ERIKS Latest Know+How Customer Magazine, special focus on facilities management solutions.

1. Building
confidence
Inside the world of facilities
management p12
The leading magazine for maintenance engineers FROM ERIKS
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www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
Nat quodit
venienduci
Sequam rem aut
aut licia nimus
pXX
ISSUE 16
Pumped up
New water pumps
legislation
p10
The how-to
of hoses
Clamping for best
performance
p26
Inside
information
Focus on facilities
management
p12
Hide and leak
Best practice leak
detection
p28

2. Contents
3
Less Friction.
More Products.
You receive one
uncompromising standard of
quality across a broad range of
bearing and related products.
The Timken name reflects
an extensive line of tapered,
spherical, cylindrical, ball
bearings and mounted units
for virtually every industrial
application. Complementing our
core products is an ever-growing
line of friction management solutions
including lubricants, single-point
lubricators, maintenance tools and
safety equipment.
www.timken.com
Timken engineers apply their know-how to improve the reliability and
performance of machinery in diverse markets worldwide.
The company designs, makes and markets high-performance steel as well
as mechanical components, including bearings, gears, chain and related
mechanical power transmission products and services.
© 2012 The Timken Company.
Timken®
is a registered trademark of The Timken Company.
Welcome to the latest issue of Know+How...
…bringing you the latest industry stories from around the
world, plus technology updates, features and comment.
This issue we focus on facilities management.
As one of our news items discusses, a recent poll questioned attitudes to innovation
in facilities management (FM). Whatever your own view, there’s certainly no doubt
about our passion for innovation in FM. Over the following pages, you’ll read
items such as a piece on thermography for data centres, a story about a power
transmission solution that provides the full range of drive components for HVAC,
and a feature on how enhanced stores management can make more improvements
to profitability and efficiency than you might think.
We’ll also be keeping you up-to-date on the latest offers, with a best practice report
about our new gas leak detection service, and revealing how Fenner geared drives
and inverters ensured the successful operation of stage props used in a globally
televised, one-night-only live stage event in 2012.
If you have any issues you wish to raise or comments to make about any of
the pieces featured in this month’s Know+How you can email the editor at:
knowhoweditor@eriks.co.uk, not forgetting Know+How’s own website:
www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow where you can register for your own personal
copy and make enquiries about something you have read or contact one
of the contributors.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Alan Whetstone
Commercial Director, Editor in Chief
Published by ERIKS UK, Amber Way, Halesowen, West Midlands, B62 8WG
Latest News 04
FM World survey suggests economy
is driving innovation
Sensor-powered thermostats could
help save energy
ERIKS inks major MRO deal with
Mettis Aerospace
Chinese space station moves a step closer
In-Depth 06
ERIKS stages global industrial revolution –
in one night
Technology Update 08
NSK enhances bearings with €100m
investment
Simalube offers free CAD data download
Big smiles for Wera’s ‘Joker’
ERIKS offers Fit Test for safety masks
Planet Plus 10
Pumps positive for the planet
FOCUS ON FM 12
The BIM supremacy? p12
Time to think about w****r p14
Sir Alex had it easy p16
Hot money and how to find it p18
Don’t get left on the shelf p20
Why every bearing has its fans p22
Fancy a trip? p24
time savings 26
We’re clamping, your style
BEST PRACTICE 28
Visual detection of leaks with Optical Gas
Imaging cameras
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simply scan the QR codes throughout.

3. Latest news Latest news
ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow4 5
FM World survey suggests
economy is driving innovation
The latest Think Tank poll conducted by
FM World, the online magazine of the British
Institute of Facilities Management, has
revealed that innovation is driving change
even where there is no formal process for
its implementation.
44% of those surveyed said that they were
under no direct pressure to innovate, with
only 6% stating that their organisations
operated a programme to reward the
introduction of new ideas. However, over
half reported that they were under a great
amount of pressure to cut costs which has
in itself driven innovation.
“I do everything I can to both engender
a culture where innovation is welcomed
and where good practice is rewarded,” one
contributor told the Think Tank poll, adding
that a shared savings scheme would make
an attractive incentive for all parties. “FM
providers need to take responsibility for
effective innovation or otherwise face being
further marginalised from the customer’s
decision making process,” another
contributor said, “providers must understand
that innovation isn’t about self-interest or
improving only their own margins. Instead,
it’s about delivering mutual consistent
benefits to stakeholders.”
Latest news
Sensor-powered thermostats
could help save energy
Smart Planet has reported that Americans
are using less energy for heating but are
still failing to conserve energy across the
board because of increased consumption
by flat-screen TVs, computers,
smartphones and appliances.
According to the US Energy Information
Administration, Americans have burned
around 10% less energy to heat and
cool their homes over the last couple
of decades but during that same period
the amount of energy consumed for
appliances, electronics and lighting has
grown by around 10%.
Web-enabled, sensor-powered
thermostats may be able to make the
difference. These futuristic devices ‘learn’
the temperature preferences of the user
and can be controlled remotely via a
smartphone or computer.
Of course, capitalising on the intelligence
of these devices relies on the intelligence
of us, the users. Alan Meier, senior
scientist in the Building Technology and
Urban Systems Department at Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, says,
“There is a big question about whether
consumers will persist in using any of
these wonderfully convenient devices.”
Meier was part of a study that found
around half of participants do not even
use the programming features currently
provided by existing thermostats, which
are designed to conserve energy
when occupants are sleeping or away
from home.
Chinese space station moves a step closer
The successful launch of the Shenzhou-10
manned spacecraft in June, celebrated by
President Xi Jinping’s ‘space dream’
speech, has brought the prospect of
a permanent Chinese space station
a step closer.
“The mission’s members carry a space
dream of the Chinese nation, and
represent the lofty aspirations of the
Chinese people to explore space,” said
Mr Xi as his countrymen headed for space
lab Tiangong-1 on the country’s longest-
ever mission.
The local Xinhua news agency calls China’s
space dream ‘humble’ and peaceful and
emphasises that, “After the year 2020,
China’s future space station will probably
be the only one of any kind in service
considering the International Space
Station’s retirement plan”.
By then, China’s space dream, “will not only
serve its own people but also contribute to
space exploration for the human race”, the
agency says.
The proposed space station is expected
to have a mass of about 60 tonnes and
comprise a number of interlocking
modules. Like the International Space
Station, it will be capable of accommodating
residents for long periods and be supplied
by robotic freighters.
ERIKS inks major MRO deal
with Mettis Aerospace
Mettis Aerospace, a leading global
manufacturer of precision forged and
machined components has appointed
ERIKS for an on-going MRO (maintenance,
repair and operations) contract.
Mettis Aerospace has been working in
partnership with ERIKS for many years,
but the signing of this new contract
marks a new era with the establishment
of a long-term technical and supply chain
collaboration.
“We have to act fast when maintenance
issues arise to avoid downtime,” explained
Lawrence Jenkins, COO, Mettis Aerospace.
“With ERIKS we can be sure we have a
partner who is holding the right stocks for
us. We’ve already established an excellent
working relationship with ERIKS and we
now want to formalise that relationship
into what we feel will develop into a true
working partnership.”
Mettis Aerospace specialises in the
manufacture of precision-forged and
machined components in titanium,
aluminium and special steels. Its fully
integrated operational facility incorporates
design engineering for manufacture,
forging operations, heat treatment facilities,
testing and laboratory facilities, and a
machining centre, plus processing,
kitting and logistics facilities.

