Condition Monitoring and Fault Diagnosis Examination - Assignment Example

NDITIОN MОNITОRING АND FАULT DIАGNОSIS By Student’s Name Course code: Course name: Professor: University: City, State: Date: Task 1: (LO 3: 3.1) Because of the ever increasing demand of safety and quality standards, it is important for anybody planning, operating, constructing or shutting down an industrial plant to keep and maintain reliable and easily comprehensible plant documentation. Equipment documentation and records are an essential part of the quality system. It is important to identify the policies and procedures for equipment and plant maintenance and define them in appropriate documents. Keeping good records of equipment will enable problem evaluation as they arise. Incomplete or missing equipment documentation results in legal consequences as stated in the warranty and criminal law. Liability resulting from company negligence is reduced with proper plant documentation. It shows some sense of transparency, saves time and money and optimizes workflows. Proper documentation leads measurable economic benefits and adherence to compliance regulations. Every major piece of equipment should have its own document for equipment maintenance. However, smaller commonly used equipment can be maintained using equipment maintenance manuals or documents dealing with such equipment[Jam15]. Documents used for equipment maintenance should include: The entire process and procedure for routine maintenance up to the tiniest detail and this should include ways of keeping the records of performance and performance frequency. Instructions for undertaking functional checks, performance frequency and way of recording the results. Guide to troubleshooting Directions on how to calibrate the instruments Manufacturer’s recommended methods of repair and service A list of items required for maintenance and use, like spare parts. Every bit of gear ought to have a devoted logbook reporting all attributes and upkeep components: preventive upkeep exercises and timetable; and, recording of capacity checks. Furthermore, alignment; any support performed by the manufacturer; full data on any issue that the instrument builds up, the ensuing troubleshooting action, what's more, take after up data on the resolution of the issue[Jam15]. Drawings Pipeline and Instrument Drawings (P&IDs)-in order to support the diagnosis of faults, an industrial installation which has several installation components connected through a pipeline system is developed for assessment and assigning every installation components to one of a plurality of abstract component types. This is where a weighted directed component graph is assigned to each component type. There is a piping and instrumentation flow diagram of the entire process of industrial installation broken down component by the component from the very point of start of a pipeline system until the very end. There is proper documentation of each component that helps in fault detection when there is a problem, for example, leakage[Cui10]. Equipment Drawing-many equipment items are provided with operating and maintenance manual and also a set of engineering drawing where information can be archived or extracted. The manufacturer can also provide additional information on request. Many companies keep records describing the history of equipment items that can give useful information related to problems that were previously realized. People who are always involved with the equipment can be used to provide information where no formal records are kept, but this is not the way to go. When it comes to troubleshooting system problems, system drawing such as electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic and control system drawing are essential tools. The ability to read and interpret these drawings is very important skill by the engineers involved in the problem solving[Cui10]. Maintenance Documents Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)- this is a written instruction which documents how to undertake or perform routine activities. Different companies rely on standard operating procedures to help ensure quality and consistency in their products. Standard operating procedures are very important tools for fault detection, communicating important corporate policies, best practices, and government regulations. A standard operating procedure is a compulsory instruction. If at all deviation from this instruction are allowed, the conditions leading to this should be well documented. This will also include people who are allowed to give permissions for such deviations and what the complete procedure will exactly be. The Standard Operating procedure can be used to detect and identify faults in the manufacturing process. Commissioning Documents. In order to ensure the intended outcome occurs, many workplace processes require strict adherence to a set of instructions. Standard Operating Procedure can help ensure this. This because even the best employees do not have a perfect memory. Therefore having a written instruction from where employees can refer to when performing the processes ensures everything is correctly done. A