Plant & Asset Management 2012
Does the industrial maintenance sector need another exhibition? The organisers of MACH, Drives & Controls, Air-Tech and IFPEX clearly think so. Brian Tinham looks at the line-up
Predicting problems
Using condition monitoring technologies to anticipate a requirement for critical plant maintenance isn't new, but novel systems are improving the potential, reports Dr Tom Shelley
Operator-driven reliability programme does it for Stora Enso
Global paper, packaging and wood products firm Stora Enso is reporting significant benefits since introducing SKF's operator-driven reliability (ODR) programme.
Peak performance
Maintenance is about looking after plant, right? So how much we spend on it, depends on the value of that plant. That's how we make our decisions over what maintenance policy to apply - break/fix, preventive, predictive. Isn't it? And, if we go the whole hog and use predictive maintenance, the same applies for our choice of condition monitoring techniques. Low value plant, lower cost monitoring; high value plant, bigger ticket technology. Right?
Reliable technology
As a function of quality management, reliability is defined as a measure of the degree to which a system does what it is intended to do. Clearly, reliability is crucial, and all manufacturing processes require safe and reliable operation of valves, whether the fluid controlled and directed is harmless or hazardous, from air handling, fluids, vapours, gases and waste.
Safe maintenance
Following publication of Lord Young's report into improving health and safety, plant engineers need to get back to basics. Brian Tinham talks to Geoff Cox, HSE's head of manufacturing
Maintaining a balance
Why is it that, when plant can fail so completely and expensively, many organisations still turn their backs on preventive maintenance tools? Brian Wall looks at some options
Maintenance - What do you know?
Most maintenance improvement philosophies work on the basis that if more time is spent on predictive and preventive maintenance work, equipment will become more reliable: breakdowns will become less frequent, making more time available for other maintenance tasks, and so on in a virtuous circle. That approach certainly works, but there is a hurdle to get over: you have to put in extra time and effort moving to a predictive regime, some time before this pays off in the form of reduced breakdowns. What might be preferable is an approach that freed up time by helping to fix breakdowns more quickly: this would leading to increased levels of uptime for the equipment, and give the maintenance department more time for other activities - such as that predictive maintenance programme they'd have in their sights for a while.
Making MRO matter
Surprising as it may seem, some plants and factories may be expending too much of their maintenance effort in the wrong direction. Brian Wall reports
Managing maintenance
Computerised maintenance management systems – CMMS – are helping to breathe new life into enlightened plant operations, as Brian Wall reports