4. In-depth In-depth
ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow6 7
A one-night-only event.
Televised worldwide.
Depending on split-second
timing. With absolutely no
room for failure. No wonder
UK Loco turned to ERIKS for
a totally reliable solution
with 100% dependable
service and support.
It’s nerve-racking enough when a
production line is relying on your equipment
to function perfectly. Downtime needs to
be kept to a minimum, Mean Time Between
Failure needs to be as long as possible,
and a breakdown could be highly costly.
However, when hundreds of actors and
extras are depending on your equipment,
when it’s being televised in action, and
watched by millions around the globe,
and when a breakdown simply is not
an option in a one-off, once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity, you really have to be sure it
won’t let you down.
So naturally you turn to ERIKS for reliability
of supply, quality of components, and the
highest levels of service.
Up to the challenge
Having passed successfully through the first
stage procurement process, for stage props
for a major prestigious live stage show,
Worcestershire-based UK Loco was asked
to quote on supplies as the next step.
The requirement was for geared drives and
inverters for the stage props, and ERIKS
was the first supplier UK Loco thought of.
Their team of engineers already had a
worldwide reputation for providing purpose-
built attractions for the theme park and
leisure industry, as well as for stage sets.
Now, for one of the biggest and most
important challenges they had faced so far,
they knew they needed a partnership with a
supplier with an equally strong reputation for
delivering under pressure.
Satish Chandarana, Technical Support
Manager for Drives & Power Transmissions
at ERIKS, was asked to tender for the
components required for the project. As
Alec McAndrew, Chief Operating Officer,
UK Loco, explained, he called on ERIKS
because, “we have a very good relationship
and we knew that, despite the fact that
the job was confidential – meaning we
would have to ask ERIKS to specify
equipment without being able to tell them
exactly what it was for – they would give
us what we needed. Technically speaking,
ERIKS are extremely good at interpreting
our needs.”
However, this was no small job, nor even
‘just’ an urgent request for production-
critical components. This was nothing
less than an enactment of a brief history
of Great Britain and – specifically –
a scene designed to represent the
Industrial Revolution.
Coolly calculating
Appropriately enough, the products
ultimately selected by UK Loco for the
project were supplied by Fenner – for
whom ERIKS is an Authorised Distributor.
Fenner was established at the climax of the
Industrial Revolution, in the mid-nineteenth
century, and has been providing high-
quality components to industry ever since.
On this occasion, the components required
were Fenner geared drives and inverters
for two giant looms – with three geared
drives and three inverters needed for
each machine.
“As the design moved forward,” explained
Alec, “we verified the spec with ERIKS,
who were able to calculate whether what
they initially estimated would do the job.
Once the calculations were worked out
it was established that Fenner Series C
gearboxes together with Fenner QD:E
inverters would suit the application
perfectly.”
As seen on TV
Lee Cooke, Electrical Systems Manager
at UK Loco, explained that the Fenner
inverters were particularly user-friendly,
which was highly important in the
application. “In a theatrical application
such as this,” Lee said, “it’s important to
be able to make adjustments swiftly and
simply, both in rehearsal and before a live
audience. With the Fenner QD:E inverters
it was possible to easily and quickly ‘tune’
motor speeds to achieve the look that the
creatives were aiming for.”
If you were one of the millions who
watched the show on TV – or one of the
thousands who was lucky enough to be
there on the night, you’ll know that despite
its scale and complexity, the show went
ahead without a hitch. Once again, ERIKS
know-how made the difference.
“We’ve had dozens of gearboxes and
motors with different torques from ERIKS,
and none has ever failed to do what ERIKS
said it would,” said Alec. “This was no
exception. At no point did we experience
any problems with the Fenner gearboxes
and, not surprisingly, we are continuing to
consult ERIKS for our current and future
commissions.”
Not surprisingly because, having helped
achieve an industrial revolution in one night,
ERIKS can clearly be relied on to provide
revolutionary service and reliability, day in
and day out.
ERIKS stages
global industrial
revolution –
in one night
“
”
we have a very good relationship and we knew that, despite
the fact that the job was confidential – meaning we would have
to ask ERIKS to specify equipment without being able
to tell them exactly what it was for.

5. Technology update Technology update
8 9ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
NSK enhances bearings
with €100m investmentThe annual €100m NSK investment in R&D
has recently resulted in the development
of powerful new technologies, especially in
bearing steel and sealing solutions. NSK
has worked closely with steel manufacturers
to produce Z-Steel, which has such low
levels of impurities that the bearing life can
be increased by up to 80% over a bearing
made of ordinary steel.
Meanwhile, advances in seal technology
have resulted in a new patented labyrinth
design that ensures the best levels of
protection while minimising power loss.
With several seal and shield combinations
available, the right solution can be
found for a range of applications, even
those involving high temperatures or
corrosive atmospheres. NSK has also
advanced lubrication technology with high
performance, environmentally-friendly
lubricants, including clean room greases
and low torque lubricants to minimise
power losses.
Simalube offers free
CAD data downloadSimalube has made 3D CAD data for all
of its automatic single-point lubricators
downloadable from its website free
of charge. The data will enable OEM
customers who use CAD software to
integrate the automatic lubricators directly
in their three-dimensional design drawings.
Simalube is suitable for any single-point
lubricating task with grease or oil and is
available in four different sizes. Simalube
lubricators guarantee a consistent
supply of grease, preventing insufficient
lubrication from causing bearings to
fail long before they have reached their
expected product life.
CAD drawings can be accessed on
simatec.com
Loctite launches
free Maintenance
Expert Guide
Loctite has enabled faster, more
efficient product specification for
its customers by providing an online
Maintenance Expert Guide for
mobile devices. Users can navigate
by product search, application
category or specific maintenance
tasks, offering engineers an easy,
on-the-spot means of finding the
right product. They can also use
the ‘how to’ instructions, which
provide valuable hints on how to use
products, or access contact details
for a local distributor.
You can access the Maintenance
Expert Guide free via your
smartphone from m.loctite-repairs.
co.uk. It is also available as a pdf,
or you can order a printed copy.
Big smiles for Wera’s ‘Joker’
The Joker, Wera’s open-end wrench, has
won this year’s iF (International Forum)
product design award for industry. Wera’s
tool scored highly in the jury’s assessment
criteria – which included categories such
as design quality, degree of innovation,
functionality and ergonomics – to score
the Wuppertal-based tool manufacturer
the prestigious award.
Among the capabilities offered by The
Joker is a practical holding function that
allows nuts and bolts to be held in the
jaw and easily positioned where they are
needed, avoiding time-wasting searches
for dropped nuts and bolts.
Further features include a ‘limit stop’ that
prevents constant re-positioning of the
wrench and eases the difficulty of holding
fasteners in confined spaces.
RX offers Fit Test
for safety masks
When safety masks are not put on correctly
or do not entirely correspond with the
face profile, the necessary protection is
insufficient or even non-existent, and it is
this danger to safety that has prompted
RX to offer the Fit Test. During the test, a
sweet or bitter solution is sprayed around
the wearer with an atomiser. If the wearer
can taste the substance, he/she will be
retested and adjustments will be made until
the wearer can no longer detect the taste.
RX offers a range of ergonomically-shaped
masks that can be adjusted to fit closely
against the wearer’s face. The range includes:
the RX®
Flat-fold disposable mask, a single
use, lightweight, disposable respirator; the
RX®
Pre-formed (cupped) disposable mask,
available with or without valve; and the
RX®
Pre-formed (cupped) and reinforced
disposable mask, with a lightweight netted
construction that has a very low breathing
resistance, offering the wearer the highest
possible comfort even during the most
demanding working conditions.
Terms and conditions apply.
RX is helping to ensure correct use of respirators by
offering a Fit Test to determine what type of safety mask
is best suited to the wearer. The test also trains the
employee in how to fit a mask correctly.

