A

TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE

STUDENT WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM [SWEP 2]
FOR
THE 2022/2023 ACADEMIC SESSION

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY

FASUYI EMMANUEL AYANFE

MEE/19/039
GROUP B2

SUBMITTED TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING,
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY,
OLUSEGUN AGAGU UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, OKITIPUPA,
ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

IN PARTIAL FUFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

THE AWARD OF BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING (B.ENG)
DEGREE IN MECHANICAL ENGNEERING

PROF. ENGR. O. A. AKINOLA ENGR. A. AKINSADE

SEET SWEP COORDINATOR MECH. SWEP COORDINATOR

September, 2023.
 CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that the Student’s Work Experience Programme (SWEP) was carried by FASUYI
EMMANUEL AYANFE (MEE/19/039) at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and
Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, and the report submitted to the Department of Mechanical
Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Bachelor of Engineering,
B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering.

…………………………………. …………………….
FASUYI EMMANUEL AYANFE DATE

…………………………………. …………………….
ENGR. A. AKINSADE DATE
MECH SWEP COORDINATOR

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 DEDICATION

This report is dedicated to God almighty, whose overflowing love and infinite mercy protected me
and gave me the grace to pass through the hurdles of the SWEP programme successfully despite
the challenges. I also dedicate this report to my parents who supported me throughout the
programme.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First, I would like to thank God for his love, mercy towards me and my family – for life and good
health. I also want to thank the school management for providing an opportunity like this for the
students of engineering. I am grateful for this programme, organized by the management of
Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, for the students to gain
experience of the basics in the field of electrical, mechanical and civil engineering.

I want to thank the Ag. Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Engr. Prof. A. O. Akinola (Chairman,
SWEP Committee) Ag. H.O.D of the department of civil Engineering, Dr. Opeymi, Ag. H.O. D of
the Mechanical Engineering Department, Engr. Prof. A. O. Akinola, Ag. H.O.D of Electrical and
Electronics Engineering, Dr. Aiyelabowo, and all the Academic and Technical staffs of the faculty
for their support, guidance and contributions towards the success of the program.

I appreciate the technologists in the department of electrical, mechanical and civil engineering for
their guidance during the practical class. And also, for allowing us to handle some equipment
during the course of our project.

Lastly, I want to thank the students who actively participated in the programme.

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 Table of Contents
CERTIFICATION ............................................................................................................................ i

DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................ ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iii

1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Scope of SWEP ................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 SWEP Orientation ............................................................................................................... 1

1.3 Order of SWEP ................................................................................................................... 2

1.4 SWEP Safety Precaution ..................................................................................................... 2

2. LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 4

2.1 Civil Section: Concrete Technology and Concrete Mixing ................................................ 4

2.1.1 Concrete Based on Quality .......................................................................................... 4

2.1.2 Concrete Based on Component .................................................................................... 4

2.1.3 Various stages involved in building construction ........................................................ 5

2.2 Mechanical Section: Woodwork and Metalwork ................................................................ 7

2.2.1 Introduction to woodwork............................................................................................ 7

2.2.1.1 Classification of Wood .......................................................................................... 7

2.2.1.2 Felling and Seasoning of Wood ............................................................................ 9

2.2.1.3 Woodworking ........................................................................................................ 9

2.2.1.4 Common woodworking terminology .................................................................. 10

2.2.1.5 Woodworking Tools .............................................................................................11

2.2.2 Introduction to Metal Works ........................................................................................ 13

2.2.2.1 Metal Working Processes .................................................................................... 14

1. Metal Forming ........................................................................................................ 14

Manufacturing Technologies in Forming .................................................................. 14

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 2. Metal Cutting .......................................................................................................... 15

Technologies in Metal Cutting .................................................................................. 15

3. Metal Joining .......................................................................................................... 16

Processes in Metal Joining ........................................................................................ 16

4. Metal Casting .......................................................................................................... 17

