Identifying and Procuring Specialized Support

The turbine-generator engineer may be faced with a challenging problem when it is necessary to identify and locate the appropriate resources to resolve an issue or supply a part. It may be necessary to expand your database of available resources to perform the routine activities of turbine-generator repairs.

Often, the first hurdle to overcome in problem solving is the identification of available resources.

Traditional tools include:

• Yellow pages and directory listings

• Trade publications

• Annual trade publication handbooks

• Professional and trade organization listings

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)

As regional and world boundaries change, the traditional methods of resource identification may no longer suffice. The Internet adds another resource identification method to the traditional toolkit. The Internet can be a maze of confusion or an ocean of information that can be tapped with the right resource tools and assist the turbine engineer trying to find available resources.

Pre-Outage Planning and Bidding

Suppliers and vendors who supported the last outage may no longer be in business by the next outage. One of the challenges facing the turbine engineer is being able to identify and obtain the right service or part in the right amount of time at the right cost. Examples of items that can assist in this process are summarized in Table 2-13.

Table 2-13

Examples of Specialized Sources for Locating Vendors and Supplies

Trade Crafts Trade Magazines Seminars/Meetings Sponsored by NDE Electric Light and Power American Society of Mechanical Engineers Sandblasting Power Magazine International Joint Power Generation Conference Shot peening Power Engineering Electric Power Research Institute

Welding Turbomachinery American Welding Society

2.3.1 Lead Times to Arrange for Different Types of Support.

Service support lead times may differ from parts-related lead times. Whenever possible, it is advantageous to secure services as far in advance of outages as possible. Outage season brings competition for resources between utilities because windows of opportunity may be limited during “outage season” for preferred resources. As a rule, purchase orders should be issued at least three months prior to the beginning of an outage.

It is often preferable to obtain all parts prior to an outage, but economic factors may dictate leaving certain items to be purchased within the outage window. Purchases made then are based on inspection results, not on recommendations or pre-outage assumptions. The limiting factors for parts purchases during outages are that inspections must be completed early in the outage so that part orders can be made. Additional limitations are the availability of materials and lead times required by the manufacturer. Table 2-14 provides considerations and typical estimates for selected activities and lead times.

Pre-Outage Planning and Bidding Table 2-14

Selected Activities and Estimated Lead Times

Type Item Lead Time Considerations Service Diaphragm

repairs Four months Many of the diaphragm repair vendors use independent repair craftsmen. These resources may often be shared by multiple vendors.

Service Bucket repairs

Three months Similar to diaphragm repair craftsmen. However, the number of craftsmen required per outage is usually less; therefore, this lead time may be shortened.

Service Technical direction

Three months

Service Balancing Three months Service Sandblasting Three months Service NDE Three months

Possible to manufacture during outage if there is a long outage duration. It is best to have spares on hand prior to the outage start date.

Parts Packing and

hardware During outage Multiple vendors are available with lead times such that these parts may be identified and purchased during the outage. Identification is required early in the outage.

Parts Spill strips and hardware

During outage Multiple vendors are available with lead times such that these parts may be identified and purchased during the outage. Identification is required early in the outage.

Parts Fasteners During outage Limitation may be materials for higher

temperature bolting. Typically, these items may be either purchased as part of the pre-outage

process or purchased during the outage. For the latter, identification is required early in the outage to allow for lead time.

Parts Field copper Six to 12 months Parts Retaining

rings 12 months +

Pre-Outage Planning and Bidding

2.3.2 Web Searches: Key Words or Identifiers to Produce Supplier Lists The ability to “see” information on the Internet is through web browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer. The ability to find and then extract information from the Internet through the web is accomplished by using one of the following two primary methods:

• Directories. Directories contain “human” inputs for their listings. A short description is submitted to the directory for a web site and assigned to the appropriate category and subcategory. The search looks only for matches in the description. Because of the human organization, the directories can often provide better results than search engines

• Search engines. Search engines create listings automatically. Search engines examine or crawl through the web, and then humans examine the results of the search. Search engines use tools to explore and catalog a web site and its information.

All search engines contain the same basic web-exploring tools and methods, but the difference is how each engine is “tuned.” That is why the same search item used by different search engines may produce different results. The difference is also the power of the search engine. There are at least a dozen major search engines as well as a myriad of specialized search engines, with more being introduced as the web grows in both size and complexity.

In order to use the web and search engines as effective resource information tools, it is essential to understand how a particular search engine is cataloged or indexed and how to construct definitive searches. Most search engines will not only accept direct single word requests (for example, plant, turbine, etc.) but will also understand constructed searches (such as power plant, steam turbine, etc.) by employing a Boolean technique.

It is important not only to identify key words for searches associated with turbine-generator repairs or parts purchase or replacement but also to know the relative strengths and weaknesses of a search engine and its querying techniques to be able to obtain meaningful results. When accessing information on the Internet, the following items are helpful:

• Become familiar with the type of web search devices available.

• Become familiar with Boolean operators for searches.

• Turbine-generator general keywords are helpful.

• Maintain your own database of resources and URLs indexed to your needs and component identifications.