Editorial

Surprisingly, many companies still use a system of Planned PeriodicMaintenancein an attempt to avoid costly downtime arising from the failure of their equipmentand machinery. In other words, they replace parts that tend to wear out(e.g. motor bearings) on a routine basis whether they need replacing or not.Not only is this needlessly costly, but can make matters worse by introducing faults during the process of stripping down and rebuilding a perfectly good machine. Even more of a problem is deciding the PPM time intervals. Too frequent,means more wasted time and cost (and morepotential for introducing faults) but not frequent enough, means more unexpected breakdowns.

Condition Based Maintenancerelies on the fact that a machine’s condition (degree of wear) can be monitored, by measuring the vibration levels in motor bearingsfor example. This way,the machine only needs to be maintainedwhen its condition deteriorates beyond an acceptable level. This decision isbased on recording and tracking changes in the machine’s condition over time (trending).Put simply, CBMphilosophy isif it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it!

This approach obviously saves time and money since machineparts are only changed when they need to be. However,CBM can potentially save a lot of money by spotting a machinethat is about to fail prematurelybefore it fails and hence avoid an unexpected and costly shutdown.

Clearly, CBM is a superior technique but until now,its cost of implementation has put off some companies from using it. Traditionally, both CBMequipment and the expertise required to use it has been prohibitively expensive.

Test Products International (TPI) has however completely revolutionised this concept with the introduction ofits low cost, portable vibration analysers and free to use trending software. Both the analysers and software arevery easy to use,stemming from the fact that they are very intuitive and based on internationally agreed (ISO) alarm levels for rotating machinery.

TPI’s free to use VibTrend machine management and trending software stores machine condition readings and displays their trends in a clearand easily understood graphical format. In addition, various ‘expert system’ features are incorporated into the software, such as bearing quality assessment, which is achieved by analysing the frequency components of the vibration data and automatically identifying the classic ‘signatures’ associated with bearing wear. That way,it is very easy to monitor the health of a bearing simply by observing the level ofbearing quality displayedon the trend plots.

A complete CBM system can cost from as little as £1,450 with the TPI 9080, whichuses industry standard accelerometers and offers on-meter analysis for the detection of machine faults such as unbalance, misalignment, looseness and bearing wear. Theequivalent intrinsically safe version (IEC Ex, ATEX and North American)TPI 9080Exoffers a complete Zone 1 CBM solution for £3,500. Both versions include a full VibTrendfree to use unlimited software license.

For more information please contact TPI Europe’s head office on +44 1293 530196 or take a look on the website at www.tpieurope.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

COVAL offers manufacturers a range of vacuum grippers suitable for handling of parts of various sizes, weights, and materials. This gripper range has been extended with the latest CMS HD series multistage vacuum pumps, developed by COVAL. With this enhancement, the new generation of grippers meets the demands of Industry 4.0 with greater robustness, communication, and modularity.
COVAL's range of vacuum grippers is based on two complementary solutions. The CVGL is characterized by its lightness and great adaptability. It is available as standard in several lengths, power ratings, and gripping interfaces.
The MVG, on the other hand, offers the possibility of configuring the gripper to allow it to be perfectly adapted to each application by determining the length, width, gripping interface, and vacuum generator while guaranteeing extreme lightness. It offers a tailored solution that integrates perfectly with handling robots.

HEAVY DUTY at the Heart of COVAL Vacuum Grippers
COVAL's new generation of vacuum grippers now incorporate the latest CMS HD series of vacuum pumps. These pumps have a heavy-duty design for high reliability even in harsh environments (IP65), capable of ensuring 50 million cycles. A factor of the pump’s longevity is their modular design which allows specific configurations and targeted maintenance of specific parts to optimize repairability.
As a result, the new generation of CMS HD multistage pumps adds to the vacuum grippers ́ reliability and adaptability.

Vacuum Grippers Become Intelligent
The new COVAL vacuum grippers offer a choice of three multistage vacuum pump configurations, depending on the needs of the integrator or end user: non-piloted, piloted, and communicating.
The communicating configuration, which makes the vacuum grippers easier to use and parameterize, is obtained by integrating the CMS HD VX version of the multistage pump.
The VX pump version features an IO-Link communication interface, compliant with the international IEC 61131-9 standard, for fast and cost-effective installation, continuous diagnostics, centralized parameterization, and efficient communication with higher-level protocols (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, etc.).

