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Important Aspects in CMMS Software

andreacmms — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:19:00 GMT

There are many organizations using this CMMS software for the reason of changing and developing their administration and companies’ preservation tricks. This software is mainly used for the workers who are doing maintenance activities, that CMMS software helps for them to do their more effectively. From the various aspects in CMMS, the asset management software is best one that helps to get enhanced solutions in the process of buying, protection and operation of input tools, amenities and transportation. Another aspect of CMMS preventive maintenance software uses to maintain the computers in good way that helps to protect the computers software. With this software, you need not worry about the file corruption that gives long life to your computers.

The CMMS web based software offers lot of benefits, you can use this for various purposes, and there is no end for this software. You can use this software for all purposes, which helps to develop for your company. And the Maintenance Management Software uses to know the activities and efforts of the workers in department wise which helps to increase the maintenance productivity. Now you can understand the uses of this various software in CMMS that really helps to develop your whole organization to get good status and huge profits in the market.

Fleet Maintenance Software | Asset Management Software

Purposes of CMMS into Your Company

andreacmms — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:12:00 GMT

You can get lot of benefits with this CMMS software that has huge technology to setting future plans like scheduling, follow up and also some other plans which helps to develop your business. You need not worry to spend time for learning this software; it is so user friendly software so you can easily understand its process. If you have computing skills, it is absolutely easy for you to use it. The most important point of this CMMS software, surely you can get good incomes on your investment. After use this CMMS, you can see the growth of your business but get most inventive CMMS software into your company which assures good developments.

CMMS | Asset Management Software

“What does Measurement & Verification mean?

RealWinWin — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:25:36 GMT

M&V protocols vary from each utility to the next. What’s required in TX may not be necessarily required in Massachusetts. M&V plans are customized to each project, based on the scope work of the project, the technology, and the confidence level established by the utility with respect to the anticipated savings for the installation of the proposed ECM(s) for the project.

The more involved M&V protocols may have a cost associated with them for the implementation of the M&V, specifically, the cost of the equipment required to capture the data required by the utility, and the accompanying labor cost to provide the installation of the meters.

M&V plans are not “one size fits all.” Every energy efficiency project has its own unique scope of work. The right M&V protocol can be crafted based on early discussions with utilities as all parties try to frame out what potential savings can be achieved through the project. Providing that type of feedback very early in the application process allows all parties involved in the project to establish responsibilities based on their own capabilities and areas of expertise.

Not every project will require M&V if the utility believes that there is enough data to support estimated savings through energy modeling or perhaps an engineering analysis with detailed calculations that assigns savings to the scope of work. Establishing a high confidence level in the estimated energy savings can help mitigate the severity of M&V, if not avoid it all together. Establishing estimated savings becomes a “negotiation” between the customer and the utility

GRAPHALLOY® Bushings Outperform Metal Wear Parts in CO2 Service

Steve13 — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:52:57 GMT

GRAPHALLOY® wear rings and bushings from Graphite Metallizing Corporation provide performance superior to standard metal stationary and rotating wear parts in pumps for CO2 service in oil field applications. Self-lubricating GRAPHALLOY®, a graphite/metal alloy, eliminates concern about bearing failures or possible flashing of CO2.

The ability to operate without additional lubrication is important in CO2 injection applications because CO2 has low lubricity. Standard metal wear parts rely on the lubricity of the liquid being pumped for proper operation so they are prone to failures in pumps used to inject CO2. In addition, due to high suction pressure required to keep CO2 as a dense phase liquid, flashing is always a possibility.

CO2 injection in older, low flowing wells is becoming an increasingly popular method for permeating rock formations and forcing more oil to the surface. Many older wells still contain vast amounts of oil locked in the pores of rock layers deep underground. CO2 injection often releases more oil in older wells than can be released by water injection.

“Use of self-lubricating, non-galling GRAPHALLOY® materials in pumps for CO2 service provides substantial cost savings by avoiding expensive downtime and field repairs caused by wear part failures,” said Eben Walker, General Manager of Graphite Metallizing Corporation. “GRAPHALLOY® is currently the material of choice for many oil field applications in North America and around the world.”

GRAPHALLOY® wear rings and bushings operate at longer intervals without the need for replacements or maintenance which helps reduce downtime and maintenance expenses. GRAPHALLOY® is an excellent choice for any application where service and maintenance tasks are cumbersome or difficult to perform. GRAPHALLOY® is a proven solution for even the most challenging plant maintenance and new equipment design applications.

For more information about GRAPHALLOY® products, visit http://www.graphalloy.com/ or call 914-968-8400 or e-mail us at sales@graphalloy.com

FACT CHECK: How Much Incandescent Bulbs Really Cost

sraybin — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:08:20 GMT

With so much misinformation consumers are not being given good information about lighting. Especially the particularly poor reporting about the ongoing elimination of 100w, 75w, 60w, and 40 incandescent lamps from the national inventory. In fact, incandescent lighting is not being eliminated or outlawed, but what is being eliminated are the least efficient, commonly used versions. As long as people pick the right bulb for the result they want, in terms of lighting quality and color, the alternatives available right now can do everything that incandescent do while costing much less and consuming far less energy.

A typical misinformed assertion will be that, “a 75w incandescent lamp is less expensive than a CFL [compact fluorescent lamp]”. This is irresponsible, given that the statement is true only if you use the incandescent lamp for something like a paperweight. People need to know not the cost of buying one type of lamp or another, but rather the cost of owning and using one type lamp or another. Once people have that knowledge, they quickly realize that the incandescent lamps they grew up with are just about the most expensive there are, not the least expensive.

The table below can also be of value. It compares the ten-year cost of relying on 75w incandescent lighting to the cost of owning three alternatives: a 53w high-efficiency (halogen-filled) incandescent lamp, a 13w CFL, and a 17w LED lamp. As can be seen, the ten-year cost of owning and using a 75w incandescent lamp is more than five times the cost of owning a CFL that produces about the same amount and quality of light.

