Planned maintenance allows you to maximise the performance of your plant by ensuring that it stays running safely for as long as possible without any unplanned downtime.

Planned maintenance means you consider how to ensure your machines run effectively and plan when the work or maintenance needs to be done so it has the least impact on production. For instance, changing the oil in your car when the oil light comes on is not planned maintenance, you are now having to take action because an alert has been sounded. Scheduling and changing the oil in your car because it has done a certain amount of kms and is due for an oil change is preventative maintenance.

The planned maintenance schedule for your business will depend on the specifics of your plant and equipment. Factors that may contribute to it include:

• Running hours
• Number of items produced
• Distance travelled
• Seasonal
• Or other measurable factors.

The types of planned maintenance that may need to be carried out include:

• Changing lubricant
• Part upgrade/replacement
• Machine upgrades
• A check of all equipment should also be done to proactively identify any potential performance problems.

Planned maintenance activities may also be developed after experiencing ongoing faults. For example, EAS were called out to look at a variable speed drive (VSD) running an extraction fan which kept overheating and tripping in summer. While doing this job, our team conducted a check of the VSD cooling system – checking whether filters needed to be changed, removing dust build up from fans, clearing cooling fins and checking the cooling system was fit for purpose. By programming these activities into a planned maintenance schedule, the recurrence of breakdown was reduced.

As part of EAS’ planned maintenance activities for our customers we:

• Check the correct installation and operation of circuit components
• Conduct thermography reports
• Carry out a general check of various cabinet/area cooling systems
• Check the condition of all electrical components associated with the CCT for example noting worn cables, contactors, relays, tripped overloads, any loose cable terminals, noisy/vibrating motors;
• Conduct lighting inspections
• Check all isolators/e-stops, safety barriers/guards are in place, function and are fit for purpose.

These checks enable maximum efficiency as the EAS team are able to gather the necessary parts, operate to best practices and ensure the asset is shut down safely before starting work. Because the work is planned the actual maintenance is generally completed quicker, safer and more effectively that if the asset failed unexpectedly.

Major Benefits of Planned Maintenance

The main benefit of planned maintenance is that it allows work to be scheduled to minimise its impact on production. This may mean scheduling planned maintenance during times of the year when there is less demand, where there is an upcoming window where the plant will be off or carrying out maintenance at night when most of the facility is not operating.

Other direct benefits of planned maintenance include:

• Reduced unplanned equipment downtime
• Improved overall equipment performance.
• Reduced repair costs as problems are fixed while they are minor.
• Better planning of spare parts use and ordering.
• Ensuring manufacturer’s requirements for warranty compliance are met.
• Reduced overall maintenance costs.
• Improved cashflow for the business as costs can be planned for and spread throughout the year.

Implementing a Planned Maintenance System

Implementing a planned maintenance system requires the involvement of everyone affected by the timing and quality of maintenance. This includes the maintenance department, production, safety and external contractors. Of course, senior management who will be approving any costs associated with the work will also need to be involved.

Working with EAS on your Planned Maintenance programme

EAS are experts in maintenance and reliability. Our experience working as part of a manufacturing team means we understand your timeframes, the need to balance budgets and we’re always on the look-out for ways to benefit your business.

When EAS carry out your planned maintenance, we can upload your data into our management software so we can alert you when your next inspection is required.

If you would like help with carrying out your planned maintenance or developing a planned maintenance plan for your business, get in touch with the EAS team today on 07 834 0505 or [email protected]

Over 80% of fatal New Zealand house fires start through smoke alarm neglect, which is why it’s crucial that heat and smoke detectors are installed and regularly maintained. Smoke and heat detectors should be maintained on a six-monthly basis which is why we are often reminded to check them at the beginning and end of day light savings. Now, while we are all spending more time at home is a great time to make sure that you have the right detectors installed and that they are operating correctly.

Types of smoke alarms:

Smoke detectors, or smoke alarms, use either photoelectric or ionisation sensors to detect smoke.

Ionisation alarms

Ionisation alarms are most effective at detecting fast-flaming fires that burn and spread quickly. However, they can be prone to nuisance alarms from cooking and steam so shouldn’t be located near your kitchen or bathroom.

Ionisation smoke detectors use a small amount of radioactive material to ionize air in an internal chamber to allow a constant current that flows back and forth between two metal plates. Once smoke enters the chamber it mixes with the ionised air causing the current flow to stop which will sound the alarm

Photoelectric alarms
Photoelectric alarms are best at detecting slow smouldering fires, which can burn for hours before bursting into flame. Photoelectric alarms work in a similar way to ionisation alarms but instead of an electric current they use a beam of light. When smoke enters the chamber, some of the light is scattered and hits the sensor, triggering the alarm.

