An Applied Technology Media Publication DECEMBER 2015

Synthetics Meet
Lube Challenges
In-House Training 25
Lubricant Temps 28
2015 Corporate Profile 31

MaintenanceTechnology.com

How Important Is Maintenance to
Air Compressor Performance?
By Alan Suan, Industrial Americas Marketing Advisor, ExxonMobil
Air compressors are the heartbeat of many plant
operations today, and as important as they are, their
smooth operation shouldn’t be taken for granted.
The performance of your air compressor depends on
proper equipment maintenance. We caught up with
Alan Suan, Industrial Americas Marketing Advisor at
ExxonMobil, who shared some maintenance best
practices for air compressors.
Q: What are some of the most important maintenance
best practices you ask companies to follow?
Alan: Most plant operators are aware of the basics –
including air filter cleanliness, managing air leaks, and
keeping the air-cooling system dry. Taking care of these
items is the first step.
As far as some other best practices, it’s important to be
cognizant of maintaining proper operating temperatures
for both water-cooled and air-cooled compressors to
avoid fire hazards, and you also want to manage water
contamination to ensure efficient equipment operation.
Copyright © 2015 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries unless otherwise noted.
*To learn more about the product warranty, contact your local ExxonMobil representative or distributor. Result relates solely to fluid performance in one rotary screw compressor. Performance will vary based on operating conditions and application.
Q: Does ExxonMobil see any specific lubricant
trends for compressors that impact maintenance?
Alan: Air compressors today often operate in extremely
high temperatures, and even at lesser temperatures,
any moisture in the compressed air can quickly lead to
oxidation, a serious challenge.
For air compressors to perform correctly in these
environments, you must use lubricants with
characteristics suited to the extreme service conditions.
That’s why we engineered our new Mobil SHC™ Rarus,
a high-performance synthetic lubricant, to protect
against equipment wear, rust, corrosion and fire.
Mobil SHC Rarus can help increase oil drain intervals
(ODIs) by two to three times longer than competing
synthetic oils. In fact, during extensive field trials,
Mobil SHC Rarus demonstrated the capability to last
up to 24,000 hours, or 1,000 days, between oil changes.*
Learn more at mobilindustrial.com
MAINTENANCE
TECHNOLOGY
THE SOURCE FOR RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS
CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2015 • VOL. 28, NO. 12 • MaintenanceTechnology.com

25

Lubricants are on tap in this issue.

20
On p. 20, contributing editor Grant
Gerke tells us how High Performance

FEATURES
Lubricants formulates customized
synthetic oils for manufacturers. On
p. 28, Ken Bannister discusses the
impact of temperature on perfor-
mance. Photo: Gary L. Parr
28

DEPARTMENTS
4 Editorial 20
6 Uptime Synthetics Meet Today's Lubricant Challenges
As machine designs evolve and energy efficiency remains a priority, synthetic lu-
10 For On The Floor
bricants provide reliability professsionals with an improved return on investment.
14 Industry News Grant Gerke, Contributing Editor
44 Products
47 Showcase
48 Ad Index 25 Training Program Grows 31 2015 Corporate Profile
In-House Experts Read what industry suppliers
American auto giant turns say about their successes,
to customized, ongoing offerings, and future plans.
training for plant electricians.
Jane Alexander, Managing Editor
CENTER
Visit our new,
updated website; 28 Consider Lubricant 40 Printing MRO Parts
live now!
Temperature
Temperature is critical to 41 Keys to Gear Inspection
MaintenanceTechnology.com the performance and life of
... lubricants. 42 Evaluate Winding Temps
For information on December's Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP,
Web-exclusive content,
see page 2.
MLE, Contributing Editor
43 Better Machine Safety

DECEMBER 2015 MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 1

 MAINTENANCE

WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH AT TECHNOLOGY

THE SOURCE FOR RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS

MaintenanceTechnology.com December 2015 • Volume 28, No.12

ARTHUR L. RICE
Chairman
arice@maintenancetechnology.com
FEATURED WHITE PAPER GLEN GUDINO
President
ggudino@maintenancetechnology.com
PHIL SARAN
Electric Motor Reliability: The Core Problem Vice President/Group Publisher
psaran@maintenancetechnology.com
Reliability is the key to operational integrity—if motors are down so is the GARY L. PARR
ability to generate revenue. What repair method will assure reliability and Editorial Director
gparr@maintenancetechnology.com
minimize downtime? Read Dreisilker's White Paper series for an in-depth
look at electric motor re-manufacturing. JANE ALEXANDER
Managing Editor
jalexander@maintenancetechnology.com
For more, visit MaintenanceTechnology.com/Dreisilker1215.
GREG PIETRAS
Managing Editor, Print/Emedia
gpietras@maintenancetechnology.com
ROBERT “BOB” WILLIAMSON
KENNETH E. BANNISTER
MICHELLE SEGREST
Contributing Editors
FEATURED WEBINAR FRANCES JERMAN
Creative Director
fjerman@maintenancetechnology.com
MARGA PARR
Address Equipment Failures Production Manager
mparr@maintenancetechnology.com
Root-cause analysis can remove the reactive work that prevents sites from MARIA LEMAIRE
performing essential proactive care tasks. Why root-cause analysis is Electronic Marketing Manager
mlemaire@maintenancetechnology.com
important, how to perform it correctly, and what it means to reliability is
discussed with a common-sense approach in this archived webinar. ELLEN SANDKAM
Direct Mail, Showcase
Visit MaintenanceTechnology.com/1215Webinar. 847-382-8100, ext. 110
esandkam@atplists.com

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tablets and phones. Browse the archives to catch up on articles and
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strategies, news, and products in a format that works for you.
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2| MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015

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MY TAKE
What’s Up with
Management Support?
M
uch of my time each month is devoted
to the creation and preparation of
deadline-sensitive editorial material—
Jane Alexander
Managing Editor most of which skews toward some type
of “success.” We like nothing better than learning
of and writing about maintenance and reliability
successes. Our monthly plant profiles, including
this month’s look at a successful synthetic-lubricant
formulating operation (p. 20), are a case in point.
Sometimes, though, I learn of and share details
related to not-so-successful efforts. That’s what
happened this month. Answers we received to
questions for the MT Reader Panel regarding
implementation of new technologies, techniques,
processes, and strategies in 2015 reminded me of
something I hate to think about.
For the most part, these answers were positive in
tone. But responses from two long-time members
of the maintenance and reliability community stood
While the story really isn't funny,
it's repeated over and over.
out for their rather bleak views on conditions in
many plants. The culprit they pointed to? Lack of
management support or, in some organizations,
sustainable management support, for improvement
efforts and, by association, the teams that imple-
ment them.
One of these respondents, a consultant who
had been working to help an international client
implement Operational Excellence in its facility,
was struck by the site’s total lack of commitment
to the effort. Back in the U.S., he’s finding that
things aren’t much different in the plants he visits.
As published in December’s “For On The Floor”
(p. 10), he characterized these facilities as “still
working in the dark ages of management,” with
no interest in evolving. “Being a consultant to
industry in America these days,” he wrote, “is quite
frustrating.” Imagine that.
The second respondent offered what he referred
4| MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
to as a “funny” (true) story about an implementa-
tion of reliability over the course of many years.
“Not ‘ha-ha’ funny,” he wrote, “but ‘sad-to-see’
funny, and it keeps getting repeated over and over.”
In other organizations as well.
Too long to publish in its entirety, his story basi-
cally boils down to a tale of revolving-management
doors at an unidentified company, and the impact
they had, not just on reliability efforts, but,
ultimately, the health of the business. Here’s the
digest version.
Back in the day, management at the company
in question had great respect for reliability, given
the fact that an experimental reliability team had
boosted one site’s lackluster on-stream capability
by a double-digit percentage in less than a year.
Financial return was amazing, and reliability
was driven across the business. Why not? These
efforts were credited with extending the life of an
antiquated plant with hundreds of jobs by almost
a decade. While the program flourished and
corporate profits grew, however, the company’s
supportive, reliability-conscious management aged.
A new superstar and his “skilled management
team” eventually took over, putting an end to the
reliability “frills.” One plant closed. Improvement
efforts at another were decimated. In time, with
profits lagging, the superstar didn’t look so super
anymore. He retired several years after his arrival.
Following his departure, new management came
in and put reliability engineering and associated
improvements back on the front burner for a while.
Until, that is, another round of cost cutting elimi-
nated or moved most reliability personnel to other
assignments. Now, according to our respondent,
things are again looking up for reliability at this
company. The department has grown substantially
over the past few years and the benefits are being
preached. For how long is anyone’s guess.
Sadly, while I get whiplash just reading this type
of story, I know there must be plenty more like it.
Please don’t hesitate to share yours with me. I’m
particularly interested in how management support
(or lack of) is impacting your maintenance and
reliability improvement efforts.
In the meantime, here’s wishing you a wonderful
holiday season and prosperous 2016. MT
jalexander@maintenancetechnology.com
DECEMBER 2015
UPTIME

Create and Grow

Reliability Cultures

I
mproving reliability almost always means
improving (or changing) the way people think
and work toward common goals. Improving
Bob Williamson performance and reliability of an existing facility
Contributing Editor and equipment should be seriously considered
when budgets are limited. In many cases this may
be the fastest, lowest cost, most sustainable option.
Whether leveraging new equipment and
technology or taking steps to improve existing
systems, culture change, i.e., a change in the way
personnel think and work, is not optional. In the
Nov. 2015 installment of this column, we explored
seven basic steps for improving the performance
of an older plant while simultaneously creating a
reliability-improvement culture:
1. Prepare a compelling business case for change.
2. Focus on a breakthrough opportunity.
3. Gather data, evidence, and facts to define the
breakthrough opportunity.
4. Assemble the multi-functional breakthrough
team(s).
Establishing islands of excellence is a require-
5. Schedule an improvement workshop for the
ment in the creation of reliability cultures. They’re
breakthrough team(s).
where breakthroughs in thinking and working occur,
6. Learn and apply fundamental improvement focused improvements in equipment-performance
methods in the selected area. and reliability take place, and real plant-floor
7. Sustain and leverage the improvements. culture change emerges. Photo: Gary L. Parr
Getting to Step 7 and establishing an “island
of excellence” is a fundamental requirement for STEP Communicate a compelling business
creating a reliability culture. This is where break-
throughs in thinking and working occur, focused
6a case. Top management must clearly
articulate a compelling business case for
improvements in equipment performance and improving equipment reliability. In some cases, this
reliability take place, and real plant-floor culture might involve a basic lesson in the business of
change emerges. In short, an island of excellence doing business. Discussion examples include:
becomes the showplace, and breakthrough team ■ changes in the customer base, such as new
members become the advocates. customers and different expectations
While Steps 1 through 5 are essential—and ■ increased level of competition in the marketplace
in that order—it’s the activities in Step 6 that ■ customer feedback and complaints about
frequently stall or launch a true island of excel- on-time deliveries
lence. Step 6 (learning and applying fundamental ■ dwindling competitive advantages, including lead
improvement methods in the selected area) offers time, production time, and cost/unit
many different activity options. Here are some ■ business growth opportunities, such as more
of the proven ones that will lead to equipment production and more employees
inspections for improving reliability. Let’s call them ■ increases in raw material and packaging costs
sub-steps of Step 6. that must be absorbed

6| MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015


■ changes in regulatory requirements
■ the impact of the current equipment
performance and reliability on the
business.
Discuss why this part of the
STEP
6 plant was selected for
b improvement. Review the
impact of the selected area (equipment,
process) on the business cases discussed
in Step 6a. Use historical data in
Pareto-chart formats to help illustrate
these points. For example:
■ high amounts of unplanned
downtime
■ sporadic unplanned downtime
■ operating at less than proven
capability or efficiency rates
■ increasing or excessive amounts of
waste, scrap, and/or rework
■ increasing or excessive maintenance
trouble calls.
Point out gaps in these data and
solicit feedback from the group on other
issues that contribute to improvement
opportunities.
Inspect equipment for
STEP
6 problems. Break into small
c sub-teams to inspect the
selected equipment and tag specific
problems. Document the following for
each:
■ who identified the problem
■ brief description of the problem
■ nature of the problem, e.g., electrical,
mechanical, lubrication, utility,
operation
■ specific location of the problem
■ possible impact of the problem, e.g.,
availability, efficiency, quality, yield,
safety, environmental, cost.
STEP
Sort problems into three
6 broad categories. The
d breakthrough team should
discuss and clarify each of the identified
problems and label them as follows:
■ quick-fix by team members
■ high-priority and doable this week
■ high-priority, requires actions of
others, e.g., capital expense, unavail-
able parts, engineering.
DECEMBER 2015
STEP
Review case examples for
6 making rapid and sustainable
e improvements. Showcase
successes, improvement methods, and
out-of-the-box thinking approaches from
other businesses. Identify how they
arrived at the root causes of problems and
implemented corrective actions.
Introduce basic root-cause-analysis tools.
Return to equipment-problem
STEP
6 locations and determine
f causes and corrective action.
Clean the areas around problems. (Note:
Cleaning is the most basic form of
inspection.) Take photos to show each
problem and contributing cause(s).
Gather evidence of the problem and/or
contributing causes, e.g., debris, foreign
objects, grease accumulation, loose
fasteners, missing parts, adjustments,
errors.
Look for hidden problems.
STEP
6 Many problems can be
g concealed or out of sight. Open
guards and panels to expose hidden areas.
Repeat Steps 6c, 6d, and 6f—tagging,
sorting, and determining causes and
corrective action.
Eliminate causes of problems.
STEP
6 In this step, the breakthrough
h team makes improvements to
eliminate the causes (or sources) of
problems using root-cause-analysis tools.
This improvement action goes beyond
the quick fix and addresses the root cause
in such a way that the cause of the
problem is eliminated.
Make inspection improve-
STEP
6 ments. Ease inspection (and
i cleaning) activities by removing
cosmetic panels and replacing guards
with clear polycarbonate or expanded
metal, painted flat black.
STEP
Develop or improve inspection
6 procedures (work instruc-
j tions). Review any existing
cleaning, inspection, and preventive-
maintenance procedures to determine
UPTIME
how they address the problems discov-
ered in the previous steps. Modify
existing procedures and/or develop new
ones to cover preventive tasks for those
problems. Include detailed step-by-step
instructions, photographs, or illustra-
tions, as needed, along with brief
checklists to serve as reminders of the
procedural steps.
Make inspection procedures
STEP
6 visual. Apply visual cues of
k important inspection points,
settings, locations, part numbers, and
lubrication specifications close to the
point of use. Make sure these visuals are
aligned with written procedures and
checklists.
Train and qualify team
STEP
6 members to perform the new/
l revised inspections. Use work
instructions as a training document.
Once confidence has been built, have
individual team members demonstrate
their ability to explain and perform the
step-by-step procedure. Those who can
demonstrate this ability are, therefore,
qualified to perform the respective tasks
unsupervised. Follow-up audits should
verify that the new inspection tasks are
working as intended and causes of the
problems are successfully addressed.
Summary
Creating reliability cultures—in most
cases—requires changing the way people
think and work, including changing their
behaviors and habits, to enable them to
practice and support reliability improve-
ment. The key is to engage the right
people, on the right equipment, using the
right tools. In the process, they’ll begin
developing their own common-sense
reliability culture. MT
Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM,
and a member of the Institute of Asset
Management, is in his fourth decade of
focusing on the people-side of world-class
maintenance and reliability in plants
and facilities across North America.
Contact him at RobertMW2@cs.com.
MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 7
 OVERCOMING YOUR CHALLENGES

Re-commission Your System

O
Ron Marshall nce upon a time, your compressed air upgraded systems show that the situation is not
CET, CEM system was shiny and new. You proudly uncommon. Often, the efficiency of a system
for the inspected the final installation, knowing depends on the careful adjustment of critical equip-
Compressed Air
that the supplier and installer had set ment settings. That said, adjustments must be made
Challenge (CAC)
things up so that the compressors and dryers would by qualified personnel who know how compressed-
coordinate with each other and work properly. air systems should work.
Over time, however, things can change. Compo- It pays to have somebody look at your system
nents wear and fail. Relays and sensors burn out from time to time to re-commission it, i.e., ensure
and clog. Eventually, the system requires repairs nothing has happened that might be causing effi-
and adjustment. Then, along comes Mr. Fixit, ciency issues. Regular compressed-air assessments
your handy compressor-repair guy. His tool chest can pay for themselves quickly in energy savings.
includes a handy-dandy adjustment screwdriver that Items to examine include:
he promptly uses to ■ Compressor-pressure settings. Because it’s rather
“optimize” the settings easy (physically) to adjust compressor settings, it’s
of your system. also easy to misadjust them. Although adjust-
The bad news is ments may have been made since the system was
that Mr. Fixit may installed, they could have been in response to a
not have been around one-time, low-pressure event or other temporary
when your equipment system problem. Consequently, the pressure
was new and set up may be too high or pressure bands too narrow.
correctly. He may Reviewing the appropriateness of your compressor
never have attended settings is an important exercise.
a compressor-repair ■ Selection of lead compressor. Some compressors
class, much less are more efficient than others. Some are more
clearly understand the appropriate as lead compressors, others should
important aspects— trim, taking partial load. Efficiency can be main-
and intricacies—of tained by choosing the correct order of operation.
compressor control. ■ Air-dryer settings. If you have desiccant dryers
That doesn’t stop him, with dewpoint controls, they could have been
It’s easy to misadjust compressed-air though, as he happily bypassed, or might not be working due to a fouled
settings. To ensure the health and efficiency twists an adjustment sensor. Reviewing the operation of your dryers
of your system, review the appropriateness screw here and there, and repairing as needed could save a bundle.
of these critical settings and permit only hoping to get your ■ Automatic drains. Airless drains, purchased to
qualified personnel, who understand compressor compressor purring prevent wasted air, can wear out and fail (unde-
control, to make such adjustments. like a kitten. tected). This situation affects dryer operation and
While your the quality of the compressed air. Proper testing is
plant may not have important.
dealt with this type of Mr. Fixit, data from many ■ Monitoring systems. It’s important to monitor the
compressed-air assessments of relatively young, efficiency of your system, especially if compressed
air is a major part of your electric bill. Permanent
monitoring of the system helps you assess the
The Compressed Air Challenge® system on a daily basis to maintain efficiency.
is a partner of the U.S. Department Find more information about compressor
of Energy’s Industrial Technology efficiency on the CAC website (compressedairchal-
programs.To learn more about lenge.org) or in the organization’s Best Practices for
its many offerings, log on to Compressed Air Systems Manual. Check the website
compressedairchallenge.org, or calendar for scheduled training. MT
email: info@compressedairchallenge.org.
rcmarshall@hydro.mb.ca

8| MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015

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6006029a-en
 FOR ON THE FLOOR
Success in 2015?
A
Jane Alexander s we’ve found over the years, readers enjoy
Managing Editor learning about other readers’ experiences
in the maintenance and reliability trenches.
As we reach the end of 2015, we asked
Maintenance Technology’s Reader Panelists to
describe a new technology, technique, process, or
strategy that they, their departments, companies,
or a client implemented (or tried to implement)
during the year, and why, i.e., what benefits were
desired.
We also inquired about any success
and/or payoff to date from these implementations,
and lessons that might have been learned in the
process. Panelists were invited to be as specific or
general as they wished. Here, edited for clarity,
brevity, and confidentiality, are several responses.
Midwest Industry Supplier…
Implementation: We patented a new additive
Lessons learned in the implementation of a new
technology, technique, process, or strategy are worth
sharing with others working in the maintenance
and reliability trenches. Photo: Gary L. Parr
10 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
An outlet for the views of
today’s maintenance
& reliability professionals
technology to add to existing turbine fluids with
high varnish levels and additive depletion. This
undertaking has been ongoing since 2013. More
than 70 turbines now use the process. The concept
was to extend the life of the incumbent turbine
fluid and regenerate the amines and phenols. It has
worked very well so far and we continue to gain
recognition for it.
Success and/or payoff to date: [This technology]
has extended some condemned fluids by years and
allowed generation plants to hold off on draining
and refilling their turbines, thus extending budgets
while resulting in the following benefits: drop
in bearing temperatures, elimination of varnish,
extended filter life, reduction in hydrogen-seal
issues, and reduced manpower hours for servicing
the equipment.
Lessons learned: As we continue down this path,
new turbine types and OEMs come into play. This
has opened the door to many new and exciting
things, including [application of] this technology
for other industries plagued by the same or
similar issues.
Midwest Maintenance Leader...
Implementation: As far as new technologies go,
we continue to get a lot of new machinery into our
plant. This will enable us to remove older machines
and also allow us to produce more parts for our
customers.
Success and/or payoff to date: We implemented
new strategies that were put in place by an outside
firm. These have improved our response times,
downtime, repair times, and preventive mainte-
nance percentages.
Lessons learned: The biggest lessons we learned
from having the outside firm in were:
■ If you have a new program, listen to the people
that will be the end users.
■ Let the team have a voice in the procedure.
■ Make sure the procedure is followed through, by
both middle and upper management.
You will see results. We have, so far.
Midwest Reliability Specialist...
Implementation: We implemented a loss-elimi-
nation process. The goal is to find opportunities,
DECEMBER 2015
 CELEBRATING
100 YEARS
Thank you to our customers, associates and
partners for 10 decades of success.

Celebrating 100 years of proven performance,

Yaskawa is the world’s largest manufacturer of
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FOR ON THE FLOOR
using root-cause analysis, to address
issues relating to safety, health, environ-
ment, production, and costs.
Success and/or payoff to date: The
process is working in all areas with
successful results.
Lessons learned: The biggest lesson
we learned from accomplishing a
successful rollout is [to provide] good
training.
Southwest Planned
Maintenance Supervisor...
Implementation: We started an
oil-analysis program on several of our
gearboxes and hydraulic units to help us
get a better understanding of the condi-
tion of our lubricants and machinery.
Success and/or payoff to date: This
effort was not as successful as we had
hoped. Mainly because we did not
obtain the knowledge we should have to
correctly collect our oil samples.
12 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
‘The biggest lesson
we learned from
accomplishing a
successful rollout is
[to provide] good
training…’
Lessons learned: We took a few
steps back and, at this time, are looking
at some formal training in oil-sampling
procedures to help us make this process
beneficial.
Midwest Consultant …
Implementation: One strategy/culture
that I have been trying to help my client
implement is Operational Excellence
(OpEx).
Success and/or payoff to date: I
worked hard at a [North American
manufacturer’s] dairy plant [outside the
United States], combining OpEx with
the basics of TPM (Total Productive
Maintenance). I faced a total lack of
commitment and, after two weeks of
letting them (plant personnel) do the
follow-up, I would return and find they
had not done anything that had been
proposed or that they had offered.
Now, [back home in my area of
the U.S.], I find things are not much
different. Most of the industries [that I
visit] are still working in the dark ages
of management and have no interest in
evolving.
Lessons learned: The main obstacle
to the kind of progress that America
needs from every enterprise is confor-
mity. Old-style managers feel terrified
to learn that they need to let go of
control and ancient authority schemes.
The automobile industry has made
some limited progress in this regard,
especially now that the Koreans have
become role models in that business.
One big help in solving this stagna-
tion could probably come from colleges
and universities. The main problem is
that those institutions have their eyes
and interests [focused] far away from
the real needs. Being a consultant to
industry in America these days is quite
frustrating. MT
About the
MT Reader Panel
The Maintenance Technology Reader
Panel includes approximately 100
working industrial-maintenance
practitioners and consultants who
have volunteered to answer monthly
questions prepared by our editorial
staff. Panelist identities are not
revealed and their responses are not
necessarily projectable. Note that
our panel welcomes new members.
To be considered, email your
name and contact information to
jalexander@maintenancetechnology.
com with “Reader Panel” in the
subject line. All panelists are
automatically included in an annual
cash-prize drawing after one year of
active participation.
DECEMBER 2015
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14 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
NEWS
NEWS
Industry
Hot Topics
The Eventful Group (Sydney, Syracuse,
and Cape Town), organizers of industry
conferences around the world, has
released its 2016 Mainstream Confer-
ence ‘Hot Topics’ Research Report.
According to the group, the docu-
ment outlines the key challenges,
needs, and questions identified by
members of the reliability, mainte-
nance, asset-management, and opera-
tions communities.
To guarantee the maximum value
and relevance of content presented at its
conferences, the group continually meets
with industry leaders, professionals, and
subject-matter experts to learn about
issues that are of particular importance
to them. This year’s research was
supplemented by a full-day think-tank
where more than 20 of North America's
senior leaders in the fields of reliability,
maintenance, and operations discussed
their toughest problems and greatest
opportunities for improvements.
Falling into the following eight
umbrella categories, the resulting “hot
topics” will be addressed in detail at next
year’s Mainstream Conferences:
1. Empowering Leadership &
Developing Culture
Motion Industries Acquires California’s
Moss Rubber and Equipment
Motion Industries, Birmingham, AL,
a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine
Parts Co., Atlanta, has entered into
a definitive agreement to acquire
California-based Moss Rubber and
Equipment Corp. A leading supplier of
industrial rubber products since 1965,
Moss specializes in hose and other
2. Alignment & Communication
3. Aligning Operations with Reliability
& Maintenance
4. Workforce & Competency
5. Design for Performance, Maintain-
ability, Reliability & Operability
6. Asset Management, Reliability &
Maintenance Strategy & Execution
7. Leveraging Data & Technology
8. Excellence in Shutdowns, Turn-
arounds & Outages
The 2016 North American Main-
stream Conference is scheduled for May
22 to 25, at The Woodlands Waterway
Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, in
Houston. To learn more about this event
and/or to download a copy of the recently
released report, visit mainstreamconfer-
ence.com/na.
For information on complete conference
offerings, visit theeventfulgroup.com.
items for petroleum, construction,
mining, manufacturing, transporta-
tion, and agricultural operations
throughout northern California. The
company services customers through
locations in South San Francisco and
Benicia, CA. Visit motionidustries.com
for more information.
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NEWS

