RELIABILITY WIRE by www.reliabilitydirect.com 

"Your One Stop Shop for Condition Monitoring"

Vibration, Balancing, Alignment, Ultrasound, Oil Analysis & more...

Volume 4, Issue #6 – June 2003

In this Issue: 

New Products: New Additions to the RDI On-Line e-commerce catalog – over 1,300 products!

Ask The Expert: Infrared Thermography as a Precision Maintenance Tool – John C. Roberston

What's Hot:  Top Selling Items from www.reliabilitydirect.com

Recommended Book:   The Thinking Manager's Toolbox: Effective Processes for Problem Solving and Decision Making

Contest Winner:  Mark Tarbet - TXU

New Products:  Over 1,300 products in the On-Line Catalog (www.reliabilitydirect.com)

·         The Model 461825 is a combination Stroboscope and Photo Tachometer all in one! Check it out for only $329.00.

·         The Model 401036 Light Meter and Datalogger stores and transfers up to 16,000 readings. PC interface and software for remote meter operation and datalogging.

·         The 382860 True RMS Power Meter will display Watts, Amps, Volts and PF. RS-232 interface and Windows software for displaying, plotting and datalogging. All for less than $300.00.

·         The Model 407736 High Accuracy General Purpose Sound Level Meter meets meet’s ANSI and IEC 651 Type 2 Standards, offers high and low measurement ranges – all in a cost effective package.

·         The Model 381275 is a Graphical Storage Oscilloscope and True RMS Multi-Meter, which includes RS-232 Interface and PC Software. The unit comes complete with protective holster, built-in stand, Windoes software, RS-232 cable, 6 AA batteries, fuses, test leads and alligator clips – only $329.00!

Ask The Expert:  Infrared Thermography as a Precision Maintenance Tool

By John C. Robertson, maintenance reliability specialist  (www.swspitcrew.com)

Infrared Thermography as a Precision Maintenance Tool

Thermography uses an electronically produced image representative of thermal patterns on a surface. Those images are recorded on videotape and then downloaded into a computer for storage where the images can be analyzed and reports can be written. Thermography is an excellent means of providing a non-invasive inspection of enclosed high-voltage sources such as motor control centers, transformers, fuse panels, switchgear, and transmission line connections. In power plants, it is ideally suited for locating boiler casing leaks, chimneystack emissions, diesel engine exhaust gas balancing, locating degrading bearings, defective steam traps, and thermal insulation breakdown.

Think of an electrical system as a chain. When the links in the chain are stressed, a breakage will occur at its weakest point. Thermography will locate those weak links in an electrical system before they break. All electrical components produce heat as a function of electrical resistance and sometimes because of inductive heating. These components display temperature differences depending on their state of deterioration. As the components deteriorate, a small temperature rise will be noted initially; but as the rate of deterioration increases, the temperature rise will increase until something eventually burns up or explodes.

If the thermographer is not a qualified electrician, then a qualified electrician should be part of the inspection team. Their experience will be invaluable because of their knowledge of:

• The plant layout
• The electrical system
• The equipment being operated
• Where to obtain access to high voltage switchgear rooms and switchyards
• Electrical safety
• Electrical components and terminology
• Where to get assistance
• How to correctly open cabinets and boxes
• Who to contact in an emergency

This also applies if the thermographer is to work in unfamiliar surroundings such as high-pressure steam systems, HVAC and refrigeration systems etc.

A thermographer should not open any electrical cabinets and panels or go into enclosed steam spaces without being qualified to do so. He/She should also be fully trained in lockout and tag-out procedures.

If precision maintenance techniques are to be successful, the analyst must be capable of conducting visual inspections and acting upon their observations. Bad practices do not always show up on thermography scans. Over a period of time, electrical systems deteriorate and problems start to turn up as equipment heats up and cools down causing metal to expand and contract. This in turn causes vibration to loosen screws and bolts, overheating to occur when motors start under load, wire insulation to burn up and circuit breakers to trip. Under these circumstances, thermography will predict failures before they occur. This represents enormous returns on the investment of thermography equipment when efficiency and profitability increase.

What's Hot:

The ThermaCAM ET Infrared Camera weighs just 1.5 lbs (0.7kg), (50% less than other infrared cameras) and displays highly sensitive thermal images on its integral color LCD. TV rate (60/50Hz) imaging allows users to quickly scan moving targets that cannot be imaged with still shot cameras. An innovative, built-in Laser LocatIR™, similar to a laser pointer, helps users associate the infrared image displayed on the infrared camera with the actual physical target and enhances worker safety. it is the smallest, lightest, most cost effective IR camera on the market!

The EMC-11 Motor Checker is a portable diagnostic tool for electricians, used to check rotor and stator inductance, resistance and insulation. It detects short and open circuits plus isolation faults in electric motors and other three-phase machines.

The CMCP1100 Industrial Accelerometer is an excellent choice for permanent installations. It offers a broad frequency response, high accuracy, a small installation footprint and an integral cable.  Priced from $99.00 - even greater savings when purchasing in package of six!

Small enough to be operated with one hand, the PK2 Stroboscope performs comparably to larger and heavier “pistol grip” type models. It fits easily in the pocket or can be carried in an optional belt holster. The PK2 is ideal for non-contact RPM measurement, as well as for inspecting moving parts by “freezing” or “slowing down” the action. 

Recommended Book: This month's 5 Star Recommendation

Machinery Malfunction Diagnosis and Correction by  Robert Eisenmann Sr. & Robert Eisenmann Jr.

One of my favorite books on Vibration of all time – there are only 10 left! Mr. Eisenmann has compiled his years of "hands on" experience into this book. Although the information contained within the book applies to most types of rotating machinery, it's focused on high speed process machinery with journal type bearings. I've read dozens of vibration analysis books and none even comes close to this one. It is a must have for any vibration analysis who needs to understand non rolling element bearing type machines.

Contest Winner:   Mark Talbert - TXU   (winner of a Shimano Curado Baitcasting Reel)

May Contest Answer:  The CMCP5304 is a __4__ channel vibration monitor that accepts inputs from any industry standard 100 mV/g accelerometer, condition’s the input signals to velocity and provides a digital display and alarm status indication. Analog outputs (4-20 mA) are provided for each channel for interface to a PLC or DCS for trending, alarm and operator interface.

June Prize:  MT4 Infrared Thermometer

June Contest Question:  The CMCP310 BNC Switch Boxes are multiple channel connecting centers for terminating the outputs of ______________ or other transducer field wiring. The CMCP310 provides an __________ mounted common BNC connector with a channel selector switch.

Send your answer to dgallagher@reliabilitydirect.com  subject: June Question.

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