Nobreakdowns.com :: Blog - Equipment Maintenance Tips, Industrial Work Stories

How to Plan a Vacation

2007-08-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

Well, now it's my turn for vacation. Here's how I (a planner/scheduler in my past life) plan a vacation:

ID / PRIORITY: Need to plan 4 days worth of meals for a camping trip. Highly critical. Could even be a safety issue if not performed properly.

PLANNING: There are several things to consider. Buy-in from everyone involved in the trip is also very important. Not everyone likes Tofu. Make a note whether or not we will have electricity. This will impact what food is brought and how it is to be prepared. I account for each and every meal from day 1 until we return home. See my scratch sheet. For example, the first day we will leave home around noon, so breakfast and lunch will be eaten before we leave. This is a good day to use up any leftovers in the refrigerator that you aren't "planning" to take on the trip with you. I then continue to plan every other meal through the remainder of the trip. Depending on the mood, however, the "planned" meal may be prepared on a different day. Does this mean my schedule is now out of compliance? I guess so.

SCHEDULING: This takes time, too. We (my husband is an excellent resource) must pre-determine the right time to turn on the refrigerator in the camper. Based on this information, I set a date for doing the grocery shopping.

EXECUTE: Shop & Stock!! A little advise: Do NOT take any "helpers" to the grocery store or you WILL come home with excessive inventory!

GO CAMPING!

FOLLOW-UP: Results are based on my "happy-campers".
ANALYSIS: Review any gaps. If anything was missing add to SOP that will be used for the next camping trip!

"MEOW", says the Policeman

2007-08-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

Have you heard this one? Thai police officers caught breaking rules for littering or arriving to work late (to name a few misdemeanors) are being forced to wear a "cute" little armband with a picture featuring Hello Kitty™ for an entire day. Apparently this is supposed to shame them so they will abide by the rules. Click here to view one of many articles featuring this story.

Have you ever been shamed by someone at work? A supervisor? Share your story on our Blog.

Hmmm, I wonder what Dave would make me wear if I came into work late?

Drag Racing Receives An Electric Shock!

2007-08-08T12:12:00.000-05:00

Drag Racing Receives An Electric Shock!
It was just a matter of time before electric vehicles arrived on the scene of the motorsports industry. Check out the KillaCycle - The World's Quickest Electric Motorcycle. The current fastest quarter mile run is 8.168 seconds at 155.78 mph!

Unbelievable!

You see, the sparkies have known for a long time that electric motors can provide nearly full torque immediately from a standstill. Combustion engines cannot do that, and probably never will. So, even if you have a nitromethane fueled, 4000 horsepower V8 in your car, you can't compete with a comparable electric motor for acceleration. All that remains for the electric racers to do is find the best way to deliver the power to the ground. There are lots of records to beat, and most of them are still held by the conventional guys. This should be a fun thing to watch!

The weirdest thing about it is the eerie silence when these guys do a burnout. You have to see the video below to see what I mean.

See a video of the KillaCycle in action

Preventive vs Preventative

2007-08-06T08:20:00.000-05:00

Last week, I got into a discussion with some maintenance professionals about the usage of two words: preventive and preventative.

Have you noticed that both words seem to be used interchangeably, with no obvious difference? It is common to see both forms of the word printed in documents, even in the SAME document. So, what is the right way to spell out PM? Do you know, or have a guess? Do you care?

We went round and round about the wording, and found some references that said it was OK to use either form. But, since then, we found this reference, which we like. Therefore, since this is our newsletter, it is the law. At least, inside of our pitiful little kingdom :). Check out the attitude on the definitive statement below:

from the Harper Dictionary of Contemporary Usage (1985) by William and Mary Morris

PREVENTIVE / PREVENTATIVE: 'Preventative' is not a correct word. The form does exist as a mistaken variant of 'preventive.' It is what linguists call 'an irregularly formed doublet' and should be avoided. It is listed in the 'Oxford English Dictionary' and some American dictionaries but 'preventive' is always given as the preferred form. The great English word expert H.W. Fowler remarked that "'preventative' is a needless lengthening of an established word, due to oversight or caprice." Perhaps Americans have fallen into the habit of using 'preventative' because of its similarity to 'representative,' but it represents a serious trend in American speech. The use of 'preventative' for 'preventive,' of 'filtrate' for 'filter,' of 'experimentalize' for 'experiment,' and of 'finalize' for 'end' seems to be a part of a trend toward the elimination of simple, precise words in favor of flowery, pretentious gobbledegook."