Emerging Data-Center Models
Emerson Network Power, Columbus,
OH, has released a summary report
highlighting several emerging archetypes
that will reshape the way future data
centers look and operate. According
to the company, these operations have
traditionally evolved in response to
technology innovation—mostly server-
based—with a somewhat predictable
pace and direction. Now disruptive
trends such as cloud computing, sustain-
ability, cybersecurity, and the Internet of
Things are driving profound IT changes
across all industries, creating significant
opportunities and challenges. As a result,
these four emerging models are expected
to change the data-center landscape:
improve productivity, drive down costs,
and increase agility.
1. The Data Fortress: Organizations
are beginning to take a security-first
approach to data center design,
The disruptive
trends driving
deploying out-of-network profound
data pods for highly IT changes
sensitive information—in throughout
some cases with separate, industry create
dedicated power and significant
thermal management opportunities and
equipment. challenges.
2. The Cloud of Many Drops:
Despite virtualization-
driven improvements, too many devices and networks.
servers remain underused. Emerson 4. The Corporate Social Responsibility
sees a future where organizations Compliant Data Center: Energy
explore shared service models, selling efficiency continues to be important
some of that excess capacity and in for an industry with seemingly limit-
effect becoming part of the cloud. less consumption needs, but other
3. Fog Computing: Fog computing drivers—most notably an increased
connects multiple small networks focus on reducing carbon footprint
into a single, large network, with among some organizations—are
application services distributed across pushing the focus toward sustain-
smart devices and edge computing ability and corporate responsibility.
systems to improve efficiency and For more information, visit emerson-
concentrate data processing closer to networkpower.com/en-US/sites/CIO/.

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is necessary to transport it as liquefied natural gas (LNG). According to
Honeywell, more than 40% of the world’s treated LNG is processed with
Amine Guard FS technology.
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MEM 5184 MaintTechMagDec3.375x 4.875indd.indd 1 11/24/15 9:19 AM
SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS

Synthetics
Meet
Today’s
Lubricant
Challenges
As machine designs evolve and energy
efficiency remains a priority, synthetic
lubricants are providing reliability professionals
with an improved return on investment.

Grant Gerke, Contributing Editor

Formulations at High Perfor-

mance Lubricants (HPL) are
mixed in this 3,000-gal.-
capacity tank, based on
formulations stored in the
database. Once mixed,
samples are tested in the
laboratory before shipping.
Photos: Gary L. Parr

20 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015


SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS are quietly
finding new footing in manufacturing.
Maintenance teams and reliability programs
are learning more about how polyalphaolefins,
glycols, and esters achieve better viscosity at
higher temperatures. They can also provide
excellent friction coefficients for machines
that operate at high temperatures and loads.
“A lot of companies out there don't
understand what lubrication is all about,” said
Ken Bannister, principal asset-management
consultant at EngTech Industries, Innerkip,
Ontario, and Maintenance Technology contrib-
uting editor. “Manufacturers don't treat the
lubricant as a component of the machine,
such as a pump or a motor. They just treat it as
a consumable.”
Most original-equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) provide general types of oil guide-
lines for their customers that fall into these
categories: resistance and oxidation (R&O),
anti-wear (AW), extreme pressure (EP),
compounded, and motor oil. While providing
general guidelines, OEMs place the onus on
manufacturers to specify the right lubricant.
“Synthetic lubricants are ideal for use
in newer machine designs with smaller
components that operate at higher tempera-
tures and/or greater rotational speeds,”
stated Les Rudnick, consultant at Designed
Materials Group, Scottsdale, AZ. “Synthetic
fluids perform very well in more extreme
conditions, both at high temperatures and
under lower ambient conditions. Longer
drain intervals and energy efficiency are also
benefits of many synthetic formulated oils.”
All base oils for industrial and retail
lubricants, including mineral oils from a
refinery, are split into five different categories,
according to the American Petroleum
Institute, Washington. Synthetic oils comprise
Groups III through V, with the latter two
categories originating from a chemical plant.
Mineral-based oils fall into the first three
categories. Group IV includes polyalphaole-
fins (PAO) and Group V is silicones, esters,
and glycols.
Synthetic lubricants work For worm-gear applications, Hermann
well in machines with Siebert, head of application engineering
small components that at Kluber Lubrication, Londonderry, NH,
operate at high tempera- recently conducted synthetic base testing on
tures or high rotations. how lower friction can improve efficiency.
Higher-end glycol-based synthetics show
DECEMBER 2015
SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
“significant friction reduction for worm gears
and produce lower energy consumption at
constant output power.” Additionally, the
testing indicated that, “when polyglycol
oils are used in heavily loaded worm gears,
temperature reductions by more than 40 C
and energy savings of 30% are realistic.”
For Group IV synthetics, such as PAOs,
Siebert noted “that these types could
be recommended for old gears in food
processing and pharmaceutical machinery
where compatibility with paints and seals of
unknown origin are a particular priority.”
Synthetic-lubricant performance has
shown dramatic step-change improvements
with viscosity and other performance charac-
teristics, but additives are the other part of the
equation. “Synthetic base oil doesn’t deplete,
but the additives can decompose and rigorous
lab analysis needs to be done by machinery
OEMs or third parties,” said Bannister. He
added, “If a manufacturer continually runs
equipment at 105% or 110% over its design
capacity, machines will fail, usually because of
a bearing issue due to a lubricant failure.”
Innovation through flexibility
Manteno, IL-based High Performance
Lubricants LLC (HPL), is a producer of
synthetic oils for industrial and retail
customers, with an emphasis on new formula
iterations. The company formulates synthetic
greases and lubricants from base oils—in
API’s Groups III through V—and chemically
processed additives. The synthetic additives
can include corrosion inhibitors, viscosity
index improvers, and anti-wear and extreme-
pressure additives.
“We were in lubrication distribution
before we ever decided to make our own
product,” said David Ward, principal at HPL.
“We wanted flexibility to be responsive to a
customer’s needs. One big advantage is being
able to produce multiple samples of an oil or
grease in days, instead of months.”
HPL differs from large lubricant producers
by providing smaller (1,000 to 3,000 gal.)
blends to customers. The company also offers
solutions to partners with limited knowledge
and bandwidth for lubrication.
HPL’s business model includes white-
labeling synthetic lubricants in the retail and
industrial industries, and developing custom
MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 21
SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
API Lubricant Classifications
Base Stock Group Sulphur, wt.%
Group I >0.03 and/or
Group II ≤0.03 and
Group III ≤0.03 and
Group IV All polyalphaolefins (PAO)
Group V All base stocks not included in Groups I to IV
The American Petroleum Institute separates base-stock lubricants into five groups.
formulations for National Hot Rod
Association (NHRA) race teams. The
company also formulates synthetics for
several NHRA teams and teams at other
levels of motor-sport racing.
“We recommend that customers
judge our performance via oil analysis
and field data,” said Ward. For manu-
facturing, HPL hires third-party oil
analysts to perform lubricant tests for
customers, providing essential feedback
for synthetic formulations.
The three-year old Manteno formula-
tion facility encompasses approximately
45,000 sq. ft. and houses a blending
area, warehouse, quality-control lab, and
offices. One of the first things you notice
upon entering the company’s lubricant
Racing and Testing
When you see hot rods and motorcycles
racing past spectators in a matter of
seconds, durability isn’t the first thing that
comes to mind. However, the legendary
National Hot Rod Association (NHRA)
Vance and Hines race team turned to High
Performance Lubricants (HPL), Manteno,
IL, in a quest to reduce its pro stock Suzuki
elapsed times.
“When we started with Vance and
Hines, we improved upon their previous
oil for their diamond-like coatings for their
cam followers but didn’t improve it to the
level they wanted to see,” said HPL’s David
Ward. “That’s racing; multiple iterations
until you get it right. We had to develop four
formulations to reach what the team was
looking for.”
Small changes to fully synthetic oils for
22 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Saturates, wt.% Viscosity Index
<90 80 to 120
≥90 80 to 120
≥90 >120
plant is its cleanliness.
“We’re climate controlled, so every-
thing is contained in the building and
nothing is susceptible to moisture,” said
Ward. “Everything that’s in the building
is clean, pure, and dry.” When oil and
additives are delivered to the building,
the raw materials are immediately
tested for cleanliness and how closely
they match the manufacturer’s sample
specifications.
The company invested $600,000 in
a state-of-the-art testing laboratory for
quality-control procedures and rapid
formulations. “We make blends quickly
and very accurately,” said Ward. “We
The NHRA Vance and Hines race team turned to HPL lubricants to help reduce
its pro stock Suzuki elapsed times. Photo: Vance and Hines
the various engine components can result
in small increases in horsepower, which
can be the difference between winning and
losing. Ward noted that some specialized,
traditional racing oils have inherent limita-
tions when it comes to higher heat, such as
120 to 130 F. Racing power and vacuum
can fall dramatically if vehicles exceed that
temperature range.
“Based on our success with the race
also blend by weight here, instead of
volume.” For example, HPL can blend
with a 1,000-gal. tank and have an
accuracy be within 0.1 lb.
“Our blend controllers are made by
Mettler Toledo, and we have the ability
to transmit the formula from the lab to
our blend tanks,” he stated. “The system
has the capability of recording every
ingredient that goes into a batch and
storing it in a database. If a customer
calls, we can enter the batch number
and, in 30 seconds, we can have a
full screen of information about that
formulation and product’s quality-
control data.”
High-performing synthetics from
HPL have helped a government fleet
of 14,000 vehicles realize savings from
increasing a 3,000-mile oil change
average to approximately 15,000 to
20,000 miles. For this fleet, the company
created an engine lubricant from a blend
of Group III, IV, and V base oils. The
fleet customer now uses a third of the
amount of oil it used in the previous
three years.
“If you formulate for quality
with better base oils and additives,
engines, Vance and Hines is about to
release a synthetic engine oil for street
vehicles that will be available in retail
stores,” added Ward.
Racing is a valuable development tool
for HPL: “It’s a catalyst for the company,
said Ward, “we see results very quickly
in racing and it allows us to implement
lessons learned in racing to our industrial
product line as a whole.”
DECEMBER 2015

A climate-controlled and ultra-clean facility help assure High
Performance Lubricant customers that their formulations will
perform as designed.
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SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
then you can actually save money based on performance,”
explained Ward.
Slicing the competition
Urschel Laboratories Inc., Chesterton, IN, produces several types
of food machinery. The 105-yr.-old company is known for its
slicing, dicing, and grinding food machines. “All of our machines
have rotating gears, knives, or blades,” said Mike Jacko, vice
president of engineering. “These simple-to-use machines are easy
to take apart, change cut sizes, reassemble, and keep sanitary.”
Urschel values continuous improvement and research and
design for its machines as the food industry rapidly changes.
Early in the company’s history, most of its machines used an
open-sleeve bearing design, with shafts leading through to
spindles that had knives attached to them.
About 20 years ago, Urschel’s designers adopted an internal
spindle design based on an enclosure that eliminated sanitary
issues. This design isolated internal moving parts from food. In
doing so, the design required new thinking on spindle lubricants.
“One of my projects included an all-purpose dicer that could
slice and dice anything from 0.28 to 0.70 in.,” said Jacko. “The
spindle had articulated knives with little cams and would rotate
at 12,000 rpm, and you had to pump grease basically every hour
to keep that spindle live.”
Stopping a machine on a food-plant floor every hour to
FROM PRUFTECHNIK
MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 23
SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS

grease a spindle isn’t an option conditions, and the desire to extend

for its customers. So, Urschel’s Synthetic lubricants
engineering team began testing are meeting and
different food-grade greases, from exceeding today's
higher-end synthetics to non-PAO performance
greases that contained clay. After two requirements.
months of exhaustive spindle testing
that included simulated food-plant
conditions, including water-contact
applications, the company chose the first
synthetic lubricant in its history.
“During testing, the machine’s spindle ran for 30
to 40 hours with the synthetic grease and did it under the worst
conditions—water and heat,” stated Jacko. “Going forward,
Urschel instructed clients that re-greasing could take place
every eight hours with the new synthetic product.”
Urschel has been sourcing Group IV synthetic grease lubri-
cants from HPL and, in the process, now offers food producers
private-label lubricants with considerable benchmarked,
performance data behind them. “There’s a big confidence level
when people talk about Urschel and our lubricants,” said Jacko.
His company’s equipment needs are just one example of
the demands that today’s manufacturing machinery places on
lubricants. The ability to protect bearings and gears at ever-
increasing speeds, often in harsh (heat, corrosion, moisture)
maintenance cycles have been—and will
continue to be—the major hurdles lubri-
cants must clear. In most applications,
industries have reached a point where
conventional mineral lubricants can no
longer measure up. Synthetic lubricants
are rapidly filling the void and, in many
cases, meeting and exceeding performance
requirements. MT
Grant Gerke is a business writer with more than 15 years
covering manufacturing and enterprise software, automation
platforms, packaging applications, and energy infrastructure.
LEARN For more information about lubricants,
visit the following URLs:
MORE
American Petroleum Institute: api.org
STLE: stle.org
What’s in a Lubricant Series: Synthetic Base Oils:
maintenancetechnology.com/?p=2372

