2015 - 01-02 - Plant Engineering

2014 SALARY SURVEY: A confident industry is ready to grow 25
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COMPRESSORS
2014
You cant build a

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2015 Kaeser Compressors, Inc.
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January/February 2015
Volume 69, No. 1
25
2014 Salary Survey

The respondents to the 2014 Plant Engineering Salary
Survey come from throughout the U.S. and serve a variety
of industries, but they are uniform in their optimism about
manufacturing. This years survey found 79% consider
manufacturing a secure career. Thats up from 75% in
2013 and significantly higher than the 63% figure when
Plant Engineering first started asking that question a
decade ago. Manufacturing enters 2015 with a full head of
steam and confidence that manufacturing will build from
its current position of strength.
26 What We Earn
28 What We Think
30 Who We Are
Special Report: Training
21 Maintaining the human machine

In the same way as you maintain your equipment, workers need updates on new strategies and technology. They need to operate efficiently. Yet in all of that, not every manufacturer puts the same premium on training as they do on maintenance.
PLANT ENGINEERING (ISSN 0032-082X, Vol. 69, No. 1, GST #123397457) is published 10x per year, monthly except in January and July, by CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite #250, Oak Brook, IL 60523.
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PLANT ENGINEERING
January/February 2015 3
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Cover Story
35 3D: Adding to additives
capabilities
Manufacturers on the leading edge
of 3D printing find new ways to
save time and money in design and
prototyping.
Material Handling Solutions
41 Planning is crucial for

relocation, parts
management upgrades
Moving from an open-bin warehousing
system to a drawer system requires
pre-planning and a look at existing
organizational structures to see if
improvements are possible. The result can be a more efficient
operation on a smaller footprint.
Electrical Solutions
49 Deploying GFCIs in
the real world
Ground fault circuit interrupters
can protect workers from the risk of
electrical shock and injury in wet and
hazardous settings.
Maintenance Solutions
55 Removing obstructions
to your plants
workflow streams
A process plant represents a
highly complex set of physical
components, activities, and
interdependent information.
Defining works streams is important as it allows identification and
mapping to make navigating the complexity much easier.
Automation Solutions
59 The three pillars of OEE

Build technical, process, and supervisory
skills to gain operational knowledge.
62 The five-year plan

that worked
Smiths Machine changed its manufacturing strategy to meet the
challenges of economic downturn and foreign competition.
PLANT ENGINEERING
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
Trending
New Products
Maintenance
Electrical
Mechanical
Energy Management
The experience of the plant engineer

As part of the 2014 Plant Engineering Salary Survey, we asked readers, How many
years have you worked in the plant or engineering related position? The responses:
Plant Automation
People and Training
Safety
Engineering eNewsletters
Stay in touch with
changes in the
industry, including
news, articles, and
product updates.
eNewsletters include:
Hotwire, Maintenance
Connection, PlantMail,
Energy Management,
Safety & Security, Product & Media
Showcase, and Whitepaper Connection.
Subscribe to one or more eNewsletters at:
www.plantengineering.com/newsletters
Read this on your tablet

For the full survey results, go to www.plantengineering.com/2014Salary
Top 10 articles at plantengineering.com
The 10 most popular stories at www.plantengineering.com for the month of January are:
1. Four differences between managers and leaders
2. Learning PID loop tuning from an expert
3. Ten tips to immediately improve your key performance indicators
4. Deploying GFCIs in the real world
5. To save energy, first find where its used
6. Six predictions for manufacturing in 2015
7. Choose the right PM task frequency
8. Key steps to workflow improvement in maintenance
9. EASA launches motor repair accreditation
10. Three things all shutdown managers need to know about their critical path.
Apps for Engineers: General Engineering apps

Download these and many other Apps at: www.plantengineering.com/appsforengineers
EXAKTIME MOBILE/POCKETCLOCK
PocketClock/GPS creates a mobile time-clock for personnel in the field, with commanding
tools for managers and supervisors. It has the ability to clock-in with individual PIN codes, track
multiple work activities, and put a GPS location on every time-punch.
WONDERWARE SMARTGLANCE
SmartGlance is an app that provides on-demand and real-time access to continually
changing corporate data, reports and key performance indicators via mobile smart phones.
The SmartGlance custom reporting and analytical tools help users see their own data in rich
graphical format.
KEYCHECK INSPECTION CHECKLIST
This app is designed to create an OSHA-required pre-operation electronic inspection for mobile
equipment. Create customized checklists for every vehicle in your fleet and the driver can
choose the shift and vehicle checklist.
The tablet and digital

editions of this
publication are greatly
enhanced and have
unique content for digital
subscribers. They also
include interactive tools
such as videos, Web
links, and other items.
Update your subscription,
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edition in your e-mail in-box:
2014 Salary Survey: a confident industry is ready to grow 25
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Register for educational webcasts at
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March 5: Maintenance issues with 2015
Maintenance Report key insights
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6 January/February 2015
PLANT ENGINEERING
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IN FOCUS
A landmark year for American manufacturing
Industry expert offers 6 predictions for growth in U.S. plants.
By John Zegers
Georgia Center of Innovation for Manufacturing
Even though manufacturing in

America has undergone some woeful changes, theres good news to
share. The lower costs associated
with reshoring are driving more local
manufacturing activity; technological
developments are drastically changing the way plants operate; and capital
investments are on the rise. Six trends
about manufacturing in 2015 follow.
As the director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Manufacturing, I
consult with manufacturing companies
of all shapes and sizes on a wide range
of projects. Over the past year, Ive
seen a convergence of activities that
suggest to me 2015 will be a landmark
year for American manufacturing.
Among my predictions:
In 2015 we will
see jobs continuing

to come back to
America as trends
around these divergent areas continue
to work favorably for
bottom lines.
1. Reshoring will continue, but at a

slower pace
Manufacturers typically evaluate

seven critical areas when it comes to
operational decision making: transportation and energy costs; market demand
for their products; rising labor costs in
China and other developing nations;
access to talent, tax, and regulatory
Manufacturing is poised for a big year because of fundamental strengths in the U.S.
sector and expected increases in investments driven by a stronger economy. Courtesy: Georgia Center of Innovation in Manufacturing
policies; availability of capital; and

currency trends.
In 2015 we will see jobs continuing to
come back to America as trends around
these divergent areas continue to work
favorably for bottom lines. But this
reshoring will happen in a more targeted
way, with natural gas use serving as a
driving factor in some cases.
The growing abundance of natural
gas in the U.S. provides more affordable energy for factories as well as new
opportunities for products and services.
PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that
high shale gas recovery and low prices
could add 1 million manufacturing jobs
in the U.S. and reduce natural gas costs
by up to $11.6 billion annually through
2025. In fact, one particular U.S. steel
manufacturer has already invested more
than $100 million in a Midwest plant to
help meet demand for tubes and pipes
used in shale gas extraction activities.
The U.S. shale gas boom has prompted some chemical producers such as
Dow Chemical, which began construction on a Freeport, Texas plant in 2014
to construct ethylene production

plants in the southeast to take advantage of more affordable feedstock.
Then there are the manufactured
goods themselves. Generally, heavier
goods equal higher shipping costs,
a value-to-weight ratio that expands
in concert with the distance between
where theyre made and their market
destinations. Higher transportation
costs, combined with increasingly
expensive labor rates in distant regions
such as China, are leading manufacturers of heavy equipment and steel products to move production from overseas
back to the U.S., where these products
are also sold. Shortening the supply
chain has become a significant value
proposition.
On the other hand, parts of the
industry where very low-cost labor is
employed will not seek to reshore jobs.
The same holds true for companies
with heavy foreign demand because
its cheaper to manufacture in the location where the products will be sold in
some cases.
PLANT ENGINEERING
IN fOCUS
2. A manufacturing boom will hit
the United States
Manufacturing growth over the

past several years has been minimal.
This year will launch a new wave of
domestic manufacturing, as the industry sees broader growth. One reliably
strong trend has been the national Purchasing Managers Index, which stood
at 58.7 in November 2014. Rooted
in a solid expansion of manufacturing activity, this index allows us to
look forward and reasonably expect
between 4% and 5% growth in domestic manufacturing.
However, manufacturing employment wont grow at that same rate
because facilities and operations
have become far more productive
and efficient.
addition, a November 2014 Forbes.

com article entitled, Two High-Tech
Stories To Watch In 2015: Digital and
Industrial Internet of Things said, The
IIoT will take a major step forward
next year. IIoT will no longer be an
intriguing, over-the-horizon concept.
It is evolving rapidly into new and tangible ways to connect disparate types
of electronics equipment, devices,
services and software than have ever
been connected before, delivering
unprecedented benefits, opening new
markets, changing how people live
and work.
Sensor technologies will drive the
concept of connected factories, and
will fuel the introduction of mobilitybased manufacturing. Web browsers
will be used as dashboards to control
to implement predictive maintenance

technologies to reduce downtime and
boost bottom lines.
5. Increased investment in
capital equipment
With the convergence of several

predictions outlined above, such as
the increase in applications of sensor technologies and general industry growth, 2015 will be the year in
which we will see a true renaissance
in domestic manufacturing.
Improved bottom lines will drive
replacement of aging legacy equipment and investment in new capital
equipment that performs better, more
efficiently and more reliably. Software also will assist in making current
equipment more efficient.
6. Manufacturing will
The lower costs associated with reshoring are driving
grow at a higher rate

than the GDP
The GDP historically

has been a marker against
more local manufacturing activity; technological
which industries peg their
overall performance.
developments are drastically changing the way plants
A report issued in December 2014 by the Institute
operate; and capital investments are on the rise.
of Supply Management
stated that manufacturing
revenues are expected to
increase in 15 manufactur3. Big data will drive big efficiency
equipment, identify snags, and make ing industries in 2015. It also asserted
Software has helped manufacturing quick decisions that would have pre- that capital expenditures, a major drivachieve terrific efficiencies. According viously taken entire teams of people er in the U.S. economy, are expected
to the CSC Global CIO Survey: 2014- to handle.
to increase by 3.7% in the manufac2015, 81% of manufacturers feel big
As connected factories go online, turing sector.
data has a positive effect on production myriad amounts of data will be colAdditionally, 67% of respondents
and efficiency, and 65% believe big lected and that data will be used in to the ISM survey expect revenues to
data will be a strategic business driver smarter ways that makes things operate be greater in 2015 than in 2014. The
moving forward.
more efficiently in 2015. Even smaller panel of respondentsall purchasThat trend will continue, but the companies in the industry will invest ing and supply executivesexpect a
lynchpin in 2015 will be the wide- more to improve their software opera- 5.6% net increase in overall revenues
spread introduction of the Internet of tions.
for 2015 compared to a 3.6% increase
Things (IoT). The Advanced Technolreported for 2014 over 2013 revenues.
ogy Development Center at Georgia 4. Increased investments in predicThis momentum, combined with the
tive maintenance technologies
Tech, one of the worlds top technolfactors outlined above, will contribute
U . S . m a n u f a c t u r e r s w i l l a l s o to a boom in manufacturing in 2015,
ogy incubators, hosts a wide range of
IoT companies, and a recent Verizon increase investments for predictive helping the industry outpace the GDP
Enterprise Solutions report stated, maintenance technologies in 2015. for the first time in a long time. PE
The IoT market reared its head in The proliferation of better and cheaper
John Zegers is the director for the
Verizons predictions last year, and we sensor technologiescombined with
have seen an increase in interest from the trend of connected factories Georgia Center of Innovation for
companies worldwide over 2014. In will allow for greater opportunities Manufacturing.
plant engineering
IN fOCUS
Ethernet/IP links plant productivity to business intelligence

By George Kairys, Molex Incorporated
Plants are replacing proprietary protocols with integrated communication

protocols using Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and
Ethernet network structures to link plant
floor productivity to business intelligence.
Device-level networks utilize controllers to
communicate machine-to-machine using
popular open and proprietary protocols.
Implementing Ethernet as a link-layer
protocol to legacy applications can futureproof the network and boost return on
investment (ROI) by improving uptime
and optimizing workflow and production.
Ethernet/IP provides the scalability needed
to economically integrate the plant floor
with offices enterprise-wideand beyond
for secure remote access.
A networked Ethernet/IP architecture
deploying industrial-grade components
can enable total integrated connectivity
with sophisticated control automation
at the machine level, while mining mul-
tiple data streams from the plant floor to

inform enterprise-wide business strategies.
Ethernet/IP has become a gold standard
in commercial industrial environments.
Facilitating rapid, accurate dataflow, Ethernet/IP provides shared communication
on a single local area network, with access
to the Internet, and the ability to integrate
plant machinery and process data via Ethernet or other compatible protocols.
Plant floor challenges
The physical infrastructure of a networked

plant floor is substantially different from
office environments. Building an enterprise-wide network requires integration of
cabling, connectivity, controllers, switches and other components, and software
interfaces for data transmission and mining. Plant level connections frequently
span longer distances, necessitating more
stringent, higher speed real-time data
transmission rates. Ethernet/IP excels in
the need for speed and longer runs without
performance degradation.
Rapid technology enhancements have

made Ethernet the mainstream enterprisewide communication technology. Enterprise-wide integration offers business
intelligence while providing advanced
diagnostics and tools for quality control.
Ethernet/IP indeed delivers on the
promise of near real-time machine-tomachine and machine-to-enterprise
communication. Ethernet has the power
and potential for creating vast raw data
requiring filtering controls, segmentation,
and analyses, in addition to efficient management to meet storage, redundancy, and
security needs.
Ethernet/IP requires strategic planning
to ensure current and future data management requirements can be met with minimal integration cost and effort as a companys network expands. Leading machine
manufacturers provide nonproprietary,
cost-effective Ethernet I/O plant controls
and equipment, which makes for greater
interoperability. Close evaluation of plant
floor equipment, PLCs and other control-
lers, as well as protocol implementation

and software, are essential to a smooth
network transition.
The benefits of an enterprise-wide
convergence vary depending on company goalsand network configuration.
Unlike networks in environmentally controlled finished office spaces, industrialgrade components are designed for harsh
environments with extreme temperatures,
moisture, and vibration.
Improved reliability and longer service
life offset the higher initial cost of industrial-grade components. Industrial-grade
RJ-45 connectors or newer M12 circular
connectors are commonly found in lengthy
Ethernet/IP, ProfiNet and EtherCat network runs in plants.
ment breaks down. But the need to employ

more advanced plant floor networking
technologies is becoming clear as manufacturers look to increase operational efficiencies and bottom line profits.
As evidenced by the steady proliferation of automation and machine control
over industrial networks, the right technologiesat the right timecan provide
significant competitive advantages to
process and manufacturing industries.
Large manufacturers and process control
operations are trending toward operating
on enterprise-wide Ethernet platforms.
Plant equipment performance and production metrics are widely recognized as
important strategic business tools to help
reduce expenses and optimize uptime. Ethernet/IP and industrial-grade connectivity
is at the right stage in evolution to deliver
proven reliability and accessibility at an
attractive price point. At the plant level,
Ethernet/IP delivers improved:
Equipment performance
Workflow speed
Energy efficiency
Right time for enterprise-wide Ethernet
Some manufacturers and processors are

taking an overly cautious approach to
enterprise-wide network convergence.
Many have used the same machine-level
or network architecture for decades and
hesitate to upgrade until outdated equip-
t
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Ethernet/IP has become a
gold standard in commercial

industrial environments.
Quality control
Data transmission speeds over legacy
platforms
Flexibility to add remove network
nodes.
The right architecture can incorporate
wired and wireless connectivity to provide
enterprise-wide access for improved business intelligence, closer monitoring and
control over production, resource management, and streamlined operations. PE
George Kairys has more than 20 years
of experience in the industrial automation
industry in various areas of sales, training, and product management. Kairys has
a B.A.Sc. in mechanical engineering from
Queens University.
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IN fOCUS
Recognize a false negative in HiPot testing
In ac high-potential testing, watch your internal pressure
By Julia Neves
Vacuum Interrupters, Inc.
A West Texas utility company

received an alarm on one of its load tap
changers. Field technicians found that
one of the vacuum interrupters failed an
ac high potential test. The tap changer
was disassembled and the vacuum interrupter in question was tested again.
Once removed, the vacuum interrupter
passed an ac high potential test.
The vacuum interrupter was reinstalled and placed back into service
where it again passed an ac high potential test. The following explains why
this utility company may have placed
a failed vacuum interrupter back into
service.
To interrupt
high voltages,
vacuum
Project1_ATP
1/26/15
1:19 PM Page
1
interrupters are manufactured with a very
low pressure (vacuum) inside. At constant temperature, the internal pressure

