Plant Services Preview

April 2010 Issue Preview

Ad Closing: March 10, 2010 | Material Closing: March 17, 2010

Do you work in or know of a manufacturing facility that excels at least in part due to excellent maintenance and asset management? Nominate it for our Plant of the Year, to be awarded and highlighted as the cover story of our November issue. For more information, see www.plantservices.com/articles/2005/253.html or contact Editor in Chief Paul Studebaker, CMRP, pstudebaker@putman.net.

Cover Story
PLANT SERVICES 2010 CMMS/EAM SOFTWARE REVIEW
Contributing Editor David Berger, P.Eng., analyzes current trends in computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and enterprise asset management (EAM) offerings and describes how they are reflected in our Web-based review. The article includes highlights of new packages and an overview of all the offerings on the Web site www.PlantServices.com/CMMS_Review. It will also be the backbone of an interactive digital supplement on the subject.

Predictive Maintenance
VIBRATION CRITERIA: A PERSPECTIVE
When is machine vibration excessive, and to what degree? Some say no single spectral peak should exceed some prescribed amplitude. Some establish overall broadband limits for a given machine or test location. Others prescribe amplitude limits within each of several frequency bands. This article discusses the importance of assessing fluctuations against baseline measurements.

Motors
WHY HIGH EFFICIENCY MOTORS COST MORE
This article describes the changes manufacturers must make to raise motor efficiency high enough to qualify as high-efficiency and conform to current regulations. It explains why these more costly, heavier components add to the price the plant pays to purchase a motor.

Instruments & Controls
THE PID CONTROLLER
Under siege for years by alternative schemes, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithms still control the lion’s share of temperatures, pressures, and flows. This article explains some of the sophisticated algorithms and offers guidelines for tuning them to best perform useful work.

Piping
PIPE COUPLING MYTHS AND LEGENDS
Grooved mechanical pipe joining systems are faster, easier, and safer, so why are welds and flanges still used? Engineers may say mechanical joints require additional supports, couplings will leak or blow off under high pressures, grooving makes the pipe weak, it's not a rigid joint, and more. This article uses engineering to evaluate these assertions.

Asset Manager
SERVICE REQUESTS
Contributing editor and noted CMMS/EAM expert David Berger, P.Eng., discusses current and innovative ways to handle service requests, such as call centers and the Web.

Energy Expert
HOW TO CONTROL RISING ENERGY COSTS
Based on real-world success at Owens Corning, Contributing Editor Peter Garforth reveals the next installment in his series on implementing an effective industrial plant energy strategy.

Technology Toolbox
LIGHTING: BEYOND FLUORESCENTS
Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy delves into the LED and OLED technologies that promise to take industrial lighting energy efficiency beyond today’s T-10s.

Beyond April: May 2010 featured topics include:

Along with our regular columnists on EAM/CMMS and Energy, May’s focal points include Safety, Reliability, Sustainability and Skills.

Advertising Information

For advertising information contact your district manager or our Production Manager at 630/467-1300 ext. 468. Send insertion orders to her at Plant Services, 555 W. Pierce Rd., Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143; fax 630/467-0197; e-mail rfitzgerald@putman.net.

Plant Services