It can also support a Human Machine Interface (HMI) with NFC interface, enabling the operator to read and modify setup parameters and diagnostics from a mobile device (Android or iOS) using the dedicated COVAL Vacuum Manager app.
With these pump capabilities, the new generation of COVAL vacuum grippers become even more versatile and perfectly compatible with the robot systems at the heart of Industry 4.0.
A Vast Range of Applications
Thanks to their great modularity and ease of integration in all contexts, CVGL and MVG vacuum grippers can be found in many industries: packaging, plastic, metal, and wood for handling porous and non-porous objects.

Qualities that make the difference:
• Solutions adapted to each process
• Configurable vacuum grippers
• Robustness, longevity, and economy of use
• Vacuum grippers with communications

www.coval-international.com

For over 150 years, AERZEN has been developing, manufacturing and supplying rotary lobe blowers and subsequently oil-free and oil-flooded screw compressors for complex and demanding air and gas applications.  Our history has given rise to a unique knowledge of technological advances and know-how.  AERZEN technology and experience gaines in more traditional industries and applications are more and more frequently being applied to emerging industrial applications to meet the sustainable challenges facing all of us.  Built with AERZEN know-how and wealth of experience come compression solutions engineered for Hydrogen applications.

Made by AERZEN, made in Germany.

Aerzen Machines Ltd

Aerzen House, Langston Road, Loughton, Essex, IG10 3SL

T +44 0208 502 8100

E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

W www.aerzen.com

This article can also be found in the issue below.

Belzona’s polymeric repair and protection materials are suitable for extending the in-service life of assets in a multitude of industries, including equipment in the petrochemical industry which often functions in harsh environments. Belzona’s products are suitable for both small-scale assets and extremely large projects, such as the recent restoration of a mammoth pipeline in a Thai petroleum production facility.

What was the problem?

The facility, based in the north of Thailand, found that a huge pipeline carrying high-pressure water for injection into oil wells was suffering from thin wall defects. The pipeline in question was made out of 12 metre pipe lengths that had been welded together. However, upon inspection it was found that the 2000 psi water contents and the weld filler material used had resulted in internal corrosion defects at everycircumferential weld joint. This caused the deterioration of pipe wall thickness, risking high pressure leaks.

 

The pipeline was exposed to corrosion at the joints where sections had previously been welded together

Belzona's cold bonding solutions had previously repaired other areas of the pipeline

Why was Belzona chosen?

The Customer had used Belzona previously and had a good relationship with the local Distributor, Pan Mechanic Engineering Co., Ltd. They were very impressed by Belzona’scold bonding capabilities when they were demonstrated by the Distributor on a defective joint, leading to their agreement to undertake the repair of the entire pipeline, requiring an estimated 5000-7000kg of Belzona 1111 (Super Metal).

Due to the massive scale of the project, it was decided to complete the repair in three stages. More than 1000 joints were repairedin 2020 and the remaining defects were addressed in November and December 2022. The joints repaired in stage one were demonstrating excellent performance in service and the Distributor also invited two Technical Services Engineers from the Belzona Asia Pacific Office to observe the second stage of the project.

Why was Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) specified?

The use of welding had been problematic in the past, leading to the Customer’s preference for a cold bonding solution. The Distributor initially proposed the use of Belzona SuperWrap IIto restore pipe wall strength, but testing found that attachingcarbon steel reinforcing plates using Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) as a bonding agent would be more appropriate. The simpler cold bonding repair would be more cost effective and ensure a faster return to service in line with the Customer’s requirements.

How was the solution applied?

The surface was prepared using garnet blasting and Belzona 9111 (Cleaner/Degreaser) to achieve an average minimum ≥75 μm (3mils) profile and SA2.5 surface cleanliness for maximum adhesion. The atmospheric conditions were then tested to ensure that the relative humidity was below themaximum permitted 85% needed for the application to take place.