of the vacuum interrupter is directly proportional to the number of gas molecules
inside. Therefore, more molecules inside
corresponds to a higher pressure, and
fewer molecules correspond to a lower
pressure.
When the internal pressure of a vacuum interrupter increases to a certain
point, the interrupter will no longer be
able to insulate these high voltages. This
means that the vacuum interrupter will
not pass a high potential test.
If the internal pressure of a vacuum
interrupter is just past the point of failing
a high potential test, a phenomenon can
occur that can temporarily reduce the
pressure inside enough to pass the test.
Figure 1 shows a vacuum interrupter
with a finite amount of gas molecules
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inside. Figure 2 shows a high voltage
being applied across the open contacts, as in a high potential test. This
high voltage breaks down, or ionizes,
the gas molecules inside the vacuum
interrupter into charged particles,
ions, and electrons, seen in Figure 3.
If the internal pressure
of a vacuum interrupter is
just past the point
of failing a high potential
test, a phenomenon
can occur that can
temporarily reduce the
pressure inside enough
to pass the test.
After the high voltage is removed,

these charged particles immediately
begin recombining into gas molecules.
Under certain conditions some of
these charged particles may stick
to the inner surfaces of the vacuum
interrupter, which in turn reduces
the number of gas molecules inside,
shown in Figure 4.
When the number of gas molecules is reduced, the pressure is also
reduced. This reduction in pressure is
temporary and dependent on a number
of factors; however, it can result in
a vacuum interrupters internal pressure being reduced enough to pass
a high potential test. These remaining charged particles will eventually
recombine and return the pressure to
an unsatisfactory level.
The amount of time it takes for complete recombination varies widely.
After this recombination occurs, the
vacuum interrupter will, again, not
pass a high potential test. PE
Julia Neves is president of Vacuum
Interrupters, Inc.
14 January/February 2015 plant engineering
Figures 1-4: Illustrations of how certain conditions can contribute to a false negative test in AC high potential testing. Courtesy of Vacuum Interrupters
IN fOCUS
Three ideas along the
critical path to shutdown
It takes more than a gut feeling to get ready to bring
a plant down. It takes a calculated path.
By Mike Gehloff
Allied Reliability Group
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The Power of Knowledge Engineering
As I interact with people who participate in and manage shutdowns, I

sometimes wonder if we really appreciate the true meaning of the term critical path. Yes, it is represented by the
most important jobs on the shutdown,
and you might be able to look at a list
of tasks to be performed during the
shutdown and guess at those that will
be on the critical path with a medium
level of accuracy. But can you identify
it with any high degree of certainty?
If you can identify it, what do you do
with this knowledge?
I would characterize this knowledge as awareness but not expertise.
I believe that there is much opportunity to be gained by using some simple
tools to calculate and manage to the
critical path of the shutdown. Not the
Here are three ideas that I feel every

shutdown manager absolutely must
know about their critical path.
Idea 1: It is not a guess. It is a calculated value.
Yes, as the name implies, the critical

path of the shutdown is represented
by the most important jobs. It defines
the duration of the shutdown.
This duration, however, is the sum
of the durations of the individual
tasks based on the predecessor/successor relationships. It is not a guess.
It is not a gut-feel. It is science.
The diagram below shows a series
of tasks labeled A through K (we tend
to skip I when building such a diagram to avoid the confusion with the
number 1). The bottom half of each
block contains the duration for each
individual task.
Figure 1: Image of a network diagram. All graphs courtesy: Allied Reliability Group.
gut-feel critical path but rather the

mathematically calculated critical
path.
The definition of the critical path is,
the shortest possible duration by which
a set of tasks can be completed. It is
represented by the longest summation
of task durations given the required
predecessor and successor relationships.
We can easily see the predecessor

and successor relationships in such
a diagram. Note that the node after
tasks C and D represents a situation
where both of these tasks must be
complete before we can move on.
In this second diagram, I have
illustrated the critical path for this
set of tasks. It just happens to be 22
W (weeks).
plant engineering
Figure 2: The critical path is highlighted in this network diagram.
Unless we do something differently,

the critical path for this set of tasks is
22 weeks. There are, of course, methods we can apply to change this, but at
the moment no shorter than 22 weeks
that is, if everything goes perfectly.
Idea 2: It is the best method of prioritizing work for a shutdown.
Now that we know that the duration of

this shutdown is 22 weeks, we can start
working on either shortening that or, at
the very least, shoring up our ability to
reach this target. Where should we begin
with these efforts? With those tasks that
are on the critical path, of course.
It is likely that I will not be able to
plan as thoroughly for every job on the
shutdown as I would like, so lets make
sure that I put my best effort on those
tasks that are on the critical path.
I probably have limitations on the
amount of labor I can bring in to support the shutdown, so lets give priority
to the critical path jobs.
When preparing the materials I need
for the shutdown, lets put extra effort
in the ordering, tracking, receipt inspection, and staging of those items needed
for critical path jobs.
Idea 3: The Critical Path is the closing bid on a negotiation for duration.
Never take the first bid.
This one is important. So often I see

people prepare for shutdowns that fit into
a nice and neat window of timea week,
five days, three days, etc.
When I see such a stated duration, I
generally find that we perform a shutdown
of this very same duration year in and year
out. When I ask how we arrived at this
duration, I generally receive an answer
like, That is what we always do. This is
one of the biggest flags you can look for

in an improvement opportunity.
When we as leaders decide that we can
afford a business interruption of seven
days for a maintenance shutdown, this
must be considered the opening bid in a
negotiation. What we really mean to say
is, We can afford up to seven days, but
would like to start up sooner if it is possible.
Once we make this opening offer, we
then task those people in charge of the
shutdown to fill in the details. Develop a
list of jobs to be done during the shutdown,
estimate a time for each task, arrange these
tasks into a schedule, and calculate the
critical path.
We must expect that these people come
back to us with another offer. If you offer
a week, which is 168 hours, then I would
expect a counter offer such as, We can
complete the needed scope in 143 hours.
We really need 181 hours or we will
have to start dropping some tasks out of our
scope, which we really do not want to do.
Both are acceptable answers to me as it
illustrates some real thought and preparation being put into the plan. Not a gut feel,
but real thinking.
Building a critical path is not difficult.
If you use only the base functionality of
Microsoft Project (Task Description, Duration, Predecessor), you can easily see a
critical path when you view the network
diagram. Take five minutes to recreate the
plan I have shown you above in Microsoft
Project and you will see what I mean.
If you are not determining your critical
path as a calculated value, and then managing to this critical path, you are leaving
time and money on the table. Simple as
that. PE
Mike Gehloff is a principal with the
Allied Reliability Group/
plant engineering
FREE
HAND TOOL
SAFETY
SEMINARS
IN fOCUS
The maintenance challenge:

saving without sacrificing
By Paul Lachance, Smartware Group
Its that time of year when senior management gives the perennial nudge to their
direct reports to conserve on costs and
motivate employees to take heroic measures. But for maintenance professionals
that notion can sound like do more with
not enough.
How do maintenance managers negotiate between cost savings and quality and
keep their balance on this double-edged
sword? What can they do to protect their
teams from snapping when they are
stretched to the limitand, at the same
time, find creative ways to operate in an
economic climate where the demand to do
more with less never seems to go away?
Start with the basics. For maintenance
professionals, that means examining two
fundamentals: priorities and preventive
maintenance.
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managers who must analyze their departments priorities and maintenance practiceswhether to justify capital investments
to senior executives or to prevent budget
cuts from going too deep. And a robust
CMMS lowers costs by automating preventive maintenance, provides tracking
and documentation management capabilities and helps managers save countless
hours when it comes to responding to
questions from internal company accountants or external government auditors.
The emerging field of smart devices
offers additional technological assistance
for maintenance teams looking to lower
expenses. For instance, one manufacturer
saved millions of dollars and significantly
reduced corrective maintenance in one of
its facilities by fitting intelligent diagnostics to control valves.
Versatility in training programs
Beyond using technology effectively,

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One idea gaining traction in the current

competitive climate is the use of manufacturing equipment vendors to train the
maintenance team. At one public facility in the Midwest, the operations manager had to adhere to tight budget limits
imposed by the state government. To stay
within those limits, he asked a local vendor to teach his staff how to make basic
repairs. Not all vendors will be open to
such arrangements. But when contracts
are negotiated fairly, vendor-led training
may be an option for some maintenance
teams looking for savings.
Testing the capabilities of new hires
and then training them through an apprenticeship program helps to improve skills
and build teamworkboth of which
improve efficiency.
Some managers also stretch their
budgets by recognizing the importance
of versatility for todays maintenance
professionals. These managers promote
training programs where staff members
learn multiple skills or choose from a
multi-trades curriculum. This type of staff
development makes it easier for the maintenance team to adapt to rapid changes in
the workplace and for managers to stretch
their resources.
Valuing what matters most
Besides developing hands-on technical skills, managers who get the most
from their teams pay attention to the
intangibles as well. Giving maintenance
staffers respect and responsibility motivates them to strive for higher levels of
performance. A case in point: a department head at a manufacturing plant
assigned each technician on the team to
be in charge of a particular section of the
facility and to manage his own budget
for that area. The result? Plant downtime
practically dropped to zero.
Keeping costs low when demands are
high is not always easy. PE
Paul Lachance is president and
chief technology officer for Smartware
Group, Inc. Contact Paul directly at
paul.lachance@bigfootcmms.com or
visit bigfootcmms.com.
plant engineering
Ten tips to immediately improve your key performance indictators

By Shon Isenhour, Eruditio
Improving your key performance indicators (KPIs) requires more than just establishing metrics. Here are 10 tips to give
your KPIs a jump start in the new year.
1. Spend time planning for KPI
implementation: Decide who needs to
know about the metric or indicator and
what they need to know. Who is affected,
and who can affect the KPI? Communicate
the intent of the metric in a way that can
be easily understood.
2. Think about unintentional consequences: Understand what your metric
drives. Does it require a second metric to
ensure that it does not drive a bad behavior?
3. Limit your focus to 10 indicators or
metrics or less at each level of the organization: Even if you track many indicators
in your EAM/CMMS the focus needs to
be on a short list. It is OK to have a list
of focus KPIs and monitor KPIs. Focus
on your key performance indicators and
ensure organizational understanding.
Monitor your results with the common
indicators.
4. Manage behaviors, measure
results: You must identify the behaviors
that you want to change and address them
directly with that portion of the organization.
5. Cascade indicators down from
corporate goals: If your primary indicators do not align and support the corporate
objective then you will have organizational
confusion. The process works best if indicators are developed from the top down.
6. Leading versus lagging indicators:
Use indicators that tell you more than just
what you have done. They should help
you understand what you can expect in
the future.
7. Use your metrics to ensure the
truth: This allows you to use one indicator and then if there is a question about the
validity of the number you can check with
the other indicators.
8. Have metrics for which both operations and maintenance share accountability: Consider not building or reinforce
organizational silos. Try to select indicators
that both operations and maintenance and
others affect and share them as part of their
performance reviews.
plant engineering
9. Understand the components that

make up the metric: Create or use an
existing KPI standard and document the
data sources.
10. KPIs are not forever: Change the
metrics you focus on as your business goals
change or as you notice that the change in

behavior that you are measuring has been
completed and has become the new way
the organizations works. PE
Shon Isenhour is a principal with
Eruditio LLC.
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SPECIALREPORT: TRAINING
The combination of experienced instructors and a need
to improve and reinforce
skills makes training a valuable investment for manufacturers. Training companies
say they have seen an uptick
in training in the past 18
months. Courtesy: American
Trainco
Maintaining the human machine

Training programs crucial to improving productivity, safety
By Bob Vavra
Content Manager, Plant Engineering
aintenance is critical to a
productive manufacturing
operation. You have to repair
whats broken, upgrade whats
new, and keep an eye on your
operation for signs of wear and
fatigue and lost productivity. Every manufacturing operation puts an emphasis on maintenance.
Training is maintenance for the human
machine. In the same way as you maintain
your equipment, workers need updates on new
strategies and technology. They need to operate
efficiently. Above all, they must be part of a safe
operation, and that safety must be ingrained in
the production process.
Yet in all of that, not every manufacturer
puts the same premium on training as they
do on maintenance. Whether driven by time,
cost, or economic downturns, training hasnt
gotten as much attention in recent years. That
trend, industry experts suggest, may be turning around.
From what Ive seen, were getting back
on track, said Brett Gallagher of National
Technology Transfer (NTT), a Denver-based

industrial training company. A lot of businesses are seeing the value of training.
Business has been on the rebound for about
the last 18 months, and our 2015 business is
looking strong over the first three months, said
John Busselmeier of Denver-based American
Trainco, which provides plant and maintenance training with a focus on boiler repair,
HVAC, and electrical safety, including NFPA
70E. Were at an interesting point, because
October is the start of the federal fiscal year
and the federal government is our number-one
aggregate customer. Now at the start of calendar year weve seen growth in private sector.
While all aspects of training are important for
manufacturers, there is one overriding area of
emphasis. From small mom-and-pop facilities
to larger organizations, the biggest thing we see
is an emphasis on the safety of workers, Gallagher said. If they are safer, they work more
efficiently and theyre staying up to speed on
codes and standards, making their work more
efficient.
PLANT ENGINEERING
Specialreport: training
The value proposition is to increase safety
performance and increase efficiency, said Busselmeier. A smarter workforce works safer
and is more efficient. That allows the plant to
work more efficiently. The death knell for a
plant is downtime, so theyre looking at fixing problems, troubleshooting problems, and
preventing problems.
While many of the codes are updated and the
technology improves, some of the training is
simply to keep legacy technology up and running efficiently. We see that most commonly
in boiler world, Busselmeier said. People
take it for granted; its 1920s technology that
hasnt changed much. But they are machines
just like anything else, and with proper care,
they can live for decades more to come. When
you do training on proper boiler care, people
can see the value.
The training process
While manufacturers re-evaluated the need

for full-time, in-house training, the need for
training didnt go away. Third-party companies have both the native expertise in a wider
variety of areas as well as the flexibility to
shape training programs to the needs of individual manufacturers.
There generally are two types of programs
offered by training companies: classroom education at the company headquarters, or remote
training at the manufacturing site. Each has
its advantages, but both have one advantage
over e-learning programs: the ability to put
the worker in front of a piece of equipment.
They are hands-on with the trainer. They
have the custom equipment and qualified
instructors right there, Gallagher said. Digital and e-learning is going to be a trend. Its
going to grow, and were going to use it, but
what we pride ourselves on is hands-on.
Instructor-led training is tremendously
important, Busselmeier said. If you can
supplement that with computer-based training,
it makes student retention just that much better. To be able to use online training as ongoing
refresher to something they may have learned
something in January, that helps retention.
Busselmeier said the real decision on training is getting the right number of people in
front of the instructor for the training thats
needed. Its more about how the training is
held, he said. Our number-one business is
public seminars, where you have a conference space and anybody can sign up. Thats
great for companies that only have one or two
employees to train.
plant engineering
If you have 10 people to be trained, it may

be more economical to bring someone out to
do the training on-site, he said. What doesnt
change is the delivery of the content.
The trainer is the key
As in any educational process, the knowledge

is the static part. Programming a programmable logic control (PLC) or maintaining a
switchgear or developing a lubrication process has specific parameters, guidelines, and
codes. The way that knowledge gets delivered
is the key to the success of the training.
It starts and ends with the instructor, said
Busselmeier. From a student perspective, its
important that the instructor is highly knowledgeable. None of our instructors come with
theory only. We want folks who have been on
front line. We know they have experience, but
can they teach?
Busselmeier said they also need to stay current. Theyre constantly hearing things from
the students, and their breadth of knowledge
is expanding, he said.
The interaction between skilled instructors
and skilled workers is another crucial aspect
to the success of any training program, said
Busselmeier. When youre in a classroom
with a person who had been in the field for
30 years, a student is able to bounce ideas off
them, and apply those to what they are seeing
in the field.
The ability to have a live interaction allows
for more practical training, he said. Its less
important to teach the theory of why a substation works. It works; now here are some of
things you need to be aware of. Heres how
to be safe.
The continuing evolution of the National
Electrical Code (NEC) and the specifics of
NFPA 70E training around electrical safety and
arc flash are two of the more visible training
programs that combine both operational and
safety issues. But all training programs are
designed to keep the workers up to date and
deliver greater productivity as a result.
For the most part, when students come into
these classes, they are there to learn, said
Gallagher. They see the value.
We dont have an issue of students buying
into training, Busselmeier said. Usually students know they need it before company does.
Customer expectations can vary. Some want
some sort of certification test and some want
continuing education. What they are looking
for from us is to get hands-on training to learn
new codes or even new techniques. PE
Uptime or downtime
YOUR RESULTS MATTER
Increase asset reliability and prevent unplanned downtime on
the motors and drives you manage. See the Fluke tools that
can keep your motors and drives running at peak efficiency.
Visit: Fluke.com/Uptime
2014 Fluke Corporation. 6003676b-en
201 4
Salary Survey
Confidence rises amid the challenges
fter almost a decade of uncertainty,

