Departments

Transcription

Departments

$12.00
Volume 71, No. 07 October 2012
www.plant.ca
ARM’S
REACH
Kinova’s
innovative
robotic device
enables the
disabled
PM 40069240
NEW TECHNOLOGY SECTION
1-PLT-OCT.indd 1
HIGHLIGHTS
Plan ahead for a 5S+1 program
Vale clears the AER in Sudbury
Business diagnostic for sluggish sales
Shell digs deep to deal with CO2
Achieve peak cogeneration efficiency
12-10-16 9:57 AM
ad industrial tabloid_Layout 1 23/07/2012 3:49 PM Page 1
Why swim with
all the other fish?
IPEX Industrial – Tough Products for Tough Environments
Double Containment – Fail Safe Piping Systems
Carrier: 1/2" – 12" (12mm – 300mm)
Containment: 2" – 18" (50mm – 450mm)
Carrier: 1/2" – 20" (12mm – 500mm)
Containment: 2" – 26" (50mm – 660mm)
When leaks are not an option, vinyl double containment is
used in tough, corrosion resistant industrial grade PVC and
high temperature industrial grade CPVC materials. Clear PVC
containment is also available for instant visual leak detections.
Custom designed and fabricated double containment systems for
similar & dissimilar materials including metals, alloys, thermosets
and thermoplastics. A large material selection ensures
compatibility while reducing material costs.
1-1/2" – 12" (40mm – 300mm)
The patented point-of-collection system offers
a modular, cost effective solution to leak
detection. Applications include above ground and below
grade piping systems.
Polypropylene double containment system for acid waste
drainage consisting of an electrofusion fitting with a heavy
gauge resistance wire molded into the socket.
All systems are factory contained and shipped ready to install.
Products manufactured by IPEX Inc.
GuardianTM, Clear-GuardTM, EncaseTM, CustomGuard® & Centra-Guard® are trademarks of IPEX Branding Inc.
Industrial Piping Systems
Tough Products for Tough Environments®
To l l F r e e : 1 - 8 6 6 - 4 7 3 - 9 4 6 2 | w w w . i p e x i n c . c o m
www.plantmagazine.ca/rsc/ 101
2-3-PLNT.indd 2
12-10-05 11:49 AM
Editorial
COVER PHOTO:
KINOVA ROBOTICS
Sparks fly in Ontario
W
hether it’s petroleum or electricity, there are some provincial governments
expending a lot of energy on, well…energy.
BC and Alberta are squaring off over how to divvy up the spoils from the
proposed Northern Gateway pipeline should it proceed across British Columbia lands
to the coast. Putting aside the drama and politicking, if the project goes ahead it will
mean billions of dollars worth of direct revenue and economic benefits (albeit unevenly split) for both provinces.
Clear across the country in Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial government
is involved in the ambitious $6.2 billion Lower Churchill hydro project. If this mega
deal goes ahead, the former have-not province will bypass Quebec, its hydro nemesis,
to sell its power at a decent rate, much to the province’s benefit.
In Cape Breton, NS, the government is providing the new owners of the NewPage
Port Hawksbury paper mill with a $124.5 million aid package on top of the $36.8 million already spent to keep the facility in operating mode. Pacific West will also enjoy
a break on electricity rates, which were too high and one of the reasons the previous
proprietors shuttered the mill.
This may be an ill-advised move to save 229 of the roughly 600 jobs that were lost
when the mill closed down, but NewPage does demonstrate the downside when
electricity costs prove to be too much for industrial customers struggling with other
business inhibitors.
Sadly, this appears to be a lesson lost on the Dalton McGuinty government in havenot Ontario, a province with an annual $13 billion deficit that’s straining under the
weight of the Liberal party’s ethical flexibility and ineptitude.
Manufacturers, reeling from the effects of a high loonie and slow markets, are dealing with galloping electricity bills that for some could mean the difference between
continuing to operate at their current locations, moving or closing.
The reason? The McGuinty government’s zeal to create a renewable energy sector
to attract investment and create jobs is threatening to do the opposite. At issue is the
global adjustment, which is the difference we all pay between the market price for
power (say 1.48 cents per kWh) and what the province agreed to pay contracted suppliers of mostly renewable energy (10.3 to 80.2 cents per kWh). It may be good for the
suppliers, but the global adjustment is bleeding manufacturers.
The Guelph Mercury ran an interesting profile of Packaging Films in Ayr, Ont., a
company that makes plastic sheeting used to produce trays for food and plants. Its
electricity costs have escalated 50% since 2009. The June bill was $53,000, putting the
company on track for an annual cost of $600,000. A small company, Packaging Films
employs 23 people and makes about $12 milion a year. Little wonder the exasperated
owner is one of those looking at shifting the operation elsewhere or shutting down.
And business owners can look forward to more blood loss. The Auditor General
warns the global adjustment will grow from $700 million in 2006 to $8.1 billion 2014 if
it’s not changed. Meanwhile, it’s costing Ontario about $2 billion to sell surplus electricity to the US.
Oh, the irony. And there’s more.
Sparks are flying over the McGuinty government’s cancellation of two natural gasfired power generating plants destined for Mississauga and Oakville for reasons that
appear to have more to do with saving five Liberal seats in the recent election than
respecting the concerns of NIMBY ratepayers. Manufacturers and regular folks will be
on the hook for $230 million or so (current accounting).
The Premier’s response? To paraphrase, “We made a mistake…”
Some mistake. One of many that weaken Ontario’s manufacturing sector.
Joe Terrett, Editor
Comments? E-mail [email protected].
Publisher: Michael King 416-510-5107
[email protected], [email protected]
District Sales Managers:
Amanda Bottomley 416-859-4527
[email protected]
Catherine Martineau (Quebec) 647-988-5559
[email protected]
Deborah St. Lawrence 416-510-6844
[email protected]
Derek Morrison 416-510-5224
[email protected]
Ilana Fawcett 416-510-5202
[email protected]
Group Editorial Director: Lisa Wichmann 416-510-5101
[email protected]
Market Production: Barb Vowles 416-510-5103
[email protected]
Editor: Joe Terrett 416-442-5600 ext. 3219
[email protected]
Circulation Manager: Diane Rakoff 416-510-5216
[email protected]
Assistant Editor: Matt Powell 416-510-5145
[email protected]
Editorial Advisory Board: Robert Hattin, Hattin Holdings • Ron Harper,
Cogent Power • Greg MacDonald, Wentworth International Services
• Roy Verstraete, Anchor Danly
Vol. 71, No. 07, October, 2012
Executive Publisher: Tim Dimopoulos 416-510-5100
[email protected]
Contributing Editors:
Ron Richardson, Steve Gahbauer
Art Director: Kathy Smith 416-442-5600 ext. 3215
[email protected]
www.plant.ca
2-3-PLNT.indd 3
BIG MAGAZINES LP
Vice-President of Canadian Publishing: Alex Papanou
President of Business Information Group: Bruce Creighton
12
15
Features
>> INNOVATION
12 ROBOTICS Kinova Robotics has developed an arm that enables the disabled.
COATINGS Auto21 R&D focuses on improving automotive tooling.
>> MANAGEMENT
14 SALES A business diagnostic identifies strengths and weaknesses.
PRICING STRATEGY Ten common pricing mistakes companies make.
>> SUSTAINABILITY
15 CARBON CAPTURE Shell is building Canada’s first CCS operation.
GREEN MANUFACTURING Zero waste-to-landfill cuts disposal costs.
16 EMISSIONS REDUCTION Vale’s Clean AER operation will reduce sulphur
dioxide, dust and metals emissions.
>> OPERATIONS
17 ZERO DEFECTS Find plant floor harmony by applying total productive
maintenance and striving for zero defects.
INSIDE MAINTENANCE How does outsourcing suit your needs?
18 THINK LEAN Carefully plan and budget for your 5S+1 program.
AUDITS Lassonde Beverages’ energy audits pinpoint savings.
TECH TIP Check for stator core loss to maintain motor health.
>> TRENDS
19 GLOBAL RANKING Canada is competitive, but it's sinking in world rankings.
EXPORTING We need to be more involved in Asian institutions.
HUMAN RESOURCES A global survey finds employees are stressed and
employers are finding it hard to retain them.
20 US ELECTION Obama or Romney? How they intersect with Canadian industrial
interests.
PRODUCTIVITY A Deloitte report says slow growth is a drag on performance.
>> TECHNOLOGY
21 ENERGY EFFICIENCY Measuring and maintenance delivers peak efficiency
from cogeneration systems.
22 PRODUCT FOCUS Pumps.
24 PRODUCTS AND EQUIPMENT What’s new in industrial products, machinery
and equipment.
28 PLANTWARE Hardware an software for managing plant operations.
Departments
4 Industry View
6 Careers
8 Labour Relations
10 PLANT Pulse
29 Events
30 Postscript
PLANT—established 1941, is published by BIG Magazines LP,
a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd.
Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-5140
80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON M3B 2S9
PRIVACY NOTICE:
From time to time we make our subscription list available to
select companies and organizations whose product or service may
interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made
available, please contact us via one of the following methods:
Phone: 1-800-668-2374 Fax: 416-442-2191
E-mail: [email protected]. Mail to:
Privacy Officer, 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON M3B 2S9
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
To subscribe, renew your subscription or to change your
address or information contact us at 1-800-387-0273.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE:
Canada $69.95 per year, Outside Canada $143.95 per year, Single
Copy Canada $12.00. Plant is published 8 times per year except
for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which
count as two subscription issues. Contents of this publication are
21
protected by copyright and must not be reprinted in whole or in part
without permission of the publisher. Publications Mail Agreement
#40069240. Performance claims for products listed in this issue are
made by contributing manufacturers and agencies. No responsibility
for the accuracy of these performance claims can be assumed on the
part of PLANT or BIG Magazines LP. Contents copyright© 2012 BIG
Magazines LP, may not be reprinted without permission.
PLANT receives unsolicited materials including letters to the
editor, press releases, promotional items and images from time
to time. PLANT, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce,
publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited
submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever,
without compensation of any sort. This statement does not apply
to materials/pitches submitted by freelance writers, photographers
or illustrators in accordance with known industry practices.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of
Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund CPF for our publishing
activities.
ISSN: 1929-6606 (Print), 1929-6614 (Online)
PLANT 3
12-10-05 11:49 AM
Departments
>> Industry View
>> Bulletins
D-BOX Technologies Inc., a
Longueuil, Que. developer of motion technology for cinemas, has
scored a third deal with Larry
H. Miller Megaplex Theatres
to equip six screens at four
Utah locations with D-BOX MFX
Systems. That’s for a total of 20
screens for Megaplex.
Calgary-based energy transporter
Enbridge Inc. has received approval from the Alberta Energy
Resources Conservation Board
to construct the $1.4 billion Woodland Pipeline Extension Project.
It will involve building a 36-inchdiameter line approximately 385
kilometres from Enbridge’s Cheecham regional oil sands terminal
to the mainline hub terminal at
Edmonton. Initial capacity will be
400,000 barrels per day, expandable to 800,000 bpd.
Electrovaya Inc., a Toronto
manufacturer of lithium battery technology, has acquired
71.6% of the shares of Miljobil
Grenland AS (MBG), bringing its
share to 78.1%. MBG, based in
Porsgrunn, Norway, has invested
about US$30 million in lithium ion
battery technologies for a range
of electric vehicle and other
transportation applications.
Vancouver’s Ballard Power
Systems has shipped the first
100 ElectraGen fuel cell power
generation systems to Cascadiant Inc. and Inala Technologies,
in Asia and South Africa. The fuel
cell systems will be deployed
to wireless communications
networks for backup power.
New Flyer Industries Inc. has
been awarded a contract by the
New York City Transit Authority
and the MTA Bus Co. to build
90 60-foot Xcelsior clean diesel
buses. They’ll be manufactured
at the company’s plant in St.
Cloud, Minn.
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc., a
Burnaby, BC manufacturer of the
VELscope early-stage oral cancer
detection device and DenMat
Holdings LLC, a Los Angeles
manufacturer of dentistry products and devices, have entered
into strategic alliance to form an
oral cancer-screening group.
Canada is the second most tax
competitive country among 14
major global economies, after
India, and it took the top spot
among mature markets, according to KPMG’s 2012 tax study.
Vancouver (2), Toronto (5) and
Montréal (6) ranked in the top 10
of the 55 major cities studied.
4 PLANT
4-7-PLNT.indd 4
CAW reaches deals with the Detroit Three
$210M turbo
expander for
Rimbey gas plant
Core features relate to bonuses, COL and pension benefits
Like other Detroit automakers, GM demanded lower labour costs. TORONTO: The Canadian Auto Workers (CAW)
union has come to terms with Detroit’s Three,
ensuring car production in Canada will be free of
labour strife for another four years.
Deals with Ford, Chrysler and General Motors
follow the same core compensation arrangement,
which includes $3,000 quality and productivity
bonuses, and cost of living lump sum payments of
$2,000 until 2015.
The automakers have also agreed to a 10-year
hire grow-in program. New hires will start at
$20.40, equal to 60% of the current base rate and
grow to full compensation after 10 years, which
is currently $34 an hour. The program reflects a
concession made by the union to satisfy demands
by automakers to cut labour costs.
Ford, which was the first to ratify, has the smallest Canadian footprint, but will create 600 jobs
over the term of the agreement. It will add a third
shift to its body, paint, and pre-trim departments
and boost insourced work at its Oakville, Ont. assembly complex, accounting for 300 of those jobs.
PHOTO: GM
It could also introduce a new product at the plant,
which would create an additional 300 positions.
GM has agreed to add a third shift at the Oshawa Flex assembly plant, which will create or
maintain 900 jobs. Production will be extended on
at least one shift for another year at the Consolidated Plant until June 2014. The automaker has
also committed to new engine and transmission
investments and production in St. Catharines,
Ont. It’s commitments in Oshawa and St. Catharines involve additional capital spending of at
least $675 million.
The deal reached with Chrysler Canada follows
the pattern agreement agreed to by Ford and
General Motors.
“We achieved the entire pattern intact,” said
CAW president Ken Lewenza.
He said the agreement provides protection of
current pension benefits for existing workers.
The CAW threatened strikes in early September
after it claimed the automakers were making unprecedented demands for pension and wage cuts.
CALGARY: Keyera Corp. is investing $210 million in a turbo expander
at its Rimbey gas plant in Alberta’s
Pembina North region to step up
ethane and natural gas recovery.
The natural gas processor
based in Calgary said the project
includes installation of a new 400
million cubic-feet-per-day turbo
expander and construction of a
34 kilometre, six-inch diameter
ethane pipeline to connect to the
Alberta Ethane Gathering System.
The project will allow Keyera
to recover more than 90% of the
ethane at the Rimbey gas plant
as it extracts up to 20,000 barrels
per day. Keyera will sell the ethane to
a large, unidentified consumer in
Alberta under a long-term sales
agreement, and process gas for a
large unidentified producer on a
fee-for-service basis.
The company said the turbo
expander will run in place of the
existing lean oil NGL recovery
system, but in the future “with
relatively low additional capital
investment,” there would be an
opportunity to run both the lean
oil system and the turbo expander
unit. This would significantly
increase the plant’s processing
capacity.
Pending approvals, the construction phase is anticipated to
begin in the fourth quarter, with
start-up expected in late 2014.
The Rimbey gas plant is
Keyera’s largest natural gas
processing facility.
System cuts frac tank build time
WINNIPEG: Westeel has developed an installation system that
will help oil and gas operators
build a frac tank for water man-
A bigger plant
for Nu Flow
OSHAWA, Ont.: Nu Flow
Canada, a manufacturer of small
diameter pipe linings, has relocated to a larger manufacturing
and office site in Oshawa, Ont.
The new location on Boundary Rd. South provides 21,000
square feet of manufacturing
space, and 30,100 square feet
of office and installation space.
The company made the move to
accommodate growth.
Nu Flow manufactures,
installs and distributes green
repipe alternatives and no-dig
solutions, including epoxy coatings and structural liners.
agement at drill sites in a day.
The Winnipeg-based manufacturer of steel storage units said
its new speed plate technology
allows operators to get their
frac sites up and running fast
without the use of cranes.
The re-usable and movable
frac tanks are made with corrugated steel panels. The company
says most sizes, including the
tank and liner, can be delivered
to a site in a single truckload.
The patent-pending system
uses fewer bolts per panel
seam but maintains structural
integrity.
Westeel said it would initially
launch the product in Western
Canada and North Dakota,
focusing on sales in the North
American market.
The company is a division of
Vicwest Corp., and operates five
production facilities in Western
Canada.
In-situ projects are located on lelases called “firebags.” PHOTO: SUNCOR
Enbridge expands Suncor tankage
$150 million for infrastructure at Athabasca terminal
CALGARY: Enbridge Inc. is spending $150 million to expand
infrastructure at its Athabasca Terminal to accommodate boosted
production capacity at Suncor’s Firebag 3 and 4 developments.
The energy transporter will build a 350,000 barrel tank and additional infrastructure, including booster pumps, meters and make
modifications to existing piping and manifolds.
Construction started in July and is to be complete by mid-2013.
Suncor has agreed to underpin the pipeline giant’s investment in the
facility through long-term service agreements.
October 2012
12-10-05 11:53 AM
Industry View << Departments
Onex acquires
KraussMaffei
for $719M
Profitability index edges up 0.2%
TORONTO: Onex Corp. is
acquiring KraussMaffei AG, a
German manufacturer of plastic
and rubber processing equipment for close to $719 million.
The company, based in Munich with plants in Germany,
Switzerland, Slovakia and China, designs and manufactures
machinery and systems for the
injection moulding, extrusion
and reaction process segments.
KraussMaffei has 4,000 employees and generated approximately $1.26 billion for the year
ending in June serving customers in the automotive, packaging, medical and construction
industries.
Onex Partners III, Torontobased Onex’s $4.7 billion
private equity fund, will invest
$340 million, of which Onex’s
share is about $86 million as a
limited partner in the fund.
In another transaction, a company owned by Onex and the
Canada Pension Plan Investment
Board is selling a non-core asset.
Tomkins, a London, UK-based
engineering firm, is selling its
Dexter Axle division in Elkhart,
Ind. to an affiliate of The Sterling Group for $360 million.
Dexter Axle manufactures
trailer axle, brake and suspension
assemblies, and related replacement parts and components.
OTTAWA: Profitability showed
a 0.2% rise in August and several manufacturing industries
proved to be among the strong
performers, according to the
Conference Board of Canada’s
Leading Indicator of Industry.
Despite the modest rise, the
Ottawa-based research firm
notes that’s the indicator’s largest gain since March 2011. At
103.2, the index is now where it
was back in October 2011.
“Modest economic growth
at home and a myriad of risks
related to events abroad have
The automotive industry shows positive profitability.
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/ Stockbyte
kept corporate profitability
its lowest level in three years.
from gaining any ground over the past year, and
The telecommunications industry’s profitabilthat trend is expected to continue for at least the
