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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Training in a Down Economy
December 11, 2002 11:28 am | CommentsDo you cut it or keep it? Two training experts present a variety of solutions manufacturers are using. Everyone in manufacturing believes training is important. But tough times put that belief to the test. While true believers maintain or strengthen training efforts, doubters or those on weak ground cut back.
Listening for the Faint Sounds of Boiler Leaks Helps Avert Shutdowns
November 11, 2002 8:43 am | by Bob Soden, President Triple 5 Industries, LLC | CommentsListen to your plant boiler; it has important things to say. Acoustic monitoring (listening) systems (AMS) provide an early warning of potentially serious problems, saving thousands of dollars by averting shutdowns at power stations, pulp and paper mills, chemical plants and other industrial facilities.
Inside Grainger
November 11, 2002 8:41 am | by Nancy Syverson, Managing Editor | CommentsWhen the recession hit, industrial distributor W.W. Grainger had two things its competitors didn't: cash and a vision. Here's how the $4.8 billion dollar company is restructuring to improve customer service, gain market share, and create the "perfect order." Ask president and chief operating officer, Wesley M.
How to Check and Reduce Acid Levels in Compressor Lubricant
October 9, 2002 6:42 am | by Tim Tucker President, Air Engineering, Inc. | CommentsWhen it comes to lubricating rotary-screw air compressors, a unique set of circumstances can make the process difficult. This is because in most lubricant applications, oxygen, heat and moisture are not continually combined. Two of these three factors are often combined, but not all three. In a rotary screw air compressor, the lubricant is constantly injected into the compressor air end along with the intake air, and both are moved through the compressor chamber.
Root Cause Analysis Software Helps Refiner End Valve-Actuator Failures
October 9, 2002 6:35 am | CommentsAt the Lyondell-Citgo petroleum refinery in Houston, TX, a decision was made some years ago to replace manually operated wedge-plug isolation and switch valves on the coker drums with motor operated, metal-seated ball valves. The change was expected to improve efficiency of these valve operations, critical to the refining process.
Maryland's Move To Manufacturing Excellence
October 9, 2002 6:35 am | by Rick Carter, Editor-in-Chief | CommentsThe Maryland World Class Manufacturing Consortium has been helping state manufacturers become world-class competitors since 1996. Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma and other strategies are part of a program that guarantees its members will improve. If someone told you they would help your manufacturing operation achieve world-class standards, pay half the cost of high-level consultants, and help you network with other manufacturers _ all for a nominal annual fee _ you would probably question their credibility.
Don't Let Chain Hoist Safety be Your Weakest Link
September 11, 2002 10:10 am | by Chris Hess, Engineering and Quality Control Manager Harrington Hoists and Cranes | CommentsPaul Smith was only trying to be helpful. As he finished loading engine fasteners from the bustling and noisy work floor to an awaiting hoist, he stood next to a railing and placed his hand atop the load in an effort to balance it and prevent it from moving. He had done this many times before. At the same time, the hoist operator thought he heard someone tell him to pick up, and he began to lift the load.
High-Voltage Inductor, For Cost and Downtime Savings
September 11, 2002 10:07 am | CommentsPerkin Elmer Corp. is a Norwalk, CT-based manufacturer of life-science systems and analytical instruments. Among other products, the company's Optoelectronics business produces thyratrons, fast acting, high-energy switches capable of operations up to 20 kA and 75 kV. They are typically used in applications such as gas laser, radar, and other modulator applications.
Safety Practices in High-Risk Industries
September 11, 2002 10:07 am | by Nancy Syverson | CommentsDangerous jobs challenge safety experts in extraordinary ways. Here's how professionals in some of the nation's most dangerous jobs keep the focus on safety in their daily routines. Safety experts stress that accidents are not random occurrences. They happen for a reason, usually resulting from interactions among people, machines and their environments.
Plenty to Consider When Choosing the Proper Cord Grip
August 12, 2002 8:18 am | by Mark Sweeney, Vice President of Sales and Marketing,Remke Industries | CommentsUsed in both industrial and commercial facilities, cord grips provide the means for passing cord or cable into an enclosure, through a bulkhead, or into a control device such as a switch. Grips prevent cable pull-out or premature fatigue because they secure the cable where it enters the enclosure, or where it terminates into a hardwired application.
Automated Powder-Unloading System Speeds Blending Process for Chocolate Maker
August 12, 2002 8:11 am | CommentsWhen Forbes Chocolate introduced an automated bulk-bag discharger at its Cleveland, OH-based plant, it was able to introduce into three ribbon blenders up to one-third more cocoa powder per shift than previous manual dumping of 50-lb. bags. The change, enabled by equipment purchased from Flexicon Corp.
Trends in Facilities Maintenance: Tight Budgets, New Solutions
August 12, 2002 8:11 am | by Gabriella Jacobs, Contributor | CommentsAs budgets shrink in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors, facility maintenance professionals have found new ways to cope. Do more with less. That theme has been echoing across the business world for some time now, and it's particularly resounding for facility managers. But as budget belts tighten, requirements and requests for high-quality maintenance remain.
Best Practices: Rohm and Haas Company: Manufacturing Excellence One Step at a Time
July 12, 2002 11:30 am | by Rick Carter, Editor-in-Chief | CommentsWith the help of company veterans like Dave Rosenthal and others, the Philadelphia-based maker of specialty chemicals has embarked on a manufacturing-excellence initiative tailored to the unique needs of its worldwide businesses. Credited for increasing capacity and reducing costs, it has helped transform a solid, old-line company into a streamlined, world-class supplier.
Seven Steps to Pressure-Gauge Selection
July 11, 2002 10:22 am | by Richard Jankura, Engineering Manager, Dresser Instrument | CommentsPressure gauges have been a reliable source of accurate pressure measurement for more than 100 years. The operation and design of pressure gauges dates back to the mid 1800s when Eugene Bourdon invented the Bourdon tube. This same principle is used today, albeit with enhancements to last longer and resist corrosion.
Corrosion-Proof Components Extend Bearing Life Under Food Manufacturer's Harsh Conditions
July 11, 2002 10:14 am | CommentsIn the food industry, moisture and harsh cleaning solutions are part of everyday life, and corrosion is a production manager's nightmare. It can cause bearing failure, necessitate unplanned maintenance and, depending on where the failure occurs, shut down an entire line, resulting in costly downtime and serious disruptions to operations.