Government/political interference: 12%
the confidence of plant floor manag Outsourcing and offshoring: 10%, up from
ers is soaring. Even with a number
9% in 2013
of challenges and implementing new
Inadequate management: 8%, down from
technologies, there is a renewed sense
15% in 2013.
of optimism among plant managers
On the issue of outsourcing, more than 60% of
about their business and their future.
plant managers say they outsource at least one plant
The respondents to the 2014 Plant Engineerfunction, with maintenance at 26% being the top
ing Salary Survey come from throughoutsourced function within the plant. Other
out the U.S. and serve a variety of
areas being outsourced include system
industries, but they are uniform in
integration (21%), logistics and protheir optimism about manufaccurement (11%), human resources
turing. This years survey found
(10%), and system management
79% consider manufacturing a
(9%).
secure career. Thats up from
There are three primary reasons
75% in 2013 and significantcited for outsourcing job funcly higher than the 63% figure
tions: cost management (43%),
when Plant Engineering first 2014 SALARY SURVEY a better focus on staff core comstarted asking that question a
petencies (39%), and a lack of
decade ago.
skilled staff to handle those functions
Since 2005, theres been a devastating
(37%).
recession and now a robust recovery led by
A new question for respondents in 2014 was to
the manufacturing sector. The fundamental issues assess the state of their programs for maintenance,
of workforce development, staff management, management, and safety. By a wide margin, safety
technology upgrades, and challenges from global is the most visible program in the plant, as 58% of
competitors and governmental policies remain respondents described their safety program on the
to be dealt with. Yet manufacturing enters 2015 plant floor as mature and another 27% described it
with a full head of steam and confidence that as developing, while just 4% called their program
manufacturing will build from its current posi- non-existent.
tion of strength.
By comparison, 43% of respondents described
The skilled worker shortage is, for the tenth their plant maintenance program as mature and
straight year, the top issue facing manufacturing, just 40% described their plant management program
according to respondents. The top five concerns in the same way.
were:
See the full results of the 2014 Plant Engi Lack of skilled workers: 24%, down from neering Salary Survey at www.plantengineering.
35% in 2013
com/2014Salary.
Regulation and codes: 13%, down from 16%
Bob Vavra
in 2013
PLANT ENGINEERING
2014 SALARY SURVEY
What We Earn
As confidence in manufacturing grows,

so does the expectation of workers that their
compensation will reflect the growth in the industry. More
than three-quarters of all respondents to the 2014 Plant
Engineering Salary Survey expect a raise in 2015, and 13%
expect that raise to be 4% or more. Another 63% see a more
modest raise of between 1% and 3%.
Another key area is bonus compensation. Bonuses in
manufacturing rose sharply after the 2008 recession as plant
management created incentives for increased productivity
and lower costs during the downturn. While bonuses arent
dropping to pre-recession levels, they have fallen from the
2012 high of more than $15,000. The average bonus in 2014
was $11,705, up $27 from 2013 and down from $15,162 in
2012.
Survey respondents also are not as optimistic about bonus
compensation increases as they are about base salary. While
just 1% of respondents expected a drop in salary, 12% see
their bonus compensation falling in the new year. On the
other hand, 17% expect a bonus increase of between 1% and
PLANT ENGINEERING
3%, and 12% see a bonus of 4% or more, and both of those

totals are higher than either of the last two years.
Safety continues to be a significant metric in respondents
bonuses; in 2014, safety was the criterion for a bonus for onethird of respondents. Company profitability, productivity,
quality, and uptime remain significant criteria for bonuses,
while energy management, which took a big jump in significance in 2013, remains at the same level for 2014 at 15%.
Overall compensation for all survey respondents slipped
slightly from $107,104 in 2013 to $104,835 in 2014. Taken
with the average age of the plant manager falling to 52 from
57 a year ago, it could indicate a small change between the
retiring plant manager and a newer hire within the organization.
One area where salaries continue to surge is the oil and
gas market. Both in terms of base salary and bonus, oil and
gas plant workers earn the highest wages in the industry: an
average of $141,653. Pharmaceuticals and mineral production managers were next, and utility plant workers earned
more than $100,000 in base salary.
Year-over-year average compensation

Average non-salary compensation
Source:
P
EENGINEERING
Source:
PLANT
LANT NGINEERING
Average base annual salary
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Source: PLANT ENGINEERING
PLANT ENGINEERING
2014 SALARY SURVEY
What We Think
Its been 10 years since Plant Engineering

began asking plant managers a simple question:
Do you consider manufacturing a secure career?
In those 10 years, the answer to that question has closely
paralleled the rise and fall and rise again of American manufacturing. In 2005, 63% of plant managers considered manufacturing a secure career. That number fell to 61% in 2008
and hovered in the low 60s for much of the next three years.
By 2010, as the manufacturing resurgence hit, that confidence
topped 70%. Even so, the rise in confidence in 2014 is the most
encouraging sign to date of the value of the manufacturing
sector to the economy.
Among this years respondents, 79% said they considered
manufacturing a secure career, which is the highest confidence
rating in the 10 years since we started asking the question.
That optimism overshadowed the continuing skills gap facing plant managers. For the 10th straight year, the lack of a
skilled workforce is the biggest issue plant managers say they
faceahead of regulatory interference, government uncertainty,
or global competition. Again this year, its the top issue by
a 2:1 margin, although governmental issuesregulation and
politicalare a combined 25%. Still, the overwhelming consistency of workforce shortage continues to be the one thorn
in an otherwise rosy picture.
We did ask a few new questions in 2014. One was about

outsourcing job functions. Maintenance and systems integration are by far the two leading areas where functions are outsourced, but 36% of plant managers say they dont outsource
at all. For those who do outsource functions, cost management,
the ability to better focus on staff core competencies, and the
lack of skilled staff to perform the functions were the three
reasons most often cited.
We also asked about asset management programs, one of
the emerging topics in 2014, and something certainly on the
radar for our readers. A total of 47% already have an asset
management system in place; 9% said they will implement
such a program in 2015; and another 9% said they would be
studying such an asset management program this coming year.
Only 4% said they didnt know how an asset management
program could help their operation.
Programs for maintenance, management, and safety are
well along in development in most plants. Safety was particularly far along, as 85% of respondents described their
safety program as either mature or developing. In management programs, 40% are mature and 35% are developing,
while maintenance programs were called mature by 43%
of respondents.
Consider manufacturing as a secure career
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
PLANT ENGINEERING
Biggest threat to manufacturing industry

2014
0%
5%
10%
2013
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Lack of available skilled workers

Regulations, codes, standards, etc.
Government / political interference*
Inadequate management
Outsourcing, offshoring
Downsizing
Union pressures, restrictions
Taxes and tariffs on products
Lack of necessary materials*
Other
*Not included in 2013 study

Plant functions outsourced

0%
5%
Reasons for outsourcing
10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

0%
Maintenance
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Cost management
System integration
Focus on core experience
Logisitics / procurement
Lack of skilled staff
Recruitment / hiring
System management
Competitive climate
Asset management
Quality control
Other
Other
None
Source: PLANT ENGINEERIN

NGINEERING
NGINEERI
N
PLANT ENGINEERING
2014 SALARY SURVEY
Who We Are
Manufacturing plant leaders have a variety

of titles, but their underlying skill as engineers is
common to almost all of those titles, and to their job function.
While the titles vary, 39% of Salary Survey respondents said
their primary job is to engineer, maintain, or supervise plant
operations, while another 22% are responsible for process or
production engineering. About 13% of respondents have supervisory responsibilities over more than one plant.
Another common threat is the education background of the
plant manager. More than 70% of all respondents have at least
a bachelors degree, and nearly 20% have either a masters
degree or a doctorate.
And while the average age of the Salary Survey respondents
dropped from a year ago, its still safe to say were not really
getting any younger. More than 40% of all respondents are
between the ages of 50 and 59, and another 18% are between
60 and 64. Overall, two-thirds of all plant managers are over

the age of 50, bringing again into clear focus the dual issues
of a lack of skilled workers ready to follow this generation of
manufacturing professionals as they begin to retire, and the
native plant floor knowledge that will follow those retirees
out the door.
These issues are significant because while 35% of respondents have been working in manufacturing for at least 30 years,
just 8% have worked in manufacturing for five years or less.
Perhaps it is a sign of the overall improvement in the economy
and the strength of the manufacturing sector, but there is just
as much job mobility in the market as in 2013. More than onequarter of all plant managers have been with their operations
less than five years, which is about the same as last year. On
the other hand, more than a quarter of respondents have been
with their current employer for at least 25 years.
PLANT ENGINEERING
Current age
50 to 54
20%
45 to 49
12%
55 to 59
21%
40 to 44
7%
35 to 39
4%
60 to 64
18%
30 to 34
6%
25 to 29
4%
70 or over
3%
Under 25
1% Prefer not to say
1%
5 to 9
21%
65 to 69
4%
10 to 14
12%
Less than 5
26%
Average hours worked per week
40 or more
2%
45 to 49
34%
40 to 44
31%
Years with current employer
15 to 19
12%
20 to 24
7%
35 to 39
5%
30 to 34
6%
25 to 29
9%
35 to 39
2%
30 to 34
2%
50 to 54
19%
Less than 30
2%
60 or more
4%
55 to 59
6%
Highest level of education

Bachelors Degree
48%
Associates Degree
9%
El
College Attendance
10%
Trade / Technical
School Diploma
6%
High School Diploma
4%
Doctoral Degree
3%
PLANT ENGINEERING
Dual Bachelors Degree

4%
Masters Degree
16%
WHAT WE THINK: The Future
2014 SALARY SURVEY
Respondents to Plant Engineerings annual Salary Survey are experienced manufacturing professionals. On average,
theyve been in the business more than 25 years. They not only know their stuff today, but they also have seen the vast changes
in manufacturing in that quarter of a century.
So it wasnt surprising that when we asked those experienced engineers what career advice theyd have for their peers, they
suggested continuing to learn about the various aspects of the manufacturing businessand that includes about the business itself.
Top five skills needed within area of responsibility

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Project management
Engineering
Communication / presentation
Team-building
Computer
Source: P
E
Source: PLANT
ENGINEERING
LANT NGINEERING
Never stop learning new skills. Change never stops.
Work hard at what

of Education
Engineering disciplines
you are good at,

learn more about
those things that
you need to get
better at, and be
open-minded to
getting
assistance
Dual Bachelors Degree
4%
those things
Masterson
Degree
16%
outside of your
gree
specialty.
Bachelors Degree
48%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Mechanical (ME)
Electrical (EE) or electronic
Chemical
Industrial
Controls
Instrumentation
PLANT ENGINEERING
Civil
Other
WHAT WE THINK: The Challenges

The respondents to the 2015 Plant Engineering Salary Survey are more optimistic about the future of manufacturing than ever
before, but they also see some of the perils which lie ahead. We asked them to tell us what some of those key challenges will be in
the near-term, and the responses ranged from the ones youd expect (workforce shortages) to some you might not.
Average compensation by maunfacturing sector

Average base annual salary
Experienced
$0
controls engineers
are not being
replaced
by middleexperienced
controls engineers
because there is a
severe shortage.
$20,000
$40,000
Average non-salary compensation

$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
Oil, gas or refining

Chemicals, pharma or biotech
Metals and mining
Utilities
Transportation
Food, beverage, or tobacco
Commercial / agricultural machinery
Computers / electronics
Aerospace / defense
Fabricated metals
Plastics / rubber
Controls / instrumentation
Wood, pulp and paper
Appliances / electrical
Miscellaneous manufacturing
Asset management program presence

Will implement this year
9%
Dont know
17%
No plans to study
14%
No
27%
Yes
47%
Dont know how it would help operation

4%
Program development
Aging workforce
and retirements:
(The) need of
finding young
workers with
skills and/or the
desire to learn.
Plans to study
9%
Mature
0%
10%
20%
Developing
30%
40%
Under way
50%
60%
Non-existent
70%
80%
90%
100%
Maintenace program
Management program
Safety program
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COVERSTORY
Figure 1: The process
of printing a complete
car chassis at IMTS 2014
was accomplished in 44
hours. Courtesy: IMTS
3D:
Adding to additives capabilities

Technology makes new materials, new designs possible.
By Bob Vavra
he age of 3D printing has gone mainstream. You can buy personal 3D

printers at the end caps at Wal-Mart
and Home Depot. In the two years
since Plant Engineering reported
on the coming proliferation of 3D
printingor additive manufacturing, as it
is more properly calledthe technology is
becoming more visible to a wider audience.
Were not quite at a 3D printer on every
engineers desk. Yet. But Lynn Gambill and
her team are working on it.
We are buying various desktop or tabletop
versions to bring to the designers here, said
Gambill, the chief engineer for manufacturing
engineering and global services at aerospace
manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. They are in a
lot of places. The cost of printers has gone down,
making them available to so many different
people. Its a great visual aid in designing parts.
Aerospace in general and Pratt & Whitney
in particular have been on the cutting edge of
additive manufacturing. The technology accelerated the transition from computer-aided design
(CAD) drawings to manufacturing parts and
gives designers a faster, cheaper way to puts
new parts into production.
Gambill said the development of 3D CAD

drawings already was a huge step forward.
Additive manufacturing is one more giant leap.
Now a designer can create a 3D file and make
a prototype part in short period of time, she
said. You can do simple fit checks, and when
youre ready to interface with tooling, you also
can make your tool.
Parts can be made quickly, but they also
can be made in a way that is very cost-effective
for us, said Gambill. With additive, you can
make parts and combine multiple details into
the design. Its certainly a benefit in terms of
costs.
On the leading edge
Local Motors is a collaborative auto design

shop on the cutting edge of the 3D revolution.
The company, with operations in Phoenix,
Las Vegas, and Knoxville, Tenn., brought
its 3D expertise to IMTS 2014 in Chicago to
print an entire car from front to back during
the six days of the show. On the final day of
the show, Local Motors CEO Jay Rogers and
Association for Manufacturing Technology
CEO Doug Woods drove the finished car out
of McCormick Place.
PLANT ENGINEERING
CoverStory
Figure 2: The use of rapid prototyping to help
improve the manufacturing process is one of
the ways Pratt & Whitney utilizes 3D printing.
Courtesy: Pratt & Whitney
other. Things always will need to be welded.

