In February, the Association for Manufacturing Technology released a survey that found that manufacturing technology consumption was up 138.1 percent since February of 2010. Companies looking to up their output are investing in technology to expedite and streamline the production process. “The dramatic year-over-year growth further underscores the manufacturing renaissance that is taking place,” said Douglas K. Woods, President of AMT. To get a detailed report, you can check out the full...
A recent survey conducted by the National Association for Business Economics says that the U.S. economy’s health is improving “substantially.” “Companies appear to be positioning themselves for a firming economic environment,” said Shawn DuBravac, an economist with the Consumer Electronics Association, who analyzed the findings. The survey is conducted quarterly and expresses the views of economists from a select size of trade groups and privately held companies. Results are measured by the...
The 1800s is credited with numerous inventions that have revolutionized our daily life. The DC motor is one of them. Since it was accidentally partnered with another instrument and produced voltage it has been used in conveyor belts, elevators, cranes, ski lifts, extruders and mixers. Today, the DC motor has become one of the most popular equipments used in manufacturing plants, apartment buildings and airports. Since these machines are frequently stopped and...
Most gamblers spend their lifetime guessing, but an industrial manager doesn’t have that luxury. Control system failure in an industrial plant is never really an option, but if and when it does happen it’s important to be prepared. For process and manufacturing facilities, control system failure — even for a second — will cause tremendous damage. But with the right training skills any crisis can be handled smoothly. When it comes to...
What does SCORM compliant mean?
SCORM stands for Sharable Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM), which is a set of specifications that, when applied to course content, produces small, reusable e-Learning objects. A result of the Department of Defense’s Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative, SCORM-compliant courseware elements are easily merged with other compliant elements to produce a highly modular repository of training materials.
Boiler systems are often the most commonly used steam or hot water generators in an industrial plant. As a result, great care and attention should be given to ensure that they continue to operate efficiently and safely while responding rapidly to changes. By incorporating boiler training into your plant’s training program, it will allow your employees to develop better control techniques, as well as enable you to have greater flexibility in deciding...
ITC Learning’s Activ® interactive multimedia training offers a two-lesson mechanical training CD set, giving participants the knowledge to understand, disassemble, inspect, troubleshoot and repair reciprocating air compressors.
Printing companies frequently calibrate their printing equipment to ensure that the items they print such as brochures, catalogs, and other materials all have the same quality. Any deviation from the preset standard point will lead to a low quality product or machine failure. In an industrial plant, equipment calibration is also a critical part of the manufacturing process because if the measurements are off then your company will have wasted its time...
Bearings are used in a wide variety of manufacturing plants, and when bearings fail they can cause the machinery to break down or the entire plant to grind to a halt. Most failed bearings have a story to tell. It can help mechanics to identify the cause of the problem, maintenance issues, bearing selection errors, and other important issues. For instance, since a paper pulp processing plant will probably use bearings everyday...
In an industrial plant it’s important to maintain proper lubrication. Since most large equipment is oil lubricated, knowing the right type of oil to use is a critical part of keeping your machinery in good working condition. Plus, it’s important that your mechanics, oilers, and other employees know the best type of lubricant to select. Not only that, but they should know how to properly store and handle the lubricant during delivery,...
After 87 days the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has finally been plugged. This unfortunate accident is the biggest example of what happens when equipment such as valves and other instruments are not maintained properly. It’s possible that if the companies involved had a worst case scenario plan for their employees to implement, the disaster would not have been so catastrophic. But industrial companies can take note and use this disaster as...
Knowing how to devise a solution to a problem and implement it is a skill that is much valued, especially by industrial organizations. Because equipment malfunctions for a variety of reasons skilled mechanics and maintenance personnel who know how to troubleshoot problems will always be in high demand. When mechanical seals and other parts wear out, wires overheat, and centrifugal pumps start to operate erratically, a mechanic will be needed to repair...
We don’t always react the right way or the way we’re expected to in life. But in a plant setting reacting without thinking can be a dangerous thing. For instance, when a machine begins to perform erratically, the operator might become frustrated and reach in to remove the obstructing material. But, this reaction may cause the operator to physically injury himself. By not adequately training your maintenance employees and technicians you’re only...
When you become sick and have to visit the doctor, the first thing he or she wants to know is what your symptoms are. It’s necessary for a doctor to know this so they can make an accurate diagnosis. In predictive maintenance, equipment operators do the same thing except they have a more hands on approach. They observe and note the indicators that may signal that there might be a problem. From...
