MEASUREMENT & MONITORING
AUTOMATED FAULT DIAGNOSIS
AVT
TACKLING THE ISSUES OF EXCESSIVE VIBRATION
Automated fault diagnosis means vibration
related problems can be detected and dealt
with before they become a risk to operational
efficiency, says Oliver Pogmore of AVT
Reliability.
Vibration is a normal occurrence in all rotating
machinery. However, changes in the level
of vibration can be an important indicator
of a developing fault that, if left unchecked,
is likely to lead to equipment failure and
unscheduled downtime.
A variety of issues can cause excessive
vibration, from misalignment to poor
lubrication, but bearings in particular
are highly sensitive to external factors,
accounting for 40% of all rotating equipment
failures1.
Identifying the cause of excessive vibration
is therefore crucial to any effective condition
based maintenance (CBM) programme. And
digital technology is proving to be a key
driver for those companies most successfully
achieving operational efficiency within ever
tightening margins.
Low-cost, high-speed web based systems,
such as AVT Reliability’s Machine Sentry™, are
able to identify the ‘butterfly’s wing’ which
could result in premature bearing failure and
unscheduled downtime.
A tri-axial sensor fixed to a piece of rotating
equipment provides continuous monitoring
and visibility across three axes. Connected to
the software via a handheld android phone
or tablet via standard Bluetooth wireless
technology, it allows data to be collected
safely even from large, moving or hard-to-
access assets.
Its primary feature is an automated diagnostic
assistant (ADA). Informed by thousands of
hours of vibration data and extensive field
experience of vibration specialists, ADA can
predict stage 2, 3 and 4 bearing failure and
detect a wide range of other common fault
conditions commonly known to reduce
reliability or halt production. It presents up
to four potential points of failure, ranked in
order of likelihood, and proposes an action
plan to avert potentially costly equipment
failure.
It is calculated that, for every £1 spent on ADA
technology, at least £5 is saved in terms of
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time, expertise and hardware and software
costs. Over a three-year period, it delivers an
estimated increase in uptime of 33%. Parts
are reduced by 23% and labour costs reduced
by 16%.i
This technology is scalable to any industrial
plant and any maintenance engineer can use
it, regardless of qualification.
The continuous availability of data also
provides a bedrock on which to base an
ongoing maintenance plan. And with its costs
reducing in real terms even as the technology
advances, the time really has never been
better to consider a digital CBM programme.
www.avtreliability.com/
www.avtreliability.com/products/
machine-sentry