Welding rods were used to create a shim between the steel plates and the repair area to control the thickness of the application. The welding rods were bonded to the steel reinforcing plates with a small quantity of Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) and the repair area was identified usingmasking tape. Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) was first applied to two of the four plates and the damaged pipeline joint, and held in place using a fixed hoist while the product cured. Once the first two plates had bonded, the final two plates were appliedand allowed to cure, fully encompassing the circumferential joint.

 

Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) was applied as a bonding agent

The plates were held in place by a fixed hoist to allow the product to cure

What was the result of the application?

The Customer was delighted that the Belzona repair restored the integrity of the joints and protected the pipeline from future thin wall defects. The success of such a large-scale project led the Customer to indicate an interest in applying Belzona solutions to other pipelines at their facility. This could include similar cold bonding applications or the specification of Belzona SuperWrap II for more complex pipe geometries. Polymeric repair and protection materials are ideal for facilities in the oil & gas and petrochemicalindustries due to their easy application and quick return to service with no hot work required.

This advanced acoustic camera for industrial uses improves performance, efficiency, and ease of use with one-hand operation to pinpoint issues at a safe distance
GOLETA, Calif., April 6, 2023― Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, today announced the Si124–LD Plus, a new addition to its line of Si124 acoustic imaging cameras. This new model provides professional inspectors with an enhanced user interface and software features that improve the ability to pinpoint smaller air compressor leaks more quickly and accurately than ever before to make industrial environments safer and more productive.
The Si124-LD Plus maintains its ergonomic one-hand operational design while offering a number of enhancements to improve its utility and efficiency, including:
AutoFilter: automatically determines the best filter to use for revealing small leaks that might otherwise remain undetected, all the while speeding up inspections by eliminating unrelated background noise.
AutoDistance: automatically measures the distance to the leak for real-time, reliable, leak-rate estimates up to five meters (16 feet) away from the source.
Continuous Auto-Correct:

improves leak detection performance to find even smaller air leaks from 0.016 l/min to 0.004 l/min (0.016 l/min = 0.00057 cfm, 0.004 l/min = 0.00014 cfm).
“The Si124-LD Plus acoustic imaging camera represents a step change for industrial compressed air leak inspection,” said Rob Milner, Director, Global Business Development, Teledyne FLIR. “The Si124 line of acoustic imaging devices has already proved to decrease inspection time 10-fold, and now with additional software features such as AutoDistance and AutoFilter with the ‘plus’ version, industrial inspectors will enjoy even greater efficiency and the ability to detect even smaller leaks than what was once possible. These leaks, if not detected and remedied, can create not only dangerous conditions for buildings and industrial sites but can lead to costly repairs and unnecessary increases in energy costs.”
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The acoustic imaging camera also features an upgraded user interface (UI) and full integration with the powerful FLIR Thermal Studio software for post-inspection analysis and reporting. Importantly, the Si124-LD Plus provides leak quantification both on camera and in software, allowing inspectors to better prioritize repairs and justify expenditures.
FLIR Thermal Studio Integration

FLIR Thermal Studio empowers operators to import acoustic images from the camera to the desktop software suite to easily edit and analyze acoustic imagery alongside multispectral imagery capture from other Teledyne FLIR inspection tools. This enables inspectors to create advanced reports as part of a comprehensive predictive maintenance or condition monitoring program across the visible, thermal, and acoustic spectrums. The software gives users the ability to create reports through pre-built or fully customizable templates, including multispectral image analysis in the same report or even the same page via drag-and-drop report creation functionality.
The Si124-LD Plus includes two rechargeable batteries with a battery recharger, a neck strap, and a USB memory stick included within a hard case for safe, easy transportation to and from the job site.
Visit www.flir.com/Si124-LD-Plus for more information and to book your demo.

Byworth Boilers (Byworth), a manufacturer of industrial steam and hot water boilers, is helping protect uptime for its customers thanks to the reliability and durability of Flexicon FSU flexible conduit systems.

The Flexicon cable protection system has been specified for the past 15 years, for both its mechanical protection properties and practicality for use in a fast-moving production line of heavy machinery.

