Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 Introduction: Why Use Best Maintenance
Repair Practices? 1
Chapter 2 Fundamental Requirements of Effective
Preventive/Predictive Maintenance 10
Chapter 3 Maintenance Skills Assessment 26
Chapter 4 Safety First, Safety Always 50
Chapter 5 Rotor Balancing 57
Chapter 6 Bearings 71
Chapter 7 Chain Drives 120
Chapter 8 Compressors 133
Chapter 9 Control Valves 180
Chapter 10 Conveyors 203
Chapter 11 Couplings 215
Chapter 12 Dust Collectors 245
Chapter 13 Fans, Blowers, and Fluidizers 261
Chapter 14 Gears and Gearboxes 283
Chapter 15 Hydraulics 314
Chapter 16 Lubrication 327
Chapter 17 Machinery Installation 348
Chapter 18 Mixers and Agitators 353
Chapter 19 Packing and Seals 361
Chapter 20 Precision Measurement 386
Chapter 21 Pumps 395
Chapter 22 Steam Traps 432
Chapter 23 V-Belt Drives 441
Chapter 24 Maintenance Welding 460
Fundamental Requirements of
Effective Maintenance
Effective maintenance is not magic, nor is it dependent on exotic technolo�gies or expensive instruments or systems. Instead, it is dependent on doing simple, basic tasks that will result in reliable plant systems. These basics include:
Inspections
Careful inspection, which can be done without “tearing down” the machine,saves both technician time and exposure of the equipment to possible dam�age. Rotating components find their own best relationship to surrounding components. For example, piston rings in an engine or compressor cylin�der quickly wear to the cylinder wall configuration. If they are removed for inspection, chances are that they will not easily fit back into the same pat�tern. As a result, additional wear will occur, and the rings will have to be replaced much sooner than if they were left intact and performance-tested for pressure produced and metal particles in the lubricating oil.
Human Senses
We humans have a great capability for sensing unusual sights, sounds,smells, tastes, vibrations, and touches. Every maintenance manager shouldake a concerted effort to increase the sensitivity of his own and that should personnel’s human senses. Experience is generally the best teacher. Often,however, we experience things without knowing what we are experiencing.
A few hours of training in what to look for could have high payoff.Human senses are able to detect large differences but are generally notsensitive to small changes. Time tends to have a dulling effect. Have you ever tried to determine if one color was the same as another without having a sample of each to compare side by side? If you have, you will understand the need for standards. A standard is any example that can be compared to the existing situation as a measurement. Quantitative specifications, photo�graphs, recordings, and actual samples should be provided. The critical parameters should be clearly marked on them with displays as to what is good and what is bad.
