(En Español)

Welcome to the Reliability Reading Room!  Please be quiet as people are trying to concentrate on the the latest reliability and maintenance information from publishers around the world.

Feel free to browse our collection of books excerpts and articles often as new titles are added whenever we find something new!

Some of the documents are in a .pdf format and require Adobe Acrobat v5.0 or later.  A free Adobe Acrobat Reader is available for download by clicking here.

Book Excerpts

 

 

 

Click to buy the book

Excerpt from Effective Maintenance Management
by V. Narayan
Courtesy of Industrial Press

Failure - a systems approach

Failure is the inability of an item of equipment, a sub-system, or system to meet a set of predetermined performance standards. This means that we have
some expectations, which we can express quantitatively. For example, we can expect the discharge pressure of a centrifugal pump to be 10 bar gauge at 1000 liters per minute. In some cases, we can define our expectations within a band of acceptable performance. For example, the discharge flow of this pump should be 950-1000 liters per minute at 10 bar gauge. The performance
standard may be for the system, sub-system,
equipment, or component in question. These standards relate to what we need to achieve and our evaluation
of the item’s design capability and intrinsic reliability.

More...Read Failure, Its Nature and Characteristics (562k pdf)



Click to buy the book

 

Benchmarking Fundamentals excerpted from Benchmarking Best Practices in Maintenance Management by Terry Wireman courtesy of Industrial Press

Benchmarking. Best practices. Competitive analysis. All these terms are used in business today. But are they just buzzwords, or do the words have real meaning? Are they useful tools that can be used to improve business practices today? Let’s begin with some definitions.

More...Read Chapter 2 Benchmarking Fundamentals (326k pdf)



Click to buy the book

Paper excerpted from
Physical Asset Management Handbook, Third Edition, by John S. Mitchell. Used with permission. Published by Clarion Technical Publishers.
 info@clarion.org  www.clarion.org

 713.521.5929

EVOLUTION OF ASSET MANAGEMENT AT EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
by Gina A. Lewis, Manager, Reliability Engineering & Rotating Equipment Group of Eastman Chemical Company

Setting the vision is difficult but is often easier than determining the most efficient path to reach it. One visionary manager at Eastman Chemical Company set the vision to proactively manage ALL assets by providing condition based maintenance. It has taken 6 years, the formation of a new department, and the continual support of upper management to finally clarify the vision and document a corporate strategy to attain it.
The proactive management of assets requires industry established tools such as predictive technologies and information systems, but also requires the less talked about resources such as money and man-power, training programs, opportunity assessment tools and management champions. This presentation will attempt to present a series of learning’s that conclude by showing how all these tools interlock to provide a comprehensive Reliability Strategy for Asset Management.

More...Read the full story here (102k pdf)


Click here to buy this book

This excerpt is provided courtesy of Reed Elsevier

RCM LESSONS LEARNED - Chapter 9 from "RCM - Gateway to World Class Maintenance" by Anthony "Mac" Smith and Glenn R, Hinchliffe

It is very likely that most of the people involved in your company maintenance program, especially those charged with its improvement, have heard the term
“RCM.” However, the number of people who actually have some reasonable understanding of RCM is, in our experience, quite limited. Given that such an
uninformed state exists, it is extremely difficult to gain wide acceptance of an RCM program and the value that can be realized from it. The necessity for such
familiarization is important at both the management level and the system engineer and craft personnel level. Familiarization at the craft level is especially important,
a point that is not always fully recognized or appreciated.

Throughout this book, we have endeavored to demonstrate how RCM can and should be an integral part of any maintenance organization, especially those wishing to be known as World Class. More...

Click here to read RCM LESSONS LEARNED (234 k pdf)



 

LIST PRICE: $29.99

Reliabilityweb.com members use discount code 76178 for a 10% discount and free shipping!

Click here to buy online
 

This full chapter is excerpted courtesy of Elsevier

Fundamental Requirements of Effective Preventive/Predictive Maintenance excerpted from Industrial Machinery Repair Best Maintenance Practices Pocket Guide by Ricky Smith and Keith Mobley


When most people think of preventive maintenance, they visualize scheduled, fixed interval maintenance that is done every day, every month, every quarter, every season, or at some other predetermined intervals. Timing may be based on days, or on intervals such as miles, gallons, activations, or hours of use. The use of performance intervals is itself a step toward basing
preventive tasks on actual need, instead of just on a generality.

The two main elements of fixed interval preventive maintenance are procedure and discipline. Procedure means that the correct tasks are done, the right lubricants applied, and consumables replaced at the best interval.

Discipline requires that all the tasks are planned and controlled so that everything is done when it should be done. Both these areas deserve attention. More...