The company supplies its boilers, alongside maintenance and training services, for a broad range of applications, including healthcare and hospitals, breweries and food production to name a few.  While the end applications differ, each of Byworth's customers are the same, in that they cannot afford the risk of equipment downtime, as Dave Podsiedzik, Electrical Foreman from the company explains:

"The consequences of failing to use the correct cable containment and protection for our product range could be disastrous for our customers.  Any downtime of our products will ultimately lead to loss of production, so we aim to reduce this as much as possible by providing the highest quality of products in our design."

Speed of installation

The demands of the busy manufacturing environment mean that Byworth looks to specify products that are simple and easy to install.  Dave Podsiedzik continues:

"The ease in which you can cut the Flexicon FSU conduit, and the nature of its flexibility makes it the perfect product for our needs, helping to guarantee speed as well as product safety. 

“The quality of the Flexicon brand gives us the confidence in the longevity and durability of our machines. We are frequently complimented by our visitors and customers for the ‘tidiness’ of the cable management, which is as a result of our skilled workforce as well as the adaptability of the Flexicon FSU conduit."

Robust and durable

Flexicon's FSU range of flexible conduit is manufactured from galvanised steel with PVC coating, making it ideal for the rigours of the hazardous environments in which the boilers are often operating.  In these applications, there are numerous factors which could lead to boiler breakdown, but using the Flexicon range has proven to significantly reduce the likelihood of cable damage contributing to equipment failure.

Dave Podsiedzik concludes:

"The galvanised steel conduit provides excellent impact protection, and the PVC coating adds additional protection for the internal wires from water damage and erosion.  The longevity of the FSU range for use in a hot and damp environment is also a major factor in our decision.  Conduits are terminated using fittings which are manufactured from quality nickel plated brass, thus extending the life of the installation. We need to ensure our machines' longevity by using quality products what live up to our high expectations. With the FSU range, this is achieved.

"We had used other cable protection systems previously, but the quality of the Flexicon product, alongside its ease of installation and excellent availability have meant that we have never had an issue during the past 15 years."

Compressed air and fluid power specialist Thorite has made two new appointments to develop its specialist support in electric automation and systems building.

Electrical engineer Aniq Rehman has joined Thorite as a Technical Specialist in electric automation.

After completing a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Bradford University, Aniq has worked as an electrical design engineer, most recently for  Wakefield-based PCM Automation, where he developed his expertise in designing end of arm tools for six-axis robots.

In his newly created role at Thorite, he will help develop the company’s capabilities in electric automation, carrying out systems building and providing technical support to sales colleagues and customers.

Owen Parry is Thorite’s new Systems Production Engineering Manager.

His multi-faceted role will involve working with the systems team to help achieve Thorite’s plans for growth. He will also assist with business development and provide technical support to colleagues and customers.

As a mechanical engineer, Owen’s varied career has included being a calibration planning engineer for Johnson & Johnson, medical design engineer for Tissuemed and engineering manager for Freudenberg Nonwovens LP. In addition, Owen is a qualified teacher, working most recently at UCT Leeds, a specialist engineering school.

Mike Perry,  Technical Solutions Manager for Thorite, said: “Many companies are moving towards electric automation and we have significantly strengthened our expertise in this area to help customers achieve that shift successfully.

“Systems building is a bedrock of our services and is a key growth area for Thorite.

“We’re delighted to welcome Aniq and Owen to the company to consolidate our capabilities and support our plans for growth.”

  
50 OPTIME wireless condition monitoring sensors were installed at the plant to continuously monitor 157 pieces of equipment

• Savings of 30,000 euros per year by preventing six days (144 hours) of unplanned machine downtime
• OPTIME monitors a range of rotating equipment including pumps, cooling tower fans, agitator gearboxes and refrigeration compressors
• Comprehensive monitoring solution at the plant includes OPTIME, wired SmartChecks and offline measuring systems. 

Birmingham | March 28, 2023| Schaeffler’s OPTIME wireless condition monitoring solution is saving a leading food and biochemicals plant in South East Asia 30,000 euros per year by preventing unplanned machine downtime on a variety of rotating equipment. The plant benefits from the early detection of equipment failures, as well as more precise trend data and increased reliability of the monitoring solutions.

