Plant Engineering articles from September 2005

Plant Engineering archives from September 2005

Bijur Website gets an upgrade.(QUICK Clicks)
September 1, 2005... Bijur Lubrication Group has upgraded its Website at www.bijur.com. "Our aim is to provide people with a better way of finding information on our website," said Scott Batchelor, North American Marketing Manager. "The new site is like an open,...

Molykote Lubricants guide is updated.(QUICK Clicks)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Dow Corning has issued an updated 52-page guide on industrial lubricants that combines lubrication expertise with market knowledge to help assembly and maintenance engineers choose the right product for their needs. "Molykote Industrial...

Professional courses just a click away.(QUICK Clicks)
September 1, 2005... AEE's 24/7 online seminars offer the opportunity to take professional courses and earn continuing education credit or professional development hours without the need to be out of the office. Registration for a 24/7 online course provides...

Engineer-to-engineer community created.(QUICK Clicks)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Minco, a designer and manufacturer of critical components for critical applications, has launched a Let's Talk E2E--Engineer to Engineer online community as a resource for engineers and customers to access reliable information and find answers...

Making the connection.(COMMENT)
September 1, 2005... We live in a plug-and-play world. That world has moved to the plant floor, where it's plug-and-work. This month's cover story begins a three-month journey through the world of Ethernet--its history, its uses, its potential to connect the plant...

Manufacturing's past meltdowns don't offer hope for the future.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I read Bob Vavra's July 2005 Comment with first dismay and then repulsion. I was part of the last great U.S. automotive attrition movement. Describing the difference between sustaining a multi-decade long career and finding oneself suddenly...

Hybrid ceramic bearings: More mettle than metal.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2005... In the August issue of PLANT ENGINEERING the article "Hybrid ceramic bearings: More mettle than metal" (page 71) neglected to give credit for the photos to SKF USA, Inc.

Welding equipment industry sees margins increase.(FORUM)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The green inflation light is flashing for industries that make factory equipment and tools. Among 19 industries in the PLANT ENGINEERING price index, inflation slowed down for only three. Fifteen industries, on the other hand, put the metal to...

Price/cost/demand roundup.(Illustration)
September 1, 2005... Price/cost/demand roundup Factory equipment & tools AVERAGE PRODUCT PRICES (1) % CHANGE DURING 12 MONTHS ENDING Industry ...

Skilled worker shortage costs could hit $50M.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A survey commissioned by Advanced Technology Services and conducted by Nielsen Entertainment's Consumer Products group found that 73% of senior U.S manufacturing executives surveyed believe the looming skilled worker shortage will be expensive...

Microturbines get a boost from energy bill.(FORUM)
September 1, 2005... Microturbine technology incentives included in the Energy Bill signed by President Bush in August will help some companies take a second look at this emerging electric resource. Chip Bottone hopes the rewards, like the power, will be...

Johnson Controls to purchase York.(FORUM)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls Inc. announcement Aug. 24 that it will purchase York International in a $3.2 billion deal is expected to strengthen Johnson's position in the U.S. building market. As a result of the acquisition, Johnson...

A rule is a rule--and then there are exceptions.(HUMANSIDE)
September 1, 2005... The 17th century English clergyman Robert Burton wrote: "No rule is so general which admits of no exception." We say, kudos for Burton. And double kudos for any corporate executive or supervisor who endorses and supports Burton's well-expressed...

When technology changes change pay rates.(HUMANSIDE)
September 1, 2005... One thing you can bet on: Change the nature of the job with the plant's bottom line in mind, and the beefs you hear from the crew will sound like a chorus of werewolves. As one chief executive puts it, "Completing a technology innovation...

Arbitration costly for everyone.(HUMANSIDE)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Right or wrong, win or lose, arbitration can be costly. Still, when employees feel ripped off or mistreated, they are entitled to file a grievance. Nothing you can do about that, right? Maybe not... Welder Jim Calder was rip roaring mad...

Consider performance before rehiring.(HUMANSIDE)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Welder Grade II Ed Phillips was among 13 maintenance department employees laid off during a slump four months ago. Some had been rehired; others were still jobless. None had Phillips' poor performance ratings. One day, maintenance...

There's no right to arbitration.(HUMANSIDE)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Maintenance foreman Joe Donovan was a tough, hard-bitten supervisor in charge of a group of tough, hard-bitten employees. One of those employees, utility worker Roger Dolman had taken his boss's abuse and lack of respect long enough. He was...