written guideline can also help in fault detection. Commissioning Documents Factory Assessment Testing (FAT)- Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) refers to a customized testing procedure for different types of systems executed before the final installation is done at the plant. It is important to note that FAT is not a requirement, but it is recommended to be carried out in situations where the application software of the logic solver is fairly complex or when the safety instrumented system has adopted the redundant arrangement. Many are the cases where it becomes difficult to predict the consequences or correct operation of the safety instrumented system because of failures experienced in different parts of the safety instrumented system. In such cases FAT can be used to check these safety issues[Sar02]. Site Acceptance Testing – this is the stage where customers conduct testing on the components and equipment that have been supplied under the project tests and scope. It is a stage where the conformance of the delivered solution is tested to the functional specifications and definition document. Site acceptance setting includes integration testing, user acceptance setting performance testing. The testing stage utilizes test plans and scenarios created in the product lifecycle by the customer teams. It is this testing stage that possible faults can be identified and corrected[Sar02]. Installation Qualification- this is verification of the proper installation and configuration of a system. Installation qualification ensures that important files have been loaded, necessary procedures approved, equipment installed, and appropriate personnel trained and approved. There is a design specification defining the requirements to install the system properly. Before Performance Qualification and Operation Qualification are completed, Installation Qualification should be performed. Installation qualifications can be used to check the possible issues and faults in the system before commissioning. Installation Qualification can be combined with Performance Qualifications and Operational /qualifications depending on the complexity and needs of the system. In practice, the installation qualification refers to the executed test protocol which documents a system to be in possession of the necessary prerequisite conditions to function as required or expected[Afo90]. Task 2 (LO 3: 3.2) An Increase in Current Flow to the Motor Electrical Multimeter- one of the methods used to check the electrical circuits is to use a test lamp that connects between the circuit live wires and earth. This method however only indicates if there is electrical supply to various points or the particular point being checked. A meter can be used to get more accurate results because it checks the level of voltage that reaches the component as well as the resistance of the circuit. Multimeters are the most advanced and useful types of meters because they can check current (direct current, DC), voltage and resistance as well. They can also measure dwell angles and engine speed. It can tell if there is increase or decrease in voltage flowing into a component[Tha05]. Current Tong Meter-this is commonly known as a current clamp or current probe. It is an electric device having two jaws that open to enable clamping around the electrical conductor. With this, the properties of the electric current in the conductor can be measured. All these are measured without having to make physical contact with it or disconnecting anything for insertion. Current clumps are used for reading magnitudes of current. They are very convenient testing instruments which can permit measurement of current on a live conductor without interrupting the circuit. It can be used to measure the amount of current entering the motor to determine the main cause of the fault, either low or high current. One of its advantages is that current can be measured without having to shut the circuit being tested[Tha05]. A Reduction in the Pump’s Output Flow and Pressure Pressure gauge-a pressure gauge is used as a component in operations from various industries across the world. However, not all gauges are made for every situation or created equally. The most common pressure measuring devices used today are bourdon tubes because they combine high grade of measuring technology, ruggedness, flexibility and simple operations with cost effective production. Pressure gauges are very important components in almost all processing systems. Therefore, they need to be reliable, easy to read and accurate if they are to prevent failure in everyday operations. It is important for an organization to acquire pressure gauges that will be resistant to adverse environments that they will operate in. failure of pressure gauges can lead to productivity loss, time loss, and loss of money. Application of pressure gauges ranges from chemical processes, refineries, petrochemical processing to hydraulic and pneumatic installations. They are also used for process monitoring and safety points, power stations, waste water operations. They are used to measure pressure from liquids, gasses, vapor, or solid