Wow! I think I know which word I will be using from now on.

Get Joel Levitt's book on preventive maintenance now
$42.50

Safety - Live with It!

2007-07-25T09:29:00.000-05:00

I recently took a trip to the Washington, DC area. As I boarded the airplane, I noticed the pilots reviewing a checklist while seated in the cockpit. As I situated myself in my assigned seat, I was aware that the pilots were still going through their pre-flight safety checklist as the lights flickered on and off, as well as the flow of air and the other numerous lights above my head. This particular trip consisted of 4 segments and each time I boarded my flights I was pleased to see each pilot and co-pilot making sure that my trip would be a safe one.

As a "pilot" of my 4-wheeled vehicle, I wondered what safety checks I should be doing prior to starting my car? Is there a checklist I should be reviewing? I do the typical preventive maintenance on my vehicle to keep it from failing, but am I doing all the right things to keep my family and myself safe while on the road? I did a little research on the world wide web and found some very interesting checklists! I used the search term "vehicle safety checklist" when performing a Google™ search. I found that some of the items on my vehicle are not checked often enough and if not working properly, have the potential of causing an accident. I currently have a teenager who began driving 2 months ago. His permit license doesn't come with a safety manual, so it's up to me to make sure he understands not only how to drive safely but to make sure the vehicle is safe to drive - this makes me a "co-pilot", too. I challenge you to check out one of the lists I mentioned or check your vehicle owner's manual for a safety checklist and review with everyone in your family. Go to our DISCUSSION BOARD and let us know how it goes!

Also, this same Google™ search yielded a link to other websites that referenced OSHA safety training checklists. There may be some checklists worthwhile for use within your company in addition to those you already use.

Maintenance is the answer.

2007-07-23T15:34:00.000-05:00

I have a friend that has a standard answer for any type of equipment failure. His answer applies in most cases, regardless of the type of equipment.

He and some other close friends and I hunted and fished together, and we all had 4 wheel drive vehicles. The 4 wheel drives were essential to get us to the best places to hunt and fish. We all had snowmobiles for winter recreation.

When ever anything went wrong with the vehicles or associated equipment, such as shotguns and fishing rods, my friend's answer to why something failed was " no maintenance." After spending over forty years in maintenance, I believe in a lot of cases this same answer can be applied to industrial equipment failures as well.

It's amazing what a little attention to detail can do to keep our personal equipment running well. The same attention to detail applies to industrial equipment, and we at Nobreakdowns.com are here to assist you with keeping your equipment at peak performance.

Safety Suggestions From Elaina

2007-07-19T12:42:00.000-05:00

Six Year Old Public Relations Manager

Our Public Relations Manager, Elaina, asked us to publish her safety tip drawing to keep all of you out of trouble, and working safely.

She suggested that you don't play around with flammable liquids, as they are a fire hazard, know where the nearest exit is located in case you need to get out quickly and leave the fire fighting to the pros.

Elaina also said that we shouldn't ignore a machine that is making noise or acting strangely. If in doubt, shut it down, and find out what is wrong. Don't just walk away.

Not a bad batch of advice from a person who knows how important it is that we all make it home safely every day!

BOOM!!!

2007-07-10T19:32:00.000-05:00

You folks know how I always mention that the details are what makes the difference between good and great performance. Well, sometimes it makes the difference between disaster and great performance too.

I had a friend who was a newly graduated mechanical engineer at a manufacturing facility. He was an excited and motivated person with a lot of good ideas. Like many of us at that stage of our careers, he was keen to make a name for himself as a solid team member.

One day, my friend (let's call him Spanky) was asked to design a system for unloading bulk chemicals in liquid form from railroad cars. One of the chemicals in question was really nasty stuff, and the idea was to make the unloading process safer. The new system would require no user intervention, and was sealed from leaks very carefully.

The design stage was completed without a hitch, and the job went into construction. Again, no problems were encountered, and the system was finished one morning just in time to unload a railroad car over the lunch hour. So far, so good.

