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This work is a case study dealing with the production of examination table covering used in gynecological offices which has been a problem for its manufacturer, Little Rapids Corporation. During production, the rolls of paper break or tear causing production to cease while the machine is reloaded, costing about $10,000 of lost production in a year. This study was done to investigate the independent variables that contribute to those breaks and to determine if breaks have a significant impact on production rate (speed). Tensile strength and stretch of the paper were chosen as the independent variables in a binary regression analysis. In addition, breaks were compared to machine speed settings to see if there was a correlation. The results showed that the independent variables did have an impact on the probability of breaks occurring and a corresponding relationship was derived using regression analysis. The study recommended that the tensile strength or stretch of the specified paper be increased by 25% to lower the probability of breaks to an acceptable level and allow operators to maintain the desired speed setting. Any greater increase in tensile strength and stretch would incur capital expense that would be prohibitive.

In recent years, formerly depleted domestic oil fields have become producers once again through tertiary oil recovery. In tertiary oil recovery, water and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) are alternatively injected into reservoirs through injection wells. This raises the field pressure and forces oil to producing wells where it is then pumped to a storage tank referred to as a battery. This paper is focused on an operating division in the Permian Basin (USA). The CO2 is acquired from underground domes in Colorado and then transferred through pipelines to oil fields in West Texas and New Mexico. The compressors are used to move CO2 and boost the gas to the required field pressure, usually around 2,200 psig. Reciprocating compressors are flexible and able to handle wide capacity and condition swings, offer an efficient method of compressing almost any gas composition in a wide range of pressures and have numerous applications and wide power ratings. This makes them a vital component in various industrial facilities. Condition monitoring of critical rotating machinery is widely accepted by operators of centrifugal compressors. However, condition monitoring of reciprocating machinery such as compressors and internal combustion engines has not received the same degree of acceptance. This paper examines the reliability impact as a result of upgrading the temperature monitoring devices on the connecting rods of electric driven reciprocating compressors. A cost analysis is also presented to demonstrate that the upgrade in hardware and software will eventually yield a saving in the operating cost.