With its diverse markets and customers, the food and biochemicals company must always ensure that its machines run smoothly, therefore the company has been using Schaeffler’s offline and online monitoring solutions for their most critical machines. However, in searching for a comprehensive condition monitoring solution, the plant’s maintenance team decided on the OPTIME wireless condition monitoring solution, which met their increasingly demanding applications.

Challenge 
Sustainable products such as bioplastics are becoming increasingly important. At the biochemical plant, complex fermentation processes are carried out to produce derivative acid (e.g. lactic acid) which customers use in a variety of ways such as a food additive for bakeries, breweries and confectionery products, as well as for biodegradable packaging. During the production process, the machines are subjected to extreme stress, therefore production throughput must be optimised in order to avoid unplanned machine downtime. 

The expansion of the plant in recent years presented a new challenge for maintenance – loose meshing of the machine gears. This meant tremendous stress on the gears and resulted in accelerated wear and tear and a risk of incorrect lubrication. Therefore, the maintenance management team turned to Schaeffler for a comprehensive solution.

Easily scalable, wireless solution

Working together with the customer and understanding the demanding needs of the application, Schaeffler’s experts recommended OPTIME, an easily scalable wireless condition monitoring solution consisting of wireless sensors, a gateway and digital services based on proprietary Schaeffler algorithms. The gateway receives data from the sensors and transfer it to the Schaeffler cloud. OPTIME automatically detects any problems, issues the appropriate alarms and provides information on the possible cause of the problem. Condition monitoring expertise on the part of the customer is not required as this knowledge is already fully integrated into OPTIME. 

A total of 50 OPTIME sensors were installed on a variety of pumps and gearboxes, as well as cooling tower fans and refrigeration compressors. With this solution, the majority of machines (157 pieces of equipment in total) are continuously monitored online.

Immediate benefits

Within a year of usage, OPTIME had detected a total of 17 faults, including five serious ones. The savings of 30,000 euros were calculated based on the prevention of six days (144 hours) of unplanned downtime per year. Coupled with Schaeffler’s wired condition monitoring solution, SmartCheck, and offline measuring system, a comprehensive monitoring solution has been implemented at the plant.

An application engineer at the biochemical plant commented: “We’ve been using condition monitoring solutions from Schaeffler for years. Each solution provides us with the protection we need for our machines. SmartCheck is used for individual critical units and has saved us from some unplanned downtime. OPTIME enables us to implement comprehensive monitoring in our plant.”

OPTIME is part of the Schaeffler Lifetime Solutions portfolio, which offers a comprehensive range of products, services and solutions for industrial maintenance. It is designed to support maintenance engineers over the entire lifetime of a machine.

www.schaeffler.co.uk  

With energy bills likely to remain high for some time, users of compressed air must consider every potential energy-reducing measure. In tandem with growing demands to reduce carbon footprint as the UK transitions to a net-zero future, many companies are looking at compressed air technologies for the solution. Air dryers, which are essential to improve the quality of compressed air and protect valuable assets, are no exception. With this thought in mind, Hi-line’s latest Tundra range of refrigeration air dryers is its most energy-efficient to date, helping companies reduce costs, remain competitive and boost their green credentials.

Tundra refrigeration air dryers outperform rival technologies in energy efficiency by minimising pressure drop and lowering absorbed power. The principle of operation is direct expansion, which offers a notable advantage over thermal expansion dryers, namely a far more stable dew point of +1°C at all load levels. This stability contrasts greatly to thermal expansion dryers, where dew points can range from +3°C to +20°C. Importantly, this impressive stability in no way compromises performance: Tundra refrigeration dryers deliver continuous dry air that satisfies ISO 7183 industry standards.

One of the secrets behind the energy-efficient Tundra series is the improved and patented single-cell heat exchanger, which delivers highly efficient heat transfer at low energy costs. In essence, pre-cooled air enters the all-aluminium heat exchanger module while post-heated air departs, supporting a reduction in the energy consumed by the chiller circuit.