2.2.2.2 Materials used in metal fabrication ..................................................................... 18

2.3 Electrical Section: Maintenance of Electrical Fittings and Accessories ........................... 19

2.3.1 Electrical Maintenance............................................................................................... 19

2.3.1.1 Electrical Maintenance Tools .............................................................................. 19

2.3.1.2 Types of Maintenance ......................................................................................... 19

2.3.1.3 Importance of Electrical Maintenance ................................................................ 20

2.3.1.4 Common Electrical Maintenance Tasks .............................................................. 20

CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 24

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 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Scope of SWEP

Students are engaged in training in the three departments of engineering irrespective of the one
they major in for practical exposure in key aspects of various fields of engineering. Projects are
also done in each of the departments. The students are given log book to record a summary of the
daily activities done on each day of the programme. A report that will contain a detailed technical
writing about the whole programme will be submitted by each student at the end of the programme.

The SWEP programme is held twice at different levels: the first one is GET 290 and is done by the
200 level students before they start a new session in 300 level and the second one is GET 390 and
is done by the 300 level students before they start a new session in 400 level. The two are 2 units
each which will be added in 400 level second semester with the SIWES which is 12 unit and that
will form the results for the second semester of 400 level.

1.2 SWEP Orientation

The SWEP programme started on the 18th of September, 2023, and it was kicked off with an
orientation session. Members of the SWEP committee came up to speak on various topics
concerning the SWEP. The 200 level and 300 level students received lectures together at the main
hall in Mega Campus.

We were informed on how the SWEP programme was an important part of our learning just like
our lectures. It is very important in our grades, in that any failure recorded from the SWEP
programme can lead to an extra year. Also, the programme is to prepare the students for industrial
work, which would be done during our SIWES or IT and also it can be helpful after graduation
when we get to the field.

A technologist from the mechanical department spoke to us about the project that we will be carried
in the mechanical, civil and electrical section of the SWEP programme.

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 • The project that was assigned to the mechanical section of the programme was, “Fixing of
the school benches (Wood Work and Metal Work).”
• That of the civil section of the programme was, “Construction of Walkway (Concrete
Technology and Concrete Mixing).”
• That of the Electrical section of the programme was, “Repair of spoilt electrical
installations around the school (Electrical Maintenance and Installations).”

1.3 Order of SWEP

1.4 SWEP Safety Precaution

During the course of the programme the following safety precautions were emphasized for the
success of the programme:

• Workshop coat must be put on always.

• All buttons on the coat must be put on always.
• Ladies with long hair must have their hair packed and fixed tight.
• Long ties must not be worn if they cannot be put under the coat.
• Running and playing pranks are not allowed during the programme.
• Tools dropped accidentally must be picked up immediately and oil spilt on the floor must
be moped at once.
• Machine must not be switched on unless one is told to do so.
• Instructions, given by the technologists or on the machine must be obeyed.
• Rotating parts must nit be stopped by hand.
• All rotating and moving parts of the machine must have stopped permanently before
changing the tool or the work piece.
• Before embarking on repair work ensure that the machine is disconnected from the mains.
• Always think of safety of yourself and also the safety of your neighbour while working.
• Safety boots or covered shoes must be worn always during the work.

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 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Civil Section: Concrete Technology and Concrete Mixing

2.1.1 Introduction to Concrete and Concrete Materials

Concrete is a mixture of fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, water and cement in a specified
proportion to form a homogeneous material or substance.

2.1.1.1 Classification of Concrete

Concrete can be classified based on the following:

• Based on quality
• Based on component
• Based on ingredient
• Based on strength

Concrete Based on Quality

Concrete based on quality is divided into pure concrete and weak concrete.

• Pure concrete: The cement content of the pure concrete is such that it will give the concrete
strength required to withstand or carry the designed load.
• Weak concrete: As the name implies the cement content is always minimal because of the
engineering function of weak concrete in structural elements of engineering structure. The
structural element of an engineering structure is the element that carries the load.