Click here to read Fundamental Requirements of Effective Preventive/Predictive Maintenance 978k pdf)


Click here to buy a copy

 

 

CMMS: A Timesaving Implementation Process
By Daryl Mather

A prevalent system in large corporations for quite some time, Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is now penetrating moderate to small corporations on an international level. These corporations need an efficient method to implement this effective but complicated system. However, most of the texts currently available are written by theorists and involve complex approaches. In CMMS: A Timesaving Implementation Process, a practitioner-turned-consultant presents his field-proven, practical approach that can dramatically reduce the amount of time and cost needed to implement and maintain CMMS in any corporation. The book presents a comprehensive template process that can be used in order to implement and maintain CMMS in any business, industry, or facility, thus dramatically reducing the amount of time and the cost needed to implement the process.

More...Click here to read CMMS: A Timesaving Implementation Process (261k pdf)


The New Weibull Analysis Handbook
by Dr. Robert Abernathy

Weibull analysis is the world's most popular method of analyzing and predicting failures and malfunctions of all types. The method identifies the category of failure: infant mortality, random or wear out.  Weibull analysis provides the quantitative information needed for making RCM decisions which are often made from a qualitative approach.  Weibull failure predictions are accurate even with very small samples of data.   Weibull analysis calculates optimal parts replacement intervals for minimizing cost.  Weibull analysis is needed for making risk based inspection decisions to take action or defer action on potential failures.

More...Click here to read Chapter 1 (550k .pdf)



Making Common Sense Common Practice
by Ron Moore, P.E.

Making Common Sense Common Practice' takes a good, hard look at plant design, procurement, parts management, installation and maintenance, training and even offers a chapter on how to implement a computerized maintenance management system.  More...Click here to read Chapter 1 (189k .pdf)


published by:
CLARION
3401 Louisiana 
Houston, TX 77002 USA
Physical Asset Management Handbook, 
 
by
John S. Mitchell

Physical Asset Management is a "better way" of managing corporate equipment assets. It blends the best processes, practice and technology to assure highest effectiveness in your specific business, operating, organizational and material conditions. More...Click here to read a full chapter excerpt (145k .pdf)




Click here to buy this book online
Precision Shaft Alignment Reference Guide
by Vibralign

This handy pocket-sized guide from Vibralign allows you to give each of your skilled tradesmen who perform alignment a ready reference they can carry with them to any job site. More...Click here to read Section 4:  Rim-Face Alignment Method (706k .pdf) 
Note: You may have to rotate the view on your Acrobat toolbar


Case Histories

Harmonics Generated from the Source
By Dranetz-BMI

The subject company manufactures meat products such as sausage, salami, and bologna. Most of their load consists of HVAC and refrigeration as they have about 6000 sq. ft. of cold room storage. They also have machinery such as grinders, slicers, and presses. The facility is served by a 120/240V through a utility-owned 500 kVA High-Leg Delta transformer that they share with another factory.  Interruptions occurred when a main 1200 amp circuit breaker was tripped frequently. 

More...Click here to read Harmonics Generated from the Source (144k pdf)


Thumping Sounds in the Closet
By Dranetz-BMI

Elevator control panels for the lower zone mid-rise elevators were on the nineteenth floor of a forty story office building in a large Midwestern city. It was fed with 480V transformer on the same floor, with the feeders to the controls rated at 800A.

Excessive noise and vibration of the feeder wires and conduit were noticed on a number of upper floors.

More...Click here to read Thumping Sounds in the Closet (282k pdf)


Vertical Condenser pump alignment case history by Ludeca

A 640HP vertical flange mounted Fairbanks-Morse condenser pump, consider critical equipment at a South Florida nuclear power plant, needed to be quickly aligned after a motor repair.

More...Click here to read a Vertical Condenser pump alignment case history (962k pdf)


   
 
Articles

Effective Maintenance Program Development/Optimization by Sammy Seifeddine, HSB Reliability Technologies

This paper describes a proven process for developing, optimizing, and managing effective maintenance programs for new and in-service assets based on risk and cost-benefit principles. The process calls for utilizing operational and maintenance experience as long as the experience is documented for the proper class of assets in the form of standard tasks. In absence of standard tasks, a more comprehensive analysis is performed using Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM2) or Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) to develop an optimum program. Asset performance data is used to continually adjust the maintenance program to meet user objectives. More...

Read the full story (572k pdf version)


Estimating Electric Motor Life Using Motor Circuit Analysis by Dr. Howard W. Penrose, Ph.D.
General Manager, ALL-TEST Pro


Electric motor life is a critical issue when discussing predictive maintenance and reliability programs. The primary question is: When will the motor fail? Unfortunately, this is not an easy question to answer, in particular as it relates to electric motor systems.

