Highlights
Compressed air: an indispensable source of energy and a major money waster!
Leak detection is a simple operation which offers a real payback: a small investment which can generate substantial savings. Compressed air is too expensive to be wasted Compressed air accounts for around 15% of [...]
Compressed Air Leak Detection – A Dual Challenge for Energy and the Environment
In today’s modern industrial operations, few processes rank higher in terms of importance than compressed air and no process places a higher demand on energy consumption. As a key utility, its uses include running machinery, conveyance [...]
Repairing a single 2 mm leak at 8 bar could represent a saving of 3 000 euros per year!
Leak detection should be a top priority when we know that, without a leak detection program, leaks represent 30-40% of the volume consumed.Unfortunately, maintenance managers all too often tend to ignore the problem. How can you justify [...]
Vibration and Ultrasound: the winning duo integrated into a single versatile measuring instrument
More than ever, production cost control affects the operations of the Maintenance Department. While its role still consists in knowing the health condition of the machines, its associated costs must remain as low as possible. For [...]
Ultrasonic inspection equipment: the undisputed solution for low RPM machinery
Sensors and instruments: the key points Ultrasound contact sensors are resonant sensors. Their sensitivity is an important point, but not the only one. The basis of Condition Monitoring is to trend data and to perform a [...]
Low-speed bearing monitoring: the solution is ultrasound
Bearings are widely used in industrial applications and considered as crucial component. Bearing failures, when not detected in time, are responsible for unscheduled shutdowns and, therefore, expensive downtime. They may even lead to catastrophic breakdowns. For [...]
Bearing Grease Replenishment: Time VS Condition?
Maintaining plant assets in an optimal state of lubrication is a topic receiving lots of attention. Maintenance and Reliability practitioners dedicate teams to the task but not every organization achieves world-class results. As much as 80% [...]
What Are the Benefits of an Ultrasound Assisted Lubrication Program?
Ultrasound assisted lubrication of plant assets offers significant benefits that calendar based lubrication cannot. Lubrication serves a primary purpose, which is to create a thin layer of lubricant between rolling and sliding elements that reduces friction. So, [...]
Ultrasound Guided Bearing Lubrication
The insides of a bearing consist of four important components. The inner and outer raceways form a path for the rolling elements to glide on a thin film of lubricant. A metal cage separates the rolling elements, [...]
Is your lubrication program world-class?
Acoustic Lubrication is just one of the 8 application pillars adopted by world-class ultrasound programs. And what an important one it is. Poor lubrication practices account for as much as 40% of all premature bearing failures. [...]
Predictive maintenance can significantly increase the service life of steam generating facilities
These predictive operations limit repair costs and reduce the risk of production downtime. In a conventional steam production plant, 5 to 15% of the steam traps fail every year. When this happens, money and energy is [...]
Ultrasonic measurement to improve energy efficiency
It is an understatement to say that the fight against climate change and the various regulations that follow should encourage manufacturers to significantly reduce their energy consumption. Is it difficult? No, gains can be generated in [...]
Example of predictive maintenance
Save at least €2 500 per year per LEAKING steam trap! A failed trap generates a huge waste of energy and steam. It can also cause severe damage to the system and a drop in production [...]
Using Ultrasound for Electric Power Reliability
Unreliable electric systems not only cost millions of euros in downtime and repairs, but they also have the potential to maim and kill. Reliability leaders must remain focused on preserving both physical and human assets. Employees [...]
Why do we test for Partial Discharge?
In a word: Reliability. Actually, two words, reliability and safety, but reliability leaders know that the two go hand in hand. In fact, reliable facilities are safe facilities. Electrical assets can never be managed with a [...]
The Dynamic Duo – ultrasound inspection and infrared imaging
Gerdau, based in Brazil, is one of the world's largest steel producers and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GNA. Gerdau Ameristeel is the American branch of Gerdau Brazil and has 19 [...]
Ultrasound Prevents Transformer Outages
Steel processing requires a lot of energy and powerful electrical systems. However, a single electrical component failure can bring steel production to a halt, resulting in significant time and financial losses for manufacturers. The more severe [...]
8 best practices for performing a compressed air leak survey
The following is a dialogue that Paul Klimuc with SDT Ultrasound Solutions had with his students during the fourth Live Online Level One Ultrasound Certification Course. QUESTION: SHOULD COMPRESSED AIR LEAK INSPECTIONS BE PERFORMED DURING PLANNED [...]
Lubrication Contamination
Particle contamination in bearing grease, also known as lubrication contamination, is a common problem encountered by manufacturers and their lube techs around the world. A study done by the National Research Council of Canada found that [...]
Avoid These Three Common Bearing Greasing Mistakes
Every plant is different. The machines inside them, the production processes they power, and the loads and conditions in which they operate. But one thing almost all share in common is bearings on rotating equipment. Bearings [...]
Six Signs your Bearing Lubrication Program is on Track
At SDT Ultrasound Solutions we are meticulous about bearing lubrication. We know one lubrication mistake can mean hours, even days of unplanned downtime… because we’ve seen it happen. Lubrication related failures are especially difficult to plan [...]
DON’T LOOK UP!
“We hear leaks, chasing them is useless” It has become almost common to say that leak detection on a compressed air system can pay off! Who hasn't seen those tags indicating the presence of a [...]
Stories from the Melt Shop
John Garrison, Level One Ultrasound Inspector Former Live Online Level One Student John Garrison Testimonial & Case Study As a mechanic in charge of a portion of the mill, safety and reliability are a [...]
Monitoring Ontario’s Wind Farms with Vigilant
Wind farmers power Ontario with clean, renewable energy and if they are forewarned of critical component failure, then they can expect many years of useful, trouble-free life from their assets. But wind turbines are complex assets [...]
Best Practices for Performing a Compressed Air Leak Survey with Paul Klimuc
Paul Klimuc is an Ultrasound expert with SDT Ultrasound Solutions. He has experience dealing with a wide variety of industries, including (but not limited to) Aircraft, Auto, Food, Steel, Power Generation and Tobacco. Paul began his [...]
