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Shake, rattle, and monitor
Imagine trying to find the person clicking their fingers at a Def Leppard concert. You’d think vibration monitoring a vibrating asset would be just as tricky. But it’s not if you talk to ERIKS.
Vibration monitoring is an effective way to identify abnormal operation in an asset. But what if the asset’s normal operation involves vibration? Is it possible to vibration monitor, for example, a vibratory conveyor or a clay mill in a quarry, without a complex, hi-tech, expensive solution that can never be cost-effective? If you don’t believe it’s achievable, then ERIKS are here to shake things up.
Shaking-up vibration
With any maintenance and repair function, the keys to success are to first understand the asset, then to understand the application. Only then can you establish the most effective way to maintain it, repair it – and monitor it.
Successful vibration monitoring is no different. What makes it possible to vibration monitor a vibrating asset is understanding that it’s not simply vibration that’s being monitored but change in vibration.
Once you know how the vibrating asset operates, issues can be identified when the nature of the vibration changes. As long as the sensors are mounted in the correct places, they can provide a clear picture of the asset’s normal behaviour, pick up any change, and provide an alert for issues as they arise.
If, for example, the vibration changes from a side-to-side motion to a backward and forward motion, it’s a warning sign.
Reading right
Acquiring useful data depends not only on taking the right readings from the right place, but also on taking them at the right time within the right parameters.
Data from a heart-rate monitor, for example, is useless if it doesn’t identify which readings relate to when the person was resting, and which from when they were running a marathon.
ERIKS’ solution is to use wired vibration sensors, remotely uploaded with parameters according to the state of the asset – such as its current operating function, load, and speed. All displayed in real time using ERIKS Smart Asset Management platform.
This enables partitioning of the data gathered, and like-with-like comparisons which make it easier to identify abnormal results. ERIKS’ lengthy monitoring experience, together with the scale of ERIKS’ monitoring installations, also allows data to be compared between similar assets in similar applications nationwide. That means vibration data anomalies can be spotted far more easily, and the root cause identified far more accurately.
Biopsy or autopsy?
The belief that vibrating assets can’t be vibration monitored has left many of them with undiagnosed issues, leading to unnecessary repeat repairs, deteriorating efficiency, and underperformance.
Misdiagnosis of root causes of failure can lead to the wrong components being replaced, while the problem continues, and the asset continues to deteriorate. Ultimately, the continued wear and tear can lead to catastrophic failure, and associated damage to connected assets and components.
Diagnosing the failure mode at this point is the same as conducting an autopsy on a patient. When the asset is already ‘dead’ it’s too late to save it. But utilising correct condition monitoring enables biopsies: gathering data, accurately identifying the root cause, and targeting the ‘treatment’ to achieve maximum success with minimum intervention, disruption, and cost.
ERIKS’ extensive experience and know-how also enables a more holistic approach. This can lead to quicker and simpler steps to help reduce wear and extend asset life. For example, if vibration monitoring identifies the issue is with the bearing, then a simple change to the lubrication regime could solve the problem.
Alternatively, if repeated motor failures have only led to repeated replacement of motors, then vibration monitoring and ERIKS’ know-how could reveal the cumulative effects of the unresolved root cause. These could be anything from deterioration of anti-vibration mounts to the imminent failure of critical structural welds.
This effective early warning not only helps avoid the cost, downtime and lost production resulting from catastrophic failure of the asset. It also makes it easier to: make the right decision on the necessary next steps; schedule the maintenance, repair or replacement; avoid the health and safety risks of carrying out engineering works under unwanted pressure of time.
So, technicians can sort out the shakes without being rattled, and your asset will always be ready to roll.
Click here for more information on Asset Management, or contact your local ERIKS Service Centre, who will be happy to discuss your options with you.
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