Keep in mind that the cost of ownership doesn't consider a number of other costs, such as the additional carbon dioxide and mercury that's put into the air by coal-fired power plants and by the planes, trains, ships, and trucks used to transport lamps from the factory to a distribution center, then to a warehouse, and then to a store. That’s ten times as many trips for conventional incandescents compared to CFLs; 25 as many trips for conventional incandescents vs. LEDs. There’s also all the extra packaging that has to be manufactured, and all the packaging and spent lamps that wind up in a landfill. If people were simply given the facts, they’d realize that all this fuss about losing incandescent lamps is a tempest in a teapot, based on misinformation. When people stop using conventional incandescent lamps, they lose nothing, they save money, and they’re gentler on the environment we all have to share.”

Many of the same people who have nothing to say about the significant environmental problems that conventional incandescent lamps cause seem to be extraordinarily concerned about the miniscule amount of mercury in CFLs, as though it were really something for the nation to worry about. Here are some FACTS:

Fact: The amount of mercury in a typical CFL is not enough to coat the head of a pin.

Fact: The typical swordfish contains 20 times more mercury than a typical CFL.

Fact: When a CFL is broken, most of its mercury adheres to the glass and does not disperse into the air.

Fact: Coal-fired electricity-generating plants comprise the nation’s most significant source of air-borne mercury.

Focusing on the link between airborne mercury and coal-fired generation of electricity, the truth is that reliance on inefficient incandescent lamps as “freedom of choice” is unacceptable. If my neighbor decides to hoard 100w incandescent lamps and keep using them, my neighbor causes unnecessary generation of electricity. The unnecessary generation of electricity forces me to inhale mercury that would otherwise not be there. What happens to my freedom of choice? What happens to my family’s freedom of choice? It’s like being forced to inhale second-hand cigarette smoke simply because some people equate freedom of choice with doing what they prefer to do even if it harms others.

The new lighting-efficiency targets require people to give up nothing in terms of lighting quality, convenience, and versatility. The only thing they really require people to do is decide about the kind of lamp they want to use and how much money they want to save and that is not a bad thing.

Do You Any Help For Your Schedule Maintenance

andreacmms — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:18:00 GMT

The CMMS software is the easiest way for the routine maintenance of your organizations. It helps to take much care on your equipments as possible, which helps to solve the problems in it before itself. Instead of choosing the employees for this maintenance purpose, you can pick the CMMS software which uses to save your time. Hiring the separate employees for your works, is a waste of money and time, you can use the CMMS software which is equal to your all maintenance workers. The Asset management software is one of the main software in CMMS which uses to maintain the software in the system.

Facility Maintenance Software | Fleet Maintenance Software

Alter The Structure Of Your Company With Facility Maintenance Software

andreacmms — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:59:57 GMT

Every management likes to develop their abilities to reach their goals in their profession. In this advanced technology world, you can simply take your efforts to achieve your targets. Every management spends lots of money to know the way for improve their business and they are appointing lot of employees for that process, but after that also they are not satisfy with their works. First you have to maintain the outlook of your buildings including it is company, schools colleges etc, because that will impress your clients before know about your process. The <a href="www.nexgenam.com/CMMS-Clients-Facility.html" Title="Facility Maintenance Management">Facility Maintenance Software</a> is best suitable for your requirement of maintaining your buildings.

Are you aware of the new ADA signage regulations enforced as of last month

john curtis — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:24:59 GMT

Would like to know what facility managers are aware of concerning the updated ADA regulations for signage that have become compliant law since last month. ADAG/ADA new height variations, text size including EXIT ROUTE signs instead of EXIT and Accessible Braille signs instead of the old decals.

Expand Your Business With CMMS Software

andreacmms — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:57:49 GMT

The short form of computerized maintenance management software is CMMS that is used to control all the maintenance activities in the organizations. This <a href="http://www.nexgenam.com/" Title="Asset Management Software">CMMS Software</a> is not tough one to learn; your employees’ can easily understand and use this software for various purposes. The CMMS software is the best medicine for different maintenance departments in your company that helps to make their easy compare to before. With this CMMS, the management can get peace of mind, because there is no chance get fault in this software process than manual <a href="www.nexgenam.com/CMMS-Clients-Fleet.html">Fleet Maintenance Software</a> works.

Your roof - My sinuses and how they are related

Joe Heidler — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:49:22 GMT

heidler.com/.../your-roof-and-my-sinuses

Know the best effects of CMMS

andreacmms — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:20:59 GMT

CMMS software consists of hardware solution and a software package that allows an organization to manage the maintenance of equipment and facilities. Use of a CMMS package should improve productivity, lower overall operating costs, and store valuable information about maintenance functions in an organization.

• Asset management software can be very useful for View the hardware, software, and manufacturer details of your computers, printers, and network assets

• List, sort, and search through your network’s computers, printers, and network elements

• Remote control to all devices on your network

• Print reports on your network’s inventory, hardware and software, catalog items, and more

• Stay informed about every change in your inventory with automatic notifications

• CMMS Preventive Maintenance is very easy and quick setup, ease of use and speed up operations

In web CMMS application is efficiently manage and sustain a comprehensive asset management program through a single software solution. Users can track anything from daily work orders from the CMMS to vital long term funding forecasts from the asset management module in this user defined dashboard. The dashboard is designed by users, similar to a web portal that is used in web browser home pages. Users can save custom performance measures and reports. Key performance reports can be highlighted in the users’ dashboards.

www.nexgenam.com/CMMS-Details.html

High Density Parachute Storage | GSA Military Parachute Racks

Southwest Solutions — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:41:40 GMT

Space Saving Safe and Secure High Density Parachute Storage Solutions on GSA Schedule

Keeping expensive military equipment like parachutes and jump gear organized is essential for issuing these items quickly and creating fast response times. Organizing and accounting for critical tools and parachute equipment is crucial when emergency operations are specified. An unorganized and crowded military parachute storage area makes gear difficult to locate and causes dangerous tripping hazards.

