Physically Locating Underground Assets for GIS

Last week I attended a Webinar presenting methods of physically gathering location data on underground pipe assets and a new product that merges all kinds of GIS and inspection data into one mapping tool. This is a great way to build an inventory of underground assets and or above ground assets for your physical asset management program.

The Webinar was recorded and is available free here:

https://benjaminmedia.webex.com/benjaminmedia/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=1526912&rKey=61a4edad04c536f6

One unique feature of these tools is that the GPS locator tool can go through or around pipe elbows with a 2D radius relationship (i.e. radius is twice the diamter, example 6" pipe has a 12" radius elbow). The significance of this feature is that now plant yard piping which has elbows can also be located using this tool.

iPhone Might be a Good Field Condition Assessment Tool

I just read an interesting article in Wired Magazine about all kinds of new iPhone applications (Google phone too) that tie photo's to GPS locations and other things. Some are kind of scary from a privacy perspective, but for a Physical Asset Management tool, the iPhone or a Powershot with Eye-Fi Wi-Fi, might really be a great tool.

Consider fire hydrants and tracking condition and backing up with a photo that has a GPS coordinate as part of it's Meta Data file. While building and updating that kind of a condition assessment file used to be a lot of work, now with these GPS enabled tools, it could be an easy task.

The following article discusses one person's experience with these new GPS enabled applications. Give it a read and let me know if you get any ideas on how these could be used in Physical Asset Management: http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/magazine/17-02/lp_guineapig

Condition Based Oil Change Webinar - FREE

Here is a free webninar that discusses in detail the consideration and advantages that a condition based oil change program may offer. One company experienced a 70% reduction in oil consumption and over $150,000 in savings, so it can be significant.

http://www.rcm-1.com/tutorials/101_condition_based_oil_change_2009_07_08/101_condition_based_oil_change_2009_07_08.html

Ultrasonic Listening as a Go No-Go Vibration Sweep Tool

Vibration analysis is a very detailed data tool with lots of capability. It also requires a very trained and experienced technician to provide a beneficial analysis of the results of all that detailed data. However, many mechanics have used their "listening" sense to quickly determine if there is a problem or not. With new ultrasonic devices that ability to listen can be refined to the point of making ultrasonics a great tool for a sweep go no-go analysis, to quickly identify the problem equipment.

Here is a link to a short video that provide an example of how an ultrasonic might be used to pre-check a gear box reducer: http://www.rcm-1.com/tutorials/102_usound_accel_path/102_usound_accel_path.html


If you maintain a lot of rotating equipment, consider using an ultrasonic with specific location indications and training to reduce the skill level required to monitor your equipment. Then use your vibration tech (or hire a analyst) to do the detailed analysis when a problem is identified.

Laser Alignment - Calculating ROI

I just came across a video on how to calculate the ROI on a laser aligment system. I knew that misalignment can have a major cost in energy, but the calculations presented in this video demonstrate just how important it can be to get alignment:

http://www.rcm-1.com//tutorials/66_alignment_roi_2009_04_14/66_alignment_roi_2009_04_14.html

If you would like to read a white paper covering the information presented in the video you can find the paper at www.aligmentsupplies.com or download it here: http://alignmentsupplies.com/usr/white_papers/asi_-_laser_alignment_roi.pdf

Condition Based-Monitoring and Assessment

Understanding the condition of an asset is important for three key reasons. First, from a reliability perspective, predicting an imminent failure allows you time to plan to make repairs, which is the most common reason given for implementing a condition based-monitoring or predictive maintenance (PDM) program. A second reason, is to maximize the time between repair actions so that instead of make a repair at some regular interval to prevent failures, the repairs are made On-Condition detection, i.e. a lubrication is only replaced when a failure condition is detected rather then on OEM prescribed frequency. The third reason is to understand expected life of your equipment, which means you need to have a good understanding of the current condition to project the life you expect. Since municipal water and wastewater assets tend to have a lot of built in redundancy, a PDM program that is intended to predict failures becomes much less valuable, however, the ability to extend repair frequency and to identify wear related components that you can track and trend to project expected life can both have a significant impact on reducing the life-cycle cost of an asset and aid in planning capital investment.

