The learnShops programme has been unveiled for MAINTEC 2013 and will focus on hot industry topics including energy efficiency, the role of staff in maintenance and health and safety.
Throughout the show, taking place from 5-7 March at the NEC, Birmingham, there will be 38 free learnShops which delegates can attend. At these, experts will show plant and asset managers, engineers and maintenance professionals how to save money, improve efficiencies and enhance asset care, whilst effectively managing the maintenance required.
For those looking for new ways to reduce the amount of energy used, John Roberts, Managing Director at Idhammer Systems, will give an insight into the OEE concept and how it is linked to return on investment. The concept is based on the availability of the plant for production and the performance of the plant. This is determined by the rate that units are produced and the quality of the saleable product. When these elements are considered together, and the current and desired efficiencies analysed, strategies to reduce energy usage can emerge.
Managers of Energy from Waste (EfW) plants will be interested in the talk by Robin Buller, Director of Business Development at KRR ProStream. "Using smart technology to maintain these specialist systems can result in more efficient outputs," explains Robin Buller. He will be focusing on three cleaning technologies, in particular, for boilers, bag house filters and heat exchangers. KRR ProStream specialises in power generation facilities and this talk will give delegates the opportunity to discuss specific efficiency issues with industry experts.
Condition based maintenance offers many economic benefits, as Stan Jackson, Managing Director from SPM Instrument UK will explain. The concept focuses on using staff more effectively on routine inspections to determine possible corrective maintenance. This is said to increase reliability and ensure maintenance work is planned.
Similarly, Roy Davis, Senior Consultant at MCP, will speak about how Operator Asset Care is implemented to complement maintenance excellence and the benefits to a business when asset care is carried out. He explains: "The increased awareness and machinery-based knowledge of production operators will ensure that any machinery failures or malfunctions are detected at an early stage, so that planned actions can be implemented."
Representing the Hazex area of the show and for those who have a health and safety agenda, Sira Test and Certification Ltd will hold a seminar on the world's first international scheme for the certification of personnel associated with equipment, installations and servicing used by Ex industries, known as IECEx.
Any uncertainty of hazards associated with static electricity will be clarified by Mike O'Brien, Product Manager from Newson Gale. "Sometimes thought to be witchcraft due to its invisible nature, static electricity can spark an explosion in combustible atmospheres," explains Mike O'Brien. "The highly dangerous charge can be built up by the movement of powder and liquids in a plant." Using a video to illustrate the dangers, he will be discussing practical measures on how to manage static electricity.
Attendees who work with fragile substances will not want to miss the talk by David Furley, Distribution Manager at CorDEX instruments. He will explain how to control the deployment of standard thermography equipment. Delegates will also be able to hear about web-based predictive maintenance systems, from Dr John Atkinson, Technical Director from C-Cubed.
Andy Parkinson, Business Development Manager from James Walker will speak about improving efficiency and costs by reducing maintenance downtime, while Ian Pledger, IAM Product Specialist from Schaeffler will discuss the implementation of an efficient asset management system using plant condition monitoring. Dr Trevor Holroyd, Technical Director at Parker Kitti Wake Holroyd, will speak about the application of acoustic emission to detect ineffective lubrication in operating machinery.
Marketing Manager at Ernst Schad, Ram Greenshpon will explain how to keep your good old gearbox in service at a fair cost, whilst Reliability Maintenance Solutions will be speak about improving reliability by correcting the 'big four': balancing, shaft/belt alignment, looseness and resonance. Flowcrete will hold a seminar about how to get more from your floor.