Features
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What is more important: a focus on reliability or focus on maintenance practices?
MRO’s Counterpoint columnists took to the stage at this year’s MainTrain conference, which was held September 19 – 22 in Toronto. The annual conference, organized by the Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada (PEMAC), is Canada’s largest maintenance and…
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Debunking four condition-based maintenance misconceptions
Condition-based maintenance, applied to mission critical and non-critical assets, can be an effective strategy for spotting decreasing performance and for triggering maintenance so that work can be completed before the equipment fails. Even with CBM in place, it’s advisable that…
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Winterizing aerial work platforms and boom trucks
Preparing your aerial lifts or boom truck cranes for cold weather operation is an important step in ensuring a long equipment life and optimum performance on the job site. Without the proper parts and service work, slow hydraulic operation and…
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Three technology driven developments poised to disrupt field service
The field service industry has always been one of the earliest adopters of new technologies, from the original PDAs to IoT-enabled devices. Now, a new generation of technology is uniquely positioned to transform the field service industry, promising to reduce costs and dramatically improve the quality of service organizations can offer. Tom DeVroy, Senior Product Evangelist for Enterprise Service Management at IFS, identifies three technology-led developments set to disrupt field service and discusses how flexible and modular resource planning infrastructure will help organizations reap substantial rewards.
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Transition to GHS label compliance
Paint and coating formulators, distributors and end users must now ask if their chemical labels are GHS compliant – and if not, be prepared to document for OSHA their good faith efforts to become so, including an expected timeline for…
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AEM Hall of Fame announces 2016 inductees
Milwaukee – The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) announces the 2016 inductees into the AEM Hall of Fame, which recognizes and celebrates outstanding individuals in the off-road equipment industry, and their legacy of innovation, service and leadership. The two distinguished…
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Asset management professionals gain inspiration at PEMAC conference
Sustainability is about meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of future generations. This can be achieved through the integration of environmental, economic and social priorities, but evolving them into policies and programs requires action at all levels.…
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Who laid off the asset management data quality people?
The petroleum-triggered economic global downturn has impacted all aspects of industrial life – production levels are down; plants are closing; companies are merging or being acquired; good people are going home; jobs are moving between plants – all having an…
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Robots bring new productivity; implications for MRO
While many warehousing facilities are well-equipped to handle the mechanical maintenance of their conveyors, they may lack the robotics and software resources to maintain a fully-automated system. And with many facilities shifting toward automation processes, robotic system maintenance will forge a new MRO culture that includes advanced training or experience in technology.
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Avoid health scares with regular hygiene assessments
The list of prosecution bulletins and food recalls posted on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website makes it apparent that enforcing standards can be onerous. In the first two weeks of September alone, there were at least seven recall warnings…
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What’s Up Doug? How are hydraulics used with bearings?
Bearings are precision components that need to be handled with care during installation or removal (mounting and dismounting). The method of using hydraulics with bearings for installation and removal is applied only when provided for in the design of the…
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Chains drive your process
Every process has unique requirements that could make choosing the right chain a mission-critical exercise.
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Cost concepts of planning and scheduling
Most people are surprised to see maintenance costs go up (!) as they first implement proper planning and scheduling. Maintenance planning and scheduling help an existing workforce complete more maintenance work so, of course, they will use more spare parts…
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Innovation could lead to cuts in chemical manufacturing energy use and emissions
Irving, Texas – Scientists from ExxonMobil and the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a potentially revolutionary new technology that could significantly reduce the amount of energy and emissions associated with manufacturing plastics. Results of the research were published today…
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MRO Inventory 101
Proper MRO parts management is a balancing act. On one hand, you want parts to be available in the case of breakdowns. At the same time, you cannot have an excessive amount of money tied up in inventory.
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Does your oil & lubrication program ensure your equipment is running at its best?
Most plant managers ask themselves how they can extract every ounce of productivity from their equipment to ensure that the plant is as efficient, safe and profitable as possible. The answer: Doing as much as you can to protect your…
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What’s Up Doug? Rolling Element Bearings and Fluid Power
There are a number of ways that rolling element bearings and fluid power are related. Fluid power is used for installation of rolling bearings, removal of rolling bearings and lubrication of rolling bearings. In many cases, the oil used in…
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Flushable wipes blamed for clogs in sewer systems
Calgary – The long-running “flushable wipes” controversy has turned into an ongoing war of words in Canada, with manufacturers insisting their moist towelettes are more sewer-friendly than ever as municipalities urge citizens to put them in the garbage, not down…
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A “Transformer” for maintaining tube trains used by London Underground
At Ealing Common depot, a railway service workshop of London Underground, the Tube trains used on the District line will now be maintained with the aid of a lifting system from Pfaff Verkehrstechnik GmbH, Kissing (Germany). On account of its…
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Motor management programs
In the tactical world of reliability, finding efficiencies is a requirement. But given the challenges associated with meeting production requirements – cost cutting and reduced workforces – many plants are struggling to keep pace. One solution, according to Braam Meij,…