Concrete Based on Component

Concrete based on component is divided into mass concrete and reinforcement concrete.

• Mass concrete: This is the type of concrete prepared or casted without reinforcement. The
major component of mass concrete is concrete.
• Reinforcement concrete: It consists of reinforcement and concrete. If the situation
confirms that concrete is weak in tension and very strong in compression, then to

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 complement the weak tensile force in concrete there should be provision of reinforcement
that is very strong in tension.

Concrete based on ingredient

Concrete based on ingre

There are various types of reinforcement based on diameter and based on design.

➢ Those based on design include:

• Mild steel
• High tensile or high yield reinforcement.
➢ Those based on diameter include:
• 6mm
• 8mm
• 10mm
• 12mm
• 16mm
• 20mm
• 25mm
• 35mm

2.1.3 Various stages involved in building construction

• Surveying
• Clearing
• Setting out
• Excavation
• Blinding with weak concrete
• Setting of starter-bar reinforcement
• Form-work for short column
• Casting of concrete for short column
• Setting of blocks for foundation
• Filling with laterite/hardcore or sand

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• Casting of DPC (Damp Proof Concrete) or German Floor
• Setting of block wall to window level
• Setting of reinforcement for column
• Form-work for reinforcement
• Casting of concrete for column
• Reinforcement for lintel
• Form-work for lintel
• Concrete for lintel
• Setting of blocks for final level
• Form-work for beam
• Reinforcement for beam
• Concrete for beam
• Form-work for slab
• Reinforcement for slab
• Concrete for slab

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2.2 Mechanical Section: Woodwork and Metalwork

2.2.1 Introduction to woodwork

Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many plants. It has been used for centuries for both fuel
and as construction materials for building structures. In the strict sense, wood is produced as
secondary xylem in the stems of trees (and other woody plants). In a living tree, it transfers water
and nutrients to the leaves and other growing tissues, and has support function, enabling woody
plants to reach large sizes or to stand up for themselves.

2.2.1.1 Classification of Wood

Woods are generally classified into two broad categories:

• soft wood
• hard wood.

The difference between softwoods and hardwoods comes down to the type of tree they’re harvested
from.

Hardwood is wood from broad leaved trees of which many species are deciduous. Hardwood
trees are often slow growing and the wood from these trees is mostly harder than that of
softwoods. Softwood is wood from coniferous trees such as pine and spruce. Being readily
available, easily processable and with good properties softwood from pine and spruce are the
preferred wood species for window and door production in Europe.

Due to the name softwood, there’s a common misconception that they’re soft. While some
hardwoods are harder and more difficult to work with, many hardwoods are softer than their
softwood counterparts. The difference between hardwood and softwood doesn’t come down to
how hard or soft they are. Instead, they refer to the type of tree they come from.

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 Figure 2.1: Distinction between softwood and hardwood trees.

Table 2.1: Differences between hard wood and soft wood

S/N Characteristics Hard wood Soft wood

1 Colour Dark Light

2 Weight Heavy Light

3 Density Denser Comparatively light

4 Resin content Less Few soft woods are resinous

5 Ability to split Does not split easily Gets split easily

6 Workability Difficult Easy

7 Annual rings Close and indistinct Well-spaced and distinct

Tensile and shear Good tensile and Good tensile resistance but
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resistance shear resistance weak across the fibers
Does not catch fire
9 Fire catching Catches fire very soon
soon
10 Growth Growth is slow Fast growth

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2.2.1.2 Felling and Seasoning of Wood
Conversion of tree into timber or wood logs is called felling. A newly felled tree contains
considerable moisture content. If it is not removed, the timber is likely to wrap, shrink, crack or
decay.

Seasoning is the act of extracting the moisture content under controlled conditions, at a uniform
rate, from all parts of the timber. Also, seasoning is the drying out of excess moisture from wood.
It reduces moisture content of the wood to a stage that it equals the relative humidity of the
atmosphere where the wood will be used. Hot air or water is used for seasoning. Only a seasoned
wood should be used for all carpentry works. Seasoning makes the wood resilient and lighter.