Were just widening the tool set.
While this is a time of great change in manufacturing, that change is happening in steps.
Just as 3D printing takes place layer by layer,
so is the growth of the industry. For Local
Motors, that means continuing to prove out
the capabilities.
Right now, our business is about economies
of scope as opposed to economies of scale,
Fishkin said.
Thats the same strategy theyre using at
Pratt & Whitney. The company is moving additive manufacturing from the prototype stage to
creating finished parts for its engines. On the
journey to this next phase, the company has
changed not only its manufacturing process,
but also the parts themselves.
Weve been spending a lot of time training
on design for additive manufacturing so we
can try to learn what additive can and cant
do, Gambill said. Its allowing designers to
think about production without any of the prior
manufacturing restrictions. You can make thin
walls without having to worry about shape
complexity. It gives designers a chance to
imagine what the part might look like instead
of what it historically has looked like. What
youll start to see more and moreand not
just in aerospaceis that the shapes of parts
could look very different.
The work leading up to that event highlights
the leaps additive manufacturing is making.
There are a lot of kinks that have to be figured
out, said Justin Fishkin, chief strategy officer
for Local Motors. We didnt even know we
wanted to 3D print a car at the show. When
we first started to print a large-scale unibody
for the car, it took 180 hours. When we got
to Chicago, it was down to 44 hours. Thats a
huge efficiency.
Additive manufacturing is one part of the
way Local Motors is looking to expand its
business as a custom car manufacturer. We
are on sort of the leading edge of the maturity
of 3D. Its at the beginning, but it has a long
way to do. 3D is one tool one of tool set digital
manufacturing.
Were just scratching the surface. The traditional manufacturing capabilities always will
have their place. They always will need each
plant engineering
Collaborative testing
The use of additive manufacturing at Pratt &

Whitney extends beyond the part design to
the material properties of the part itself. By
combining various metal powders and new
designs, the design team can fundamentally
change the size, shape, and weight of engine
parts. That can reduce cost, improve performance, and create lighter, stronger parts that
will reduce fuel consumption.
Were now launching design teams for
additive, Gambill said. When you design
for additive manufacturing, you have the
opportunity to take weight out of the part. It
can drive the weight down rather substantially.
If the engine weighs less, it uses less fuel. It
all factors into the total cost of ownership.
At Local Motors, the 3D printer has become
integral to the design process. One of the
critical bottlenecks is that for a while, its
been designers and engineers working on

same CAD model. Now they can communicate
directly to the machine, Fishkin said. Its
almost in real time, and we all can be working on the same model. If we dont like way
something performs, we print and try again.
We dont have to retool.
That system allows not just for ongoing
tweaking of part design, but also to test several variations of plastics, alloys, and metals
in different combinations in the same part
design with just one pass of the 3D printer.
The parts may all look the same, but their
physical makeup can be different.
Strategic expansion
Throughout the development of additive manufacturing, the technology has been seen as
complementary to the traditional machine tool
and computer numeric control (CNC) industry,
and Gambill doesnt see that changing. In fact,
she said additive actually enhances the tooling
process. Its not just about the parts themselves. Theres the tooling aspect, and they go
hand-in-hand, she said. It starts really with
powders, the controls, everything working to
produce a part in semi-finished shape. Then it
goes to downstream processing. In an operational environment, the goal is to have everything co-located and to create an operational
value stream that is very effective.
If the technology behind additive manufacturing is just now reaching store shelves, the
strategic use of additive to advance manufacturing goals continues. Its not just a conversation about buying a piece of equipment,
Gambill said. Its about understanding what
youre able to achieve with material properties, and to achieve the design properties you
need for a gas turbine engine.
The collaborative nature of what digital
manufacturing can do is important to Local
Motors. The company is working with educational and government entities top help stay on
the leading edge of research and technology
around additive manufacturing. Fishkin sees
a network of 100 microfactories all over the
world, capable of producing 3D cars ready for
the road, all printed off the same CAD drawing
but deliverable anywhere there is a printer.
He also knows that network, and that world,
is still some time away. It is coming, but layer
by layer. Its going to be a long time before
were printing critical parts for a car at home,
he said. Youll see people using it for fun
stuff at home, and eventually well be able to
do more serious things. PE
MFG Meeting to continue

additive manufacturing discussion
The Association for Manufacturing Technology has been on
the leading edge of the additive manufacturing discussion. At its
annual MFG Meeting on March 4-7, 2015, in Orlando, a panel of
experts will continue the discussion about the near-term opportunities for additive manufacturingfocusing on emerging technologies and new business models.
Among the speAkers Are:
Dr. Lonnie Love, Group Leader Automation, Robotics, and
Manufacturing, Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Dr. Love is the
project lead for the Big Area Additive Manufacturing program
at ORNL that is focusing on large-scale, high-speed polymer
and metal additive manufacturing.
Michael Siemer, founder, Mydea Technologies: A champion
for rapid prototyping and tooling technologies while working in
design and production at Walt Disney World Co., Siemer went
on to found Mydea Technologies in 2004 to provide a 3D,
Kinkos-like product development service with an emphasis on
rapid prototyping, rapid tooling, and manufacturing.
Rob Mudge, CEO of RPM: Mudge has co-founded three companies, including RPM & Associates, Inc., which is now recognized internationally as a leader in solving wear problems for
heavy industry.
To register for the 2015 MFG Meeting, sponsored by AMT, the
National Tooling and Machining Association (NMTA), and the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), go to
www.themfgmeeting.com.
Figure 3: the next step in the use of additive manufacturing is to begin by

designing products to take advantage of the unique manufacturing capabilities of 3D printing. Courtesy: pratt & Whitney
plant engineering
COVERSTORY
Ultrasonic cleaning facilitates

rapid prototyping
By Frank Pedeflous, Omegasonics
According to Gartner, the IT research and advisory

company, the 3D printing market will reach $13.4 billion
by 2018. Hersheys recently unveiled a 3D chocolate
candy printing exhibit at its Hershey, Pa., headquarters
that allows visitors to print and purchase their own
chocolate.
Two British teenagers created a wristband with a 3D
printer that pauses and records live TV.
The 3D printing motto seems to be: If you can dream
it, you can build it.
Figure 1: Ultrasonic cleaners use environmentally friendly,

nontoxic and nonflammable, water-based cleaning soaps
and ultrasound waves to break up and methodically
remove support material from 3D prototyped parts, one
layer at a time. Courtesy: Omegasonics
Yet, as big as the potential is for 3D printing in the

consumer world, its also opened a whole new realm
of design and manufacturing possibilities for commercial businesses. Literally, 3D printing has the ability to
revolutionize manufacturing, as companies can use
this innovative technology to quickly build full-size
parts from a variety of materials without expensive
machining processes.
Rather than being a costly, time-intensive process,
product development can become a core strength and
give manufacturers the ability to compete with others
by more easily creating new things.
PLANT ENGINEERING
One of the most popular types of 3D printing is fuse

deposit modeling (FDM). The FDM process uses a
machine to put down droplet-sized beads of a resin
material onto a support material that acts like a placeholder. The resin deposits are made from the bottom
up, layer after layer, and they fuse together to slowly
build the form of a cohesive 3D end product. Manufacturers can digitally design intricate or complex products
and produce them using 3D printing, eliminating the
need for assembly.
Once the assembly is built, the mold support
must be removed without damaging the actual
designed part. The molds are water soluble, so
dissolving one requires the proper detergent,
time, and preferably some agitation to penetrate
the solute as well as speed up the process.
Ultrasonic cleaning naturally lends itself to efficiently and easily removing the support structure
from 3D printed parts.
Ultrasonic cleaners use environmentally
friendly, nontoxic and nonflammable, waterbased cleaning soaps and ultrasound waves to
produce millions of microscopic bubbles per second. Energy is released by the creation and collapse of these bubbles, called cavitation, and the
resultant shock waves break up and methodically remove support material from 3D prototyped parts,
one layer at a time. The more complicated the part, the
more effective the ultrasound is at removing the support
material from blind and threaded holes.
Technicians can remove support material in other
ways, including by manually breaking or cutting away
the structure by hand, hand scrubbing, or using a
recirculating tank style washer. However, cutting the
structure by hand is labor intensive and can take many
hours. Jet washing complicated parts can take as long
as 24 hours to clean and has the potential to cause
damage to the parts.
The engineering capabilities of FDM combined with
the speed and precision of ultrasonic cleaners makes
rapid prototyping cost-effective and allows manufacturers to get their ideas to the marketplace faster than
ever. PE
Frank Pedeflous is president of Omegasonics.
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MATERIALHANDLINGSOLUTIONS
Figure 1: Moving from
an open-bin warehousing system to a drawer
system requires preplanning and a look at
existing organizational
structures to see if
improvements are possible. All images courtesy: Vidmar
Planning is crucial for relocation,

parts management upgrades
Review inventory, assess space and customer needs before making changes.
By Bob Vavra
s Premier Equipment Ltd. prepared

to move into its new 55,000-sq-ft
warehouse in Elmira, Ont., last year,
it gave everyone a chance to take a
fresh look at how to improve operations.
That included the parts crib, which managed everything from a small O-ring to a
large combine for the John Deere agricultural and landscaping distributor. It gave
us the chance to start fresh and do things the
way we wanted to, said Leon Brubacher,
the parts lead at Premier. The Elmira location is the hub for 10 centers throughout the
area, which serves an agricultural community growing corn, wheat, and soybeans as
well as a thriving landscaping region about
75 miles west of Toronto.
One of the first decisions was to scrap
the legacy bin system and replace the bins
with drawers and cabinets to store all of
the smaller parts. That allowed Premier not
just to better organize the space, but to do

it in about two-thirds of the footprint of the
previous location.
We didnt want to spend more on square
footage than we needed, said Brubacher.
We found the cabinet route was beneficial as we were consolidating into a smaller
space.
By going from smaller bins to deeper
drawers and cabinets, they were able to
reconfigure not just the space the parts were
in, but also the aisles around the parts. The
main change was really that we had a lot
more cabinets, Brubacher said. We purchased 56 cabinets and had the shelving on
top of cabinets. The big gain was less aisles.
All of our little parts had been in 12-in.-deep
bins, and now they were in drawers that were
about 30 in. deep. That meant a lot fewer
aisles with deeper cabinets. Its very neat
and tidy, less walking.
PLANT ENGINEERING
mAteriAlHAndlingSolutionS
Figure 2: Another key to success is including barcoding and labeling on all drawers to ensure delivery of the proper parts, but
also to assist in replenishing inventory.
The logistics of the process is important, because Premier is both a parts distribution and repair center. That means it
has both internal and external customers
looking for parts. We have quite a bit
of walk-in traffic as well as shipping out
to customers, said Brubacher. We also
have various people picking for own service department. We just get a printout
from our business system with the bin
number and fill orders.
Planning is crucial
One key reason the process went relatively

smoothly, Brubacher noted, was the emphasis
on pre-planning. We dont have too many
regrets after the move, but it took of planning, he said. Youve got to plan aisle
widths, bin labeling. Its easy to just push that
out and worry about it later.
And rather than wait for the move to switch
from the bin system to the cabinets, Premier
decided to start the moving process well before
Tying the cabinet system into a back-end inventory management

and ordering system is part of that planning process as well.
The company had implemented a new
back-end management system in January
2014, so workers had to learn both the
new bin system and the new order system
at the same time. Im glad its all behind
us, Brubacher said with a small laugh.
plant engineering
the actual moving day. A huge things for us,

and were glad we did it this way, is that we
set up all cabinets at the old location and then
filled them before the move, he said. We
actually filled all the bins with the parts at the
old location. It was a tight squeeze for a while.
Together we can
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MATERIALHANDLINGSOLUTIONS
Figure 3: The resulting organizational

improvements at Premier Equipment Ltd.
included a smaller physical footprint for parts
and easier access to materials.
KAtEY
WORDS:
plantengineering.com, KEYWORD: INVENTORY MANAGEMENT youll find more
articles on this topic:
IMPLEMENTING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT POLICY, PROCEDURES
Inventory management requires much more than just knowing the numbers.
Knowing the relevant formulae is the easy part. Successful inventory management, and the achievement of true inventory optimization, requires a focus
on people, policies, procedures, and with that, behaviors. The requirement for
improving the management of this interaction is even stronger in a maintenance
environment where operations rely on the timely supply of spare parts to minimize
the impact of equipment failure and provide efficient maintenance activities.
By Philip Slater
THE LONG ROAD TO MAINTENANCE PARTS, MANAGEMENT SUCCESS
When Dennis Marcucci arrived at Gonnella Frozen Products in 1997 to head the
companys information system department, he already knew the company and its
mission. He also knew that the breadmaker needed a fresh approach to its maintenance inventory management system.
By Bob Vavra, CFE Media
A WELL-RUN STOREROOM PRESERVES CAPITAL, SAVES TIME AND MONEY
An inventory that doesnt have the parts when needed is an indication that the
stocking levels are not adequate to support the maintenance requirements to perform the needed repairs. Conducting an annual review of the item stocking level to
evaluate the reorder point, minimum and maximum stocking levels, safety stock
requirements, and annual item usage provides insight into future stocking requirements to prevent item stock outs. Reviewing stocking levels and monitoring inventory usage reports also identifies obsolete and excess inventory that consumes
inventory dollars and robs valuable space in the storeroom.
By Wally Wilson, Life Cycle Engineering
PLANT ENGINEERING
We had to find room for our existing bins and

then fill 56 cabinets. We worked three-quarters
of the year having one to two people gradually
fill cabinets. Then when moving day came,
we just moved all the cabinets in an evening
and we were ready to go the next day.
We were filling orders in the old space, but
we had all the new aisles laid out, Brubacher
said. We had the new bin locations even in the
old building. The guys learned the bin system
and when we got into the new location, it was
just in different physical spot.
Know your inventory
An emphasis on planning and understanding inventory levels is critical to the success of a project like Premiers, said Brent
Mitchell, the territory sales manager for
Vidmar, which provided the drawers and
organization for the Premier project.
Before you begin, ideally you should
have your inventory up to date, said Mitchell. If 30% to 40% of your inventory is
obsolete, youve got to clear out the obsolete
inventory prior to doing a survey to understand your inventory levels. You need to
have a good handle on current inventory.
He noted that includes making sure which
parts are obsolete. If 30% of motors are
obsolete, for example, thats a much different inventory issue than 30% of screws
being obsolete, and calls for a much different inventory system.
It also includes knowing what time of the
year or what part of your manufacturing
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mAteriAlHAndlingSolutionS
The first indication that a maintenance

repair and operations storeroom isnt
run well is the response you get from the

maintenance technicians when you ask
their opinion of how the storeroom is performing. The comments are usually, We
cant depend on our storeroom for the right
parts, or They never have the parts I need
to make the needed repairs.
Wally Wilson, Life Cycle Engineering
cycle you are measuring. In the first part of survey, you

really need to be to have a good handle on whether these
are good inventory levels. If you look at an agricultural
dealer like Premier, their inventory level in January is
different than May or June.
Tying the cabinet system into a back-end inventory
management and ordering system is part of that planning
process as well. The beauty of what Premier Equipment
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did is to barcode cabinets prior to moving, Mitchell

said. This way you have lots of time well in advance to
sort out, organize, and assign bin locations. If you have
proper pre-planning like Leon did, theres no loss of
productivity or any inconvenience to the service department or to customers requiring parts. You always know
where everything is.
By going from smaller bins
to deeper drawers and cabinets,

they were able to reconfigure
not just the space the parts
were in, but also the aisles
around the parts.
Companies such as Vidmar are consultants as much

as equipment providers in the inventory management
space. When I first meet a customer, before I even look
at a storage solution, I want to understand his business,
Mitchell said. Does he have a lot of walk-in trade? Its
important when you set up the storage cabinets that the
high-volume parts are close to where the customers are.
Mitchell noted that in manufacturing shops, the customer is the maintenance staff and manufacturing line
worker. With the tool crib, you want to have high-volume
parts close to the issue area, Mitchell said. If fasteners are some of the main things maintenance needs, you
want to have fastener cabinets as close to the issue area
as possible.
We do a lot of CNC machine shops with a lot of benching and cabinet storage, he added. We specifically lay
out the drawers for machines at the point of use. This
system also helps with the 5S programs. PE
The BoTTom Line:

