Abstracts

*These were the abstracts for the 2021 Leading Reliability Conference. We will update this for our 2022 Leading Reliability Conference accordingly as we get more information.

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Dan Cockerell

Disney Keynote Speaker, Cockerell Consulting Group

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Maintaining the Magic with Dan Cockerell

Predictability, reliability, terms we are all very familiar with. Also, important terms embraced by the Walt Disney Company theme parks. The park attractions are a major component of delivering the Disney magic. Dan Cockerell, 26 year cast member, and former vice-president of The Magic Kingdom will join us to share his experiences and learnings from operating a park that employed 12,000 and entertained over 20 million guests a year. How he leveraged the engineering approach in his operation, and tips on how engineers can become more influential and persuasive in implementing their ideas.

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Jeff Hay

CEO, RDI Technologies

Linkedin

The J to MA Curve: From Astronomy to Reliability

Jeff Hay, Ph.D., shares the intriguing academic journey that led him to entrepreneurship and the invention of Motion Amplification®. You’ll learn how astronomy research found its way into a startup with industrial applications and what’s next on the horizon. Today, RDI Technologies employs 40+ team members, including three Ph.D. physicists. This session will include a discussion on the research that occurred at U of L and the current technology, applications, and ongoing research at RDI Technologies.

Michael Watson

Michael Watson

Product Application Specialist, Fluke Reliability

Linkedin

“Listen! – Your Assets are Telling you a Story”

We all known about random failure patterns, and today we have the technology and data to give us greater insights into asset health and reduce unplanned downtime. Understanding your assets and matching the key technologies of Vibration/Thermography to specific failure modes give us greater insights into asset health. In this presentation Michael Watson will cover the concepts and principles of putting together a Predictive Maintenance program and outline the benefits of an end-to-end connected data solution.

Takeaways you can expect:
1. Understanding asset criticality and asset risk to maximize value of your PdM data.

2. Vibration and thermography are the leading technologies for the most common failure modes in rotating equipment and electrical systems

2. Build a roadmap to understand steps needed to rightsize your Predictive Maintenance strategy as part of your overall Asset Management Plan.

4. Leverage process capabilities of software systems to bring data to the right team member.

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Rick Clonan

Implementation & Training Manager, Eruditio

Linkedin

Managing Organizational Change Through Metrics

Organizational change is hard. Leading people in a new direction can often seem like an impossible task when everything is taken into consideration.  Understanding how to make improvements is one-thing but measuring success or failure can often seem impossible. How do we know if what we are doing is truly making a difference? Developing a hierarchy of metrics that makes it possible to implement, measure improvement, and teach shop floor team members on how their actions impact the change effort is a vital step in managing any change. By selecting the right metrics that influence the right behaviors we can equip our teams with the tools they need to make the appropriate changes and move the organization in a clear direction.

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Carlos Calloway

Site Reliability Engineer, PepsiCo

Linkedin

“The Many Methods of Predictive Maintenance”

While there are many different ways and thoughts to approach the challenge of predictive maintenance, some methods have proven to be more reliable than others. Certain facilities believe in one way, and other facilities believe in another way. If there is one thing most of us can agree on, it’s the mere importance of having some form of the predictive maintenance process in place. In this presentation, we will walk you through each of our Predictive Maintenance Methods (UE, IR, and Vibration Analysis), and we will discuss the benefits of each method, as well as share examples of key saves that have prevented major downtime events.

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Allen Plymon

President, Plymon Vibration Consultants, LLC

Linkedin

“Case Histories of Unsympathetic Machines”

This presentation covers a variety of vibration problems in electric motors, the machines that they drive, and the structures that support them.  There are multiple types of testing strategies and techniques discussed that were very beneficial in determining the solutions.  All presented with clarity and a bit of humor to keep our work functioning with a professional layer of fun.