If you are facing a space and organization predicament that is keeping you from being mission ready, don’t worry because we can help. Our high density parachute storage shelving and GSA military racks will keep your parachutes, jump gear, and tools safe and secure all while saving floor space.

Organized and Easily Accessible GSA Parachute Racks

High density parachute storage shelving and parachute racks keep your military gear and tools organized so that they are ready to go at a moment’s notice. The shelving and racks can be customized to meet your exact parachute storage requirements. For example, our high density shelving can be fitted with brackets that will allow you to safely hang parachutes and jump gear for quick access. Also, drawers can be added to the shelving to house small parts and maintenance tools. (view more high density parachute storage photos)

High Density Military Parachute Racks Compacts Military Jump Gear into Less Floor Space

The idea behind high density parachute storage is to safely and securely organize your gear in less floor space by removing unnecessary access aisles. The high density parachute storage system works by mounting the racks or shelving on floor tracks that make them roll together and compact your storage space. By simply pressing a button or turning a control knob, you can create an aisle to access stored parachutes and jump gear. High density parachute racks will save about 50% of your existing floor space, which will allow you to add more storage capacity or create additional work surfaces where parachutes can be rigged and packed. (read more about high density parachute storage for GSA military applications)

Designing High Density GSA Military Parachute Racks to Compact Storage

Southwest Solutions Group® military storage experts represent numerous Federal Supply Schedule GSA contracts including SDV contracts, SBA contracts, & Alaska Native 8(a) vehicles. Call us today at 1-800-803-1083 or send us an email so that we can help you design and plan efficient high density parachute storage system for your facility.

Upstream vs. Downstream Rebate Programs

RealWinWin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:34:38 GMT

Let’s assume that you manage a facility that is littered with T-12 fixtures that you want to replace with T-8 fixtures (and if you’re not swapping out, you should be!). Typically, you would purchase the equipment, have it installed, apply for a rebate, and have a check mailed to you. This is a classic example of a downstream program. This type of program helps the consumer offset the first cost of the equipment and reduces the payback period to a manageable timeframe. Also, the additional money gives the consumer the opportunity to purchase a higher end, energy efficient product that they could otherwise not afford, in turn increasing their energy savings further.

There are incentive programs however, that don’t provide incentives in the “downstream” methodology, programs like Southern California Edison’s HVAC rebate program or Florida Power & Light’s lighting rebate program. In these programs, the consumer purchases the equipment and the installing contractor, distributor, or the equipment manufacturer receives the rebate. The check is mailed directly to the contractor who may or may not reflect the incentive as a credit on the cost of the new equipment. This is the architecture of an upstream incentive program. The upstream programs are designed to encourage distributors to stock only the most energy efficient equipment. These upstream programs are more effective with HVAC systems retrofits than with lighting systems retrofits since many HVAC replacements are done on an emergency basis, a situation which essentially forces the consumer to purchase whatever product is most readily available.

Downstream programs encourage John Q. Consumer to make better buying choices. The customer purchases a more efficient product; the utility gives them a little pat on the back (monetarily, of course); everyone wins. Upstream programs encourage manufacturers to develop more efficient products and encourage distributors to keep high efficiency products in stock, to encourage the consumer to make smarter purchasing decisions.

It may be a little easier to understand how the two different incentive program methodologies work using a different context. Since the 1970’s governments at the state, local, and Federal level have been adopting legislature to encourage the recycling of plastics, metals, paper, etc. in order to free up space in landfills and manage our nation’s natural resources. In order to encourage recycling we’ve created local recyclable pick-up mandates. We’ve provided incentives to switch to paperless billing and notification options. These are both downstream solutions that essentially provide a “patch” to fix the underlying problem of consumer waste management. But let’s say we want to attack the problems at the source, and stop the inefficiencies within the system before they are even created. Maybe we develop new materials that are made to decompose over a given time period. Maybe we find a way to create paper from something other than trees. These are both upstream solutions, eliminating the need for a patch in the first place.

In summary, while both upstream and downstream incentive programs help attain our ongoing energy consumption reduction goals, they each have their own unique pro’s and con’s. Upstream programs have the ability to influence consumer choices on a much broader scale, and in turn more quickly change the market standards of energy efficient technologies. Unfortunately, the incentives associated with upstream programs don’t always go into the consumers’ pockets to help offset the energy efficient equipment costs. Most upstream programs do not require the distributor to expose the full amount of the rebate or incentive to the consumer/end user; therefore, the distributor has the ability to “pocket” a portion of the incentive as profit margin against the cost of the project. Downstream programs present the largest opportunity for consumers to receive incentives, but at a National level, only provide a temporary fix to our energy consumption goals.

Energy Monitoring System to Reduce Energy Use at State Buildings

sraybin — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:09:56 GMT

A new monitoring system will allow facilities managers at up to 100 state buildings to achieve cost savings by identifying and addressing inefficiencies in energy use associated with building operations. Installation of the EfficiencySmart Insight service from EnerNOC, will give state facilities managers and EnerNOC technical advisors access to real-time energy data,“ allowing for specific and timely actions to reduce energy consumption.

The new system will detect, for example, if lights are left on overnight, if building temperatures are too high or low, or if HVAC units are kept running over the weekend in unoccupied facilities. In this way, the system will inform decisions on equipment upgrades or changes in occupant behavior that will reduce energy use and reduce operating costs for the state.

The monitoring system is being installed as part of a new state program, called Lead by Example, a partnership between the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Department of Administrative Services (DAS). Lead by Example demonstrates the economic benefits of energy efficiency by achieving energy savings in state buildings.