bodies. Measuring instrument pressure helps in protecting failure, detecting problems, and keeping the operation process running smoothly[Mas09]. Pressure Sensors- these are sensors measuring pressure typically on liquids and gasses. Pressure refers to an expression of force needed to stop fluid from expanding. Pressure is always stated in force per unit area. The sensors act as a transducer for generating a signal as a function of the imposed pressure. In thousands of everyday operations, pressure sensors are used to control and monitor processes. Other variables such as gas/fluid flow, water level, and altitude can be measured using pressure sensors. There is a category of pressure sensors that are being used to measure high-speed changes in pressure. Examples of these sensors are those used to measure combustion pressure in gas turbines or engine cylinders. Pressure sensor alerts the operators when there are changes in the level of gas flow, changes in speed, changes in water levels and changes in altitude. There is always set levels that are monitored. If the levels are lower or higher than required, the operator will know there is a fault somewhere and correct the fault as soon as possible[Mas09]. Ultrasonic Flow Meter-this is a type of meter flow measuring the velocity of fluid with ultrasound calculating the volume of the flow. The average velocity along the path of an emitted beam of ultrasound can be measured by the flow meter using ultrasonic transducers. This is done by averaging the differences that exist in the transit time that has been measured between the pulses of ultrasound that propagates in the direction and against the direction of the flow. It can also be done by measuring the shift frequency from the Doppler Effect. Ultrasonic flow meters are impacted by density, temperature, velocity, as well as suspended particulates. However, this depends on the exact flow meter. Ultrasonic flow meter measures transit time differences of ultrasonic pulses that propagate in and about the direction of the flow. The average velocity of the fluid flowing along the path can be measured using this time difference. The speed of sound and the averaged fluid velocity can be measured by the use of absolute transit time. It can be used to detect a reduction in the pump’s output flow and pressure[Mas09]. Misalignment between the Pump and Motor Shafts. Straight Edge- According to experience, many pump distress failures (events) have their root causes in the pump alignment to the motor. Misaligned pumps consume 15 percent more energy than well-maintained pumps. When shaft misalignment imposes reaction forces on shafts, small pumps can generate huge losses. Huge losses are realized even if the flexible coupling suffers no immediate damage. The result will be a failure of bearings and shaft seals. When alignment is properly performed, there is avoidance of costly consequences that comes with poor alignment. Good alignment results to reduced parts expenses; lower inventory requirement; increased productivity; repair avoidance; lower energy losses due to friction and vibration. Straight edge is considered the least expensive and easiest way of doing alignment even though it is the least accurate method. It is used for small pump/motor combination where larger and more accurate alignment methods cannot be used. The straight edge is laid across the flanges of the coupling hub and the feeler gauges used between the faces of the coupling hubs. Estimation of shim changes follows this and then alignment attained through a trial and error method. The manufacture's alignment may be hard to attain by the use of feeler gauges and straight edge methods[Ber01]. Task 3 (LO 3: 3.3) Table 1: Fault-finding Table Problem Equipment Reasons No flow of water from TA102 to TA101 Failed Pump PU102 Loss of power Failed impellor Failed valve SV102-1 Seized valve Loss of power Failed valve SV 102-2 Seized valve Loss of power High flow of water from TA102 to TA101 Failed Pump PU102 Failed valve SV102-1 Failed Valve SV102-1 Failed flow regulator Seized valve Seized valve Low flow of water from TA102 to TA101 Failed Pump PU 102-1 Failed valve SV102-1 Failed Valve SV102-2 Failed flow regulator Seized valve Seized valve Failed Close SV101 Seized valve SV101-1 Seized valve SV101-2 Seized valve CV101 Seized valve Failed Open SV101 Seized valve SV101-1 Seized valve SV101-2 Seized valve CV101 Seized valve Failed Mid-range(half open) SV101 Seized valve SV101-1 Seized valve SV101-2 Seized valve CV101 Seized valve Fail on LS101 Loss of power LS102 Loss of power LS101-1 Loss of power LS101-2 Loss of power Fail off LS101 Loss of power LS102 Loss of power LS101-1 Loss of power LS101-2 Loss of power Failed Switch LS101 Loss of power LS102 Loss of power LS101-1 Loss of power LS101-2 Loss of power Loss of water flow from TA102 to TA101 Failed pump PU102 Loss of power Failed impeller Failed valve SV102-1 Loss of power Seized valve Task 4 (LO 4: 4.1) Pump drive end bearing- the causes of repeated failure are the problems that exist in the drive. On the other hand, an appropriate design of a bearing protector seal promotes better bearing lubrication and improves