6. ADVERT
10 ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
You and the
Now it only takes
5 minutes to find out
5 years’ ownership costs.
You’ll find the ERIKS Online Motor Calculator at
motordemo.eriks.co.uk
Before you spend money on repairing
or replacing a motor, spend a few minutes
finding out its Total Cost of Ownership.
The ERIKS Online Motor Calculator gives you a comparative
TCO for repairing your existing motor, or replacing it with an
IE2 or energy-efficient IE3 motor. It also tells you the new
motor’s carbon footprint over 5 years, the cost savings
you can achieve, and even its eventual scrap value.
With these facts and figures at your fingertips,
you can make an informed decision to repair,
or replace. And because ERIKS are equally
expert at both, your next step
will take even less time
to work out.
Two directives have been issued by the EU.
The first directive affects industries which
use water pumps, and the second affects
all enterprises that ‘are not SMEs’.
More efficient pumping
Motors have been subject to EU energy
efficiency legislation for some time now,
under the European Minimum Energy
Performance Standard (or EU MEPS). Now
pumps are being brought into line, with the
Annex II Ecodesign requirements for water
pumps, efficiency requirements.
Since 1st January this year, all new water
pumps have been required to have a
minimum efficiency of MEI ≥ 0.10 when
measured according to Annex III. And from
1st January 2015, all new water pumps will
be required to have a minimum efficiency
of MEI ≥ 0.40.
Meanwhile, an ecodesign standard for
Glandless Standalone Circulators and
integrated Glandless Circulators has been in
effect for some time, affecting the 950,000
or so domestic circulators sold into the UK
market each year.
Naturally ERIKS is completely up to speed
on the legislation, and all new ERIKS’
products affected by the legislation meet
or exceed the requirements. ERIKS can
also offer help and advice relating to the
legislation, if you are unsure how it
affects you.
You are being watched
The second piece of legislation –
EN 16247-1, Energy Audit in Public
Buildings 2015 – requires you to have an
energy audit carried out by independent,
qualified and/or accredited experts, or
implemented and supervised by independent
authorities under national legislation.
These mandatory audits come into force
in the UK in 2015, and – if you’re not an
SME – you’ll be required to undertake
one every four years to make sure
your energy use meets the relevant
European or International Standards,
such as EN ISO 50001 series (Energy
Management Systems) and EN ISO 14000
(Environmental Management Systems).
With the support of ERIKS and your
Facilities Management Company, an audit
can quickly and easily be arranged and
carried out. And if any of your equipment
fails to meet the grade, ERIKS can help you
to upgrade or replace with the latest energy-
efficient solutions, to meet the requirements
of the legislation.
Positive Energy Reduction of this kind is just
one facet of ERIKS’ Planet+ initiative, with
Positive Pollution Reduction, Positive Waste
Reduction and Positive Risk Reduction being
the other three. So whether you want to
comply with legislation, reduce your energy
bills, reduce your carbon footprint, or have a
more positive effect on the welfare and well-
being of the planet and your employees, you
can be positive that ERIKS can help.
Pumps
positive
for the
planet
New legislation from the EU will help to ensure that
pumps play their part in reducing energy use and
carbon emissions – just like ERIKS Planet+ initiative.
You need to
but you don’t Need
to
comply,
worry.

7. Focus on Facilities Management
12 ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
Building Information Modelling (BIM)
has profound implications for the
facilities management function, affecting
how equipment maintenance within
buildings is recorded. After many years
and government-sponsored reports
bemoaning the lack of joined-up thinking
in the building construction and design
sector, the development of BIM, and the
mandating of its use on all government
building projects by 2016, has forced
all those in the construction chain to
evaluate their roles. From designers
and architects to project managers and
construction companies, BIM is forcing
on them a greater requirement for
collaboration as well as an assessment
of individual component cost and
performance information prior to
specification. Effectively, the provenance
and performance data for every chiller,
boiler, generator and brick in a building
is written into initial construction plans
at a granular level.
It should be obvious already that the
day-to-day knowledge of equipment
condition and probable maintenance
requirements is critical to the planning
and cost calculation for both capital and
maintenance expenditure, but BIM offers
the prospect of this being an obligation
on building owners, designers and
occupiers, not an optional extra. It forces
performance data to be fed back into the
process for assessing equipment
choices for other new builds, giving FM
the opportunity of contributing to the
process of designing the buildings it
ultimately manages.
Indeed, this forcing of asset-level control
on the FM function could elevate its
status within organisations, putting
FM in the position of leading capital
expenditure plans. For those of us
continually surprised at FM’s relatively
small voice given the amount of
expenditure it can influence, this can only
be a good thing – and not before time,
say most facilities managers.
However, we’ve still a long way to go.
For all the noise surrounding BIM,
there’s still plenty of uncertainty. For a
start, the way in which operational data
is fed back into
new builds is far
from clearly
defined, while
the way in which
the building
information model
generated at the
outset is then subsequently managed
and maintained through a building’s
operational life is also up for debate.
There’s much froth and excitement
about the savings already being
generated by high profile BIM projects,
but how any changes to use or
equipment is subsequently documented
in the model has yet to be widely agreed
on. That this process should involve the
facilities manager seems clear, but
that’s about all that is.
Much has yet to be decided about BIM in
terms of its operational impact, but it will
certainly affect equipment choices and
play a huge role in a building’s energy
performance. There are struggles ahead,
but with BIM the data genie is not so
easily put back in its bottle.
The BIM
supremacy?
Martin Read
Editor
FM World
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8. Focus on Facilities Management
14 ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
You’ve probably heard before that 95%
of the cost of running a pump is energy.
And that only 1% of the capital cost is the
purchase price, whereas 4% is applied
maintenance. So if you can make savings in
energy or maintenance, the next cold winter
won’t send chills through your budget.
The difference in efficiency between an old
pump and one with the latest technology
can be as much as 15%. Yet up to 60%
of pumps in plant rooms and pumping
operations are actually obsolete – wasting
energy and being almost impossible to
source OE spare parts for when they
inevitably fail.
So you can wait until the thermometer
drops, push the ‘On’ button and hope
for the best. Or you can plan ahead now.
Knowledge is power
Before you can decide how to make your
pumping system more efficient, you need
a comprehensive audit that looks at your
pumps, tests their performance, uses data
logging to identify current energy use,
and calculates payback periods for any
replacement pumps.
It should also identify the highest and
lowest energy users, based on operating
hours, usage and motor size, so you can
make an informed decision about which
ones to deal with first.
Of course, for an unbiased result and
solution-neutral advice, you need an
unbiased and solution neutral advisor –
like ERIKS.
ERIKS are not only solution neutral – able
to repair or replace – but are also British
Pump Manufacturers’ Association CPSA
(Certified Pump System Auditor Scheme).
Which means you’ll get comprehensive
and accurate results as well as advice
you can trust.
Pimp that pump
Replacing an out-of-date, inefficient or
obsolete pump with a new model is not
always a straight swap. The footprint may
be hugely different, and pipework may
need redesigning, which may not always
be possible. Or if it is possible, the
presence of asbestos may make it too
expensive to contemplate.
In that case, ERIKS can offer you expert
advice and assistance with improving the
efficiency of your existing pump or pumps.
This may involve a motor upgrade, pump
refurbishment, reverse engineering of
spare parts, or a different pump control
philosophy – using a variable speed drive,
for example.
Whatever the audit reveals,
you can depend on ERIKS to
have a solution to minimise
your energy use, maximise
the efficiency of your pumping
systems, save on your energy
and maintenance costs – and
ensure that when winter comes
and you push the ‘on’ button,
your pumps won’t let you down.
Time to think about
w****r
We’re sorry. We know summer’s hardly arrived. But we’ve already had the longest
day, the nights are drawing in, and soon Facilities Managers all over the country
will be thinking about turning their heating pumps back on. Which means now is
the time to make sure those pumps are the most efficient they can be.
Andy Cruse
Pumps Business
Development Director
ERIKS UK

