Manufacturing

• Keys to Successful Site Acceptance Testing

  Keys to Successful Site Acceptance Testing What signifies the completion of the project? When have the contractual obligations of the project been met? The short answer to these pivotal questions that ultimately determine the project’s success is through Site Acceptance Testing. At Matrix Technologies, Inc., we follow a documented process that starts at the project […]

  Read MoreMatt Fether / Commissioning / Controls Automation / Factory Acceptance Testing / Improvement / Industrial Automation Engineering / Manufacturing Operations Management / Manufacturing Process Control / Programming / Quality / SAT / Site Acceptance Testing / Management / Manufacturing /

• DMAIC Improves Process for Energy and Utilities Use

  DMAIC Process Improvement DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) has been a staple of Six Sigma process improvement in the American industrial culture for decades. DMAIC has been used to help companies improve their products and processes within their facilities and within their business structures. Whether an organization needs to improve the quality of a […]

  Read MoreDoug Medley, PE / Energy Efficiency / Industrial Automation Engineering / Manufacturing Operations Management / Multidiscipline Engineering / Process Design / Sustainability / Manufacturing /

• Pipe Stress 102 – How Stress Analysis can Prevent Issues in Your Facility

  Pipe Stress 102 – How Stress Analysis can Prevent Issues in Your Facility This is the second article in a series of articles about thermal stress, pipe stress, and the art of pipe stress analysis. The first article provided a look at thermal expansion and contraction and an idea of the magnitude of thermal growth […]

  Read MoreChris Mach, PE / Oil & Gas / Pipe Stress / Piping Engineer / Process Engineer / Stress Analysis / Thermal Contraction / Construction / Manufacturing /

• Pipe Stress 101 – What is Thermal Expansion and How Does it Create Problems in Piping

  Pipe Stress 101 – What is Thermal Expansion and How Does it Create Problems in Piping This is the first in a series of articles about pipe stress analysis. This article will cover the basics of thermal expansion and contraction and why it’s so important in an industrial facility. Later articles will explore the various […]

  Read MoreChris Mach, PE / Chemical Piping / Flange Load / Industrial Piping / Oil & Gas / Pipe Design / Pipe Strain / Pipe Stress / Piping Engineer / Piping Stress / Process Engineer / Refinery Piping / Stress Analysis / Thermal Contraction / Thermal Expansion / Construction / Manufacturing /

• Managing a Decaying Industrial Utility System

  Managing a Decaying Industrial Utility System Manufacturing, refining and specialty chemical facilities across North America are facing utility infrastructure challenges. Large campus sites and facilities have utility networks that are comparable to small municipalities, complete with sewer, water distribution, power, communications, natural gas and water/wastewater treatment systems. On top of the basic utilities, most manufacturers […]

  Read MoreTodd Green, PE, SI, CFPS / Chemical Plant / EPC / Industrial Automation Engineering / Manufacturing Operations Management / Planning / Process Design / Utility System Design / Renovation / Manufacturing /

• RS-232 is Simple, Robust Serial Communications Method

  RS-232 is Simple, Robust Serial Communications Method All communications are serial communications, from the high-tech data bouncing around satellites to synchronizing your phone to a computer. Even human speech is a form of serial communication. This article discusses a simple yet robust communication method that has been around for nearly 60 years: RS-232. RS-232 is […]

  Read MoreEric Tolles, PE / Automation Solutions / Industrial Automation Engineering / IT / Manufacturing Operations Management / Manufacturing Process Control / Serial Communications / Software Design / Automation Integration / Manufacturing /

• Sustainable Lighting Upgrades – Opportunities for Improvement

  Sustainable Lighting Upgrades – Opportunities for Improvement Lighting System Upgrades: The Switch to LED As companies steer their operations toward more efficient operating models and strive to hit corporate sustainability targets, every opportunity for cost and energy reduction needs to be examined. A frequent target for operating cost reduction is facility lighting system upgrades. Lighting […]

  Read MoreDoug Medley, PE / ASHRAE / Energy Audit / Energy Efficiency / Energy Waste / Multidiscipline Engineering / Peak Power Demand / Power Factor / Variable Speed / Sustainability / Manufacturing /

• Design Considerations for Equipment and Piping Layout: Locating Valves and Special Equipment

  Design Considerations for Equipment and Piping Layout: Locating Valves and Special Equipment This is the last article in a four-part series on equipment and piping layout.  This article reviews guidelines for locating various types of valves, and also considers the equipment needs of heat exchangers, fired equipment, and instrumentation. The first article provided guidelines for […]

  Read MoreScott Saneholtz, PE / Piping Engineer / Piping Layout / Process Engineer / Construction / Manufacturing /

• Design Considerations for Equipment and Piping Layout: Straight Talk About Pipes

  Design Considerations for Equipment and Piping Layout: Straight Talk About Pipes This is the third in a four-part series on equipment and piping layout.  This article provides guidelines for piping and pipe rack layouts. The first article provided guidelines for vessels, cooling towers, and compressors. The second article discussed equipment layout considerations for pumps. The series […]

  Read MoreScott Saneholtz, PE / Piping Engineer / Piping Layout / Process Engineer / Construction / Manufacturing /

• Safety Instrumented Systems: Complying with the ISA 84 Standards

  Safety Instrumented Systems: Complying with the ISA 84 Standards The ISA 84 standard is a performance based standard that gives guidance on how to determine the degree of risk, and design an SIS for hazards in the process industries. Not only does the standard prescribe design approaches, it also requires testing and maintenance to ensure […]

  Read MoreMichael Johnson, PE / IEC 61511 / ISA 84 / Oil and Gas Engineering / Process Safety / Safety Instrumented System / Safety Integrity Level / Construction / Manufacturing /