Reliability Programs for Breweries

The flagship brewery for the world's largest beer producer needs to run 24/7 just to keep up with demand. Since every gallon of beer produced at the InBev facility in Leuven, Belgium, can be sold, any unexpected downtime on a production line means an unrecoverable financial loss for the company. Small wonder the managers of this brewery - which produces 170 million gallons of ale, beer, and other malt beverages each year - do everything in their power to keep the filling lines running flat out. InBev employs more than 86,000 persons worldwide and sells products in 130 countries. InBev's best-known brand in the U.S. is Becks Beer, which, along with three other global brands (Stella Artois, Leffe, and Brahma) and some 200 local brands, make this company a true brewer to the world. Maintaining a variety of specialized machinery for the brewing, bottling, packaging, and shipping processes demands precise equipment management. Because bearings do wear out, pumps break down, and compressors lose efficiency, InBev managers strive to improve machine reliability by carefully monitoring every machine whose failure would have a negative impact on production. The trick is to be aware of impending failures and take action accordingly. This could mean an immediate temporary shutdown for repairs to prevent a severe breakdown, or it could mean establishing a plan for the shortest possible interruption in production while incurring the least amount of damage to vital machinery.

Solution

InBev has implemented a world-class reliability program using multiple technologies to maintain a close watch on the operating condition of critically important equipment. Kurt Sas, maintenance manager for the InBev Brewery in Leuven, contracts with Coservices, a predictive maintenance services firm and Belgian partner of Emerson Process Management, to maintain mechanical assets in this sprawling facility. In carrying out its responsibility, Coservices utilizes vibration monitoring and analysis, a strong lubrication management program, and sonic scanning to compliment other machinery health technologies. Coservices frequently uploads data developed through monitoring or analysis to special machinery health management software for storage, processing, and preparation of customized reports showing the complete mechanical health of each critical component in the brewery. Vibration monitoring of rotating equipment and analysis of the resulting data are effective ways to evaluate the health of production machinery in order to predict looming issues, avoid unplanned shutdowns, and extend equipment longevity. Mechanical equipment seldom fails without giving signals well in advance, so breakdowns can frequently be forecast by listening for the warnings and passing that knowledge on to those in a position to prevent such problems. Vibration data from more than 5000 points throughout the brewery is gathered periodically by Coservices technicians with portable data collectors. Some of these points have permanently-installed cable sensors to provide quick and easy access to difficult-to-reach points. The data is later uploaded to a computer for examination by a trained analyst. An advanced method utilizes a collector/analyzer, which not only records vibration levels but also analyzes the data in the field to speed up the detection of problems. Fifty samples of lubrication oils are taken from machinery in the brewery each month and tested using an on-site mini laboratory to identify signs of lube oil degradation. If an analyst finds dirt and debris in a sample, it could be a sign of bad seals; metal fragments could indicate bearing wear or chipping; and water or other contamination are further signs that early maintenance, or at least an oil change, is needed to prevent trouble. On-site analysis gives the brewery good control over the samples and results are available immediately. If there is doubt about a result, a retest can be done very quickly. The results of oil analysis can be compared with those of vibration analysis on the same machine to get a clear picture of the condition of that machine. If the results are positive, it is often possible to extend the period a lubricant remains in a machine before being changed, another cost reduction factor for the brewery. Sonic scanning serves as a simple means of identifying faults on rotating equipment, especially rolling bearing applications. It also works with oil analyzers to detect improper lubrication. The machinery health software gives Sas and other maintenance managers easy access to detailed data for an accurate assessment of the health of machinery in the facility. Automated diagnostics, plotting, and reporting enable them to make timely and correct decisions regarding the maintenance or continued operation of critical machinery.

Results

One example of InBev's successful reliability program centers around a bottle-filling carousel. Vibration monitoring indicated a growing problem on a 75-cm double bearing of the carousel, and plant personnel immediately realized that failure of this large bearing would bring an entire production line down for a whole day. That would cost the brewery about $20,000 in lost production, replacement parts, and emergency labor. "This carousel is the heart of the whole production line," said Sas. "However, the problem was detected early in its development, and we were able to replace the faulty bearing rollers during scheduled downtime, not crash time. That saved a lot of money." Sas said the predictive maintenance program generates more than 100 problem notifications each year and results in identifying ten or more potential failures in bearings, gearboxes, and other critical machine elements. As a result, brewery officials estimate the reliability program is preventing losses of at least $200,000 per year on emergency repairs, parts, and productivity. Since equipment subject to predictive maintenance tends to run longer with less frequent visits by maintenance personnel, the actual savings are even greater. "All of these technologies generate a tremendous amount of data," Sas said, "and that could be daunting for any maintenance department, but the special machinery health management software puts an efficient schedule at our fingertips. As a result, we're very organized despite the preponderance of data. Through the practice of predictive maintenance, we have a good grasp of what needs to be done first to maintain equipment reliability. And that is our primary mission." Coservices gives management of Belgium's largest brewery confidence that they can catch trouble while it is still just brewing, before it comes to a head. Pumps & Systems, July 2007