Preventive Maintenance
Why Temperature Affects Lubricants
The primary physical characteristics of lubricants that are affected by temperature include viscosity, viscosity index, pour point and the base oil. Let’s deal with these individually.
Asset Management / Life Cycle Cost
Preventive Maintenance
Vibration Analysis as a Diagnosis Tool for Health Monitoring of Industrial Machines
The need for health monitoring in industrial machines using vibration analysis for diagnosis is an ever growing requirement in all types of industries and equipment. Vibrations in machinery can take various forms, and most of the time these vibrations are unintended and undesirable. Therefore, monitoring the vibration characteristics of a machine can provide the information of its health condition, and this piece of information can be used to detect problems that might be incipient or developing.
Lubrication
Best Practices for Lubricating Paper Machines
One of the best ways to achieve fault-free operation of paper machines is to ensure the proper lubricant is applied to the frictional surfaces. Most paper machines have hundreds, if not thousands, of lube points that require periodic application of oil or grease. There are bearings, gears, couplings, journals, cylinders and valves which must all receive the correct lubricant to survive the rigors of the paper-making process.
Preventive Maintenance
Drone Based Inspections and their Use in the Future of Facility Maintenance
Drone-based nondestructive testing allows easier, faster and inexpensive identification of flaws and defects on materials. Using location and other controls, the drones can take the same tests from the same point and angle repeatedly. Drone-based inspection and maintenance provides a wide range of possibilities that take advantage of the mobility of the drone, as well as the nondestructive nature of the tests. These tests can help oil and gas companies identify defects and reduce the rate of failures and unplanned shutdowns. The delicate nature of the oil and gas industry requires close and careful monitoring of its systems, such as pipelines, refineries and more.
Preventive Maintenance
Why Oil Goes Bad
I decided to write on this topic because I continually hear people say that oil doesn’t go bad, it just gets dirty. This implies that if you keep the oil clean, it will last forever. This is not true. I am frequently dismayed to see how many people simply don’t change the oil in certain machines. In general, all in-service lubricants will fail at some point.
Preventive Maintenance
Why You Should Avoid Using Oil Funnels
“I have heard many different opinions as to whether funnels should be used for topping off an oil reservoir. Can you explain why funnels should or should not be used?” Across industry, it seems that if you are filling a machine or topping it off with oil, you will need to transfer the lubricant from a large container through a small fill port at the top of the machine. A funnel is designed to make this opening wider for adding oil. While funnels can make this task easier, they are not recommended because of their potential to introduce contaminants into the lubricant.
Condition Monitoring
How to Use Condition Monitoring as a Proactive Equipment Reliability Improvement Strategy
Condition Monitoring when used to drive reliability improvement offers diagnostics, information and data for Root Cause Analysis and equipment redesign, along with verification of defect or design correction. Condition monitoring applied proactively is a context embracing world class reliability maintenance concepts.
Lubrication
3 Outlooks on What’s Trending and What’s Important in Industrial Lubrication and Oil Analysis
Machinery and Equipment MRO interviewed three oil and lubrication specialists to uncover industry trends that are important to suppliers and users alike. They were asked to consider factors that significantly influence decision-making on more easily protecting equipment, and to share insights on what’s new, what holds value and provides improvements, as well as what helps solve common problems.
Preventive Maintenance
An Introduction to Machine Vibration
Vibration in industrial equipment can be both a sign and a source of trouble. Other times, vibration just “goes with the territory” as a normal part of machine operation, and should not cause undue concern. But how can the plant maintenance professional tell the difference between acceptable, normal vibration and the kind of vibration that requires immediate attention to service or replace troubled equipment?
