MACHINE MONITORING - Plant operators can use predictive maintenance to better plan the downtimes of their plants and outsource plant maintenance or repair.
Machine manufacturers can use this technology to open up new business models for themselves - for example, by offering permanent system availability as a service. Either way, what is needed in any case are measurement data acquisition devices, a measurement data management system and appropriate software for data processing. Many machine manufacturers are asking themselves what they can do in the age of digitalization and Industry 4.0 to stay ahead of the competition. What customer requirements already exist or will arise in the future? How can you make your business fit for the future? Condition MonitoringThe monitoring of machine status using machine data is largely state of the art.
The machine data is much more useful if it is used for predictive maintenance. This usually requires additional sensor readings. In this way, however, risks from previously unforeseeable, unplanned system downtimes can be greatly reduced, almost eliminated.
With adaptive algorithms
Predictive maintenance uses intelligent algorithms that analyze many different operating parameters and provide a forecast of when individual system components are likely to fail. The system operator is thus able to plan downtimes in such a way as to avoid downtime. This enables the plant operator to plan downtimes in such a way that they have as little impact as possible on the planned operating sequence. The algorithms used for this are often 'adaptive', i.e. they improve their forecasting quality with the number of monitored systems. A cloud that can be accessed worldwide is a particularly good choice for implementing such adaptive systems, especially if systems at different locations are to be monitored centrally. In order to use condition monitoring or predictive maintenance systems efficiently, the various machine data sources must be networked with each other and connected to the cloud.
An efficient analysis can only be carried out if all operating parameters are brought together, collected and evaluated centrally. For example, this can involve a relatively large amount of work for machine parks that have grown over the years. But even with new systems, many system operators want the option of connecting to cloud services of all kinds. Operators may also want to network a large number of globally distributed systems and monitor them from a central control center.
Complete solutions create more benefits
As a rule, plant operators no longer want to plan their monitoring application in detail themselves and assemble the individual components such as sensors, data acquisition devices, measurement data management and software for visualization and analysis on their own. Instead, they look for a complete solution in which they receive all components, including installation and commissioning, from a single source. This way, they can rely on the functioning of all parts of the system and only need one point of contact when it comes to servicing and maintaining this system.
In addition to the advantages of a complete solution, customer benefits can be further increased if the system operator no longer has to worry about commissioning, planning and carrying out maintenance or repair work, but can also place these tasks in the hands of the system manufacturer. In this highest service expansion stage, the business model of the plant or machine manufacturer is expanded. It no longer generates its profits solely from the sale of machines and systems, but also generates additional recurring income by providing guaranteed machine availability over a certain period of time. This model has a number of advantages for the plant operator. He pays a fixed monthly amount and in return receives guaranteed availability of his plant for this period. The costs can be calculated precisely in advance and unplanned expenses can be virtually eliminated.
How can a plant or machine supplier best meet these customer requirements? The easiest way to do this is for the plant or machine manufacturer to work with a measurement technology provider such as Delphin Technology, which has all the components needed to set up a globally networked monitoring system, from the acquisition hardware and central measurement data management to the global, location-independent visualization and analysis of the measurement data. Every system sold can be equipped with the necessary hardware and software and connected to the central measurement data management system and the cloud. This enables the plant/machine manufacturer to offer its customers a customized complete solution that can even include services as required.
Image: Ico Maker@Adobe Stock, Delphin Technology AG