You might imagine the excitement for both Spanky and the operators in the area. They happily hooked up the hose to the underbelly of the railroad car, opened the outlet valve on the tanker and started the unloading pump. Beautiful! So, Spanky went to his office for lunch, and the operator sat down at his desk to eat a sandwich while the railroad car was unloaded.

After some time passed, there was a thunderous BOOM!!!, followed by a lot of noises best left unrepeated. The operator ran out to the train shed to find a terrible sight. The unloading system had unloaded ALL of the chemicals, and then the little unloading pump merrily pulled a complete vacuum on the tank. There was no vacuum breaker on the system, so naturally, the pressure of the atmosphere around the tank crushed it as flat as a beer can on the interstate! Impressive, but not a happy sight, I can tell you.

$150,000 in damage was inflicted on the railroad car in a few seconds, rendering it useless. All of this damage occurred because a vacuum breaker was not included in the system design, and the operator forgot to open the top hatch of the tank before unloading the car.

Small details matter!

Does your maintenance program consider the "small details" like job plans, a well managed CMMS, proper work scheduling, training and a work flow process? No?

BOOM!!!

Can We Offer You Some Help?

LIVE!! 5 Pillars: Maintenance & Reliability Professional Review Course

2007-07-10T19:27:00.000-05:00

Hilton Garden Inn - Dallas, Texas Sept. 26-27, 2007 (Discounts end July 31, 2007)

This comprehensive 2-day workshop is designed specifically for busy maintenance professionals. The course is focused directly on the key elements of building a proactive maintenance organization from the ground up.

For those wishing to pursue the Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) exam offered by the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP)*, this course covers all aspects of the Body of Knowledge. While no training course can replace hands-on experience, this course offers a strong review and reinforcement of the concepts of best practice maintenance methods.

Nobreakdowns.com is proud to offer an exclusive 2-for-1 Dealfor readers of The Drift and our website. Until July 31, 2007 you may register 2 students for the course for the price of a single seat. Limit one offer per company, and also limited by available seating. This is a $795 savings over the regular rates!

Learn More or Enroll Here

"...we had 5 folks, 2 Engineers and 3 Maintenance Managers take the class. It's no doubt the time you spent with us was very helpful to these folks, in fact one of the Engineers made a comment around how much the week helped him."
Tony B. - Pensacola, FL

Please join us for this fun and interesting class. You can expect good examples, great stories, ample opportunities to network with other maintenance professionals and a greater understanding of the hidden secrets to better maintenance.

*Nobreakdowns.com is not affiliated with SMRP and taking this course does not guarantee successful completion of any exam. SMRP does not endorse the course.

Maintenance Management Classes Start Aug 15!

2007-07-10T16:21:00.000-05:00

Did you ever wish you could find someone who could help you to implement a proactive maintenance program?

Maybe a coach who could help you solve problems and assist you with development of work control systems?

System in a Box™ is designed to do just that, without the high cost of live consulting services, and better yet, it leaves you in control of your own operation. System in a Box™ is a distance learning program that uses technology to accomplish great results. This is not a self-study course, but rather a carefully designed system that includes bi-weekly conference calls to keep you on track.

Compare System in a Box™ with traditional consulting

No matter what the current condition of your maintenance program is today, System in a Box™ is adaptable to your situation. We would be happy to assist you in building a strong and effective maintenance program.

We have space in the upcoming (August 15, 2007) group for a few more students.

Learn More or Enroll in System in a Box™

Maintenance Management Classes Start Aug 15!

2007-07-10T16:13:00.000-05:00

STUD of the Year Named

2007-07-09T10:30:00.000-05:00

Detroit Association for Maintenance Mediocrity Announces Winner

At their annual international conference at the Motel 6 in Hell, Michigan, the Detroit Association for Maintenance Mediocrity announced the winner of its prestigious STUD award (Specialist in Taking Uptime Down).

Out of thousands of nominations, Norman Sanderson, a Maintenance Manager from Bixby Manufacturing came away with the title and is now, officially, a STUD.

