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ultrasound testing

Establishing Ultrasound Testing as a CBM Pillar Part 3

By Allan Rienstra and Thomas Murphy

Knowledge represents power for the one. Sharing that knowledge empowers us all.

We were recently reminded of a quote from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: "It is always dangerous to reason from insufficient data." In Part 3 of Establishing Ultrasound as a Pillar of Your CBM Program, we assert it is even more dangerous to reason from insufficient data that is poorly communicated.

Good Green Hunting - Managing Steam Systems with Ultrasound

by Allan Rienstra

Writing about ultrasound's role in helping industries operate "green," I am reminded of an article provided to Uptime Magazine in January/February 2009. The subject of that piece, "When Green is Good Business, Sustainability through Ultrasonic Energy Conservation" looked at the paradox of sustainability. The term sustainability was born of corporate social responsibility and the need for big business to be perceived as environmentally conscientious. Business was good. And so it was fashionable to invest in green programs. Reducing carbon footprint, conserving energy, and most importantly, painting a picture of responsible big business by putting the needs of the planet ahead of the needs of its shareholders' wallets were in vogue. Then it fell apart.

Asset Condition Management

Ultrasound Assisted Lubrication Best Practices

An hour long presentation by Adrian Messer, Manager of US Operations, UE Systems, Inc.

Airborne & Structure-borne ultrasound has evolved into a technology that many would consider to be the cornerstone of an effective maintenance & reliability program. From compressed air & gas leak detection, electrical inspection, and various mechanical inspections, ultrasound is truly a versatile tool for anyone's PdM "toolbox." One application in particular is condition based lubrication of rotating equipment. This webinar will demonstrate how ultrasound can be used to enhance current lubrication procedures, and how ultrasound assisted lubrication can reduce failures related to lubrication in rotating equipment.

Sound Collectors, Can You Hear Me Now?

I received an email from a reliability engineer and loyal subscriber to Uptime Magazine and the "Ultrasonic War Stories" newsletter. As an advocate of sound technologies, he knew I would be interested in some pictures regarding "sound collectors" that he found on the Internet titled, "Before Radar."

Sound collectors, such as sound mirrors and acoustic horns, were once used as an early warning system to detect approaching enemy aircraft. The mirrors were not parabolic, but actually spherical. Some were made of concrete, others spherical carvings cut from the side of a cliff or rock wall to collect sound. In Figure 1 (left to right), you have a rectangular 200-foot curved mirror, a 20-foot sound mirror and a 30-foot sound mirror. Note a vertical pole that held a microphone in the center of the sound mirror.

Asset Condition Management

Establishing Ultrasound Testing as a CBM Pillar Part 2

By Allan Rienstra and Thomas Murphy

"There's lots of talk about the benefits of implementing CBM and the positive impact that condition monitoring technologies like ultrasound testing can have. It seems we all have a good grasp of what it is and why we need it. The ultimate challenge is to move from inception to launch stage. Show me HOW TO DO IT."

Asset Condition Management

Establishing Ultrasound as a CBM Pillar

An hour long presentation by Thomas J. Murphy, SDT Ultrasound Solutions

This web workshop introduces Ultrasound as a pillar resource for establishing an effective CBM program. Learn why ultrasound is fast becoming the tool of choice for PdM and Reliability Managers as a first defense against unplanned downtime. Discover how to create and implement an ultrasound inspection program, identify key strengths and potential weaknesses.

Detecting Bearing Faults Part 2

This article is the second in a series of four. The first article provided a summary of how the vibration patterns change as the bearing fails. After very briefly recapping the basics, this article will discuss the detection and analysis tools that can be used to determine the nature and severity of the bearing fault: ultrasound, Shock Pulse, PeakVue, enveloping, and spectrum and time waveform analysis.

SDT Awarded ATEX and ISO9001 Certification

SDT International, (Brussels, Belgium) SDT International proudly announced that Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance awarded their manufacturing facility ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Standards. “This long awaited award reinforces our reputation amongst our peers and our customers that SDT’s commitment to manufacture high quality measurement instruments and software is stronger than ever”, stated Andre Degraeve, Managing Director of SDT International.

Asset Condition Management

Establishing Ultrasound Testing as a CBM Pillar - Part 1

A four part presentation by Tom Murphy, SDT Ultrasound Solutions. Originally filmed at the CBM2011 Condition Based Monitoring Conference at the Reliability Performance Institute in Fort Myers, Florida.