ity index fell for the third consecutive month in
next few months,” said the Conference Board.
August, hitting to its lowest reading in more than
Several manufacturing industries show posia year.
tive profitability, including automotive and other
Not surprising, the banking industry has posted
transportation equipment, which have experi35 consecutive monthly gains in its profitability
enced significant gains.
index, dating back to September 2009, demonOne of the worst performers is computer and
strating a definitive recovery from the 2008-2009
electronic product manufacturing, which saw its
recession.
index fall in 10 of the past 12 months, leaving it at
Coatings research
program launched
MONTREAL: Polytechnique
Montréal and the Natural
Sciences and Engineering
Research Council of Canada
(NSERC) have set up a chair
at the school that will focus on
nano-structured coatings.
The NSERC Multisectorial
Industrial Research Chair in
Coatings and Surface Engineering (MIC-CSE) will get a
$5.35 million investment over
five years from NSERC, and
seven other partners, including
Essilor, Hydro-Québec, Guardian Industries Corp., Pratt &
Whitney Canada, Velan, JDS
Uniphase and the Canadian
Space Agency.
Research will focus on
developing non-polluting
manufacturing technologies for
nanostructured coating materials to add successive layers
of nanometre-thick films and
thicker coating architectures
using various materials (metals,
ceramics, polymers, nanoparticles or others) on to flat
surfaces and three-dimensional
objects.
www.plant.ca
4-7-PLNT.indd 5
Manufacturing makes a strong showing
Baytex buys
leases for SAGD
project
CALGARY: Baytex Energy
Corp. has acquired 46 sections
of undeveloped oil sands leases
in Cold Lake, Alta. for $120
million.
The Calgary-based company
said the leases, near its heavy
oil assets, offer potential for
thermal and cold development.
The company has regulatory
approval to build and operate
a two-stage bitumen recovery
operation using steam-assisted
gravity drainage (SAGD).
A pilot SAGD project will be
built in 2013, followed by a commercial 5,000 bbl/d plant in 2014.
Initial production in will begin in
2016.
Entrepreneurs are booming: CIBC
TORONTO: More than 500,000
entrepreneurs are in the process of establishing their own
businesses, boosting the pace at
which Canadians will become
their own bosses in the coming
decade, according to a CIBC
report.
“Small business friendly
demographic trends are among
those forces likely to support
a net creation of 150,000 new
Canadian businesses in the next
10 years,” says Benjamin Tal,
CIBC’s deputy chief economist
at CIBC.
The report suggests:
• Only 20% of new business
owners are doing so because
they can’t find a job.
• The 50 and over age group
Magna to buy German pump maker
AURORA, Ont.: Magna International Inc. will add to its strength in automotive pumps with two transactions, one in Europe and one in Canada.
The global automotive supplier signed an agreement to acquire ixetic
Verwaltungs GmbH, a German manufacturer of automotive vacuum, engine
and transmission pumps, for $480 million.
The company, with two manufacturing facilities in Germany, and one in
each of Bulgaria and China, had 2011 sales of approximately $380 million.
The transaction is to close in the fourth quarter of 2012, subject to European anti-trust approval.
Magna, through wholly owned subsidiary Magna Powertrain Inc., is also
buying the 50% interest in STT Technologies Inc. owned by its joint venture
partner SHW Automotive GmbH.
STT Technologies, based in Concord, Ont., is a supplier to the North
American market of transmission and engine related oil pumps.
Financial details were not released.
Automotive supplier Magna International is based in Aurora, Ont. and
employs 115,000 people in 296 plants and 88 product development, engineering and sales centres in 26 countries.
is the fastest growing entrepreneurial segment, accounting for
nearly 30% of start-ups.
• The self-employed are more
educated – 33% have a university degree.
• 70% of new businesses are
started by men, but women
tend to be more successful.
• Educational services (up
almost 65% since 2007) and
health care are growing fastest
(up almost 20%).
• BC leads the country with
start-ups, representing 3.9% of
the employed population.
The report notes half the
revenues derived by businesses
that have been around for two
to five years are coming from
outside Canada. Technology is
increasingly leading to a higher
level of cooperation between
small business, self-employed
and larger firms. Indeed, larger
firms are calling upon the specific expertise of smaller enterprises to complete projects.
“Canadian small businesses
are in a co-evolutionary relationship with corporate business in the economic landscape.
Large corporations need small
business to reach local markets,” says Tal.
He said the pace of growth
in self-employment among immigrants has risen dramatically
over the past two decades.
“Currently close to 20% of
self-employed are immigrants,
more than double the rate observed in the 1980s,” he said.
SMEs’ optimism
rebounds in Sept.
TORONTO: Optimism among
Canada’s SMEs rose in September for the first time since March,
according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business
(CFIB).
The Toronto-based business
association’s Business Barometer index increased two points
to 62 from 60 in August, based on
918 respondents.
Manufacturers are feeling particularly confident with an index
rating of 65.5, above the monthly
average and an improvement
from 62.8 in August.
Thirty-six per cent of business
owners reported shortages of
skilled labour as a constraint on
their business.
Eighteen per cent of SMEs plan
to hire full-time staff in the next
three or four months compared to
12% who intend to cut back.
Orbite tech raises
silica purity level
MONTREAL: Orbite Aluminae
has developed a technology
based on its hydrochloric acid
leaching process that raises the
purity of silica used in solar
panels and other products.
The clean tech company based
in Montreal said this development brings silica purity to the
99.9% (3N) level and provides a
conceptual base to eventually
reach purities of 99.999% (5N) to
99.99999% (7N).
Orbite describes its patent-protected process as crushing, then
acid-leaching aluminous claystone found at its Grande-Vallée,
Que. property. By using various
temperatures and pH levels, the
process selectively isolates the
aluminum component and removes iron and other impurities.
Silica graded higher than 99.99%
purity is used to manufacture photovoltaic cells for solar power and
other high-technology products.
In 2009, metallurgical grade
silica was selling for approximately $3 per kilogram and higher
quality (5N-7N) for approximately
$35 per kilogram.
The company estimates worldwide, metallurgical grade silica
consumption was 1.37 billion
metric tonnes in 2009 and 2.02
billion metric tonnes in 2010. Orbite said its high-purity alumina
plant, to be completed by the end
of 2012, is expected to produce
silica of greater than 99.9% purity.
The company’s smelter-grade
alumina (SGA) plant, projected to
begin its first phase of operations
in 2014, will have the potential to
produce up to 1.2 million tonnes
of silica ranging from 95% to more
than 99.9% at maximum capacity.
PLANT 5
12-10-05 11:53 AM
Departments
>> Industry View
>> Careers
A conceptual diagram of FSW of dissimilar metals. PHOTO:HONDA
Honda’sweldingtech
joinsaluminumandsteel
First application: 2013 Accord made in North America
Uptime, all the time
®
SKINTOP cable glands can stop electrical failures
before they stop your production lines.
TOKYO: Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has developed a technology
for the continuous welding of steel and aluminum and has applied it for the first time to the subframe of a mass-production
vehicle.
Honda says the technology will be used first on the North
American version of the 2013 Accord before expanding the
application to other models.
Friction stir welding (FSW) of dissimilar metals lowers vehicle body weight and improves fuel economy. The technology
moves a rotating tool on the top of the aluminum that’s lapped
over the steel with high pressure to deliver equal or better
strength than conventional metal inert gas (MIG) welding.
Vehicle body weight is reduced by 25%, but this welding
method also reduces electricity use by 50%. It also changes the
structure of the subframe and the suspension’s mounting point,
which increases the rigidity of the mounting point by 20%, contributing to the vehicle’s dynamic performance.
Honda has also developed a new application to mass-produce vehicles.
FSW requires the use of large equipment, but Honda developed a continuous welding system for a highly versatile
industrial robot that also handles aluminum-to-aluminum
welding for a fully aluminum subframe.
Honda also developed a non-destructive inspection system
using a highly sensitive infrared camera and laser beam for
in-line inspection of the bonding location for each unit.
IndustrialR&Dspending
creepsup:StatsCan
Keep Running with LAPP
SKINTOP ® glands protect your cables.
•
•
•
•
Seals from liquid and dust
Vibration and impact resistant
High pull-out strength
Effective EMC options
View our SKINTOP ® installation video on our automotive
resource center at www.lappusa.com/canada/automotive.
Scan, click, or call.
877-799-5277
4-7-PLNT.indd 6
OTTAWA: Canadian businesses are anticipating expenditures of $15.5 billion on industrial R&D in 2012, edging
up 0.9% from 2011, according to Statistics Canada.
Still, research and development spending remains below its
2007 peak of $16.8 billion.
The statistics agency says the recovery is being driven by
growth in the manufacturing sector, up by $228 million (3.1%)
to $7.6 billion. Manufacturers intend to invest $1.5 billion on
communications equipment, up $129 million from 2011.
Overall, businesses in the services sector anticipate spending slightly less at $6.8 billion this year than
in 2011 (down 0.2% or $12 million), with most of the decline
in scientific research and development services (down
$22 million or 1.3%).
Respondents to a survey said 61% of total spending will
be concentrated in wages and salaries for R&D personnel, a
level last seen in 2009 (60%).
Businesses say they will also dedicate 5% of their total industrial R&D expenditures to purchase land, buildings and equipment. The most recent peak in the importance of capital expenditures to total industrial R&D spending occurred in 2001 at 11%.
Since 2009, this ratio has been under 6%.
In 2010, industrial R&D spending continued predominately in Ontario ($6.8 billion) and Quebec ($4.7 billion). R&D spending in Quebec edged up 0.5% from 2009,
while spending in Ontario declined by 4.2%. All other provinces except Manitoba (1.4%) saw decreases in industrial R&D
spending from 2009.
6 PLANT
CRS Electronics Inc., a manufacturer of LED lighting in
Welland, Ont., has appointed
MichaelLam CFO, replacing
interim CFO PaulHaber. Lam
has been working as a consultant dealing with financial
reporting and regulatory matters since 2009. Prior to that
he was a senior manager at
Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Pacific Safety Products Inc.,
an Arnprior, Ont. manufacturer of body armour and products that provide protection
from chemicals and biohazards, has appointed company
board director TerryVaudry
CEO. He replaces Fraser
Campbell who remains as
the company’s interim chair.
BarbPeacock returns to the
company as CFO following
seven months as acting CFO
for the National Aboriginal
Health Organization. She
was corporate controller at
Pacific Safety Products from
2007 to 2011. Director Brad
Field has resigned from the
board.
Kane Biotech Inc., a Winnipeg-based biotechnology
company that’s developing
products for the prevention or removal of microbial
biofilms, has appointed its
president, GordFroehlich,
to the board of directors. Dr.
EssamHamza has resigned
from the board for personal
reasons. The company will
license its products for
manufacture.
AndresTinajero joins
Eurocontrol Technics Group
Inc. as CFO. He has 15 years
experience working in the
financial field supporting a
range of industries, including mining, not for profit,
manufacturing and retail. The
Toronto company acquires,
develops and commercializes authentication, verification and energy security
technologies through its
Global Fluids International
S.A. subsidiary.
JohnPecman, the Competition Bureau official in charge
of criminal matters, has been
appointed interim commissioner. The term will last up
to one year. Pecman has held
several senior positions at
the bureau during his 30-year
career there. He replaces
MelanieAitken who left two
years before her mandate
was to end.
October 2012
12-10-05 11:53 AM
Machining
without
Coolant!
Watch The
Video!
Replace messy mist systems & improve
dry machining with clean, cold air!
www.exair.com/16/49916.htm
Extend CNC Tool Life
The Model 5315 Cold Gun cools
a two flute 3/8" carbide cutter
on a CNC, increasing tool life by
50%. Ideal for diamond tooling.
Increase tool life and machining rates!
The Cold Gun increases tool life, tolerances and production rates by
eliminating heat build up. It produces 20°F air from ordinary compressed air.
Milling & Drilling
Fly cutters up to 460mm in
diameter have been cooled with
the Cold Gun. Dissipating heat
with cold air extends tool life,
increases speeds and feeds, and
improves finishes.
Chill Roll
Cooling a roll with 20°F (-7°C) air
keeps the material on the surface
from bunching up, jamming
or tearing. The metal surface
transfers the cold temperature
to the product.
The Cold Gun is ideal for dry machining or to replace messy mist systems.
It eliminates the costly coolant purchase and disposal.
•Lowcost,portable,quiet
•Won'tfreezeupduringcontinuoususe
•Nohealthproblemsfromairbornecoolant
•Improvessurfacefinish
•Nomovingparts-
maintenancefree
High Power Cold Gun
Twice the cooling power of standard Cold Guns.
Tool Grinding
Cold air eliminates heat cracking
of carbide and tool edge burning
during grinding and sharpening
operations. Increased tool life
between regrinds is the result.
ManufacturingIntelligentCompressedAir®ProductsSince1983
11510 Goldcoast Drive • Cincinnati, Ohio • 45249-1621 • (800) 903-9247
fax: (513) 671-3363 • e-mail: [email protected] • www.exair.com
@exair
www.exair.com/16/499.htm
4-7-PLNT.indd 7
12-10-05 11:53 AM
Departments
>> Labour Relations
Canada is a good deal for the Detroit 3
By Bill Murnighan
T
he Detroit 3 automakers have it
good in Canada, but executives
commenting on the “high labour
costs” they claim to face would have
you believe they’re suffering a terrible
penalty doing business here.
Canadian operations are making a
significant contribution to the industry’s
return to success, and their reputation
for exceptional quality and productivity
makes this country a great place to build
vehicles, and make a profit doing so.
Automakers charge Canadian drivers more for the same
“vehicles
sold in the US…
”
But it’s an even better place to sell
vehicles. Canadians pay nearly $1 billion
more per year than Americans for the
same new Chrysler, Ford or General Motors vehicles, despite a dollar that’s at or
close to par with the US greenback.
A detailed review of prices for 54 models from the companies’ own websites
(accounting for more than 95% of Canadian sales) reveals an average pre-tax
price premium of $1,293 per vehicle.
Yes, a handful of vehicles were a few
hundred dollars less expensive in Canada, but 22 of the models were priced
at least $2,000 higher – a few high-end
SUVs cost $10,000 more. Remarkably,
even Canadian-made vehicles are significantly more expensive here.
These premiums generate an additional $317 million in annual revenue for
Chrysler, $273 million for Ford and $341
million for General Motors, which adds
Safety system
Real-time information
Plant-wide visibility
What it costs to sell a car
Building, then selling new vehicles is capital
and technology intensive, and relies on
complex organizations that operate across
vast supply chains.
The average price of a mid-priced CAWmade vehicle with no options is $41,377,
including freight and sales tax.
Cost of labour is $1,741, or 4.2% of a vehicle’s price. What accounts for the rest?
• Raw materials and purchased auto parts
($23,585 or 57%);
• Overhead, engineering, research and development ($6,620 or 16%);
• Advertising ($1,091 per vehicle sold or 2.6%);
• Dealership mark-ups ($1,497 per vehicle or
3.6%); and
• Sales taxes (averaging $4,984 per vehicle
or 12%).
up to $930 million (check out the details
at www.caw.ca/autotalks).
How do manufacturing labour costs
stack-up by comparison? Even with the
high dollar, total labour costs, including
benefits, average about $3 more per hour
than in the US. But production labour
costs are a remarkably small part of the
price of a new vehicle – less than 5% on
average. With 29 hours of labour required to build the average new vehicle,
our higher labour costs could be seen as
a Canadian “penalty” of $87 per vehicle.
Paying a premium
Optimise the safety of your plant
with a single solution
Introducing PlantStruxure architecture, the
collaborative process automation solution
that reduces risk for critical processes
Is your plant operating at its full potential? If you don’t have a collaborative
architecture for monitoring and control, that question may be difficult to answer.
And yet, quick and precise information is exactly what you need to achieve
optimised business performance.
Produce efficiently with PlantStruxure architecture
PlantStruxure™ architecture provides you with a global view of the entire facility,
closing the gap between the field and enterprise and delivering real-time
information to the users who need it.
Ensuring a safe, sustainable working environment
With PlantStruxure architecture, you can finally meet your automation needs and
reduce project costs, general operating expenses, and energy usage, without
lowering standards or compromising safety.
So, if you’re looking for a way to enhance the safety of your people, your plant,
and your critical processes, look no further. PlantStruxure architecture is the
foundation you need to yield a holistically optimised plant.
PlantStruxure architecture is a collaborative solution
that allows industrial and infrastructure companies
to meet their automation needs and at the same
time deliver on growing energy management
requirements.
With PlantStruxure architecture you can
produce safely
Prevent unauthorized users from accessing
your system
Remove the need for operators close to the
plant fl oor
Detect potentially unsafe plant situations and
automatically shut down your process
Capture product quality concerns before they
are released to the market
Meet ever-increasing safety requirements
without compromising your ability to operate at
peak performance
Make the most of your energy
SM
Learn to design an effective security policy!
Download our FREE “Process Automation System” white
paper today and be entered to win an Apple iPad 2!
You have to wonder who’s running the
math classes in Detroit. There’s an $87
penalty on each vehicle built here, but
a premium of $1,293 on each one sold.
Adding up the companies’ production
and sales in Canada, the claimed labour
penalty amounts to $122 million per year,
versus a $930 million retail price premium. That adds up to North American
automakers coming out way ahead.
Workers face higher costs for most
goods and services, which underpins the
marginally higher wages that are paid in
Canada, not just in the automotive sector,
but also throughout the labour market.
Canadian consumer prices, on average,
are 23% higher than in the US. That’s why
Canadians have to earn more to get the
same real wage. Premium pricing makes
automakers part of the problem.
Here’s what does add up: Canadian
plants produce to the highest standards,
Canadians supported the industry during
the financial crisis, CAW members made
painful sacrifices during the restructuring and consumers pay an enormous
premium for their Detroit 3 vehicles.
By every measure, automakers have it
good in Canada.
Bill Murnighan is the research director
for the Canadian Auto Workers union,
which represents 225,000 workers across
the country in 17 different sectors of the
economy. E-mail [email protected].
Visit www.SEreply.com Key Code u382v
©2012 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, PlantStruxure, and Make the most of your energy are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners. www.schneider-electric.com • 998-3623_CA_ipad2
8-9-PLNT.indd 8
8 PLANT
October 2012
12-10-05 9:51 AM
Keep
How
your
about
eye our
on the
menu
finish,
not onofthe
choices:
clock. Our
rent,products
lease are
deliveredoron
purchase?
time, every time.
Our microfibre
Clean