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Realizing one automaker’s vision
required far more than replacing
legacy equipment with state-of-
the-art automation technologies.
Plant-floor electricians needed the
knowledge and new skills neces-
sary to operate and troubleshoot a
totally transformed control system.
TRAINING PROGRAM
Grows In-House Experts
LONG BEFORE THE bulldozers
arrived at its Michigan plant, one of
the world’s largest automobile manu-
facturers mapped out a master plan
to begin scrapping the aging control
systems and automated machines used
to build its vehicles in facilities world-
wide. The sequential launch of new
manufacturing technologies marked
the first major retooling in more than
a decade for many of the company's
plants. The overarching goal, however,
was far more strategic: create a
common automation platform—with
the most advanced vehicle technolo-
gies available—that would streamline
the manufacture of the company’s
21st-century cars and trucks.
A sophisticated, fully integrated,
controls-system architecture would lay
the foundation for the manufacturer’s
leaner factories of the future. However,
the automaker’s vision would require
DECEMBER 2015
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Graphic Caption
far more than replacing its legacy With one eye on a
equipment with state-of-the-art auto-
mation technologies. It would require bright manufacturing
equipping plant-floor electricians future and the other
with the knowledge and new skills on industry’s skilled-
necessary to operate and troubleshoot
the completely transformed control workforce crisis, an
system. American automotive
giant turned to a
The training model
Employee training has been a corner- customized, ongoing
stone of the company’s culture since its training program for
founding. Still, workforce development electricians in its plants
had historically been handled within
individual plants. When the company around the world.
brought in third-party trainers, Results have been
they typically were from equipment more than noteworthy.
manufacturers and focused solely on
teaching personnel how to operate
new, stand-alone technologies. Such Jane Alexander
training was often inefficient in that Managing Editor
it didn’t include information about
how the new components integrated
MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 25
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
In this ‘train-the-trainer’ model, selected
electricians would become subject-matter
experts on new equipment and, in turn, train
the crews with which they regularly worked.
with other elements in the production
system. Because of the magnitude of the
control-system overhaul, the company
needed a totally new curriculum for its
electricians. The training also had to be
designed to systematically roll out to
various plants over several years.
The company’s workforce team
established three additional key
tenets for the new electrician-training
program:
■ It must be customized to the
automaker’s new global controls
architecture.
■ It had to be sustainable, meaning
electricians across plants could use
the curriculum for the foreseeable
future, with only minor modifica-
tions when necessary.
■ The classes had to be conducted
in-house to maximize participation
and make the most of employee time.
The group decided the best way to
meet those goals was a unique “train-
the-trainer” model, in which selected
electricians would become subject-
matter experts on the new equipment
and, in turn, be capable of training
the crews with whom they regularly
worked. In short, each facility sought
to develop highly skilled individuals
who would teach their co-workers how
to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot
the new system. It was a tall order. The
automaker’s workforce team realized
they needed outside expertise to
develop and deliver this type of highly
specialized controls training.
Curriculum and process
In mid-2009, the automaker invited
Rockwell Automation, Milwaukee, to
bid on the electrician-training program.
The two companies already had a
long history of partnership. Rockwell
Automation had previously provided
26 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
workforce solutions at the automaker’s
various plants and was supplying much
of the company’s new production
technology. The automaker, though,
wanted a comprehensive program that
would also include training on the
company’s next-generation production
components from other vendors. It
also commissioned a custom simula-
tion workstation that would precisely
replicate the entire suite of new controls
and other integrated hardware and
software that electricians would operate
in the retooled plants.
In November 2009, the two compa-
nies assembled a multifaceted team
composed of their top training experts.
The group included the skilled-trades
technical-training team at one of the
automaker’s Michigan facilities—the
launch site for the new production
technologies.
For the next six months, the team
worked at the plant to develop the
control architecture systems-integration
course to educate electricians about
all of the new company-specific
hardware and software components
in its integrated system. In its role as
project managers, Rockwell Automa-
tion employees worked with third-party
vendors to incorporate content about
its technologies into the curriculum.
Rockwell Automation representatives
also hired instructors with specialized
competence in specific aspects of
vehicle production, such as the plant's
paint process.
“We weren’t experts in all of the
technology, but we are experts in how
to manage large workforce solutions,”
said Glenn Goldney, manager, Global
Workforce Solutions at Rockwell
Automation. “Our job was to make sure
the electricians could seamlessly take
the skills they learned in the classroom
and apply them on the plant floor.”
As the course content neared
completion, the automaker selected a
handful of the Michigan plant’s most
experienced and skilled electricians to
form the inaugural train-the-trainer
class. Their first lessons were truly
hands-on: The electricians worked with
the Rockwell Automation team to build
four custom simulators. These 360-deg.
workstations—each about the size of a
refrigerator and equipped with wheels
for easy transport—contained all of the
next-generation hardware components
on racks, just as electricians would later
see them on the plant floor.
New instructors take control
The training team also developed
customized lab exercises to correspond
directly with the hardware and software
configuration of the control simulators.
Once the simulators were set
up, the skilled electricians became
full-time students. Led by a Rockwell
Automation instructor, they studied the
curriculum for more than three weeks.
Then, each trainer-in-training took
turns co-teaching the 120-hr. course
alongside a Rockwell Automation
instructor for 12 weeks. Their students
were small groups of fellow electricians.
Eventually, the instructor trainees
taught the course solo, and were
evaluated and certified by a Rockwell
Automation instructor.
In total, the trainers-in-training
spent 30 weeks immersed in the
educational process. Focusing on how
to operate the new controls-system
architecture, the core courses included
DECEMBER 2015
 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

training on industrial-Ethernet
networking, which formed the back- LEARN For more information on various manufacturing trends
bone of the new system. Information MORE and strategies, including those associated with new
on "softer" teaching skills was also technologies and workforce development, visit:
provided, including tips on topics
ranging from public speaking to sme.org isa.org
composing PowerPoint presentations. mapi.net iienet2.org
The result: The Michigan plant produced sae.org rockwellautomation.com
four qualified in-house expert instruc-
tors and 36 trained electricians.
By that time, the old automation
equipment had been bulldozed at the
Michigan plant to make way for the new
technology—and the 36 newly trained
electricians were ready to take control of
it. Meanwhile, the original four in-house
trainers were teaching the new courses
to their peers at the Michigan plant.
According to Glenn Goldney, as
Rockwell Automation's training role
in Michigan neared completion, the
automaker’s management team issued REDUCE
SIMPLIFY &
an assignment for the next site. Others
followed. “The same process was
replicated at the Kentucky facility and

in six additional plants,” he recalled.
“In conjunction with each plant’s
leadership, we identify the electricians
who will participate, build another set
of workstations, and then kick off the
train-the-trainer program.”
Continuing payback
So far, more than 1,500 electricians
have gone through the automaker’s
new training regimen at sites across
North America, including assembly and
stamping plants in three other cities.
Electricians from as far away as India
have traveled to the United States to
become instructors.
While 90% of the original curriculum
is still in use, electrician training
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DECEMBER 2015 MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 27

LUBRICATION STRATEGIES

Consider Ken Bannister

MEch Eng (UK)
CMRP, MLE

Lubricant Temperature Contributing Editor

Temperature is critical to the performance and life expectancy

of lubricants and the components they protect.

IN THE LUBRICATION WORLD, temperature

presents an interesting paradox and irony.
Lubricants must be
The paradox is that lubricants require heat to flow
tailored and managed
efficiently over and around surfaces, most commonly
to specific needs
bearings. However, if the temperature gets too hot
and conditions.
(exceeds 210 F), lubricants tend to undergo chemical
changes that can drastically reduce life expectancy.
Conversely, if the temperature becomes too cold, a
lubricant will thicken and lose its ability to lubricate
bearing surfaces. The irony is that lubricating oil is
designed not merely to separate and lubricate a bearing
surface, it’s also designed to absorb and carry away
frictional heat from the bearing surface.
While the old adage “oil is oil and grease is grease”
may have been true in agrarian societies of yesteryear,
things have changed. To guarantee asset availability
and reliability in today’s complex, high-speed indus-
trial environments, lubricants must be tailored and
managed to their machine-host’s specific needs and
operating conditions. flows easily. Again, temperature can have a dramatic impact
The fundamental reason for lubrication is to provide a film on lubricant viscosity. A high-temperature condition,
that reduces friction between two, often metal, surfaces. If the depending on the load in the bearing area, could easily
film is insufficient, the surfaces collide and transfer energy, collapse the film thickness of a low-viscosity product and
resulting in rapid heat buildup and metal expansion, which create a metal-to-metal contact or “boundary layer” condition
further retards motion until both surfaces eventually weld to detrimental to the bearing and the lubricant.
one another. To avoid this worst-case scenario, the ideal intent Avoiding this situation means choosing a lubricant
is to guarantee the correct lubricant is available in sufficient viscosity designed for the maximum operating temperature
quantity to consistently separate the moving surfaces. expected in the bearing area. This is achieved by paying
This ensures that temperatures stay below the magic 210 F particular attention to a lubricant’s viscosity index (VI). The
operating temperature. VI measures the rate of viscosity change due to temperature.
Better-quality lubricants have a more-desirable, narrow rate
of viscosity change over a standard temperature range and
Lubricant choice allow good flow at low temperatures while maintaining their
Choosing the correct lubricant for a bearing means thickness at higher temperatures. Generally speaking, the
selecting one that best matches the ambient and operating higher the VI, the more stable and desirable the lubricant.
temperatures and conditions under which the component In cold-temperature conditions, hydrocarbon-based oil can
will function. This also means choosing a lubricant with the thicken to the point at which it will no longer pour, largely
correct viscosity and additive package. due to its wax content. More expensive hydro-treated and
Viscosity—arguably a lubricant’s most important attri- synthetic-based oils will largely resolve this problem, or the
bute—is a measure of its resistance to flow. A highly viscous user can heat the oil reservoir to a temperature that will allow
oil is thick and resists flow. A low-viscosity oil is thin and it to flow again.