The seasoning is carried out in two ways:

• Natural seasoning
• Artificial seasoning

In the natural method, the wood (timber) is stacked in open air where it is dried by the sun. in this
method, the rate of drying depends on the weather conditions.

The accelerated method (artificial method) involves placing the sacked timbers in a special drying
room or oven called kilns to speed up the drying rate. Seasoned wood has the following
advantages:

• Reduction in shrinkage and distortion to a minimum level

• Ease of mobility due to lighter weight
• Increase in strength property
• Provision of good surfaces for painting and other finishing operation

2.2.1.3 Woodworking

Woodworking is the process of making decorative and useful objects from wood, like cabinets,
fine tables, instruments, bowls, and more. It encompasses techniques like wood carving, joinery,
and woodturning.

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2.2.1.4 Common woodworking terminology

Below is a glossary of essential woodworking terms that represent common techniques:

• Jointing
Jointing is the process of preparing the edges of wooden boards for gluing them to another
board. It is commonly used for both flat surfaces and angled joints.
• Planing
Planing is used to smooth and remove excess material from wooden surfaces using a planer
machine or hand tool.
• Routing
Routing is the process of shaping, cutting, and trimming wood. The technique produces
finished edges and shapes using a tool called a router, which is commonly used for cutting
grooves in cabinets and furniture.
• Sawing
Almost every woodworking project starts with cutting down wood with a sawing
technique. There are many different types of saws used for different types of projects.
▪ Handsaws are lightweight, portable, and do not require a power source.
▪ Circular saws are efficient, easy to use, and portable. They are particularly effective
at cutting straight lines through the wood.
▪ Table saws are versatile, fast, and precise. The blade is exposed from below the
work surface, and the material passes over the table to be cut.
▪ Chainsaws are portable saws used to cut wood using a chain, powered by gasoline,
electricity, or a battery. It is best for initial rough cuts to shape a project, or for
sourcing wood when felling or pruning trees for the material.
▪ Band saws are great for cutting curves, rounded edges, intricate shapes, and more.
They come in many sizes, depending on the sizes of the stock you plan to cut and
the intricacy of your project.
▪ Jigsaws are electrically powered and cut with a back and forth or up and down
motion. The narrow blade makes them best used for cutting rounded shapes and
curves.

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 • Drilling
Drilling creates holes in the wood using a drill and bit. The drill driver spins the drill bit
clockwise or counterclockwise. The type of drill bits you use will depend on the size of
hole you need to create, the material you are working with, or the speed of the bit. The
range of sizes of drill bits varies vastly across 47 different sizes of standard drill bits.
• Gluing
Gluing wood joins two or more pieces of wood together to create a larger piece. When you
glue two pieces of wood together properly, the glued joint is stronger than the wood itself.
• Sanding
Sanding is a finishing technique that smooths the surface of the wood using sandpaper.
Woodworkers often start sanding with a medium grit, and work their way to a finer grit to
finish.
• Finishing
Finishing is the process of refining or protecting a wooden surface by applying a
penetrating finish or a surface finish.

2.2.1.5 Woodworking Tools

Woodworking tools are used to cut, shape, join, and finish projects. Generally, there are many
different types of each tool, and the type you choose will depend on the project you are interested
in making. Here are some of the most common tools and equipment you will use when you start
woodworking.
• Saws
Just about every woodworking project starts with a saw. There are many different types
that are meant for different materials, jobs, and more. A handsaw does not require any
power and is very portable. Electrical saws span from more portable circular saws to heavy-
duty table saws.

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 Figure 2.2: Types of powered saw (left part) and hand saw (right part)

• Blades
A key distinction between saw blades is the type of cutting they are used for. Coarse teeth
are usually ideal for rip cutting, which is cutting in the direction of the grain. Finer toothed
saws are used for cross-cutting perpendicular to the grain.
• Drills
Drills can be hand-cranked or motorized, depending on the scale of your job. For smaller
project without access to power, a battery-powered drill may be used. For jobs that require
more force and deeper holes to be drilled, a drill press is more suitable.