"The state of Connecticut spends more than $100 million a year to provide heating, cooling, and electricity for its buildings," said DEEP Commissioner Daniel C. Esty. "Lead by Example will help us bring that bill down â€“ providing real savings for taxpayers, reducing the environmental footprint of state government, and proving to municipalities, businesses and property owners that energy efficiency is a sound investment."

"Knowing more about the state's energy consumption provides a very real opportunity to better manage our facilities, achieve efficiencies, and save money," said DAS Commissioner Donald DeFronzo. "In this time of tight budgets, we need to do more with less and this new system will help us do just that."

FMXcellence Recognizes Facility Departments for Adding Value

Ed Sullivan — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:04:37 GMT

It’s easy for facility managers to think of themselves as having a bricks and mortar job. This year’s FMXcellence recognition program shows how accurate that view is — and how limited. Behind all the heavy equipment and sophisticated technology of the projects that received recognition, you can see the other side of facility management — the so-called “soft skills.” Even if those skills aren’t “hard,” that doesn’t mean they are easy to master.

• EMD Serono, Inc., was honored for design and construction of a 140,000-square-foot R&D lab. With high-performance chillers, air-handling units and building envelope, the project earned LEED Gold. Just as impressive is the culture of safety created for the project, which resulted in no lost time recordable injuries over 370,000 man hours.

• At Munich Reinsurance America’s headquarters, an upgrade project cut energy use by 40 percent compared to the average in the 10 years before the project. To justify the HVAC, energy management, lighting and other technologies involved, the facility department worked closely with finance to justify the project and identify incentives that the company could take advantage of.

• The effort to transplant new chilled water and emergency power systems into the infrastructure at Crouse Hospital meant more than new switchgear, chillers, generators and cooling towers. Ensuring patient safety required a communications plan involving hospital administration, clinical and operations leaders, and physicians and caregivers.

• Software was far from the whole story in the creation of a Web-based work order system by the Office of Security Programs (OSP) for the Architect of the Capitol. It took negotiation, process analysis, education and two-way communication to make the project a success.

For these facility departments, and many others, facility management goes far beyond the physical facilities. If your department has added value to your organization, consider applying for FMXcellence recognition.

Kardex Vertical Lift Modules (VLM) | Consolidate Storage Floor Space

Southwest Solutions — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:03:53 GMT

Gain Space Efficiency with Kardex Vertical Lift Modules

It’s possible you don’t even realize how much time and floor space you are wasting at your manufacturing plant using traditional storage methods. Static racks and conventional bins require more floor space, which puts parts storage further away from the point of use. Production parts stored away from the production line wastes time and creates additional distractions and work for employees assembling products. Well now you can increase your productivity and space efficiency by locating Kardex Vertical Lift Modules for parts storage adjacent to the production lines.

The Kardex Vertical Lift Modules (VLM) Increase Productivity and Reduce Errors

The Kardex Vertical Lift Modules are vertical parts shuttles that use overhead airspace to store parts. The vertical parts shuttles bring parts inventory to the production line worker at a waist high ergonomic counter. Employees no longer have to spend time searching through a maze of static shelving and bins because requested parts and kits are brought directly to the point of use on the production line. One of our customers, increased picking productivity by 25% and reduced reclamations from miss picked items and errors by 80%. Also, they reduced their inventory because they were able to find and mange parts inventory with the system’s integrated pick to light and FastPic® plug and play inventory management software. (view VLM photo gallery)

How Do Kardex Vertical Lift Modules for Parts Storage Consolidate Storage Floor Space?

The Kardex Vertical Lift Module takes your unused overhead airspace and turns it into productive storage space. Storing parts in a vertical parts shuttle allows more parts to be located right where they are needed, next to a production line. The Vertical Lift Module is an enclosed storage system that consists of vertically arranged trays that that can extend up to 98’ high. The lift’s trays will store small, medium and even large parts all in the same storage unit. The vertical lift trays come in a variety of widths from 47” wide to 168”wide and tray depths from 24” deep to 50” deep with unlimited partitioning possibilities to maximize the number of parts available for picking. The vertical parts shuttle trays are adjustable on one inch increments and will store medium sized and large parts in the same unit with the most active parts stored closest to the work counter. The Kardex Vertical Lift Modules come with doors that lock shut access to parts for extra security of your manufacturing parts. To give you an example of how a vertical parts shuttle can impact your manufacturing facility, one of our customers purchased four Kardex VLMs to consolidate their production parts and service parts and wound up reducing their storage area from 2,000 square feet to 242 square feet, which is a 75% savings.

Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Modules Benefits

Here is a list of the benefits of a Kardex VLM:

• Saves up to 80% of floorspace compared to traditional bin storage methods
• Ergonomic storage and retrieval workstation
• Locates, tracks, accounts, and manages parts with FastPic® inventory management software
• Quick return on investment
• Scalable design storing a wide range of part sizes (small, medium, large)
• Provides a lockable secured storage environment for inventory
• Dust protection for parts
• Eliminates bottlenecks to streamline the flow of materials to the production line
• Improves customer service providing quicker response time to ordered parts and product
• Prevents building expansions, and additional offsite storage facilities by maximizing the use of overhead air space
• Increases worker morale and attitudes

Design, Planning, Installation and Service of Kardex Vertical Lift Modules (VLM)

If you’re ready to see how Kardex Vertical Lift Modules will consolidate your manufacturing plant storage floor space and increase productivity, then give us a call 1-800-803-1083 or send us an email. We offer a free 30 minute phone storage assessment with one of our experienced sales engineers to provide space and time savings expectations and investment calculations for your project.

The Life Cycle Energy Consumption Of LED Lamps

sraybin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:32:38 GMT

Although LED lighting has many potential advantages, energy savings is the one that attracts the most attention. But the energy savings during the course of a product’s lifetime only tell part of the story. To gauge a product’s full impact – not only in terms of energy consumption, but also on the environment – its whole life cycle has to be considered, from cradle to grave.

