A lot of times in the industry, lubricating machines is a task given to new employees because it’s thought to be a job for newer workers or apprentices. Although lubrication is a relatively easy task to perform, it is still instrumental to have a good understanding of the different types of lubricants. Doing so will…
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Although it is not the millwright or mechanics responsibility to specify mechanical seal applications, it is a good idea to have a basic understanding of their purpose. This blog will give the basics of double and tandem mechanical seals. The double mechanical seal uses two mechanical seals (an inboard and outboard seal). They can…
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In power transmission, a coupling is a device used to connect a driving machine, such as a motor, engine, or turbine, to a driven machine, such as a fan, pump, compressor, or other machine. There are numerous styles of couplings, each with specific design characteristics, that make them suitable for their respective applications. All…
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How do you know if a bearing is about to fail? Bearings don’t last forever and can be damaged if proper precautions are not taken, so it’s important to know the signs of impending bearing failure. In this blog, we will go over the four stages of bearing failure and how this tends to show…
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Mechanical looseness is a common diagnosis in vibration analysis. You will certainly run into it when you are monitoring your machines if you haven’t already. However, did you know that there are three different types of mechanical looseness? Knowing which type of mechanical looseness you are dealing with is essential to providing the correct solution…
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Implementing a reliability program in your facility can have numerous benefits. Just a few of these include: Greater efficiency Reduced costs Better organization Increased understanding of machine trends Less frustration in the workplace Streamlined process The list could go on. Few of us are likely to disagree that a reliability program for your machines and…
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Vibration analysis is a useful way to monitor machine health. Many plants have implemented regular vibration analysis plans to ensure the condition of their machines is being checked at regular intervals and so, if an issue comes to light after spectral analysis, a solution can be pursued. When analyzing vibration, it is important to…
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Fluting can be an issue on bearings if you don’t know how to look for the signs. In this post we will cover what fluting is and how to fix it when it occurs. First, what is fluting? Fluting is damage caused to a bearing due to an electrical current induced on the shaft…
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Bearings are essential to all rotating machinery. They are small but mighty–if bearings aren’t healthy, a machine will not function at optimum levels. In this post we provide you with some information and best practices for bearing installation and maintenance. Let’s start with the very basics–what are bearings? A bearing is a machine component that:…
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How do you calculate the RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) of a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD)? This is what we will go over in this post. A Variable Frequency Drive, which is most often abbreviated as VFD, is a type of mechanical drive system used to control AC motor speed and torque by varying motor input…
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Proper lubrication of bearings is essential if you want to maintain your machines at optimum levels. Did you know it is estimated that 40-50 percent of bearing failures are the result of improper greasing/lubrication? That’s a significantly high percentage! So what can you do to ensure you are properly lubricating your bearings? Two things…
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Do you know how to calculate F-MAX or even what F-MAX is? Knowing how to calculate F-MAX is an important part of vibration analysis because many different types of faults can be shown at multiples of the running speed, which is otherwise known as 1x. But first, what is F-MAX? F-MAX means “Frequency Max.” This…
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Knowledge of HVAC systems is essential for data center workers since heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are so integral to the data center. A good HVAC technician will be familiar with a wide range of HVAC systems, controls, and installation methods. The skills needed for a thorough knowledge of HVAC include: Knowledge of refrigeration Knowledge…
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As anyone who works with rotating machinery knows, bearings are essential to machine functions. One of the first things to know about bearings is that there are two main types. We will go over these two main types and more in this installment of our Condition Monitoring Basics series of blog posts. The two main…
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Unbalance and misalignment are problems that need to be addressed as soon as possible, but before you can begin to fix them, first you need to know how to find them on a spectrum. We will go over this below. For example, with a fan, unbalance appears on the spectrum as a higher than…
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