9. 16 17ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
Focus on Facilities Management Focus on Facilities Management
Jose Mourinho believes himself to be ‘a
special one’. Well, he might be able to
win a European Championship, but how
special would he look if he had to take care
of facilities for a major industrial production
site, or a shopping centre, or a hospital?
Because the facts prove most Facilities
Managers have it tougher than a football
manager. Here’s why:
Being a Facilities Manager is a
round-the-clock responsibility
Okay, so football’s no longer just about
Saturday afternoons, and the off-season
seems to be getting shorter and shorter.
But no-one expects the soccer boss to
be on call seven days a week in case
of emergencies – unless you call it an
emergency when Sky Sports wants a quote.
Facilities Managers have
to stick at the job
With the possible exception of Sir Alex
Ferguson, football managers have proved
to be pretty disposable in the past. One
or two bad results and they’ll be out of
the ground quicker than you can say
‘enormous pay-off’. But most Facilities
Managers don’t have that luxury.
Things have to be kept running efficiently
with maximum uptime. And if there’s a
problem, it’s down to them to sort it out.
With thousands of shoppers or patients,
or hundreds of thousands of pounds of
productivity and the jobs that go with it
depending on them, it has to be done
quickly and efficiently with minimum fuss
and maximum success.
There are no billionaires backing
Facilities Managers
Most football managers have the kind of
budget a Facilities Manager can only dream
about, and for them, financial pressure
means a player wanting another £10k a
week, not the need to get more performance
every quarter, for less money every quarter,
from equipment that’s three months older
than the last time the budget was cut.
The football manager’s hot
seat has a roof
The pitch-side bench for the manager
usually has a roof to keep off the rain. And
though his team is more exposed out on
the pitch, at least they’re only out there
for 90 minutes. The Facilities Manager
and his team, on the other hand, have
to contend with everything from harsh
working environments for the equipment
they’re responsible for, to harsh working
environments for the team themselves.
Anyone who’s been up on a roof in a
rainstorm, trying to swap-out a belt on a
fan in an air-handling unit, knows that being
closer to the rainclouds doesn’t mean you
get wetter. But they also know it certainly
feels like you do.
Facilities Managers don’t
have physios
Footballers break down just like equipment.
But there’s an army of physiotherapists
and other treatment specialists to help get
them back on their feet, up and – literally –
running, in as little time as possible.
Instead of physios, Facilities
Managers have Fenner
Fenner products and solutions are
designed to help equipment keep going
well into extra time, with fewer breakdowns,
less maintenance and longer Mean Times
Between Failure. They’re also designed
to help Facilities Managers do what most
footballers want to do as they approach
full-time: save energy.
The Fenner QD:HVAC inverter, for
example, has hardware fully optimised
for driving fan and pump loads, and can
recoup its purchase cost in saved energy
costs in six months or under. And that’s
from an inverter which takes as little as two
hours to install, and even qualifies for an
Enhanced Capital Allowance if it’s fitted as
part of a CapEx project.
Or take the Fenner T-Max V-Belt Drive
Tensioners, which automatically take the
slip out of any belt-driven climate control
system. This reduces maintenance time
and costs (no premature belt failure),
reduces system downtime (no belt
re-tensioning) and reduces system
noise (no loose belt vibration). Fitted in
conjunction with a Variable Speed Drive
they also increase energy efficiency by
eliminating slip and torque losses.
And with no tools required and no need
to move drive components to install the
tensioners, they’re as easy to get into place
as it is to get a Premier League player into
a nightclub.
Spot the difference
So there are obviously big differences
between football managers and Facilities
Managers (the salary being a major one).
But there’s also one major similarity: the
pressure. And we would argue that it looks
as if Facilities Managers have it tougher.
Or to paraphrase Sir Alex’s comment after
the 1999 European Cup Final: “Facilities
Management...bloody hell.”
Sir Alex
had it easy
You’ve missed your chance to apply for Fergie’s job at
Manchester United. But his retirement makes it a good
time to ask the question you haven’t heard (yet) from
Lineker or Chamberlin. Who has the tougher time: the
football manager or the Facilities Manager?

10. Focus on Facilities Management Focus on Facilities Management
18 19ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
Level 2. This level of training, combined
with ERIKS twenty-five years of Condition
Monitoring experience, means that clients
can depend on the detection of all issues
in the area surveyed, the capturing of useful
data, and the correct interpretation of the
thermographic images.
Better still, a comprehensive survey of an
entire electrical system in – for example
– a data centre, can be completed in a
matter of minutes with no interruption or
disruption of operations, compared with
the two to three days required for manually
checking connections and terminals during
a scheduled interruption.
Point and shoot?
Thermographic imagery is an effective way
to detect the increased temperature levels
which often indicate an electrical fault such
as a defective connection. The infrared
visual data captured provides a clear
indication of the location and nature
of the issue.
But these are no point-and-shoot cameras.
The information is only useful to an operator
trained to interpret it correctly.
ERIKS’ highly-qualified Condition
Monitoring team uses thermographic
cameras to check circuit boards, terminals,
connections and even UPS systems,
and from the results gathered provide
a report – with thermographic evidence
– highlighting findings, providing an
interpretation of the data, and allocating a
‘degree of severity’ to each issue, indicating
how soon action needs to be taken to
prevent a failure.
This report provides written, verifiable and
auditable documentation of the survey that
has been carried out. A follow-up survey
will then be commissioned, to provide
similar written and verifiable evidence
that repair or maintenance work has been
successfully undertaken and the issues
resolved effectively.
ERIKS’ situation as an impartial third-party
ensures the report can be relied on as
a true record both of the issues and of
their resolution.
Safe bets and easy wins
Whilst thermographic surveys are
important in identifying electrical issues
which could lead to fire or other safety
problems, they are also invaluable in
identifying energy losses, and therefore
energy- and cost-savings.
ERIKS’ ability to put a monetary value –
expressed as a cost per hour – on energy
losses identified by thermography, means
Facilities Managers can now quickly and
easily identify where and how savings can
be made, can initiate a project to resolve
the issues, and can then provide the client
with independently verified evidence, for a
signed-off cost saving.
So unless a client has money to burn,
thermography is the latest hot ticket for
Facilities Managers, to saving energy and
saving money.
Of course detecting an electrical system
issue in a data centre, a school, a bank
or a hospital is not only about the money.
Where electrics are involved it’s just as
much about safety, prevention of downtime
through unscheduled stoppages, and even
about fire prevention.
But whatever the reason, the evidence of an
issue is always the same, and with a high-
resolution thermographic camera it’s as
clear to the trained operator as a footprint in
blood to a TV ’tec.
It’s the ease of detection, the clarity of the
evidence, and the capability for traceability
and accountability which has led so many
major organisations – from banks to
supermarkets, and museum operators
to schools – to insist their Facilities
Management companies utilise thermography
for their condition monitoring activities.
Banking on thermography
A major supermarket chain operates data
centres throughout the UK to control
its cashpoints and tills. The scale of its
operations is such that the failure of one bay
in one data centre due to a failed connection
or a resulting fire will shut down all the
checkouts and all the cashpoints in every one
of its outlets across an entire county.
To avoid this nightmare scenario, the
company’s Facilities Manager subcontracts
ERIKS Condition Monitoring team to
conduct regular scheduled thermographic
surveys of all the data centres, to detect
any electrical system or climate control
system issues.
ERIKS is the preferred thermographic
surveyor because of the high quality
cameras used (FLIR GF320 thermal imaging
cameras) and the highly-skilled operators
who use them. No ERIKS thermographic
camera operator is allowed to conduct a
survey alone until he or she has achieved
British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing
You don’t need to work for a Facilities Management company to know that heat loss and
electrical system issues usually equal energy loss, which in turn equals money loss.
That’s the easy part. The hard part can be spotting the issue, calculating a value for
the loss it’s causing and, therefore, putting a specific figure to vague ‘energy saving’
promises. This is serious detective work – but a thermographic camera with an experienced
and trained operator is the equivalent of Holmes and Watson, Mulder and Scully, and Morse
and Lewis rolled into one.
Thermographic surveys
are invaluable in
identifying energy losses,
and therefore energy- and
cost-savings.