Dual sensor alarms
These contain both an ionisation sensor and a photoelectric sensor, so they provide the best and worst features of both types. They can be a good option, but as with any ionisation alarm, it’s not recommended to installed them near a kitchen or bathroom.
Other types of alarms:

Heat Detectors
Heat detectors sound an alert when a temperature increase is detected.

This type of detector is usually used in rooms that aren’t frequently occupied, as they take a little longer to detect a fire than a smoke detector, however the benefit they offer is that they have fewer false alarms as they do not react to steam, dust, humidity or precipitation.

Heat detectors are also a good option for kitchens, as they will not be set off when you accidentally burn your toast.

Carbon Monoxide alarms

Carbon monoxide is a waste product of gas heating so if you have a gas heating system it is worth installing a carbon monoxide alarm in case the heater develops a fault.

What type of smoke alarms should you install?

The NZ Fire Service recommends that you install hard wired and interconnected smoke alarms so that if one alarm is set off they will all sound an alert.

If you are unable to install hard wired alarms, they recommend the use of long-life photoelectric smoke alarms. These have an inbuilt long-life battery, so you don’t need to worry about replacing it (or it going off in the middle of the night when the battery runs low), you simply replace the whole unit every 10 years.

EAS can help you with installing smoke alarms in your home – both long-life and hard wired solutions. If you would like assistance with annual testing, we can help with that too. Just give us a call on 834 0505 or [email protected]

How many smoke alarms should I have?

The NZ Fire Service recommends that you install a smoke alarm in every bedroom, hallway and living area as smoke alarms cannot detect smoke through a closed door.

The NZ building code is slightly less stringent and requires an approved smoke alarm to be fitted in every escape route (hallway) and within 3m of a bedroom door.

The Residential Tenancy Act requires landlords install and replace expired smoke alarms with long-life battery photoelectric alarms.

Regular testing & maintenance:

Smoke alarms provide an important safety measure for your home or business but it is essential that you maintain them so they can provide you with piece of mind.
We recommend you check your ionisation smoke detectors monthly. This can be done by spraying a can of smoke, which can be purchased at the likes of Bunnings, near each detector head to ensure it is sensing the smoke and reacting as required. On your home alarms, there may be the option to instead use the test button to check the alarm.

If you would like help with installing or maintaining the smoke alarms in your home, get in touch with the EAS team today on 07 834 0505 or [email protected]

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What are the symptoms of Covid-19

The WHO have identified that close to 90% of cases had a fever and two-thirds had a dry cough.

The third most common symptom was fatigue. Almost 40% of cases suffered from it.

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus

How is Covid-19 Spread?

It is spread through

• “Respiratory droplets” – when a person coughs or sneezes and these land in mouths or noses of people who are nearby.
• Contact with an infected person’s droplets through touching surfaces where these have landed and then touching their own mucus membranes (eyes, nose or mouth). This is why hand washing is so important.

What is the progression of Covid-19

Currently it appears to start with a fever, followed by a dry couch. Most people will go on to improve following this stage.

However, after several days some patients experience shortness of breath. Symptoms can increase in severity leading to pneumonia, respiratory failure, septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction which can lead to death.

What is the incubation period for Covid-19?

The WHO reports people generally develop symptoms 5 -6 days after infection. This can vary between 1 – 14 days although in a few cases it has been as long as 20 -27 days.

How long does Covid-19 last once infected?

The WHO reports the average time from onset to recovery for mild case is approximately 2 weeks.

For severe cases it can be 3 – 6 weeks.

What do if you think you  have Covid-19

• If you are really unwell phone 111 for an ambulance and let the operator know your concern.
• Do not attend your GP or Accident & Emergency. Instead ring Healthline’s dedicated number for advice and next steps 0800 358 5453.

INSTRUMENTATION

Instrumentation is the term used to describe all the different devices (or instruments) that are indicating, measuring and recording physical quantities within your plant to ensure that your production processes are operating effectively.

Some types of measures commonly monitored include:

Flow 

Flow meters are used to measure the flow in a process pipe. This can be product, water or chemicals used to sanitize the plant. They are used to record trends in product movement; how much water a plant uses or chemical usage for Clean in Place (CIP).