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Brian Harrison

Director for IIoT-Fluke Reliability, Fluke Reliability

Linkedin

“The Analytics Adventure: Business Intelligence that makes us safer, greener and more efficient.” 

Not long ago, we considered the apex of maintenance and reliability to be 80%PM and 20%CM. Industry 4.0 as changed that reality as we now have a number of data paths which promise validated, real-time data at our fingertips. Analytics will provide the biggest change in a generation to how we maintain our assets. Specifically for this space, the next few years will be very exciting as seemingly unrelated puzzle pieces find their place in the Venn diagram. But what we already know, is that different companies, different groups, will need different types of analytics ranging from alerts and alarms to predictive and prescriptive models. During this session, Nicole Rochelle, Data Analytics Manager at Monogram Foods, demonstrates results from using Power BI for reliability maintenance, defuses the challenges, and offers practical advice for getting started.  Have you chosen your adventure when it comes to analytics and business intelligence?  The time is now!

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Shon Isenhour

Partner, Eruditio

Linkedin

Operational Reliability: A Partnership for Performance 

Many reliability and some asset management improvements initiatives plateau early, leaving their performance short of the planned goal. One common mistake is that they are driven as a maintenance improvement initiative only. The result being the Operations team is left out of the process which creates a barrier preventing total success.  In this session, we will discuss crucial components including tools, schedules, and teamwork that will help you connect with your operations counterpart. Together you and your team will build something incredible. Expect to leave with items such as sample partnership agreements, lists of operational reliability enablers, and a fundamental plan that you can implement upon your return. After all, working together across departments will allow you to build a truly operational reliability process.

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Blair Fraser

Vice President of Global Development, UE Systems

Linkedin

Bearing Lubrication Revolutionized: Wireless Ultrasound Sensors and Lubricators Provide Simplified and Precise Condition Based Lubrication

Introducing a game-changing technology that combines wireless ultrasound sensors with vibration and temperature analysis to provide simplified yet precise monitoring of bearing lubrication needs and health. This innovative system continuously collects real-time data, detecting even the slightest changes in bearing condition. When combined with a cutting-edge wireless lubricator, this technology completely removes guesswork and manual tasks from the bearing lubrication process. The result is a significant reduction in over or under lubrication, decreased maintenance costs, and increased equipment reliability. With wireless connectivity of the sensors and lubricator, this technology sets a new standard for bearing maintenance, bringing a whole new level of simplicity and precision to bearing lubrication.

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Gregory Perry

Sr. Capacity Assurance Consultant, Fluke Reliability

Linkedin

“Purpose for Pain – 10 Keys to taking the sting out of progress”

Fight or Flight – two very basic human characteristics when faced with sudden unknowns.  Also true is the cliché “We are a product of our environment” – something we learn early on when understanding adolescence.  Equate adolescence with innocence and you have another cliché “You don’t know what you don’t know”. Enough of the clichés already – we get it.

Over the years in doing “what I do” in the space of “M&R”; I have adopted a proven methodology (workflow) that helps to assure a purposeful kindred spirit of “where am I going” and “how do I start?”

This methodology is called the Ten Keys to “Enter your Continuous improvement Technological initiative here” Success. With limited resources and even more limited time to achieve a quick win – learning this methodology will help you stop chasing dimes with dollars and will give you purpose for the pain.

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Matt Rubin

Field Operations Manager, 4X Diagnostics

Linkedin

“Beyond Typical Machinery – What else can this camera detect?”

Thousands of machine faults have been found using RDI’s proprietary Motion Amplification® technology since its inception, but what else can this camera system be used for?  In the presentation, we’ll venture beyond those faults typically identified on rotating equipment and explore unusual case studies in which Motion Amplification® has been utilized with eye-opening results!  Join us and gain a new perspective on this revolutionary technology.