Co-workers' complaints can prevent reinstatement.(HUMANSIDE)
September 1, 2005... "He made his own bed; let him lie in it." Assistant Maintenance Supervisor Chet Goolsbee vehemently agreed with this view expressed by his boss, Joel Chin. The recipient of the grim judgment was Amos Shultz; a maintenance department...

Showing veteran workers you care can pay dividends.(HUMANSIDE)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Does loyalty pay off in your company? Is the ship-jumping of qualified employees a problem? "Retention," says Lynn University's Robert E. Levinson, "is usually much less of a problem if you show your people that you care about them." ...

Get physical to address worker stress issues.(MANAGEMENTSIDE)
September 1, 2005... Industry in North America is in danger of losing its productivity edge by compromising competitive credentials. There's no lack of awareness of this problem; however, there is a prevailing attitude that says we can automate ourselves out of the...

Maintenance as a profit center takes a change in thinking.(MAINTENANCECONNECTION)
September 1, 2005... Whenever we initially meet with a new client, the first (and ultimately most important) point that we introduce at the meeting is the fact that there is only one reason for our discussion--money. When your initial focus is on money, your...

You're not as safe as you think you are.(ELECTRICALCONNECTION)
September 1, 2005... With today's advances in engineering and safety, why is it one maintenance person is either killed or injured each day in an electrically-related incident? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In my opinion, it is possible because the large majority...

Recognize the true value of asset management.(AUTOMATIONCONNECTION)
September 1, 2005... Traditionally, maintenance personnel focus on equipment uptime--or asset availability. Operations or manufacturing personnel focus on how much product these assets can produce--or asset utilization. Although forward-thinking plants are seeking...

Finding the right fit: making Ethernet work for your plant floor.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... Why industrial Ethernet? The use of Ethernet in industrial applications is growing and changing rapidly. There is a growing need to overcome the barriers to manufacturing efficiency: * Rapidly increasing need for plant floor data ...

What you should know about grinding disks.(MECHANICAL ENGINEERING)
September 1, 2005... Grinding disks are tools made of resin-bonded abrasive grains, reinforcing glass fabrics that give them mechanical strength and pores. The difference between them and other cutting tools is that they are self-sharpening. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED]...

Preventive maintenance the key to motor control center reliability.(ELECTRICALENGINEERING)
September 1, 2005... The low-voltage motor control center is a key element in electrical control systems because of the vital operating role they play in controlling motors and production processes. Over the years, MCCs have evolved from cabinets that housed basic...

Take control of PID tuning.(AUTOMATION ENGINEERING)
September 1, 2005... Process control can be open or closed loop. An open loop is one in which there is no feedback to the controlling unit. Actuating a switch and setting a potentiometer are simplified examples of open loop control. Open loop control is essentially...

The many faces of Lean Maintenance.(MAINTENANCE & MANAGEMENT)
September 1, 2005... Lean Maintenance is the application of Lean philosophy, tools and techniques to the maintenance function. It has the same goals as the application of Lean principles to the manufacturing function: eliminating wasted time, effort and material...

Team approach to Ergo Dolly cuts injuries and saves money.(safety, productivity and profit)
September 1, 2005... International Truck and Engine Corporation's Springfield Assembly Plant experienced a high rate of injuries in the cab trim department. Prior to this project, the workers were reluctant to get involved because of the union-management...

Extending safety off the job pays.
September 1, 2005... Safety is an idea. Like truth and beauty, it is elusive to recognize and define. We do know, however, what the absence of safety looks and feels like. American workplace deaths and injuries are at an all-time low. Yet unsafe workplaces...

Machinery health monitor: the next generation.(New automation products for plant engineers)
September 1, 2005... The CSI 4500 Machinery Health Monitor provides multi-channel, simultaneous live turbine monitoring and data extraction for main power and critical process turbines. The monitor can capture information before, during and after an event. Orbits,...

Smart gateway makes the connection.(New automation products for plant engineers)
September 1, 2005... FactoryCast Gateway TSX ETG 1000 integrates network interfaces, RAS/router function and a customizable Web server into a compact, standalone hardware device. Features include a transparent gateway that connects Modbus RTU devices to the TCP/IP...