Recognizing this, DOE has launched a three-part effort to assess the total life-cycle impact of LED screw-based replacement lamps, comparing them with conventional lighting technologies. A report on Part 1, Review of the Life-Cycle Energy Consumption of Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent, and LED Lamps, was published this week. It’s based on existing life-cycle assessment literature of lighting products (including academic publications as well as manufacturer and independent research reports) and looks at three life-cycle phases – manufacturing, transportation (from factory to retailer), and use – comparing the energy consumed and considering how that consumption might change in the future for LED lamps.

The second part of the project should be completed this summer and involves a life-cycle environmental analysis of the direct and indirect material and process inputs to make the LED products. The third and final part of the life-cycle effort, which is expected to be finished by October, involves taking the products apart and chemically testing them using existing testing standards, to determine what materials they contain, and in what concentrations. A final report will combine the results of all three analyses to provide a basis for comparing the full environmental tradeoffs between LED and conventional lighting sources.

So what did we learn from Part 1 of the project? Well, for one thing, the average life-cycle energy consumption of LED lamps and CFLs is similar, and is about one-fourth the consumption of incandescent lamps. But looking further down the road, if LED lamps meet their performance targets by 2015, their life-cycle energy is expected to decrease by approximately one-half, giving them a distinct advantage over CFLs, which are at a more advanced stage of development in terms of energy performance and thus not likely to improve as much as LEDs.

As might be expected, the “use” phase of all three types of lamps dominates the results, accounting for 90 percent of total life-cycle energy, on average. This is followed by the manufacturing and transport phases respectively, with transport representing less than one percent of the life-cycle energy for all lamp types. Not all of the literature is in agreement about the energy consumption of LED package manufacturing, which various sources estimate at anywhere from 0.1 percent to 27 percent of life-cycle energy use, with the average – estimated after considering the strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches – being 7 percent.

The Part 1 study only considers LED replacement lamps, although integrated luminaires designed specifically for SSL can take much better advantage of the technology and thus produce efficacies beyond those of even the best-in-class LED replacements. Parts 2 and 3 will address both replacement lamps and integrated luminaires. Part 1 confirms that the cradle-to-grave energy performance of an LED is roughly equivalent to current CFLs, with most of the energy consumption occurring during the operation of the LED. Future work will focus on the uncertainty associated with the manufacturing process and environmental assessment of LEDs.

Data Center Cooling: When Too Much of a Good Thing is Too Much!

Jeff Hecht — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:20:00 GMT

It makes sense that to keep equipment in your data center cool you need a specific amount of cooling. The cooling is delivered to the equipment using CRACs (Computer Room Air Conditioners) or CRAHs (Computer Room Air Handlers). For this document we will refer to CRACs but the same science applies to both cooling system types.

The CRAC usually delivers cold air through a raised floor system with perforated tiles that allow cold air produced by the CRACs to escape from the floor and to be delivered to the equipment in the racks.

It would seem logical that if your equipment is running hot then you need additional cooling for your equipment. So turning on more CRACs would make the equipment colder. The reality here defies that logic, because too much cooling can actually cause temperatures to rise.

There are several aspects of raised flooring environments that prove the logic wrong. In fact according to a recent Uptime Institute™ study of data centers demonstrated that on average 2.6 times the amount of need cooling was running; and the most overcooled facilities had the worst thermal issues.

Some of the things that defy the logic of “more is good” include:

Low Return Air Temperatures – With so much excess cooling running CRACs are frequently taking in colder air than they were designed to utilize. Rather than taking in 85°F air, they are taking in 75°F air. This makes each unit significantly less efficient, and in fact can reduce the effective cooling of a 20-ton unit to as little as 15 tons. This means that the data center is struggling to keep equipment cool enough. This leads to a continued cycle of adding more and getting less. Furthermore low return air temperatures actually cause compressors to fail faster than those operating at proper temperature.

Cross talk- because under floor pressure can vary significantly and where the air coming from each CRAC within the facility is going under the floor is often not understood. Furthermore the impact of the air from one CRAC on the air from another CRAC is even less understood. Units can actually fight each other to deliver air and can dramatically change the path of the air. This can also cause CRACs to cause increases in temperatures in parts of the room as a result of this cross talk.

Redundancy- Many data centers also run the CRACs that were intended (at design) to be used, as backup units should others fail. The reason is usually two-fold, first to add additional cooling to solve hot spot issues; and secondly, if the site is not manned 24x7, to ensure that should a unit fail at 2AM there is adequate cooling available.

Path of least resistance – Like water, air will always follow the path of least resistance. Just because a CRAC is placed in one part of the room does not mean that it is getting air from that part of the room, or that it is delivering air to that part of the room. A CRAC that sends its cold air to one area of the data center may actually be drawing its return air form another part of the data center. This can make the CRACs throughout the facility less efficient, and cause temperatures increases.

Blow-By- having too many units operating can significantly increase the velocity of the air from the perforated tiles. This results in two problems; high-velocity air tends to blow by the intake of the servers and out the top of the aisle, not serving any cooling benefit. This air then mixes with the hot air near the ceiling, reducing the return air temperature supplied to the CRAC.

Control- It is logical therefor to try to turn off CRACs throughout the facility. However know which CRAC can be turned off and for how long is an issue. Some facilities have turned to temperature monitoring which can be as simple as a couple of probes scattered throughout the data center to sensors at the top, middle and bottom of every rack in the facility. But no matter how much or how little data and time you may have it is not possible to manually determine which units can be turned off. Turning off some units may cause some areas of the Data Center to get cooler, while other areas get hotter. And with the dynamic nature of loads in data center this becomes a greater challenge.

The other issue with turning units off is not having the ability to turn some back on automatically in the event of a failure.

Cycling: The turning on and off of CRACs is the largest cause of increased electric consumption, but also the thing that can cause excessive wear and tear on the equipment. Running compressors will last longer that those being cycled constantly and the same holds true for idle compressors. Low Return air temperatures can cause CRACs to short cycle (turn on and off relatively quickly) this not only consumes a great deal of energy it stresses the compressor, shortening its life cycle.