Figure 2.3: An electric drill, also including the label of its part

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 • Clamps
Clamps are necessary tools for joinery and an essential tool in the woodshop. They work
great as vises, or as an extra set of hands to hold your project in place. The type of clamp
used will depend on the size and scale of the job at hand.
• Chisels
Chisels have a sharpened metal blade and a handle and are often used in tandem with a
mallet or hammer, to shape and cutaway solid wooden material. Different styles of chisels
are used for different applications. Paring chisels are lightweight and are never malleted,
while mortise chisels are thick, heavy, and ideal for removing material from hardwood.
• Planers
Planers are used to smooth and remove excess material from flat surfaces. Power planers
are electrical and can plane a large surface area quickly, while hand planers are operated
by hand and focus on smaller areas at a time.

Figure 2.4: A hand planer

• Sanders
Sanders are used to smooth the surface of the wood using sandpaper, often applied in a
sequence of grits beginning with a larger grit and finishing with a finer grit. Power sanders
work well for fast jobs with large surfaces, and hand sanding is best for smaller projects.

2.2.2 Introduction to Metal Works

Metalworking is the process of forming and shaping metals to create useful objects, parts,
assemblies, and large-scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes,

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skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale: from huge ships, buildings, and bridges
down to precise engine parts and delicate jewelry.

Modern metalworking processes, though diverse and specialized, can be categorized into one of
three broad areas known as forming, cutting, or joining processes. Separately stands casting, which
is also one of the most widespread methods of getting metal parts. Casting involves pouring metal
into a mold, after which is cooled and solidified. Materials used for metalworking include ferrous
and non-ferrous metals such as steel, aluminum, gold, silver, bronze, iron, and more.

2.2.2.1 Metal Working Processes

1. Metal Forming
Forming is the process of fashioning metal objects through deformation without adding or
removing any material. Typically, it is performed using heat and/or mechanical loads to make the
desired shape. Forming itself includes various manufacturing technologies like bending, extrusion,
forging and more.

Metal forming is used for large-scale objects and big volume runs due to expensive machinery
with high stresses needed. Using this technology for small production would not be cost-effective.
Metal forming takes advantage of materials’ plasticity, which allows reshaping a blank piece
(sheets, tubes, blocks). As a result, the most commonly used in forming metals are steel, aluminum,
brass and copper

Manufacturing Technologies in Forming

• Bending
Metal bending is a manufacturing process that uses ductile materials; most commonly sheet
metal is processed through equipment like machine presses. Metal bending is considered
to be quite cost-effective for batches of low to medium quantity. Basically, there are three
types of bending on a press brake: air bending (most common), bottoming and coining.
Generally speaking, in bending a metal sheet (or form) is placed under a die that is pressed
or punched into it. To permanently deform a metal piece, the machine overbends the piece
to compensate for the material's spring back. Through using different angles or die shapes,
bending can deliver various shapes depending on the need.

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 • Forging
Forging is among the oldest metalworking processes. It uses local compressive forces to
shape the metal. Nowadays, industrial forging is done with specialized pressing equipment
(hammers) that can weigh more than thousands of pounds! There are hot and cold forging
methods, which are applied depending on the material type.
One of the significant advantages of forging is produced parts are stronger machined or
cast ones. When metal is shaped during the forging process, its internal grain texture slowly
deforms following the general shape of the part. After the process is complete, the finished
product has vastly superior properties.

2. Metal Cutting
Cutting is a process during which a part is shaped by removing excess material using different
tools. This process includes such technologies as CNC milling, routing, laser cutting and turning.