reliability. At the same time, the manner in which oil is injected into the bearing plays a vital role in reliability. Continuous or repeated failure results from unresolved or undiscovered flaws. Repeated failures happen because of the following reasons: when the true cause of failure remains hidden; when the real cause of failure is not pursued even after being identified. Contamination and poor lubrication are the most common causes of bearing failure. Other causes may be bearing damage before the operation- during handling and assembly and excessive loading. Some oil lubricated pumps are capable of producing excessive hearing heat if the level of the oil is set to reach the center of the bearing balls and the 6 o'clock position. In order to avoid the effect of the rolling element (the plowing effect) which produces heat and frictional power, a considerable lower oil level should be chosen[Kal94]. Impeller Failure- one of the best ways of avoiding failures of impellers is an examination of the causes of failure in the past and learning more from the past experiences. Pump failures have many causes but impellers contribute to the pump failure to some extent. The failure of the impeller can lead to a significant financial loss because of subsequent damage and loss of production. Am impeller can fail because of casting defects[Kim03]. For example, a bronze impeller installed in a pump and a significant amount of vibration was observed after start up followed by fragmentation a few minutes later. On examination of the fragment, there was a blue oxide layer on the fracture surface. This is a clear indication that the impeller failed because of a pre-existing crack that might have formed during solidification. This defect was not detected by either the manufacturer of the technicians who installed the impeller. An impeller can also fail due to corrosion. This usually occurs when the incorrect materials have been chosen for specific applications or when there is a change in the service condition under which the pump operated. Corrosion refers to the uniform removal of the metal from the surface of the metallic component over a period. The damage manifests itself over a period because corrosion is uniform. For this reason, it is always detected by a decline in the pump efficiency. Because of corrosion, the impeller becomes thinned leading to the pump being inefficient. An impeller can also fail due to wear and abrasion failures. This is the combination of corrosion and erosion leading to wear. The rate of attack is speeded up by erosion-corrosion because of the relative movement between the corrosive fluid and the metal surface. This movement is so rapid leading to a mechanical wear known as abrasion. Water pump impellers need to be serviced regularly[Kim03]. This is a task that many technicians overlook and which can lead to big trouble. Inspection of the impellers should be scheduled depending on the environment and condition of work. There are water impellers made of rubber vanes molded around the hub. The hub rotates on an eccentric within the housing of the pump. Because of simple use, the tips of the impeller vanes can wear. The rubber material also gets brittle and stiff. This is a common problem on the motor. Heat is also another killer to the impeller. Water always lubricates the pump, but if for any reason it runs dry, the impeller can be destroyed in seconds. Mechanical Seals-failure of mechanical shafts is the most common cause of pump failure and downtime. There are widely varying mechanical operation conditions that the shaft seal is always exposed to. Changes in operation conditions become different from the conditions the seal was intended to operate under. Mechanical seals can fail due to lubricant failure. For the mechanical shaft seal to operate properly, there should be proper lubrication as well. Without lubrication, there will be dry running around the seal. This leads to air formation around the seal and because of the absence of lubrication, friction around the seal face will increase leading to an increase in temperature. The result will be burnt elastomeric parts. If the pumps are allowed to run dry, it can be very damaging to the seals. Mechanical seals can experience thermal shock under the right conditions and shatter within less than 30 seconds. Pump vibration is also another major cause of mechanical seal failure. Because of imbalance in the pump, vibrations will occur. Vibration also occurs when there is improper alignment. This leads to vibrations which damage the seals. Hammering coupling into the shafts can also damage the mechanical seals. Mechanical seals are very fragile and can be damaged by pounding couplings onto the shaft. Another major cause of mechanical seal failure is operator error like skipping initial start-up procedure and installation errors. When the pump is improperly started, the motor can trip, and the shaft could twist hence orbital movement. This results in contact of internal parts, seal failure and shortening of bearing life[Ets97]. Task 5 (LO 4: 4.2, M1, D1) i) Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) Failure Modes Effects Analysis also refers