Monitoring Quality and Safety in a Pharmaceutical Lab, Part 2

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Saving Machinery
SmithKline Beecham's Upper Providence Township, Pa. facility has not had a critical equipment failure since the vibration monitoring program was implemented. Some machine saves have resulted in substantial savings. The detection of a defective coupling element on a chiller unit which, if allowed to run in that condition, could have cost approximately $30,000 in materials and labor to repair. On the same day it was installed, The Trendmaster 2000 for Windows system detected a defective bearing in a cooling tower gear reducer, potentially saving $10,000 in material and labor costs.

All equipment vibration problems are analyzed for root cause using the Trendmaster 2000 data. So far, over 100 equipment problems have been documented. These are a few examples:

Vibration increased steadily on an Air Handler Unit, until an Alert alarm occurred. The critical machine couldn't be shut down immediately, so the condition was monitored closely until early November when a scheduled outage was planned. Although the vibration levels continued to rise (Figure 4), the unit was safely operated until a planned shut- down was scheduled and the fan was examined. The diagnostic plots indicated an unbalance condition. Using this data, the machine was balanced. Afterward, vibration returned to an acceptable level.


Figure 4: Plot showing minimum, average and maximum vibration values of the Air Handler Unit. Note that the sudden decrease in amplitude after 2 November shows the effect of the balancing.

In another instance, trend data showed that a bearing on an exhaust fan had high vibration. Over time, the prime spike reading had risen by 3.8 mm/s (0.15 in/s). Prime spike is a frequency range encompassing bearing frequencies generated by rolling elements traversing inner or outer race flaws. Diagnostic plots confirmed a 2.3 mm/s (0.09 in/s) amplitude spike at 22 times running speed. Further investigation showed that the fan's drive side bearing had excessive movement. The bearing was replaced before further damage could occur.

Another case is when an air handling unit went into an Alert alarm on the Trendmaster(r) 2000 system. While reviewing trend data, a sharp increase in the prime spike was noted. BAS information indicated a recent fluctuation in the air handling system's static pressure. Equipment history obtained from the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) indicated a past problem with the vortex damper. Technicians discovered and repaired a broken actuator damper spring. The 1900/25 Monitor was sensitive enough to detect a change in the machine's condition, due to the system dynamic effect on the piece of equipment. Through the process of elimination, the problem was located and corrected immediately.

Another machinery save began with an Alert alarm on a 1900/25 Monitor that processed vibration information from a exhaust fan motor. The motor sheave had worked its way to the end of the motor shaft, causing severe misalignment of the V-belts. The problem was immediately corrected and unplanned downtime was avoided.

The 1900/25 Monitor alone has detected several problems. An air handling unit went into a Danger alarm. Upon investigation, it was found that the unit's shaft and its drive side bearing had extreme fretting corrosion. The 1900/25 Monitor's early warning saved this air handling unit from catastrophic failure.

Other Benefits
Facility technicians also use the Trendmaster 2000 for Windows System to check the quality of their work. After technicians complete scheduled preventive maintenance and the equipment is returned to service, the Trendmaster 2000 for Windows diagnostic plots are used as a post PM inspection. Technicians use it to check conditions, such as alignment and drive belt tension, immediately after the preventive maintenance procedures. According to Paul Fedyna, Maintenance Engineer with Facilities Engineering, "Trendmaster 2000 has helped us to plan and schedule maintenance. We use Trendmaster for Windows' Alert levels as an 'early warning system.' When a unit reaches an Alert level, we closely monitor that machine until we can schedule a convenient time to service it."

"The system has also helped improve our machinery maintenance procedures. It has helped educate machinery technicians by making them aware of the critical nature of balance, alignment, bearing/machine mounting surfaces, sheave eccentricity, resonance and looseness and their effect on these small machines. Any small physical change can have a dramatic effect on the vibration signature which can be readily seen on the Trendmaster 2000 trend and spectrum plots. After any work is completed on the unit, the technicians check the Trendmaster plots and displays to ensure that their work has caused no ill-effects on the equipment."

The Future
The Facilities Engineering Department is very pleased by the reduced maintenance costs due to the 1900/25 Monitor and Trendmaster 2000 for Windows System. They are currently investigating whether other machines can be added to the Trendmaster 2000 System. A current project is to add six emergency diesel generators to the system using an accelerometer Transducer Interface Module and a 1900/25 Monitor for emergency shutdown capabilities. In addition a Keyphasor® transducer (proximity probe) will be used to provide phase information.

The next phase of our project is to interface the Trendmaster 2000 for Windows System into the facility's Building Automation System. Plans call for a system that will automatically generate work orders, sending the technicians to the machine, based on the Trendmaster 2000 alarms.

For more information contact: Glenn Fairchild, Sales Representative, Bently Nevada Corp., 1617 Water St., Minden, Nevada 89423 USA. Phone: 702-782-3611.