is always
towels
six times
withinabsorb
reach with
our
as
much
reusable shop towels.
as cotton.
Underneath the coveralls,
our industrial shirts keep you
clean and comfortable, so you
can keep your mind on
the clear coat.
Quality,
performance
How about
our menu
and of
protection.
Everything
choices: rent,
lease you
need in aorcar...
and a uniform.
purchase?
You’re in clean
Custom floor mats –
hands with our light
the view from down
and heavy-duty
here is clean too.
disposable gloves.
Custom
floor mats –
Our comfortable
the view from
downdo
twill-blend
coveralls
herethat:
is clean
just
covertoo.
all.
Clean is in the Details
For a clean you can count on, from people
you can count on, go to Canadianuniform.com
or even better, call us at 1-855-780-0922.
People You Can Count On.
8-9-PLNT.indd 9
12-10-05 9:51 AM
Departments
>> Economy
WHOLESALE SALES DECREASE IN JULY
$ billions
52
50
48
44
42
40
38
36
RELIANCE ON US TRADE HIGHER: BMO
Canadian businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on trade
with the US while trade with other export markets such as Asia,
Europe and Mexico remains relatively unchanged, according to
the 2013 Business Outlook from BMO Bank of Montreal.
The report, conducted by Pollara, shows most of the businesses surveyed expect the Canadian and US economies to
improve next year, but they’re pessimistic about prospects for
Europe. Here are some highlights:
• 39% of Canadian business owners say they are reliant on the
US for trade, up 8% from last year.
Canadian businesses will resume “aggressively investing
funds” that will be a key source of growth.
Despite recent volatility in the labour market, RBC said
the economy has so far generated 20,000 jobs per month
(as of August), which is above the average pace recorded
last year, and consistent with the economy’s growth rate.
Exporters will also gain momentum as the global
economy improves, but demand for imports will likely
slow. RBC said the trade sector, which has only supported growth in one of the past 10 years, is positioned
to boost growth by one-half percentage point this year
and next.
Western Canada will lead growth rankings this year
and next. Alberta tops the rankings for the second
consecutive year, with Saskatchewan and Manitoba
following closely. BC and Ontario will grow at rates just
above the national average, while growth in the remaining provinces will be below that average.
• One in four large businesses plan to expand their operations
into the US next year. Only 16% are reliant on Asian markets;
13% on Europe; and 8% on Mexico.
• Retail businesses showed the strongest degree of reliance at 49%
followed by manufacturing (46%), business and financial (41%),
agriculture (38%), services (28%), construction (22%).
• At 21%, Canadian manufacturing is the most reliant on EU trade.
“The US share of Canadian trade has dropped from over 80%
near the end of the 1990s to approximately 68%, but has stabilized in recent years,” said Robert Kavcic, an economist with
BMO Capital Markets. “The broader trend, however, is likely to
remain one of trade diversification to countries outside the US.”
J
2007
number (thousands)
350
Kunst Solutions Corp. is a holistic professional firm dedicated to
helping our client partners change their business from the inside out.
Partnering with business leaders, we drive transformational change
across all parts of the enterprise - Lean Practices in Production,
Supply Chain Management, Financial Operations, Information
Management, Human Resources, Strategic Planning, Administration.
stretch
Highly Flexible Two Part Epoxy
Visit our onlIne StoRe
heAlth & SAfetyn
PlAnnIng n
VISuAl WoRkPlACe n
tPM n
CoMM. & ACtIonS n
CuStoMIzed SolutIonS n
ShAdoW boARdS n
We deliver Secure,
Customized, Reliable and
Advanced Improvement
Solutions based on proven
methodologies and sound
business practices.
KUNST
Solutions Corp.
www.kunstsolutions.com
10 PLANT
10-11-PLNT.indd 10
EP21TDC-4 Adhesive/Sealant
• Exceptional peel strength • Elongation over 300%
• Bonds well to rubbers, metals and most plastics
154 Hobart Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA
+1.201.343.8983 • [email protected]
www.masterbond.com
J
2010
J
2011
J
2012
EI CLAIMS UNCHANGED
300
250
200
150
J
J
J
2007
2008
J
2009
J
2010
J
2011
2012
Employment Insurance benefits went to 508,000 people in July,
virtually unchanged from June. Beneficiaries were up in Alberta and
Ontario, but down in PEI and Quebec and status quo in the other
provinces.
CAPACITY USE RISES
per cent
84
81.0
82
78.4
80
78
80.5
76
74
72
68
that’s a
J
2009
July’s wholesale sales fell 0.6% to $49.5 billion following a 0.3% decline
in June. Among the seven subsectors, five representing 85% of total
sales reported declines, including industrial machinery, equipment and
supplies (-0.7%).
70
PReMIuM PRoduCtS And SeRVICeS thAt
delIVeR effeCtIVe And fASt ReSultS
J
2008
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA
T
he second quarter was somewhat disappointing,
according to an economic outlook by RBC Economics Research, but moderate growth is expected through 2013.
The latest Economic and Financial Market Outlook
by the bank forecasts that Canada was caught up in a
disappointing global trend in the second quarter, but
monetary policy, continued business spending, supportive labour market conditions and an improving trade
balance will lay the foundation for real GDP growth of
2.1% in 2012.
Craig Wright, RBC’s senior vice-president and chief
economist, said the economy will likely pick up as temporary factors ebb and global growth prospects improve.
RBC expects inflation will remain “benign” and the
Bank of Canada will gradually begin raising interest
rates next year.
As the global economy improves, RBC forecasts
J
Economy expands as risks wane: RBC
32
70.7
I
II III IV I
2008
II III IV I
2009
II III IV I
2010
II III IV I II
2011
2012
Canadian industries operated at 81% of their production capacity in the second quarter, up 0.5% from Q1. Manufacturing increased 0.5% to 81.6%. Transportation equipment and machinery
contributed significantly to growth in capacity use.
$ billions
56
54
52
50
48
46
44
42
40
38
36
34
32
30
J
J
2007
MANUFACTURING SALES DECREASE
seasonally adjusted
Current dollars
2002 constant dollars
J
2008
J
2009
J
2010
J
2011
ECONOMIC DE VELOPMENTS AND TRENDS
Chained (2002) dollars
Current dollars
34
46
J
2012
Manufacturing sales fell 1.5% to $48.3 billion in July, the third decline
in five months. Transportation equipment was responsible for much of
the drop. Eleven of 21 industries representing 60% of total manufacturing reported lower sales.
October 2012
12-10-05 9:51 AM
G
im
1
N
Find trouble before
it finds YOU!
FLIR IR Windows
Keeping the Brotherhood Safer
• Broadband Crystal Lens
• Easy PIRma-Lock™ Installation
• Quick Access Permanent Hinged Cover
• Compatible with All Thermal Cameras
• Now CSA and ULc Certified
Get details on all the high performance thermal
imaging you ever desired at www.flir.ca or call
1-800-613-0507 x24 / x25 today.
NASDAQ: FLIR
Quality – Innovation – Trust
109
10-11-PLNT.indd 11
12-10-05 9:52 AM
Innovation
>> Robotics
Within
arm’s reach
JACO boosts mobility
for the wheelchair-bound disabled
Kinova develops personal robotics
for a worldwide market worth
billions of dollars.
BY Matt Powell, Assistant Editor
T
wo young engineers from Montreal are
ready to capitalize on a booming personal robotics industry with an innovative device called the JACO, which boosts the
mobility of those confined to wheelchairs.
Kinova Robotics, founded in 2006 by longtime friends Charles Deguire and Louis-Joseph
Caron L’Ecuyer, both 29, is making a name for
itself developing personal robotics for research
and the rehabilitation of people suffering from
diseases such as paraplegia and muscular
dystrophy.
“We’ve been friends for 12 years,
we’ve done a lot of work together
at school and floated the idea
of starting our own business,
but wanted to wait for the
right opportunity,” says
Caron L’Ecuyer, Kinova’s
chief technology officer.
“The JACO was that
opportunity.”
by dedicated control unit that also replaces the wheelchair’s
control panel to create a completely integrated system that
doesn’t require any extra on-board computers or interfaces.
“We’re doing for the upper body what the wheelchair does for
the lower body,” says Caron L’Ecuyer. “The system is completely integrated so you don’t need to add anything to it. It’s
modularity is the real innovation.”
The arm is made from lightweight tubular carbon fibre,
weighing 5.7 kilograms, and three flexible plastic fingers handle
payloads up to 1.5 kilograms. At 35 inches long, it’s completely
silent and weatherproof, boosting the scope of JACO’s abilities.
The fingers expand to 4.7 inches and are made of flexible plastic so they won’t break while handling difficult-to-grab objects
or when they’re bumped.
“Because the arm is so light, we’re able to lift more weight
with the gripper,” says Caron L’Ecuyer.
Now enjoying a third-floor office space at Montreal’s INGO
Innovation Centre, Kinova experienced a surge since introducing the JACO. The 3,000 square-foot space currently handles
production of up to 100 JACO arms a year, a huge improvement from their humble beginning in the basement lab where
Deguire and Caron L’Ecuyer were engineering students and
part of a business incubator program at Ecole de Technologie
Superieure (ETS).
Twenty-five per cent of Quebec’s engineers have degrees
from ETS, according to the school’s website. Sixty-six per cent
of its graduates, including Deguire and Caron L’Ecuyer, go on
to work in small and medium enterprises.
What started as two young engineering graduates has now
grown into a team of more than 20, most between the ages of
26 and 34. And they’re expecting more growth, hoping to boost
Kinova’s workforce by another five employees.
Preparing for the boom
CEO Deguire has three uncles suffering from
muscular dystrophy. One of them, Jacques Forest, devised a makeshift mechanical arm capable
of picking up objects, such as drinking glasses, and
could open doors – both activities he wasn’t able to
perform on his own.
“The arm was made from random materials such as bicycle
brake wires and windshield wipers. It looked terrible but the
concept was there. We grew off that,” says Caron L’Ecuyer.
Uncle Jacques passed away in 1993, but his legacy lives on in
the mechanical arm named after him, perfected by his nephew
and Caron L’Ecuyer, who spent five years developing the JACO
in a stuffy downtown Montreal basement laboratory.
The six-axis manipulator arm with a three-fingered hand
boosts mobility and makes daily tasks, such as eating and opening doors, easier. It attaches to a wheelchair and is controlled
Kinova’s JACO arm extending its reach.
12 PLANT
12-13F-PLNT.indd 12
Promising growth is expected for the personal robotics market,
too. According to the International Federation of Robotics,
which oversees robotics markets in 15 countries, sales of robots for handicap assistance will grow to 4,600 units by 2015. At
$50,000 a pop for a JACO arm, Kinova’s revenues could grow by
$23 million by then even if it earns 10% of the market share.
“We’re readying for the boom,” says Caron L’Ecuyer. “We’re
trying to position ourselves as a leader in manipulation technologies and personal robotics.”
And the Kinova team is hedging their bets. The company has
also diversified with a research version of the device to help
develop rehabilitation platforms for people suffering from diseases that limit mobility.
“The way we’ve designed the arm allows people on the
research side to use it as a development platform for computer
interfaces and mobile manipulation applications,” he says.
In early September, Kinova was awarded a $359,353 contract
by the Canadian Innovation Commercialization Project (CICP)
to introduce JACO arms into six rehabilitation centres across
the country. The program is being jointly completed with the
Ministry of Veterans Affairs Canada, and will gather data that
demonstrates how the arm improves its users’ quality of life
October 2012
12-10-05 10:51 AM
>> Coatings
Advancing automotive
tooling capability
Research into new coatings is a costeffective way to improve performance
and sustainability
By Stephen Veldhuis
T
here’s an old proverb that begins, “For want of a nail…”
and ends with “…the Kingdom was lost,” which tells how
a relatively small action can have major consequences. This
proverb captures the complexity of manufacturing and the importance of tooling, which typically accounts for about 5% of
a plant’s costs but also sets production rates, affects quality
and determines the nature of the materials to be processed.
Tooling is often overlooked, yet its impact on productivity,
quality and cost are significant. For example, making highperformance, lightweight engines without an enhanced tool
to machine compacted graphite iron means a multimilliondollar automotive production cell stops repeatedly making
production less efficient, thus adding cost. Higher production
costs threaten jobs that could shift to other jurisdictions.
Researchers at McMaster University, the University of
Windsor, Queens and Dalhousie are involved in a project supported by the AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence that
includes identifying and developing advanced wear-resistant
coatings for tooling.
In addition to lubricity, target properties of the nanostructured, physical vapour deposited coatings include hot
hardness, enhanced fatigue fracture resistance, oxidation
and corrosion resistance.
Environmental benefits
Kinova’s founders, Charles Deguire and Louis-Joseph Caron L’Ecuyer, invested five years in developing the JACO robotic arm.
and gauge associated economic benefits.
“This program is going to be a huge benefit because
it’s not just putting money into our pockets. We’ll also
learn how the arm benefits our customers and how we
can improve it to suit specific needs in future designs,”
says Caron L’Ecuyer.
And more robotics are coming – innovations developed thanks to JACO’s success. The company dedicates
up to 40% of revenues to research and development.
While the partners are keeping their strategy confidential, the general plan is to stick with the healthcare
market, the company’s core business. Caron L’Ecuyer
says they would also like to develop a product that addresses the lower body.
www.plant.ca
12-13F-PLNT.indd 13
PHOTO: KINOVA ROBOTICS
When asked about R&D expenditures in the past,
Caron L’Ecuyer offers a chuckle.
“We really don’t know how much we spent developing this thing,” he says. “It was just the two of us, so we
were trying to get as much as we could for our buck.
We were also building the business as we were developing the product, which was a huge challenge.”
A year ago, the company was spending up to 90% of
its revenues on R&D, but the struggle has paid off.
The JACO is now extending Kinova’s reach and setting the stage for additional innovations that will enable
the disabled.
The research emphasizes the tribological, physical-chemical
and mechanical characteristics of the coatings and involves
close collaboration with Kobelco, a diversified Japanese corporation with operations in metals and machinery. Coatings
tested under aggressive production conditions by industrial
partners in some cases improve tool life by three to four
times. The coating has also been combined with other surface treatments to address specific wear and performance
issues.
One benefit of advanced coatings concerns the environment. The use of liquid lubricants and coolants would be
reduced or eliminated.
Improved lubricity also aids in the production of parts
with complex geometries and demanding surface quality
requirements. Reducing the processing cost of lightweight
and high-strength materials used in vehicles means fuel
efficiency and performance improvements will be achieved
at a cost that makes green choices more attractive to consumers while lowering the costs of processing recycled and
bio-based materials.
Productivity would also improve. Tooling operating at
higher temperatures would last longer, reducing changeovers and thus downtime, and less time would be spent
monitoring processes.
Competitive pressure in the global automotive sector is
intense. Every major automotive jurisdiction is pursuing
cost improvements that often come down to pennies per
part. Advanced tooling technology represents a significant
opportunity for Canada’s automotive industry to gain a
sustainable advantage.
Stephen Veldhuis is an associate professor at McMaster University, director of the McMaster Manufacturing Research
Institute and an AUTO21 researcher in the areas of advanced
tribology and coatings. Visit www.auto21.ca.
PLANT 13
12-10-05 10:51 AM
Management
>> Performance
>> Pricing Strategy
Getting the
price right
Common mistakes and
what to do about them
BY MARK BORKOWSKI
B
Sales
SLUGGISH?
TRY A BUSINESS DIAGNOSTIC
Assessing the health of your
operations helps to identify priorities
that will generate the highest returns.
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
Identify specific operational
strengths and weaknesses
to establish priorities for
improvement.
BY GLENN FRASER AND
CAROLINE COPEMAN
A
lready well into the second year
of the strategic plan, the confectionery processor’s management
team was perplexed that the company’s
projected growth had stalled. They
pored over sales statistics for weeks
and despite long discussions about the
reasons for the slump, were no closer
to determining the root cause of the
slowdown in sales growth.
Expansion was in the sights of the
CEO, vice-president of sales and vicepresident of operations at an equipment
manufacturing company with a capital
nest egg and a surplus of capacity. Yet
none could agree where to focus the attention needed to accelerate growth.
For a pasta manufacturer, input costs
had been steadily increasing over the
past year and the owner was becoming
concerned about the impact on company profits.
Each of these management teams,
faced with difficult decisions about
the future of their operations, chose to
conduct a business diagnostic as a first
step. A diagnostic is particularly helpful
when a company is experiencing an
unplanned event, change or uncertainty
and there’s no clear indication of why
it’s happening. Planning for growth,
merger, acquisition, divestiture or
succession are also occasions when a
diagnostic adds significant value.
The term “diagnostic” simply refers to
14 PLANT
14-PLNT.indd 14
the intent of the process to assess the
health of an operation and to identify
underlying causes of problems. With
many manufacturers operating at less
than optimal efficiency at the best of
times, increasing effectiveness even
marginally can have a big impact on
profitability. A diagnostic identifies
specific operational strengths and
weaknesses, and establish priorities for
improvement.
Also, when embarking on new
projects, a diagnostic determines the
endeavours that will potentially produce
the highest returns when:
• assessing the feasibility of a particular
business strategy
• determining how to increase capacity
• interpreting profitability challenges
• evaluating organizational structure
• updating information technology or
processes
• exploring growth strategies
• analyzing product and market opportunities
• pinpointing research and development
options
• streamlining supply chain flow
• assessing new, problematic or potential products/services
• planning for the future
Focus on performance
While a diagnostic focuses on specific
performance areas (such as business
strategy, processes, organizational
design, supply chain), it’s generally most
beneficial when the health of the entire
organization is assessed because all areas are interrelated. While the specifics
of the process vary from one company
to another depending upon needs and
circumstances, a typical approach involves steps similar to those used by our
three manufacturers.
The first one usually involves reviewing
the strategic plan for insights regarding
the company’s vision for the future and
how it intends to get there. Key executives then complete a questionnaire to
gather perspectives about the effectiveness of key business areas. This is followed by a review of several years worth
of financial statements and ratios, an
assessment of revenue, debt and the bottom line, and comparisons with industry
benchmarks. Results are compiled in a
diagnostic report for management that
includes recommended actions for immediate and longer-term priorities.
The confectionery processor, equipment manufacturer and pasta maker
determined the areas where they should
focus, the root causes of some changes
they were seeing and the approaches
they should take to increase the probability of success and potential payout. The
processor experiencing stalled growth