28 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015

 LUBRICATION STRATEGIES

Fig. 1. Operating Temperature vs. Oil Life process that occurs when
Life of Oil in Years entrained air compresses and
35 heats up according to Boyle’s
law) of entrained air bubbles in
pumps, bearings, and pressur-
30
ized hydraulic and lubricating
systems. The resulting heat causes
25 the lubricant to decompose and
its corresponding hydrogen loss
20 to create carbon-rich particles in
the form of sludge and carbon
15
deposits. This leads to a decrease
in lubricant viscosity indicated
by dark fluid with greasy
10 suspensions that smell of burned
food, and evidence of coking
5 and varnishing on the bearing
surfaces.
0 Once a lubricant has failed, the
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 °C molecular-change state is usually
32 50 70 85 105 120 140 160 175 195 210 230 °F irreversible. At the very least,
this situation calls for a lubricant
Operating Temperature change.
Oil-analysis programs monitor
For every 18-deg. F (10-deg. C) increase in oil temperature, the lubricant’s life is reduced lubricant conditions and alert
by half. Lowering oil temperature by the same rate doubles a lubricant’s life. This chart users to possible failures before
shows the dramatic difference in the expected life of oil as it is subjected to temperature. they occur. The propensity of a
lubricant to fail can be checked
by subjecting a sample of it to a
rotary pressure vessel oxidation
Heat-related lubricant failure oxygen reacts with the lubricant base test (RPVOT). By simulating
In the late 19th century, the Swedish oil. Anti-foaming and anti-oxidant failure through a speeded-up oxidation
Nobel Laureate Svante Arrhenius additives, if present in the oil, are process, this test can provide a good
discovered a direct relationship designed to slow the process. Once they indication of a lubricant’s suitability. It
between temperature change and the are depleted, however, the rate of oxida- also can predict remaining life in virgin
chemical-reaction rate in fluids that tion will accelerate, especially in the and used oil samples.
he put into an equation known as the presence of water and reactive bearing
Arrhenius rule. As summed up in materials such as copper and iron.
the following statement, this rule is In an oxidized state, hydrocarbon Prevent temperature-
used in the lubrication field to express molecules in the oil will transform into related failures
the temperature-change-dependent a greasy sludge containing harmful, Whether your lubricant choice is
failure rate of oils: “For every 18-deg. F corrosive acids. These will cause the grease or oil, once the correct product
(10-deg. C) increase in oil temperature, oil to degrade and lose its lubricating is chosen and employed it will require
the lubricant’s life is reduced by half.” properties, effects that are manifested assistance from the maintainer to
Conversely, reducing oil temperature by by an increase in lubricant viscosity, ensure that it has a fighting chance to
the same rate doubles the lubricant’s life specific gravity, acidity (TAN), rapid perform and deliver a reasonable life
(see Fig. 1). additive depletion, darkening of the oil, expectancy. This can be achieved by
Two predominant failure mecha- a “rotten egg” odor, and varnishing of implementing some of the following
nisms occur as oil heats up. The most the bearing surfaces. best practices:
common is categorized as oxidation Thermal failure can occur when S Keep lubricant transfer-delivery
failure and the lesser categorized as localized/external heat is transferred to systems immaculately clean. This
thermal failure. the lubricant or through the adiabatic prevents the ingress of solid contami-
Oxidation failure occurs when compression (a thermodynamic nation that can create sludge, raise

DECEMBER 2015 MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 29

LUBRICATION STRATEGIES

lubricant viscosity, and accelerate the oxidation process.
S Ensure the oil/grease delivery method/system is tuned
to provide the correct amount of lubrication in a timely
manner. Over-lubrication will create fluid-friction heat,
compounded by the bearing ball/rollers working overtime
to mechanically push through the excess lubricant. Both
conditions cause the lubricant to heat up rapidly. Under-
lubrication can allow the bearing to go into boundary
lubrication, creating surface interaction frictional heat that
can “cook” the lubricant.
S Maintain the oil reservoir level between the minimum
(“MIN”) and maximum (“MAX”) fluid level to prevent
cavitation in the oil pump or oil churn in the reservoir.
Either can result in air bubbles accelerating the oxidation
process.
S Keep oil reservoirs clean and free of debris. Dirt, dust, and
debris can create the effect of a thermal blanket and raise the
temperature of the oil inside the reservoir.
S Ensure the integrity of shaft seals. Poor shaft seals lead to
excessive lubricant leakage that can quickly result in an
under-lubrication state.
S Implement a lubricant test-and-control process to ensure
that incompatible lubricants are not mixed together in the
same bearing space, something that can lead to a variety of
detrimental conditions, including overheating.
S Where hydrocarbon-base lubricants are employed in cold-
weather climates, use timed block heaters or blanket-wrap
element heaters for reservoir and drum/pail heating. If a
lubricant is to protect a bearing surface it must readily flow
across the bearing. MT
Lubrication expert Ken Bannister is principal consultant with
EngTech Industries, Innerkip, Ontario. The author of Lubrica-
tion for Industry and the Lubrication Section of the 28th
Edition of Machinery’s Handbook (both Industrial Press, South
Norwalk, CT), contact him at kbannister@engtechindustries.com.
To learn more, see:
LEARN MORE
“Lubricant Life-Cycle Management”
maintenancetechnology.com/?p=3122
“Winter Words: Lubrication Advice for Ensuring Desired
Levels of Plant-Equipment Performance Year-Round”
maintenancetechnology.com/?p=5157
“The Lowdown on Lubricants for Roller Bearings”
maintenancetechnology.com/?p=1223
“Certification Matters: Review of Bearing Principles”
maintenancetechnology.com/?p=1682

Ultrasound World & Reliable Asset World

Two worlds with one mission: improved reliability, asset health
and increased profits. Here’s your chance to learn, network &
grow professionally. Register for one, get access to both events!

“The one idea you need is waiting here for you.”

Come join us on
May 10th - 13th, 2016 in Clearwater Beach, FL

info@uesystems.com
800-223-1325
Intl: +914-592-1220

30 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015

MAINTENANCE
TECHNOLOGY
THE SOURCE FOR RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS

Manufacturing-system reliability
begins and ends in the plant. But a
major role in any journey's success
is played by the companies
that provide the products and
services that help maintenance/
reliability professionals reach their
goals. The annual Maintenance
Technology Corporate Profile
provides insight into what some
of the major providers have
accomplished in the past year and
have planned for the near future.
Learn more on the following pages.

2015
CORPORATE PROFILE
2015 CORPORATE PROFILE

AutomationDirect

A
utomationDirect is a
distributor of thousands of
industrial automation products
including Programmable Logic
Controllers (PLCs), AC drives/motors,
operator interface panels/HMI, power
supplies, DC motors, sensors, push
buttons, NEMA enclosures, pneumatic
supplies, and much more. In business
since 1994, the company headquarters
is located just north of Atlanta.

Our Prices Are Low

Our prices are well below the list price of
more traditional automation companies
because with our business model and
focus on efficiency, AutomationDirect
has the lowest overhead in the industry.

We Make Ordering Easy

and Our Service is Exceptional
Shop online with our exhaustive product
listings or browse our online catalog;
fax or phone us–you’ll get friendly,
efficient service from the most helpful
sales team in the business. Independent We Guarantee It
surveys completed by readers of Control We want you to be pleased with every order. That’s
Design magazine placed us at the top why we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on
for service 15 years in a row in their almost every stock product we sell, including our
Readers’ Choice awards. Other surveys software (see Terms and Conditions for certain
by magazines such as Control Engineering exclusions). For more information, contact us at
and Control have echoed the results. 800-633-0405 or visit www.automationdirect.com.

We Ship Super Fast

(and FREE on Orders Over $49)
The majority of our products are
stocked for same-day shipping, when
you place your order by 6 p.m. ET
(with approved company credit or
credit card). Plus, you get free two-day
(transit) shipping on orders over $49
US within the U.S., Canada, and Puerto AutomationDirect
Rico; shipped via ground service or LTL 3505 Hutchinson Road
(certain heavy items are excluded). Cumming, GA
P: 800-633-0405
automationdirect.com

32 CORPORATE PROFILE / DECEMBER 2015


IDCON
E
xcellent leadership is the very
essential success factor for lasting
results of any improvement initia-
tive an organization undertakes,
including improvements of Reliability
and Maintenance performance.
As a leader you need to create an orga-
nization of disciples that will follow you
to make your vision or future
organization a reality. It is
very important to develop
and communicate your
beliefs to your organization.
These beliefs will guide
your organization on its
journey towards your goals.
As maintenance and
reliability consultants,
IDCON developed our
core beliefs to guide us when we are
developing reliability and maintenance
work processes strategies for our clients.
Christer Idhammar, our founder, devel-
oped these beliefs using common sense
and applied them to our Results Oriented
Reliability and Maintenance Philosophy.
What the Future Holds
We see the trend of advanced technology
continuing to change how maintenance
teams do their tasks. However, while tech-
nology is a great tool, it cannot replace the
improvement value of following the best
practices maintenance work processes:
 Preventive Maintenance &
Essential Care and Monitoring
 Planning and Scheduling
 Materials and Spare Parts Management
 Root Cause Problem Elimination
One area of concern is the number of
vital maintenance and operations profes-
sionals retiring in the next five years. It is
important that organizations communi-
cate with these veterans to gather their
knowledge and have clear work manage-
ment processes in place before they exit.
When you bring on new team members,
leadership must communicate the vision,
expectations, and the processes. It is
DECEMBER 2015 / CORPORATE PROFILE
CORPORATE PROFILE
well known that
people cannot
use advanced
precision skills in
a reactive environ-
ment, therefore
it is critical
for work processes to be ingrained
in the organization.
One of our core beliefs is that
the right people are an organiza-
tion’s most vital asset.
Where Assessments and Education
in Best Practices Fit In
Every organization has room for
improvement in their work management
processes. In many organizations the
waste in operations and maintenance
systems is huge. IDCON’s definition
of waste is the difference between
how things could be and how they
are; waste is typically 20% to 60%.
An objective assessment identifies the
opportunities to reduce/eliminate the
waste. IDCON’s assessment uses 200+
objective questions that evaluate nine key
areas from leadership and organization to
tools. Once the assessment is complete,
your organization is given detailed
findings and recommendations for
getting quick wins and long-term results.
Some benefits of implementing
best practices in reliability and main-
tenance include overall production
quality, energy savings, and reduction
of overall maintenance costs.
2015
Education in best practices of
maintenance management makes a
significant difference in how your
organization approaches your improve-
ment goals. We’ve seen many organiza-
tions create improvement initiatives
that “die on the vine” because they do
not create the environment for change
through communication and the right
kind of education. Our approach uses
a combination of customized formal
training to create the awareness of best
practices and on-the-job coaching that
focuses on “Why, What, and How” and
builds the buy-in across the organization.
Long-term Customer Success
An organization cannot have long-term
success without a partnership between
Operations, Maintenance, Engineering,
and Stores. All are stakeholders in the
organization and it is essential each
group buys-in to any improvement
initiative in reliability and maintenance.
IDCON Inc.
8081 Arco Corporate Dr. #320
Raleigh, NC
P: 919-847-8764
idcon.com
info@idcon.com
33
2015 CORPORATE PROFILE

LUDECA Inc.

L
UDECA is a leading provider
of Preventive (PM), Predictive
(PdM), and Proactive Condi-
tion Monitoring Solutions,
including machinery laser alignment,
ultrasonic testing, vibration analysis,
and balancing equipment, along
with software, rentals, services, and
training. The company is pleased to
announce the recent addition of SDT
ultrasound products to its existing
PdM technology product palette.
LUDECA's goal is to be the premier
provider of reliability solutions
and technologies to industry. The
company’s years of experience and
wealth of knowledge in these areas
make it possible to offer the very best
service and support to customers.
LUDECA is, and seeks to remain,
the leading supplier of laser shaft and (RLI) Mapped Services and Training (Flatness and Straightness measure-
geometric alignment systems and (MSAT). As such, it provides training ment), Machinery Positional
laser sheave alignment tools, as well as and services aligned with the Reli- Change, and Ultrasonic testing
ultrasonic, vibration, and condition abilityweb® Uptime Elements™ for the and applications, among others.
monitoring systems to industry. Its Alignment/Balancing (Ab) and Ultra- To support the SMRP and
commitment to customers goes far sound Testing (Ut) sectors under the MSAT programs and better serve
beyond just supplying equipment; Asset Condition Management (ACM) customers with their maintenance
it works closely with them to ensure domain, as well as continuing-educa- and reliability needs, LUDECA
each customer develops the best tion training programs for precision recently certified 25 team members as
reliability strategies and infrastructure shaft alignment of rotating equipment Certified Reliability Leaders (CRL),
possible to derive the maximum benefit and precision balancing as part of and has embarked on a Reliability
from their technology CAPEX. reliability and physical asset manage- Journey to educate customers on
It is not enough to just supply equip- ment mapped to SMRP’s Equipment the benefits of proactive precision
ment, however; LUDECA also trains Reliability Body of Knowledge Pillar. maintenance as a key step on the road
customers in how to correctly use and “We are excited to be part of these to world-class reliability excellence.
efficiently implement it into their reli- programs and thereby be better able
ability efforts. LUDECA also services to assist the ACM community in
the equipment it sells when needed. their quest to eliminate machine
All of this strengthens LUDECA’s defects in applying precision align-
reputation as a true reliability partner ment and balancing techniques,”
and best-in-class technology supplier, stated Ana Maria Delgado, CRL,
thereby creating and maintaining Marketing Manager for LUDECA. LUDECA INC.
long-lasting customer relationships. In addition to Precision Align- Alignment | Vibration | Balancing | Ultrasound
LUDECA is proud to announce ment and Balancing training courses, 1425 N.W. 88 Avenue
that it is now an Approved Provider LUDECA offers hands-on training Doral, FL
for SMRP (Society for Maintenance courses for Vibration Analysis, Bore P: 305-591-8935
& Reliability Professionals), and Alignment for turbines, engines, F: 305-591-1537
for Reliability Leadership Institute and pumps, Geometric Alignment ludeca.com

