Bearings and so much more

If you’re into bearings, you’re going to find quite a lot of interest in this issue, including seven bearing-related features and technical articles, news on the bearing marketplace, and an update on the Bearing Specialists Association.

But if you don’t work with bearings, don’t despair, as there’s lots of other topics in this issue, including an interesting feature on maintenance myths. It looks at standard maintenance practices in a new — and possibly more economical — way.

Another feature provides details on creating a successful maintenance program using infrared thermography, technology that finds ‘invisible’ trouble spots in and around machinery and equipment before you’re faced with a costly breakdown. We also present a case history on the application of an automated, vertical parts storage system used in the maintenance operations of Toronto’s transit system. It’s an easier, friendlier and safer way to store and locate maintenance components.

Furthermore, our regular columns appeal to a wide range of readers. Anybody who is a boss will benefit from the people-management and personal improvement skills recommended in each issue’s Supervisory Suggestions column.

If you’ve come from a hands-on job working with tools and now have bigger overall maintenance responsibilities for your facility, you’re sure to benefit from both The Business of Maintenance and the Maintenance Management columns. Completely different in style, they both treat the maintenance function with the high degree of respect it deserves.

Tied into the theme of managing maintenance is our regular CMMS Solutions column, which puts a practical spin on keeping control of all aspects of work.

Not to be forgotten is The Safety File, a column on health and safety topics that should be of interest to anyone who works in industry. It frequently demonstrates how improving safety also improves productivity and saves money, a surprising fact to many.

Every issue’s ‘back-of-the-book’ section highlights our current selection of the latest products and services that can benefit those who work in the field. We also include products grouped into two or three different themes and these change from issue to issue.

Finally, our last editorial page — or the first for those who read their magazines from back to front — is typically a photograph-heavy report on recent events attended by us and our readers. We’ve renamed that page on the Road for this reason. This issue, for example, we have pictures and news from the IDI Independent Distributors Inc. IDIMart in Montreal and the gigantic IFPE power transmission show in Las Vegas, which was attended by tens of thousands of visitors, including many from Canada and around the world.

So if bearings aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty to capture your interest and teach you new things in this issue. And if you are particularly interested in bearing technology, operation or maintenance, we sincerely hope you’ll be able to find a good amount of free time to enjoy all the relevant stories you’ll find here.