Another energy-saving attribute of the Hi-line’s Tundra range of refrigeration air dryers involves condensate removal. A link between the microprocessor controller and the condensate removal valve ensures minimum loss of compressed air during condensate discharge, again saving energy. This function is fully programmable in line with climatic and seasonal conditions.

A variable-speed fan is among further energy-reducing technologies that help to drive down bills. Fan speed is adjustable via the multifunction control panel, providing users of Tundra refrigeration air dryers with improved process control, increased power factor and significant energy savings.

Controlling the fan speed on the refrigerant circuit also presents the opportunity to eliminate components such as fan pressure switches which, over time, can sometimes become defective in compressed air dryers. The less moving parts, the more reliable the product.

Providing a robust and highly reliable build quality is a priority at Hi-line. For instance, following significant company investment, all Hi-line Tundra dryers now feature Scroll Freon refrigerant compressors, which offer the lowest possible power consumption and deliver cost-effective, long-life performance. The refrigerant system also takes advantage of liquid receivers, line dryers, thermostatic expansion valves and a series of safety features to protect the Freon compressor and its parts. In short, the design of Hi-line’s Tundra range centres on engineering specification, rather than budget.

As a point of note, Tundra dryers take advantage of R513a refrigerant in models up to and including Tundra 115 (115 cfm, 195 m3/hr capacity). A HFC/HFO blend, R513a refrigerant has no ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) and a much reduced CO2 impact in comparison with the previous R134a refrigerant.

Tundra refrigeration air dryers with capacities up to 1530 cfm are available ex-stock from Hi-line’s centrally located headquarters and manufacturing facility in Burton upon Trent. The company also offers larger and higher pressure dryers (up to 40 bar) on short lead times.

www.hilineindustries.com

Surprisingly, many companies still use a system of Planned Periodic Maintenance in an attempt to avoid costly downtime arising from the failure of their equipment and machinery. In other words, they replace parts that tend to wear out (e.g. motor bearings) on a routine basis whether they need replacing or not. Not only is this needlessly costly, but can make matters worse by introducing faults during the process of stripping down and rebuilding a perfectly good machine. Even more of a problem is deciding the PPM time intervals. Too frequent, means more wasted time and cost (and more potential for introducing faults) but not frequent enough, means more unexpected breakdowns.

Condition Based Maintenance relies on the fact that a machine’s condition (degree of wear) can be monitored, by measuring the vibration levels in motor bearings for example. This way, the machine only needs to be maintained when its condition deteriorates beyond an acceptable level. This decision is based on recording and tracking changes in the machine’s condition over time (trending). Put simply, CBM philosophy is if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it!

This approach obviously saves time and money since machine parts are only changed when they need to be. However, CBM can potentially save a lot of money by spotting a machine that is about to fail prematurely before it fails and hence avoid an unexpected and costly shutdown.

Clearly, CBM is a superior technique but until now, its cost of implementation has put off some companies from using it. Traditionally, both CBM equipment and the expertise required to use it has been prohibitively expensive.

Test Products International (TPI) has however completely revolutionised this concept with the introduction of its low cost, portable vibration analysers and free to use trending software. Both the analysers and software are very easy to use, stemming from the fact that they are very intuitive and based on internationally agreed (ISO) alarm levels for rotating machinery.

TPI’s free to use VibTrend machine management and trending software stores machine condition readings and displays their trends in a clear and easily understood graphical format. In addition, various ‘expert system’ features are incorporated into the software, such as bearing quality assessment, which is achieved by analysing the frequency components of the vibration data and automatically identifying the classic ‘signatures’ associated with bearing wear. That way, it is very easy to monitor the health of a bearing simply by observing the level of bearing quality displayed on the trend plots.

A complete CBM system can cost from as little as £1,450 with the TPI 9080, which uses industry standard accelerometers and offers on-meter analysis for the detection of machine faults such as unbalance, misalignment, looseness and bearing wear. The equivalent intrinsically safe version (IEC Ex, ATEX and North American) TPI 9080Ex offers a complete Zone 1 CBM solution for £3,500. Both versions include a full VibTrend free to use unlimited software license.

For more information please contact TPI Europe’s head office on +44 1293 530196 or take a look on the website at www.tpieurope.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.