Through his 23 year career at Bixby Manufacturing, “Sanderson has shown remarkably dedicated defiance of accepted maintenance best practices”, chuckled Robert Cavanaugh, lead panel judge. “We continue to be impressed with how he manages to remain employed in light of his ridiculously backward beliefs about maintenance management and planning.”

Sanderson did have many tough competitors, and to help himself stand out, he claims his attention to activities unrelated to maintaining uptime, like leading three emergency repair meetings per day, kept him above the crowd. “I’m a busy, busy man. Believe me, I don’t have time to plan at all. That's why they pay me the big bucks, Rubberneck!”

The accolades from this award do not stop at receiving the title. Norman Sanderson, STUD, also received a $20 gift card to a local seafood restaurant, and 6 free issues of a magazine of his choice.

Longest Summer Day..A Safety Reminder

2007-06-21T14:49:00.001-05:00

June 21st....known as Summer Solstice...the longest day of the year. Well it's not any "longer" than any other, it still has 24 hours. It's a day in which daylight lasts the "longest". Did you know that daylight will last just 4 minutes shy of 15 HOURS in some areas of the Northern Hemisphere and even longer as you get closer to the Arctic Circle? This could also be among the hottest days of summer.

With that being said, make sure you and others you are working with are drinking LOTS of fluids. Whether it is at work or play. Gatorade is a great choice. It even comes in individual packets so you don't have to mix gallons of the stuff. A place I worked at actually stocked gatorade in the storeroom. Many areas in the paper mill had those large, round coolers. You know, the type that you could stick your arm into until the cold , flavored water almost comes up to your armpit? Well, it DID come up to the armpit of one fellow. He decided on a quick and dirty method of mixing the gatorade WITHOUT using a mixing utensil. Aargh. After hearing this, we immediately did some research with the vendor that already provided the family size gatorade we were stocking and found that miniature, single serve packets were available. This not only kept everyone hydrated as they were working long hours in the heat (and in good health), but also kept the "hairy-one's" arm dry.

Instrumentation Techs Drink 800.23% More Coffee

2007-06-19T08:17:00.000-05:00

Many Trade In Their Tools For Mugs

Instrumentation technicians have always been known to carry a cup of coffee wherever they go, much to the chagrin of their coworkers.

With the advent of gourmet coffees and blends of exotic herbal teas and other beverages, the temptation to devote more and more time to sipping java has apparently overwhelmed these maintenance team members.

One plant reported that they have found groups of instrumentation technicians huddled around the coffee maker for hours, mesmerized by the scent of a dark roasted French blend, completely ignoring the ringing telephone and squawking radios calling for help.

Still another facility has identified that only 1 in 8 instrumentation technicians even carries tools, while most have several coffee mugs.

This coffee consumption alarm is the worst threat to maintenance effectiveness since the infamous 1973 "Bottle at Every Break" whiskey fad that swept the millwrights and pipefitters across the country.

Google Map Street View

2007-06-13T10:05:00.001-05:00

Let's get right down to business. Here's some new technology that will blow your mind.

Google™ has just released their latest service, called Google™ Maps Street View. Right now, you can view 5 different US cities in real time (New York, Miami, Denver, Las Vegas and San Francisco). So what, you say? Go there now, and click the "Street View" icon on the top of the map screen.

You will be greeted with a map of the United States with some camera-shaped icons on it. Click one of them and zoom in to the city. Any street highlighted in blue is available. It is really strange to be able to open a live shot of almost any place in a huge city and then "fly around" using your mouse. Unbelievable!

You can literally go there and see if there are leaves on the trees in Denver, if the surf is up in Miami or the the Golden Gate Bridge needs a paint job.

More cities will be added to the system continuously. What does this have to do with maintenance? I am not sure, but I'll bet we will find some uses for it. In the meantime, this is more than a little creepy.
______________________________________________________

Pipefitter Works So Hard That His Ass Actually Drags

2007-06-12T14:48:00.000-05:00

"I Felt Something Tugging Me As I Walked to the Locker Room"

Mike Birchfield works at a local power plant as a shift pipefitter. During a recent maintenance outage, he was scheduled to work eleven 12-hour shifts in a row, doing a major overhaul on one of the boilers.

As the outage was nearing completion, the pressure was on to complete dozens of add-on work orders, as no planning or scheduling is done at the plant. Mike was exhausted, and was not feeling quite right.