In a world full of acronyms and buzzwords it is all too easy to forget the real meaning and purpose of our Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) journey. This half day short course is designed to help maintenance establish Ultrasound Testing as a pillar of your CBM program. The course will refocus the principle goals of your program by identifying what to do (and not do) first, why to do it, and most importantly, how to do it.

New Intrinsically Safe Ultrasonic Tester From CorDEX

CorDEX Instruments, a specialist in intrinsically safe and explosion-proof instruments for non-destructive testing (NDT), introduces the UT5000 with CorDEX CONNECT^TM, the first intrinsically safe handheld ultrasonic tester to deliver a comprehensive preventative maintenance system for pipelines and similar hazardous environments.

MISTRAS’ Acoustic Leak Detection Device Approved for Use In EPA’s Mandatory Reporting of

Princeton Junction, NJ - March 7, 2011 - MISTRAS Group, Inc.‘s (NYSE: MG) Acoustic Leak Detection Device has been approved for use in meeting the EPA’s Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Rule 40 CFR Part 98. The Mandatory Report Rule (MMR) requires entities in the oil and gas industry exceeding certain emissions thresholds to monitor and report their greenhouse gas emissions to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

DOT Approves CTRL’s Ultrasonic Sensor for Drum Reconditioning Industry

WESTMINSTER, Md. - CTRL Systems, Inc. and Adria Machine received notification the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved the purpose-built leak detection system designed to find holes as small as 10/1,000th of an inch in steel and plastic drums. CTRL worked closely with Adria Machine to incorporate its proprietary ultrasonic sensor. DeWitt Barrel, a drum reconditioning company, received the first approval by the DOT to use the CTRL/Adria Machine-developed leak detection apparatus.

Detecting Bearing Faults

By Jason Tranter

This article is the first in a series of four. In this article we will provide an overview of how vibration analysis can be used to detect bearing faults. We will only consider the typical failure mode where a spall develops in the bearing and the fault slowly worsens until the bearing ultimately fails. In the next article we will explore how techniques such as enveloping, PeakVue, Shock Pulse, time waveform, and spectrum analysis can be used to detect bearing wear. In future articles we will explore additional fault conditions (cocked bearing, EDM, skidding and other conditions), and in the final article we will examine what the vibration analyst can do to extend the life of the bearing through acceptance testing, correction of unbalance and other conditions, and root cause failure analysis.

Asset Condition Management

Keep Your Trap Shut: Advanced ultrasonic testing of steam systems

A 45 minute Webinar Tutorial on Demand led by Paul Klimuc, International Service Manager, SDT Ultrasound Solutions

This presentation briefly covers the basics of ultrasound steam trap testing with a strong emphasis on advanced techniques including dynamic signal analysis of continuous traps. A steam trap testing decision tree defines action sets based on data results and guides inspectors toward the correct assessment of the trap. A real world example demonstrates how dynamic time wave analysis helps inspectors differentiate between flash and live steam. This presentation is recommended for all inspectors interested in learning about the advancements of ultrasound testing for steam systems.

Participate to learn:

1) The ultrasonic difference between Live and Flash steam

2) Using advanced dynamic signal analysis to test continuous type traps

3) A testing decision tree to guide you toward the correct assessment of trap condition

ultrasound testing

Establishing Ultrasound Testing as a CBM Pillar Part 3

Good Green Hunting - Managing Steam Systems with Ultrasound

Ultrasound Assisted Lubrication Best Practices

Sound Collectors, Can You Hear Me Now?

Establishing Ultrasound Testing as a CBM Pillar Part 2

Ultrasound Worth It’s Weight in Gold

Establishing Ultrasound as a CBM Pillar

Detecting Bearing Faults Part 2

Establishing Ultrasound Testing as a CBM Pillar

SDT Awarded ATEX and ISO9001 Certification

Establishing Ultrasound Testing as a CBM Pillar - Part 1

New Intrinsically Safe Ultrasonic Tester From CorDEX

Lets Talk About Compressed Air Leakage

MISTRAS’ Acoustic Leak Detection Device Approved for Use In EPA’s Mandatory Reporting of

CTRL Systems Hires Director of National Accounts

DOT Approves CTRL’s Ultrasonic Sensor for Drum Reconditioning Industry

Inspect Steam Traps Using Airborne Scanning Mode

Detecting Bearing Faults

Keep Your Trap Shut: Advanced ultrasonic testing of steam systems

Ultrasonic War Stories - Motor Frying Noise