Today, we live in an era where businesses rely on various technologies to operate successfully. Thus, it is essential for businesses to have constant health surveillance on their machine or components of it. However, this is easier said than done. Depending on the industry, facilities may be located in hazardous locations for constant visits. Furthermore, visiting might be costly for a business as it adds to the cost of labor and transportation. Especially, since most parts have to often operate 24 hours each day, seven days per week.
To meet particular demand, the concept of condition monitoring came to existence. Monitoring a particular machinery condition, such as vibration, is known as condition monitoring (CM). This aims to detect signs of significant changes that can indicate any impending failure. This allows businesses to be more intelligent and proactive. The data collected provides valuable information about the current and historical state of the machine. Additionally, it also creates predictions for the machine’s future behavior. The method is typically used on rotating equipment such as gearboxes, reciprocating engines, centrifugal machines, or backup systems.
There are two standard methods for condition monitoring: trend monitoring and condition checking. These two methods provide an inside look at how the machine or the components of the device will operate over time.
This is a continuous, regular measurement, and interpretation of data. The method involves studying the behavioral trend of the machine or a component of it.
An example of trend monitoring is routinely tracking airplane engine data to detect and diagnose abnormalities in engine performance to prevent costly damage.
Advantage : The advantage of trend monitoring is that it can be replicated, checked, updated, and refined to guide strategic planning.
Disadvantage : There are certain limitations with trend monitoring. There might be certain turning points which create unexpected challenge
This involves taking periodic check measurements with an appropriate indicator while the machine is running. The measurement taken here is to see the condition of the machine or a component of it while it is running.
An example of condition checking is using an oil sight glass like a condition monitoring pod to check the condition of a machine’s lubricant in real-time.
Vibration Analysis is the process of measuring the vibration levels and frequencies of machinery. The measurement has three parameters: acceleration, displacement, and velocity. The information collected is used to analyze the machine’s or component’s health. Here are the following problems that can be detected with vibration analysis.
Furthermore, vibration analysis also comes in various categories of measurements.
Recall that condition monitoring uses vibration monitoring. Vibration sensors give businesses the ability to record speed, acceleration, temperature, and bearing condition characteristics.
Here are the following conditions of the machine that can be read from the parameters.
There are two standard technologies used in vibration sensors: MEMS and Piezo.
As a business, if you are interested in smaller, less expensive, and easier methods of installation, we recommend using MEMS over Piezo.
The vibration system keeps track of three key metrics.
All of this information is logged in monitoring software. Then the software compares and contrasts with average behavior. If the readings are outside the range, the system will alert the user. Technicians or specialists can use the data to identify patterns and predict the root cause of the problem.
In a previous post, the importance of vibration sensors was listed. Monitoring vibration is beneficial for any businesses that use heavy equipment. Here are brief advantages of vibration analysis.
IoT Vibration Systems use real-time observation that allows technicians to identify and perform repairs before massive failures. Furthermore, with this real-time data, businesses can create an effective repair schedule that minimizes the loss as possible.
This three importance minimizes the downtime for businesses as possible. Companies can repair when necessary rather than break down machines or critical failures.
For those still trying to convince, here is a list of failures that vibration monitoring can detect.
Bearing is a common feature of rotating equipment. It must be fitted and custom designed to a machine so it can function properly. Since the bearing is an essential component, this also implies that they are a common source of failure. Potential bearing defects include the following:
Failure to detect them will rapidly lead to machinery malfunctions. On the bright side, vibration sensing has been proven to be a valuable tool for bearing detection.
Machines must be lubricated or be oiled or greased to minimize friction and allow smoother movement. In most cases, lubrication problems will often result in vibrations. Here are some common lubrication problems:
This is a vibration-related problem caused by contact between gears as they rotate inside the machine. Gears must be aligned to flow smoothly for the device to function correctly. Gear defects will result in inefficient function, increased stress, and noise that will damage the machine over time. Positional shifts or manufacturing errors often cause gear misalignment.
Typically, misalignments can be broken down into two categories:
Misalignment describes components other than the shafts such as motors or pumps. The cause of misalignment can occur because of improper assembly, maintenance error, component shifting, thermal expansion, and uneven wear. This can lead to undue stress over time adding to wear and fatigue.
This is another common problem in rotating equipment and is defined as a rotating part with one portion that is slightly heavier than the rest. This is usually because of manufacturing defects, deformations, or maintenance errors. No matter what the reason is, they will all lead to damage. Furthermore, off-balance rotating parts create a centrifugal force placing stress at a higher rotational speed.
Businesses that practice vibration monitoring have significant benefits. The benefits include the following:
Equipment repair and maintenance functions themselves are expensive. Costs can be significant due to the hiring of technicians, payment for tools and replacement parts, and the cost of labor identifying the problem. While the installation itself may be costly, conditioning monitoring helps identify problems before they become critical failures that increase the overall cost and loss.
Recall the common saying, “time is money.” Keeping up with and scheduling the machine’s health maintenance is time-consuming. Vibration sensor allows business to spend less time taking manual readings on machines or components. The time saved can be spent addressing actual problems that need immediate attention.
Vibration monitoring assists with predictive maintenance, a technique designed to help determine the condition of the equipment. This allows businesses to create better work schedules that accommodate orders, repairs, and downtime. This maximizes the efficiency of maintenance operations while minimizing the effect on overall productivity.
Damaged machines or components will lead to a less efficient business. Additionally, downtime for repairs or source detection will kill productivity. However, vibration sensing targets both of these issues as they identify problems early, and constant monitoring prevents critical failures avoiding downtime.
Any business knows that replacing components or entire machines is expensive. Thus, having them operate for a long time is a necessity for a business. By identifying what the problem is, vibration monitoring can keep the machine alive. Sometimes, businesses will replace machines or parts that can be easily repaired. Vibration monitoring allows businesses to find problems quickly and save money by repairing them rather than replacing them.
As a business, it is important to take care of your worker’s health and well-being. This can happen by having a safe workspace. Damaged or malfunctioning machinery is a safety hazard and can be dangerous for technicians to perform maintenance. With vibration monitoring, critical failures can be caught early and technicians can be aware of potential dangers.
What are specific ways in which businesses can benefit from vibration monitoring? Here are some of the following examples:
There are many more markets and applications where vibration sensors can be used.
However, there are some disadvantages for vibration monitoring. Here are some list of disadvantages:
While there are some negatives with using vibration monitoring, most of them are short run. In the long run, businesses can benefit from the various blessings that come with it. Furthermore, while most are factory or warehouse-based, various industries are applying these methods. We hope you take the time to consider and implement vibration monitoring to your work.