The Solution: The Vigilent Cooling Management System is designed to learn the influence of each CRAC in the facility on each rack in the facility. This is accomplished by instrumenting the data center. Vigilent installs temperature sensors on every third rack in the data center. We also monitor each CRAC for supply and return temperatures, energy consumption, and install a control module allowing us to “hold-off” a unit. By holding off CRACs, the unit is still ON, but is in a hot-standby state so it can be turned on immediately if needed. In an environment with VFD’s units are not held-off, instead VFD speeds are individually modulated.

The data collected by these sensors is fed back to a Vigilent server that runs our Artificial Intelligence based Cooling Management System. This system analyzes the information provided and learns the best way to manage the CRACs. It will turn units off that are not effectively cooling and keep on the units that are needed to meet the temperature requirements of the equipment in the racks.

Because it is constantly monitoring, and constantly analyzing the thermal information it gets form the sensors it can make real-time adjustments to the behavior of the cooling systems. As new equipment is introduced to the facility the Vigilent system will automatically identify the new load and adjust the behavior of the systems, no human intervention is required.

In fact on average the system will hold off 45% of the CRACs in a facility and the result is a 2°F reduction in temperatures at the rack! This would most certainly defy logic, but the results are repeated time and again.

This results in energy savings of about 40%, reduced wear and tear on the equipment and longer equipment life cycles even for the units that are running. The thing that causes failures, particularly in compressors is cycling.

By holding off CRACs the return air temperature of the running units is increased significantly making each unit more energy efficient and allows them to deliver more cooling while using less energy. This also significantly reduces cycling of the units by about 50% decreasing maintenance costs and extending the life of the units.

Thermal Mapping: The Vigilent system provides a real-time thermal map of your data center temperatures. This thermal map is designed to allow you to see exactly what the conditions in your data center are right now. This allows you to further maximize the efficiency of the cooling systems by maximizing the efficiency of your perforated tile placement. With this map you can ensure that the correct tile sizes are placed at each rack, and can see the impact of the change almost immediately. The Vigilent system will see the impact of these changes and make appropriate adjustments to the cooling system behavior.

The system monitors the energy efficiency of each CRAC in the facility by measuring the ΔT (Delta T) of each CRAC. The ΔT is the difference between the supply and the return temperature of each CRAC. This number defines the effective or sensible cooling capacity of the unit. Vigilent compares the ΔT to the amount of energy consumed by the system and determines the efficiency of that unit. Units that are running inefficiently may be in need of maintenance, this can be easily determined though the Vigilent system. Additionally, the Vigilent system will refrain from using the less efficient units if possible, only running the most efficient, and the units that have the best influence on the racks.

Secure Wireless technology: running and maintaining cabling in a data center can be costly and time consuming. The Vigilent Cooling Management System utilizes wireless technology to instrument the data center.

By installing Wireless Sensor Modules (WSM) on every third rack in the data center, and Wireless Control Modules (WCM) on each CRAC allows for rapid deployment of necessary instrumentation. These wireless units feed back to a wireless gateway that receives data and sends out control messages to from the wireless unit. The gateway is wire to the network and feeds information to the Vigilent Server.

The WCM is connected to temperature sensors, thermistors that sit on the front of the rack, one near the top, and one near the bottom of the rack. The data from these units is sent to the server every minute.

The WCM is connected to temperature sensors that for each CRAC transmit supply and return air temperatures, power consumption and allows for operation of a relay to hold off the CRAC. Loss of communication between the WCM and the server results in the WCM failing to an ON position, turning on the CRAC.

The wireless network used by the system uses an 802.14.5 industrial network frequency, 128-bit encryption, and MAC address identification for each WSM and WCM. This makes the network secure enough for Federal Government Facilities to allow the technology to be used.

But I have made my data center more efficient.

There are a number of things that you may have already done to provide you with the ability to manually control you cooling, and bring down the cost of cooling your data center.

EC Plug Fans: also known as VFD (Variable Speed Drives) and these can have a significant impact on your cooling cost. However most of these implementations require manual control over the speed of the fans. As a result most facilities have the fans operating at a fixed speed and the opportunity to modulate these fans, maximizing the savings, is lost.

In a case where you have CRAHs installed with EC plug fans you can modulate the fans at speeds of about 35% to 80% (you can go to 100% but the efficiency gets lost). The Vigilent Cooling management System will individually modulate the fan speed to first insure that the temperature requirements are being met at the rack and at the same time maximize your savings.

I have a Building Management System already.

In most cases a BMS cannot actively, dynamically and automatically control the CRAC/CRAH within the facility, and they certainly cannot do it by rack temperatures. The BMS in most cases is a monitoring tool that will alarm based on a set of rules, it can provide input based on a few temperature sensors and allows you to modify CRAC/CRAH behavior manually.

The Vigilent system can augment these capabilities so you continue to monitor using the BMS, but now have the added value of the information provided by Vigilent, including the thermal map. But more than this the Vigilent system will control the cooling environment ensue that your temperatures are where you want them to be, and provides the dynamic, automatic control.

I have hot aisle/cold aisle containment.

While cold aisle containment can help reduce mixing, it will not allow you to turn off CRACs (or reduce fan speeds) because you will still lack the visibility into the rack inlet temperatures. The result is that containment will not offer substantial energy savings when compared with our system. Since the Vigilent system is continuously monitoring rack inlet temperatures, it can hold off the CRACs that are not needed while ensuring temperatures remain within the configured ranges.

In addition to substantial energy savings, the Vigilent system will provide real time rack temperature data, CRAC power data, and CRAC return and discharge air temperatures to help operators further understand how the data center is operating. With this data the operator can make better decisions about floor tile placement, maintenance, and cooling resources.