"I can remember this funny feeling that I was moving in slow motion. It seemed like everyplace I went, I was having trouble getting around, getting stuck in tight spaces, knocking over things and stumbling.", said Birchfield from his hospital bed.

Birchfield made it to the end of his shift, and walked back to the locker room to shower and dress for the ride home. It was then that he realized that something was seriously wrong with him.

"People were pointing, and their mouths were hanging open. I looked behind me, and there on the floor was something I never expected, my own ass!", explained Mr. Birchfield.

This extremely rare medical deformity called worksohardima dragginass, brought on by excessive labor and stress, afflicting only 1 in 500 million people, and has not been seen in the United States since 2 farmers from Indiana came down with the ailment after putting up hay for the winter in 120 degree heat during the summer of 1947.

Mike is expected to make a full recovery, but will require extensive physical therapy to regain full use of his ass. Donations to help the Birchfield family defray medical expenses for Mike's care can be sent to the local hospital, care of "Save Mike's Ass Fund".

Sasquatch Helps Local Man Change Tire

2007-06-08T16:27:00.000-05:00

"He Was Real Good With the Tools."

Local maintenance technician Glen Harding experienced the surprise of his life yesterday, when his truck got a flat tire outside Grand Rapids. He was on his way to deliver a piece of equipment to a customer, and found himself stranded in the early morning hours along US Highway 2, with little or no traffic.

He was struggling to change the front passenger side tire on the truck, when he heard a rustling noise in the spruce swamp behind him. Out of the stunted evergreens came something he never expected. Recent reports in the area of Bigfoot have been ridiculed as a hoax, but no more! Standing in front of Glen was a Sasquatch, nearly 9 feet tall according to the badly shaken mechanic.

There was nowhere to run, so Glen reported that he simply froze in his tracks, not sure what to do. Then, the giant beast picked up the flashlight Glen had dropped on the ground, and pointed it at the tire, grunting and gesturing at the lugnuts. Glen said, "It was just like my partner Chuck was there. That big hairy dude just held the flashlight for me while I changed the tire in the dark. It was the damndest thing I ever saw. He even smelled like Chuck, kinda."

In a few minutes, the tire was changed, and the Bigfoot set down the flashlight, and lifted the front end of the truck so Glen could remove the rather puny jack from under the vehicle. "It was like he was used to working with tools, really spooky!", said Harding.

Local manufacturers, shorthanded and looking for skilled workers have expressed an interest in hiring the Sasquatch. Glen simply said, "That's fine with me. He was real good with the tools. The only thing I can say is they will definitely need to make him wear some clothes. He might work and smell like Chuck, but I have to draw the line somewhere!"

Wacky Winter Weather....in MAY

2007-05-21T12:17:00.001-05:00

I woke up around 6:30 a.m. yesterday (Sunday) and couldn't believe my eyes. Winter was back-aargh!! Okay, I'm thinking "wait a minute...this is May. Right? I was just wearing shorts two days ago because it was 70 degrees outside. And then I remembered...I live in Minnesota. They say only in Minnesota can you go from having the defroster in your car on in the morning to the A/C in the afternoon. I guess they are right. Anyone else having any Wacky Weather?

90% Early Mortality for Equipment?

2007-05-17T19:23:00.000-05:00

I spent some time with a group of Operations and Maintenance personnel from a water treatment company over the past week, and got a great opportunity to see some of their plans for enhancing reliability at their plants.

Now, this is not a secret, but I saw a figure that really woke me up to the HUGE reliability savings that are still waiting to be claimed on one of the slides they had in their presentation. These figures were collected from known sources, so verify away!

As maintenance professionals we need to know that 90% of the equipment we install and operate fails earlier than it was designed to fail! Wow! Why is that?

- Bad design of the system
- Installation errors
- Lack of precision assembly
- Poor care
- Improper operation
- Contamination
- Improper lubrication
- Overload
- Bad environment
- and so on....

We have a long way to go Amigos! Don't retire early. There is a lot to do yet.

Oldest Unclosed Work Order Discovered

2007-04-02T11:04:00.000-05:00

Paul Revere's Silversmith Shop - Boston, Mass.

