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Moving Slurries About

Moving Slurries About

Moving slurries about. Slurry is solid particles in a liquid. Concentration can vary from mostly liquid to mostly solid. Slurries are usually transported through pipe work using pumps, pressurised gas or steam. Different concentrations and different particulate produce different flow characteristics. Successful slurry transport requires knowledge of the particulate, its transport behaviour in the liquid at different concentrations and speeds, the nature and friction effects of the pipe work system and selection of the right motive method for the application. This article provides information for transporting slurries of up to 60% solids concentration. [Read more…]

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Risk Modeling and Business Continuity

Risk Modeling and Business Continuity

Guest Post by Geary Sikich (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)

Risk modeling is a useful tool for business continuity managers, but over-reliance and flawed approaches can create difficulties.  

Introduction

Fundamental uncertainties derive from our fragmentary understanding of risk and complex system dynamics and interdependencies. Abundant stochastic variation in risk parameters further exacerbates the ability to clearly assess uncertainties. [Read more…]

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Effect of Process Changes on Electric Motors

Effect of Process Changes on Electric Motors

Abstract 

Effect of process changes on electric motors. This article explains the effect of changing process loads on AC induction electric motor performance. The motor’s behaviour is a response to the load imposed on it by the equipment connected to it. The equipment’s behaviour is itself a response to the duty and service it has to perform. Where the equipment duty and service is adjustable by the operator, or fluctuates as the process changes, the motor will react to those changes. When the changes are so excessive that they are beyond the motor’s ability to handle them the motor stops and the equipment or process stops with it. Keywords: squirrel-cage motor, overload. [Read more…]

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Investing in Skilled Trades Apprentice Programs

Investing in Skilled Trades Apprentice Programs

Thirty-three years ago, I graduated as a Journeymen Pipefitter from a three-year skilled trades apprentice program and went to work as a Journeymen at Eastman Kodak. At that time in my life I had no idea where this training would take me. I was simply honored to work alongside those who in mentoring me, passed on a set of skills that would last a lifetime. [Read more…]

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Supply Chain Cyber Risk Management

Supply Chain Cyber Risk Management

Cyber security risk is among the most critical risks to the supply chain:

“Cyber and data privacy breaches are perceived to be the largest threat to the stability of transport and logistics, with the sector facing potential breaches of $2 trillion by 2019.”[i]

The reality of a cyber-crime is not if, but when, and how damaging it will  be.  The inevitability of a cyber-attack has forced end-product manufacturers to reassess every element of the end-product manufacturer from product design, outsourcing, and servicing the product. [Read more…]

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The 5 ‘S’ Method of Operation 

The 5 ‘S’ Method of Operation 

This topic is provided by – Graphic Products, Inc. Contact
info@graphicproducts.com
Copyright © 2000, 2001 All rights reserved.

Abstract

The 5 s method of operation – A Five S program focuses on having visual order, organization, cleanliness and standardization throughout the workplace and the operation. It is a structured method to put operators and maintainers in control of what they do. [Read more…]

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Lessons Learned: Seldom Remembered: Soon Forgotten

Lessons Learned: Seldom Remembered: Soon Forgotten

Lessons Learned: Seldom Remembered: Soon Forgotten

Guest Post by Malcolm Peart (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)

Something on the Project goes wrong and is fixed – “Let’s put this down for lessons learned” goes the management mantra.  But was this experience just a failing that should not have happened in the first place and relearning a previously taught, but now forgotten, ‘lesson’?

If we don’t learn then the same mistakes will be made and possible opportunities will be missed and, as Edmund Burke the 18th Century Irish Statesman said, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it“.  But why do we forget our lessons?  Abe Lincoln said “Lessons not learned in blood are soon forgotten” reflecting that loss in some form such as money, property, or reputation, not necessarily blood, is needed to ensure that memory is ingrained and can be recalled.

Lessons that are remembered after the fact tend to add insult to injury; when you’re up to your neck in alligators you then remember that distant lesson about draining the swamp! [Read more…]

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6 Secrets of Trouble-free Lubrication Success

6 Secrets of Trouble-free Lubrication Success

6 Secrets of Trouble-free Lubrication Success

Grease and oil are the key lubricants used throughout industry to reduce friction between metal parts. Lubricants can only reduce friction if their immediate environment sustains their lubricating properties. Once the operating conditions are known a suitable lubricant with the right properties can be used. When the lubricant is in place it is necessary to maintain the environment and the machine to the specified design standards and protect it from changes to the design conditions. There are six key factors to address for trouble- free life where grease or oil lubrication is used on machinery. [Read more…]

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TIG review

TIG review

As a reliability guy I love seeing how stuff works.  Was recently given an opportunity to mess around and compare a new product to it’s siblings in a field I love, welding. I recently provided some input on an article release by Superiorglove about types of insulation and heat conduction. Superiorglove is a glove manufacturer that makes about every type of glove you could imagine, many are really impressive industrial applications gloves. I like how much they get into the science of it. In our discussions I used an example of how my TIG welding gloves protect against conductive and radiative types of heat transfer.  They informed me that they had a TIG welding glove line and would love if I would review four of their models.   I happily accepted because I love to weld, check out how things work and …free gloves.

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Engineering Reports Need to Be Like Bad Movies – Give The Ending Away At The Start

I am frequently asked to review engineering reports and documents. And I am continually baffled with how many engineers want to ‘take their reader on a journey’ as opposed to getting to the main point. These engineers write documents where you have to read every single word to work out what they are trying to say. But having a final reveal is never a good thing in any technical document. [Read more…]