11. Focus on Facilities Management Focus on Facilities Management
20 21ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow 21
When you need
a replacement
item urgently, the
storeroom is the
first place you
look. Surprisingly,
when you need to
maximise efficiency
and increase profitability, it’s also the place
to go. Because if you think of it as just
somewhere to keep stuff, you could be
storing up trouble.
A poorly-managed storeroom can hinder
production, limit efficiency and waste
resources. Yet with better storeroom planning,
organisation and inventory control, you can
reduce inventory, take better control of
purchasing costs, reduce transportation costs,
and make better use of resources.
From boardroom to storeroom
Good management in the storeroom is
as critical as in the boardroom – and just
as essential to a business’s success. Just
ask anyone who’s been to the stores for a
crucial bit of kit, only to find it’s out of stock,
or that the only one left is unserviceable.
With good management, costly downtime
can be avoided by ensuring fast-moving,
plant-critical parts are readily available, in
good working order, and stored where they
should be.
But stocking up on every possible part is
not the most efficient solution. All you’ll
have is money tied up on shelves full of
expensive components, which might sit
there for months and be unusable by
the time they’re actually needed. Instead,
an efficient storeroom needs planning,
organisation, and careful management and
monitoring of stock to ensure the right parts
are always available.
Good management also means knowing
which parts to keep and which to order-in
as required. After all, there’s no point storing
a critical item such as a large bore bearing
if it takes a day to strip the old one out of
the machine. You could save yourself the
expense and the space required to hold
one in stock, by having it delivered in less
time than it takes the engineers to prepare
for installation.
Aim for less than perfect
“Ensuring 100% availability of the
production environment means having a
service level of 100% on all MRO items
– and this is simply unfeasible and/or too
costly.” So says Dr. Amar Ramudhin, Director
of Supply Chain Management & Technology
at Georgia Tech’s Supply Chain & Logistics
Institute, Atlanta, USA.
“Inventory management for
minimising the stock of any
product is a function of its demand
distribution, and of supplier reliability
regarding the quantity delivered and
delivery lead time. Except for fast-
moving supplies or consumables, the
demand distribution of MRO parts is
unknown and – more importantly –
the parts themselves might not
be known until they fail.”
Ramudhin identifies several situations
that prevent storeroom management
optimisation. These include: ordering from
too many suppliers, resulting in complex
negotiations and procurement processes;
hoarding of MRO items in toolboxes,
resulting in poor usage data and systems
performance; and management of the MRO
storeroom by maintenance specialists rather
than material or inventory specialists.
More than just stores
A closer relationship with a supply partner
like ERIKS – with services ranging from
Just-In-Time delivery to a vendor-managed
inventory, to a complete takeover of the
inventory management of MRO activities –
can have a positive effect on more than just
your stores.
It can help improve MRO procurement
and stores activity by identifying unrequired
items, and can lead to significant
improvements in plant efficiency and
economy. Careful monitoring of the stores
by an experienced supplier can also help
to identify potential problems on the
factory floor, highlighted by a sudden
increase in the use of a particular spare
part, for example.
Apply this knowledge in conjunction with
predictive maintenance procedures, and
production line availability will inevitably
increase.
‘Swap’ your supplier
‘Swap’ your supplier for a consultant
– without changing the company – by
capitalising on the close relationship you
already have. Their deep understanding
of your company’s needs can bring real
savings, through knowledge of the stock,
the operation, and what can and can’t
be streamlined.
Also, with a close supplier relationship,
your business doesn’t need to waste time
calling numerous suppliers to quote on each
product. And part costs will drop because
the supplier will be buying in larger numbers
than the company alone can.
As summarised by Dr Ramudhin: “Once
implemented and fine-tuned, the results
of [an optimised] system should be a
significant reduction of MRO related costs,
through reduced inventory levels, elimination
of hoarding, better control on purchasing
costs, a reduction in transportation costs,
elimination of obsolete parts, better visibility
on MRO item usage, and better use of
the organisation’s resources as they are
diverted to more value-adding or mission
critical activities.”
Storeroom optimisation is an ERIKS’
specialty, based on over 10 years of
stores transformation and project
management experience. With an expert
solutions provider such as ERIKS acting
as a consultant as well as a supplier,
your engineering business can reduce
stockholding and downtime, while improving
efficiency and profitability. And while others
reap the benefits of being leaner and more
competitive, you won’t be left on the shelf.
Don’t get
left on
the shelf
Being leaner and more
competitive are two
important trends for
enterprises. But where
do you think is one of
the best placeS to start?
Julia Mullar
Operations Development
Manager
ERIKS UK
Integrated Solutions