Containment is also a one-time infrastructure change. Containment can't adapt to the common data center dynamics such as IT load fluctuations, moving floor tiles, or increased server deployments. There are also a number of unpredictable events such as a cart accidentally covering up a floor tile and blocking cooling (which actually happens), CRAC failures, or spikes in IT loads where containment offers no response. In all of these scenarios, hot spots would develop even with containment. Since our system is always watching, we can respond to these unpredictable events instantly and reliably.

Multiple approaches can be applied to address both reducing energy costs and ensuring proper cooling, and can be used in combination. The Vigilent system can show you where to invest for the maximum ROI.

Do you design public buildings?

Mike Mooney — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:36:00 GMT

The EPACT 2005 program states that the designers of public buildings are eligible to receive the EPACT 2005 tax deductions. Government agencies do not pay income tax. The EPACT 2005 program allows the qualifying deductions to be allocated to the companies who designed the systems (i.e. Lighting, HVAC, and building envelope) of the public building. Some examples of public buildings are public schools, public universities, and municipal buildings. Buildings designed for “not for profit” organizations do not qualify for this program. Take advantage of this great deduction.

Permanent Moisture Protection

kaertmer — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:04:35 GMT

I recently found a new product called Drycrete Moisture Stop for permanent moisture protection. It integrally waterproofs concrete, eliminating internal moisture mitigation. It increases concrete's density, increases and reinforces concretes's compression and flexural strengths while diminishing permeability by greater than 97%. It can effectively be used to enhance any Portland cement concrete installation. It is used extensively in reducing moisture emissions in newly poured concrete floors to promote adhesiive applications and traditional floor material installations.

Doing More with Less | Innovative Warehouse Storage Solutions

Southwest Solutions — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:14:50 GMT

LEAN Storage for Warehouses, Distribution Centers, and Manufacturing Facilities

Times are changing and everyone is talking about the need to consolidate costs and how to do more with less. Industrial warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants must evolve to maintain leadership over the competition. But how exactly can you make a significant impact on your storage facility that will produce meaningful results while still saving money? Southwest Solutions Group’s warehouse storage experts can help guide you along throughout the process of designing, planning, and implementing LEAN manufacturing initiatives in your warehouse storage area that will help you do more with less. We will let you know ways to improve your warehouse facility and provide you with equipment solutions that will help you make those improvements.

Factors to Consider When Creating LEAN Manufacturing and Warehouse Storage Spaces

Adaptability for Current and Future Needs: When making changes to your warehouse center storage area, it is helpful to have an understanding of where you want your business to be in the future. For long term value, your warehouse space needs to be adaptable enough to meet your needs now and into the future.
Functional Layout and Space Configuration: Your warehouse and manufacturing storage space needs to be optimized for all possible uses while your layout will need to maximize the use of available floor space.
Safety and Comfort for Employees: Providing a safer ergonomic working environment offers one of the best long-term solutions to managing operational costs such as worker’s compensation and lost worker productivity.
Sustainable Technologies and Practices: Manufacturers implementing sustainability initiatives now are better prepared to surpass the competition, meet and exceed regulatory requirements, and reap the rewards of being recognized as a premium brand by consumers. The success of a sustainable program depends on a smart investment in machines that increase worker safety, require less floor space, and deliver maximum return on investment.

Equipment Solutions for LEAN Warehouse Storage

Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Modules (VLM) and Spacesaver® ActivRAC™ Pallet Racks on Tracks can help you meet these goals and create a LEAN warehouse storage area.

The KardexRemstar (VLM) is an enclosed storage system that consists of vertically arranged trays, an ergonomically designed extraction platform, computerized controls, and inventory management software. The Kardex Remstar VLM will adapt to your specific needs now and in the future because of its easy modular design. Because the Kardex Shuttles extend vertically, they maximize space by converting unused overhead space into productive storage space. Also, all the parts requested from the Vertical Lift are delivered directly to the user at an ergonomic workstation.

The Spacesaver ActivRAC System is pallet racks that are mounted on specially designed carriage structures with wheels that roll back and forth on floor tracks; basically, they are racks on tracks. Spacesaver Pallet Racks on Tracks maximize your warehouse storage area by increasing your storage capacity in half the floor space. Because they conserve so much floor space, you can reduce or eliminate new building construction costs, auxiliary warehouses, building expansions, and decrease operational costs like lighting, heat, air conditioning, and insurance.

If you want more information on LEAN manufacturing warehouse storage ideas, Kardex Remstar Vertical Lift Modules (VLM), or Spacesaver® ActivRAC™ Pallet Racks on Tracks, feel free to call us today at 1-800-803-1083 or send us an email.

What Do You Know About CMMS Software?

andreacmms — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:49:00 GMT

CMMS

The CMMS is computerized software that is used to improve the effectiveness of maintenance activities in organizations. It picks up the organizations by the maintenance functions of planning, scheduling and also monitoring the whole company. The real of abbreviation of CMMS is computerized maintenance management system that is one of the best ways to improve the maintenance activities in the organization. If you are management or working is a huge company, you can know the importance of report submission, which is used to refer all employees’ works. With the installation of CMMS Software in your system, you can easily get your reports about your employees’ works and the equipments’ condition.

Asset Management Software

For Best Results at a Tradeshow - Consider...

RealWinWin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:31:00 GMT

Tradeshows are considered a “necessary evil” by some but with effective planning and thorough follow-through they pay huge dividends for organizations which are prepared. Trade shows present powerful sales and marketing opportunities which allow companies of any size to compete and successfully win clients. So how does a company go about taking advantage of the shows they attend?

1. Choose the right shows to attend by doing your homework:

• Description of the event -- why would we attend?

• What networking events are available other than just “booth time”?

• Demographic information from previous shows

• Get the opinion of the show from other companies – both vendors and customers -- which have attended in the

past

• Evaluate how well the show is promoted and received?