to as potential failure modes and effects analysis; effects modes, effects and criticality analysis. FMEA is a process or a step by step technique for identification of all failures in design, assembly process, and manufacturing process or in a product or service. Failure modes simply mean the modes or ways which a project, a machine, product or something may fail. Failures refer to errors and defects. These are defects that affect the customers which can be actual or potential. On the other hand, effects analysis is a study taken to determine the consequences of failures in machinery, production process, manufacturing or assembly among others. Our case will consider the consequences of failures in the cooling water system. Prioritization of failure is done according to how serious their consequences are to the organization, to the staff, to the environment and the stakeholders at large. They are also prioritized according to how frequent they occur and how they can be detected by ease[Ara10]. The major aim of FMEA is for actions and steps to be taken to reduce or totally do away with failures. Effects analysis and failure modes also record current skills and knowledge and necessary actions regarding the risks of failures to be used in continuous improvement. During the design process, FMEA is used to prevent failures, and it is later used for controlling the ongoing operations. It always begins during the earliest conceptual stages of design and in the entire life of the product. Below is the general procedure of undertaking a failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) for a water cooling system. The first step will be to assemble a cross-functional team of professionals with diverse knowledge and skills about products, services and processes and the needs of the final customer. It will involve careful selection of staff from manufacturing, design, quality, testing, maintenance, procurement, customer service and sales and marketing functions. The next step will be to identify the scope of the FMEA. This will be the system, design, and process for water cooling system. We will determine the boundaries, the much we should be detailed. If possible, flow chats will be used, and the team members must understand them. Identifying information that will be filled on top of FMEA forms provided. The next stage will be to identify the function of the scope. Will identify the purpose for this cooling water system, the design, and processes. With the use of experts and technicians, the scope will be broken into items, parts, subsystems and processes of the cooling water system. The function of each part will then be identified to determine their importance[Sta03]. Once the functions have been identified, there will be the identification of ways failure would happen in each function. It will involve identification of potential failure modes. For each failure mode that we will identify in the cooling water system and subsystems, we will identify the consequences. All the consequences are to be identified including those related to the processes, regulations and the customers. It will consider asking whatever the customer will experience because of this failure and the consequences of the failure. This step will involve identifying how serious each effect is. It will involve the severity rating done on the scale of 1 to 10. At point one, the severity will be insignificant but at point 10 the severity will be catastrophic. The potential root cause will then be determined for each failure mode at this stage. The best knowledge from the experience the team members possess will be used together with cause analysis tools. The possible causes of each failure will be listed on the FMEA from that will be provided. The next stage will be to determine the occurrence rating of each cause. This will act as an estimate of the probability of the failure occurring for the reason given during lifetime of the cooling water system. This occurrence is also rated on the scale of 1 to 10. 1 represents extremely unlikely to happen, and 10 represents inevitable. The occurrence rating will also be listed in the FMEA table[Ara10]. The current process control is to be identified for each cause. These are tests, mechanisms that you will have in place to avoid failures and to keep failing from reaching the customer. Controls are meant to prevent the cause from happening and reduce the likelihood that the cause might happen. It can also be used to detect the failure. The direction rating for each cause is determined at this stage. The ratings are used to estimate how well the controls can detect the cause and failure. Detection rate is also rated on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 represents control is absolutely certain identify/detect the problem and 10 the control is certain not to detect the problem. The detection rating for each cause will then be listed in the FMEA table. This stage involves defining whether the failure mode is associated with a critical characteristic, that is, indicators or measurements reflecting compliance with government regulations or safety. It will also determine if there is a need