34 CORPORATE PROFILE / DECEMBER 2015


PdMA® Corporation
W
hen you think of
predictive mainte-
nance, electric motor
testing, condition
monitoring, energy cost analysis,
or motor circuit analysis training,
if you don’t think of PdMA®
Corporation, you should!
The industry leader and innovator,
PdMA® has over 30 years experience
in the predictive maintenance
and condition monitoring
field. Our corporate
leadership team has over
200 combined years of
industry experience, 110
of those directly within
PdMA. In addition to
the leadership team,
we have representatives
around the world to help
you determine the best
equipment for your needs.
PdMA® Corporation’s predic-
tive maintenance (PdM) and condition
monitoring solutions allow manufac-
tures to utilize advanced testing tools,
review analyses and reports generated
from data gathered, and manage
information using an integrated system.
The lifespan of motor assets can be opti-
mized using PdMA’s solutions. Optimal
motor management and maintenance
improves reliability, ensures the best
return on asset values, decreases down-
time, and effectively establishes more
cost-effective manufacturing. PdMA
helps manufacturers effectively manage
their equipment and reach their goals.
PdMA’s solutions assist
customers with:
 Maximizing maintenance effi-
ciency through regular scheduled
maintenance at convenient times
 Minimizing production losses
by identifying minor prob-
lems before they contribute to
catastrophic motor failure
DECEMBER 2015 / CORPORATE PROFILE
CORPORATE PROFILE
 Decreasing operating costs by
scheduling downtime and repairs
during off-peak demand times
 Increasing profitability through
reducing operating costs
and production losses
 Easy access to report functions
which allow data mining, cost
analysis, and inventory control
 Integrating third-party applications
for easy reporting and analysis
 Communicating easily through
database synchronization
 Increasing return on investments
(ROI) by maintaining assets
Our MCE® (offline), EMAX
(online), and MCEMAX® (offline/
online) testers are utilized by a variety
of industries around the world, such
as Aerospace, Automotive, Cement,
Field Service, Manufacturing,
Mining, Petro/Chemical, Pulp/Paper,
Steel/Aluminum, and Utilities.
All testers are designed to monitor
and trend the condition of AC induc-
2015
tion, synchronous, wound rotor,
and DC motors and their circuits.
Among the testing capabilities are:
power quality, power circuit, stator,
rotor, insulation, and air gap. The new
M-series tester also has the ability to
perform a Six Channel In-Rush test and
to automatically verify the MTAP and
asset are correctly linked for testing.
Designed to increase safety (PPE
not required) and reduce connection
time for online motor testing the
MTAP2® and MTAP3, motor test
ports, allow you to capture data
quickly to determine motor health.
PdMA® also offers a variety of
training courses both at the user’s site
and in their state-of-the-art-training
facility in Tampa, Florida. In addition
to the training courses, Regional User
Group Meetings and free workshops
are conducted throughout the year
in locations around the world. Free
video tutorials on the Six Fault Zones
and other predictive maintenance
related topics are available on the
PdMA® website (www.pdma.com).
PdMA® Corporation
5909-C Hampton Oaks Parkway
Tampa, FL
P: 800-476-6463
pdma.com
35
2015 CORPORATE PROFILE
Superior Signal Company LLC
AccuTrak® Ultrasonic
Instruments: a Unique
Combination of Versatility,
Performance & Value
Superior Signal Company, a
leader in leak detection for
more than 60 years, introduced
the revolutionary AccuTrak®
line of ultrasonic instruments
over 25 years ago. AccuTrak®
Ultrasonic instruments are used
for a variety of Equipment &
Plant Maintenance applications
in addition to leak detection,
help diagnose faults, as well as
save resources and money.
Maintenance & Reliability
The Superior AccuTrak® VPX-WR is a
truly unique and innovative instrument
optimized to detect compressed air
leaks, gas and refrigerant leaks of any
kind, vacuum leaks, find electric arc and
corona, and diagnose other mechanical
faults in real-world industrial conditions.
Rugged and waterproof, the VPX-WR
is engineered and built for reliable use
in all types of harsh field environments.
Sealed controls, indicators, and plugs
make the unit 100% water tight and
impervious to steam, oil, fumes, dust,
etc., allowing the instrument to be used
in hostile environments where other
instruments fail. The advanced digital
circuitry and sensor are housed in a hard
anodized aluminum case, surrounded by
a padded grip for durability and longevity
that is unmatched by any competitors.
Compressed Air Savings
The VPX-WR detects compressed air
and gas leaks from a distance, and then
enables the user to pinpoint the exact
location of the leak. The instrument’s
patented Dynamic Noise Discrimination
(DND) technology scans a broad range
of ultrasound (20 to 100 kHz) allowing
operators to find leaks faster and more
reliably, without the guesswork of manual
36
tuning. Nearly all industrial facilities
have numerous compressed air leaks,
with larger facilities typically wasting
over $100,000 a year! The VPX-WR is
the preferred instrument for Air Leak
Survey Professionals all over the world.
The Superior AccuTrak® VPE-2000
Ultrasonic instrument is also a versatile
tool for a great variety of Equipment
& Plant Maintenance functions. The
VPE-2000 is uniquely designed with
two separate specialized sensors, each
supported by dedicated circuitry
configured to maximize the performance
and function for many different applica-
tions. One sensor is dedicated to airborne
ultrasound, to detect compressed
air and gas leaks, refrigerant leaks,
vacuum leaks, electric arc and corona,
gasket leaks, and other applications.
Predictive Maintenance–Bearings,
Valves, Steam Traps
Superior AccuTrak® VPE-2000 contains
a second sensor attached to a contact
probe to “hear” internal ultrasound inside
valves, equipment, and machinery. With
this probe sensor the VPE-2000 can
effectively be used to assess and diagnose
bearings, valves, pumps, steam traps,
and many other mechanical systems.
Maximum Versatility for Mainte-
nance Professionals
The VPE-2000 is two instruments
in one, providing optimum sound
clarity and frequency response for
any application. Full digital control
allows the user to switch between the
airborne and contact sensors while
retaining all settings in memory,
saving time and money. The bar
graph LED indicator allows quick
assessments, while the alphanumeric
readout provides the information to
establish baselines, perform trending,
and obtain repeatability that no
analog instrument can match.
The VPE-2000 is an essential tool
for any maintenance professional
who needs to monitor and maintain
motors, pumps, bearings, steam traps,
electrical equipment, compressed air
systems, vacuum systems, compressed gas
systems, refrigeration systems, or boilers.
Proudly Made in the USA
All Superior AccuTrak® Instruments are
all made in the USA, to the highest
quality standards, providing higher
performance at a lower cost than other
competitive products. The VPX-WR
and the VPE-2000 each come in a
premium protective hard case, with a full
complement of accessories. Learn more
about Superior AccuTrak® Instruments
for Plant Maintenance Applications
at www.SuperiorSignal.com/MT.
Superior Signal Co. LLC
P.O. Box 96, Spotswood, NJ
P: 732-251-0800
SuperiorSignal.com/MT
info@superiorsignal.com
CORPORATE PROFILE / DECEMBER 2015
 CORPORATE PROFILE 2015
Test Products International Inc. (TPI)
Test Products International Inc. (TPI) offers expandable and affordable CBM systems.

T
he 9041 Ultra II is the latest
vibration analyzer and field
balancer from TPI (Test Products
Intl, Inc.). The Ultra II vibration
analyzer automatically detects out of
balance, misalignment and looseness
as well as bearing defects. The Ultra II
works both in route mode and meter
mode with all data automatically
transferable to the C-Trend II PC
trending software. Ultra II is cloud-ready.
The single and dual plane balancing
software makes simple work of correcting
the most common cause of bearing
wear in rotating machinery with many
tools usually only found on high cost
units such as live vector, drill depth
calculator and test weight prediction.
Although easy to use, the Ultra II
has a wealth of remarkable features
including up to 20 mHz frequency
resolution and an FFT with up to
51,200 lines. This combined with user
settable sampling frequency, demodula- parameter (temperature, pressure, or Ultra II and 9080K1 are cloud-ready
tion filters as well as configurable cursors other) along with user configurable for TPI’s DataDecypher software.
make the analyzer a match for any task. inspections for anything from machine The TPI Ultra II vibration analyzer
The high-resolution color touchscreen, safety to lubrication inspections. When and field balancer PLUS the 9080K1
long battery life, and IP67 protection it comes to reporting, C-Trend II has vibration analyzer PLUS C-Trend
makes it easy to use in any environment. user configurable reports including II make the complete expandable
For accurate run speed calculation detailed exception reports. Email and affordable CBM system.
the Ultra II also ships with an optical addresses can be assigned to machines
LED strobe and a laser tachometer, or locations and exception reports
both of which connect directly to a automatically sent out to minimize
BNC input so the data stays with the the need for human intervention.
vibration measurement. Optionally, the Not only does C-Trend II sync with
TPI 377BT IR temperature meter can the Ultra II, but also with the market
automatically connect over Bluetooth to leading 9080K1 vibration analyzer.
save critical temperature measurements. Users of the Ultra II and C-Trend II
C-Trend II PC software, based can now also add low cost ($1495)
on a hierarchical SQL database, 9080K1 units to their CBM program
allows the user to configure assets to maximize the use of the system.
and create routes for vibration data as The 9080K1 includes a color LCD
well as general-purpose inspections. screen and industry standard IEPE
This allows trending of all standard accelerometer and can display an FFT
vibration parameters including ISO, complete with cursor as well as standard
g, demodulation and user definable ISO and g information. Now it can Test Products International
frequency bands as well as any process also share Ultra II route data! Both the testproductsintl.com

