Maintworld 4/2016

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XXXXXX ASSET MANAGEMENT The Reliable Role of Ultrasound in Asset Condition Management The quest to solve complex asset reliability issues are handcuffed when an organization’s leadership rebuffs the benefits of a multi-technological approach to condition monitoring (CM). Their hands are further tied when they do invest in CM technologies, but not the manpower to deploy them. One colleague stoically relayed his frustration thus; “there is never enough of us (manpower), but there is more of them (problems) every day.” 28 maintworld 4/<strong>2016</strong>
ASSET MANAGEMENT HARIS TROBRADOVIC, SDT International, haris@sdt.be MONITORING ASSET CONDITION cannot be done effectively with just one CM technology. Yet how many maintenance departments rely predominantly on data from “just vibration” or “just oil analysis” (as only two examples… there are surely others)? There are so many failure modes that threaten asset health and not every symptom is detectable using a single method. Some organizations have a strong vibration programme but that’s all. Others may see clearly with infrared thermal imaging but lack a good oil analysis solution. Their focus must be broader. Benefits of Ultrasound Ultrasound testing presents a solution to those finding themselves with less manpower to solve a growing number problems. First, it’s versatile. So many of the defects that haunt maintenance personnel are detectable with ultrasound. Second, it’s not prohibitively expensive. Quality equipment requires an investment on par with, or even lower than conventional CM technologies. Third, it’s deployable. Implementing ultrasound into a reliability department is painless and fast. Reliability and Operational Excellence Improving Reliability and Operational Excellence are absolute priorities within every organization. Ownership by every person is a must and each must be made to feel some level of leadership. Then questions are answered, tasks are completed, and obstacles tossed aside. Still, we clearly witness that many reliability projects fail, or perform at a level far below expectations. Reliability Improvement and Operational Excellence must start with a revolution and continue as an evolution. There is no timeframe for continuous improvement. If there were, we would improve up until the deadline and then just revert to old ways again. It would just be called improvement… without continuous. Each team member must accept they are part of the revolution and it is not going away. Communication plays a big role. It is a fact that less than 10 percent of employees clearly understand companies’ strategies. The purpose for the revolution must match the organization’s operational mission and be communicated from the executive suites to the plant floor. Some call this “line of site” (CRL, Uptime Elements). Poor communication should trigger alarms. Strategies, ideas, and tasks become blurrier and mystified as they travel from the top of the pyramid to the base. There is a lot of talk about culture change within an organization these days. The concept of creating a reliability culture and creating programmes to make it happen, leads to more blurriness and mystification. The real cultural changes need to start by changing the way strategy is explained to, and implemented in, the behavior of employees. Instead of asking why culture change is difficult to create, why not search for the point where the culture to do things the reliable way was rejected? If the complexity of knowledge is too great can we take these ideas that resemble large blocks and slice them into smaller, more digestible pieces? Ultrasound solutions implemented in concert with organization’s reliability mission answers this question. This technology promotes a high level of involvement across the entire operation and has the capacity to lead culture change. Ultrasound is a versatile technology. Its many uses appeal to departments at all levels. Its positive impact resonates through energy efficiency, asset longevity, product quality, and bottom line. But being versatile doesn’t mean complexity. For every ultrasound guru, there are ten inspectors who need only adopt a small slice of knowledge for the technology to have positive impact. Each user receives training on the applications that improve reliability in their area. Micro projects all contribute to macro results. Ultrasound solves complex machine issues in a simple way. It detects Friction, Impacting, and Turbulence, three phenomena commonly associated with asset defects. Most Failure Mode assessment projects (FMEA) point to ultrasound as a good candidate for condition monitoring. For some assets, it is the first line of defense while for others it is the only line of defense. Does that make it the best condition monitoring technology? Far from it. That doesn’t exist. This is no “better or worse” when it comes to CM. It all boils down to matching the technology to the defect. It just happens that ultrasound matches well to a broad spectrum of potential failures, either in a direct or complimentary way. Where is Ultrasound Useful? The eight pillars of ultrasound suggest that it should be employed for: • Machine condition monitoring • Acoustic lubrication of bearings • Leak detection • Steam trap assessment • Electrical inspections • Valves • Hydraulics • Tightness testing Defects related to the eight pillars all 4/<strong>2016</strong> maintworld 29
Page 1 and 2: 4/2016 www.maintworld.com maintenan
Page 3: FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS Tailor a program
Page 6 and 7: EDITORIAL Text: Nina Garlo From Glo
Page 8 and 9: RELIABILITY Towards Better Asset Pe
Page 10 and 11: ADVERTORIAL In Its 30th Year, ICONI
Page 12 and 13: INDUSTRIAL INTERNET Building Disrup
Page 14 and 15: CASE STUDY Installing the latest di
Page 16: CASE STUDY Workers inspect a paper
Page 19 and 20: CONDITION MONITORING Figure 2: Soft
Page 22 and 23: ASSET XXXXXX MANAGEMENT Predictive
Page 24 and 25: THERMAL IMAGING Thermal imaging cam
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Page 30 and 31: ASSET MANAGEMENT produce Friction,
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Page 34 and 35: CONDITION MONITORING The Ultraprobe
Page 36: CONDITION MONITORING An ultrasound
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Page 41 and 42: LUBRICATION By the way, do you keep
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Page 47 and 48: More Uptime. Better Returns. Strate
Page 49 and 50: MW Vertical Ad.pdf 1 9/7/2016 9:39:
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