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Problem Dirt particles as small as 5 microns can easily damage bearings and gears in equipment. Unfortunately, gearbox vents and hydraulic breather caps only prevent particles larger than 25-45 microns from being ingested into machinery from the surrounding air.   As a result, those large particles are broken down into much smaller particles resulting in premature […]

JUNE 2019 – PUMPS AND SYSTEMS Condition monitoring helps manage over-lubrication. Ultrasound is a guide to precision grease replenishment in motor bearings. It is also known for its versatility for leak detection, valve assessment and electrical fault detection. Acoustic lubrication is an integral component of ultrasound programs. Fewer than 95 percent of all roller bearings […]

I remember once performing an alignment where I followed the guidelines at the time to make sure no soft foot was present before continuing the alignment. I struggled to take care of the soft foot issue, yet still had unacceptable results.  No more than 3-5 shims under each foot? Check.  Pull each shim pack with […]

We know that unforeseen failures can leave machines unavailable for use. Defects attributed to premature component wear and failure due to over/under lubrication, poor installation practices such as improper bearing heating can also cause inventory depletion and other forms of waste…How else can we think about the costly effects of downtime? This useful acronym spells […]

First off, “triax” is short for “triaxial accelerometer sensor”. A triaxial sensor has three (tri) separate sensors (that collect data in the X, Y, and Z directions) contained in one housing, compared to a single axis sensor in a normal accelerometer. There are many pros and cons to using a triaxial sensor. A few things […]

Predictive maintenance plays a huge part in the overall reliability of your assets. Most of the time, equipment fails because of a bearing or seal failure. Bearing failures are very common, and improper installation of a bearing is one of the biggest reasons it fails. If you don’t do it right, and with the proper […]

There are many reasons why one would perform an uncoupled alignment. We could have a tight tolerance coupling that cannot be installed without getting the alignment of the shafts close. Or simply, we do not have the coupling available at the moment the alignment needs to happen. Uncoupled alignments are performed using the same 5-step […]

There are a lot of aspects that need to be taken care of in condition monitoring. Field balancing is one of those. There are two types of balancing: static and dynamic. The first one deals with balancing in a controlled environment and another one is balancing a piece of equipment in the field under field […]

Understanding the Key Components of an Effective Lubrication Program Lubrication is often overlooked in organizations.  Why it is overlooked, I am unsure.  Maybe it is because it is considered to be a basic job, given to the apprentice, or it is just too simple to not to do it correctly. However, with a focus on lubrication, […]

We used to assume that once equipment is installed and aligned, it will remain in the same position forever. But this is not always the case. The alignment should be checked periodically. This valuable information will help you to find problems like pipe stress, unstable foundations, weak frames and loose bolts, among other problems. All […]

Sources of Equipment Damage: Funnels Maintaining proper oil levels in our equipment is a critical maintenance function to keep our assets running and producing product. Adding (or topping off) oil in our assets requires a means to transfer the lubricant from a container to the machine. The means used to accomplish this task are much […]

Where to place the vibration sensor depends on what data you wish to see.  Certain defects show up better in the horizontal direction while other defects show up better in the vertical direction.  So which location should I choose to place my vibration sensor?  Most sensors in use today are single-axis sensors, so generally 95% […]

In order to heat a bearing for proper bearing installation, you can use multiple methods. In this case I will compare using a hot plate to using an Induction Heater. Hot plates come in different shapes and sizes but in essence it is a plate that will heat up, and onto which a bearing will […]

When using phase to determine how a machine is moving, the orientation of the sensor mounted on the machine is extremely important.  In Figure 1 below one sensor is attached to the motor’s outboard (non-drive) end in one orientation, and on the other inboard (drive) end, it is mounted in the opposite direction. Because the […]

We previously discussed the Types of Misalignment and Types of Soft Foot as causes of machine failures. In this blog, we will discuss Pipe Strain and how it can result in misalignment and vibration. Pipe strain is a form of machine frame distortion caused by the piping as opposed to a feet or base condition. […]

Guest post by Suzane Greeman, ASQ-CMQ/OE, CAMA, CAMP, CMRP, author of the Risk-based Asset Criticality Assessment (R-b ACA©) Handbook.  Suzane is the Principal Asset Management Advisor of Greeman Asset Management Solutions Inc. Asset Condition Management Asset failure is the most common form of risk that is managed on industrial plants. One key element of asset […]

We’ve all read about it: leak detection should be a top priority since leaks can account for up to 30 to 40% of consumed volume… So, why is this issue still on the table? Why is it difficult to change things in the field? In industry, one of the most common applications for ultrasonic detectors […]

It is important to ensure that the top cover mounting surface, machine sole plates and rails, and main bearing “landings” of a compressor frame are installed as flat as possible. This ensures that the main bearing bores and internal components remain undistorted and aligned as per their factory specifications. Ariel Compressors have a strict tolerance […]

We previously discussed the Types of Misalignment as a cause of machine failures. In this blog, we will discuss Types of Soft Foot and their impact on machines. Soft foot means machine frame distortion that occurs when the machine hold down bolts are loosened or tightened. A soft foot condition can lead to internal misalignment of […]

When looking for an induction heater, below are some recommendations to help with your buying decision: Size: Choose bearing heater based on maximum workpiece weight, or minimum inner (ID) and maximum outer (OD) diameter. Temperature control, single or dual: One temperature probe minimum, but two is ideal. To monitor the temperature of the bearing or […]