for special controls. It is important to note that critical characteristics have the severity of 9 to 10 and the detection ratings of the occurrence above 3. The risk priority number will then be calculated. This will be equal to S x O x D. criticality is also to be calculated, and this can be done by multiplying the occurrence by severity. Potential failures will be ranked using these numbers as guides. The next stage is to identify the recommended actions, which may process changes or design changes to reduce occurrences or severity. They may be additional controls used to increase detection of problems. Also to be noted are the people responsible for target and action completion dates[Sta03]. The final stage is to note results and the date of FMEA forms. ii) The rank of the FMEA score in order with the highest score at the top is as shown in the table below: Table 2: FMEA Score Table Equipment Description Equipment Number A B C D FMEA score Flow Meter FI103 4 3 5 5 300 Temperature Sensor TI102 5 2 5 4 200 Pump PU102 5 4 3 3 180 Temperature Sensor TI103 5 3 5 2 150 Pressure Sensor PI101 2 4 4 4 128 Flow Meter FI104 4 2 5 2 80 Valve HV104-2 4 4 2 2 64 Flow Meter FI102 1 5 4 3 60 Valve HV101-2 3 2 3 3 54 Valve HV102-2 5 2 5 1 50 Heat Exchanger HE102 2 5 5 1 50 Flow Meter FI101 5 5 1 2 50 Valve HV102-1 4 3 4 1 48 Heat Exchanger HE101 1 5 3 3 45 Temperature Sensor TI101 4 2 1 5 40 Temperature Sensor TI104 5 4 1 2 40 Pump PU101 3 3 2 2 36 Pump PU103 2 3 3 2 36 Pressure Sensor PI103 1 3 3 4 36 Valve HV101-1 2 2 2 4 32 Pressure Sensor PI104 4 5 1 1 20 Valve HV103-2 1 2 5 1 10 Pressure Sensor PI102 1 2 5 1 10 Valve HV103-1 3 3 1 1 9 Pump PU104 3 1 2 1 6 Valve HV104-1 1 1 4 1 4 iii) The level of equipment criticality is as follows: Vital equipment includes FI103, TI102, PU102, TI103, and PI101 Essential equipment include FI104, HV104-2, FI102, HV101-2, HV102-2, HE102, and FI101 Supporting equipment includes HV102-1, HE101, TI101, TI104, PU101, PU103, PI103, and HV101-1 Non-critical equipment includes PI104, HV103-2, PI102, HV103-1, PU104, and HV104-1 iv)- The FMEA results can alter the maintenance program currently in place by influencing the strategy. Once the stakeholders have been known and their attitudes discussed, an effective strategy will then be built to strengthen and influence them. The maintenance program will be altered because FMEA seeks to involve the entire organization at different levels to capture a collective knowledge of the organization about a particular issue. It will also seek to reduce the process development and costs at the same time improving the efficiency, quality, reliability, and safety process. The FMEA results may lead to a company adopting the use of Change Acceleration Process tools to build support and improve reliability. It may change the communication process and require careful planning and participation from every member. Senior leaders must be well informed throughout the process to increase the chances of implementation of the FMEA results[Sta03]. v)- Water pumps-water pump in the cooling system is used to circulate the cooling fluid, and there must be correct flow at every rotation speed of the cooling system. The engine should stabilize its temperature and limit rise of temperature within the set limits. Significant damage can be caused when the water pump fails, and this is the reason as to why water pumps should be checked regularly in a water cooling system. Heat exchangers-these are devices designed to transfer or exchange heat efficiently from one matter to another. The fluid used to transfer heat may be a liquid like water in the case of the cooling water system. The most well-known heat exchanger is the radiator, which helps machines from overheating especially in cars. Failure of a heat exchanger may result in devastating consequences. The heat will destroy most parts of the water cooling system. On the other hand, a water flow meter refers to an instrument used for measuring. Non-linear, linear, mass or volume flow rate of the liquid. When buying a flow meter for the cooling water system, one should consider factors such as familiarity of plant, personnel, availability of spare parts, and calibration and maintenance among others. A temperature sensor refers to a device which gathers information concerning source temperature and converts it to a form which can be understood by another device or an observer. Sensors are or many sorts and are used for a wide range of purposes like in the water cooling system. It is used to measure the temperature of water I order to keep track of the water temperature limit required. The failure of these devices results in misleading interpretations that could affect the operation of the water cooling system. FMEA can be used as an audit tool for continuous improvement program. These could include. When properly conducted it may prevent loss of business profit resulting from faulty instruments and parts. It may also detect solutions to causes of these faults and suggest the best possible ways of dealing with them[Sta03]. This will reduce the time taken to repair the equipment or replace a space and ensure continuity in