In this paper, we shall discuss the stages of a winding failure, causes and what effects the rate of failure in the winding. We shall then conclude with a discussion of the reliability of several winding faults over time and at what point action should be taken to correct or repair the fault. Based on application, electrical and physical environment, the materials presented will provide an average.

The motors covered by this paper will include low voltage (<600 Vac), standard, integral, three phase motors. This paper does not address similar higher voltage projects in progress. More...


Read the full story (146k pdf)


Using Reliability Engineering Methods as a Tool for Continuous
Process Improvement
by Bill Keeter, ARMS Reliability Engineers – USA, LLC

Presented at the 18th International Maintenance Conference
(www.maintenanceconference.com)

Whether we call the process TQM, TPM, Kaizen, or Six-Sigma the thing every business is striving for is continuous improvement in all
forms of work to give them a competitive advantage and increase
bottom line results. Often asset management improvements are seen as separate from overall process improvement issues. The fact that TQM and TPM have been seen as different initiatives is an example of that line of thinking. This paper will explore the direct link between improving asset management strategies and overall business process improvement. The paper will show the value of using Weibull Analysis, Reliability Block Diagrams, Root Cause Failure Analysis, and RCM techniques as process improvement tools.  More...

Read the full story (136k pdf version)


Creating the Environment for Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to Succeed: The Reliability Performance Process (TRPP)

TRPP© is a training model developed by Reliability Center, Inc.  It encompasses not only the elements about specific training objectives necessary to be successful, but it also outlines the specific requirements of the Executives/Management, the Champions and the Drivers who are accountable for creating the environment for RCA to be successful.

We will be outlining specific information from TRPP that is pertinent to creating the environment for RCA to succeed.

More...Read the full story here (30k pdf)


 

Infrared Contractor Promotes Spot Radiometer for P/PM Programs By Greg Stockton

Infrared Predictive Maintenance (IR/PM) activities, especially as they relate to predicting electrical/mechanical systems equipment failure, are increasing in popularity. This is in no small part due to the efforts of the IR industry to educate engineering and maintenance department managers as to the advantages of predicting, and subsequently preventing, problems from becoming system failures by using infrared thermographic equipment and/or contract services. However, many companies and plants have failed to achieve what they really need: An extensive and effective Infrared Predictive Maintenance Program. One "Hot Spot" survey per year does not make a successful infrared program.

More...Read the full story here (59k pdf)


How Norfolk Southern Railway Company Keeps Traction Motors at Peak Performance

Over the past year, Norfolk Southern Railway Company’s Mechanical Department in Altoona, PA, has changed
the way it looks at its 3-ton, 750 hp motors that keep its locomotives in motion.

With a fleet of more than 18,000 traction motors, keeping them all from failure is no easy job.

More...Read the full story here (14k pdf)


EAM Made Simple.  Well, Kind of Simple.
By Rob MacArthur

When asked to pen this piece on Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), I was struck with a radical idea. I would script the definitive and all encompassing manual for EAM. Not only that, but it would be written so that an 8 year-old could understand it. As it turns out not many people involved with EAM are of that age, so I figured I’d just keep it as simple as possible.

More...Click here to read EAM Made Simple (90k pdf)


Shaft Alignment Procedure by Damian Josefsberg, Acquip, Inc.

Shaft alignment should be an organized and simple process.  It is important to establish a set procedure to perform alignments.  This procedure should be followed for every alignment from beginning to end.  After you perform alignments over a period of time using the same procedure, you will find yourself spending less time per alignment and doing a much better job.

More...Click here to read Shaft Alignment Procedure (29k pdf)


Creating a Successful Corporate Maintenance Council by S. Bradley Peterson, Strategic Asset Management Inc.

Most large, multi-plant companies have launched corporate “Maintenance Councils” in the past decade.  While some have achieved a significant success, most are still floundering for direction and concrete results.

What are the differences that make some successful and some status quo?

More...Click here to read Creating a Successful Corporate Maintenance Council (127k pdf)


Getting The Most From Lube Oil Analysis by Michael P. Barrett, Insight Services

The goal of an effective oil analysis program is to increase the reliability and availability of your machinery, while minimizing maintenance costs associated with oil change outs, labor, repairs and downtime. Accomplishing your goal takes time, training and patience.

However, the results are dramatic and the documented savings in cost avoidance are significant! This paper presents basic oil analysis concepts for the novice looking to improve his/her understanding of the power of oil analysis.

More...Click here to read Getting The Most From Lube Oil Analysis (278k pdf)


Fundamentals of Shaft Alignment
by Damian Josefsberg, Acquip, Inc.

Performing correct shaft alignment saves time and money. Misalignment is the most common cause of machine vibration. Understanding and practicing the fundamentals of shaft alignment is the first step in reducing unnecessary vibration, reducing maintenance costs, and increasing machine uptime. Every alignment should be performed from start to finish using the