launched an acquisition search. The
equipment manufacturer that wanted to
accelerate growth but lacked consensus
among senior management determined
the company’s core competencies, developed a new market acquisition strategy
and secured new contracts in several
growing markets. The pasta producer
experiencing rising input costs embarked
on a comprehensive cost management
strategy.
Want your manufacturing company
to be the picture of health? A business
diagnostic just might be the best prescription.
Glenn Fraser ([email protected])
is the leader of the GTA region Food &
Ag processing practice of MNP (www.
MNP.ca); Caroline Copeman (caroline.
[email protected]) is a senior manager in the consulting practice.
usiness is challenging these days, especially when it comes to exporting while
a strong loonie holds sway, but you can still
improve margins.
Atenga Inc., which provides pricing advice
to commercial and industrial companies
worldwide, contends you can raise prices
and improve sales volumes at the same time.
Dennis Brown, a partner at the Californiabased company, identifies 10 of the most
common mistakes companies make and what
to do about them:
• Basing prices on costs. This invariably
leads to prices that are either too high – or
more often – too low. Base prices on customers’ perceptions of value.
• Basing prices on the marketplace. Find
ways to differentiate products/services to
create additional value for specific market
segments.
• Attempting to achieve the same profit
margin across different product lines. Profit
is optimized when the price reflects the customer’s willingness to pay.
• Failing to segment customers. The value
proposition for any product or service varies
in different market segments. Reflect that
difference.
• Holding prices at the same level for too
long, ignoring changes in costs, competitive
environment and customers’ preferences.
Get customers and sales forces used to
frequent price changes.
• Incentivizing salespeople on revenue
generated rather than on profits. Avoid
volume-based sales incentives for pushing
volume at the lowest possible price.
• Changing prices without forecasting
competitors’ reactions. Know your competitors, predict their reactions and prepare for
them.
• Using insufficient resources to manage
pricing practices. Cost, sales volume and price
are the three basic variables that drive profit.
• Hastily calling meetings to set the final
price for new products or services. Establish
internal procedures to optimize prices.
• Spending a disproportionate amount of
time serving your least profitable customers. Eighty per cent of a company’s profits
generally come from 20% of its customers.
Focus on the 20%.
Understanding what your customers value
leads to better pricing, higher sales volumes
and much better margins.
Mark Borkowski is president of Torontobased Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions
Corp., which specializes in the sale of privately held companies. Visit mercantilemergersacquisitions.com. E-mail Dennis Brown at
[email protected].
October 2012
12-10-04 2:32 PM
Carbon Capture << Sustainability
Quest
to capture
CO2
First CCS operation
targets one-million
tonnes a year
Energy giant’s $1.35 billion project will
bury emissions from bitumen production
two kilometres underground.
By Matt Powell, Assistant Editor
R
oyal Dutch Shell is preparing a place for those
nasty carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions it produces
at its Athabasca Oil Sands Project in Alberta to go,
encouraged to do so by increasingly strict federal and
provincial environmental requirements, and sweetened
by a hefty government investment.
The energy giant plans to build Canada’s first carbon
capture and storage (CCS) operation in Alberta at a
projected price of $1.35 billion. The Quest project will cut
CO2 emissions by more than 35% and capture more than
a million tonnes of CO2 a year in a porous rock formation
nestled two kilometres underground. Shell equates the
sequestered CO2 with taking 175,000 cars off the road.
The Athabasca project, a joint venture owned by Shell
(60%), Marathon Oil (20%) and Chevron (20%) produces
255,000 barrels of crude bitumen a day. As the majority
owner, Shell will be the designer, builder and operator.
The federal government and Alberta have invested
$865 million in the project. The province’s share is $745
million, which comes from a $2 billion fund to support
CCS in the oil sands. Ottawa is investing another $120
Quest’s first injection well.
PHOTO: SHELL
million through its Clean Energy Fund.
Alberta embraces the project as key to reaching
its carbon-cutting goals, but neither the province nor
Ottawa are making carbon capture mandatory for oil
sands operators. However, Quest’s business development manager says the project sets Shell’s feet firmly in
the sand going forward.
“[It] will allow us to meet regulatory reductions, but
also exceed those reduction amounts in Alberta,” says
Len Heckle.
Thanks to significant government involvement, he says
it will help other oil sands operators with future CCS projects and to define emissions legislation down the road.
“We’ve got a major knowledge-sharing program with
the governments, so we can pass along what we learn
from this project into the next wave to make sure
they’re as effective and efficient as they can be.”
Quest will capture CO2 from Shell’s bitumen processing operations at the Scotford Upgrader in Fort
Saskatchewan, Alta., convert the emissions into a liquid
form and transport them 80 kilometres through an underground pipeline. The CO2 will then be injected into a
porous rock formation called the Basal Cambrian, two
kilometres under layers of impermeable rock.
An amine solvent will be used to capture CO2 from
the process stream. The gas is released from the amine
when it’s heated, then dehydrated and compressed to
reduce its volume by more than 400 times.
Fine-tuning the process to recover 98% pure CO2 from
>> Green Manufacturing
Cash in on waste diversion
Save on disposal costs by reducing what ends up in landfill
By Brett Wills
A
good way to kick off a sustainability drive is a zero waste
to landfill program.
The general consensus is that diverting 90% of your waste
is the minimum target. Manufacturers like to start with a zero
waste to landfill program because progress can be easily measured; getting started is relatively simple, supporting resources
are plentiful, and there are immediate initial cost savings (up to
25%) on waste disposal.
Here are five easy and proven steps to get you there:
• Conduct a waste audit. This will establish your current
state of waste diversion and identify opportunities to quickly
increase diversion rates.
• Determine sorting requirements. Contact your waste hauler
to determine the requirements for sorting different materials (comingled, separate bins for plastic, glass) then pick up some bins.
• Education. Staff, cleaners and visitors need to know what
materials and items go into each bin, why the organization is
embarking on the program and the benefits to the company.
Reinforce messaging regularly.
• Set goals and measure progress. Establish a diversion
rate within a defined time (90% by June 2013) and measure
rates monthly. Typically, a waste hauler will provide monthly
diversion rates as part of a value-added service.
• Launch and manage. Hold an official launch party supported by senior management to establish buy in. Manage the
program through close analysis of diversion rates, daily waste
walks to reiterate messaging and monthly audits of bins to
ensure sorting is done properly.
Brett Wills is the director of the Green Enterprise Movement
and a senior consultant with High Performance Solutions in
Cambridge, Ont. E-mail [email protected].
the upgrader’s hydrogen manufacturing units is the only
new aspect of the Quest unit, thanks to Shell’s ADIP-X
amine-based capture technology. This worldwide gas
processing technique has been the standard for extracting hydrogen sulphide and CO2 from natural gas for
more than 40 years.
Scotford’s upgrader adds hydrogen to heavy oil to break
it down into a synthetic crude for processing into gasoline,
a process that’s a major contributor to CO2 emissions.
While Quest is Shell’s first project to get the go-ahead
in the oil sands, it’s not the only one. The company is
also a 25% partner in Australia’s Gorgon natural gas
liquefication project, operated by Chevron. That facility is
expected to capture between three to four million tonnes
of CO2 per year once it’s operational by 2015. In Norway,
Shell is a partner in Test Centre Mongstad (TCM), the
world’s largest CO2 capture research facility.
Shell’s Cansolv subsidiary also provides carbon
capture technology to recover 90% of the CO2 from flue
gases at a 150-megawatt turbine at a coal-fired power
plant in Boundary Dam, Sask.
Mitigating costs
Shell doesn’t expect to profit from Quest. The company
will mitigate costs through government investments and
will earn additional revenues from carbon credits for
exceeding regulatory emissions requirements.
“Quest will definitely exceed the required limits set by
the provincial and federal government, which will allow
us to sell extra credits we earn from that,” he says. “But
that’s really not the point of this project. We’re not doing this to profit from it. We’re taking a million tonnes of
CO2 out of the atmosphere. That’s the direct benefit.”
The Harper government is on a quest of its own to make
the oil sands less intrusive, although it won’t be easy to appease enviro-critics who oppose its development.
Environmental groups do offer some praise for CCS
projects in the oil sands, but Chris Severson-Baker isn’t
holding his breath over whether or not the projects will
meet required emissions reduction goals.
“It’s a good strategic project for Alberta, it’s a good investment of public funds because this kind of project is going to have a significant role in the future when it comes to
reducing greenhouse gases,” he says. “But it doesn’t do a
whole lot to reduce the scale of emissions today,” says the
executive director of the Alberta-based Pembina Institute.
He estimates the oil sands would have to see at least
30 CCS projects pop-up in the next five years for the
technology to have the impact governments hope for.
Not making CCS mandatory for oil sands operators will
also affect its development at other sites down the road.
“Until there’s solid policy in place, CCS won’t become
a significant solution in terms of reducing emissions
overall.”
www.plant.ca
15-PLNT.indd 15
PLANT 15
12-10-05 9:53 AM
Sustainability
>> Emissions Reduction
>> Clean Tech
Recovering copper in China
BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc.
is partnering with China’s largest copper
mining company in a joint venture to build a
$3.2 million water treatment plant.
The Vancouver clean-tech company said
the additional treatment plant will be built
at Jiangxi Copper Co.’s Dexing Mine site in
southeastern China. The plant, which addresses the mine’s
need for greater water capacity, will apply
BioteQ’s patented ChemSulphide process
to selectively recover copper from mine
drainage.
Up to 24,000 cubic meters of water will
be treated daily (4.6 million cubic metres
annually) to remove about 900,000 pounds
of copper from the environment.
The copper concentrate will be sold to Jiangxi Copper Co.’s refinery at market prices.
UBC energizes with waste
Vale
Nickel smelting at Vale’s Sudbury, Ont. Copper Cliff operation.
PHOTO: VALE CANADA
clears the AER
Copper Cliff smelter gets a $2 billion retrofit
The operation will turn
sulphuric dioxide into a
byproduct that will be sold for
other industrial applications.
BY Matt Powell, Assistant Editor
V
ale has broken ground on a $2 billion emissions-busting project at its
Sudbury, Ont. nickel smelter in an
effort to meet increasingly demanding
government emissions regulations. The
move will reduce the Sudbury operation’s sulphuric dioxide (SO2) emissions
by 70% from current levels, and cut dust
and metals emissions by up to 40%.
The Clean AER project (Atmospheric
Emissions Reduction), which is currently
the largest mining investment in the
Sudbury area, will reduce Vale’s sulphur
dioxide emissions to 45 kilotonnes by
2015, below the regulatory limit of 66
kilotonnes per year.
The project involves a complete retrofit of the Copper Cliff smelter’s converter
aisle. Sulphur dioxide emissions that
currently escape into the atmosphere
through the super stack from converters
will be captured in a new wet gas cleaning and acid plant.
The operation will turn the sulphuric dioxide into a gaseous bi-product that Vale
will sell for various industrial applications, notably as a component in fertilizer
production and raw steel treatment, says
Brian MacNamara, Clean AER’s process
engineering and commissioning manager.
“We already make a lot of this bi-product, but we will now have capacity to
16 PLANT
16-PLNT.indd 16
make more while cutting smelter emissions,” he says. “There are a lot of uses.
It’s a pretty big market.”
The project will also cut the smelter’s
greenhouse gas emissions by up to 3.5
million cubic metres per year as the company moves to cut natural gas use.
“The goal of this project is to remove
environmental regulations as a constraint to production,” says MacNamara.
“We’ve made a number of SO2 (sulphur
dioxide) emissions reductions over the
years – this is the final step towards
meeting regulatory requirements we
need to hit by 2015.”
Major local impact
Vale says the project will also have a
major economic impact on the local
economy, suggesting it will employ at
least 1,300 temporary workers during the
construction phase. Ten per cent of construction projects have been awarded, at
least half of those to local suppliers.
Aecon Group, a Toronto-based construction and infrastructure development firm, was awarded an $85 million
contract to build reinforced concrete
foundations, pipe rack foundations and
perform site preparation work for the
process plant.
The project will require 32,000 cubic
metres of concrete, 44 kilometres of
pipes, 235 kilometres of electric cable,
and 15,500 tonnes of steel and ducting
(enough to build the first quarter of New
York’s Empire State Building).
Clean AER has been a long time coming. It’s already 10 years in the making
and MacNamara has been involved for
the last six.
“These projects that have billion dollar price-tags take a while to get going
because of approval processes,” he says.
“We’ve got regulatory requirements to
meet by 2015. We’re implementing this
major project now to make sure we meet
those requirements.”
He says the retrofitting will actually
boost the company’s operation costs by
$11 million when Clean AER is completed.
The mining and processing of nickel in
Sudbury has gone on for more than 100
years, and it has been a major contributor to the local economy, both in jobs
and investments. Vale expects to boost
Sudbury’s retail spending by $74 million
by 2015, according to an economic assessment the company commissioned by
consulting firm KPMG.
The Brazil-based mining giant, which
has a market capitalization of $97 billion,
employs more than 70,000 people at 18
subsidiaries worldwide. It has Canadian
operations in Sudbury, Ont. and Thomson, Man. Together, they produce more
than 20% of Canada’s copper, according
to a report by Natural Resources Canada.
In 2010, Vale introduced a five-year,
$10 billion investment plan to expand its
Canadian operations. More than $3 billion is being spent on modernizing Vale’s
Sudbury operations, including the Clean
AER project. In late September, the first
of four upgrader units arrived at the
Sudbury smelter.
Meanwhile, Clean AER will help Vale
clear the air as it meets regulatory requirements.
Nexterra Systems Corp., the University of
British Columbia (UBC) and GE have completed an energy-from-renewable-waste
heat and power system at the university’s
Vancouver campus.
Nexterra, a Vancouver-based renewable
energy company, describes it as the first
commercial demonstration of a transformative system in North America, combining
the company’s gasification and syngas conditioning technologies with a GE Jenbacher
internal combustion engine to produce 2
megawatts of renewable electricity. The
power will offset UBC’s existing energy
consumption, which will be enough to light
up about 1,500 homes.
The system will also generate 3 megawatts of thermal energy to displace up to
12% of UBC’s natural gas consumption,
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up
to 5,000 tonnes per year.
Thermal cracking converts locally
sourced wood into clean energy to deliver
electrical efficiencies that are 25% higher
than conventional methods of producing
biomass-based electricity.
High energy lithium cell Electrovaya Inc. has released the next
generation of its SuperPolymer technology,
claiming it has one of the highest energy
densities of commercial lithium batteries.
The Toronto-based developer and
manufacturer of advanced batteries said
the MN-eHP exceeds 200 Wh/kg, which
it “believes” is one of the highest energy
densities for a commercial lithium ion cell in
a large prismatic design.
The cells use electrode materials such
as graphite anodes and lithium metal mixed
oxide cathodes. The company says the
energy density is 50% to 70% higher than
typical phosphate cells, 120% higher than
lithium titanate cells and about 600% higher
than lead acid batteries.
Because the cells require fewer materials for a given energy capacity, Electrovaya
said they can be produced at a lower cost.
They also contain lower amounts of flammable electrolytes, making them safer.
Typical MN-HP cells are available in
30Ah to 40Ah format (110 to 150 Wh) and
housed in a flat polymer pouch.
October 2012
12-10-05 9:54 AM
Zero Defects << Operations
>> Inside Maintenance
Outsourcing
contracts
How to establish the
best relationship
By Steve Gahbauer
C
The goal is to keep machines running, reduce costs and continuously improve quality.
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/ David De Lossy
Making TPM pay
Achieve zero defects and workplace harmony
Total productive maintenance
involves everyone in the
building and aims to eliminate
equipment downtime.
By Steve Gahbauer
T
otal productive maintenance –
TPM – is a manufacturing strategy
that deals with equipment health
and machine improvement by involving
production operators, maintenance staff
and top management. It’s a process that
pays off handsomely, but it takes time,
patience and interpersonal skills.
Developed by Seiichi Nakajima who
first implemented it at Toyota plants in
Japan, TPM is still used by many manufacturing and processing plants.
Its goals are the elimination of equipment losses, increased productivity,
reduced costs, better product quality and
the creation of a pleasant and cooperative
work environment. TPM converges total
employee involvement and state-of-theart maintenance technology to improve
equipment capacity, machine use and
uptime. Five fundamental functions are
autonomous maintenance, equipment
improvement, quality maintenance, reduction or elimination of unnecessary maintenance, and education and training.
Hailed in the beginning as an important wave of the future, TPM philosophy
stands the test of time. Approaches and
procedures have been modified based
on experiences and results, but when it’s
implemented properly the basic benefits
still apply.
At the 9th Reinventing Maintenance
conference in Mississauga, Ont., TPM as
a business imperative was revisited by
www.plant.ca
17-PLNT.indd 17
Jitender Singh, manager of engineering
and facilities at Patheon Inc., a company
with pharmaceutical development services that focus on meeting strategic needs
for contract dosage form development
and manufacturing worldwide.
He emphasized that TPM presents
a structural and holistic approach to
maintenance – an opportunity to look at
operating systems, management structures, mindsets, capabilities and human
behaviour. Everyone must be involved
in setting goals for how to achieve lower
TPM’s eight pillars
Set these to a zero target.
1. Focussed improvement. Continuous –
even small steps of improvement.
2. Planned maintenance. Focus on increasing availability of equipment and reducing
machine breakdowns.
3. Initial control. Establish a system to
launch the production of new products and
new equipment with minimum run-up time.
4. Education and training. Bring together
workers who have skills for autonomous
maintenance.
5. Autonomous maintenance. It means
“maintaining one’s equipment by oneself.”
There are seven steps and activities.
6. Quality maintenance. Establish machine
conditions that will not allow defects and
control conditions required to sustain zero
defects.
7. Office TPM. Make an efficient, working
office that eliminates losses.
