-( The Maintenance War Newsletter )-
Feed Forward Publications
March 2004
Web site www.feedforward.com.au


Hi, you are receiving this newsletter because in the past you
registered for it or showed interest in Feed Forward Publications
and/or Business Industrial Network. If you no longer wish to receive
this newsletter, please let us know by replying to this email and
your address will be taken off the list. (Note: you will only receive
this newsletter once a month, no other email.)

If you like what you read in this newsletter, please pass it onto
others inside and outside of your organization, whom you think will
find value in it. If you have any comments to make, please send them
to us. A much better looking and easier to read version of this
newsletter is online at http://www.feedforward.com.au/free-email-
newsletters.htm

You can publish anything that is in this newsletter. All I ask is
that you recognize the copyright, keep the name together with the
article and include our website address www.feedforward.com.au

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** Topics from the front line. ***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. RE: PLC Training

2. Featured Article.
OEE Reports - Automated Capturing & Recording of Availability Data -
by Bob Giese

3. Reader Feedback.
`Kind words'.

4. Technical Help.
Managing your facility's PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers.)

5. Management Help.
Don't let your automation bring your facility to it's knees!

6. Human Resource
Human Resource Effectiveness

7. The World Wide Web.
Other Online PLC resources.

8. World Industry News.

9. A Good Laugh!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
--
_________________________________________________
************* RE: PLC Training *****************
_________________________________________________

Welcome to the March issue of our Feed Forward Newsletter! My name is
Don Fitchett, the author of "The Maintenance War Newsletter". This
first area of the newsletter is for introductions and commentary. We
have added so much to the website, it all can not be covered in the
newsletter. So please browse around and find your gold nugget.
If a friend has given you this copy of the newsletter, you can find
an online version on our website www.feedforward.com.au Every month
we add new book titles for you to download, free articles and other
resources.

In the Management section and in the Tech Tips section you will see
advice about PLCs. (Programmable Logic Controllers). There is no
doubt, some will want to ask..."Why?". I encourage you to please send
me an email and ask why. I will answer every one and some may make it
into next months newsletter.

Well, Mike Sondalini comes through for us again with another new
eBook release.

Helical Rotor Pump - Progressive Cavity Pump Guide by Mike Sondalini
http://www.feedforward.com.au/chemical_pumps.htm

If your facility production involves pumping or dosing food, beer or
chemicals, you probably need the knowledge Mike shares with us in his
new book. Not only are these type of pumps used as chemical pumps or
food pumps, but for slurry and applications that need suction too. So
even the farmers out there could put Mike's tips and tricks to use on
their dam pumps. ( No play on words intended. :>)

We have had many requests over the years for a PLC Training CD that
individuals could use for self education as well as companies,
corporations, and learning institutions. I am happy to announce we
now have the best PLC Training CD set available for you.
(The 'PLCTrainer' is a CBT, which saves students scores and prints
certificate upon completion. Printable PLC manual/work book on CD
too.)

Of course with me being a PLC trainer, I spent months until I found a
product that would exceed my own standards. Then I had to negotiate a
great deal for our customers. I strongly recommend you visit our page
titled PLC Training and Simulation - 2 CD Set. The PLC training set
we put together is priced (limited time offer) for the individual and
great for those who want operational knowledge as well as programming
experience.

http://www.feedforward.com.au/plctrainer_rslogix.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------

I have noticed interest in safety related topics. I have also noticed
book sales have dropped off a bit. This concerns me, so we will
maintain the reduced price of our titles... The CMMS Insider's Guide
e-Book, Process Hazards Analysis and Process Safety Audit Protocols e-
Book

Hopefully this will spark an interest in safety for a few visitors.

The CMMS Insider's Guide e-Book,
http://www.feedforward.com.au/cmms_guide.htm

Process Hazards Analysis and
http://www.feedforward.com.au/hazop_risk_management.htm

Process Safety Audit Protocols e-Book
http://www.feedforward.com.au/osha_inspection_guidelines.htm

__________________________________________
********** FEATURED ARTICLE **************
__________________________________________

OEE Reports - Automated Capturing & Recording of Availability Data
(Moving Beyond Manual Data Collection & Manual Data Compilation)

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) continues to gain acceptance as
an effective method to measure production floor performance.
Capturing and recording accurate production floor information is
critical for producing reliable OEE Reports.