So, if improving reliability, extending preventive replacement frequencies, and understanding the condition of your assets is valuable, then where would be the best place to start a program? I recently came across a ReliabilityWeb.com recorded training webinar on Condition Based Monitoring and how it should be used to achieve the desired reliability results. You can find the training here:

http://www.rcm-1.com/forms/intro_cbm_reg.htm

This training is provided free with a sign-up for email list and it is a full 2 hours, best for engineers, maintenance supervisors, and decision makers.

There were several important points made in the presentation, including a great review of a condition based-monitoring workflow that really explains how the program can work with your current preventive maintenance program your OEM's have suggested. However, what really caught my attention was the following graphic, which I snatched from the presentation, that was used to demonstrate which condition monitoring technologies should be applied and to what level of asset coverage will yield valuable results.





This diagram shows that to achieve value, your condition based-monitoring or PDM program should apply a full range of PdM technologies to 25% of your most critical assets. From an asset organizational perspective, this means that you need to know two things, what type of assets you have so you can apply the appropriate technologies(Please see this article on code sets include equipment categories or asset types for CMMS: http://www.plantengineering.com/article/CA442871.html), and which assets are most critical (Here is short introduction to criticality Here is short introduction to criticality). These steps should be taken before you begin your condition based-monitoring program. With proper application of PDM technologies, a program designed to provide PM frequency analysis and life-cycle projection, and applying to the most critical assets a condition based-monitoring program great deal of value can be gained from a PdM program.

If you would be interested in signing up for live training on condition-based monitoring you could check out http://www.petroskills.com/courseDetails.aspx?courseID=799.

Pump Capacity Testing for Maintenance Planning

If you have a concern about the efficiency of a pump system, there is a set of several steps that you can quickly use to evaluate the condition of the pumps. I learned about these several years ago from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, yep a government agency.

I thought these steps recommended for testing a pump station could be a good way to run tests on both plant pumping system (Centrifugal Pumps ONLY - Not Positive Displacement Pumps) and collection system pumping stations.

You can read the how-to guide here: http://www.deq.state.or.us/WQ/rules/div052/guidelines/omgauges.pdf

You can expand on the techniques outlined by setting up a procedure for the operations staff to do spot checks. Mark right on the pump gages (inlet and discharge) where the pumping system ran at commissioning or when it was in known good condition. In the future, the testing described can be run by the operations staff and all they have to do is know when the readings on the gages fall outside of a reasonable operating band and then trigger a pump inspection. This is ON CONDITION maintenance and is the most efficient (lowest life-cycle cost) approach to maintenance actions.

Pump Management Website

A friend just emailed me about a new website that has all kinds of pump related support links including motor and vfd's. Check it out at:

http://www.pumped101.com/

Condition Based Monitoring Webinar Training

UPDATE: I listened and the Condition Based Webinar is some really great stuff. The basics of why we do PdM and how it fits into a Condition Based Maintenance program. One of the best slides in the program, I am "stealing" to share with you here.

To really start a program, you need to apply a range of PdM technologies to your 25% most critical assets. This means that you need to know which Asset Types will benefit by which technologies, classify your asset list by asset type, and understand and classify your assets by criticality, before you can apply PdM to your program. This is an excellent recommendation and one I completely support.

Without being to much of a spoiler, let me tell you that the presentation includes a great workflow discussion on the way to really realize the step change in your maintenance program. Definitely check this one out!



UPDATE: I am listening to the post today while I do other work and here is a link if you would be interested in seeing the course outline and sign up for live training http://www.petroskills.com/courseDetails.aspx?courseID=799

Reliability web has a recorded training webinar on Condition Based Monitoring and how it should be used to achieve the desired reliability results. I have not taken the time to review the material, but plan to soon. Other training webinar's provided by Reliability Web have been very worthwhile. You can find the training here:

http://www.rcm-1.com/forms/intro_cbm_reg.htm

This training is provided free with a sign-up for Reliability Web email list.