MEASUREMENT & MONITORING SMART SENSORS
AVT RELIABILITY
David Stevens , Technical Authority and Skills Competence Manager for AVT Reliability ® , explains the important role that ‘ smart sensors ’ can play in improving reliability while delivering cost-efficiency
Digital condition monitoring ( CM ) can bring considerable benefits in terms of improved asset performance and lifespan , reduced downtime , increased safety on the plant floor and more productive use of personnel – all of which can have a significant impact on maintaining a strong bottom line .
However , a company looking to digitalise its CM programme should carefully consider the capabilities of the technological tools available , to ensure they get the best return on investment .
The selection of sensors - the device fixed to a rotating machine to take measurements such as vibration and temperature - is a good place to start .
Fixed sensors with low price tags are available , but they require physical monitoring , cannot be configured to the specific requirements of the process , and produce no analytical data .
By contrast , advanced ‘ smart sensors ’ demand a higher price but deliver :
• Configurability
• Detailed analysis
• High data storage
• Accessibility and hazard limitation
Configurability enables a smart sensor to collect readings after a pre-determined time period and only when the machine is running . After a specified period of anything from one hour to four weeks , the sensor ‘ wakes up ’, ready to collect a full set of triaxial vibration readings . This is particularly valuable for batch process applications .
With advanced systems , the portal uses component templates with predefined vibration measurements . This can facilitate different frequency ranges and lines of resolution for vibration measurements , depending on the rotational speeds of the components . While many sensors only work between 10Hz and 1kHz , a smart sensor can be configured to take readings up to 5.5kHz , delivering more information at a far greater range and enabling a more tailored CM solution . It can also measure the components ’ surface temperature - particularly useful for continuously running machines .
Digital data collection enables up to 5,000 readings to be stored securely in the cloud , provides real-time analysis , issues alerts about impending problems and suggests pre-emptive action to avoid unscheduled downtime . This information can be accessed via any web browser , from any location .
A smart meter enables access to previously to hard-to-reach assets , or those in chemical environments , while remote data collection from , for example , an offloading pump , removes operator risk .
There can be a significant return on investment by investing in a CM programme . For example , one large chemical company saved £ 252,320 over 12 months after investing in an advanced cloud-based system and digital sensors , which enabled it to plan its maintenance instead of letting critical assets run to failure .
When it comes to digitalisation , they proved the old adage : ‘ you get what you pay for ’.
For further information , please visit www . avtreliability . com
88 PECM Issue 51