Mobius Institute, the premier provider of vibration analysis and machine reliability training courses and products today announced the release of iLearnBalancing™, a computer-based training product that teaches maintenance professionals how to perform in-place dynamic balancing of industrial machines. iLearnBalancing is delivered by DVD or through the web via the iLearn-online Learning Portal and is run on your personal computer.

13th October 2011 - Commtest Instruments have released Ascent 2011 Version 11.4.2.

General Notes
The 2011 release of Ascent software incorporates a number of enhancements that significantly improve performance. This release encompasses the following products:-

• Ascent (11.4.2) - Download
• OnlineManager (11.4.2)
• AscentWatcher (11.3.2)
• Ascent OPC (11.4.2)
• vbX firmware (11.2.10)
• vbOnline firmware (5.87.17)
• vbxManager (11.2.14) - Download

ITC - Level 2 Thermography

The five day level 2 training course prepares you for qualification as a level 2 certified Thermographer.

You will learn about topics in Infrared Thermography to both deepen and broaden your knowledge about infrared physics, heat science, infrared measurement equipment and its application. As a Level 2 Thermographer you shall provide guidance to category 1 personnel in the areas of equipment selection, techniques, limitations, data analysis, corrective actions and reporting.

In order to attend a Level 2 Thermography Course, you shall

• hold a valid Level 1 Thermography certificate.
• prepare a case study to be presented at the Level 2 course and submittedtowards qualification at course closing. Details and guidelines on the case studywill be issued 2-3 weeks prior to the course start date.

It’s one of the oldest jokes in manufacturing. “Why is this repair bill so high?” demands the accountant. “Twenty quid for the part; £5,980 for knowing which part,” retorts the engineer. It illustrates the simple principle governing the whole science of preventive maintenance: it’s usually a lot cheaper to replace something before it breaks than to fix it afterwards.

As manufacturing has steadily reduced manning levels and increased automation, the truth of this axiom has become even more apparent. The cost of line stoppages and lost production, especially in continuous processes, far outweighs the price of effective planning and unplanned preventive maintenance (PM). What is more, the recession has brought its own imperatives: with many companies hanging on by their fingernails, there is a real pressure to defer the replacement of plant and machinery, nursing old installations to keep them going for a while longer. It’s the kind of climate that has brought condition monitoring, one of the key ingredients of PM, into its own.

At its simplest, condition monitoring (CM) demands nothing more sophisticated than a good pair of eyes. Leaks, ear and corrosion can often be spotted by a skilled operator long before they have time to cause real trouble and, as more manufacturers develop first line maintenance to production staff, visual inspection has a vital part to play in any workplace. When, however you can’t see inside the machinery, it’s too complex to monitor visually or it is in a hazardous environment, human eyes and ears aren’t much use. For that reason, technologies like vibration monitoring, oil analysis, ultrasonic surveys and thermography have become increasingly important, either through scheduled application or, for critical equipment, through constant, real-time CM.

All rely on the collection of data about current operational performance over establishment parameters which, by comparing their compliance or deviation from an expected norm, can give early warning of problems. When failure could have serious safety implications, systems are often linked to auto shutdown functions, triggered at the first indication of trouble. The level of sophistication in monitoring systems varies hugely. Some merely record information for interpretations by a skilled engineer; others use computer analysis or even artificial intelligence to predict failure.

The capabilities of CM technology are constantly being improved. Recent product developments include a motor condition monitor system from Artesis that included wireless technology for use in remote and inaccessible locations and fully automated condition assessment reports. It has also developed a predictive maintenance system, the MCM, which uses intelligence mathematical modelling to establish a norm for each item of equipment, after which it continuously monitors the machinery for potential faults. If a fault is detected the system provides a diagnosis of mechanical and electrical problems and indicates the severity of the fault in time to highlight potential failures and to provide advance diagnostics to avoid secondary damage.