12. Focus on Facilities Management Focus on Facilities Management
22 23ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
a Split Roller Bearing such as the Revolvo
SRB could be the answer.)
Finally, ERIKS know as well as any Facilities
Manager that repairs or replacements have
to be achieved as quickly as possible to
maintain the uptime and availability of a fan.
All these considerations lie behind the
range of bearing housings and units
supplied by ERIKS, and all this experience
and expertise backs up the advice ERIKS
can offer when you need to choose your
next bearing.
Meanwhile, to help you appreciate the
choices available, the table (above) outlines
the main points of difference to consider.
Maintenance – who needs it?
So you’ve got the right advice, you’ve
chosen the right bearing unit, and you’ve
fitted it. With the Simatec Simalube
automatic lubricator, that’s it until it next
needs replacing in around a year’s time.
Holding 30, 60, 125 or 250ml of oil or
grease (which can be enough for a year’s
lubricant, depending on the application), the
Simalube lubricator automatically delivers
lubrication for preset time periods.
Requiring no external power, the Simalube
can help make dramatic savings of
lubrication time and costs, for lubrication
points that are trapped or otherwise difficult
to access.
Which means most fans should have one,
and shows why so many Facilities Managers
are fans of Simalube.
Whether you’re responsible for maintaining
fans, HVAC or air handling, in a shopping
centre or a factory, downtime is something
you need to keep to a minimum. Which
means you need bearings you can rely
on to the absolute maximum. And if ever
a bearing does need replacing, you need
to know you can replace it quickly and
efficiently so your asset can be back up and
running in the shortest possible time.
There is a whole range of bearings you
can choose from, to suit your particular
application. But with so much choice, how
do you ensure you’re getting the best
bearing for the job?
Bias-free bearings
Firstly, you need to be talking to a
supplier with a comprehensive range of
bearings available for a full range of fan
applications. But you also need a supplier
who is completely transparent about the
advantages and disadvantages of each
particular arrangement, so you can make
an informed decision. And a supplier you
can trust to give you unbiased advice, that
helps you to select the best solution for
your application.
ERIKS not only has a choice of housed
units and bearings from a range of
reputable manufacturers, but also can
offer expert advice on which one best suits
which application.
Hands-on experience
As experienced maintenance engineers
as well as component suppliers, ERIKS
have real insight into the problems posed
by different fan applications. These
range from the issues raised by – for
example – the high temperatures bearings
have to contend with in some industrial
operating environments to dirty and dusty
environments where a higher level
of sealing is required.
Naturally they are also aware of the
requirement for absolute reliability, when a
fan may sit idle for weeks, then be required
to switch on and operate instantly at
maximum speed.
Not least, as maintenance engineers
themselves, ERIKS are also aware of
the considerations involved in replacing
bearings. With many HVAC and air
handling units situated in exposed
positions (often on a roof), no engineer
wants to be struggling for hours in the
wet and cold to swap-out a bearing. And
with limited working space in many air
handling units, a bearing needs to be easily
removable without having to dismantle half
the equipment to access it. (In this case,
Why every
bearing has
its fans
Bearing failures are responsible for expensive downtime in
a number of scenarios familiar to the facilities manager. With
such a wide selection of bearings available, it pays to know
you can replace failed parts quickly and efficiently.
RHP Self-Lube®
RHP Life-Lube™ Timken Blue-Brute SKF SE Revolvo SRB
Bearing type
Deep groove ball Deep groove ball Spherical roller
bearing
Spherical roller
bearing; self-aligning
ball bearing; CARB
torodial bearing
Cylindrical roller
bearing (Split)
Material
Bearing steel Stainless steel with
Molded-Oil™
Bearing steel Bearing steel Bearing steel
Housing types
2 bolt pillow block;
2/4 bolt flange;
take-up unit
2 bolt pillow block;
2/4 bolt flange;
take-up unit
2/4 bolt pillow block;
2/4 bolt flange;
take-up
2 bolt pillow block
(take-up and flange)
2 bolt pillow block,
bolt flange, take-up,
hangar
Housing material
Cast iron, 2 piece
sheet steel
PBT thermoplastic
resin
Cast steel (1 piece) Cast iron (2 piece) Cast Iron 2-piece and
Cartridge 2-piece
Standard
size range
12–100mm (+
equivalent Imperial
sizes)
20–40mm 40–100mm (plus
others equivalent sizes
plus imperial)
20–140mm (larger
range also available}
35 to 600 mm
Sealing range
Single lip nitrile rubber
(standard), flinger,
triple lip
Single lip nitrile rubber
seal and metal flinger
Extensive, including
labyrinth, triple lip
Felt (standard), and
extensive range
including labyrinth
Felt (standard),
extensive range inc.
labyrinth, garter
Shaft locking
Grub screw (standard);
eccentric collar;
taper sleeve
Grub screw Set screw; eccentric
collar; adapter sleeve;
patented V and
Double V lock
Adapter sleeve (taper
bore bearings)
Clamp rings, supplied
with bearing
Split
Solid housing/
bearing
Solid housing/
bearing
Solid housing/
bearing
Split housing/
solid bearing
Split Housing and
Bearing
Revolvo SRB
Split Pillow Block Unit - Completely
Split to Shaft Bearing Unit with
Cylindrical Roller Bearing
SKF SE
Pillow Block Unit – Split Housed
Sperical Roller Bearing Unit
RHP Life-Lube®
Polymer Pillow Block Unit –
Maintenance free Ball Bearing Unit
RHP Self Lube®
Pillow Block Unit –
Ball Bearing Unit
Timken Blue Brute
Pillow Block Unit – Solid Housed
Spherical Roller Bearing Unit

13. 24 ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
Slips and trips are the most common
cause of major injuries at work. 95% of
major slips result in broken bones and are
responsible for, on average:
n øver a third of all reported major injuries
n 20% of over-3-day injuries to employees
n Two fatalities per year
n 50% of all reported accidents to
members of the public that happen
in workplaces
n £512 million in lost production and other
costs to employers
n Incalculable human cost
n More major injuries in manufacturing and
the service sectors than any other cause
In the food and drink industry, slips and
trips occur more often than in almost any
other industry – responsible for 35% of
the ‘major’ injuries (from a broken arm
to hospitalisation) and nearly 25% of all
injuries for the industry, reported to the
Health and Safety Executive. That’s around
1,300 injuries a year, with around 80%
being slips and 20% trips.
Whether you’re an employee who’s
suffered an injury, or an employer who’s
had to sort out the consequences, you’ll
know this kind of trip is no holiday.
Where did you slip up?
Years of experience prove that slip prevention
works, and can cut injuries by 50% or more.
Which of course means cutting the costs and
the consequences too.
Statistics show that 90% of slips happen
on floors that are wet or – in the food
industry – contaminated with food product.
75% of trips are caused by obstructions,
and the rest by uneven surfaces.
This means that prevention may involve:
n Preventing contamination of the floor
and walkways
n Limiting the effects of contamination
when it does occur
n Ensuring the floor has a sufficiently rough
surface to help reduce slips
n Ensuring the floor is cleaned effectively
in a way which reduces slip risk (some
treatments actually make floors slippier)
n Providing suitable footwear
n Eliminating or reducing carrying of loads
and pushing or pulling of trolleys, which
increases slip risk
n Eliminating holes, slopes and
uneven surfaces
n Eliminating materials and objects likely
to cause tripping
It’s a daunting list and – like most tasks
– sounds a great deal simpler to put into
practice than it actually is. Which is why
we recommend you contact an expert in
health and safety in the workplace, such
as ERIKS.
After all, you wouldn’t want to trip up at the
first step, would you?
Fancy
atrip?
You, or someone you know, could be taking
a trip quite soon. And not the kind of trip
where you’ll come home with a suntan and
great photos, but the kind that ends in AE.
Focus on Facilities Management
Lower risk, higher productivity.
RX®
Dyneema®
Safe3 safety gloves use the very latest in
Dyneema®
fabric technology to produce a lightweight,
close-fitting, elasticated and durable glove that gives
significantly higher cut/abrasion/tear resistance and
increased durability over aramid-based gloves.
This high level of protection is achieved without the use
of reinforcing glass fibre or steel wire, which means that
there is no compromise on comfort either; your hands will
stay dry and cool all day, reducing fatigue and discomfort
which can lead to increased productivity.
Feel the difference. order your rX®
safety gloves today.
call 0800 006 6000 or visit www.eriks.co.uk
Our Dyneema®
Safe3 safety gloves provide
comfortable, tough and long-lasting protection
- a superb all-round performance!
Give them a hand.
Safety ProductS
the rX®
saFety gLove range
rX®
dyneema®
safe3
Seamless knitted Dyneema®
glove with polyurethane
coating.
rX®
top-Flex pu
Seamless knitted nylon
glove with polyurethane
coating.
rX®
nitri-4-grip
Seamless knitted nylon glove
with light porous breathable
foam nitrile coating.
rX®
durafit nFt
Seamless nylon glove with a
foamed nitrile palm coating.
rX®
chemresist
Synthetic rubber glove with
nitrile coating.
Paul Skade
Category Manager Tools
and Maintenance
ERIKS UK