8. Safety, hygiene and environment. Create
safe and healthy workplace where accidents do not occur, uncover and improve
hazardous areas and conduct activities that
preserve the environment.
Adapted from Seiichi Nakajima
costs and improve equipment health. It’s
important to start small, evaluate results
and take the next step.
When applying this one-step-at-a-time
approach maintain a daily activity board,
keep it up to date and in an accessible
area. Huddle with the team each morning, follow up with weekly meetings and
keep management informed.
Addressing people issues
Although TPM focuses on equipment
improvement, there are people issues,
which were addressed by Liane Harris, a
spokesperson for Machine Health Care,
an ECS2 Group Inc. company specializing in predictive maintenance and
corporate wellness.
Common workplace issues include
stress, absenteeism, job burnout, harassment, bullying and substance abuse. The
most vulnerable employees are the ones
who are strongly motivated, dedicated
and involved. Since they’re most important to TPM success, maintenance
managers must pay special attention to
them. Workplace stress can be managed,
but awareness is key. Go with the flow
and enjoy, said Harris.
Measure TPM success in small steps.
Set KPIs for safety, morale, planned
versus unplanned maintenance, MTBF,
MTTR and cost savings. Then celebrate
achievements as they occur and award
deserving individuals. That way TPM will
help to achieve business goals.
Steve Gahbauer is an engineer and
Toronto-based freelance writer, the former engineering editor of PLANT and
a regular contributing editor. E-mail
[email protected].
ontracting out plant maintenance has
been a long-standing industrial practice
that has initiated heated debate concerning its merits, benefits and disadvantages.
There is no “one-fits-all” solution. Every
plant has its own culture and peculiarities
that need to be carefully evaluated before a
decision is made to outsource.
Ben Stevens, owner of DataTrak Systems
Inc. and former president of software
designer OMDEC (Optimal Maintenance
Decisions Inc.) who is an experienced
maintenance professional, concludes
outsourcing is a work in progress. But
there are guidelines that will help with the
decision-making process.
Start by understanding why you want to
outsource and set criteria for determining
which types of contracts best suit your
needs and the equipment that should be
included or excluded.
One contract type does not fit all circumstances. The one you select should deliver
value for each of your criteria.
Most contractors want to deliver higher
value, which increases the chances of a
longer-term contract or a renewal. Therefore, converting from a “lump sum” or “fee
for service” contract to something higher
value and/or higher performance doesn’t
have to wait for a new agreement to be
signed. Stevens says the contractor needs
to recognize that rewards will come for behaviour that increases your ability to deliver
more value through improved maintenance
practices.
Generally, he sees performance-based
contracts as preferable to lump sum or fee
for service. Performance-based will focus on
achieving key indicators that are beneficial
to both companies. On the other hand, lump
sum and fee for service tend to do a poor job
of delivering continuous improvement. That’s
because the contractor is required to deliver
selected maintenance tasks for a lump
sum. Making more profit – always a prime
business goal – leads to cutting costs, which
often involves cutting corners on quality,
skipping jobs that can’t be inspected, hiring
less experienced labour, and using cheaper
and lower-quality parts.
Of course, a contractor can also increase
profits by being more efficient, but this
rarely occurs in practice because it requires
upfront investment in technology, procedural
improvement and training.
Stevens says the best contracts encourage the contractor to propose new and better ways of doing maintenance that results
in both parties making more money.
Steve Gahbauer is an engineer and
Toronto-based freelance writer, the former
engineering editor of PLANT and a regular
contributing editor.
PLANT 17
12-10-05 9:55 AM
Operations
>> Think Lean
5S+1
More than just housekeeping
Put a detailed plan and budget
in place before establishing
or enhancing the program in
your workplace.
By Richard Kunst
E
ver considered how your 5S+1 program (the plus one covers safety)
impacts employee attraction and
retention; training and development;
ease of employee assimilation; rapid onboarding of temporary employees; creating focus and commitment to process;
and professional linkage of management
vision and execution?
Within the next five years, many of
your employees will be eligible for retirement. Since manufacturing isn’t exactly
first choice among about-to-graduate
students, having a professional work
environment is a must.
Although 5S+1 is typically the first tool
adopted by plants as part of the lean
journey because of the visual impact, it’s
often deployed with little or no definition
and becomes just another housekeeping
exercise. Materials and diverted labour
costs can make it expensive to adopt.
Evolving from current state to worldclass ranges from $6 to $16 per square
foot, which doesn’t take into consideration the cost incurred by employees
putting down tape to mark aisles and
shadow boxes.
You need to plan and budget before
starting the journey or enhancing an
existing program. Start by defining the
following:
• Budget. Don’t be cheap. It reflects the
brand status of your company.
• Define colour codes (communication,
quality, production, etc.).
• Define font type and size used for
signage.
• Ban the use of duct tape.
Apply the methodology to your general
areas with signage and location indicators. The break room or cafeteria are
good places to start, but offices are also
key. Tear down all of the existing signage. Start new. After 21 days folks are
numb to their surroundings.
Once stuff is organized and colour coded people see the flow and they instinctively know where items are located.
5S+1 enables ease of employee assimilation. Finding your way through
some plants is challenging, but when you
go to a hospital, getting around is easy.
Need an x-ray? Follow the yellow lines.
Ultrasound, the blue lines.
The use of temporary employees will
What’s 5S+1?
It adds safety, addressing potential hazards
and other key issues.
• Sorting
• Standardizing
• Straightening
• Sustaining
• Shining
• Safety
>> Tech Tip
Maintaining motor health
How to check for stator core loss
W
hen an electric motor is being rewound, the
rotor has rubbed, or there is a question about
the condition of a stator core, a core-loss test determines its suitability and the impact on the motor’s
efficiency.
Testing reveals how specific applications
There are two basic types of core loss. Hysteresis affect efficiency.
PHOTO: ZUREKS
losses relate to the steel’s opposition to a changing
magnetic field. This requires a change of core steel chemistry. If the steel changes colour, the
hysteresis losses may increase.
Eddy current losses are based on the thickness of the steel plates that make up the core.
They’re perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field. Shorted lamination and poor interlaminar insulation will cause the value to be high.
Core losses are measured in watts/pound or watts/kilogram by looping cables through the
core and applying a calculated current while measuring watts. The core weight is often calculated if it can’t be weighed directly. The applied watts are divided by the weight. This determines the actual applied current based on the weight, geometry and magnetic properties of the
steel. The range should fall between one and six watts/pound.
When suspect, subject the core to a hot spot test by saturating it magnetically. The stator
temperature should rise a few degrees Celsius and a hot spot will be within 10 degrees C of the
ambient temperature.
Create a clean, well-organized work environment that will attract professionals.
only increase. Getting them on board and
productive requires a rigid 5S+1 program
blurred into standard work.
5S+1 also creates focus and commitment. Walking five feet takes 2.5 seconds,
30 inches of reach is 0.6 seconds. Not
much in a singular sequence, but the repeats soon add up to minutes and hours.
As you proceed through your sort, ensure
items are categorized and identify where
they need to be stored as follows:
• Runners. Used every day. Access in
under 30 seconds and no foot steps.
• Repeaters. Used occasionally. Access within two minutes or less.
• Strangers. Used rarely. Access
within 15 minutes or less.
Every time an employee gets distracted
retrieving an item, it will take them a
minimum of 22 minutes to re-gain focus.
That’s a lot of lost productivity.
Finally 5S+1 provides professional
linkage of management vision and execution. This is where employees tasked
with implementing the program become
very budget-conscious but spending a
few pennies on tape is not real cost. It’s
the labour used and the time it takes to
learn a new skill. Don’t expect a welder
to learn how to paint aisle lines on the
floor. They probably won’t be straight.
Look at your organization and the type
of image you wish to convey, then select
your enablers accordingly. For example,
don’t allow anyone to use tape for hanging a sign. It looks horrible. Same with
duct tape, unless you are on the Red
Green Show. It shows you are willing to
compromise your significant investment
with an unprofessional fix, like a manufacturer that recently commissioned a
new $6.2 million line.
What did we find? Duct tape. Ugggh.
Richard Kunst is president and CEO
of Cambridge, Ont.-based Kunst
Solutions Corp., which publishes the
“Lean Thoughts” e-newsletter and
helps companies become more agile,
develop evolutionary management and
implement lean solutions. Visit www.
kunstsolutions.com. E-mail rkunst@
kunstartofsolutions.com.
Source: Motor Diagnostics Health Newsletter, Success by Design.
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
>> Audits
How to pinpoint
energy opportunities
Lassonde tallies savings from
gas and compressed air
L
assonde Beverages Canada in Toronto has
achieved remarkable energy savings in
its production and maintenance departments
thanks to its decision to conduct audits.
“We are on a path of continuous improvement through employee education
and training, and the reduction of energy
consumption and waste production,” says
Daniel Marcoux, the plant’s manager.
Lassonde, a manufacturer of juices and
drinks, employs about 120 people at its 8,400
square-metre production facility with a 6,500
square-metre warehouse. The company
worked with the Guelph Food Technology
Centre to develop key performance indicators
and a sustainability plan, with special emphasis on maintenance. It also had a waste and
energy audit conducted by Agviro Inc., a gas
audit by Enbridge, and a compressed air audit
by C.E.D. Compressed Air Inc. As a result, 22
energy and six environmental efficiency opportunities were identified.
The plant previously operated two large
300- and 200-hp boilers, which accounted
for 90% of its natural gas consumption at
a cost of about $450,000 annually. Using
information from the Enbridge audit, steam
trap leaks and economizers were repaired,
condensate lines were insulated, new
controllers were installed, natural gas pressure was lowered, and one boiler was shut
down. Steam and condensate lines were
also insulated for annual energy savings of
almost 300,000 kWh per year.
After the compressed air audit, the company installed four new 7-bar air compressors
with internal cooling. Marcoux also notes
that most of the 52 identified air leaks have
been sealed, and with proper balancing the
company shut down one 75-hp compressor
for annual electricity cost savings of $34,000.
The company is now investigating the
feasibility of replacing piping to make compressed air use more efficient and to lower
air pressure. — Steve Gahbauer
18 PLANT
18-PLNT.indd 18
October 2012
12-10-04 2:34 PM
Global Ranking << Trends
We’re less
competitive
Canada drops to 14th globally
A World Economic Forum
report notes our less favourable
research and innovation
factors.
By Joe Terrett, EDITOR
A
s the competitiveness gap widens
in Europe, Canada’s global position has also slipped from 12th
to 14th, according to an annual competitiveness ranking by the World Economic Forum, an independent global
organization based in Geneva.
The Global Competitiveness Report
2012-2013 shows Switzerland topping
the rankings for the fourth straight
year, with the US in seventh place and
Canada residing in the top 20.
Canada continues to place near the
top of the 144 countries measured in the
report thanks to “highly efficient” markets with high rankings for goods (13),
labour (4), financial (11), well functioning and transparent institutions (11) and
excellent infrastructure (13). However,
this year’s ranking was dragged down
by a “less favourable assessment” of research institutions and the government’s
role in promoting innovation through
procurement practices.
Human resources ranks highly
(seventh for health and primary education, fifteenth for higher education and
training), but higher education, ranked
eighth two years ago, is on a downward
trend.
The Conference Board of Canada,
which helped manage the distribution
Canada is still in the game competitvely but it has dropped five places in global ranking since 2009.
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
of surveys here, noted the nation has
dropped five places since 2009.
“Canada is a developed economy
and … at a stage where its capacity
to innovate successfully determines
its overall success. Businesses must
be able to compete on the basis of
developing new or improved products,
services, models and processes,” says
Daniel Muzyka, president and CEO of
the Ottawa-based think tank.
He contends Canada is not taking full
advantage of its strong economic fundamentals, well-educated workforce and
efficient markets to build higher valueadded products and services.
“Too often, Canada fails to commercialize its good ideas into marketable
products and services or capture the
value from growth,” he says, suggesting
all levels of government, businesses and
educational institutions need to do more.
One of the obstacles is a lack of metrics
for innovation, says Doug Watt, a director
>> Human Resources
Attracting key employees is a struggle
Global survey also found they are highly stressed
C
ompanies worldwide continue to struggle with attracting and retaining high-potential and
skilled employees needed to increase their global competitiveness, according to a new report.
A global survey of 1,605 companies conducted by global professional services company
Towers Watson also found that employees are experiencing high levels of stress, a trend
many employers expect to continue for the next three years.
Close to two-thirds (61%) of Canadian respondents cite problems attracting critical-skill
employees while 40% are having difficulty attracting high-potential talent and roughly 35% are
finding it hard to attract top-performers, and more than 30% have difficulty retaining them.
The survey reveals a mismatch between what employers are offering and what employees
are looking for. Canadian employees, including top talent, are more focused on competitive
base pay and job security, while employers are emphasizing other items such as challenging
work and the organization’s reputation as a good employer.
The study also found that Canadian employees continue to experience high levels of stress
at work. Close to half (47%) of Canadian respondents indicate employees often experience
excessive pressure in their job and 65% report employees have been working more hours
than normal during the past three years.
Fifty-three per cent expect to maintain this trend for the next three years.
of research at the Conference Board.
“A lot of companies look at metrics as
investment in research and patents so
we’re (Conference Board) looking at
developing business innovation metrics
such as brand innovation, customer satisfaction, understanding of the market.”
Innovations
Among the emerging market economies, China is down three places to 29
but leads the BRIC group. Brazil is at
48 and the only country to improve its
ranking. South Africa (52), India (59)
and Russia (67) showed small declines.
The US slipped two more places to
seventh, its fourth consecutive decline.
The report notes a low public trust
of politicians and a perceived lack of
government efficiency among business
leaders, but the US continues to be a
major global innovator and its markets
“work efficiently.”
Switzerland and countries in Northern Europe have been consolidating
their strong competitive positions since
the financial and economic downturn
in 2008, says the report. However,
countries in Southern Europe, such as
Portugal (49), Spain (36), Italy (42) and
Greece (96) continue to suffer from
macroeconomic imbalances, poor access to financing, rigid labour markets
and an innovation deficit.
Filling out the top 10 are Singapore (2),
Finland (3) having overtaken Sweden (4),
The Netherlands (5), Germany (6), the
UK (8), Hong Kong (9) and Japan (10).
Overall, Canada is still doing well, says
Watt. Efficiency enhancers in goods,
labour markets, financial and technology
use are all ranked highly.
“[Countries] at the top of the rankings leverage those qualities to be more
innovative,” he says. “Right now we’re
treading water. If we do that for too
long, we’ll sink.”
>> Exporting
Coherent strategy
needed for Asia
More participation in
Asian institutions: ADF
I
f Canada wants to secure its place in Asia,
it will require comprehensive engagement
that extends beyond a commercially focused,
and bilateral-centred approach, according to a
taskforce report published by the Asia Pacific
Foundation of Canada.
ADF cites Canada’s contact with various
Asian organizations as key to building trade
relationships.
Canada is a member of APEC, and talking to
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
It also participates in non-official forums such
as the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council
(PECC) and the Shangri-La Dialogue. Canada is
not a member of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’
Meeting ++ or the East Asia Summit.
Final approval is pending to join the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations
but ADF said Canada has not concluded a
single free trade agreement with any Asian
country.
“Some might question the value of Canada
joining process-filled forums in Asia, but keep
in mind that the rules of engagement in Asia are
different,” said Don Campbell, a co-author of
the report. “Being active participants at these
tables is critical to building long-term trust with
Asian counterparts. This is ultimately vital to
Canada’s long-term prosperity.”
Securing Canada’s Place in Asia: Institutions, Means and Mechanisms offers the
following recommendations:
• Establish a coordinating unit with access to
senior government officials on Canada’s participation in Asia and convene on a regular basis
with non-government stakeholders.
• Formalize and sustain a bilateral dialogue
with the US focused on Asia.
• Strengthen existing bilateral dialogues with
strategic Asian partners including China, Japan,
India, South Korea and Indonesia.
• Seek early admission into the East Asia
Summit.
• Volunteer to chair and host APEC in 2017.
• Seek admission into the ASEAN Defence
Ministers Meeting ++.
• Consider appointing a Canadian Ambassador dedicated to ASEAN.
• Conclude as a matter of urgency a FTA with
South Korea.
• Pursue as a top priority comprehensive economic partnership negotiations with Japan.
• Move towards a trade agreement with
China.
• Conclude trade negotiations with India.
• Secure final approval for participation in the
TPP negotiations.
The Vancouver-based Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is a not-for-profit, independent
resource for Canadians on contemporary Asia
and Canada-Asia relations.
Co-authors of the report include Don Campbell, senior strategy advisor to Davis LLP; Paul
Evans, professor of Asian international relations
at UBC; and Pierre Lortie, senior business advisor at Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP.
www.plant.ca
19-PLNT.indd 19
PLANT 19
12-10-05 10:52 AM
Trends
>> US Election
Mr. President
2012
HOW ROMNEY AND OBAMA CONNECT WITH CANADIAN INDUSTRY
Nov 6. will determine how Canada
intersects with its biggest ally over the
next four years.
BY MATT POWELL, ASSISTANT EDITOR
T
he US presidential election is quickly approaching as the land of the free and home of the brave
ponders Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Mitt Romney.