Whether moving your parts crib from building to
building or from place to place, its important to
plan your move and understand your inventory.
Such a move is a good time to examine how parts
are distributed to internal and external customers,
and where new cabinets, drawers, and shelves
should be located to ensure efficient distribution.
A further efficiency is tying any back-end inventory management system into the new parts management process.
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ELECTRICALSOLUTIONS
Deploying GFCIs in the real world
Ground fault circuit interrupters can protect workers from the risk of electrical
shock and injury in wet and hazardous settings.
By Tony Quebbemann
Molex Inc.
orkplace safety is everyones business, and most industrial companies in North America have made
safety a top priority over the past
few decades. Yet today accidents, injuries, and
even death on the job do occur. In 2012, for
example, more than 4,300 workplace fatalities were reported. Of these, 156 were caused
by electrocution. From 1992 through 2010, an
average of 268 workers died from electrocution each year, and in 2009 there were 2,620
non-fatal injuries due to contact with electrical
current.
Its certainly good news that workplace injuries and fatalities are trending downward, but
their numbers are still far too high. In addition
to causing pain, suffering, and loss to victims
and their families, as well as having a negative
impact on other workers, accidents due to electrical safety code violations can have a negative economic impact on employers, including
significant financial penalties and high costs
related to medical and disability expenses.
jobs in harsh and often wet or hazardous

environments, both indoors and outdoors,
and typically are involved in using highpowered electrical equipment.
Examples of some high-risk work environments include:
Oil and gas refineries, mines, and quarries
Water treatment plants
Power distribution plants and public and
private utility service and repair operations
Commercial construction and large transportation sites (roads, bridges, airports,
etc.)
Large, automated agricultural plants
Food, beverage, and chemical processing
facilities involving heavy machinery and
frequent equipment washdowns
Indoor and outdoor event sites such as
sports stadiums, concert venues, convention centers, and golf tournament and
temporary festival setup areas.
While arc flash awareness has been growingas well it
shouldthe dangers of shock and electrocution should not

be overlooked. In fact, electrocution is the second-leading
cause of construction site fatalities in the U.S. In an average
eight-hour day, 16 workers require time off the job to
recover due to electrically induced injuries.
Reza Tajali, Schneider Electric
Industries with greatest risk
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), a high percentage of accidental workplace fatalities from
2003 through 2010 occurred in the construction, manufacturing, utility, transportation,
agriculture, mining, and natural resources
industries. What do all of these fields have
in common? In most cases, workers perform
In these settings, whether indoors or out,

unprotected electrical connections exposed
to moisture, metals, and harsh conditions can
cause interruptions in power flow. Improper
use of equipment can cause problems, ranging from nuisance tripping or short circuits
to major malfunctions that pose significant
risk of injury and death, such as fires and
electrocution.
PLANT ENGINEERING
eLeCTRICALSOLUTIONS
While large industrial operations face the
greatest level of risk, even smaller operations
are not risk-free. Frequent incidents of electrical shocks and nuisance tripping are cause
for concern even for smaller contractors who
maintain teams of individual tradespeople,
such as electricians, plumbers, and construction workers, to build homes, small office
buildings, and stores.
Harsh environments and plants requiring frequent wash-downs, such as the

poultry processing operation shown here, can pose a high risk of electrical
injury to workers. Adhering to NEC standards by installing in-line or systemwide GFCI protection can help ensure code compliance and worker safety.
Courtesy: Molex Inc.
In addition to wet environments and improperly done electrical connections, another

potential cause of electrical mishaps on the
job is the workers themselves. Its not uncommon for workers to decide to take dangerous
shortcuts instead of following their employers
mandated safety regulations.
Under time pressure, workers may justify
overriding the rules (and their own better judgment) just to get the job done, or to get it done
faster to avoid production downtime or delaying completion of the assigned task. This need
for speed coupled with false confidence in
ones own expertise poses a potentially lethal
riskdefinitely not a risk worth taking.
Following the codes reduces risk
An important step toward creating safer workplaces is to study and follow electrical safety
codes such as those set forth in the National
Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) National
50 January/February 2015 plant engineering
Electrical Code. The NEC is an advisory set of

guidelines published specifically to safeguard
persons and property from electrical hazards.
Another key agency is OSHA (Occupational
Safety and Health Administration). Many local
authorities having jurisdiction have adopted
NEC standards for safety and best practices,
and industrial companies are bound by law to
follow OSHA regulations.
Both NEC and OSHA concur that:
Electrical equipment must be free from hazards likely to result in dangerous conditions,
injuries, or fatalities.
Worker protection must be provided in wet
locations, and workers must be protected
from live equipment.
Workers must be protected from ground
faults through the use of ground fault protection.
A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is an
electrical wiring device that disconnects a circuit
whenever it detects that the electrical current is
not balanced between the energized conductor
and the return neutral conductor. Such an imbalance may indicate current leakage through the
body of a person who is grounded and accidentally touching the energized part of the circuit,
resulting in an electrical shock. GFCI devices
are designed to disconnect quickly enough to
prevent injury caused by such shocks.
GFCI devices can be placed on individual
electrical power cords (in-line GFCI), or can
be deployed systemically to protect an entire
system from ground faults, nuisance tripping,
and other hazards. For employers and workers
alike, the advantage of adopting the systemic
approach within a fixed plant or operation is
the assurance of having always on worker
protection in place.
To help them achieve this goal, both NEC and
OSHA define proper electrical safety practices
in detail, right down to the individual component
level. The codes also spell out how employers
can provide safety for their teams and assets
when working at more temporary sitessuch
as building construction, tunnel repairs, or entertainment event setup.
Code-compliant GFCI components
While its not practical to include all of NFPAs

NEC guidelines and OSHA regulations here,
following is a snapshot of some key GFCI
components and requirements as stated in the
industrial standards.
Cordsets
Extension cords used with portable electric
tools need to be 3-wire and rated hard or extrawww.plantengineering.com
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ELECTRICALSOLUTIONS
KEY WORDS:
At plantengineering.com, KEYWORD: ELECTRICAL SAFETY, youll find more
information on this topic:
ELECTRICAL SAFETY FROM THE GROUND UP
The goal of any companys workplace safety program is to enable workers to
be able to go home safely at the end of their day. Likewise, being mindful of
electrical safety at home will help enable us to return to work the next day.
Dont overlook the importance of grounding; safeguard against electric shock
at work and home.
By Reza Tajali, Schneider Electric Engineering Services
INTEGRATING ELECTRICAL SAFETY WITH DESIGN
Integrating maintenance requirements into the design of an electrical system
is an important first step to provide workplace safety. There are two elements
that comprise maintenance tasks at a facility: technical expertise and safety
considerations.
By Kenneth Mastrullo, MES Consulting Services Inc.
HOW SAFE ARE YOUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WORK PRACTICES?
Although it probably wont come as a surprise to some, a lot of plant and controls engineers are taking what appear to be risks in the workplace today. Many
simply arent following workplace standards and regulationsin particular
NFPA 70E (Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace; www.nfpa.org)
when it comes to working on energized electrical equipment. Everyone agrees
the ramifications of ignoring safety practices when handling electricity can be
lethal, but are the risks being taken really what they seem?
By Jeanine Katzel
hard usage cable. (The same standard applies to
temporary and portable lights.) Recommended
types include: Type S, SE, SEO, SEOO, SJ,
SJE, SJEO, SJEOO, SJO, SJT, SJTOO, SO,
SOO, ST, STO, STOO, EV, and EVJ.
These rugged cords are made with heavier
gauge wire and are thicker and better insulated than light-duty cords designed for use in
residential and office settings. Flimsy cords
lying on a plant floor or in any damp or harsh
environment can be crimped, bent, broken,
or cut by heavy foot traffic or heavy rolling
equipment.
To protect workers from accidental contact
with live conductors, both NEC and OSHA
require adequate strain relief for cables entering junction boxes, cabinets, or fittings, and
openings through which conductors enter
must be effectively closed.
Finally, when choosing extension cords,
remember that cord lengths should not exceed
100 ft. Excessive distance can trigger nuisance tripping, and a worker may not even
realize that the long cord is the source of
the problem.
Outlet boxes/receptacles
For wet or damp areas, its essential that
all equipment and wiring devices, including
52 January/February 2015 PLANT ENGINEERING
single and duplex receptacles, be designated

for use in wet locations, so that water cannot enter or accumulate inside. NEMA 4,
4X, 6, 6P, IP65, IP66, and IP67 are considered to be watertight. Similar NEMA
and IP standards also apply specifically to
locations that are exposed to gases, fumes,
vapors, liquids, or other agents which can
have a deteriorating effect on conductors
and equipment.
In duplex receptacles, outlets should be
flip-lid protected, with an individual flip lid
for each outlet. If both outlets are not protected, moisture would be able to penetrate
the unused (empty) outlet when the other
one is being used.
Unless listed as portable, boxes must be
rigidly supported from a structural member
of the building and all box openings must be
adequately closed to guard against accidental
contact with live equipment.
In selecting code-compliant GFCI components for workplace safety, its important
to choose products from a reliable source.
Taking a total GFCI system approach and
sourcing the components from a highly rated
supplier can eliminate the complexity and
ensure that all parts will be compatible. As
you evaluate marketplace offerings, you will
find that leading vendors now offer innovative components that not only meet OSHA
and NEC standards, but also provide superior
construction, performance, and reliability. PE
Tony Quebbemann is global product marketing manager for Molex Inc.s line of wiring
devices, grips, GFCI, and portable power.
THE BOTTOM LINE:

Unprotected electrical connections
exposed to moisture, metals, and harsh
conditions can cause interruptions in
power flow. Improper use of equipment
can cause significant safety issues.
A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)
disconnects a circuit whenever it detects
that the electrical current is not balanced
between the energized conductor and the
return neutral conductor.
In selecting code-compliant GFCI components for workplace safety, its important
to choose products from a reliable source.
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Removing obstructions to your

plants workflow streams
Tackle moving plant information strategically across
departments and locations.
By Joe Morray
EMC
rocess manufacturers, power generators, and other plants have many

streams product moving through the
production cycle. They can be chemicals, oil, fuel, or something else. In any case,
these products come in the plant in one form
and leave in another with a higher value.
But along with these product streams, certain
information flows are just as important.
A process plant represents a highly complex set of physical components, activities,
and interdependent information. Among these
items of information, there are three fundamental work streams. Defining these works
streams is important as it allows identifica-
tion and mapping of the information feeding

each one, thus allowing effective navigation
of each stream. Two work streams are well
known, with major systems available to
address them:
1. Maintenance management and work
order processing: Fueled by information
that helps plan and execute preventive
and reactive maintenance activities, this
information includes equipment details,
tag information, and repair procedures.
Information is typically maintained in a
computerized maintenance management
system (CMMS).
PLANT ENGINEERING
MAINTENANCESOLUTIONS
KEY WORDS:
At plantengineering.com, KEYWORD: PROCESS ASSET, youll find more
information on this topic:
USING HART WITH ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Implementing an asset management system that covers field instrumentation in a process plant environment requires some type of smart device
platform. Since most modern field devices provide HART communication
capability in addition to the analog process variable, plants may have to
weigh approaches employing either traditional or integrated HART I/O as
part of the decision to move to an instrument asset management system.
By John Yingst, Honeywell Process Solutions
RECOGNIZE THE TRUE VALUE OF ASSET MANAGEMENT
The measurement of overall asset value should be determined according
to the plants business strategy. If a plant operates within a productionfocused mode, the asset-value metric should represent a production focus.
Conversely, if the plant strategy is cost-focused, the asset value should be
cost-based.
By Kevin F. Fitzgerald, P.E., Invensys Process Systems
FINDING THE HIDDEN VALUE IN ASSET HIERARCHY VALIDATION
No matter which CMMS system is used to capture the information, an accurate system asset hierarchy is of paramount importance in todays plant
environment. As we examine the importance and significance of an asset
hierarchy and the pitfalls of an asset hierarchy that is not current, it will
become apparent that we are wasting both time and money if the hierarchy
is not up to date.
By Paul Langan, Life Cycle Engineering
2. Plant operations and process control:
These real-time control activities require

a vast sea of data delivered by field devices to a plants digital control system.
Once delivered, the control system uses
this information along with plant operator input to command other field devices
to support efficient and safe operation.
But there is a third stream that plant personnel use every day, called the plant information
asset stream, which is often not recognized,
yet it is as important as the other two steams.
In many plants, its not considered separate
from the first two, when it reality is should
be to create the most effective plant operating
environment.
3. Plant information asset: This third work
stream depends on a great deal of supporting information as each activity needs
operating information (specifications,
drawings, schematics, etc.), management
of change documentation, procedures,
training materials, and regulatory/licensing documentation. The list could go on,
but the common element is information,
and it has to be accessibleand indexed so
someone needing it can find it quickly.
PLANT ENGINEERING
Often, information for this third work

stream ends up spread across numerous repositories including servers, shared drives, USB
sticks, CDs, paper, and all forms of personal
computers. In many plants, there is no consistent or current view of data, and thus there
are significant hindrances to plant efficiency,
safety, and compliance.
This supporting information is not housed
in a CMMS or a process control system, but
instead needs its own repository, namely a
plant document management system.
Its got to be here somewhere
There are times when plant personnel have to

hunt for information such as an old email, a
website link, or a product manual. Its frustrating when this information is needed to
execute a task and cant be found. In the
worst case, information needs to be located
quickly to deal with an emergency, and its
whereabouts are unknown.
Imagine youve had a chemical spill in your
plant because a worker used an outdated procedure that had not moved through the normal
management-of-change (MOC) process. This
happened because there was an obstruction
in the third stream, causing a failure in your
plants information asset management systems.
What is the lesson learned over and over
again from such situations? Having a consolidated set of easily and quickly accessible
electronic information flowing through the
third work stream is critical. And this information does not come from the CMMS or
process control system, but rather through a
document management system.
Death, taxes, and regulations
Lets look at a routine activity among energy and engineering customers common to
many industries governed by regulations. The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) MOC process instigates action
regarding many sets of information and tasks.
For virtually every activity performed in a
plant dealing with safety related systems,
one needs to propose, document, implement,
verify, and update documentationand then
advise personnel in order to adhere to OSHA
regulations and maintain a safe work environment.
The requisite information to support the
third work stream includes all those different
kinds of data and documentation mentioned
earlier, but it is often scattered across many
places and platforms, paper and digital. Finding something when it is needed most can be
a challenge.
A real-life example
Heres a typical task process plants deal with

on a regular basis: a valve is leaking and
needs to be replaced. The CMMS alerts the
maintenance supervisor to allocate repair
time, and a contractor technician is called
on-site to implement the repair. It all sounds
routine, right?
Unfortunately, the technician has no access
to electronic documents detailing the current
valve configuration schematic and specification. all he has is an old hard copy of a repair
manual. Current schematics for the plant are at
a different location, too far away to transport
to the work site on time.
Nonetheless, the work gets completed, and
the CMMS documents an update was made.
The job is done, right? Well, no. These useful and critical bits of procedural information
never made it to the other work streams:
The newer valve model has a slightly different threshold pressure point than the
former valve used in this service.
The contractor technician learned, through
trial and error, that two undocumented
steps are required before the valve can
be installed; otherwise, it wont function
properly.
The change was never communicated
to plant operators for review and signoff, and no advisement or training was
completed regarding the changed operating procedure, all of which is typically
required by OSHa.
Imagine the safety hazard of running an
oil refinery with the wrong valve pressure
point information, not to mention the potential
regulatory fines and subsequent maintenance
issues lurking in this scenario.
Plant operators thought they were maintaining the plant. They thought the CMMS
was enough to guide their efforts. But it takes
knowing what information is flowing through
your organization and how it interacts with
your critical work streams before safety can
be improved.
and to re-emphasize an important point, it is
critical to have a consolidated set of electronic
information flowing through the third work
stream to manage the plant information asset,
and this is not the CMMS or process control
system, but rather a document management
system.
Managing the third work stream
How does a plant implement a document

management system to create and control the
third work stream?
Its helpful to understand your plants position in the information maturity spectrum,
and a good starting point is to evaluate your
situation on four points:
1. Get your content under control
2. Ensure optimal access to content
3. Manage change with a structured
approach, and
4. Coordinate information with other business applications.
Regardless of your stage, make sure no
category of information is hidden from those
who need it for safe and successful plant
operations. Most importantly, align your
applications and systems to span all three
work streams and their related information
sets. This will happen naturally as your plant
progresses from one stage to another, finally
reaching a point where all needed information
is quickly and easily accessible.
The main tool used to progress from one
stage to another is a document management
system, as this is where all content is stored,
accessed, managed, and shared with other
applications in the first two work streams,
the CMMS and the plants control system. PE
Joe Morray is senior director of the worldwide energy and engineering practice at EMC
Information Intelligence Group.
The BoTTom Line:

Its important to identify the three fundamental work streams in a process plant
environmentmaintenance management and work order processing; plant
operations and process control; and plant
information asset.
The plant operations asset stream often
gets overlooked, but is of considerable
importance because it consists almost
entirely of disconnected pieces of information that need to be connected.
The keys to managing this third work
stream is content management and
access for all people who need it, when
they need it.
plant engineering
Global System Integrator Database Featured Integrators
Champion Technology Services, Inc.

