Industrial Maintenance Solutions

Submersible pumps are commonly used in various industries such as construction, mining, wastewater treatment, agriculture, and general manufacturing. Typically, these pumps consist of a vertical electric drive motor that is directly connected to the impeller, and they are designed to operate for long periods with minimal maintenance. BEARING ARRANGEMENT The bottom bearing, also known as the locating bearing, usually consists of a double-row angular contact ball bearing or a pair of angular contact bearings, which are responsible for supporting the axial and radial loads generated by the pumped fluid. Since the bearing is subjected to heavy loads, it is important to select the appropriate bearing to achieve the desired service life. On the other hand, the top free bearing is generally a deep groove ball bearing that takes a light radial load. Typically, C3 clearance is used to compensate for the reduction in clearance caused by the heat generated by the electric motor. CREEP PHENOME...

Machinery that operates at speeds below 600 rpm falls under the category of low-speed machines. These machines are typically large and possess high rotating inertias, making them crucial components of the production line. Although these machines are less prone to breakdowns, they are considered critical, and their failure can result in enormous production losses, significant downtime, and substantial replacement costs. Historically, there has been limited interest in the condition monitoring of these machines due to their infrequent failures. The parts of these machines that necessitate condition monitoring are primarily the bearings and gears in motion. This article will cover modern and innovative techniques for monitoring the condition of low-speed machinery, with a particular emphasis on monitoring the condition of rolling element bearings. Monitoring low-speed bearings present unique challenges. In the case of high-speed bearings, vibration analysis, thermography, and wear deb...

Electric motors are the workhorses of modern industry, powering everything from pumps and fans to conveyor belts and heavy machinery. But these vital components are not immune to wear and tear, and one common problem that can lead to premature motor failure is bearing damage caused by shaft current. Shaft current is a type of electrical discharge that occurs when there is a voltage potential between the motor shaft and the bearing, resulting in the flow of electrical current through the bearing. This current can cause a range of problems, including pitting and fluting of the bearing surfaces, which can lead to premature wear and failure. Shaft current Motor shaft current can have several harmful effects on bearings, including: 1.      Bearing pitting and fluting: Electrical discharges can cause tiny pits and flutes to form on the bearing surfaces, leading to premature wear and failure. 2.       Bearing noise and vibration: Shaft current can cause ...

The Maintenance Worker Skills Gap: An Ongoing Challenge  It's a well-known issue that has been around for a decade - the shortage of skilled maintenance workers. With fewer young people receiving proper training and experienced workers retiring, the pool of qualified workers is shrinking. To address this problem, many companies are relying on technology to support their maintenance efforts. However, the question remains - can digital solutions and vibration sensors truly fill the skills gap? The answer is not straightforward. While technology can certainly aid in maintenance efforts, it cannot replace the expertise and experience of human workers. Keeping a realistic perspective is crucial in understanding the limitations and capabilities of technology in the maintenance field. "Bridging the Maintenance Skills Gap with Technology: Moving Towards Predictive Maintenance"    As the skills gap in the maintenance industry persists, plants are turning to technology for support....

By Dan Phillips. WHAT TRENDS HAVE YOU OBSERVED OVER THE PAST YEAR? Especially with personnel working remotely, we’ve seen an increase in companies connecting and tracking equipment with sensors and other Internet of Things (IoT) hardware and software to enhance their preventative maintenance capabilities . The coupling industry is catching up with the rest of the world in terms of the data revolution. But even there, demand has exploded in terms of end-user interest in how couplings are designed and selected, how they are manufactured, how they operate, how they are maintained, and how they are serviced. CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE? Just like you and I track our orders from Amazon and get regular updates during the process, customers are looking for the same easily accessible live data for couplings. The procurement team needs quick access to product information to make purchases. Project managers are looking at Gantt charts to understand more about the process and status while cou...

By Kyle Brandenburg. Steam turbines provide an efficient means of producing electricity. Improving the corro s ion fatigue performance and damage tolerance of steam turbine blades can offer overhaul and maintenance cost savings improved reliability and reduced outages. The application of surface residual compressive stress to components can enhance fatigue strength and reduce the effects of applied tensile stresses. Shot peening has been used for decades to reduce overall operating tensile stresses in steam turbine components. However, corrosion pits, erosion, fretting, and other damage can penetrate shot peening’s shallow layer of residual compression, providing a starting point for stress corrosion cracking and fatigue failures. Instead of settling for shallow compression, the introduction of a deep layer of compressive residual stress can extend service life . To test the benefits of deep compression , high-cycle fatigue tests were done on Type 410 stainless steel ,...

BY HASANUR JAMAL MOLLA, SAAD H. AL-DOSSARY, TARIQ NADEEM, AND MOHAMMAD F. AL-SHIHRI. V arnish is an organic residue produced by irreversible chemical degradation of mineral oil lubricants. It can lead to filter plugging, restricted oil flow, poor heat transfer, valve sticking, fail-to-start conditions, and unit trips. Varnish on Spool Valves Varnish on gear Varnish on Journal  Bearing During rotating equipment operation, heat generated due to friction degrades the oil and produces very small byproduct particles that settle throughout the system as varnish. Spark discharges from static charge buildup in the lubricating oil filters play a key role in its formation. Over time, these particles attach themselves to surfaces throughout the turbine, producing a sticky film. As varnish builds up, performance of rotating equipment su ff ers. A variety of varnish removal systems are available in the market. As the conversion between soluble and insoluble varnish is a physical equilibr...

Investment cast parts used in modern gas turbines are made of expensive superalloys that can withstand extreme thermal, mechanical and chemical loads experienced by hot gas path components. Parts with hundreds of thousands of service hours, however, become severely oxidized. To improve efficiency and reduce the risk of unscheduled outages, these parts must either be periodically refurbished using a brazing repair process or replaced. To facilitate brazing repair, all oxidation, sulfidation and hot corrosion must be removed from surfaces, cooling passages and deep, narrow cracks. Oxide scale typically forms on the mating faces of cracks that occur in hot gas path areas. These cracks become packed full of scale. It is the goal of the service shop to repair these components by filling the cracks with a braze alloy. Unfortunately, braze alloy cannot flow into cracks filled with oxide scale. Figure 1: By varying the pressure between positive, negative, and atmospheric levels, the Dynamic FI...