Nov. 6 will be a big day for Canada too. The winner
will impact Canada/US relations in such areas as energy,
natural resource development, manufacturing and trade.
So, who is better for Canada?
Both are good, according to John Kriton, a political
science professor at the University of Toronto, but
“Obama is better.”
And Canada/US relations will be much better when
the election is concluded, he adds.
“Then we can get back to business and stop the partisan political squawking that’s typical to elections.”
Here are three industry-related areas where Canadian
interests intersect with the presidential nominees.
Loonie
The Canadian dollar is hovering on or
near parity with the US greenback. If
Obama is re-elected, that’s unlikely to
change.
His tapping of the Federal Reserve
boosted the value of Canadian commodities, artificially
inflating the cost of exports.
Exports between Canada and the US barely topped
$330 billion in 2011 according to Statistics Canada, a
significant drop from pre-recession days when exports
were $370 billion (2008).
Peter Hall, chief economist at Export Development
Canada, notes many factors have affected Canada’s relatively flat trade growth with the US since 2000, among
them China and other emerging markets.
“But there’s been a strong rebound in growth since
the recession, which shows not all is dead. We’ve recouped a lot of what we lost in 2009.”
Romney has vowed to cut budgets to raise the value
of the US dollar, which would gain on the loonie and
bring prices down to boost Canada’s export volumes.
Falling commodity prices would soften the loonie,
bringing it into the 91 cent range by 2017.
“Commodity prices are inflated in the US because
they’re going through a period of adjustment. Banks and
corporations are sitting on massive amounts of cash,
but once that settles down, prices will drop and make
the value of the loonie more manageable.”
Trade
Obama is a star in Canada. A recent
Angus Reid poll suggests 65% of Canadians would vote for him; only 9%
for Romney. But that doesn’t mean
he’s good for business.
20 PLANT
20-PLNT.indd 20
Obama is emphasizing manufacturing and bringing
back jobs that have migrated overseas. Since Canadian
manufacturers’ fortunes are directly tied to the prosperity of their US counterparts, that should be a plus for
Canada. But there’s also a hint of protectionism in the
air with renewed interest in the Buy American Act.
“It’s a minor annoyance,” says Kirton. “But Canada’s
been dealing with Buy American for a long time. It’s
nothing new.”
However, US states are offering manufacturers hefty
incentives to boost business south of the border, particularly in almost union-free jurisdictions, which will
draw investment away from Canada. ElectroMotive’s
move from London, Ont. to Illinois to make locomotives
comes to mind.
Foreign companies are showing interest in Alberta’s
oil sands, particularly China (see Nexen). But China’s
interest in Canadian oil may fray trade with the US.
If elected, Romney has promised to declare China a
currency manipulator, which could be a problem for oil
sands producers, especially as ownership diversifies. For
example, a Republican government could take issue with
buying oil from Chinese-owned companies in Canada.
Hall, however, doesn’t see any need to worry.
“The stuff’s here, it’s not going anywhere. That gives
Canada the upper hand when it comes to oil trade.”
Energy
Obama nixed TransCanada Corp.’s
Keystone XL pipeline plans earlier
this year until after November’s election. He’s concerned about environmental factors associated with the
project, and there’s still no guarantee the pipeline will
be approved without significant changes to TransCanada’s plans.
Romney says he would approve the pipeline within
100 days of the election, but there are plenty of roadblocks to bypass.
The Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI) says
cancelling Keystone would cost the Canadian economy
more than $630 billion in additional GDP over the next
25 years. Alberta would miss out on $95 billion in royalties.
While 2008 was about Obama’s call for change, Nov.
6 will determine whether or not US voters are still on
board.
Of course, we’ll reserve judgment in the interest
of objectivity regarding who we think is best for
Canada, but if you wish to weigh in, e-mail us with
your thoughts.
>> Productivity
Slow growth the real drag on performance: Deloitte
Companies not investing enough in their businesses
W
hen it comes to productivity performance, it’s not about size or sector composition, according to a new report from Deloitte.
Disputing decades of speculation that it is size and sector composition that restricts performance, the consulting firm’s
report, The Future of Productivity: Clear choices for a competitive Canada, identifies the real drag as the inability of Canadian
companies to sustain growth over the longer term.
Among the chief reasons is the reluctance of Canadian companies to invest
Since 2000, US
in growth, and government policies that encourage companies to remain
small.
manufacturing has
Among the key findings, firms that export outperform non-exporters, but
grown six times faster
fewer than 3% of Canadian firms export.
And Canadian businesses spend at only 65.2% the US rate on machinery
than in Canada.
and equipment, while investment in information and communication technology (ICT) is at 66% in manufacturing and 80% in financial services.
The report found that Canada’s productivity lags the US in all areas, regardless of a company size, sector, business type or location. And the competitiveness gap has widened in mining, oil and gas, and financial services, but it’s particularly wide in manufacturing. Since 2000, it has grown six times faster than in Canada.
Deloitte notes productivity growth in Canadian manufacturing averaged 0.88% between 2000 and 2008, well below the 3.3% rate
of growth in the US. And a survey of US firms from 1998 to 2008 showed that rapidly growing firms are more productive. In Canada,
for instance, 4.9% of firms account for 43% of all job growth.
Deloitte advocates bolder investment in measures that boost productivity and seek out opportunities for growth domestically
and internationally. It also calls on governments to create the right conditions for growth by eliminating barriers to trade, encouraging competition and foreign direct investment; and adjusting Canada’s immigration system to deal with an aging population and
looming skills shortage.
The report notes Canada needs to develop new trading partners to lessen its dependence on the US, and increase the transparency of the foreign direct investment review process. This would encourage more foreign companies to invest in Canada, which
would force Canadian businesses to invest and innovate to remain competitive.
“
”
October 2012
12-10-05 9:57 AM
Energy Efficiency << Technology
>> Supply Lines
A 50,000 square-foot facility.
NEW PROVINCIAL PLANT
Provincial Partitions has completed the
move to a new head office and main manufacturing plant in Mississauga, Ont.
The 50,000 square-foot facility on Creekbank Rd. has added three new 16- x 16-ft.
drive-in doors to accommodate the movement of materials and prefab, factory-built
structures.
The modular structure company will
continue to manufacture its System 40
demountable partition system at its 30,000
square-foot Campobello plant until the
transition is complete.
LIMITED EDITION TOOL SET
Use a thermal imager to spot temperature variations.
PHOTO: FLUKE
COGENERATION
PARTNERSHIP OF CONVEYANCE
HOW TO ACHIEVE PEAK EFFICIENCY
Apply measurement and
maintenance in three key
areas to get the most value
from combined heat and
power.
BY COLIN PLASTOW
C
ogeneration puts heat captured
from industrial processes back to
work by making steam that drives
a turbine generator or heats other parts
of a plant. Heat recovery is important
because it increases energy efficiency by
30% or more.
No wonder sophisticated cogeneration
solutions are now available in a range of
sizes, but even the best of them require
regular maintenance to ensure peak efficiency.
Measurements and maintenance
www.plant.ca
21-23-PLNT.1.indd 21
should focus on the following areas:
1. Enhancing heat recovery. Anything that allows heat to escape from a
heat recovery system reduces efficiency.
Insufficient or damaged insulation and
failed steam traps are two areas that
merit close attention.
Start with a careful visual inspection
with a thermal imager, performed annually and after any maintenance that
requires the removal of insulation.
In a typical cogeneration system, heat
from exhaust gases is used to preheat
water that is fed to a boiler. Steam from
the boiler is then piped through the facility for heating or other purposes.
Trap failures are common yet hard to
spot. There are two failure modes: open
and closed. In the closed mode (plugged),
water that has condensed in steam pipes
is trapped, reducing heat transfer and
thus efficiency. But the water can also become entrained in the steam flow, form-
Gray Tools has launched a “Limited Edition” red toolbox set to mark its 100th
anniversary.
The sets with 11-drawer cabinet and
nine-drawer top chest each come engraved with a commemorative anniversary
logo, a special serial number marking each
tool’s uniqueness and a thank-you card
from the Brampton, Ont. manufacturer’s
chair Alex Gray.
Gray Tools now has five tool sets marking the anniversary.
ing a “water hammer” that will damage or
destroy equipment as it pounds away like
the tool of the same name.
Open mode (leaking) allows steam to
vent from the distribution system into
the condensate return system. A single
open trap wastes thousands of dollars
worth of steam a year.
To check for proper operation, know
the steam system you’re working on,
the type of steam trap you’re investigating and the tools you’re using to do the
investigation. Examine the trap for obvious signs of trouble. Traps that have not
been serviced for years may have failure
rates as high as 30%.
A thermal imager typically displays
objects of different temperature with colours (bluish for cool, reddish for warm).
Open mode shows high temperatures on
both sides of the trap, because it’s venting steam straight through and into the
Advanced Motion & Controls Ltd. has
entered into a distribution and integration
partnership with conveyor system manufacturer Hytrol Conveyor Co. in Jonesboro, Ariz.
The Barrie, Ont. distributor of automation
products will handle concept to long-term
support of all new and existing Hytrol conveyor products.
$26.3M US NAVY DEAL
FLIR Systems Inc. won a $26.3 million contract from Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
Aviation for advanced imaging systems and
related electronics for installation on US
Navy equipment. Work will be performed
out of FLIR’s facility in Wilsonville, Ore.
$37.3M FOR EFT
Nederman Group has completed its $37.3
million acquisition of Environmental Filtration Technologies (EFT).
The Swedish manufacturer of air filtration products said the acquisition strengthens its position in North America and
Australia in mining, chemicals and steel.
EFT, based in Charlotte, NC, employs 385
people with annual sales of $125 million.
Continued on page 22
PLANT 21
12-10-05 9:58 AM
CIEN
Increase energy Pumps
efficiency by 30%
Continued from page 21
condensate return system.
An ultrasonic detector reduces the high-frequency
sounds of steam flow to frequencies audible by the
human ear. It also shows sound intensity on a display
to detect leaks.
Conduct steam trap surveys at intervals determined
by the system pressure. Technicians often test several
dozen traps per day.
Other leak locations include bypass valves, tubes,
air and exhaust systems.
2. Optimize mechanical systems and equipment. Vibration analysis measures the frequency and
intensity of vibrations caused by wear, misalignment,
looseness and other mechanical problems.
It will find the cause of overheated mechanical
parts that have been detected with a thermal imager.
Examine rotating mechanical equipment to identify
abnormally high temperatures. Focus on signs of
overheating on motor end bells, which can indicate
possible bearing or alignment problems.
The pumps, compressors and motors that make up
a cogeneration system are subject to bearing wear,
misalignment, balance, looseness and other mechanical problems. Measuring and analyzing the vibration
signature of the machine and identifying abnormalities provide equipment condition information during
operation. Detecting a bearing failure on the circulating water pump for a heat recovery boiler prevents
unscheduled downtime. Reduced downtime translates to increased plant availability.
3. Improving electrical systems. Electrical inefficiencies can be present in both the electrical generation and distribution system, and in electrical equipment that operates as part of the cogeneration system.
If the generator of the cogeneration facility is supplying a large number of inductive loads (for example,
motors and transformers), it may be running at a poor
power factor. Adding power factor correction capacitors makes power available to do useful work in the
distribution system.
If the generator is supplying nonlinear loads (for
example, VFDs, UPS systems or copy machines), then
undesirable harmonic currents may be flowing in the
system. They can produce excessive heat in wiring
and equipment, causing operational problems with
other controls. Such inefficiencies need to be monitored and controlled.
Conduct a power quality survey of both the cogeneration unit and the electrical system it supplies to identify
existing and potential problems, including harmonics
and distortion of the voltage and current waveforms.
Use a data logger to record the behaviour of the
electrical system over time. This is valuable because
many power quality problems, such as transients and
voltage sags, occur only briefly. Failure to maintain
the electrical system within specified parameters
creates excessive heat that causes controls to operate
improperly and reduces the efficiency of electrical
production.
Individual maintenance issues, such as missing
insulation, a leaking mechanical seal, a failed-open
steam trap, or an overheating transformer, can seem
minuscule compared to overall energy production of
the cogeneration process, but constant attention to
problems will pay big benefits over time.
Colin Plastow is an industrial product manager for
Fluke Electronics Canada. E-mail colin.plastow@
fluke.com.
BOOST PUMP PRESSURE
MOVITEC high-pressure in-line pumps from
KSB Pumps Inc. provide the pressure boost
needed for industrial applications involving
water supply/treatment, hot and cold water recirculation, condensate transport, boiler feed
and desalination systems based on reverse
osmosis.
They come in a range of sizes (up to a 90mm pipe diameter) and feature heads of up to
249 metres and flow rates as high as 90 cm/h.
Inlet and outlet nozzles are in line and the
same size so the pumps install easily in piping
systems.
Stainless steel hydraulic elements ensure
long service life and high pumping efficiency.
KSB, based in Mississauga, Ont., sells pumps
and valves manufactured by KSB Group, based
in Germany.
www.ksb.ca
Easy installation.
ACCURATE PUMPING FOR CERAMIC SLIP
In the ceramics industry, slip consistency must
be maintained at correct levels for production
efficiency and product quality. But the abrasive
nature of the slip is a challenge for most pump
types.
Bredel’s SPX handles abrasive, corrosive or viscous fluids without damaging the working
parts of the pump. Peristaltic hose pumps
are virtually maintenance free with no impellers, liners or mechanical seals to replace, no
Virtually no
check valves to clog and no rotors and stators to wear out.
maintenance.
The SPX hose pump runs dry safely works 24/7.
Bredel is a brand of the Watson-Marlow Pump Group with US operations in
Wilmington, Mass.
www.wmpg.com
HIGH-PRESSURE,
NO EXTERNAL COOLING BATH
Thermoelectric technology ensures
Supercritical Fluid Technologies
Inc.’s self-contained SFT-10 liquid
carbon dioxide pump achieves high
pressure without an external cooling bath.
The pump pressurizes carbon
dioxide up to 10,000 psi (69 MPa)
at flow rates from 0.01 to 24.0 ml/
min. for supercritical fluid extraction, fluid reaction chemistry and
chromatography.
Dual sapphire syringe pump
technology achieves high pressures
rapidly and the Peltier chiller maintains a low enough temperature
at the pump heads to ensure the
carbon dioxide remains liquid.
The standard operating mode
is “constant pressure” where the
pump will maintain a pressure
set point and there’s an optional
constant flow mode, from 0.01 to
24.0 ml/min.
The pump comes as a stand alone
or as part of SFT-100/SFT-100XW
supercritical fluid extractors.
Supercritical Fluid Technologies
is a Newark, Del. manufacturer
of bench top and small scale pilot
equipment.
www.supercriticalfluids.com
Manufacturer and Distributor of
Quality Pumping Equipment Since 1924
ELECTRICALLY HEATED PUMP
DUPLEX FUEL OIL SYSTEMS
SANITARY LOBE PUMP
Up to 20,000 lb. Capacity
Hamilton puts the "HEAVY" in heavy duty! With superior
features like precision tapered thrust bearings and CNCmachined raceways, Hamilton's Forged Steel Casters will out
perform and outlast other comparable casters.
And, most are stocked for 24-48 hour PRONTO® shipment.
For the best heavy duty casters, backed by the
best delivery and the industry's first and only
three-year product warranty....
HEAVY DUTY FLAP VALVE
MAG DRIVE CENTRIFUGAL
Call Toll Free National 1-888-845-7867
www.vikingpumpcanada.com
[email protected]
22 PLANT
Pressurizes CO2.
October 2012
12-10-05 12:15 PM
Products and Equipment << Technology
HIGH-EFFICIENCY
AIR FLOW
DOWN-HOLE APPLICATION EXTENDED
Moyno HTD660 pumps handle high-temperature applications such as steam-assisted
gravity drainage (SAGD) and cyclic steam stimulation in the oil and gas industry
that prevents operators from using downhole progressing cavity pumps.
It has a metal-to-metal rotor and stator (that does not include elastomer) and withstands downhole temperatures to 350 degrees C
(600 degrees F). Tolerances between the metal-to-metal rotor/stator
clearance
are closely controlled. Low levels of vibration compare to
Progessing
conventional downhole PCPs.
cavity pump.
Use HTD660s for hot oil encountered during thermal recovery methods
such SAGD and cyclic steam stimulation.
Moyno Inc. is a pump manufacturer based in Springfield, Ohio and is a unit of Robbins & Myers Inc., which
handles Canadian distribution through its Calgary office.
www.moyno.com
Versa-Matic’s Model E40 1 ½-in.
high-flow, bolted metallic pumps
include its Elima-Matic high efficiency air valve system.
The Mansfield, Ohio manufacturer of air-operated double
diaphragm pumps says the E40
delivers 123 gpm, a 43% increase
it claims as an improvement over
other pumps.
The pump is distributed by
York Fluid Controls in Brampton,
Ont.
www.yorkfluid.com
Long-life
diaphragms.
DISCHARGES FLUID
AT 2:1 FLUID/AIR PRESSURE
Wilden’s HX400S high-pressure air-operated double-diaphragm pump transfers viscous, solid-laden slurries at
high discharge pressures using a liquid
chamber rather than external boosters
or amplifiers. This allows generating at
a 2:1 ratio of discharge fluid to air inlet
pressure, for a discharge fluid pressure of up to 250 psig (17.2 bar).
Available with 1 1/2-in. (38-mm) inlet
and discharge connections, it’s outfitted with a Pro-Flo X air distribution
system.
A state-of-the-art efficiency management system allows operators to dial
in the actual parameters regardless of
the application demands or pump size.
Other features include an advanced,
bolted construction; DIN or 300-lb.
ANSI flanged connections; lubefree operation; 62 gpm (235 l/min)
maximum flow rate; 125 psig (8.6 bar)
maximum air inlet pressure; and 250
psig (17.2 bar) maximum discharge
pressure.
LIQUID HANDLERS REPLACE SYRINGE PUMPS
Wilden Pump and Engineering Co.
makes pumps in Grand Terrace, Calif.
www.psgdover.com
Valco’s Cheminert M6 and M50 liquid handling pumps replace syringe
pumps to eliminate refill cycles and
changes.
This new generation of pumps
for liquids and/or gases produce a
bidirectional, pulseless flow with a
range of over six orders of magnitude (5 nl/min to 5 ml/min for the
M6; 1 µl/min to 25 ml/min for the
M50).
As positive displacement pumps
they’re self-priming and tolerate any
gas that may find its way into the
fluid lines. There is no separate fill
cycle and the capacity is unlimited.
RS-232 and RS-485 communication protocols are incorporated
into the microprocessor-driven
controller. (USB interface requires
Bidirectional pulseless flow.
an adapter.) Software controls flow
rates, flow direction and metered volumes.
VICI Valco Instruments Co. Inc. is a manufacturer of injectors, valves and actuators with a Canadian sales office in Brockville, Ont.