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Keith Staton

Maintenance & Reliability Director, Weyerhaeuser

Linkedin

“Navigating COVID – Improving/Maintaining Reliability Remotely”

When Covid-19 initially swept the world in early 2020, many companies panicked and, unfortunately, struggled financially. As a result, everyone needed to think fast and work to survive during the past year, and Weyerhaeuser was no different. Reliability efforts needed to be maintained even without the use of in-person travel and a fluctuating business realization. How did they manage to make it through the next 12 months and still improve reliability across their division? What are some things they learned during the pandemic that are here to stay? In this session, we’ll answer those questions and provide some insight into what the future might look like.

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Joe Gierlach

Technical Training and Support, TEGG – An ABM Company

Linkedin

“Best Practices for Electrical Asset Reliability & Worker Safety”

This presentation will cover best practices for the inspection and maintenance of Electrical assets. A multi-technology approach to inspection, assessing severity, and recommended courses of action will be discussed. Proper safety procedures and practices will be outlined for the inspection and maintenance of energized Electrical assets per NFPA 70E and NFPA 70B
Andy Crompton

Andy Crompton

Product Manager, Structural Integrity

Linkedin

“It’s the Structure, Stupid”

In the Maintenance and Reliability World, one of the most ignored parts of an asset are the structural supports and bases. We have so many tools to determine vibration but most of them are focused solely on the equipment. When root cause analysis is utilized, it is striking how often the actual underlying problem is with the structure. No matter how many times we fix the asset, if it isn’t properly installed or the base is flexing, the equipment will continue to fail. In this presentation, we will walk through root cause analysis focused on determining improper installation, failing concrete bases, and insufficient structures that may be causing your toughest problems to solve and show you simple ways to detect them.

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Russell Goodwin

Reliability Engineer and Millwright Instructor, Noranda Alumina

Linkedin

“It’s Time to Start Giving Your Protected Assets the Attention and Care It Deserves”

Noranda Alumina is moving into the 22nd century, meaning it’s time to move away from the traditional time-based lubrication approach. It’s just not reliable enough, particularly when we live in a world where technology has advanced and there are better, proven ways to protect expensive assets. More specifically, Noranda Alumina is doing away with a standard, alemite grease gun technique and instead jumping into a more modern approach using the Ultraprobe 401 Digital Grease Caddy Pro. The UP 401 Digital Grease Caddy Pro allows Noranda Alumina to grease their assets without worry of too much grease or too little grease – it allows them to lubricate with the exact amount of grease needed and at the exact right time. In this session, Goodwin will go over just how valuable the transition has proven to be and why it’s important to always move forward.

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Vlad Bacalu

SVP Strategic & Technical Solutions, Amentum

Linkedin

“Using Artificial Intelligence to Increase the Reliability of Assets”

This presentation covers the evolution of maintenance processes, from standard preventive maintenance activities to the implementation of predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). We will discuss the difference between predictive analytics and artificial intelligence and how they help to increase the reliability of the assets.

Predictive analytics and artificial intelligence are two different things. When combined, artificial intelligence empowers predictive analytics to be faster, smarter, and more actionable.

Predictive analytics is based on using historical data to predict future outcomes. It combines algorithms (mathematical models) with historical data to calculate the probability of something happening. Predictive analytics has evolved over time, but it is slow to be implemented because of the time it takes to collect the data needed to develop the algorithms. And, predictive analytics is not very scalable, it typically focuses on a certain application.

Artificial Intelligence is based on using computers to create systems that automate the “intelligence” processes, such as learning, problem-solving and decision making. In other words, AI is processing data through evolving algorithms without predetermined rules. Artificial intelligence enables computers to do what humans can do, but without any human intervention. Combining this capability with lightning speed and precision, computers can process information allowing AI to address the limitations of predictive analytics (speed and scalability).

For example, by using AI to analyze the sounds produced by an asset, the AI system can not only say when a problem occurs, but it can also alert before a problem happens. This approach allows AI to dramatically improve the availability of critical assets, as well as lower costs in industrial environments. AI creates meta-learning data models out of months or years of captured equipment data, and it is up to 300% more accurate than human terms.

