned to join his brother's firm, Dawne wasted no time appointing Joe to his job. Maybe he should have...

Can you fire employee for lying on job application?(human resource management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Alma Farrow, a woman in her 40s, was hired to perform clerical duties in the maintenance department and given a four-week probationary period. After six weeks, Maintenance Supervisor Dan Nadler decided her performance and attitude left...

Questionable fitness for work.(human resource management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... When warehouse employee Joe Corning suffered what was diagnosed as a "severe fracture of his vertebrae," he was hospitalized for six weeks, including three weeks of therapy. Following this, Joe declared that he felt fit and wanted to get back...

Can you retract a longstanding privilege?(human resource management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... An employee groused, "You got to be kidding! What do you mean that we can't brew our own coffee!" Another, equally indignant, chimed in with, "We've been brewing our own coffee for years." Maintenance Supervisor Jack Redfern shrugged....

A specialist isn't necessarily a manager.(human resource management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... What the heck is wrong with Section Two? This was the question foremost in Plant Manager Forest Durkin's mind when he reviewed the division's Quarterly Productivity Report. It was the second straight quarter of unacceptable productivity...

Leveraging TPM to the corporate bottom line.(Management Side)(Technical Performance Measurement )
June 1, 2004... This is Part 2 of a two-part series. TPM practitioners can impact the bottom line--they have the necessary insights into the inner workings/flow on the shop floor, and they are key to keeping production flowing. In order to directly link...

Electronic controls in genset engines.(Plant Electronics)
June 1, 2004... To understand how electronics have simplified maintenance of industrial engine generator sets, one only needs to look inside the garage at home. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new car parked there does not need twice-annual tune-ups. It...

Basics of power management software.(Electrical)
June 1, 2004... KEY CONCEPTS * Power monitoring software helps you track and allocate energy costs. * The quality of your electrical power affects the reliability of your equipment. * Software enables you to capture, analyze, store, and share...

Reducing harmonics from variable frequency HVAC drives.(HVAC Electrical)(heating ventilation airconditioning)
June 1, 2004... KEY CONCEPTS * Variable frequency drives are efficient, but they generate harmonics. * IEEE 519 limits the amount of harmonic distortion on a power system. * HVAC drives are available with harmonic distortion limited to...

What does instrument IP rating mean?(Instruments)(Ingress Protection)
June 1, 2004... KEY CONCEPTS * IP rating is the degree to which an instrument can withstand invasion by foreign matter. * The first digit refers to the degree to which solid objects can penetrate the enclosure. * The second digit refers to the...

Building a better sensor safety network.(Safety Controls)
June 1, 2004... KEY CONCEPTS * Actuator sensor interface (AS-i) features an open system supported by all major PLC manufacturers. * AS-i is designed to detect 100% of all noise-based, single-bit errors, 100% of all 2-bit errors, and 99.9999% of higher...

Compressor controller.(Compressed Air: Products)
June 1, 2004... Universal Autodual Model ADSE high efficiency, lead/lag, multiple compressor controller converts existing rotary and reciprocating compressors of any size and mix to intelligent operation. Features include: automatic dual control to eliminate...

Breathing filter.(Compressed Air: Products)
June 1, 2004... BA-Series, dual-stage compressed air filter is designed as a point-of-use breathing air filter. The housing has two elements, a coalescer and an adsorber. Units are available in 3/4-in. and 1-in. connection sizes. Maximum pressure is 500 psig,...

Gas-tight blower.(Compressed Air: Products)
June 1, 2004... Omega G Series gas-tight rotary blowers feature double piston rings and hardened steel gas and oil seals. Seal vents can be piped back to suction or purged for single envelope, gas-tight operation. The input shaft double lip seals, with oil...

Blowoff guide.(Compressed Air: Literature)
June 1, 2004... Air Nozzles and Jets Blowoff Guide is a 16-p technical booklet that offers extensive information on how to use compressed air efficiently. Numerous solutions for reducing compressed air cost and noise are outlined along with step-by-step...

Maintenance basics.(Tools & Welding: Suggestions)
June 1, 2004... MRO Essentials are products designed to help keep facilities cleaner, make equipment last longer, and reduce the cost of ownership on valuable assets. Whether labeling electrical wires, repairing cracked concrete, attaching labels to equipment,...

Hot pressure washer.(Tools & Welding: Products)
June 1, 2004... Hot Water Pressure Washer is mobile, won't tip, and heats with diesel or fuel oil. The continuous-duty, 13-hp engine provides up to 4 gpm. Safety features include overheat and over-pressure protection, thermal bypass, and adjustable thermostat...

Gas cylinder sling.(Tools & Welding: Products)
June 1, 2004... BoaGrip gas cylinder sling is the first easy-to-use, adjustable tool for gripping, carrying, and suspending cylinders. The device solves these problems with an ingenious design that complies with OSHA ruling 1910-102(a) for safe handling of gas...

Align shafts.(Tools & Welding: Products)
June 1, 2004... Microgage Spindle Alignment Kit consists of a laser mounted to a drive shaft, spindle, or gearbox flange that projects a precise reference beam along a centerline. A digital target receiver provides off-center measurements. Angular errors can...