www.vici.com
No external boosters.
Rely on Reelcraft
Made in USA
Now You’re Torquing!
®
SALES • SERVICE • RENTALS • CALIBRATION • CERTIFICATION
www.torquetools.com
X•Ar EXOSKELETAL ARM
Introducing the X•Ar Exoskeletal arm that attaches
to your arm and provides dynamic support throughout your natural range of motion. Now used in the
Medical Industry, in the Physical Therapy
department, which has been quite successful.
Outstanding Acid and
Chemical Resistance
Series 7000
New!
Epoxy Resin EP21AR
• High strength adhesive/coating
• Superior insulation
• 100% reactive
Compact dual
pedestal hose reels
Triple tap
receptacle
p
Series L4000
Series DP5000
and DP7000
p
Heavy duty
power and light
cord reels
154 Hobart Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA
+1.201.343.8983 • [email protected]
www.masterbond.com
www.plant.ca
NON-MAGNETIC TORQUE WRENCH
McCann Equipment also introduces the first
ever Non-Magnetic Torque Wrench, which
is proving invaluable for medical equipment,
notably in the MRI field such as scanner
maintenance, a torque wrench is required to
check the bolts used with the gradient power
supply cables. This non-magnetic tool is an
important advance for both health & safety
and asset protection, because using standard
steel tools close to high powered magnets
can be difficult and hazardous.
www.reelcraft.com | 800-444-3134
[email protected] | www.torquetools.com | 1-800-663-6344 (MTL) | 1-800-287-5714 (TOR)
PLANT 23
12-10-05 11:59 AM
CIEN
TEST & MEASUREMENT
The sealed polypropylene lens
protects the LED and electronics from
impact and acid migration. Terminals
Monitor battery cell
are sealed to prevent corrosion.
electrolyte levels
The light is reverse polarity proFlow-Rite’s Eagle Eye
tected and has three self-resetting
advanced electrolyte
fuses. An optional remote
level indicator monimounts a light on the
tors and displays the
side of the battery
status of battery cell
when the monitor is
electrolyte levels,
obstructed.
includes a trimmable
Flow-Rite Controls
probe and doesn’t
Ltd., based in Byron
require calibration.
Centre, Mich., manuThe light measures electrolyte levels
factures fluid control
without drawing a direct current from
devices for lead acid
the cell, instead using capacitive sensing
batteries, boats and
technology found in electronics such as
laboratory use.
touch screen monitors and cell phones.
www.flow-rite.com
It also eliminates any potential corroProtects against
sion between the plates and the probe. acid migration.
Dual stylus.
More versatile
contour measuring
Mitutoyo’s CV-4500 contour measuring
system amps up the accuracy and widens
its range with a magnetic arm holder that
makes changes quick and easy.
The dual stylus measures more parts
and features in upward and downward
directions without changing the arm’s
orientation that allows measurements on
internal diameters and part thicknesses.
The 10~50 mN programmable force
eases measurement of thin profile workpieces.
The system’s range is 100 mm with
accuracy of ± (0.8+ 0.01H |) and resolution of 0.05 µm for the X-axis, and 60
mm with accuracy of ± (0.8+ 0.02H) and
resolution of 0.04 µm for the Z1-axis.
Maximum measuring speed is 80 mm/s
(X-axis) and 30 mm/s (Z1-axis).
Mitutoyo is a developer of measurement and inspection technologies with a
Canadian office in Mississauga, Ont.
www.mitutoyo.ca
Manage trace concentrations.
System tests gas mixtures
KIN-TEK’s AutoBlend system, managed
by six independently controlled channels using permeation or diffusion tubes,
adds trace concentration components to
matrix gas for sensor testing and catalyst
sensitivity research.
Each channel contains up to eight compounds in disposable tubes. Two additional dynamic headspace modules add higher
concentrations of common mixtures, or
low volatility substances to the test mixture. An optional humidification module
adds humidity to the final mixture.
The multi-channel, computer controlled gas blending system covers a
wide concentration range from high
parts-per-million to low parts-per-billion
thanks to a secondary dilution feature.
KIN-TEK Laboratories Inc., based in
La Marque, Tex., develops gas calibration and testing systems for industrial
applications.
www.kin-tek.com
Stores 512 readings.
A multimeter for benchtop measurement essentials
B&K Precision’s 5492B digital multimeter
delivers essential benchtop measurements with 120,000-count display resolution and 0.01% basic VDC accuracy.
Those essential measurements include
DC voltage and true RMS AC voltage,
DC current and true RMS AC current,
two- and four-wire resistance, continuity,
diode test, frequency, and period. Builtin math functions such as Rel, Max/Min,
dBm, dB, %, limits, and Mx+B are also
included.
An internal buffer stores up to 512
readings at a rate of up to 57 per second.
Buffer storage operation and retrieval
24-25-CIEN PGS.indd 24
24 PLANT
October 2012
12-10-05 11:50 AM
is completed from the front panel or via
remote command.
Advanced options on the front and
rear panel allow manual triggering of a
measurement from a key press. It sends
a bus trigger via remote control, or by
inputting an external trigger signal. A VM
Comp output terminal tells you when the
measurement is complete.
Programmable via SCPI commands,
the 5492B comes standard with USB and
RS232 interfaces, and a built-in GPIB
interface option (model 5492BGPIB)
covers labs and system integrators.
B&K Precision Corp. makes test and
measurement instruments in Yorba
Linda, Calif.
www.bkprecision.com
SAFETY
DeTecTfLAMesfroMADisTANce
5,000-psi range.
or 0-10 VDC and with electrical connections of either a DIN 175301-803C
L-connector or a two-meter integral
shielded cable.
AutomationDirect is a supplier of automation components based in Cumming,
Ga.
www.automationdirect.com
Sierra Monitor Corp.’s 3600-I Triple IR (IR3) detects fuel and gas fires at long distances while avoiding
false alarms. Indeed it’s capable of detecting a one square-foot (0.1 square metre) gasoline pan fire
at 215 ft. (65 m) in less than five seconds.
Durable and weather resistant, the flame detector includes a heated window that eliminates
condensation and icing.
Sensitivity selection ensures no zone crossover detection,
while multiple output options maximize flexibility and compatibility. It also includes HART protocol for maintenance
and asset management and is RS-485 and Modbus
compatible.
Sierra Monitor Corp., based in Milpitas, Calif., manufactures hazardous gas and flame detection systems for
industrial applications.
www.sierramonitor.com
Heated window.
eAsePreveNTivePoWer
MAiNTeNANce
The MG300 RMS multimeter from Extech
Instruments makes insulation testing a more
routine part of predictive maintenance with
faster troubleshooting
and repairs.
It includes a built-in
insulation resistance
tester and wireless
datastreaming functions Wirelessly
for remote monitoring
streams data.
and datalogging.
Rugged and waterproof, the IP67-rated
combination meter includes a digital
insulation resistance tester (or megohmmeter) with four test voltages for
measuring resistance up to 4 GΩ with
0.001 MΩ resolution. The full-function,
RMS digital multimeter covers duty cycle
measurements and provides milliamp
readings for analogue 4-20 mA current
loops in industrial analogue process
controls.
CAT-IV-rated wireless datastreaming
ensures safer troubleshooting and maintenance of dangerous moving equipment
and one-person operation of remote
safety switches.
The meter includes a remote USB
receiver, Windows-compatible software,
test leads with alligator clips, a Type K
bead wire temperature probe with adapter, carrying case, and six AA batteries.
Extech Instruments is a developer of
handheld test and measurement tools
based in Nashua, NH.
www.extech.com
The old definition of uniform no longer works
for companies who need to reflect their
uniqueness in what their people wear to work.
Today’s uniform has to be an extension of the
brand, while comfortably fitting each individual
who wears it—and invariably an off-the-shelf
solution is not a solution.
That’s why Imagewear’s custom uniform
program fits so many companies, so well.
We’ll provide the appropriate fabrics,
custom tailoring, expert embellishment and
procurement strategy that fit the uniqueness
of your organization, your people and the
way you work, down to the ground.
Find out more about how we can customize
uniforms that work better for you, from initial
design through to program management,
contact us today at 1-877-675-1513.
Custom design. Because we never forget
that there’s a YOU in Uniform.
MeAsurePressure
ofNoN-coNDeNsiNggAses
Manage pressure measurement applications with ProSense SPT25 pressure transmitters from AutomationDirect for air and
non-condensing, non-corrosive gases.
The all-stainless steel welded thin-film
sensing element provides fast response
time. With a pressure sensing range from
vacuum to 5,000 psi, the transmitters
resist vibration, shock and EMI/RFI, but
are accurate over a wide compensated
temperature range.
Models include a 1/4 in. NPT male
threaded process connection and are
available with linear outputs of 4-20 mA
www.plant.ca
24-25-CIEN PGS.indd 25
PLANT 25
Final
Approved
www.imagewear.ca
12-10-05 11:50 AM
CIEN
position signal is required.
Balluff manufactures sensors in
Neuhausen, Germany. It has a Canadian
office in Mississauga, Ont.
www.balluff.com/micropulse
SENSORS
Low-light indicator
uses solar power
Mitutoyo’s ID-S Solar ABS digimatic
indicator combines the convenience of
ABS origin memory with solar power.
It functions at light levels as low 40 lux
thanks to a super capacitor that maintains a power reserve up to three and a
half hours for applications where even
lower light levels are encountered.
Magnets boost performance.
Transducers ease
field maintenance
The rapid replacement module (RRM)
option on Balluff’s Micropulse Generation
7 linear position transducers allows quick
field changeovers without removing pressure tubes from hydraulic cylinders.
The transducer electronics and sensing
element are replaced as a single unit,
keeping the hydraulic seal intact.
Because the pressure tube stays put, oil
spillage and environmental containment
procedures aren’t necessary.There’s no
need to bleed the hydraulic system and
there’s no danger of debris entering the
hydraulic port. Non-contact magnetostrictive technology keeps performance
consistent in applications where absolute
The ABS measuring system restores
the most recent origin position, eliminating the need to reset the origin at poweron. Data-hold and data-output functions
are included for better management of
measurement results.
The measuring range is 0.5 in. (12.7mm)
with selectable resolution of 0.0005
in./0.01 mm or 0.00005 in./0.001 mm.
The unit also supports output to
measurement data applications such
as MeasurLink, Mitutoyo’s statisticalprocessing and process-control program
that displays real-time measurement
results for SPC applications.
Mitutoyo is a developer of measurement and inspection technologies. It has
Canadian operations in Mississauga, Ont.
www.mitutoyo.ca
and take advantage of gigabit ethernet
technology that transmits data over
standard CAT-5e and CAT-6 cables for
distances up to 100 m.
www.teledynedalsa.com
PACKAGING
Wraps up to 80 trays per minute.
Speed-up wrapping operations
VISION
ABS origin
memory.
See images
up to 29 fps.
MATERIALS HANDLING
Rotary stages boost throughput
Aerotech’s CCS series rotary stages with integrated captured collet chucks provide automated
material handling capability for a wide range of materials and applications.
The chucks accept C-, D- or Levin-style collets and come in sizes supporting tube diameters from
0.1 to 27 mm for applications requiring high-precision gripping of tubular material.
The work-piece advances without manual realignment to compensate for axial tube motion during
clamp/unclamp cycles. Axial motion is significantly reduced to eliminate part re-registration by moving the taper around the collet.
Aerotech, a manufacturer of positioning stages, drive and
control systems based in Pittsburgh, Pa., says mounting features
support customer supplied wet-cutting accessories. The stages
also tolerate moderate fluid leakage into the aperture to prevent
encoder contamination and collet-chuck failure.
www.aerotech.com
Chucks support 27 mm diameters.
Better quality colour inspection Boost inspection operations with Teledyne DALSA’s Genie TS camera, which
has been updated to include three colour
models and integrates the company’s
CMOS imaging sensor technology to capture pictures at speeds up to 29 fps.
Teledyne DALSA, a manufacturer
of digital imaging products based in
Waterloo, Ont., describes the higher
colour quality as increasingly important
for inspection in the food processing and
automotive industries.
The cameras are based on the AIA (Automated Imaging Association) standard
Standard-Knapp’s 296TS continuum tray/
shrink system wraps up to 80 trays per
minute.
The system includes a graphic operator interface, while its advanced diagnostic program automatically directs
to a fault screen if there’s a problem. It
also provides automatically scheduled
maintenance alerts.
The stainless steel-framed system features easy “walk-by” maintenance thanks
to transparent guarding that makes the
system’s parts clearly visible. An on-demand film wrapping wand is controlled
by a servo motor and sensor, and runs
only when needed.
Standard-Knapp, a manufacturer of
packaging machinery based in Portland,
Conn., outfits the film bed with a clamshell that opens and is removable for
periodic maintenance.
Servo-driven Zero-Gap infeed integrates geometry and sensors to ensure
there’s a continuous supply of containers to downstream lanes and grouping
sections.
www.standard-knapp.com
MOTION CONTROL
For challenging applications.
™
Couplings deliver high torque
Zero-Max’s CD couplings with a peak torque of 78,000 Nm
handle high torsional stiffness (up to 419,000 Nm/DEG)
and load capacity for large and challenging power train
applications.
Continuous torque is 39,000 Nm with an angular misalignment capacity of 1.5 degrees, axial misalignment of
6.5 mm and parallel misalignment of 0.24 mm.
The hub is made from 1045 HR steel with fasteners
made of titanium 6AL4V grade 5 materials. A composite
centre disc ensures performance at peak torques in
hostile environments.
The company, a manufacturer of motion control products based in Plymouth, Minn., says the couplings tolerate
temperatures between -70 and 250 degrees C.
www.zero-max.com METAL DETECTABLE
PLASTIC COMPONENTS
TUBE
ACTUATOR
CAP
LPS® Laboratories has revolutionized food safety
for manufacturers with the release of six
NSF® H1 food grade lubricants with patent-pending
DETEX™ metal detectable plastic components.
LPS LABORATORIES • An Illinois Tool Works Company
TEL: (800) 241-8334 or (770) 243-8800 • Website:
LPS® is a registered trademark of Illinois Tool Works
MRO Ad 1-12.indd 1
26 PLANT
www.lpslabs.com
Scan QR code to watch
DETEX™ Demo Video or go to
www.lpslabs.com/LPS_ProductVideos.html
www.plantmagazine.ca/rsc 118
1/24/12 10:40 AM
October 2012
12-10-05 9:59 AM
METAL WORKING
For CNC
milling machines.
TOOL SETTING
BY RADIO
Renishaw’s RMI-Q multiple probe radio transmission system
eases integration in cable-free environments for machining centres and CNC
milling machines with a single receiver
for tool setting and spindle-mounted
touch probe installations.
It activates the spindle-mounted touch
probe or table-mounted tool setting
probe to provide a visual indicator when
the device is activated. A 2.4 Ghz frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS)
ensures uninterrupted operation in busy
radio environments, especially for applications where line-of-sight is obscured.
Renishaw is a producer of motion
control and precision machining components based in Gloucestershire, UK. Renishaw (Canada) Ltd. has a sales office in
Mississauga, Ont.
www.renishaw.com
Inserts
enhance stability.
SHOULDER MILLS REMOVE
MORE MATERIAL
Blaxx shoulder mills from Walter USA
remove large volumes of metal with
precision. Wear and corrosion resistant,
they come in diameters starting at 25
mm.
The F5041 and F5141 mills have highly
precise indexable insert pockets that
position inserts accurately and securely.
The tools are also fitted with tangential
inserts that enhance tool stability.
Four cutting edges per insert reduce
horsepower consumption. Controlled
runout concentricity, and 90 degree
perpendicularity ensure high degrees of
accuracy, while cutting depths up to 12
mm are possible with a larger LNHU1306
indexable insert.
Since insert pockets and chip clearances demand less material, smaller tool
diameters are achievable with higher
density capabilities than other mill designs. Higher density enables up to 30%
higher feed rates.
Walter USA, based in Waukesha, Wis.,
manufactures cutting tools for milling
and drilling applications.
www.walter-tools.com/us
METAL FLUIDS HANDLE THE HEAT
MAG’s CYCLO COOL 4000 and 4100
metalworking fluids are formulated for
machining proprietary stainless and
heat-treated steels used in forgings for
hydraulic fracturing (fracking) pump
parts and similar equipment used in the
oil and gas industry.
The fluids are formulated for extreme
high-heat applications, such as deep-hole
drilling, tapping and hogging tough-to-cut
metals. But they also work on aluminum,
bronze, brass and copper, containing a
combination of extreme pressure additives, esters and mineral oil for physical
lubricity.
by a foil shield layer for improved performance over single layer cables.
Cables come in 100-ft. coils and 500- or
1,000-ft. rolls.
AutomationDirect is a supplier of automation products based in Atlanta, Ga.
www.automationdirect.com
24-bit
resolution.
ENCODER IS VIBRATION
RESISTANT TO 30 G
CVM42H CANopen multi-turn encoders
from Pepperl+Fuchs feature a stainless
steel housing, flange and shaft to deliver
24-bit resolution in harsh environments
where there are high mechanical stresses
in mobile equipment, crane, steel production and wind turbine applications.
The Twinsburgh, Ohio manufacturer of
automation products notes they handle
axial and radial shaft load capacity to
270 N, they’re vibration resistant to 30 g
and shock resistant to 300 g, and operate at temperatures between -40 to 85
degrees C.
www.pepperl-fuchs.us
FINISHING
FINISHING DISCS CUT WASTE
For oil and gas applications.
CYCLO COOL 4000 is a heavy-duty
cutting fluid that contains extreme pressure additives, esters and mineral oil for
physical lubricity. The company recommends it for machining fracking pumps
and other severe-duty applications.
CYCLO COOL 4100 is a low-foaming
coolant formulated with a blend of
sulphurized and chlorinated extreme
pressure additives for heavy machining
and grinding of ferrous and non-ferrous
material, including titanium. It provides
stability for applications where hard
water build-up presents a problem.
MAG is a developer of machine tools
and systems lubricants based in Sterling
Heights, Mich. It’s Canadian head office
is in Mississauga, Ont.
www.mag-ias.com
ENDURO-FLEX finishing discs from Walter Surface
Technologies have been redesigned to include a flap with
a cloth and abrasive composition.
Backing is trimmable to increase the disc’s longevity and
Removes
achieve a more consistent surface finish while removing more material.
more material.
A 5-in. disc with Grit 40 removes up to 2,500 g over its lifespan, which the
company says is comparable with other discs and different grit sizes.
Walter Surface Technologies, a manufacturer of surface treatment technologies based in
Montreal, notes the disc’s longevity lowers costs by reducing changeovers and waste.
www.walter.com
Your safest, most efficient
alternative to toxic solvent
parts washing!
AUTOMATION
BIO-CIRCLE is a complete, cost-effective
and hassle-free solution which:
✓ Cleans your parts without risks of health hazards
✓ Comes with a complete on-site maintenance
CARE ServiceTM performed in 21 precise
steps by our qualified technicians
✓ Is compliant with ISO 14000, ISO 18000, ACCP
and Canadian food industry standards.
Reduces electrical noise sensitivity.
✓ Has been adopted by thousands of
industrial facilities worldwide!
CABLES BOOST
INDUSTRIAL COMMUNICATIONS
Automation Direct’s low-capacitance data
cables reduce electrical noise sensitivity.
Impedances are specific for RS-232/422
and RS-485 communication applications
in industrial environments.
The 24 AWG tinned copper conductors are constructed as twisted pairs to
reduce electrical noise sensitivity and
come in one, two, or three-pair colourcoded versions. Polyethylene insulation
provides high insulation resistance and
the tough PVC jacket is rugged enough to
handle industrial conditions.
Protection from radiated or conducted
electromagnetic interference is provided