PLC control with PC features.(New automation products for plant engineers)
September 1, 2005... The I/O-IPC Series 758-870 control platform combines PC features with the ruggedness of a PLC and connectivity to the IT world. PLC features include DIN rail mounting; direct connection of 750 and 753 Series I/O modules; IEC 61131-3 programming...

Conduit clamp.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... The one-piece Angler Pipe and Conduit Clamp from Thomas & Betts allows users to snap apart the two halves of the strut strap, fit it to the pipe or conduit, slide the pre-threaded bolt through the innovative keyhole-shaped opening in the strap...

Safety scanner.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... The Allen-Bradley DeviceNet Safety scanner and I/O from Rockwell Automation give manufacturers the opportunity to place safety and standard devices on a single network, simplifying control system design in complex applications such as those...

Engineering resource.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Minco, a designer and manufacturer of components for critical applications, has launched a Let's Talk E2E--Engineer to Engineer online community as a resource for engineers and customers to access reliable information and find answers to...

Pluggable terminal blocks.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Molex's EuroMax High-Power Pluggable Terminal Blocks offers design engineers a two-piece pluggable system and up to 85 A per circuit at 600 V. The EuroMax interconnect system is applicable for a variety of high-power industrial applications,...

Circuit breakers.(NEW PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Siemens Energy & Automation's WL UL 489 family of insulated case circuit breakers available in three frame sizes, 800-5,000 A. The circuit breakers feature integrated racking handles, pull apart front-mounted terminal blocks and modular...

Krytox[R] Fluorinated Lubricants.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... Krytox[R] Fluorinated Greases and Oils are: Chemically inert. Insoluble in common solvents. Thermally stable. Temperature range (-103[degrees] to 800[degrees]F). Nonflammable. Nontoxic. Oxygen Compatible--safe for oxygen service. Low Vapor...

Automatic self-cleaning water filters.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... Providing automatic self-cleaning filtration systems for removal of suspended solids from water is more than a job for Orival--it's a way of life. Orival's network of application specialists will provide expert solutions tailored to your...

Free AEMC[R] Instruments catalog.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... Many new products are featured in the 2005 AEMC 68-page catalog which highlights AEMC's lines of portable test and measurement instruments, including megohmmeters, ground resistance testers, power quality analyzers and meters, cable testers,...

Miller Revolution Harness.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... The NEW Miller Revolution Harness is engineered with 7 unique components and more than 11 key product features. It incorporates key benefits identified by those professionals using fall protection equipment--comfort, fit, durability,...

Microprocessor based, portable, universal circular chart SUPERECORDER[TM] CTXL series.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... The CTXL SUPERECORDER[TM] is available in computer room white or charcoal gray in ranges of -17 to 49[degrees]C (2 to 120[degrees]F) and 2 to 98% RH. It powers from 4 "D" cell batteries or a universal AC adaptor with 203 mm (8") Chart for 1, 7,...

Tekleen[R] stainless steel filters.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... Tekleen are high quality low cost stainless steel filters at carbon steel prices. Sizes from 1"-24", up to 12,000 gpm, filtration 3,000[micro]-5[micro] and from only 2 gallons per rinse. Automatic Filters, Inc,--Tekleen, Los Angeles, CA USA...

Evaluate your maintenance force.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... Catalog shows how to evaluate your workforce with pay-for-skills and knowledge tests for maintenance employees. Mechanical, Electrical, Machinist, Electronics, Building Maintenance, Print Reading Tests and CAD, for use in assessment or...

New Browning[R] TorqTaper Plus.(Product Mart Showcase)
September 1, 2005... New Browning[R] TorqTaper Plus helical shaft mount reducer from Emerson Power Transmission. The shaft mount is available in sizes 107 to 608. Available ratios are 5, 9, 15, 25, and 35:1. This new line incorporates two patented features--a...

NAM calls for new approach to boost skilled workforce.(National Association of Manufacturers )
September 1, 2005... In a Labor Day report on the state of U.S. manufacturing, the National Association of Manufacturers called for a three-pronged approach to making American manufacturing more competitive in a global marketplace by improving education, attracting...

Winning the race to innovation.(A VIEW FROM WASHINGTON)
September 1, 2005... America's manufacturers use innovation in every aspect of their business, to streamline production processes and to create new products that change lives for the better. U.S. manufacturing grew faster than the economy as a whole in 2004. Yet,...