Tank backpack.(Tools & Welding: Products)
June 1, 2004... TankPak is the world's first backpack for tanks. Heavy-duty, ergonomic shoulder straps allow carrying bulky refrigerant tanks, hands-free up ladders, into tight places, or into buildings safely. Features include: easy access to top of tank,...

Motor controller.(Electrical: Products)
June 1, 2004... Motorpact medium voltage controller features compartmentalization, reduced footprint, elimination of shutter assemblies, and soft-start capability. Controller can be used on pumps, fans, chillers, chippers, crushers, and many other...

Voltage restoration.(Electrical: Products)
June 1, 2004... Series Voltage Restorer (SVR), a power quality device designed to mitigate voltage sags, responds to disturbances in [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ABB Power Quality abb.com Write 310 on PE card

Inventory program.(Electrical: Products)
June 1, 2004... MRO Plus program was developed to help plants streamline inventory and reduce costs through analysis of fuse usage. The service analyzes a plant's fuse inventory, identifies duplicate products from different manufacturers, and provides...

Motor selection.(Electrical: CD's)
June 1, 2004... RPM ac Motor Wizard is available in a new version of the software program for selecting inverter-duty motors from 2 to 1000 hp. This upgrade, now available in CD format as version 2.1, contains a duty-cycle calculator that provides horsepower...

Thermal switches.(Electrical: CD's)
June 1, 2004... Thermal switch CD-Rom catalog offers thermal switches for setpoints from 0 to 1850 F. Company's complete thermal switch offering is documented on easily searchable CD. Data include specifications, drawings, and application information. ...

Arc flash calculator.(Electrical: Web)
June 1, 2004... Arc Flash Calculator is accessible on the company's web site by selecting Electrical Safety from the navigation bar. Based on IEEE-1584 Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Calculations, online software program provides incident energy level and...

Ask the engineer.(Electrical: Web)
June 1, 2004... ProSPEC site (BaldoProSPEC.com) features a team of engineers that provide specification answers on motors, drives, and generators. Featuring a one-business-day-response promise, the team includes experts on motor and drive applications, motion...

Motor diagnostics.(Electrical: Web)
June 1, 2004... Motor Current Signature Analysis has been updated on Reliability Web.com. The new presentation is approximately 9 min and covers the ATPOL motor current signature analyzer, some rules for MCSA fault identification, and case studies on rotor...

Temperature sensing.(Instruments & Controls: Products)
June 1, 2004... WATCOUPLE nonstandard thermocouple uses metals such as alloy 600 and nickel-silicon that ensure accuracy, stability, and availability. Materials enable sensor to be 4 times more accurate than type K special limits, and last 3 times longer....

VFD DMM.(Instruments & Controls: Products)
June 1, 2004... 87V digital multi-meter (DMM) accurately measures voltage and frequency on variable frequency drives (VFDs), which create electrical noise that renders other DMMs unusable for this application. DMM also features built in thermometer, larger...

Temperature handbook.(Instruments & Controls: Literature)
June 1, 2004... Temperature Handbook Volume MMV 5th 5th Edition offers detailed information and specifications on more than 40,000 products for process measurement and control in more than 1800 pp. The new edition contains thermocouples, thermocouple wire,...

Thermal imaging.(Instruments & Controls: Web)
June 1, 2004... "Sharper, simpler, smarter" is the theme of updated web site that highlights infrared thermal imaging products. Site features detailed product information on company's cameras and software, extensive applications library, and case studies. ...

Voice recognition.(Software & Computers: Products)
June 1, 2004... Talk-and-type voice recognition software allows you to dictate directly into your Windows-based CMMS application instead of typing in long preventive maintenance procedures and other text-intensive tasks. Software features include use of...

Updated EAM.(Software & Computers: Products)
June 1, 2004... InSite EE is updated and extended edition of web-based EAM software that provides access to asset information across multiple departments, geographies, and computing environments. Software enables use of condition monitoring and analysis tools...

Software enhancements.(Software & Computers: Products)
June 1, 2004... Dashboard and KPI Manager are two enhancements to MAXIMO5, strategic asset management software. Dashboard allows users to select the layout and content to display information most relevant to their responsibilities. KPI Manager includes a range...

Web-based EAM.(Software & Computers: Products)
June 1, 2004... Avantis Release 4.0 enterprise asset management (EAM) software offers the user interface and functional depth of client-server systems with the cost advantage of web-based applications. Thin client technology is built on the Microsoft.NET...

Get teed off.(Solutions)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... PROBLEM: Wood screws in hinges and other hardware work loose and strip out holes. Is there a quick and easy way to repair the damaged holes in doors and other wood pieces? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOLUTION: Remove the loose screw. Drive...

Tell-tale dipstick.(Solutions)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... PROBLEM: When checking oil levels in equipment it is sometimes hard to see where the oil is on the dipstick. Is there a way to tell where the oil level is, especially in dimly lit areas? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOLUTION: When the...

Bus buddy.(Solutions)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... PROBLEM: Installing and aligning electrical bus duct can be a problem. Is there a way to do this without a lot of manpower and tools? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOLUTION: Cut four pieces of angle iron and drill holes to match the duct and...