Experiment planning information sources

In order to stipulate the cost detailed calculations have been carried out for each route. The analyses include production or purchase costs, specifications of pipelines (existing, planned and under-construction), transportation expenses and transit fees. The data used for the calculations were either obtained from different information sources or calculated based on international experience of pipeline exploitation. 

As planned maintenance encompasses all types covered within the preventive or scheduled systems, this can be examined in more detail. In preparing a planned maintenance system, all the available sources of information should be used. These include manufacturers and suppliers literature, trade associations, professional institutions, knowledge and experience from within the department and history and feedback from previous work for the specific type of equipment. 

The process engineer must design a plant for the current process solely on the basis of published information. After he has completed his study no one will perform experiments to verify his assumptions, since the company does not plan to use that process. He is on his own. This type of problem is excellent for chemical engineering design classes. Some of best sources of material for such exercises are given at the end of this chapter. 

In practice, most lifetime prediction is based on service experience. Depending on the industry concerned, this can take the form of planned examination of components at the end of their service life or be limited to the explanation of warranty returns. Experience with polymers is now sufficiently long for service experience to be a prime source of information for components with lifetimes of up to 35 years. The construction industry provides a good example of systematic listing of component lifetimes, related to minimum quality levels and modified according to the service conditions. The electrical industry applies statistical methods to life components and predict failures. This, however, strays into the general field of engineering component lifetimes. In this book we are concerned with materials rather than components. 

An interview is one of the best ways to get valuable information. It should be well planned. It should not be an effort to find fault or to place blame. The interviewer when possible should be listening much more than talking. This information is basic and from a variety of sources and experiences in interviewing. 

---