DECEMBER 2015 / CORPORATE PROFILE 37

2015 CORPORATE PROFILE
Yaskawa America Inc.
Be Capable of More
with Yaskawa
As a machine builder or equipment user
you have limited time, limited resources,
and tight deadlines. You need a supplier
that cannot only deliver the right
products, services, and solutions, but can
also deliver consistently and reliably. For
100 years, Yaskawa has been providing
cutting-edge automation technology,
operational excellence, and a breadth of
engineering expertise to help customers
solve their specific motion challenges.
 Products that Perform: With
Yaskawa, you have access to solu-
tions that provide real impact on
your equipment effectiveness.
You have the confidence that your
machines will work as expected
every time, and give you a competi-
tive advantage in the market.
 Operational Excellence: Yaskawa
empowers you to consistently deliver
reliable equipment to your cus-
tomers, and have that equipment
38
continue to operate without
unscheduled downtime.
 Engineering Expertise:
Yaskawa works as an exten-
sion of your engineering
staff to provide you with the time,
resources, and confidence to create
elegant, reliable automation.
Drives & Motion Products
Our broad product range of rotary,
linear, and direct drive motors matched
with digital SERVOPACKS (3W to
55kW) can be matched with our single
or multi-axis machine controllers for
a system with the best quality and
reliability in the industry. Our AC
inverter drives cover every application
need in the industrial plant, offering
the greatest selection of size and
performance available, with power ranges
from fractional HP to 16,000 HP.
Robotics
With over 300,000 robots installed
Yaskawa is the leading global manu-
facturer of low and medium voltage AC
inverter drives, AC servo systems, machine
controllers, and industrial robots. Our
standard products, as well as tailor-made
solutions, are well known and have a high
reputation for quality and reliability.
worldwide, Yaskawa is committed to
a comprehensive, customer-centered
approach in robotic solutions. Our line
of industrial robots increases efficiency,
provides consistent quality, and boosts
productivity to deliver outstanding
ROI. The Yaskawa Robotic product
portfolio ranges from 4 to15 axis
industrial robots with load capacities
of 2 to 800 kg to special machines,
devices, and turnkey systems.
Yaskawa America Inc.
2121 Norman Drive South
Waukegan, IL
P: 800-YASKAWA or
847-887-7000
yaskawa.com
CORPORATE PROFILE / DECEMBER 2015
 3D PRINTING
MAINTENANCE+RELIABILITY
CENTER
Answer Five
Questions
Before Printing
MRO Parts
Creating a replacement part with
a 3D printer may seem like the best
solution, but basic due-diligence
may reveal a better approach.
Jane Alexander
Managing Editor
SO YOUR MAINTENANCE department finally
has its own 3D printer. Congratulations. Now
what? Former manufacturing executive Andy Urda
calls this technology the future of maintenance.
That may be so, but only if it is used appropriately
and correctly. 3D printing is not a one-size-fits-all
type of solution. Urda suggests that you answer the
following questions before attempting to print a
repair part. Otherwise, you could be wasting time,
energy, and resources.
Andrew Urda has spent more than 25 years in
industry, including managing divisions of global
companies and turning under-performing teams
into overachievers. For more information, email
urda.andy@gmail.com.
40 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Used appropriately and correctly, 3D printing can provide benefits for a maintenance
department. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Can you buy the replacement part at a reasonable price and
obtain it in a reasonable time?
If the answer is yes, 3D printing is not your best option. If the answer is no,
anwswer the next two questions.
What material, tolerances, and finish are needed for the part to
function properly?
The availability and types of 3D printing materials are expanding, opening up
new applications daily. As materials technology advances, tolerances and finishes
are also improving. There are also several options for processing the finished part
to achieve desired tolerances or finishes.
If you don’t know the original part’s material, tolerance, and finish require-
ments, you’ll have to figure them out, which may require expending more time
than your operations can afford. Urda explains that, while experimentation is
great for labs and universities, it may not be the best approach for maintenance
departments where the goal is to fix things right the first time, every time—and,
usually, quickly.
Will you have any legal issues if you re-create the part? Simply put,
will you be violating patents or purchase agreements?
Upon validating that you can legally print the part, have the correct material,
and meet the tolerance requirements (whether directly off the printer or through
post-processing), proceed to the next question.
If the part is metal, would machining it—on-site or at an off-site
shop—be faster and cheaper than attempting to print it?
3D printing is new, exciting, and presents a sense osf immediacy. But, for metal
parts, don’t be surprised if the old-fashioned way isn’t the best/most economical
way to make a quality part that meets specifications.
Is the part design available in a common CAD format?
Once you have answered the previous questions and chosen to go forward, keep
in mind that your part design must be available in a common CAD format. If
it’s not, it must be 3D scanned to capture its physical attributes. This process can
be accomplished whether the complete part is available (intact) or can be pieced
together with multiple scans. Mastering this technique, however, may call for
significant time and skills. If not enough of a part is available for scanning, your
only choice is to re-engineer it—which could take even more time.
As soon as you have the CAD file, though, you can download it to your printer
and print. After the part is printed it may require additional refinements, such as
post-machining, to achieve the necessary tolerance/finish. MT
Recommended Reading
Andy Urda notes that only time will ■ impossible-objects.com
tell if bins of parts in maintenance ■ energy.gov/eere/amo/3d-printed-
departments will someday be replaced shelby-cobra
by 3D printers and vats of materials to ■ matter.media.mit.edu/tools/details/
print. He recommends these links for
multimaterial-3d-printed-valve
further reading on 3D printing:
DECEMBER 2015
 POWER-TRANSMISSION TIPS
To assess a gear’s condition, you must first determine its type/hardness. Any degree of visible
pitting, i.e., wear, on a case-hardened gear is cause for concern. A through-hardened gear,
however, can take a tremendous amount of wear before you need to begin worrying about failure.
Header
Text
Hardness,
Lubrication,
Are Keys
To Gear
Inspection
To realize maximum life from the
gears and reducers in your plant,
pay attention to their metallurgies
and the operating viscosities of their
lubricants.
Neville Sachs, P.E.
IN A TYPICAL FACILITY, gears are usually
the most common method of transmitting
power and changing shaft speeds. Vast
numbers of equipment systems, from cooling
towers to paper machines, will rapidly grind to
a halt if their gears aren’t kept in good condi-
tion. Gear hardness and lubricant viscosity are
two factors in the health of these components.
Neville Sachs has spent many years working in the field of machinery reliability and lubrication for a wide range of
industries. The author of two books on failure analysis and a contributor of sections to others, he has also written more
than 40 articles on these topics. A Registered Professional Engineer, Sachs holds STLE’s CLS certification, among others.
Contact him at sachscracks@att.net.
DECEMBER 2015
Metal hardness concerns
Understanding gear hardness is an
important first maintenance step.
This is necessary because of the very
different metallurgies commonly
used in these components and
their varying damage tolerances.
Case-hardened gears (also called
surface-hardened gears) have an
extremely hard outer layer over a
tough, yet softer, core. This case is
usually somewhere between 0.015
and 0.125-in. thick, and as hard as
bearing steel. Because their cases are
so hard, these types of gears have great
wear resistance and should run for
many years with no visible pitting.
On a case-hardened gear, any
pitting you can see is cause for
concern. If the load is strong enough
to break down a gear’s hard case,
the lifespan for the underlying
metal is guaranteed to be shorter.
Through-hardened gears reflect the
same hardness all the way through the
tooth. Some are very soft steel; others
are about as hard as a Grade 8 bolt.
Although through-hardened gears
aren’t anywhere near as hard as case-
hardened types, and their hardness
will vary based on application, they
are designed to withstand significant
wear. (Note: Sixty years ago, almost all
North American gears, whether open
designs, such as those found on a kiln,
or enclosed designs, such as small
reducers, were through hardened.
Because of economics and market
pressures, however, almost all enclosed
reducer gears today are case hardened.)
In short, case-hardened gears
should not show any wear, i.e.,
pitting. Through-hardened gears,
however, can take a tremendous
amount of wear before you need
to begin worrying about failure.
How do you know whether a
gear is case or through hardened?
Perform a hardness test. No expensive
equipment is required (although a
good hardness tester is a valuable
MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 41
MAINTENANCE+RELIABILITY
CENTER
tool in a maintenance department).
The procedure is simple.
If you don’t have a hardness
tester, simply rub a file over
the corner of a gear tooth:
■ If the file skids across the tooth,
the gear is case hardened.
■ If the file cuts the tooth, the
gear is through hardened.
(Note: You can skip this hardness
test for enclosed reducers made
in the past 20 years. Almost
all of them incorporate case-
hardened components.)
Lubricant-viscosity concerns
Prior to shutting gears down, measure
the lubricant temperature while the
components are running at close-
to-the-peak loads—preferably on a
hot day. Then, referring to a viscosity
chart for that oil, determine if the
actual operating viscosity meets
the manufacturer’s specifications.
This test is crucial for enclosed
reducers purchased in the past 20
years. It was during this time that
suppliers began downsizing the
casings and increasing the power
density of these units. The result is
that normal heat generated by the gear
and seal action has been transmitted
out to the environment through
ever-smaller surfaces, leading, in
turn, to reducers that tend to run
hot. The presence of a thin layer
of dust—a common occurrence in
plants—acts as insulation, which
can make the problem even worse.
Improved maintenance
procedures
Hardness and lubricant viscosity are
two key factors to consider in your
inspections of gears and reducers.
Tips for improving the maintenance
of these components, which can vary
somewhat based on specific type, will
be discussed in future Maintenance
+ Reliability Center sections. MT
 MOTOR MAINTENANCE
MAINTENANCE+RELIABILITY

CENTER

Before you pull a

Measure the stator current of all three
motor you think is
phases.
hot, evaluate the Compare these readings to the nameplate
winding temperature. ratings and, if possible, to the current readings
If it's too high, take of any sister motors in the same application.
corrective action to The heat produced by the stator winding is
avoid significant proportional to the winding resistance and
component damage. square of the current. Extra current equals
extra heat.

Don’t conclude the winding is too hot

by simply touching the motor’s frame.
Winding temperatures can’t be properly evalu-
ated based on outside frame temperatures.

THREE-PHASE MOTOR TIPS:

If the motor is equipped with tempera-

How To Evaluate ture detectors that are capable of

providing readings, use them.
A controller isn’t always necessary. Thermistors

Winding Temperatures may require a controller, but thermocouples

and resistance temperature detectors (RTDs)
can be easily read with common, handheld
Before pulling what might be a meters and reference tables.
Mike Howell
hot-running unit, take the time Electrical Apparatus Service
to confirm your suspicion. Association (EASA) A thermocouple or RTD can be affixed
to the stator core back iron, using
SUSPECT A THREE-PHASE motor is running hot? If you’re right, the proper electrical-safety precautions.
In such cases, the winding temperature is
unit is either producing more heat than it’s designed for or dissipating usually around 5 to 10 C above the back-iron
less. With excess heat, the main concerns are typically the health of the temperature. If temperature detectors are not
bearing-lubrication and the winding-insulation system. installed or operable, winding temperature
Before incurring the expense of pulling the motor, evaluate its can be extrapolated using a time series of
winding temperature. Here’s how. winding-resistance measurements taken
after shutdown. (Ask your service center for
assistance with this if needed.) While this
Common Thermal Classifications & Temperature Rise Limits approach requires shutting down and opening
the motor terminations, depending on the unit,
Max. temp. rise by resistance it may be worth it.
Class Max. temp. rise by
Thermal (40 C ambient)
tempera- embedded detector
Classification 1.0 service 1.15 service
ture (40 C ambient) Once you know the winding temperature,
factor factor compare it to the motor’s nameplate
B 130 C 80 C 90 C 90 C temperature, i.e., allowable temperature.
Frequently, only the insulation class will be
F 155 C 105 C 115 C 115 C
listed. For electric motors, the class is usually B,
H 180 C 125 C Not defined 140 C F, or H (see table). If the motor is getting close
to or exceeding its class temperature limit, you
Once the winding temperature of a suspect motor has been determined, compare it to may indeed have a problem.
the unit’s nameplate (allowable) temperature. Often, only the insulation class is listed.
For electric motors, the class is usually B, F, or H. Motors that get close to or exceed their Be proactive
class temperature limits could be having problems. If your evaluation of the winding temperature
points to a problem, take steps to solve it. Don’t
wait for a failure to occur. While overheating in
the stator winding can lead to stator winding
Mike Howell is an electrical support specialist with the Electrical Apparatus failures, it can also damage the stator core and/
Service Association (EASA). Based in St. Louis, EASA is an international or mechanical components due to heat transfer
trade association of more than 1,900 electromechanical sales and service from the stator winding to the bearing lubrica-
firms in 62 countries. For more information, visit www.easa.com. tion. MT

42 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015


Five Steps
To Better
Machine
Safety
Jane Alexander
Managing Editor
WHETHER IT’S A NEW corporate push
or a continuation of existing practices,
actively identifying areas to improve safety
and implementing corrective measures is a
never-ending, yet necessary, process. This
includes machine safety.
As Cumming, GA-based Automation-
Direct (automationdirect.com) reminds
us, safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Everyone in a plant has a responsibility to
work carefully and report unsafe conditions.
For example, personnel working around
machines must be aware of and protected
from hazards created by point-of-operation,
pinch points, rotating machinery, flying
debris, and sparks. How do your operations
measure up?
If safety upgrade projects are in order,
they must be carefully identified, defined,
and scheduled to be successful. Involving
operators and maintenance-team members
every step of the way is also crucial, as these
individuals are on the front lines where
hazards are most pronounced. The right
plant culture—one that creates awareness
and prioritizes safety over production—is
key to these efforts.
AutomationDirect’s technical experts
emphasize the following steps for improving
machine safety at a site.
For more information on
machine safety and other
important plant-floor issues, visit
AutomationDirect’s Online Library
at library.automationdirect.com
DECEMBER 2015
SAFETY MATTERS
Review and document plant-
safety requirements.
If your facility doesn’t have them, the
first step is to create them. In most
cases, they do exist and just need to be
reviewed, updated, and disseminated to
all plant personnel. Proper plant policy,
standards, and requirements go a long
way in growing vigilant workers.
Perform a risk assessment on all
machines.
From a machine-safety and related
electrical standpoint, plant operations
present countless potentially hazardous
situations, i.e., boom, crush, zap, burn,
and cut. A proper risk assessment
involves three questions:
■ What are the hazards?
■ How can the hazard hurt personnel?
■ How can the hazard be removed or
controlled?
Answering these questions for all
machines in your facility will likely
identify many safety-improvement
opportunities. Make a list, harvest the
low-hanging fruit, and then continue
until the tree is picked clean.
Install signs to identify hazards.
It’s important to denote specific hazards
with signage. Not only do signs remind
workers to regularly think about safety,
MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 43
MAINTENANCE+RELIABILITY
CENTER
Signs are a critical component in
any machine-safety program. Keep
them visible and clean so they are not
missed by plant personnel.
Photo: Gary L. Parr
they point out hazards that may go
unnoticed. All hazards—chemical, elec-
trical, personal-protection, personal-
awareness, and machine-safety—must
be identified. While hundreds, if not
thousands, of signs are available for
purchase (including those associated
with OSHA and ANSI Z535-2011
standards), don’t go overboard. Too
much of a good thing will overwhelm
plant personnel.
Identify and install new safety
components.
The risk assessment may identify
machines that have had their safety
systems modified, adjusted, bypassed,
disabled, even removed. It will also
probably show areas requiring new
capabilities. In both cases, safety
systems must be updated, either by
restoring the original equipment,
or adding new components. Typical
projects include:
■ improving point-of-access control
with light curtains
■ installing two-hand control on
assembly equipment
■ upgrading/replacing guard safety
switches
■ enhancing guard mechanical design
and monitoring
■ adding emergency-stop pushbuttons.
(Note: The poor design of some safety
systems leads operators to disable them.
In such cases, rather than restore a
machine to its original state, it’s better
to improve upon the design.)
Train operators and mainte-
nance teams on new require-
ments and designs.
If individuals have been involved from
the start, training on a new safety
regimen should generally be a matter of
review. Make sure everyone in the plant
is fully aware of and on board with all
changes and upgrades. Untrained or
careless workers can make even the
best-designed facilities unsafe. Be sure
to also include emergency-response
training in these review sessions. MT
PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS
Connected Infrared Troubleshooting
The TiS75 Infrared (IR) camera offers professional-grade 320 x 240 pixel
resolution and precise manual focusing capabilities that let users pinpoint
issues with equipment systems. According to the manufacturer, focus is one
of the most important factors in IR inspections, as an out-of-focus image
can produce temperature measurements that are incorrect by 20 deg. or
more. The TiS75 overcomes that problem with a long-travel focus wheel
for very fine adjustments. Other features include a large, 3 1/2-in., screen
that allows identification of problems in the field, and one-touch access that
eliminates scrolling through a menu to view images.
Other cameras in the line include the Ti400, TiX500, TiX520, and
TiX560, that transmit measurements to smartphones and tablets for detailed
analyses and uploading to the cloud. Technicians can combine uploaded
images and data from the manufacturer’s entire portfolio of Connect test
tools to create and share reports from job sites by email and collaborate in
real time with other users through video calls or email.
Fluke Corp.
Everett, WA
fluke.com