OBJECTIVES:

· Understand the evolution of maintenance from reactive, predictive, condition-based, to the implementation of predictive analytics

· Machine learning process

· Recognize the difference between predictive analytics and Artificial Intelligence

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Eric Elder

Field Sales & Service Manager-Americas, Fluke Reliability

Linkedin

“Total Plant Alignment: Down to the Distance of a Human Hair!”

Join Eric as he shares his insights on the importance of Industrial Alignment practices. His observations and expertise are a result of many hours spent conducting alignment checks and corrections on process equipment of all sizes and shapes. A few highlights he will explore:  How to get the biggest return on your maintenance budget, how do you know your machine needs to be aligned, economically what makes sense for you & some do’s and don’ts. This session is a DO!

Michael Watson

Michael Watson

Product Application Specialist, Fluke Reliability

Linkedin
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Brian Harrison

Director for IIoT, Fluke Reliability

Linkedin

Removing Blockers: Tips on Co-elevating with Other Teams to Support Your Mission”


If the thought of bringing others into a project tempts you to “just do it yourself, it’ll get done faster and correctly,” you’re not alone.  Industry has spent years perfecting the operational silos between IT, manufacturing, engineering and maintenance & reliability. Here comes the “but”: manufacturing economics are forcing change, whether we like it or not. Skills shortages, cybersecurity hacks, digitalization, value chain verticals, dynamic manufacturing – these trends are here to stay and none of them can be addressed by one department acting alone.

 

Skills shortages often require changing a specialist role into multidisciplinary. Trades and engineering may need to collaborate on the asset management system. Operations wouldn’t add sensors to critical machines without first verifying the cyber risk level with IT.  Procurement needs to better understand the definition of “critical parts.” And on it goes! Fortunately, we do have models to pull from. Kaizen, tiger teams, pilots – industry does know how to carve out space for cross-functional teams to problem solve and innovate. Join Michael Watson and Erin Sidwell on a journey into collaborative strategies and explore various models for building bridges between departments and nudging mindsets in new directions.

Jeff Hay

Jeff Hay

CEO, RDI Technologies

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Matt Rubin

Field Operations Manager, 4X Diagnostics

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Andy Crompton

Andy Crompton

Product Manager and Senior Consultant, Structural Integrity

Linkedin
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Randy Hewitt

Energy Services Technician, Missouri River Energy Services

Linkedin

Motion Amplification Customer Round Table

Join RDI and some of our power users for a round table discussion about Motion Amplification®. This session will be an engaging question and answer session focused on implementing the tool into your reliability program, common user errors and how to overcome them, new features and benefits, and how to get the most value out of your Iris M system. This is your chance to ask questions and engage with some of the best Motion Amplification® practitioners in the industry.

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Skylar Horne

Inside Sales, Eruditio

Linkedin

“Approaching Change Through Pop Culture”

For many, change is a dreaded part of life. It’s inevitable, but many people actively resist it. As a leader of your organization, where should you focus your efforts when implementing new tools, processes, or systems at your site? Using relatable examples from various pop culture references, we’ll explore ways to initiate change and make it stick in your organization. Come join me for entertainment and education!

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Brian Hronchek

Reliability Engineer, US Steel

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Shon Isenhour

Partner, Eruditio

Linkedin

“Becoming A Master of Reliability”

While Reliability may not be fully understood by many operations and maintenance professionals, Reliability is the scientific force driving their success. Preventive Maintenance, Predictive Maintenance, Root Cause Failure Analysis, and Asset Health Strategies are the tangible connection Reliability Masters provide to help guide their good-intentioned and hardworking peers… But the intangible skills of a Reliability Master are what make him truly powerful. In this session, you will hear Reliability Master vs. Jedi Master: The Reliability Mind Trick (No Force Required), Religious Dedication to Continuous Learning & Application, and Leaving no loose end