Wireless network offers savings, reduces downtime

Emerson has revealed how a self-organising network of Rosemount wireless temperature transmitters and a Smart Wireless gateway is delivering maintenance savings at a heavy plate mill in Brazil.

The wireless temperature transmitters and Smart Wireless gateway are also protecting plant assets and helping the Usiminas heavy plate mill avoid unscheduled stoppages.

Eight Rosemount wireless temperature transmitters, installed on the 'backup' rolls that are part of the facility's process to produce steel plates, measure the temperature of the roll bearing oil.

A Smart Wireless gateway collects this critical information and transmits it to the company's distributed control system (DCS).

Operators use this wireless data, along with the rolls' return oil temperatures collected by a hard-wired network, to automatically monitor the state of bearing health and to keep the steel plate-making process running smoothly.

The self-organising wireless network consistently provides Usiminas with data even though the temperature transmitters are subjected to extreme heat, water, oil and grease.

The hot, dirty conditions are also rough on the hard wired temperature sensors and their cables, and the sensors are very difficult and dangerous to access during regular maintenance.

Usiminas plans to replace these wired monitors with wireless temperature transmitters.

Back to top