EAS has recently installed flow meters for clients to measure site water usage to identify opportunities for water saving initiatives. We have installed vortex flow meters on Demin and condensate water lines where there is low conductivity.

Temperature

Temperature is one of the most important measures in production processes. Temperature monitoring can be used for anything from room temperature for controlling air supply to monitoring fluids in process pipes and many more. There is a diverse range of temperature measurement devices depending on the process or part of the plant being monitored.

Some of the ways we have assisted clients with temperature gauges include:

• monitoring chiller rooms to control the temperature in the room and of the product
• measuring flue temperatures on gas boilers and for over temperature protection
• controlling the temperature of hot glue lines on packaging machines
• monitoring chilled water supply and return temperatures and alsoassisting in calculating the load on chillers
• in motor control centres to control ventilation and cooling into a room.

pH

pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is. In food manufacturing changes in pH levels can affect the taste, freshness and shelf life of products. pH is one of the most common chemical measures as it is used in waterworks, sewage treatment plants and the production of food/beverages and health products.

EAS has recently installed pH sensors to provide pH protection on irrigation lines to prevent pasture loss and in stormwater lines to identify any spills before they get into our waterways.

Pressure

Measuring liquid, gas and steam pressure is a key requirement in many manufacturing processes to ensure safety, efficiency and quality control. Pressure measures can also be used to infer flow rates, fluid levels and product density.

EAS has recently converted tanks from using radar to pressure monitoring as foaming was causing problems with achieving accurate readings. On the farm we’ve installed pressure transmitters to prevent overpressure on irrigation lines and in stormwater sumps we’ve installed pressure sensors down in the sump; which have really proved themselves reliable where other contact types have failed.

Conductivity

Conductivity measures are a useful indicator of the number of dissolved ions in a water sample and can serve as a measure of water quality.

Conductivity can be crucial for process control, product monitoring, water monitoring or leakage detection.

For example, in the dairy industry conductivity is used to measure how effectively the machinery has been cleaned and flushed. A low conductivity measure would indicate that all the cleaning products had been flushed and the equipment is ready to use again.

EAS has also installed conductivity sensors on condensate recovery systems to assist clients with minimising energy wastage and conserving water by returning suitable hot water back to the boilers to be reused.

Conductivity measurement is also useful in stormwater monitoring systems, CIP return lines and reverse osmosis plants to reduce losses.

Chlorine

In food processing chlorine is often used as a sanitizer. Chlorine will destroy bacteria, yeasts, moulds, spores, and viruses, significantly reducing their levels. As water is often recirculated it is important to monitor chlorine levels to ensure that there is still enough chlorine present for the chlorinated water to do its job.

EAS has used chlorine instrumentation to help determine the right dosing rate for ensuring bore and rainwater supplies are safe to drink. We’ve also installed chlorine monitoring systems to ensure that waste water has enough chlorine in kill off any bugs and to meet site compliance requirements.

Turbidity

Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye. If there is a lot of these small solid particles in a liquid, they cause it to appear turbid.

Turbidity in drinking water can make it appear unappealing and may also represent a health concern.

Measuring turbidity is essential for quality assurance in a variety of applications such as drinking water production, effluent monitoring and sludge concentration measurement in wastewater treatment plans, monitoring of seawater inlets in desalination projects or product loss in dairy factories.

EAS has installed turbidity measuring devices for clients to detect any unwanted spills and to ensure that site drinking water meets the NZ drinking water standards.

CALIBRATION

Calibration is about ensuring your instruments (like those outlined above) are working as they should. For example, if you were checking your weight, you would ensure your bathroom scales were set to zero before you began – no one needs an extra couple of kgs added to their total. By ensuring the scale is set to zero before you begin you can be confident the results produced are accurate.

By regularly calibrating the instruments in your plant you are ensuring accurate results from the measures they are monitoring. Calibration however is a bit more technical than turning a dial on your bathroom scales to reset it to zero. Calibration involves comparing the measure produced by the device being tested and the standard. Calibration allows you to be confident that you are accurately measuring your inputs and outputs to ensure your facility is operating at peak performance.

The EAS team are qualified and experienced in calibrating all your plant instrumentation. In face in November last year, our team completed further training with Endress & Hauser on installing and calibrating a wide range of instrumentation devices.

If you would like advice or assistance with ensuring you have the equipment in place to ensure the productivity for your plant or want to ensure that it is operating at peak performance then give the team at EAS a call today on 07 834 0505.