A lean work force, tight profit margins and increased competitive pressures have manufacturers seeking new ways to produce more goods at lower costs. In the area of maintenance, leading-edge MRO departments are expanding programs like asset management and reliability-centered maintenance and are using condition-based monitoring tools to monitor equipment health to reduce unexpected downtime. This is especially true in continuous-flow and process applications in which each hour of unplanned downtime can be extremely costly.
As part of a larger maintenance strategy, outsourcing the diagnostics and monitoring of critical machinery can be an effective tool in the battle to maximize asset availability and plant efficiency. In situations in which machine performance is critical but in-house analysis is not practical because of limited resources, outsourcing offers a cost-effective solution.
An Ounce of Prevention
To achieve maximum service life for rotating equipment such as pumps, motors, compressors and mixers, the focus must be on the components that make up the equipment. Avoiding premature equipment failure begins with analyzing the environment and conditions in which the equipment must operate.
The goal of condition monitoring is to trend and analyze the equipment operating data in sufficient time to minimize failures and prevent unplanned downtime. In addition, the data obtained can be used to predict future machine performance. For example, instead of routinely changing oil on a piece of equipment based on the calendar or hours run, advanced monitoring and diagnostic technology is capable of predicting when the oil is breaking down (which might be later than initially thought). When these predictive techniques are incorporated on a plant-wide basis, companies can cut maintenance costs dramatically while increasing equipment availability.
This strategy represents a significant shift in philosophy and resource allocation and deviates from traditional maintenance approaches. That is, an investment and commitment need to be made not only to fix a problem, but also to ferret out the root cause. For example, rather than simply knowing a bearing in a motor needs replacement, one must determine the cause of the failure.
Among the commonly used techniques for condition monitoring are vibration, lubrication and temperature analysis. These techniques can identify gradual changes in machine condition – sometimes weeks or months before problems become visibly apparent. For example, in applications in which a pump is not performing to expectations, it often can be traced to a seal problem. But a seal failure is often a symptom of something else such as misalignment, overpressure or high temperature.
A Pound of Cure
Today’s outsourced condition monitoring services take on many forms. First, an audit of existing maintenance strategies and their successes or failures is required. This audit can be performed to help companies define the most critical metrics, most unreliable equipment, employee skills sets and maintenance costs. These factors then can be benchmarked against similar companies.
Using new Web-based predictive technologies, manufacturers can obtain in-depth information about the operating condition of their capital equipment, without the costs associated with a full-time staff trained in condition-based monitoring and analysis.
Machine condition data is gathered locally (in intervals predetermined by the service provider) using handheld data collectors or through permanently mounted acquisition devices. The data then is imported into a database where it is transferred via the Internet to a team of outside consultants. These experts analyze the data to identify machine condition. The recommendation given by the service provider then could be used to drive the appropriate maintenance activity in a planned fashion.
Although each application is different, condition-monitoring experts can advise companies of commonalties they see in similar applications that can be applied proactively to a customer’s situation. Likewise, a manufacturer with facilities in different parts of the world but with similar production equipment can gather information from each plant and identify cross-organizational trends.
Machine condition data gathered using handheld data collectors can be sent to a team of outside consultants for analysis and machine condition identification.
Machine-condition data gathered using handheld data collectors can be sent to a team of outside consultants for analysis and machine-condition identification.
Measuring the Return
For many manufacturers, it might be highly impractical to implement an effective on-site monitoring program, particularly in applications with a small number of critical machines, or where production occurs in isolated locations. An offshore oil rig is an excellent example. The isolated nature of an offshore oil rig not only lends itself to remote analysis, but it also could be an excellent use of online condition monitoring. Disruption of drilling is extremely expensive, with unplanned downtime potentially costing thousands of dollars per minute in lost revenue. Remote monitoring allows machinery performance data to be analyzed on-shore, where experts can identify any abnormalities and then alert maintenance personnel who are able to perform recommended actions on the equipment.
Outsourced condition monitoring services and remote diagnostic services can be tailored to virtually any application, whether a manufacturer needs periodic surveillance or constant evaluation of critical machinery. Moreover, cost of ownership is lower because there’s no need for companies to purchase and maintain software on site. The outside service provider can host the data remotely and provide secure Web site access to those who need it.
Bottom line: Cutting edge manufacturers are maximizing their investment returns by focusing on their core business. They realize they can improve production efficiency by being more strategic with their resources and more effectively leveraging available technology and outside resources.
Probably 80% of all testing. performed in electrical power systems is related to the verification of insulation quality. This Cadick Corporation Technical Bulletin briefly describes the fundamental concepts of insulation testing including – insulation behavior, types of tests, and some test procedures. For more detailed information, refer to the bibliography at the end of the paper.