Technologies in Metal Cutting

Machining is a collective title for numerous processes in which a piece of raw material is cut into
a desired shape and size by computer-controlled equipment. Such methods are often referred to as
subtractive manufacturing, as opposed to additive manufacturing (3D printing) which builds a
product from scratch.

Machining is associated with the production of metal parts, though it can be used for a wide range
of materials including plastics, woods, composites, and more. The three primary (and most
common) machining processes are milling, routing and turning.

• Milling
Milling is a range of operations in which a cutting tool rotates, bringing cutting edges to
bear against a workpiece. Milling machines are the principal machine tool used in milling.
They can deliver diverse parts and are compatible with many materials. The limitations in
capabilities are usually tied to the machine's RPM and axes.
• Routing
CNC routing is similar to milling, with some CNC routing machines capable of performing

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 almost the same tasks as that of milling machines. Their primary functions are to cut,
engrave and carve objects out of a workpiece - essentially a replacement for the usual hand-
held tool (like a drill), but with the help of a computer control to eradicate human error.
• Turning
Machining processes that rotate a workpiece to move metal against the cutting tool are
called turning. Lathes are used in turning as the leading principal machine tool. Turning
works best for getting round objects and symmetrical components.
• Laser Cutting
Laser cutting works just like regular machining. The only difference is that instead of
mechanical tools, it uses a laser to remove portions of the material. This technology is
versatile as there are many laser types and powers available. The distinctive advantage is
that laser cutting can produce parts quicker and provide a better edge finish as the beam
polishes and melts it.

3. Metal Joining
Metal Joining stands for merging several parts of metal by processes like welding, riveting,
bonding, and others. Commonly, heating or a chemical reaction is used to melt edges of parts and
join them. Such a method allows the versatility of possible shapes and results. Some metal 3D
printing processes such as DMLS and EBM could also be called forms of welding since they melt
together metal powder grains.

Processes in Metal Joining

• Welding
Metal welding is a fabrication process that is based on joining materials via fusion – a
combination of pressure mixed with heat. In general, a filler material is added to form the
welded joint, so that in some cases, it can become even stronger than the original medium.
Welded operations can be categorized according to different energy sources that are used,
among which are gas flame, electric arc, laser, and ultrasound. The most popular welding
methods include:

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 ✓ Oxy-fuel welding (oxy welding) uses fuel gases and oxygen to weld and cut
metals.
✓ Shielded metal arc welding (electric welding) uses an electrode that is coated in
flux to protect the weld puddle. The electrode holder holds the wire as it slowly
melts away.
✓ Gas tungsten arc welding (inert gas) uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode
for producing the weld. However, the weld area has to be protected from
atmospheric contamination by an inert shielding gas such as argon or helium.
✓ Gas metal arc welding (inert gas) uses a wire feeding gun that feeds wire at an
adjustable speed and flows an argon-based shielding gas or a mix of argon and
carbon dioxide (CO2) over the weld puddle to protect it from atmospheric
contamination.
• Riveting
Rivets are permanent mechanical fasteners that can create kinetic joints in a workpiece or
reinforce the structural integrity of a larger object. They are ideal for joining pieces that are
lightweight and require high strength. Before welding was used to build framed buildings
and structures such as the Eiffel Tower and Sydney Harbour Bridge, rivets were used at the
joints to join the metal. Before they are installed, rivets are smooth metallic cylinders with
a head on one end.

4. Metal Casting
Metal casting is a metalworking process that has been around since ancient times and is still widely
used for making sculptures, tools, and jewelry. Most popular methods include lost-wax casting and
sand casting. They are subdivided by the mold material (e.g., sand or metal) and pouring method
(such as gravity or vacuum). Casting is great for getting custom parts in small batches or single
units. It can deliver complex shapes and geometries through fully melting metal and then pouring
it into a mold.

Each metalworking process has its pros and cons - that’s why the manufacturing method should
be chosen based on the budget and application

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2.2.2.2 Materials used in metal fabrication

There are some differences in metals used via each metal forming technology.

