Current Issue

Infrared windows to the wiring
Sheila Kennedy says thermal imaging cameras can see energized electrical equipment without opening cabinets or doors.

Optimize compressed air reliability
Preventive maintenance, reduced operating pressure and proper size storage can maximize efficiency.

Industrial plants generate their own alternative energy
Creating wind power can cut energy costs, if you can cut through the red tape.

3 ways to control electrical utility costs
Thermal imaging, power metering and preventive maintenance help preserve your power factor.

A tale of 2 industrial plants
In this installment of What Works, destratification controls temperatures to help with heating costs at a lubricant manufacturer and a steel manufacturer.

Is that a work breakdown structure in your CMMS?
WBS can help to manage deliverables and track work and project costs without more detail than is needed.

Operations management in a bottle
In this installment of What Works, a bottler changes its shop-floor culture as it enables lean principles with an automated data system.

How to digitize documents with CMMS
David Berger offers a checklist of information you can manage electronically.

No good deed goes unpunished
In this edition of In the Trenches, a part-time do-gooder gets the axe when he rats out a software pirate.

Informed recommendations
Tom Moriarty says better information means better decisions about safety, regulatory compliance and production rates.

Control systems just got more maintenance-friendly
Mike Bacidore says integrated infrastructure could allow remote diagnostics and condition monitoring for asset management with fieldbus connectivity.

Global energy strategies take a walk on the green side
Peter Garforth says investments in renewable energy are outpacing those in fossil fuels.