A number of production floors are utilizing manual methods of data
collection for producing OEE report. This approach leaves room for
both inconsistencies and inaccuracies. With manual data collection,
there is usually a second step of manually compiling the data. This
is most commonly accomplished by entering in the information into
spreadsheets. This manual compilation step also leaves room for both
inconsistencies and inaccuracies.

Another disadvantage to manually collecting data for your OEE
reports, like with many maintenance and production improvement plans,
is sustainability. The more task intensive an improvement plan is,
the more likely priorities will change and the OEE initiative will
fade away. With an automated data collection system, sustainability
is no longer an issue. Once in place the automated OEE reporting
stays in place and you need only act on the results.

There are cost effective automated data collection alternatives to
manual data collection that significantly improve the accuracy of OEE
reports. Automated capturing and recording of "Availability
Information" will be covered in this article. Future articles will
address the automated data collection of Performance Rate and Quality
Rate.

>>> OEE
OEE = Availability X Performance Rate X Quality Rate

Availability - Percent of scheduled production (to measure
reliability) or calendar hours 24/7/365 (to measure equipment
utilization) or equipment or line status (to measure ability to
produce), that equipment or a production line is available for
production.

Note: Measures the percent of time that the equipment can be used
(usually total hours of 24-7-365), divided by the equipment uptime
(actual production).

Performance Rate - Percent of parts produced per time frame, of
maximum rate OEM rated production speed at. If OEM specification is
not available, use best known production rate or a standard
production rate can be established.

Note: Performance efficiency is the percentage of available time that
the equipment is producing product at its theoretical speed for
individual products. It measures speed losses. (i.e. inefficient
batching, machine jams)

Quality Rate - Percent of good sellable parts out of total parts
produced per time frame.

Note: Determining the percent of the total output that is good. (i.e.
all products including production, engineering, rework and scrap.)

Example: 50% Availability (0.5) X 70% Performance Rate (0.7) X 20%
Quality Reject Rate (results in 80%(0.8) acceptable) = 30%OEE (Please
see www.DowntimeCentral.com/OEE_TEEP.htm for a free online calculator
to practice with.)

>>> Defining What Is Availability
One of the first steps in initiating OEE reporting is defining the
parameters for the elements of OEE for the individual piece of
equipment, production line or the entire factory. That is clearly
defining, documenting and communicating why a piece of a piece of
equipment or a production area is unavailable for producing product.

There are three basic approaches to defining availability. The
approaches are the percent of scheduled production, calendar hours,
and equipment or line status. The schedule production approach
defines availability by the production schedule for a piece of
equipment, a cell or an entire production line. The calendar hours
defines availability as the total time available to produce product
which is usually 7-24-365. The equipment or line status approach
defines availability in terms that production line or piece of
equipment is in a state to produce product. All three approaches are
valid approaches. The percent of scheduled production and calendar
hours provide a broad view of availability while the line status
approach is a much more defined view.

Some examples to consider as causes for unavailability is power to
piece of equipment or does the production station have personnel in
place. The above two causes may not be enough to define the reason
for unavailability. You may need to add data inputs recording if
there was materials in place or the status of the infrastructure
support (such as air pressure for air driven tools and equipment) as
monitoring points to determine if a piece of equipment, a cell or an
production line is available to produce a product. Availability must
be defined for each area or piece of equipment that will have OEE
reports. In some of the instances there will be more than one element
that needs to be monitored to determine if that piece of equipment or
area is considered available.

>>> Automated Data Collection
Setting a goal of capturing availability status information with no
manual data collection or manual compilation for OEE calculations is
the first step in improving both the accuracy of OEE reports as wells
as reducing the cost to produce the reports. Start with defining what
affects availability for various areas of a production facility.
Identify the specific data collection points that will affect
availability for a given area or unit of equipment. In many cases
there are data collection points already in place. For those
monitoring points, you need only to retrieve the existing data. In
other instances, a data collection monitoring device will need to be
installed.

For installing new data collection points, there are available a
variety of inexpensive sensors that once installed, can capture the
measurement of numerous parameters. These sensors can detect flow
rate, weight, quantity, motion activity, phases of electrical power
as wells as many other items. The sensors usually come with normally
open or normally closed switch contacts. These switch contacts will
serve as the data collection points for automated data collection.

Using sensors with switch contact outputs for most monitoring
situations are probably the easiest approach for capturing
availability data. To monitor equipment starting with power switches
and other functions of equipment, it is often the case of adding an
extra set of inexpensive contacts to an existing switch on the
equipment.