Probably 80% of all testing. performed in electrical power systems is related to the verification of insulation quality. This Cadick Corporation Technical Bulletin briefly describes the fundamental concepts of insulation testing including – insulation behavior, types of tests, and some test procedures. For more detailed information, refer to the bibliography at the end of the paper.
When selecting pressure measurement transmitters, the first stage is whether to opt for a transducer or a transmitter. Although the terms are often confused, there are several differences between transducer and transmitter devices. A transducer creates a low-level electronic signal in response to changes in applied or differential pressure. As with transmitters, transducers feature an internal sensor that converts the applied force into an electrical signal, from which the measurement is derived.
When selecting pressure measurement transmitters, the first stage is whether to opt for a transducer or a transmitter. Although the terms are often confused, there are several differences between transducer and transmitter devices. A transducer creates a low-level electronic signal in response to changes in applied or differential pressure. As with transmitters, transducers feature an internal sensor that converts the applied force into an electrical signal, from which the measurement is derived.
The paper deals with the method of gearbox diagnostics fault detection, and shows that using: design, production technology, operational, change of condition (DPTOCC) factors analysis leads to the inference of gearbox diagnostic information. In the paper is a review of the current possibilities for using mathematical modeling and computer simulation for investigating the dynamic properties of gearbox systems. Computer simulation of dynamic behavior of gearboxes is a powerful tool for supporting gearbox diagnostic inference.
The paper deals with the method of gearbox diagnostics fault detection, and shows that using: design, production technology, operational, change of condition (DPTOCC) factors analysis leads to the inference of gearbox diagnostic information. In the paper is a review of the current possibilities for using mathematical modeling and computer simulation for investigating the dynamic properties of gearbox systems. Computer simulation of dynamic behavior of gearboxes is a powerful tool for supporting gearbox diagnostic inference.
In its simplest form, vibration can be considered to be the oscillation or repetitive motion of an object around an equilibrium position. The equilibrium position is the position the object will attain when the force acting on it is zero. This type of vibration is called "whole body motion", meaning that all parts of the body are moving together in the same direction at any point in time.
In its simplest form, vibration can be considered to be the oscillation or repetitive motion of an object around an equilibrium position. The equilibrium position is the position the object will attain when the force acting on it is zero. This type of vibration is called "whole body motion", meaning that all parts of the body are moving together in the same direction at any point in time.
As the infrared industry continues to develop, documentation will become more important and required. Infrared video recording and data logging creates a database, making the thermographer and the end user accountable for all items surveyed, thereby reducing the liability and improving the quality for both the end user and infrared thermographer.
As the infrared industry continues to develop, documentation will become more important and required. Infrared video recording and data logging creates a database, making the thermographer and the end user accountable for all items surveyed, thereby reducing the liability and improving the quality for both the end user and infrared thermographer.
During Academy of Infrared Training courses, we see many students who have purchased an infrared camera that is not suited for their intended use. These students have put their trust in a camera salesperson, and, many times, that salesperson was solely interested making a sale. Later, these students are disappointed to find out that the camera is not truly suited for their application. This article aims to help the camera buyer understand what basic camera specifications mean, and also help them determine what type of camera and options are suitable for their application. If you note your answers to questions throughout this article, by the end you should have a custom list of applicable specifications and options.
During Academy of Infrared Training courses, we see many students who have purchased an infrared camera that is not suited for their intended use. These students have put their trust in a camera salesperson, and, many times, that salesperson was solely interested making a sale. Later, these students are disappointed to find out that the camera is not truly suited for their application. This article aims to help the camera buyer understand what basic camera specifications mean, and also help them determine what type of camera and options are suitable for their application. If you note your answers to questions throughout this article, by the end you should have a custom list of applicable specifications and options.
The purpose of this paper is to introduce condition monitoring and reliability engineers to the principles of using ultrasound for the assessment of machine condition. Ultrasound can be a complimentary technology to vibration, thermography and lubrication monitoring. It must be emphasized that it is rarely successful as a stand alone technology for effective machine condition assessment and subsequent required maintenance planning. This paper concentrates on the use of airborne ultrasound as a complementary technique particularly for machinery that may be inaccessible due to guards or hazardous locations.
The purpose of this paper is to introduce condition monitoring and reliability engineers to the principles of using ultrasound for the assessment of machine condition. Ultrasound can be a complimentary technology to vibration, thermography and lubrication monitoring. It must be emphasized that it is rarely successful as a stand alone technology for effective machine condition assessment and subsequent required maintenance planning. This paper concentrates on the use of airborne ultrasound as a complementary technique particularly for machinery that may be inaccessible due to guards or hazardous locations.