production. The cost of repairs is also reduced when FMEA is properly undertaken and appropriate solution to the courses of faults identified and fixed. Machinery and equipment that suits the organization and its nature of operation will be identified with the help of FMEA. The choice should be machinery whose spare parts are readily available in the market and whose spare parts have the shortest possible lead times. These types of equipment and machinery should be resistant to conditions which they are designed to operate under[Ara10]. Task 6 (LO 4: 4.3, 4.4) Figure 1: Fault Tree Figure 2: Cause and Effect Diagram Reference List Jam15: , (Jamshidi & Esfahani, 2015), Cui10: , (Cui, et al., 2010), Sar02: , (Serafini, 2002), Afo90: , (Alford & Cline, 1990), Tha05: , (Theraja, et al., 2005), Mas09: , (Mashford, et al., 2009), Ber01: , (Berndt & Van Bennekom, 2001), Kal94: , (Kalsi, et al., 1994), Kim03: , (Kim & Lee, 2003), Ets97: , (Razzaque & Faisal, 2007), Ara10: , (Arabian-Hoseynabadi, et al., 2010), Sta03: , (Stamatis, 2003), Read More

Equipment Drawing-many equipment items are provided with an operating and maintenance manual and also a set of engineering drawings where information can be archived or extracted. The manufacturer can also provide additional information on request. Many companies keep records describing the history of equipment items that can give useful information related to problems that were previously realized. People who are always involved with the equipment can be used to provide information where no formal records are kept, but this is not the way to go.   When it comes to troubleshooting system problems, system drawing such as electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic, and control system drawing are essential tools. The ability to read and interpret these drawings is a very important skill by the engineers involved in problem-solving (Cui, et al., 2010).

Maintenance Documents

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)- this is a written instruction that documents how to undertake or perform routine activities. Different companies rely on standard operating procedures to help ensure quality and consistency in their products. Standard operating procedures are very important tools for fault detection, communicating important corporate policies, best practices, and government regulations. A standard operating procedure is a compulsory instruction. If at all deviations from this instruction are allowed, the conditions leading to this should be well documented. This will also include people who are allowed to give permissions for such deviations and what the complete procedure will exactly be. The Standard Operating procedure can be used to detect and identify faults in the manufacturing process.

Commissioning Documents. In order to ensure the intended outcome occurs, many workplace processes require strict adherence to a set of instructions. Standard Operating Procedure can help ensure this. This because even the best employees do not have a perfect memory. Therefore having written instructions from where employees can refer to when performing the processes ensures everything is correctly done. A written guideline can also help in fault detection.

Commissioning Documents

Factory Assessment Testing (FAT)- Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) refers to a customized testing procedure for different types of systems executed before the final installation is done at the plant. It is important to note that FAT is not a requirement, but it is recommended to be carried out in situations where the application software of the logic solver is fairly complex or when the safety instrumented system has adopted the redundant arrangement. Many are cases where it becomes difficult to predict the consequences or correct operation of the safety instrumented system because of failures experienced in different parts of the safety instrumented system. In such cases, FAT can be used to check these safety issues (Serafini, 2002).

Site Acceptance Testing – this is the stage where customers conduct testing on the components and equipment that have been supplied under the project tests and scope. It is a stage where the conformance of the delivered solution is tested to the functional specifications and definition document. Site acceptance setting includes integration testing, user acceptance setting performance testing. The testing stage utilizes test plans and scenarios created in the product lifecycle by the customer teams. It is at this testing stage that possible faults can be identified and corrected (Serafini, 2002).

Installation Qualification- this is verification of the proper installation and configuration of a system. Installation qualification ensures that important files have been loaded, necessary procedures approved, equipment installed, and appropriate personnel trained and approved. There is a design specification defining the requirements to install the system properly. Before Performance Qualification and Operation Qualification are completed, Installation Qualification should be performed. 

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