Researchers working at the location of the silversmith shop once owned by American patriot Paul Revere have discovered what is believed to be the oldest unclosed work order in existence.

The document was written on a sheet of parchment, and clearly states the task to be executed; "Construct a copper chamber pot for Mr. Pickford". While the project was not a glamorous one, it reveals the everyday nature of the business in 1798.

In addition to the normal work order text, there is a small notation in the right margin that says, "Hurry, William! Mr. Pickford doesn't have a pot to piss in. Thanks, Paul"

The 208 year old document contains no comments in the area reserved for closing the work order. The fate of Mr. Pickford remains unknown.

Switzerland Invades Liechtenstein!!

2007-03-08T10:41:00.000-06:00

Have you heard about the little military foray of the Swiss into their neighboring country, Liechtenstein? Apparently, a couple of hundred reserve troops were on a training exercise, fully armed and equipped for battle, and accidentally invaded the tiny country of 34,000 residents.

The word is that they got lost on a night navigation training mission, which obviously exposed some opportunities for improvement.

No one was hurt, and there will be no major "Cold War" situation between the two peaceful and friendly nations. In fact, no one even noticed the presence of the soldiers. Liechtenstein has no military, and it seems to work just fine for them.

Snowstorm in Duluth, MN Pics

2007-03-08T10:14:00.000-06:00

We got a quite a bit of snow recently, and a friend of mine sent me some pictures he took in Duluth, MN. There hasn't been much snowfall this year, so the latest dumping caught people off guard.

Along with the snow, we got a lot of wind, which makes for some "interesting" snowdrifts.

Welcome Home!

Old Joe The Maintenance Guy Talks About Communication

2007-03-08T09:58:00.000-06:00

Our friend, Old Joe recorded his insight into how communication has changed over the years with respect to maintenance. It appears that things have changed quite a bit, and expectations are different these days.

Take a minute to listen in on Joe's thoughts. We think he puts the whole topic into perspective quite nicely.

Listen to Old Joe Now

Learn about our 2-day 5 Pillars: Maintenance & Reliability Professional Review course, April 19-20, 2007 - Las Vegas, NV - The Flamingo Hotel & Casino

5 Pillars: Maintenance & Reliability Professional Review Course

2007-02-06T19:25:00.000-06:00

Location: The Flamingo Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Dates: April 19-20, 2007 (New Date!)
Instructor: Dave Krings - CMRP
Cost: $795/person. Buy 2, Get 1 FREE! (Free offer ends March 1, 2007)

Attend this fun and interesting 2-day course, covering all aspects of the SMRP standards for the Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) exam. If you are planning to take this important and difficult exam, this course is designed specifically for you.

Did you know that only 1200 CMRP's were earned out of more than 2000 exams taken by the end of 2005? Thats a 60% pass rate, at best. Don't take the exam without getting prepared. There are 140 books in the recommended reading list at the back of the Study Guide. Do you have that kind of time?

We guarantee that you will learn a lot about building a great maintenance program, and freshen up your knowledge of maintenance practices if you plan to take the exam. Either way, a trip to Vegas and a great class is reason enough to join us! It's going to be a lot of fun, and lots of students are planning to stay for the weekend to win big!

Click here to learn more...

Review of Datastick Vibration Spectrum Analysis Training

2007-02-06T19:01:00.000-06:00

I just got back from Campbell, California, headquarters for our friends at Datastick™ Systems. They put on a fantastic three day course, covering the basics of vibration data collection. Their new resident vibration expert, Derek Norfield conducted the course, and did a fantastic job.

Mr. Norfield has been around the business for over 30 years, and he has many great experiences to share while teaching the topic in a fun and interesting manner. I can tell you that the days flew by, and I am much more knowledgeable about the subject. You can sign up for this class by contacting Datastick™.

As many of you know, Nobreakdowns.com is a licensed distributor for Datastick™ products, and we are proud to represent them. Their new VSA-1214/1215 line of Palm™ based vibration spectrum analyzers are revolutionary, making this valuable technology affordable for any business. They are easy to use, durable and powerful.

If you would like to see the VSA1215 in action, check out the demo video. If you are interested in a quote for a Datastick™ device, you can contact Nobreakdowns.com at (218) 327-3114. We would happy to help you get started.