14. Time savings Time savings
26 27ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
We’re
clamping,
styleyour
There’s more than one way to clamp a hose.
But there’s usually only one style of clamping
that’s the right way. And knowing the right
style for your particular application can
make a significant difference to safety,
productivity, and time-saving.
You may not think that the way you join a
hose to a coupling can be all that critical.
However, it’s actually a key factor in the
performance of the hose assembly, and
therefore, by extension, to the performance
of the equipment it’s attached to.
For example, a large pharmaceutical
company uses hose clamps on its robotic
machines, to attach the vacuum hose from
the main vacuum supply to the robot head.
The robot goes through such an extensive
range of motion that the hose is subject to
extreme stresses and needs changing 3–4
times a week, which involves removing the
clamps to carry out the replacement.
The clamps which the company were
using, were of such a design that they
were rendered unserviceable as they
were removed, so had to be scrapped
and replaced every time a new hose was
fitted. The result was a far slower hose
replacement process and a massive waste
of money and resources, with numerous
clamps being thrown away and replaced.
Clamp-it-yourself
ERIKS’ solution, based on years of hose
and clamping technology experience,
was to provide the customer with a
Self-Clamping system.
These particular clamps are not only
quicker and easier to fit, but they can also
be re-used when the hose is replaced.
The time-saving difference between these
new clamps and the old style disposable
clamps is around 25% (approximately 15
minutes per change) and the cost-saving
has been so immediately noticeable that
the customer is in the process of fitting
a new-style clamp to every hose, as and
when it fails.
Uptime is clearly increased and
maintenance costs are reduced, but the full
scale of the savings cannot be calculated
until all the old clamps have been replaced.
However, the customer reports that the
longest-fitted Self-Clamping system has
been in place for 12 months already, with
no indication of failure.
Clamp down on wasted time
Not every new clamp will deliver such
impressive savings in time and costs. But
a comprehensive examination of service
conditions by an ERIKS hose technology
expert will certainly help to ensure you have
the right clamp for the job – or will provide
you with a recommendation for a different
clamp that’s more effective and more efficient.
Of course it’s also worth remembering that
if the wrong clamp results in a failure, it’s
usually a sudden and often catastrophic
one. Whether your hoses are high pressure
or lower pressure but carrying steam or
hazardous chemicals, that kind of failure is
obviously something you want to avoid.
For convenience – saving time on fitting
– and for safety and reliability, the ERIKS
LMC range of clamps offers a suitable
solution for many applications.
Clip, crimp or clamp?
LMC clamps are a highly versatile, safe and
convenient alternative to clips and crimping.
They are also far more reliable than a
worm drive, and still provide a high level of
security and seal integrity – as high, in fact,
as a crimped fitting. They also cost around
the same as a crimped connector, but save
time and money because they can easily be
fitted on-site using standard tools.
Using LMC clamps can even save you time
and money on replacing hoses. Because
often, you won’t have to. The LMC clamp
will fit perfectly to a damaged hose which
has simply been shortened to remove the
damaged section.
A grip of steel (stainless steel)
Available in aluminium, brass and stainless
steel, LMC clamps are basically two
interlocking hemispherical shells, which are
bolted around the hose end using a locking
collar with an inner safety rim. This rim fits
over and interlocks with the hose shank
collar. Tighten the bolts, and that’s it: the
coupling simply cannot be removed from
the hose.
Leak-free at pressures up to 25 bar, the
LMC clamp can be used with thick- and
thin-walled hoses in many materials –
including PVC, rubber, and silicone.
The range also includes hygienic fittings
suitable for the food sector, which have
a smooth internal bore free from places
where dirt can gather and bacteria can
breed. The clamp faces are free from
protrusions and parts which can snag –
making them not only ideal for hygienic
purposes but also in applications where
the equipment is moving or the hoses are
frequently dragged across work areas.
Time well spent
Though using the correct clamp can almost
certainly save you time, you still need to invest
some time in a regular inspection of the
hoses and connections, for damage and wear.
ERIKS can provide a cost-effective
on- and off-site testing service,
incorporating visual inspection,
pressure testing and a fibre optic
camera for internal inspections.
With the right style of clamp and an
effective inspection routine, ERIKS LMC
clamps can solve the problems of leakage,
blow-offs and difficulties associated with
hose expansion and contraction. All that,
and saving you valuable time so you’re
free to get on with the job – with nobody
cramping your style.