There are other means to capture activity status information
including embedded equipment control software and equipment
monitoring software that can capture the parameters for availability.
What must be factored into the monitoring approach is that each
monitoring point must include a time and date stamp.

The data collected from the monitoring points must be transmitted to
a database for data retention and reporting. The database that
captures and records the status information can be a commonly
available P/C database packages such as Microsoft Access®. It is
critical that all data points recorded must include time, date and
location stamps to support the development of OEE reports. Database
report writers can be used to extract the information to produce OEE
reports.

In addition to custom in house database systems, there are available
integrated data collection systems with application software packages
with complete OEE Reports. These systems and reporting can be
tailored to each individual facility's requirements.

>>> The Wireless Connection
The implementation of the wireless LAN or other wireless technologies
to capture and transmit availability data greatly enhances the
timeliness, utilization and flexibility of the data collection
system. Hard wired systems over time, limit the functionality of a
data collection system. In the past wireless technologies did not
provide the high level of reliability that is required for factories,
leaving the hard wired systems as the only alternative. That is no
longer true especially with the introduction of the wireless LAN
802.11g standard and advanced 900 MHz technology. Wireless data
collection and transmission systems provides for easy
reconfigurations of changing production floor layouts or changing
production flow activity. A number of off-the-shelf production floor
wireless data collection systems are available for use on the
production floor.

>>> Cost Justification
The implementation of an automated data collection system with an
integrated database provides immediate financial returns. The labor
cost associated with manual data collection on production lines by
production personnel and the manual compilation of the data to
calculate OEE are eliminated with an automated system. The accuracy
and integrity of the source data is significant improved. With more
accurate OEE reports you will make better financially feasible
decisions that will result in even greater savings. The timeliness of
the OEE reports themselves are also significantly improved with
automated data collections. In most cases, the OEE Reports are
available for review the same date as the final element of
information is captured.

About the Author: Bob Giese is President of VersaCall Technologies
Inc. which as been implementing wireless factory floor monitoring and
communications since 1995. To learn how a wireless system would
benefit your location e-mail sales@... or visit
www.versacall.com.

_____________________________________________
********* READER FEEDBACK ****************
_____________________________________________

Subject: kind words
Thanks for this platform for maintenance engineers to share ideas. I
really aspire to be like the featured author.

Edward G.
____________________________________________
************ TECHNICAL HELP ***************
____________________________________________

**** Managing your facility's PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers.)
****

1) Before forcing a 'real world' input or output (I/O), be sure you
have a complete understanding of every way the I/O will affect the
program and machine operation.

2) Always zip your PLC ladder logic programs up before placing them
on a floppy disk or emailing them.

3) Copies of all PLC programs with descriptors should be obtained
from all OEMs and stored on site.

4) The descriptored programs should be used to update copies of
programs currently running in the machines every 6 months. (You may
want to add a couple machines per month to the existing PM program.)

5) Insure your maintenance staff has a laptop with the PLC software
loaded on it as well as training on how to use it.

6) When personnel are going online with PLCs in the facility, it is
recommended they use an external mouse with the lap top. This will
further insure unintentional clicks do not occur with laptop's built
in mouse while online with PLCs.

7) I also recommend a spreadsheet be made for management of facility
PLC programs (Ask me to send you an example copy).

8) You also might consider installing an EEPROM (back up memory chip)
on those PLCs which do not already have one.

9) I would encourage maintenance and engineering to use PLC for new
equipment design instead of relay panels. This will save on design
cost, implementation, troubleshooting and future modifications of
equipment as well as increase reliability.

10) Most customized onsite training for your employees qualifies for
your state's reimbursement programs. If so, paying pennies on the
dollar for your maintenance staff's PLC training can offer an even
greater return on your training investment.

Regards,


Don F.
Please see our PLC Training Services

http://www.bin95.com/plc_training.htm
__________________________________________________
*************** MANAGEMENT HELP ******************
__________________________________________________

<> Don't let your automation bring your facility to it's knees! <>

If you have read any of my material over the years, you have no doubt
ran into my example of how a plant air compressor is often overlooked
as a bottle neck. (Actually they should have higher priority than
bottlenecks do.)
Another piece of equipment that should have higher importance than
bottlenecks when it comes to maintenance and costs is the PLC.
(Programmable Logic Controller) If not properly managed, they can
stop production of an entire line or facility.