Ken Hackler, VP of Operations
11824 Market Place Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Telephone: (225) 291-5548
Fax: (225) 291-2052
Email: ken.hackler@champtechnology.com
Website: www.champtechnology.com
Founded: 2000
Annual Revenue: $10-49 M
Malikso Engineering, Inc.
Primary Industries
Steve Malyszko, President and CEO

707 North Second Street Suite 650
St. Louis, MO 63102
Telephone: (314) 881-5410
Fax: (314) 621-4774
Email: smalyszko@malisko.com
Website: www.malisko.com
Founded: 1994
Annual Revenue: $19 M
Chemicals, Petrochemicals
Oil & Gas Refining
Pipelines
Affiliations
CSIA
IEEE
ISA
NFPA b
Primary Industries
Bottling, Canning, Brewing, Distilling
Chemicals, Petrochemicals
Food, Beverage
Life sciences, Biotechnology
Pharmaceuticals
Champion Technology Services, Inc. was founded in 2000

with a main focus in industrial automation and control systems
integration, and has since expanded that focus to include wireless communications and data management. Most automation
projects include the design, fabrication, integration, installation,
commissioning, and follow-up maintenance of control systems
using the latest DCSs, PLCs, HMIs, and hybrid systems. Our
telecommunication services include tower maintenance and
path surveys. Champion has seven offices spread throughout
Louisiana, Texas, Utah and Colorado and serves customers in the
surrounding states and throughout the country. When it comes to
technology, weve got it under control. For more info, please visit
www.champtechnology.com
Affiliations
CSIA
CSIA Certified
NSPE
For more information on Champion Technology Services, Inc.

and to view their full profile in the
Global System Integrator Database, visit
www.plantengineering.com/
global-si-database/championtechnology
Malisko Engineering specializes in manufacturing automation,

data, communications and security as well as Computer System
Validation to meet regulatory compliance. Applications include
batch and continuous; mixing/blending; recipe management; historians; data analysis; downtime tracking, OEE; reporting; validation,
21 CFR Part 11. Malisko focuses on food and beverage, brewing,
specialty chemicals, dairy, adult/infant nutritionals, pharmaceutical and life sciences. Offices in St Louis MO, Denver CO and Eau
Claire WI USA.
For more information on Malisko Engineering and to view

their full profile in the Global System Integrator Database, visit
www.plantengineering.com/
global-si-database/maliskoengineering
To start searching the Global System Integrator Database,

or to create your own System Integrator Corporate Profile visit
www.plantengineering.com/global-si-database
AUTOMATIONSOLUTIONS
The three pillars of OEE

Build technical, process, and supervisory skills to gain operational knowledge.
By Jerry Wanichko
T.A. Cook Consultants Inc.
ost of us are already aware that overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)

measures the technical performance
and capacity utilization of a manufacturing asset and hence allows us to judge
the effectiveness with which an asset is being
used, in order to add value to the business.
It allows the analysis of all the sources of
capacity losses, whatever their origin may be.
However, actually bringing about improvements can seem complicated. What are the
real OEE drivers and levers, and how should
they be implemented? This article outlines
how, by taking an integrated approach to OEE
and keeping things straightforward, you can
use OEE to increase productivity and savings.
The Three-Pillar approach
When discussing OEE improvements, most

concentrate on the technical aspect, preferring
to invest in plants and machines to create additional value and minimize losses. Naturally, that
can have a direct impact on OEE, but it is a very
cost-driven approach and the necessary budget
may not always be available. What most forget
is that there are two other key pillars of OEE

that can and should be used to achieve shared
goals, which include the proper management of
structures, processes, and people.
Pillar One: The Technical Aspect
Starting with the technical aspect of OEE, having
identified the levers that
can improve the process
flow/bottleneck to increase
outputfor example,
machine configuration,
metering, formulation, or
correct batch sizeit is
important to transfer them into a detailed overall structured activity plan (OSAP).
The OSAP should include a breakdown structure for the work packs and their activities, as
well as cost, start and end dates, impact, implementation progress, and responsibilities. Secure
routines must be in place to update the plan and
conduct continuous tracking of improvements.
Start with the quick wins in terms of motivation.
PLANT ENGINEERING
AUTOMATIONSOLUTIONS
In the next few years, I predict that more and more manufacturers will come to fully realize
the potential of OEE by closing the gap between OEE and other enterprise systems like ERP.
The technology is already available to do this, but more manufacturing professionals need to
be made aware of the importance and underlying potential presented by this fusion of departmental information.
The OSAP must be treated as a living document and used to implement a problem-solving
meeting routine where employees at all levels
work together proactively to achieve regular,
incremental improvements to the manufacturing process.
New, confirmed improvement measurements
should be transferred into the overall technical activity plan, while workshops should be
set up to consider different functions (such as
production manager, engineer, shift leader).
These workshops must be highlighted by a
preparation, execution, and follow-up phase.
For handling very specific problems, for
example concerning Ishikawa, brainstorming, or 5W, an initial training session on the
necessary functions must be carried out.
Pillar Two: Processes
One of the major goals
of OEE programs is to
reduce and/or eliminate
what are known as the Six
Big Losses: breakdowns,
setup and adjustments,
small stops, reduced
speed, startup rejects, and
production rejects. The
most common causes of
efficiency loss in manufacturing. However,
honest analysis is often lacking when it comes
to OEE, meaning that results dont always
give a true picture of reality, and improvements are either disappointing or simply not
implemented. If the full benefits of OEE are
to be realized, it is absolutely essential that all
processes are analyzed to identify areas for
improvement and to put the necessary tools
in place to achieve it.
Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)
SMED is a system for reducing the time for
cleaning and changeovers, both of which must
be analyzed to see whether they can be simplified or streamlined. Before optimizing the
changeover routine, all possible improvements
PLANT ENGINEERING
Ulf Stern, IFS AB
must have been investigated by the people

doing them. Standard times for cleanings and
changeovers should then be defined by the
shift leaders and be confirmed by the operator.
Employees need to have understood the
influence of the cleaning and campaign
changes on OEE in order for them to work in
practice, so workflows need to be visualized
in the form of an operating procedure and a
standard provided to all stakeholders.
Maintenance
Maintenance can impact many of the value
drivers, such as the losses for breakdowns,
and forms a key element of successful operations needed to sustain asset performance. As a
result, both the maintenance effectiveness and
efficiency need to be challenged as they also
influence reliability improvement. Without
full maintenance integration the optimum OEE
improvements will not be realized. Improving
maintenance practices involves operations.
Operators need to know what to look for
during their daily routines that will impact
reliability. They need to submit these via the
work order management (WOM) system to
drive preventive maintenance that can be conducted during changeovers or breakdowns. A
robust set of maintenance KPIs (7 to 12) will
identify those areas within actual maintenance
execution that require attention.
Visual Management and KPIs
For changes to be taken on board, people
need to understand exactly what is expected of
them and what the changes are. Using whiteboards as a communication tool to describe
changes will help to prevent confusion and
drive empowerment and accountability. The
whiteboard should display the current state
of all the production zones, equipment, and
changeovers and what issues or work is ongoing in those zones.
The performance dialogue between employees should then be supported by KPIs, which
help them to assess goal attainment via plan/
AUTOMATIONSOLUTIONS
actual comparisons and the analysis of deviations to focus on doing the right things. By putting a strong focus on management by objectives, the whiteboard approach will improve
shift performance and ensure team alignment
with site and business strategy.
Effective Meetings
Optimize the existing meeting structure
including shift meetings and shift hand over
as a steering tool. Meetings must be results
driven and should always include capturing
action items by accountable person and due
date. The agenda for all existing meetings
should be split, timed, and action-driven with
dated deadlines. Meetings should demonstrate
the right discipline, such as preparation and
accuracy.
5S
5 S focuses on effective workplace organization and standardized work procedures, by
simplifying the work environment and reducing
waste. Make sure all tools and supplies necessary
for the changeover are in one place, with pinned
or marked settings so that coarse adjustments
are no longer necessary. If 5 S is not carried out
properly, all other work will be restricted.
Pillar Three: Active
Supervision
The integration of shop
floor employees is essential to installing OEE successfully and to making it
sustainable. Workers must
understand the philosophy
behind OEE so that they
can use the tools effectively.
Shift leaders should train and coach their
teams systematically on how to reach the best
line performance, while they themselves should
be part of a program of behavioral change aimed
at ensuring a standardized approach to shift management and follow-up. Both managers and their
teams should be completely clear as to what is
expected of them and when, as well as how their
performance will be measured.
The real benefit provided by OEE is the
opportunity to create future growth without
having to commit to huge capital investment.
It is not just focused on technical issues though
and requires full integration of systems and
behaviors to be successful. Only when all
stafffrom management to the shop floor
commit to improvement across all levels of
KEY WORDS:
Among the articles at plantengineering.com that discuss original equipment
effectiveness (OEE). KEYWORD: OEE
THREE TIPS FOR ACHIEVING OEE SUCCESS
OEE is built on the premise that total efficiency cannot be maximized by
running equipment at its top speed. There is a balance to be struck between
speed and the conflicting need to control quality and limit downtime. Basically, your plant or production line is built to produce at a certain theoretical
maximum output. This output is reached only if you run the facility 24x7 at
maximum speed, with no stops and no waste due to poor quality.
By Ulf Stern, IFS AB
THE OEE METRICTHE RIGHT WAY TO USE IT
As the industry-by-industry numbers show, there is wide variation in OEE.
Much of this stems from the fact that very different equipment is used to
manufacture a cell phone versus an aircraft or to make pharmaceuticals.
Even within an industry the processes and equipment to make one product
may vary significantly from those to make another.
By Dan Miklovic, LNS Research
DRIVING OEE: A STRATEGY FOR BUSINESS RESULTS
Central to efficient operation is achieving a high level of capacity utilization,
and plants must strive to make the best use of their existing capacity. Utilization levels, though, vary from plant to plant, and measuring the capacity utilization of a facilitys assets is a key performance indicator for plant
managers.
By Stanley T. Grabill, CMRP, Honeywell Process Solutions
the organizationfrom maintenance, operations, and engineering to qualitycan the real
potential of OEE be unlocked. PE
Jerry Wanichko is director of U.S. consulting operations for T.A. Cook Consultants, Inc.
THE BOTTOM LINE:

While the value of OEE as an operational
metric is well understood, it can be complicated to actually implement changes
that will improve OEE.
Look beyond just the technical aspects
of OEE to include processes and active
supervision to create a three-pillar
approach to OPEE improvement.
All employees, from the corner office to
the plant floor, must understand how OEE
is measured, why it is an important metric, and why their commitment to improving OEE is so important.
PLANT ENGINEERING
aUTOMaTIONSOLUTIONS
The five-year plan that worked

Build technical, process, and supervisory skills to gain operational knowledge.
By Randy Pearson
Siemens Machine Tool Systems
eing different is in the DNA of Smiths

Machine, including the omission of
the apostrophe from the companys
name. This second-generation, family-owned business found a way to grow its
workforce by 70 people during the last five
years. Thats a 300% employment surge that
mostly happened during the recession, a time
when many machine shops (and for that matter, many businesses), were struggling just
to hang on.
Ahead of the recession, Smiths Machine
did what many machine shops were doing
at the timeit rode the wave of automotive parts production. Everything seemed to
be fine until the bankruptcies of the Tier 1
automotive companies suddenly left many
machine shops vulnerable to volume-based
supply from overseas competition. What
was once a well-oiled machine tool business
model now seemed unstable and uncertain.
Equally uncertain was the idea of moving the
business in an entirely different direction.
A different approach
Defense and aerospace part manufacturing

require a different business approach altogether, said Tim Smith, vice president of
Smiths Machine.
It is specialized work that requires special

approvals, log-down processes, and complicated procedures, Smith said. The complexity
is challenging. And it all starts with a different way of thinking, more of an engineering
approach than a production approach.
Smith says his company needed to build a
new business model and the operations to support it. The defense and aerospace machining
market is characterized by small lot counts,
generally lower margins, and a very low tolerance for errors. Scrap rates thought to be
nominal in the past would now be out of the
question.
You cant make a $6,000 part and have a
30% scrap rate or even a 10% scrap rate, said
Smith. The emphasis is not on throughput,
but on the high-quality, highly precise manufacturing of very complex parts.
Based on these three inseparable machining
requirementsquality, precision, and complexitySmiths Machine set out to reach its
greater potential in the machine tool market,
not as a production machine shop, but as company focused on complex part manufacturing.
Having achieved some early success in this
new direction, the way forward for the company soon could be summed up more simply:
The more complex the part, the more competitive we are, said Smith.
To protect and grow this competitive advantage, the companys leadership knew that their internal processes
and technology needed to match up
with the unique requirements of the
defense and aerospace industries.
Major investments in large, complex, five-axis machines would need
to be enhanced by equally complex
control capabilities. Smith recounts
how a decision made previously by
the company would now come into
play in a profound way.
Figure 1: Manufacturing complex
parts for the aerospace and defense
industry demands consistency, highquality, and precisionachieved only
with Siemens CNC. All images courtesy: Siemens Machine Tool Systems.
plant engineering
A backbone for change
Traditionally a milling and turning company,

Smiths Machine first teamed up with DMG
and Siemens in 2000 to establish a singular
machine tool platform. This brought about a
synergistic approach to complex milling and
turning; an advantage that took on greater significance when the company decided to focus
on the defense and aerospace markets later in
the decade. The central advantage here, Smith
said, has been the ability to invest, train, and
keep his people moving forward based on a
stable technology platform.
The technology and the people using it
are the backbone of our organization, Smith
said. Even with 25 machines, we can share
knowledge between the milling and the turning machines. Our technology purchases are
based on where we want to be in 10 years, not
on a workforce that is fractionally trained and
a platform that can rapidly deteriorate due to
a change in market condition or a change in
employment condition.
Smith said an example of this kind of
singular platformin this case, a Siemens
Sinumerik 840D sltakes advantage of the
controls similarity across milling and turning
operations. All controls are customized to a
certain extent, Smith said. When you train
your operators, you can say, Heres the jog
button, heres the axes button, heres your
alarm button and your offset button. And this
level of consistency extends to a graphical
interface that really complements how we
teach and learn.
Smith said visually guided information
flow is characteristic of todays
complex range of next-generation electronic communications,
because this speeds understanding and information sharing.
Whether for a smartphone or a
CNC, graphically guided interfaces enable rapid learning and
proficiency.
KEY WORDS:
Among the articles at plantengineering.com that discuss CNC and machine
tooling. KEYWORD: MACHINE TOOLING
VIRTUAL REALITY APPLIED FOR PROGRAMMING CNC MACHINE TOOLS
There is an expanding trend toward more intuitive and easy-to-use control
systems for machine tools. Programming basic technological operations
should be easy and intuitive enough not to cause difficulties for the average
operator.
By Mirosaw Pajor, Kamil Stateczny, Krzysztof Pietrusewicz, West Pomeranian
University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland
U.S. MANUFACTURERS CAN BENEFIT FROM GLOBAL MACHINE
TOOL MARKET GROWTH
There is an expanding trend toward more intuitive and easy-to-use control
systems for machine tools. Programming basic technological operations
should be easy and intuitive enough not to cause difficulties for the average
operator.
By Bob Vavra, Plant Engineering
New angles on programming
Gerhard Hetzler, engineering manager

at Smiths Machine, has experienced firsthand how the companys singular platform
approach has brought continuity to such manufacturing functions as post, machine simulation, NC code, and control functionality.
The control platform has also given Smiths
Machine the freedom to create custom cycles
that can be copied and shared from control-tocontrol, and so machine-to-machine.
Ill give you an example, said Hetzler. To
catch occasional entry errors on the tool management side, we created a cycle that checks
Figure 2: Smiths Machines plan

for stable growth started with
its investment in a stable CNC
platform: The steady progression of a stable machine / control platform has enabled the
companys similarly growing
workforce to build on existing
knowledge, rather than learn
new and different versions
every few years.
PLANT ENGINEERING
aUTOMaTIONSOLUTIONS
Figure 3: The Cycle 800 function

within Siemens NX supports the programming of 2-1/2 axis and 3D milling
throughout the rotation of all X-Y-Z
planes, while maintaining a zero
offset. Functions include automatic
shifting of zero offset, tool length
and radius compensation in rotated
planes, compensation of machine
geometry, and all machining cycles
can be used.
the length of the

tool and within a
specific tolerance.
So within a matter
of milliseconds, the
control compares
that value to what
was entered in the
tool management
side, and if the tolerance is exceeded
by 2mm, the control immediately
stops the machine.
Smiths also
uses the Siemens
NX software to integrate CAD, CAE,
and CAM for faster part manufacturing, encompassing all areas of tooling,
machining, and quality inspection.
When the company found that it needed
to write code to produce an especially
challenging aerospace landing gear, it
used the program to write the code in
nine days rather than the customary six
weeks, and with more accuracy.
We would normally round off after

the third or fourth decimal, he recalled.
Now the control calculates to nine decimals. When you start talking microns,
especially in the aerospace industry, it
makes a huge difference. PE
Randy Pearson is business manager
for Siemens Machine Tool Systems.
The BOTTOM LINe:

In the midst of the economic downturn, Smiths Machines changed its
business model from high-volume
to high-quality machining.
The company invested in not just
five-axis machines, but a singular
control platform for its operation.
The single platform approach
improved not just productivity, but
also training and the ability to share
information.
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he voice of the engineering community

speaks loud and clear in the following pages
featuring corporate profiles of those
companies participating in this
innaugural Executive Voice program
presented by Plant Engineering magazine.
Our thanks to the following participants:
Camfil APC
CBS ArcSafe
Fluke Corp.
Hochiki America Corp.
Parker Hannifin Transair
ProSoft Technology Inc.
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n the last few decades, industrial

troubleshooting and maintenance
technologies and practices have
evolved from mostly reactive, to more
preventive and predictive. In some
cases Fluke tools helped to shape that
evolution; in others our tools were
shaped by it.
Fluke Corporation is headquartered

in Everett, Washington.
The fundamental business goals

continue to be increasing operational
efficiency and reducing costs.
However, downsizing and an
approaching retirement bubble of
experienced workers have introduced
a new challenge: a shortage of
skilled workers.
Fluke understands these challenges
because we face them ourselves.
Thats why we engineer our tools to
be easy to use so that they can increase
the efficiency of expert technicians,
and reduce the cost of training
junior workers.
Our 1730 Three-phase Energy Logger
is a prime example. Its easy to set up
and easy to read so you dont have to
be a power quality expert to use it.
The 1730 tracks energy the same way

the utility does, so you can see how
and when youre using energy and
map the results to plant operations.
That allows you to determine how
to schedule certain operations to get
lower utility rates.
As infrared cameras become easier
and easier to use and to afford, they
are becoming standard testing
equipment for preventive and
predictive maintenance, electromechanical troubleshooting, and
process monitoring.
Case in point, the Fluke Ti125
infrared camera. The 125 provides the
thermal sensitivity and resolution to
identify all kinds of problems along
with time-saving features such as
AutoBlend mode, automatic focus,
and Fluke Connect compatibility to
increase efficiency.
Speaking of Fluke Connect, frontline
mechanics and technicians use the
Fluke 805 FC Vibration Meter to
detect excess vibration that can point
to internal motor problems before
they cause damage.
Salvatore
Parlatore
Global VP/GM,
Software &
WW Marketing,
Fluke
Corporation
Fluke Connect is a huge advantage

for lean maintenance teams. It
provides all authorized team
members with access to the same
up-to-date information, which can
shorten inspection time, help in
skill building, and expedite work
order approval.
With all of these tools, the proof is
in the productivity, so that workers
at all experience levels can work
smarter and faster.
Fluke Connect is a huge advantage

for lean maintenance teams.
They can automatically save those
readings wirelessly to Fluke Connect
cloud storage, so that authorized team
members can access them any time
with the Fluke Connect app on their
smart phone.
Fluke-info@fluke.com 1-800-443-5853
www.fluke.com
ADVERTISEMENT
or high-quality, cost-effective,
innovative fire alarm systems and
equipment, Hochiki America is
your complete solution. Hochiki is
a world-leader in the fire alarm
industry, with unparalleled quality,
service, and support.
Large-scale projects? FireNET
analog-addressable system provides
up to 4 SLC loops and up to 64 panels
which may be networked together,
with a potential of more than 65,000
devices! Voice Evacuation is easily
integrated using Hochikis 6-channel
distributed VoiceNET system.
A full line of accessories includes
initiating devices, notification
appliances and annunciators.
Corporate Headquarters, Buena Park, CA
Medium to smaller projects?

FireNET Plus analog-addressable
system is expandable to 2 SLC loops,
with the same powerful networking
capability as FireNET. Powerful,
flexible features include integrated
DACT, built-in NAC synchronization,
auto-learn feature, and 500 zones.
The FireNET and FireNET Plus

control panels are complemented
by a full array of Hochiki analog
sensors and modules, including
smoke and heat sensors, duct
sensors, multi-criteria sensors,
input and output modules. Stable,
reliable performance is guaranteed
by Hochikis patented, noise-immune
Digital Communication Protocol
(DCP).
Conventional fire alarm solution?
The HCA-series conventional
system is available in 2, 4, and 8
zone versions. A complete line of
conventional detectors is available,
along with notification appliances
and other accessories.
Heard about
FireNET Xtinguish?
This UL Listed,
environmentallyfriendly aerosol
extinguishes fire by
breaking the chemical
chain reaction of the
fire. Quick design,
easy installation, and minimal maintenance are ideal for total-flooding
extinguishing applications.
President and CEO Hisham Harake

is a driving force behind Hochikis dedication
to quality and innovation.
Early warning? FireNet Vapor

provides highly reliable, very early
warning smoke detection at the
earliest presence of fire, while
reducing the recurrence of nuisance
alarms. FireNet Vapor actively
samples the air for the smallest
particles of smoke to detect fire at the
earliest stage.
FireNet Vapor can also provide
reliable detection in a wide range of
environments coal mines, clean
rooms, data centers, airports, prison
cells, etc.
Hochiki is a world-leader in the fire alarm industry,

with unparalleled quality, service, and support.
(714) 522-2246 sales@hochiki.com

www.hochiki.com
ADVERTISEMENT
or years, Parker Hannifin has

provided end users with
innovative solutions across multiple
industries. Being the worlds
leading diversified manufacturer of
motion and control technologies
and systems, Parker has provided
precision-engineered solutions for a
wide variety of mobile, industrial and
aerospace markets.
Parker Hannifin Corporate Headquarters

located in Cleveland, Ohio
Now, Parkers Fluid System

Connectors Division is bringing
customers the next evolution in
compressed air piping with our
new SCOUT Technology, which
allows end users to monitor their
compressed air piping systems and
keep productivity flowing. SCOUT
utilizes sophisticated wireless sensor
technology to monitor a compressed
air piping system, alert the end user to
system changes, and provide critical
data that helps to reduce downtime
and increase productivity.
With its user-friendly interface, users
can easily view and analyze data to
ensure the system is running at
optimum levels for pressure, power,
temperature, humidity, and flow.
Monitoring this information allows

users to identify and address performance issues before they potentially
damage expensive equipment.
SCOUT can also help to keep
overall costs down by avoiding
unnecessary downtime and prolonging the life of job-critical equipment.
Being able to accurately monitor this
data is critical because
compressed air systems
are very complex and
tend to grow over time.
Our state-of-the-art
wireless solution enables
end users to monitor
their compressed air
system 24 hours a day
through a Web-based
dashboard. By providing an in-depth
analysis of that data, users can keep up
with energy costs, which usually make
up 85% of a compressed air systems
total costs.
Kyri
McDonough
Transair Marketing
Services Manager,
Parker Hannifin
inert gas systems. Designed to be

resistant to corrosion, Transair ensures
a long life of providing consistently
clean, quality air.
With Transairs lightweight
components and quick-connect
interlocking design, labor accounts
for just 20% of overall installation
costs, saving end users money right
out of the gate. Pairing a Transair
system with SCOUT will further
a companys savings by helping to
increase efficiency, reduce pressure
drops and eliminate leaks, thus
reducing a plants overall energy costs.
Being the worlds leading diversified manufacturer
of motion and control technologies and systems, Parker

has provided precision-engineered solutions for a wide
variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets.
The new SCOUT technology
augments Parkers already widely
popular Transair aluminum piping
system. Known for its high
performance and effective use in a
wide range of industries, Transairs
guaranteed leak-free components and
full bore design make it ideal for
use with compressed air, vacuum and
www.parker.com/transair
Tel: 480-830-7764
www.parker.com
ADVERTISEMENT
s the electrical industrys

leader for remote racking
and remote switching solutions,
we at CBS ArcSafe are proud to
provide our customers with the
highest-quality remote operation
equipment available.
Our extensive line of arc-flash
mitigation equipment hasnt just
made arc-flash injuries avoidable
in todays workplaceit has made
them unacceptable.
CBS ArcSafes entire offering of
remote racking solutions reduces
the need for a full-body arc-flash
hazard suit by moving technicians
outside of the arc-flash boundary
while racking low- and mediumvoltage circuit breakers without
requiring any modification to the
existing equipment. Additionally,
all our universal remote racking
systems are fully customizable to

fit within every budget based on
customers individual needs or
requirements. With 125-plus
applications developed for use
with our universal systems, along
with many options including
remote video feed, motorized
height adjustment, and wireless
operation from up to 300 feet
away, our universal remote racking systems provide a complete
solution for all breakers at a
customers facility to improve
safety and increase productivity.
CBS ArcSafe headquarters, Denton, TX
Our universal systems not only

can rack the standard jack-screw
rotary style breakers but also
systems capable of racking any
breaker or motor control center
(MCC) bucket with a non-rotary
racking operation. Our universal
systems accommodate different
types of circuit breakers or MCC
buckets that otherwise would have
to be manually racked in and out.
CBS ArcSafe also provides the
industrys largest selection of
remote switching equipment.
Our remote switch actuators
(RSAs) remotely charge, close,
and/or trip virtually any style
or piece of electrical equipment
without having to make any
modifications. When used
in conjunction with the applicable
remote switch operator (RSO),
these systems can replace all
President, CBS ArcSafe
manual contact with

equipment.
Were committed to
providing our customers
with the latest technology
and equipment to eliminate electrical hazards.
877-4-SAFETY
info@CBSArcSafe.com
www.CBSArcSafe.com
1/20/2015 1:49:12 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
pe201501_cbcArc_execVhalf.indd 1
Ashley McWhorter
hen you can no longer

purchase replacement
parts for your control system, you
are faced with having to upgrade.
That means not only having to
buy new equipment but also
scheduling downtime to install it.
For many businesses, that can be
VERY expensive.
ProSoft can help. We have
gateways that will allow you to
migrate that legacy equipment
to either ControlLogix or
CompactLogix. And heres the
best partyou dont have to
worry about scheduling extended
downtime because these
migration gateways allow you
to build and verify your new
ControlLogix or CompactLogix
system BEFORE switching over.
You can also upgrade AllenBradley Remote I/O drives or

PanelViews to EtherNet/IP
PowerFlex drives or PanelView
Plus 6 terminals without
modifying your PLC code.
ProSoft Technology
offers migration gateways.
With ProSoft Technologys new

innovative Industrial Media
Converters, you can now run
Remote I/O and EtherNet/IP
simultaneously over your existing
Belden 9463 Blue Hose cable.
Yes, you read that right

SIMULTANEOUSLY!
This new patented technology
allows you to upgrade your
legacy Allen-Bradley Remote
I/O in phases, eliminating the
extended downtime required to
upgrade your system because you
can schedule your downtime to
replace one or multiple nodes at
a time. And, youll notice that
when you upgrade one of your
Remote I/O racks, you have just
created spares.
If that tight knot in your
stomach has not eased yet at the
thought of having to upgrade,
call ProSoft. Well walk you
through how to take the fear
and pain out of upgrading.
Ken Roslan
Vice President of
Global Marketing at
ProSoft Technology
http://psft.com/A0I
661-716-5100
www.prosoft-technology.com
MEDIA SHOWCASE FOR ENGINEERS

Your place for new products, literature, Apps, Videos, Case Studies and White Papers.
SAFETY
PLUGS
PROTECT FROM ARC FLASH
OFF BUTTON
Safely breaks load
UL Switch-Rated
Rated up
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Protects from live parts
Simplies NFPA 70E compliance
meltric.com
800.433.7642
Input #100 at plantengineering.hotims.com
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Plant Engineering
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POWER + CONTROL
In
Connection
All Plants Have Air Leaks

The US Department
of Energy estimates
that 25% of
compressed air is
lost to leaksand its
higher in many plants.
Up to 5 contacts
for POWER
+
6 contacts for
CONTROL
Kaesers compressed air leak detection

and repair program is a smart solution
for facilities ready to stop wasting air
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Provide electrical power

and control motor drives,
communicate alarms
Power
or monitor process
Contact
parameters with
only 1
connection.
Auxiliary
Contact
Reducing leaks can:

Provide more stable system pressure
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Update your subscription,

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digital publication?
PLANT ENGINEERING
Update now at:
ple2014_digitlEditn_6th.indd 1
2/24/2014 11:52:49 AM
IN NOVATIONS
Send new product releases to: peproducts@cfemedia.com
Photoelectric sensor
The DeltaPac MultiTask photoelectric sensor
counts, detects, and differentiates between
successive packaging items on conveyor belts.
It is a preconfigured sensor with a sensing
range from 30 to 40 mm to the front edge of
the object. It is able to detect up to 200,000
packages per hour. It can be used for controlling
packaging, triggering downstream processes,
and ensuring package quality. The IP67-rated
DeltaPac optimizes product flow and reduces
the amount of hardware in packaging applications. This in turn reduces downtime and product damage caused by collisions. DeltaPac detects corners, folds, and grooves regardless of object color, size, surface, or background.
SICK
www.sickusa.com
Input #200 at www.plantengineering.com/information
Temperature sensors
and thermocouples
TS500 resistance thermometers and thermocouples are
designed for universal use in the process industries. They
have a modular design with a wide range of sizes, materials, sensors, and transmitters. The TS500 thermometers
and thermocouples are suitable for the chemical, oil and
gas, and power
industries. The
user can use a
wide range of
process connections, connection heads,
sensor types,
transmitters,
and displays to
configure individual solutions
for a process.
The TS500
family supports
Hart, Profibus PA, and Foundation Fieldbus communication
standards, and can be integrated into the operating tools
of process control systems.
Siemens
www.siemens.com
Energy efficient doorways

The energy efficient spiral door maximizes traffic flow, while minimizing energy loss through
the doorway, particularly on exterior walls. If the
doorway is used frequently as in many distribution
or industrial operations, the high-speed doors can
be more effective at saving energy than doors with
heavily insulated panels. The doors high-speed
operation minimizes air exchange and the roll up
aluminum slats have a durable rubber membrane
covering their connecting hinges to contain heating/cooling energy to prevent air infiltration. The
intelligent processor and variable frequency drive
of the door controller generate an energy-efficient
speed curve for smooth motion, soft starting and
soft stopping.
Rytec
www.rytecdoors.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
IN NOVATIONS
Rod-styleliner actuator series
The FT45 model universal electric rod-style linear actuator
series has continuous force rating to 40,000 lbf (178 kN),
speed to 60 in/sec, and stroke lengths from 6 in. to 8 ft.
The FT45 Series can be applied across a wide range of linear motion applications and used alternatively for hydraulic
cylinders. FT45 has a continuous force rating of 10,000
lbf, filling the gap between the FT35 and FT60 models. The
FT45 features meet the IP65 environmental protection standard on all mounting configurations. Its grease zerk fitting
allows regreasing of the nut assembly without having to disassemble the unit.
Curtiss-Wright Corporation
www.curtisswright.com
Spherical
roller
bearings
The spherical roller bearings feature two rows
of patented self-guiding
rollers with a common sphered raceway
in the outer ring and
an optimized internal
design. These features
are designed to reduce
friction, minimize heat
generation, accommodate shaft misalignments
and heavy loads, and contribute to longer bearing life.
The CARB toroidal types are self-aligning radial bearings
merging the benefits of standard locating/nonlocating
bearing systems typically found in continuous caster
applications. They are designed to accommodate misalignment and supplied as full complement bearings to
take advantage of their increased load rating.
The RTM venturi cartridge series is designed for

the packaging industry. RTM cartridges replace
failed or clogged multi-stage pumps to maximize
productivity and minimize downtime. The singlestage cartridges allow dirt, dust, and debris to
pass through the pump without clogging. RTM
cartridges thread directly into existing multi-stage
vacuum pumps and vacuum grippers, generating
high internal velocities that carry dirt through and
out of the pump. Multi-stage pumps operate using
flap valves that clog from ingested debris. The RTM
Series are manufactured in 11 different performance levels.
SKF
www.skf.com
Vaccon
www.vaccon.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
Venturi cartridge series
Locking IEC power cords

L-com Global Connectivitys locking IEC power cords can be used in power
connectivity applications where vibration and other conditions may cause
a power cord to become disconnected. Four different series of locking
power cords are available: locking C13 to N5-15 power cords, locking
hospital grade C13 to N5-15 power cords, C13 to C14 universal jumper/
extension cords, and locking C13 to international plug power cords. These
locking power cords are suitable for data center, medical, and other ac
power applications where vibration or physical contact is present.
L-com Global Connectivity
www.l-com.com
Free chlorine sensors