15. Best practice Best practice
28 29ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow
Until now, methods
for detecting leaks
had not moved on far
from simply sniffing.
The only difference is
that now the sniffing
doesn’t depend on a
sensitive nose but a
mechanical ‘sniffer’,
which detects and
counts the parts per million of gases in the
local atmosphere. On a calm day this can
work, but in windy conditions it’s far less
effective, and even in ideal conditions it can’t
accurately detect the source of the leak.
Since research shows that 84% of leaks
take place in just 1% of plant, being able
to pinpoint the source of the leak not only
minimises the amount of plant which has
to be shut down, but also the amount of
downtime for even the affected part.
Or as the EU puts it in its Best Available
Techniques draft reference documents:
“Direct visualisation of leaks is of great
value to improve the efficiency of
maintenance on equipment as only the
leaking equipment is repaired. Another
advantage...is the possibility to detect leaks
under insulation and to screen from a
distance, so that...emissions from
components not accessible for sniffing
can be located and repaired.
Visual
detection
of leaks
with Optical
Gas Imaging
cameras
“OGI cameras should be introduced...for
easier and faster identification of significant
leaking components.”
Optical Gas Imaging cameras use
thermographic technology to detect
leaks. Gases are opaque in the infrared
wavelength, and each gas has its own
distinctive wavelength, making it possible
not only to see the leak but also to identify
which gas is leaking.
Of course thermographic cameras have
long been used in the electro-mechanical
environment, but these cameras usually
operate only at long or short wave, whereas
gases are generally found in the medium
wavelength, and are only visible to the high-
end OGI thermographic cameras.
In addition, any camera is only as good as
the person behind the lens. ERIKS, for
example, who offer gas leak detection with
OGI cameras as part of their Condition
Monitoring service, are the only operators
of these cameras in the UK with Level
2 technicians. These are the most highly
trained in interpreting the data presented
visually on screen by the cameras.
Using the high-end imaging system of
the FLIR GF320 OGI camera, ERIKS’
technicians can detect Volatile Organic
Compounds – in fact, more than 20
different toxic, explosive and flammable
gases. Some gases such as carbon
monoxide may also be visible in the right
atmospheric conditions. The FLIR camera
makes it possible to scan thousands of
components per shift, with no interruption
to processes. It’s also far safer than
a traditional sniffer, since potentially
dangerous leaks can be detected and
monitored from several metres away.
The camera measures temperatures from
–40°C to +350°C, with ±1°C accuracy, and
its High Sensitivity Mode (25mK) means
it can provide real-time visualisation of even
small gas leaks.
Gas leak detection from ERIKS Condition
Monitoring team can be built into customers’
Preventative Maintenance scheduling, with
a survey carried out every 3 or 6 months.
If a leak is detected during one of these
scheduled visits, the ability to pinpoint the
exact source allows for less disruption to
production, a faster repair, and a quicker
return to normal operation.
Gas leak detection should also be
incorporated as part of the standard routine
after a shutdown, or after major changes
to the plant have been commissioned and
completed, to ensure there are no leaks in
the newly-operational or newly-built system.
ERIKS’ technicians will produce a
comprehensive report based on their
findings, fully documenting any leaks
discovered, detailing the exact source
of the leak, with images to back-up their
findings. Videos of the gas imaging are
also made available to customers on a
secure server.
Once a leak has been detected, ERIKS
will offer totally impartial advice on repair or
replacement. However, ERIKS’ wide range
of expertise and core competencies means
that if the issue involves sealing, gasket,
valve or flexible hose technology, they can
offer a quick, effective solution backed by
years of experience.
When a gas leak has an impact on plant
safety, production and the environment,
early detection and a fast resolution are
critical. Utilising the latest Optical Gas
Imaging cameras operated by highly-trained
technicians is clearly best practice.
Gases detected by ERIKS
Using the FLIR GF320 OGI camera,
ERIKS trained technicians can detect:
n Benzene
n Butane
n Ethane
n Ethanol
n Ethylbenzene
n Ethylene
n Heptane
n Hexane
n Isoprene
n Methane
n Methanol
n MEK
n MIBK
n Octane
n Pentane
n Propane
n Propylene
n 1-Pentene
n Toluene
n Xylene
This is a sample of detected gases.
For more information or a comprehensive
list, contact eriks.co.uk/knowhow
The EU Directive on Industrial Emissions came into force under UK legislation at the
beginning of this year. The Directive means that companies must conform with the
application of best available techniques for pollution prevention and control And
Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) cameras are highlighted in the Directive for their effectiveness.
Dave Manning-Ohren
Condition Monitoring
Manager, ERIKS

16. “
ISSUE 16 www.eriks.co.uk/knowhow30
In the circumstances, even
attempting to comment on this
subject in a few hundred words sounds
Quixotic, but I relish challenges and will do
my best to make a couple of points that I
think are important.
Please stop thinking that social media will
solve all your company’s problems. If you are
rubbish at what you do and your customer
services sucks, you’ll still be the same even
after you decide to go on Facebook, or
Twitter. Actually, you’ll be worse off as all
your faults will be picked up, exposed and
magnified a hundredfold. You may as well
write a suicide note.
If you go on social media without a purpose,
you are also wasting your time. Social media
is a communication channel; think of it in
terms of the good old-fashioned telephone.
You can pick up the phone to dial a friend or
two and have a long chat with them but if
this is all you do during the day you’ll end up
with a great social life and no business.
However, if you pick up the phone to call a
prospect you could bring in some sales. The
same applies to social media – do it with a
purpose, monitor it with determination and
you’ll get rewards. If you are desperate, don’t
rely on social media to solve your problems,
tweet @samaritans instead.
Lastly, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that
just by establishing a cosmetic presence on
social media you can avoid being caught in
its web. A few weeks ago a young
apprentice in an accountancy firm boasted
on Twitter that she had knocked a cyclist
down while on her way to the office. I won’t
even comment on the foolishness of those
actions – enough has been written on the
case – but naturally all hell broke loose. The
police got in touch with her of course, so did
the media, as expected. But what damaged
the reputation of her employers was the fact
that they hadn’t reacted to the story in an
appropriate way via their own little-used
social media channels. This made ordinary
people furious as it smacked of wanton
indifference, even if it was unintended. So,
resign yourself to the fact that if you have
any presence on social media and your
employees are also on those channels (as
most of them are), you’d better know how
to use social media effectively.
Social media, just like the telephone or
the washing machine, is – love it or hate
it – here to stay. So make sure you know
how to use it and make it work for you,
not against you.
The Tig
Tig goes social
These days you’ll find articles on social media everywhere you look.
Whether you are browsing through Plumbing Monthly, Design Engineering
or PR Weekly, social media is one of the hottest topics around. Just
Google ‘Social Media’ and a staggering 4.4 billion entries are displayed
(bet nobody ever reached the last page of those searches!).
“
For Fenner®
, call ERIKS.
Energy Efficient Fan and
Centrifugal Pump Control
The Fenner QD:HVAC sets a new standard for
dedicated fan pump control whilst retaining
the ease of use you come to expect from Fenner
inverters. Fenner QD:HVAC has an innovative
design, combined with robust performance to
provide powerful flow control and reliability in a
compact drive.
Energy optimisation
Energy monitoring
Built in cascade control
Multiple fan operation
Resonance avoidance
QD:HVAC Inverters
Energy Efficient
98.8
Energy Efficient
95 Energy Efficient
96
Energy Efficient
98
EXAMPLE SAVINGS BASED ON A 45KW LOAD
Power
Flow %
Input to fixed speed systems
Input to fixed speed systems
Calculation is based on a typical estimated factory working week and
energy costs, including estimated components and installtion costs.
Investment payback
in 8 months
Savings of over
€31,000 in 5 years
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
0 123 45
€
Hours
Using a Fenner QD:HVAC drive to reduce
the fan speed during periods when
maximum flow is not required provides
the maximum possible energy savings.
www.fptgroup.com
ERIKS UK Amber Way, Halesowen, West Midlands, B62 8WG
Tel: 0121 508 6000 Fax: 0121 508 6255
T : 0845 006 6000
Fenner is a registered trade mark of J. H. Fenner Co.
A 20% REDUCTION IN SPEED
CAN REDUCE ENERGY
CONSUMPTION BY UP TO 50%.
INSTANT POWER SAVINGS: With variable speed
control, HVAC immediately reduces power usage
compared to fixed speed systems.

17. of SKF housings designed for maximum reliability and minimal maintenance
SE design bearing housings
SKF sets the new standard for split plummer block housings with the introduction
of SE bearing housings. These robust units are manufactured with higher grade
materials, improved machining accuracy and a number of new features that enhance
their serviceability compared to the previous SNL design.
SKF (U.K.) Limited
01582 490049
www.skf.co.uk
A new generation
Environmental Product Declaration
(EPD)
In SKF’s continuing efforts to reduce
environmental impact, a declaration
of the environmental performance of
SE housings is described in an EPD
according to ISO 14025.
Design and manufacturing improve-
ments:
• Stiffer, more robust housing
• Better heat dissipation
• Efficient grease guiding system
• Repositioned grease escape hole
for easier access
• Better corrosion protection
Improvements for more accurate and
efficient servicing:
• Improved markings on the housing
• Dimples to locate accessories and
improved lubrication facilities
• Simple mounting and dismounting
For further information visit: www.skf.co.uk/se
SE design housings from SKF offer improve-
ments over SNL housings in three important
areas: quality, serviceability and environmental
impact.