Plant condition monitoring is multi-technological

Responding to the need for increased production efficiency and plant reliability a condition monitoring service combines on-site, vibration monitoring with laboratory analysis of lubricants.

Responding to the need for increased production efficiency and plant reliability, asset management specialists Monition have developed a condition monitoring service to meet demanding operational environments.

Combining a multi-technology approach that includes both on-site, vibration monitoring of operational plant with laboratory analysis of machinery lubricants, Monition has developed a service that not only identifies developing mechanical faults at a very early stage - enabling maintenance to be scheduled well in advance of predicted breakdowns - but which provides organisations with the information to target their maintenance at fault prevention.

Partnership - distinctly different from typical condition monitoring packages, Monition's approach emphasises a close working partnership with clients to deliver a highly targeted service.

Plant machinery is individually profiled according to application, usage and criticality factors.

Monitoring programs are then developed to ensure that optimum levels of analysis are implemented, but only where and when necessary.

"We find far too often that condition monitoring has become routine and, in some cases, is totally unnecessary," says Monition M.D.

Mike Burrows.

"Monitoring simply for monitoring's sake is costly, and goes completely against the philosophy of CM as an efficient and cost-effective predictive maintenance tool." Reliability is focused - in fact, rapid technological development has greatly widened the potential application of condition monitoring.

No longer just a simple indicator of plant health, the powerful prognostic capabilities of CM are the cornerstone in a reliabilty-focused maintenance approach, aimed not just at predicting failures, but at eliminating them entirely.

Vibration - vibration signatures are monitored using the most advanced CSI equipment currently available.

The analysis of this data is refined to such a degree that not only are mechanical faults such as worn bearings and misaligned shafts easily identifiable, problems can also be detected before they have chance to contribute to component breakdowns.

"Our service supplies clients with the knowledge to not only recognise the onset of equipment failure, but to address the root causes leading to such failure," explains Monition's Condition Monitoring Specialist, Paul Price.

"Using the PeakVue technology of the 2130 two-channel datacollector, we can actively monitor the stress waves that occur during component and machine operation, long before the point of actual breakdown.

"Therefore, even before damage can be caused, we are working alongside clients to refine their maintenance and cost-effectively improve the reliability and longevity of their plant." Tribology - the lubrication management service based at Monition's laboratories in Nottinghamshire, operates a sophisticated package of oil analysis technologies to produce clear, pertinent, client-focused information of plant condition.

Samples taken from on-site machines undergo thorough testing processes, which can pinpoint true mechanical faults, isolate deteriorating components and detect any ingress of dirt or water that will quickly ruin the effectiveness of oil.

The 'trending' of characteristics through a period of oil sampling produces clear, visual indicators of any change in component or lubrication condition.

Monition push this one stage further, interrogating trended data to identify critical factors - such as changes in oil chemistry - before such factors can contribute towards future failure.

Comprehensive approach - combined, Monition's 'multi-technology' approach offers a practical and comprehensive solution for the precision analysis of plant health and reliability.

As a company that is fully independent from component manufacturers or suppliers, and quality assured to BS EN ISO 9001:2000 standards, Monition's services are dedicated to delivering on increased plant reliability, productivity and maintenance cost-efficiency.

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