In early 2009, we responded to a reader's request for data; he wanted to use it in a site-wide benchmarking project for pump reliability. The reader was employed at a company location that encompassed close to 1,000 centrifugal process pumps.We shared our response in a "Letter to the Editor" in an earlier issue of HP. In essence, we mentioned that the readers company managers had wanted to know-in the 1980s-why they were not among "best-of-class" in pump MTBF. At that time, the shortcomings of their practice of stilt-mounting base plates, "standardizing" on certain seals and couplings, disregarding specific lubricant application weaknesses, etc., were pointed out to his employers. Regrettably, but not totally unexpectedly, pointing out these and other flaws and impediments to high reliability had caused defensive reactions.
展开▼