Let us help you save time and
money, with safety in mind.
Book your on-site FREE demo!
1-888-592-5837
biocircle.com
walter.com
www.plant.ca
PLANT 27
12-10-05 12:00 PM
CIEN
PLANTWARE
Seamless upgrade.
SMART TRANSITION
TO LED BACKLIT LCD
ERG’s Smart Bridge module resolves
many of the problems associated with
LCD changeovers using your system’s existing input power signals and converting
the analogue dimming signal used for the
inverter into a PWM signal for the LED
driver. This powers the LED backlight
driver without additional modifications.
Remove the inverter, plug in the
footprint-compatible module and connect the input cable from the existing
power supply or controller to the Smart
Bridge. The module converts the signals
and mates directly to the LCD via a small
harness, powering the new backlight
driver correctly.
The standard version (SBD4212F) is
a pass-through with integrated PWM
dimming and operates from a typical 12
V signal. The DC-DC converter with integrated PWM dimming (SBDCD4213F)
is designed for applications requiring
a step-up conversion from 5 V to 12 V.
The third version is a DC-DC converter
without dimming (SBDC4227F).
The Endicott Research Group (ERG),
a supplier of drop-in replacement LED
drive modules is based in Endicott, NY.
www.ergpower.com
CALCULATOR TARGETS
PUMP COSTS
What does a pump cost over its lifetime?
Use Met-Pro Global Pump Solutions’
online calculator to get an estimate for
one or more pumps.
Input your data including initial pump
costs, installation costs and annual
recurring costs such as maintenance.
The calculator takes into account energy
costs and generates an analysis, including a pie chart.
Generate results by visiting www.mpgps.com/products/pump-life-cycle-
Estimate lifetime costs.
cost-calculator.
Met-Pro Global Pump Solutions-Fybroc
is a supplier of pump technologies based
in Telford, Pa.
www.mp-gps.com
Open
architecture.
CONTROLLERS AMP
UP PERFORMANCE
OctOber 23–25, 2012
|
Advantech has cranked up performance
levels with two open-architecture embedded controllers.
The high-end, high-performance UNO2184G is for applications requiring a lot
of graphical processing power, while the
UNO-2174G is a mid-end controller for
faster performance without 3D capabilities.
The UNO-2184G comes with a high
performance Intel Core i7-2655LE processor and the UNO-2174G comes with
an Intel Celeron 847E. Both models support up to 16 G DDR3 RAM (with 4 G/8
G RAM onboard or built-in), a dedicated
Intel HD graphics processor, and they’re
fanless, operating in temperatures as
low as -10 degrees C and as high as 60
degrees C.
Advantech’s Industrial Automation
Group based in Cincinnati develops automation technology.
www.advantech.com/ea.
edmOntOn, AlbertA
Make your link in Canada’s
oilsands supply chain.
The Canadian oilsands is now one of the largest industrial engineering projects in the world, with over
$2 trillion in expected spending over the next 25 years. Thousands of workers and companies are
positioning to support the oilsands, a movement that is quickly reshaping the Canadian economy.
The 2012 National Buyer/Seller Forum is the ideal context for your company to:
• Connect with potential buyers
• Network with upcoming supply-chain players
• Display and promote your products and services
• Develop your oilsands strategy
SHOW PRODUCER:
Register today for
early bird pricing!
MAJOR SPONSOR:
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
Find out more at NBSF.CA
NBSF_2012_fp_v6.indd 1
28-29-PLNT.indd 28
HD VIDEO ON TCP/IP NETWORKS
Matrox Graphics Inc.’s Maevex H.264-based
encoder/decoder technology distributes
video and audio such as digital signage,
collaborative video walls, security and surveillance over standard TCP/IP networks.
The technology offers one-to-one unicast
or one-to-many multicast extensions of
H.264 encoded video via standard wired
(CATx) and/or wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity
at 1,080p (60 Hz).
It leverages standard CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6,
CAT7 cabling and standard networking
infrastructure and wi-fi technologies, features a command and control software to
remotely manage the distribution network,
includes user defined fine-tuning of codec
and network bit rate, and uses a solid-state,
energy-efficient design for high MTBF and
long product life cycles.
Matrox is a developer of display graphics
technology based in Montreal.
www.matrox.com
28 PLANT
October2012
12-07-25 10:43 AM
12-10-05 10:49 AM
Industrial Literature Reviews CIEN
Free Spray Optimization Handbook
Learn how to improve spray
performance in cleaning,
coating, cooling, drying/blowoff and more with Optimizing
Your Spray System, Technical
Manual 410A from Spraying
Systems Co. Handbook
includes information on how
to detect and solve spray
nozzle problems, how to establish a nozzle maintenance program and the benefits
of automated spray control. www.spray.com
Spraying Systems Co.
Canadian Distributor Wanted
For Imada Force and
Torque Instruments
Products include: mechanical and digital force gauges,
manual and motorized test
stands, special attachments,
digital torque screwdrivers, wrenches, testers and
calibrators, hardness testers
for rubber and plastic, LED
stroboscopes and handheld tachometer.
www.imada.com
Imada Force and Torque Instruments
CLAMPS, TOOLING COMPONENTS
Newly updated, this 688page catalogue, in print or
online, features photos and
specifications of clamps, pins,
hoist rings, knobs, threaded
inserts, spring-loaded devices,
supports, locators, toggle
clamps, modular fixturing,
drill jigbushings and power
workholding.
www.carrlane.com
Carr Lane Mfg. Co.
>> Events
Physical Asset Management Certificate
Program C-MORE
Nov. 5-9, Toronto
Nov. 12-14, Toronto
Centre for Maintenance Optimization & Reliability presents this certificate course to help
maintenance pros better manage their plant
assets. Visit http://cmore.mie.utoronto.ca,
Educational Programs.
ACCESSORIES – AIR AND DUST HANDLING
SYSTEMS
This fully illustrated, 8-page
catalogue features a wide
variety of accessories including: stamped and rolled
angle rings, blast gates, galvanized spiral duct, diverters, clean outs, nozzles, duct
silencers, rotary air locks
and exhaust fans.
www.nrmurphy.com
N.R. Murphy Ltd.
CATALOGUE SHOWCASES INDUSTRY-LEADING
CASTERS
VAC-U-MAX is a premier
manufacturer of industrial
vacuum cleaning systems for
production lines and other
dust-intensive areas. With a
VAC-U-MAX heavy-duty industrial vacuum cleaning system
on site, both your capital
equipment and your employees
will be safer and cleaner. www.vac-u-max.com
VAC-U-MAX
Platinum Edition Catalogue
No. 300 features 130 pages
of enhanced product layouts,
detailed illustrations, rich
graphics, user-friendly charts,
and numerous colourful
photographs all intended to
simplify the selection process
for buyers and specifiers.
www.HamiltonCaster.com
Hamilton Caster
HIGH PRECISION TIMING BELTS WITH BACK
COVERS
OMEGA Introduces FREE LITERATURE
Spotlight on
omega.ca®
BRECOflex offers high precision timing belts with a wide
variety of backings. A heated
chemical bonding process
assures a strong seal to the
belt. All backings provide
excellent wear resistance and
resilience. They come with
a full range of accessories
including pulleys, clamps, tensioners and slider beds.
www.brecoflex.com
BRECOflex
CME Trade Summit
CME – Manitoba
Nov. 20, Winnipeg
A trade event for SMEs presented by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), Manitoba division, features speakers, practitioners
and services for the support of international
sales and growth plans. Visit www.cme-mec.
ca/english/events/events.html.
FABTECH 2012
SME
Nov. 12-14, Las Vegas, Nev.
The society of Manufacturing Engineers
(SME) showcases metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing technologies. Visit
www.fabtechexpo.com.
MainTrain Toronto
PEMAC
Nov. 19-22, Toronto
The Plant Engineering and Maintenance
Association of Canada (PEMAC) hosts this
learning, training and networking conference
for Canada’s asset management professionals. Visit www.maintrain.ca.
Investment Symposium
CAPP
Dec. 10-12, Toronto
The Canadian Association of Petroleum
Producers (CAPP) will bring together senior
executives from more than 50 oil and gas
producing companies and investors. Visit
www.capp.ca.
28-29-PLNT.indd 29
Vi-Cas Manufacturing’s new
16-page, full colour brochure details the company’s
most popular vacuum cups.
In addition to dimensional
information (including lip
diameter, height and mounting holes), the new literature
shows photos of each cup to
guarantee accuracy. Vacuum
cups and accessories are used extensively in all types
of packaging and labeling operations. www.vi-cas.com
Vi-Cas Manufacturing
Industrial Vacuum Cleaning Systems
from VAC-U-MAX
CAM Summit
APMA
Nov. 29, Toronto
The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) Canadian Automotive Manufacturing Summit features Canadian CEOs and
senior executives who will share opinions,
discuss the issues facing the industry, and
outline a course for a profitable future. Link to
Calendar at www.apma.ca.
www.plant.ca
MOST POPULAR VACUUM CUPS
Contains over 50 full
colour pages of the
latest state-of-the art
products from Omega.
Products include a variety of thermocouples, wire, RTD
and thermistors, meters, infrared transmitter, pressure
products, flow meters, pH and conductivity products, data
acquisition and data Logging, recorders, heaters and automation products. Your one stop shop for process measurement and control products. www.omega.ca
OMEGA
Index of Advertisers
RS#
Advertiser
Page #
130................................... AME............................................................... 30
120................................... Buyer/Seller Forum.......................................... 28
106................................... Canadian Linen................................................. 9
116................................... Design/Manufacturing show............................. 24
104................................... Exair................................................................. 7
109................................... Flir................................................................. 11
102................................... Gorbel.............................................................. 6
112................................... Hamilton Caster............................................... 22
117................................... Imagewear...................................................... 25
101................................... IPEX.............................................................. IFC
107................................... Kunst............................................................. 10
103................................... Lapp................................................................. 6
118................................... LPS................................................................ 26
108,113............................ Masterbond............................................... 10, 23
115................................... McCann Equipment . ....................................... 23
131................................... OPA............................................................... IBC
114................................... Reelcraft......................................................... 23
105................................... Schneider......................................................... 8
132-134............................ Spraying Systems..........................................OBC
111................................... Viking Pump.................................................... 22
119................................... Walter Surface Technologies............................. 27
PLANT 29
12-10-05 12:16 PM
Bleed
Trim
Departments
>> Postscript
Live
What you need to know about the TPP
A formal TPP accord among current participants could
“increase
global income by $300 billion per year…
”
BY JOCK FINLAYSON
I
n June Canada entered into talks
aimed at concluding what some experts believe may be the world’s most
exciting modern trade agreement, the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Why does Canada want to be part of
the TPP? For two reasons.
One is trade structure. Our main commercial partners and export markets
tend to be relatively slow-growing developed economies, which helps explain
why Canada’s share of world exports fell
ametoronto.org
by more than one-third between 2000
and 2010. Many of the fastest-growing
economies are in Asia, but they account
for a small percentage of Canadian
exports. The TPP will help develop new
offshore markets for goods and services.
The other reason has to do with defense. If the US – which joined in 2008
– were the only North American member
of the bloc, it would enjoy a significant
competitive advantage attracting invest-
ments from companies that want to
operate in North America while doing
business in the wider Asia-Pacific region.
The TPP, which began in the early
2000s, currently consists of Brunei, New
Zealand, Singapore and Chile, Australia,
Malaysia, Peru, Vietnam and the US. Canada and Mexico were both invited to join
in June, and Japan has also expressed
an interest and may be added within the
next year. Two other big Pacific econo-
mies – China and South Korea – are not
yet participating, although some analysts
believe they are likely to join if the current TPP talks produce an agreement.
With Canada and Mexico, the TPP
members are home to 660 million people
and generate more than $20 trillion of
annual economic activity. A formal accord among them could increase global
income by $300 billion per year. If China,
South Korea and other countries sign on,
economic gains could rise to almost $2
trillion.
While Canada currently does $600 billion
worth of merchandise trade, the prospect
of reaching a trade agreement that encompasses much of the Asia-Pacific region
offers considerable upside. According to a
recent study by the Peterson Institute for
International Economics, even a “small”
agreement covering 13 countries would
result in a $10 billion increase in Canada’s
GDP by 2025. A larger agreement involving
21 Asia-Pacific countries would boost the
figure to $26 billion.
Liberalize trade
Share•Learn•Grow
OCTOBER 21-25, 2013
SM
LET’S GET REAL...
Jim
Womack
SAVE
Dan
Jones
John
Shook
Mike
Rother
Earlybird Offer for Plant Subscribers
BEST PRICE•BOOK NOW•PAY LATER
%
It won’t get any better than this!
Register during the week of
Oct. 15-19, 2012 and save a
bundle. Plus you don’t have
to pay until February 28, 2013.
Register at: ametoronto.org
40 35 25
groups 25+
I mean that’s what the Gemba
is all about, right? Getting real.
And that’s exactly what AME
TORONTO 2013 is doing.
For the first time ever at an AME
conference, four of the world’s
leading lean thought leaders
Jim Womack, Dan Jones,
John Shook and Mike Rother
will each share real value stream
experiences and present these
lessons on stage. Don’t miss it!
%
teams of 10–24
With many thanks to our Patron/Cornerstone
Sponsors and Collaborative Partners
%
1–9 people
100% Money back guarantee: If you don’t learn
at least one new idea at our AME Toronto 2013
conference that you can bring back to your organization, we’ll refund your entire registration fee.
One could argue that joining the TPP is
superfluous because Canada already has
trade agreements with the US and Mexico
under NAFTA. But the TPP is expected
to deepen and further liberalize trade between NAFTA members by covering issues
the original agreement didn’t comprehensively address, such as financial services,
telecommunications, intellectual property
and government procurement.
Other benefits include protection from
illegal use of intellectual property related
to technology or services; rules to allow
Canadian service providers to establish
operations and do business in TPP members’ markets on a non-discriminatory
basis; improved investment conditions;
and a common set of rules governing
foreign direct investment. For big commodity producers such as Australia and
Canada, the TPP would also provide better and more assured access to Asia-Pacific markets for primary and processed
resource-based goods.
The most difficult issue for Canada is
the protection of domestic dairy, poultry
and egg production industries through
“supply management,” which has long
tarnished our reputation as a proponent
of trade liberalization. By signing onto
the TPP, the Harper government effectively agreed to put existing supply
management regimes on the table.
Canada’s trade and wider economic
interests are increasingly shifting toward
the Asia-Pacific. Being part of the TPP
is an important step in ensuring that Canada is positioned to take advantage of all
of the opportunities the region offers.
Jock Finlayson is executive vice-president of the Business Council of British
Columbia. Distributed by Troy Media.
Visit www.troymedia.com.
30-32-PLNT.indd 30
30 PLANT
October 2012
12-10-04 2:33 PM
“Thanks to the new system
upgrades, we’re seeing significant
savings in energy use.”
Douglas Dittburner
Energy Manager, Cadbury
Saving energy makes sense
– business sense.
Get up to 70% off
project costs, including:
• Engineering studies
• On-site energy manager
• Key system upgrades
Energy efficiency incentives from your local electric utility are available for
industrial plants like yours. Whether you’re in the food and beverage,
automotive or plastics and packaging industry, you may be covered
for up to 70% of your project costs, including engineering studies and
process and systems upgrades to help lower operating costs. Big or small,
every Ontario business can benefit from energy efficiency.
• Monitoring and targeting
Contact your local electric utility or visit saveonenergy.ca/industrial
Subject to additional terms and conditions found at saveonenergy.ca. Subject to change without notice.
A mark of the Province of Ontario protected under Canadian trade-mark law. Used under licence.
OM
Official Marks of the Ontario Power Authority.
30-32-PLNT.indd 31
12-10-04 2:33 PM
MoToR-DRIveN
TaNk CleaNeRS PRovIDe
HIgH-IMPaCT, DePeNDable
CleaNINg of TaNkS uP
To 80' (24.4 M) IN DIa.
TankJet AA290 and AA190 tank
cleaners use air or electric motors
to drive high-impact solid
stream nozzles and reliably
clean tanks day in and day
out. Motors are positioned
outside the tank for long
wear life. Plus, motor
performance can easily
be monitored through
plant control systems.
tankjet.com/tj290
ObstructiOns
in tanks
t
causing
cleaning challenges?
cut cleaning
time by 75
%
TaNkJeT 75 offeRS CoMPleTe,
CoST-effeCTIve CleaNINg of
TaNkS uP To 30' (9.1 M) IN DIa.
Ideal for cleaning process tanks of all types,
TankJet 75 tank cleaners use solid stream
nozzles rotating in multiple axes to provide
360° coverage. Available with two or four
nozzles, these units feature a simple
self-cleaning design, long-lasting
performance and
easy maintenance.
Superior Spray. SeriouS reSultS.
tankjet.com/tj75
A food ingredients producer had workers manually cleaning tanks with ribbon
blades. Cleaning the tanks between batches took an hour or more and the
results were inconsistent.
fRee TaNk
CleaNINg evaluaTIoNS
The use of two TankJet® 75 tank cleaners solved the problem. The units are
One of our local tank cleaning experts
will visit your plant and evaluate your
current cleaning methods. You will receive
suggestions on how to clean tanks more
thoroughly, reduce water and chemical
use and return tanks to service more quickly.
A payback analysis on recommended
equipment will also be provided.
surfaces including the ribbon blades. The powerful impact of the water jets
tankjet.com/evaluation
mounted in opposite corners of the tank to ensure thorough cleaning of all
ensures repeatable results with every cleaning cycle.
The results:
• Cleaning time reduced to 20 minutes
• Production increased by three batches per day
• Labor expense reduced by $25,000 per year
Learn more about this application and
dozens more at spray.com/results
Unmatched Global Engineering, Manufacturing and Technical Support
Nozzles | Control Systems | Headers & Injectors | Research & Testing
1.800.95.SPRAY
30-32-PLNT.indd 32
12-10-04 2:33 PM

Departments

Transcription

Similar documents

INTRODUCTION During the Second World War, the role of women

Sample Pages/Table of Contents

2010 ford ranger - The Ranger Station

Get info about What Is The Song Roulette By System Of A Down About

Canadian Military Mail Study Group

View Full Story

Inside Weddings Winter 2010 - International Event Company

Unparalleled built into every home.

Record of Site Condition # 207986 Record of Site

1961 Canadian Junior Championships

South Shore Stars

We are whereYOUare - Western Wyoming Community College