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Special section As a longtime homeowner and contractor, I've spent a lot of my life fixing stuff. I've learned or invented some great solutions and suffered some ugly failures. This [...]

Fixing appliances is one of the best ways for a DIYer to save money. With just an hour or two and less than $75 in parts, you can fix many […]

Several steel manufacturers have realized the need to adopt preventive maintenance in plant operations as a cost-reduction measure. US Steel's comprehensive predictive maintenance program called All-maintenance Excellence (Amex) has been proven to be effective in increasing equipment reliability and reducing maintenance cost, through early detection of potential maintenance problems. Nucor Berkeley relies on outsourcing for their maintenance requirements, while other steel companies bank on employee training, which is a major component of successful maintenance programs., Maintaining mill equipment has never been more important than it is today. How National, U.S. Steel, Nucor, LTV, and Birmingham Steel do it 'We view maintenance not as a necessary [...]

A list of maintenance and repair equipment for use in the construction industry is provided along with a list of manufacturers. The list includes tools, replacement parts, maintenance analysis systems, test equipment, cleaners, cleaning compounds, and utility machinery. It also includes oil analysis services, monitors, fuel additives, differentials, dynamometers, heat exchangers and paint spraying equipment.

When purchasing a new telephone system it is important to ensure that the system will still be meeting the needs of the organisation in the long-term future. Factors to consider include the number of lines required, if modems and fax machines will be linked to the system and how many employees the system will serve. Telephone systems can be purchased from dealers, distributors and vendors and may be rented or bought. The supplier of the system should provide properly qualified installation engineers as well as a maintenance contract which ensures the system is quickly repaired.

A list of construction equipment manintenance and repair products is presented. The list includes supppliers of abrasive blasting equipment, lubricating equipment and engine water conditioners.

Buyers of heavy-duty lifts for mass transit applications have four options to consider before deciding. Aboveground mobile lifts, aboveground two- and four-post drive-on lifts, inground hydraulic lifts and aboveground parallelogram lifts have their own advantages and drawbacks. However, buyers must first determine the requirements of their maintenance shop as well as the percentage of the service work given to smaller paratransit vehicles. It is most important, though, to test the lift under consideration before making a purchase. In addition, a background check on the manufacturer is also a must.

Understanding HVAC requirements of school buildings is not enough. The design engineer must be a good communicator to determine the owner's true desires and expectations and to solve design problems [...]

Consistency would seem to be the watchword for major railroads' engineering and maintenance-of-way operations in 1991, based on replies to a recent survey by Railway Age's sister publication, Railway Track […]

DDEC Goes Off-Road Detroit Diesel Electronic Control system is now available on heavy equipment engines Computerized electronic engine governing and fuel injection system is now possible on Detroit Diesel construction [...]

Issues are presented concerning the maintenance problems which are encountered with underground electricity distribution systems. The avoidance of outages caused by heat and the repair of damaged cables are discussed.

Issues are presented concerning the benefits which system knowledge and equipment information systems can bring to electric utilities. The successful analysis of the data collected is discussed.

Buyers attending the 1996 Plant Engineering & Management Show in Chicago Il will have an opportunity to see new products designed for plant maintenance, repair and operation. 14 products are described. The show is scheduled for March 18-21, 1996., Product design is not normally associated with MRO purchases. Still, savvy buyers attending this year's Plant Engineering Management Show will be looking at just that -- well designed MRO products [...]

Managers are constantly looking for ways to reduce their inventory levels. They need to be able to minimize the cost to maintain and store spare parts and supplies while being able to quickly repair or replace failed equipment. Inventory management requires the classification of stock into categories based on the frequency of their use. Other areas that need to be considered include machine failure and parts use histories, lead times, supplier reliability, stockout objectives, and inventory turns., Consider reliability, strategic objectives, supplier capabilities, and inventory turns goal when setting up the system Most companies continuously seek ways to reduce inventory levels. Certainly they should, since inventory represents [...]

The adoption of total productive maintenance (TPM) in Japanese companies has ensured that production workers work to their full potential and are actively involved in enhancing production quality. TPM has allowed workers to assume responsibility for their works areas and the repair and maintenance of their own equipment, thereby serving in the interests of both the workers and the employers. TPM has also unified the work force, channeling their energy and creativity toward wide-range quality improvements.