2. Set objectives for your event:

• Pre-show - conduct research on who is attending – know your target audience

• Collect qualified leads from prospects – get as much information as possible

• Find partners to target

• Meet with current clients – continue the goodwill and determine follow-on opportunities

• Use the show to introduce new products and services – WOW THEM!!!

3. Pre-show Checklist / rules:

• Is the booth ready / are graphics sharp?

• Pick a Booth Captain – draw straws if you have to

• Schedule shifts – do not have overload at booth – people might think you are busy and move on

• No cell phones – your targets are in front of you

• No sitting in booth – EVER

• Keep accurate records of all leads / contacts

4. Follow-up:

• Database all qualified leads

• Plan proper follow up – who, when and why

• Cost analysis – show cost outlay vs. new business

• Comments from staff – positive / negative

• Are we going back? If so, look into early booking for next year – cost savings

Remember tradeshows are a significant investment. Proper attention and follow-through will yield sizable return on your expense and effort. Being prepared will enable the attending team to enjoy the show and maximize their time and effort.

Obama to China: "What's Up With Dat?"

sraybin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:58:16 GMT

The Obama administration on Tuesday stepped up pressure on China to loosen export restrictions on rare-earth minerals critical to the production of light bulbs and high-tech goods.

President Obama announced the United States would file a case in the World Trade Organization, along with the European Union and Japan, requesting talks with China over its export controls. The request is the first formal step in a WTO legal case.

"If China would simply let the market work on its own we'd have no objections, but their policies, currently, are preventing that from happening, and that goes against the very rules that China agreed to follow," Obama said during a press conference in the Rose Garden.

U.S. business groups have long complained of Chinese restrictions on their export as China produces 95 percent of the world's rare-earth minerals and has reduced exports as demand has risen within its borders — a move that U.S. officials deem unfair.

The president said the restriction on rare-earth minerals is "too important for us to stand by and do nothing. We have to take control of our energy future and we can't let that energy industry take root in some other country because they were allowed to break the rules," he said.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the move a "worthwhile step" but said more must be done to stop China’s "hoarding" of rare-earth minerals. Schumer suggested that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner should immediately urge the World Bank to block financing for Chinese mining projects, and the Interior Department should block Chinese-funded mining projects in the United States.

"These two steps would get China’s attention right away and force them to reconsider their unfair practices," he said.

China has cut its export quotas of these minerals over the past several years to cope with growing demand at home, though the government also cites environmental concerns as the reason for the restrictions.

Under WTO rules, if the matter is not resolved through consultations within 60 days — that period began Tuesday — the United States can request the establishment of a WTO dispute settlement panel. "We will continue fighting for a level playing field for American workers and manufacturers in order to grow our economy, and ensure open markets for products made in America," Kirk said.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) said Tuesday that he supports the White House's enforcement efforts."The United States should not hesitate to enforce its rights at the WTO, and I hope the administration will bring additional cases to address China's barriers," Camp said in a statement.

Making a Case For a Federal Lamp Recycling Law

Kelly Aaron — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:35:15 GMT

Fluorescent lamp recycling laws already exist at the state level, and there are federal laws that include certain restrictions about how mercury-containing materials may be handled. What the United States is lacking, however, is a federal law that streamlines the recycling of fluorescent lamps and provides the same requirements for all businesses and institutions throughout the U.S.

EverLights, along with a handful of other companies across the U.S., is currently working toward creating that law. In order to develop the most effective law possible, we have been researching regulations in individual states, choosing the best aspects of each to combine into one federal law. So what is the reasoning behind our recent push for a federal lamp recycling law?

Health Issues

As an essential part of most energy-efficient lighting, mercury is found in large quantities around the world. It’s also found in batteries, thermostats, thermometers, electric switches, batteries and other measuring devices. While most of these products no longer require mercury to produce, there are plenty of older products that are still in need of disposal.

Mercury is highly toxic to humans, ecosystems and wildlife. It is easily absorbed and can cause a handful of serious health problems. If mercury-containing products are disposed of properly, these potential health effects would not be an issue. Creating a law that mandates the proper disposal of mercury-containing products, including fluorescent lamps, would eliminate the worry of contamination and health concerns.

Rare Earth Metals

Yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, europium and terbium. All common household names, right? Probably not.

The shortage of rare earth metals like these is an issue that does not receive the attention it should. Found in new energy-efficient lighting, the value of these rare earth elements makes it a priority to recover them from recycled lighting. Their recovery will help alleviate potential supply restrictions that have been identified by the U.S. Department of Energy. Without proper regulation, mercury and rare earth elements found in fluorescent lamps can be released into the environment and lost forever.

Energy Efficient Lighting Regulations

Thanks to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, incandescent lighting will slowly be phased out and eventually become almost non-existent. In order to fill the need for replacement lighting, more fluorescent lamps will need to be purchased. This will have a significant impact on the number of lamps that will need to be recycled.

What Will the New Law Do?

Enough about why there needs to be a federal law in place. Let’s talk about what this lamp recycling law will have to do in order to benefit the country as a whole.

Disposal – As a result of this new act, no business will be allowed to knowingly or intentionally dispose of a mercury-containing lamp unless it is sent to a certified lamp recycling facility.
Lamp Management – Requirements for the handling of fluorescent lamps will include waste management and storage, labeling and marking, accumulation time limits, employee training, response to releases, shipments to collectors or destination facilities, tracking shipments and reporting by collectors and destination facilities.
Penalties – If enacted, failure to comply with this law can result in a civil penalty up to $10,000, an order requiring immediate compliance or a civil action in the U.S. district court in the district in which the violation occurred.

While work on this lamp recycling legislation is still in the early stages, we believe the law can gain a lot of traction and fully expect to see it unfold in the coming years. A federal law would make lamp recycling easier to control and would make the process more efficient.

If you’re interested in setting up a program to recycle your fluorescent lamps, EverLights can help you get started. Give us a call at (877) 934-9873 or check out our post detailing 7 easy steps for creating a lamp recycling program.