In our 'Maintenance Tech Tip' area there are several tips and advice
for managing the ever growing population of PLC technology in your
facility. The two most important pieces of advice, I would like to
reiterate here.

First, be aware of how many, what brand and support you have for the
PLCs in your facility. If you want an example of what kind of
facility assessment you should be doing, I have an excel spread sheet
you can use as an example. Just send me an email requesting it
(info@...) and I'll be happy to send you a copy.

Secondly, be sure your maintenance and engineering departments have
the tools they need to work with the PLCs in your facility and reduce
downtime. The tools needed are training, a laptop with PLC software
to access the PLCs, and discriptored copies of every PLC program
running in your facility.

If the above measures are not taken, someday production will be down,
waiting on a service tech to schedule a visit to your facility. But
worse is the countless hours of un-necessary downtime you have
already experienced and may not have realized. The PLC is being
utilized as a valuable troubleshooting tool more and more as
technology increases.

____________________________________________________

************** HUMAN RESOURCE **********************
____________________________________________________

<> Human Resource Effectiveness <>
The most evident indicator of human resource effectiveness is not
seeing individuals with idle time, waiting on work. There is another
aspect of utilizing your human resources effectively that is much
more difficult to analyze and improve. That is your work force
efficiency.

The efficiency at which each individual in your company does their
respective job can be greatly improved by two basic metrics. Steps to
complete a task and timing. You can brainstorm and come up with the
minimum steps to complete a task but still be held up by timing,
waiting for an external task to be completed before moving on to the
next step in the original task.

While it was out of the scope of Bob Giese's article - OEE Reports -
Automated Capturing & Recording of Availability Data
(http://www.feedforward.com.au/oee_automated_data_collection.htm), I
feel the VersaCall automated system deserves mention of how it also
improves human resource effectiveness. Their system pages, emails, or
communicates in some other form anytime a task is not completed in
time to keep production running.

The VersaCall system is a way of virtually automating the human
aspects of running your facility, thus reducing or eliminating any
timing issues that would cause idle, non-effective time. An example
would be a machine becoming low on raw material. The VersaCall system
would page the forklift operator. If for some reason the forklift
operator could not deliver in time (some preset alarm level set), a
supervisor may receive a text message on their cell phone.

With scenarios like the one above, all automated, you not only result
in a smoother running facility, but get OEE reports that help you
identify where and how to improve your operating effectiveness.

___________________________________________________
************** THE WORLD WIDE WEB *****************
____________________________________________________
Other Online PLC resources:

>> Articles:

When Controls Converge: CNC,PLC & PC
http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/019903.html

Documenting PLC Software
http://www.searcheng.co.uk/articles/plc/documenting.htm

Programmable controllers: Revolution or evolution?
http://www.manufacturing.net/ctl/article/CA379446


>> Recommends ...

http://www.ab.com/

Although myself and our companies are in no way affiliated with Allen
Bradley, their PLCs would be my first recommendation. They may be a
bit pricey, but well worth the quality and functionality they
provide. When your equipment has Allen Bradley controllers, your
facility is built on a rock of reliability.

http://www.automationdirect.com/

PLCDirect by Koyo offers programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for
factory automation in four product families, PC-based control
software, along with operator interfaces, programming software,
factory network devices, manuals and accessories. This company made
the TI 405,305, GE Series 1, Semantic, Siemens, and licensed those
companies to put their name on it. Buy direct, and save!

>> OEMs:

Note: we are not recommending the following vendors, only providing a
link as a resource if you already have their equipment in your
facility.

Fuji PLCs - Eaton Cutler-Hammer PLC - Modicon - Omron – Siemens
(Please see online version of this newsletter for live links.)
____________________________________________________
************** WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS *****************
____________________________________________________


ARCwire for the Week Ending February 6,2004 reaching over 60,000
professionals worldwide.

Please forward this to a colleague. Anyone can sign up for a free
subscription on their Web site at http://www.ARCweb.com

* Motion Control and Safety Issues: A Constantly Evolving Market
* IT in Manufacturing: Issues Remain
* Business Industrial Network Offers Discount on PLC Training
* IAONA Expands Memorandum of Understanding to Include New Partners

===== ARC BENCHMARKING SURVEYS =====

>> Motion Control and Safety Issues: A Constantly Evolving Market
Many market insiders believe that recent consolidation in the motion
control market has tamed the spirited individualism prevalent during
the past two decades. ARC contends that the industry remains
extremely entrepreneurial and continues to provide fertile ground for
innovation and differentiation of products. If you are an OEM or an
end user please take this survey and provide your perception of
Motion Control and Safety Issues in this constantly evolving market.
You will receive the results at no charge from survey author Sal
Spada.