REVOLUTIONARY
VIBRATION AND
BEARING
ANALYSIS
Leonova Diamond is the latest proof
of our commitment to developing first
class condition monitoring products
for more profitable maintenance. Use
SPM HD for accurate rolling element
bearing analysis. Reduce data col-
lection time with tri-axial vibration
measurements. Add balancing, laser
alignment, orbit analysis and much
more, all in a rugged and lightweight
instrument. Ex version available.
Experienced Manufacturers Reps Wanted,
Please call 1-800-505-5636
Tel. 1-800-505-5636
leonovabys pm.com
spminstrument.com
Operator-Interface
Touch Panel
The EA3-T6CL C-more Micro 6-in. operator-interface
touch panel has a 5.7-in. TFT LCD 320 x 240-dot display
and a palette of 32k colors for customizing objects, screen
backgrounds, and displaying bitmap graphics. Powered from a
Class 2, 12-to-24-VDC power supply, it features three commu-
nications ports (USB programming, RJ12, and DB15), and five
user-defined function keys, each key with a user-defined red
LED indicator. In landscape orientation, the panel can display
as many as 40 lines by 80 characters of static text or as many
as 40 lines by 40 characters of dynamic text, with embedded
variables and phrases mixed with graphics. Portrait orientation
can display 53 lines by 60 characters of static text or 40 lines by
40 characters of dynamic text.
AutomationDirect
automationdirect.com
Cumming, GA

44 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY DECEMBER 2015

 PRODUCTS
“Equipment visuals can reduce training
time by 60 to 70%, eliminate errors,
and improve reliability.”
Continuous Ultrasonic ~Robert Williamson, Lean Equipment specialist

Measurement
The Sitrans LU150 is a non-contacting ultrasonic transmitter
with 16-ft. range that continuously measures liquid and slurry
levels in open and closed vessels. Incorporating electronics
and a rugged, fully encapsulated PDVF sensor that’s resistant
to corrosion, chemicals, and extreme shock in a single unit,
the compact IP68-rated device is designed primarily for
applications in the water, wastewater,
and energy-management industries.
According to the manufacturer, with • Problem & Opportunity Tags
only two cables to connect, the LU150 • Gauge marking labels
is quickly and easily installed. A • Colored permanent paint
marking pens
two-key interface simplifies configura- • Colored grease fitting caps
tion and use. Sonic-Intelligence signal- • Lube point labels
processing software delivers reliable • Vibration analysis pickup discs and labels
• Temperature indicating strips, and more…
readings by differentiating, for example, • “Lean Machines” (a “how-to” Book)
between the true material levels and • Lean Equipment- TPM Consulting & Training
false echoes.
Contact us for catalog and samples.
Siemens Industry Inc.
On-line ordering: www.theVisualMachine.com
Atlanta
(864) 862-0446 • PO Box 70 • Columbus, NC 28722
usa.siemens.com/level

BW-Ad.indd 1 10/24/14 4:00 PM

DECEMBER 2015 MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 45


Quality • Performance • Value
AccuTrak® VPE-2000
Versatile Plant Maintenance Tool
• Assess Bearings, Valves, Motors, Steam Traps
• Find Leaks: Compressed Air, Gas, Refrigerant
• Tri-Mode Contact & Airborne Sensors
AccuTrak® VPX-WR
Ideal for Air & Gas Leak Surveys
• Detects Air & Gas Leaks from a Distance
• Rugged Design for Harsh Environments
• Sealed to Resist Water, Oil, Chemicals, Dust
• Ideal for Air Leak Surveys
Compressed Air, Gas, Refrigerant Leaks
Valves Motors • Pumps • Bearings
Steam Traps • Vacuum Leaks
Electric Arc & Corona
Superior AccuTrak® Instruments are made
in the USA, to the highest quality standards,
providing better performance at a lower cost
than competitive products. The VPX-WR &
VPE-2000 come in a premium protective hard
case, with a full complement of accessories.
Learn more about AccuTrak® Instruments for
Plant Maintenance at our website:
SuperiorSignal.com/MT
(800) 945-TEST
46 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
EngtechAd.indd 3
PRODUCTS
Flexible, Maintenance-
Focused Borescope
Part of a newly configured line of flexible borescopes for industrial maintenance,
the PCE-VE 350N records images and videos, even of moving parts. Capable of
capturing 30 images/sec., the product incorporates a head with a
90-mm curved radius that can be rotated 360
deg., and four LED lamps to illuminate
difficult-to-view areas. Other features
include an image sensor with a 320 x
240 dynamic resolution, a 67-deg. field
of view, and a viewing distance of 1.5
to 10 cm. Images and videos can be
viewed on the 3 1/2-in. TFT display,
saved to the device’s memory, then
transferred to a computer. The PCE-VE
350N comes with a 512-MB SD memory
card (upgradable to 2 GB), USB cable,
charger, user manual, and carrying case.
PCE Americas Inc.
Jupiter, FL
pce-instruments.com
Looking to refocus or revitalize
your maintenance program?
Looking to prepare for ISO 55001 certification?
Does your program currently:
P Lack confidence in its P Lack the time to
maintenance data? complete all work?
P Lack strategic direction? P Lack succession planning?
P Lack effective P Lack effective work
communication? planning and scheduling?
If you answered YES to any of the above,
call Ken Bannister at ENGTECH Industries Inc—
successfully implementing usable asset management
programs for over 27 years—at (519) 469-9173
or email kbannister@engtechindustries.com
and let’s talk maintenance!
Helping People manage People who Manage Assets!
DECEMBER 2015
1/8/15 4:12 PM
 Test Products International, Inc.

SHOWCASE TPI Smart

Vibration
For rate information to advertise in Showcase, contact Ellen Sandkam.
Monitor
phone: 847-382-8100 x 110 or e-mail: classified@maintenancetechnology.com
As Low as $211/Channel!

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RECEPTACLES
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meltric.com
(800) 922-4336 • mapcon.com 800.433.7642 A company of MARECHAL ELECTRIC GROUP

Belt/Sheave
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• Legacy Systems Operation ~ For
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1-800-72-SHIMS (1-800-727-4467)

Smart Vibration Monitor also outputs

levels of vibration (g or velocity) as
www.mrshims.com

4 to 20mA signals for connection to

existing monitoring systems.
Delivers these important benefits... • PC Operation ~ With USB cable
Reduces vibration connection to PC, up to 64 modules
Eliminates downtime and production delays can be monitored and the vibration
levels displayed. More detailed
vibration analysis can be carried out
Filtermist_Ad_MT_Layout_1.qxd 12/13/13 8:34 PM Page 1 with up to 51,200 line FFT analysis.
3-D Sales Corporation, d/b/a Mr. Shims
• Online Cloud Operation ~ Subscribe
to TPI’s Data Decypher cloud-based
service to monitor and analyze all
OIL installed modules from a single web-
Mr.MIST & SMOKE
Shims 1x2.indd 1 6/10/14 4:19 PM
based interface. Via standard internet
IN YOUR SHOP?
browser all modules can be viewed
www.mistcollectors.com and configured.
Tel: 1-800-645-4174

www.testproductsintl.com

DECEMBER 2015 MAINTENANCETECHNOLOGY.COM | 47

AD INDEX
MAINTENANCE
TECHNOLOGY
THE SOURCE FOR RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS
DECEMBER 2015 • Volume 28, No. 12
535 Plainfield Road, Suite A
Willowbrook, IL 60527
PH 847-382-8100 FX 847-304-8603
INTEGRATED
MEDIA SPECIALISTS
Midwest
PHIL SARAN
psaran@maintenancetechnology.com
535 Plainfield Road
Suite A
Willowbrook, IL 60527
Direct 708-557-1021
East Coast
JULIE OKON
jokon@maintenancetechnology.com
11819 Eden Glen Drive
Carmel, IN 46033
Office 317-564-8475
Cell 317-690-6757
West Coast
GLEN GUDINO
ggudino@maintenancetechnology.com
535 Plainfield Road
Suite A
Willowbrook, IL 60527
847-382-8100 ext. 119
INTERNATIONAL SALES
PHIL SARAN
psaran@maintenancetechnology.com
535 Plainfield Road
Suite A
Willowbrook, IL 60527
Direct 708-557-1021
SHOWCASE
ADVERTISING
ELLEN SANDKAM
classified@maintenancetechnology.com
535 Plainfield Road
Suite A
Willowbrook, IL 60527
847-382-8100 ext. 110
48 | MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
Ad
Ad Index
Index
ADVERTISER WEB ADDRESS PAGE
Company Nme ................................................................. url.com............................................................... XX
ARC/Industry Forum ...................................................... arcweb.com/events.........................................19
AutomationDirect ............................................................ automationdirect.com ...................................BC
AVO Training Institute .................................................... avotraining.com .............................................18
Baldor Electric ................................................................. baldor.com ......................................................3, 15
Benchmate Systems Inc. .................................................. benchmate.com ..............................................12
EngTech Industries Inc. ................................................... engtechindustries.com...................................46
Exxon Mobil ..................................................................... mobilindustrial.com ......................................IFC
Fluke ................................................................................. flukeconnect.com ...........................................9
IDCON. ............................................................................. idcon.com .......................................................14
Industrial Service Solutions ............................................ ecompressedair.com ......................................24
Lubriplate Lubricants Co. ................................................ lubriplate.com ................................................27
Ludeca .............................................................................. keepitrunning.com ........................................16
Mapcon Technologies Inc................................................ mapcon.com ...................................................47
MARCON ......................................................................... marcon.utk.edu ..............................................45
Meltric Corp. .................................................................... meltric.com ....................................................47
NETA/PowerTest Conference.......................................... powertest.org ..................................................17
Mr. Shims.......................................................................... mrshims.com..................................................47
Newell Rubbermaid ......................................................... newellrubbermaid.com .................................5
NSK Corp.......................................................................... nskamericas.com ...........................................13
Pruftechnik Dieter Busch AG .......................................... what-is-coming-next.com .............................23
Reliable Plant Conference ............................................... reliableplant.com ...........................................IBC
Royal Products ................................................................. mistcollectors.com .........................................47
MAINTENANCE
SAP-Centric EAM Conference ........................................ sapeamconference.com .................................39
TECHNOLOGY
SPM Instrument............................................................... spminstrument.com ......................................44
Strategic Work Systems Inc. ............................................ thevisualmachine.com ...................................45
Superior Signal ................................................................. superiorsignal.com ........................................46
THE SOURCE FOR RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS
Test Products International ............................................. testproductsintl.com ......................................47
UESubmissions
Systems Conference ...................................................
Policy: Maintenance Technology uesystems.comgladly
...............................................30
welcomes submissions.
Vesco Plastics ...................................................................
By sending us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing with our vesconite.com .................................................47
Wood-Mizer
editor(s),.....................................................................
you grant Applied Technology Publications, metalmizer.comInc.,
.............................................18
permission, by an irre-
Yaskawa America ............................................................. yaskawa.com...................................................11
vocable license, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in
any medium, including via Internet, on multiple occasions. You are, of course, free
to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission.
MAINTENANCE
Submissions will not be returned.
TECHNOLOGY
Reproduction of Materials: Materials produced by Maintenance Technology
may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without permission. For Re-
prints: Contact the publisher, Glen Gudino, at 847-382-8100 ext. 119.
THE SOURCE FOR RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS
Submissions Policy: Maintenance Technology welcomes editorial submis-
sions. By sending us your submission, unless otherwise negotiated in writing
with our editor(s), you grant Applied Technology Media Inc., permission, by
an irrevocable license, to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your
submission in any medium, including Internet, on multiple occasions. You are
free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your
submission. Submissions will not be returned.
Reproduction of Materials: Materials produced by Maintenance Tech-
nology may not be reproduced in any form for any purpose without permis-
sion. For reprints, contact Glen Gudino, at 847-382-8100 ext. 119.
DECEMBER 2015
 APRIL 5-7
2016
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