Sensorexs FCL series free chlorine sensors use amperometric measurement
technology for monitoring free chlorine in process applications. FCL sensors
can be used in drinking water disinfection and distribution applications. They
are compliant with EPA method 334.0 for measuring drinking water or cooling tower water. Three models are available covering the 0 to 2, 0 to 5, and
0 to 10 ppm ranges. The integral 4 to 20mA isolated signal output eliminates
ground loop errors, reduces noise, and blocks high voltage transient surges.
FCL Series sensors interface directly with PLC, SCADA, and other process
control systems via the standard 4 to 20mA output.
Sensorex
www.sensorex.com
Biodegradable fuel additive

The VpCI-705 is a biobased, biodegradable fuel additive to
biofuels, produced using renewable and sustainable raw
materials. This product serves as a corrosion inhibitor, fuel
stabilizer, and water emulsifier for biodiesel, diesel, gasoline,
gasohol mixtures, and other biofuels. It provides multiphase
corrosion protection, lubricity, and elastomer protection for
all of the common engineering metals used in automotive
fuel systems, including tin-plated and galvanized steel, cast
iron, aluminum, copper base alloys, solder, zinc, and die cast
alloys. It does not contain trace metals, chlorides, chromates,
nitrites, or phosphates. It absorbs water in tanks and fuel lines and can be fogged into fuel tanks. It provides stability and reduces the buildup of static charges that cause explosions.
Cortec
www.cortecvci.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
IN NOVATIONS
Mass flow meters
Valve interlocks
Eagle series valve interlocking products provide process
safety control in hydrogen cooled generator purging
operations. These trapped key valve interlocking systems
ensure a predetermined sequence of operation for startup
and maintenance on generators in power stations, refineries, chemical plants, and other industrial applications.
Eagle series valve interlocks integrate with its mechanical and electromechanical trapped key interlock series to
form a comprehensive process safety scheme. Purging
generator rotating systems with hydrogen reduces drag
and windage loss in the system.
KIRK
www.kirkkey.com
Backlit color display is added to rechargeable portable gas mass flow meter options.
The handheld meters offer laboratory-class
+/-0.8% reading accuracy for field flow
verification and validation. The backlit color
display provides six
hours of continuous
operation for flow verification in applications
such as ambient air
monitoring inside air
station enclosures, and
any other low-light setting in environmental,
manufacturing, and
metrology industries.
These flow meters provide fast flow validation
with multi-parameter
measurement, wide
operating ranges, and
multiple true gas calibrations. The integrated
utility allows up to 20 personalized gas
compositions to be quickly programmed
and stored directly on the device.
Alicat Scientific
www.alicat.com
Pipe wrap repair system

The SuperWrap II wrapping system comprises a cold curing fluid-grade epoxy resin and a hybrid reinforcement sheet
consisting of glass fiber and carbon fibers, which have been woven together to give an optimized balance of strength and
flexibility. It is available with two different resin grades. The main
difference between these resin grades is the end service temperature and working life of the resin. One has been developed for
cool ambient temperatures above 5 C and has a maximum service
temperature of up to 60 C, while the other one has been designed
for warm ambient temperatures above 20 C and has a maximum
service temperature of up to 80 C.
Belzona
www.belzona.com
PLANT ENGINEERING
PRODUCTMART
OIL MIST & SMOKE
IN YOUR SHOP?
www.mistcollectors.com
Tel: 1-800-645-4174
Why Should You

Filter Your Water?
STAY INFORMED
Stay current with technology and trends
in electrical, mechanical, maintenance
and automation.
Scale formation reduces the heat transfer rate and

increases the water pressure drop through the heat
exchanger and pipes. In fact, one study has shown
that .002" fouling will increase pumping needs by 20%.
The Best Engineered Water Filtering

Solution Always Costs Less
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( 8 0 0 ) 3 3 6 - 194 2 ( 310 ) 8 3 9 - 2 8 2 8 F a x : ( 310 ) 8 3 9 - 6 87 8
w w w. t e k l e e n . c o m
info@tekleen.com
3.5" wide x 4.5" high

Pantone 382c
On a quarterly basis, Plant Engineering conducts

research studies on the various topics as they
pertain to the manufacturing industries.
Studies include
Energy Management
Workforce Development
Safety
Maintenance
Download Plant Engineering

Editorial Research Studies:
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PLANT ENGINEERING
For more information on how to advertise in Plant EnginEErings

Internet Connection, call Jim Langhenry at 630-571-4070 x2203
aitkenproducts.com
flexicon.com
ridgid.com
Aitken Products manufacturers and distributes high-quality industrial heaters. Aitkens products are for a variety
of industrial applications and are available when needed.
Aitken Products Inc.
Flexicon designs and manufactures bulk handling equipment and custom-engineered and integrated plant-wide
systems.
Flexicon Corp.
Every tool that bears the RIDGID brand is engineered to

the same high standards of quality, strength, and endurance as was the first heavy-duty pipe wrench.
RIDGID
alltestpro.com
fluke.com
rogers-machinery.com
ALL-TEST Pro produces electric motor and winding testing equipment that can provide proactive offline and online
motor tests.
ALL-TEST Pro LLC
Fluke is the world leader in the manufacture, distribution,

and service of electronic test tools and software.
Fluke Corp.
Manufacturer of rotary screw and reciprocating air compressors, fixed and variable speed drives, rotary and centrifugal compressors, blowers, and vacuum systems.
Rogers Machinery
automationdirect.com
Industrial Solutions has the reliable parts and services you

need. Visit our web site today. GE has thousands of quality
electrical parts that you can count on.
GE Energy Industrial Solutions
AutomationDirect offers 6,500+ industrial automation

products through their free catalog and online store,
including PLCs, operator interfaces, sensors, and more.
AutomationDirect
avotraining.com
For almost 50 years, AVO has been helping organizations
create safe and reliable electrical systems.
AVO Training Institute
geindustrial.com
gtispindle.com
GTI Spindle Technology provides the highest quality and
most extensive range of machine tool spindle repair services.
GTI Spindle Technology
baldor.com
us.kaeser.com
Baldor Electric designs, manufacturers, and markets a

broad line of industrial energy-efficient electric motors,
mechanical power transmission products, and more.
Baldor Electric Co.
Manufacturer of air system products, including rotary

screw compressors, portable compressors, rotary lobe
blowers, vacuum packages, refrigerated and desiccant
dryers, filters, and condensate management systems.
Kaeser Compressors Inc.
brushart.com
A full-service integrated agency and custom publishing
firm serving a broad range of B-to-B and B-to-C clientele.
Brush Art Corp.
camfilfarr.com
Camfil Farr is the worlds largest and leading manufacturer
of filters and clean air solutions.
Camfil Farr
distanceissafety.com
CBS ArcSafe remote racking systems increase safety.
Rack low- and medium-voltage draw-out circuit breakers while standing outside the arc-flash hazard protection
boundary.
CBS ArcSafe Inc.
keysight.com
Keysight Technologies is an electronic measurement company that offers wireless, modular, and software solutions.
Keysight Technologies Inc.
lubriplate.com
Lubriplate manufactures more than 200 high quality lubricants, including high performance synthetic lubricants and
NSF-H1 lubricants for food processing and beverage.
Lubriplate Lubricants Co.
mhia.org
MHIA is the leading non-profit trade association representing the U.S. material handling and logistics industry.
Material Handling Industry of America
donaldson.com
oeo.com
Compressed air purifications solutions, compressed air

filters, dryers and process water chillers.
Donaldson Company Inc.
OEOs mission is to deliver cost effective energy solutions

to businesses and institutions.
OEO Energy Solutions
erectastep.com
orival.com
Modular work platforms and aluminum stairs pre-engineered for unlimited configurations. Platforms and metal
steps bolts together with no fabrication required and are
easily repurposeable.
ErectaStep
Orival is a leading manufacturer of self-cleaning water

filters, automatic water filters and strainers, for use as
industrial water filters, irrigation filters, cooling tower filters, and more.
Orival Inc.
exair.com
parker.com
Exairs product line includes Vortex Tubes and products

utilizing Vortex Tubes, Air Amplifiers, Air Knives, air-operated vacuums and ionizing products for static elimination.
Exair Corp.
Parker Hannifin is the worlds leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems,
providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety
of commercial, mobile, industrial and aerospace markets.
Parker Hannifin Corp.
plant engineering
seweurodrive.com
One of the largest global suppliers of drive technology,
SEW-EURODRIVE specializes in gear reducers, motors
and electronic motor controls.
SEW-EURODRIVE USA
skf.com
SKF is a leading global technology provider for bearings
and units, seals, mechatronics, services, and lubrication
industries.
SKF Conditioning Monitoring
stanleyproto.com
Stanley Proto offers high-quality hand tools developed
according to strict ergonomic standards, with features
that lets users work faster and easier, including enhanced
shock absorption and reduced slip.
Stanley Proto
sullair.com
Sullair is a designer and manufacturer of stationary and
portable rotary screw air compressors, air treatment
equipment, and pneumatic tools.
Sullair
uesystems.com
Manufactures portable and continuous ultrasonic instruments for leak detection, mechanical analysis and electrical inspection.
UE Systems
vac-u-max.com
VAC-U-MAX specializes in design and manufacture of
pneumatic systems and support equipment for conveying,
weighing and batching of dry materials.
VAC-U-MAX
yaskawa.com
Yaskawa is the worlds largest manufacturer of ac inverter
drives, servo and motion control, and robotics automation
systems.
Yaskawa America Inc.
Place next to your computer or go online to www.plantengineering.com for hot links to these companies.
Remove at
Line
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ry 201
a
u
r
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ry/Fe
Janua
CONTACTS
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Aitken Products, Inc
800-569-9341
12
ALL-TEST Pro, LLC

860-399-4222
14
AutomationDirect
800-633-0405
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Baldor Electric Company

800-828-4920
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OEO Energy Solutions

800-553-2112
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Orival, Inc
800-567-9767
46
www.automationdirect.com
Parker
480-830-7764
43
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Caterpillar - Northeast
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PROTO INDUSTRIAL TOOLS

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877-4-SAFETY
13
RIDGID
800-769-7743
51
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Rogers Machinery
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47
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864-439-7537
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970-282-1200
16
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630-571-4070
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888-353-9426
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PLANT ENGINEERING
INCONCLUSION
Banning the three Rs from our vocabulary
Bob Vavra
Content Manager
Over the past
three years, there

have been less
than a handful
of months where
manufacturing
failed to grow,
and the current
streak is starting
to feel more like
an expectation.
he Oxford Dictionaries Word of the

Year for 2014 is vape. It turns the
perfectly good noun vaporor in
this case vapour because the Oxford
folks are Britishinto a verb meaning
to inhale and exhale the vapour produced by an
electronic cigarette or similar device.
In other words, we created a new word in the
past couple of yearsin this case, literally out
of thin airto add to the roughly 225,000 words
in the English language, many of which may or
may not contain an extra u depending on which
side of the Atlantic youre using it.
There are a number of estimates as to how
many words there are in the English language,
ranging from the roughly 475,000 in Websters
Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged,
to research findings that peg the number at somewhere higher than 1 million, with an estimated
8,500 words added each year.
Most of us dont have a vocabulary that even
tickles that number. We use the words we understand, words we are comfortable using. New
words send us running to Google, which now is
a verb unto itself, as in the sentence, I Googled
the new word Bob told me about.
In short, we have a lot of words to deal with,
and with more showing up every day, were suffering from a fair amount of language overload.
I think its time to remove a few words from our
current vocabulary, and I have three suggestions,
all beginning with the letter R:
Recession: Its over. The economists won.
After being dragged toward the financial abyss
by Goldman Sachs and Enron and a few other
risky bets with our money, we have fought our
way back. It has taken aggressive fiscal policy,
a few years of zero-interest rates, and a global
economy built on an even weaker financial base
than our own, but the U.S. economy again leads
the world.
Manufacturing gets the lions share of the
credit for that outcome. We combined worldleading productivity with a rapidly emerging
energy market and found ourselves outpacing
most of Europe and all of Asia. The manufacturing sector should take a few quick bows and
get back to work.
If we have learned anything in the past six
years, its to take nothing for granted. We have
to continue to improve processes and deliver
high quality for the world market. But we dont
need to continue to use the word recession. It
is in our rearview mirror.
PLANT ENGINEERING
Reshoring: One of our most overused words,

it is one without a clear definition. Is a company that moved manufacturing operations to
China and is now expanding operations in Texas
reshoring? Is a U.S. manufacturer expanding
operations in the U.S. while reducing operations
in India reshoring?
Its a word weve kept alive largely because it
makes us feel really good that more Americans
are getting manufacturing jobs. It has lost its
value in a truly global manufacturing economy.
When jobs and plants ran offshore a decade
ago, manufacturing leaders chased lower wages
and assumed the business model would remain
the same. But when all the gains in U.S. productivity and a sharp rise in energy costsand
the impact of a global slowdownchanged the
economic formula, those same leaders took a
second look at manufacturings value proposition and understood the mistake they made.
Our desire to export American manufacturing
to other regions while maintaining a domestic
manufacturing base at home is called growth.
Our desire to attract foreign-based manufacturers to set up plants here in the U.S. also is called
growth. Thats the word we should focus on.
Recovery: Where does American manufacturing grow from here? That will be the function
of a number of factorspolitical, economic, and
social. But it is growing from a place of strength.
The Institute for Supply Managements (ISM)
PMI data shows manufacturing averaging 10%
higher than its base growth for the past year.
Thats not a recovery. Thats our new baseline.
ISM has been reporting 68 months (and counting) of economic growth, according to its formula, and more than 18 straight months in the
manufacturing sector.
Over the past three years, there have been less
than a handful of months where manufacturing
failed to grow, and the current streak is starting
to feel more like an expectation.
In December 2014, the PMI fell from 58.7 to
55.5, and the reaction in some circles was that
manufacturing was slumping. In fact, it had
simply gone from very, very good to just very
good. It seemsis the way we have become a tad
jaded about our manufacturing success story.
So for the new year, Plant Engineering is not
going to talk about recession and reshoring and
recovery. Were never going to use the words.
Were going to talk about productivity, quality,
safety, and growthfour old words with new
meaning in 2015. PE
20 MILLION INVERTERS
10 MILLION SERVOS
300,000 ROBOTS
Yaskawa. Proven. Worldwide.

Nobody enjoys a larger installed base of inverters,
servos and robots around the world than Yaskawa.
Our experienced engineers, proven technology and
unsurpassed quality can
all be combined to give proven solutions in which
you can have total confidence.
In a recent internal study of 100,000 servo motors
shipped, Yaskawa found that only 7 were returned
for warranty repair. To put that in perspective, a
typical out-of-box failure rate goal for manufacturers
of brushless servo motors is 0.5% (or 500 failures
per 100,000 motors shipped).
No matter how you add it up, nobody equals Yaskawa.

Call us today.
YA S K A W A A M E R I C A , I N C .
DRIVES & MOTION DIVISION
1 - 8 0 0 - YA S K A W A | YA S K A W A . C O M
2015 Yaskawa America Inc.
For more info:

http://Ez.com/yai720
Easy Call. Big Payoff.
Save Energy. Save Money.

Motor-driven equipment accounts for 63% of your
plants electricity consumption every minute of
every day. Your choices are to let your electricity
bills continue to grow or call in Baldors Installed
Base Evaluation Team to identify improvements
you can start making today.
targeting inefficient motors and mechanical drives

as well as identifying systems where adjustable
speed drives could be added to save even more
energy. This report will provide recommendations for
immediate action along with long term strategies
all positively affecting your bottom line.
The Baldor IBE Team uses advanced data

collection equipment and software to work with
your plant maintenance personnel to take an
accurate account of your motors, drives and
mechanical power transmission products, both in
operation and from spares inventory. The IBE Team
will produce a comprehensive report and plan,
If youre ready to do something about your growing

electricity consumption, email the Baldor IBE
specialists at IBETeam@Baldor.com or call
(864) 281-2100 to receive case studies with realworld savings. Its an easy call with a big payoff.
baldor.com
See us at Automation & Power World March 2-5, 2015

New.abb.com/apw
2015 Baldor Electric Company

2015 - 01-02 - Plant Engineering

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