Tailored training for effective maintenance
January 1st 2006 The plethora of adhesives, sealants, gaskets and similar products can make it hard for maintenance engineers to work out which is the most appropriate to use for a specific application. Henkel Loctite's Simon Groom explains how the company's training workshops can help - without simply pushing products
With the availability of a huge variety of adhesives, sealants, gaskets and similar products designed for use by maintenance engineers, just how do you find out which is the most appropriate for a specific application? And where can you go to discuss specific problems and applications?
One very practical way is through the Maintenance Workshops run by Henkel Loctite Adhesives. Their purpose is to help companies cut the mean time between failures, reduce downtime, reclaim worn components and shrink maintenance costs. Alongside demonstrations of the products, the trainers (all of whom are engineers) provide plenty of opportunities for handson practice.
Naturally, the question has to be asked: Is taking two hours out of a maintenance engineer's busy schedule really that productive? Is the investment in time going to pay dividends in the long term? The answer is a resounding "yes".
Many companies have been willing to allow their engineers to learn about new products and techniques - and, as we shall see, the investment has been worthwhile.
'The aim of the programme is to provide a comprehensive insight into current practices and technologies,' explains Henkel's Simon Groom. 'But it is not just a case of turning up and showing the products. The process begins much earlier. For instance, once a company has identified the need for a workshop, one of our engineers will carry out a plant survey.
Not only will the applications be scrutinised, but also the stores area will be visited to ascertain the full range oftechnologies already being employed.
Based on this information, a workshop will be created that is tailored to that company's specific needs.'
Groom reports that the twelve standard modules can be adapted to meet individual needs. Those modules fall into three main categories.
The Standard Reliability Training Module covers threadlocking, gasketing, pipe and thread sealing and retaining. Topics include the advantages and disadvantages of threaded fasteners, how substrates perform in different situations, why gaskets fail, rigid versus flexible flanges, cylindrical fittings and servicing factors.
"The maintenance engineers attending the workshops are encouraged to talk about their particular problems,' says Groom. "As a result, solutions can be discussed." For instance, a factory producing plastic film coverings had a difficulty with rollers on casting machines.
The problem involved rollers being worn through contact with other materials and, as a result, becoming unusable. The company faced a £4000 cost per roller for replacements. It was suggested that fitting a hardened sleeve that was retained with an adhesive would be a cost-effective alternative. Practical trials proved the value of the solution.
The Maintenance Solution Training Module includes metal rebuilding, lubrication, surface treatment and rust prevention, bonding and flexible sealing. It shows how worn parts can be salvaged and rebuilt, the advantages of metal-filled epoxies, the benefits of anti-seize products and the joining of dissimilar materials.
One workshop attendee highlighted an application which, when discussed with the trainer, resulted in the company saving a considerable amount of their engineers' time. It involved an assembly that was being joined using a paper gasket. This was an especially complex shaped joint which, as a result, was taking an engineer two and a half days to produce the gasket. Changing to an anaerobic gasketing product - and then applying it with a standard paint roller - reduced the assembly task to just one day.
The Additional Training module looks at the cleaning and degreasing of components, how to remove cured residues and the selection of appropriate hand cleaners. (It often comes as a surprise to those attending to discover that not all cleaners are the same!)
One such workshop initiated the successful introduction of a Loctite cleaner that removed burnt rubber from runway centre lights at a major UK airport.
Those attending also discussed several applications at the airport that could be better serviced with adhesives rather than the traditional joining methods.
In one case, high strength threadlocker sticks were introduced to make nuts and bolts tamperproof for signs. The same product prevented bolts on baggage handling systems from vibrating loose.
Elsewhere, a retaining adhesive has shown to prolong the life of bearings, while maintenance downtime has been dramatically reduced on baggage weighing equipment by introducing a sealant to prevent moisture ingress.
"The workshops are suitable for all levels of personnel and we include all the training materials," Groom says. "Each workshop includes demonstrations and a review of the common causes of failure and their prevention while the 'on-site' nature of the events means engineers can focus on a course that can provide tailored solutions for problems encountered by participants in their workplace." More articles from Henkel Ltd: | 