Generically speaking, the most commonly used ones are:

• Steels– are very versatile and durable metals. They are used in construction, tooling,
machinery and, thus, processed through forming a lot.
• Copper– is ductile and conductive. There is a high demand for copper parts in the electrical
and construction industries, so many copper parts are manufactured using forming. Copper
is also hard to process via some other methods (like laser cutting or machining, which is
possible but tricky).
• Aluminum– aluminum is easy to form and, more importantly, budget-friendly. Its
mechanical properties are fine, too, so aluminum parts are manufactured in great quantities.
• Brass– is a copper and zinc composite with excellent properties. It is diverse and can be
used for nuts, bolts, fittings, and knobs.

This list is surely not complete as many other metals can be processed. However, aside
from materials’ properties, production costs give a huge impact.

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2.3 Electrical Section: Maintenance of Electrical Fittings and Accessories

2.3.1 Electrical Maintenance

Electrical maintenance is the process of electrical systems inspection, testing, monitoring and
replacing all electrical parts as required, using hand tools, thermal imaging, computerized
programs and special measurement devices, to keep systems and machines working efficiently and
safely. Electrical maintenance is usually performed by an electrical engineer and electricians with
good experience and knowledge.

2.3.1.1 Electrical Maintenance Tools

2.3.1.2 Types of Maintenance

There are several types of maintenance in this field:

1. Corrective Maintenance

Corrective maintenance, is any task performed to identify, isolate or repair a fault which is actually
happened. This electrical maintenance approach is based on, that the cost for equipment repair in
fault cases are lower than the cost required for a complete program of maintenance.

It is called “Run to Fail” because, the equipment is left to run without any type of repair until it
falls and stops running, in this case it is repaired or replaced. One may think about corrective
maintenance as a bad maintenance strategy! well, it’s not bad all the time.

Some electrical equipment and devices require no maintenance during its life span! For example,
the light bulb, it is a clear example for corrective maintenance equipment. One more example is
fuses, no maintenance as well. All you do, put the fuse into service and let it to fail.

2. Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance, also referred to as PM, is a planned maintenance and performing regular
time-based maintenance on electrical equipment, so that it wouldn’t break unexpectedly.
This maintenance program is similar to the car periodic maintenance, it’s based on Kilometers the
car run not on the car condition. The main purpose of preventive maintenance is to reduce the

19
equipment unexpected fault chances and to control the machine condition. Preventive maintenance
is driven by time, meter or event-based triggers.

It’s mainly based on the assumption that a machine will degrade within a given period of time that
is common for its all type and is determined by the equipment manufacturer. The relevant parts
will be, replaced, removed or rebuilt on before the expected failure point.

3. Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is determined by the condition of equipment rather than expected life
statistics. Predictive maintenance evaluates the condition of equipment by performing periodic
(offline) or continuous (online) equipment condition monitoring. By monitoring the machine
during normal operations predictive maintenance tries to predict failure before it actually happens.
A scheduled repair is planned at a time that minimizes the impact on production when
predictive analysis spots an issue.

2.3.1.3 Importance of Electrical Maintenance

Performing regular electrical maintenance for assets increases the overall efficiency for all
equipment and has the following importance:

• Assures equipment working in optimal condition and increases the reliability of the
assets.
• Longer equipment life time.
• Reduces major repairs numbers and corrective maintenance activities.
• Saving unexpected faults down time and money. Planned maintenance makes the team
ready with all needed spare parts, this shortens the down time.
• Increase efficiency of the whole system.
• Increase safety at workplace. Doing regular planned maintenance is much safer than
repairing unexpected faults, which can happen any time, day or night.
• Save money on production loss due to unexpected shutdown.

2.3.1.4 Common Electrical Maintenance Tasks

• Testing electrical systems:

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 • Cleaning electrical components:
• Lubricating moving parts
• Tightening electrical connections:
• Inspecting electrical equipment:
• Calibration
• Thermal imaging

Electrical Accessories and fittings

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CONCLUSION

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