Centrifugal pumps can be moved to a new service.
The impeller size, impeller speed, and motor power need to match the new service.
That Similarity Law formula is used in calculating the new impeller size, speed, and motor power.
Introduction to centrifugal pump curves and their use.

When there is a need to determine a new service duty for a centrifugal pump, and no performance curves are available, the recommended method is to use the Similarity Laws. These laws are derived by the use of [Read more…]

by James Kovacevic 2 Comments

What Can You Do to Improve Reliability?

Part 5 of 5

A Question & Answer Period with Fred Schenkelberg on the what can be done to improve the reliability of your operation.

So far in this series, we have had the opportunity to discuss the role of reliability engineering in today’s maintenance environments. In this final post of the series, I (James) had the opportunity to ask Fred Schenkelberg some questions related to this very topic. Fred, with his years of experience, was able to provide some great insights to the role of reliability engineering, and what those in the maintenance department can do to improve reliability. [Read more…]

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Life Cycle Costs

How building reliability into the equipment design will dramatically improve your profitability.

Part 4 of 5

Does your team procure, setup and put into operation equipment with a single focus on reducing the initial capital expenditure?

Do you work with your equipment suppliers to fully specify the equipment’s functions, performance, and reliability? Maybe not the reliability? [Read more…]

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Where Does Maintenance Fit Into Reliability?

Maintenance Provides the Key Function of Preserving

Part 3 of 5

With the design FMEA complete, the equipment should have high inherent reliability. The equipment can then be installed in the plant, and provide a high level of performance to the business, at least initially. This is where Maintenance comes in. Maintenance can enable a low Life Cycle Cost, by preserving the reliability of the equipment. [Read more…]

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Using a Design FMEA

How building reliability into the equipment design will dramatically improve your profitability.

Part 2 of 5

Products and equipment start with a design. The functions and performance occur or do not occur according to the capabilities designed into the system.

I learned early in my career, as a manufacturing engineer, that some products were much easier to manufacture (less yield loss) than others, and it was often the design of the product that made the difference. [Read more…]

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Incorporating Reliability into Your Future

How building reliability into the equipment design will dramatically improve your profitability.

Part 1 of 5

Often time’s equipment is procured, setup and put into operation with a single focus on reducing the initial capital expenditure. This can be a fatal mistake as the reliability of the equipment is built into the design of the equipment. This called the inherent reliability. Once the equipment is designed and installed, there is little the maintenance department can do to improve the inherent reliability. [Read more…]