To take the survey, please click here:
www.arcweb.com/websurveyor/wsb.dll/ARC/MotionCustom.htm

===== INDUSTRY TRENDS =====

>> IT in Manufacturing: Issues Remain
ARC's 8th Annual Performance Driven Manufacturing Forum, held in
Orlando last week, provided attendees with information on real-world
implementations of solutions in the process, hybrid, and discrete
industries that enable users to achieve Real-time Performance
Management (RPM). Forum presentations focused both on enabling
technologies for deploying an RPM strategy as well as changes in work
processes and the manufacturing organization that are necessary to
achieve and sustain RPM.

===== COMPANY NEWS & BRIEFINGS =====

>> Business Industrial Network Offers Discount on PLC Training as a
New Strategic Training Partner for the Association for Facilities
Engineering

Business Industrial Network offers discount and 1.6 CEUs for it's two
day PLC Training course to members of the Association for Facilities
Engineering (AFE) as a Strategic Training Partner (STP) for the
organization.

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) -- Business Industrial Network
(http://www.BIN95.com) announces it is now a Strategic Training
Partner for the Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE). See
http://www.afe.org/stp.html#BIN for details and discounts offered to
Association for Facilities Engineering members.

Business Industrial Network offers a two day basic Programmable Logic
Controller (PLC) training course, designed for those who troubleshoot
machinery and equipment with Allen Bradley's ™ RSLogix ™ software.
The PLC training course is offered primarily as customized onsite
training, but quarterly seminars are available too. Both qualify for
1.6 Continue Education Units (CEU).

Business Industrial Network always strives to give the customer more
than they expect. Their customized on-site PLC training qualifies for
many state employee training reimbursement programs. A summary of
their offerings are; on-site PLC training, training seminars and
online educational maintenance books, ebooks and CDs.

Business Industrial Network has extended a special price reduction
for their on-site PLC training and seminars fees of 10% for AFE
members. In order to obtain this discount, members must identify
their AFE affiliation and provide their member id for verification.
The next PLC training seminar is scheduled for March 22-23, 2004 in
Atlanta Georgia.

Please see http://www.bin95.com/AB_RSLogix_Seminar.htm for details.
Details of the onsite training can be found at
http://www.bin95.com/plc_training.htm, or call for details on any of
Business Industrial Network's offerings. 573-547-5630

# # #

===== ACQUISITIONS & PARTNERING NEWS =====

>> IAONA Expands Memorandum of Understanding to Include New Partners
Parker Hannifin completed the divestiture of Wynn's Industrie, an
industrial lubricants unit of the Wynn's Specialty Chemicals
business, to a subsidiary of Fuchs Petrolub AG. The divested unit,
based in France, has

annual revenues of approximately $29 million. Parker Hannifin noted it

has retained all rights to the Wynn's brand, reflecting the company's
continued ownership of Wynn's Specialty Chemicals, a producer of high-
performance chemicals for mobile and automotive applications.

_____________________________________________
************* A GOOD LAUGH ! ****************
_____________________________________________

You might be an engineering redneck if ...

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you have more than two
electronic devices that you carry on your person.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you have a key to the
company to come into work when no one else is there.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you have used coat hangers
and duct tape for something other than hanging coats and taping ducts

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you use a PLC to control
your Christmas lights.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you have power cord (pig
tails) in your desk.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you can say PCMCIA quickly
three time in row with out giving it a second thought.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you have a pocket screw
driver in your shirt pocket right now.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you have more friends on
the Internet than in real life.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... your watch plugs into your
computer.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... if you use CAD for non
work-related projects.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... If you know the direction
the water swirls when you flush.

You might be an engineering redneck if ... you read all of the above
and feel an uncontrollable urge to email me with your own set of "You
might be an engineering redneck if ... "

______________________________________________________________________
______
______________________________________________________________________
______

Best regards and thanks for being a subscriber to this newsletter.

Don Fitchett
Managing Editor
Feed Forward Publications
http://www.feedforward.com.au
Email: info@...

Tel : (573) 547-5630
www.feedforward.com.au teaches your maintenance crew engineering and
asset care knowledge so that they can solve more problems, become
more knowledgeable, make better decisions and your plant runs more
reliably!