Conditioning monitoring has been hailed as one of the all-time most important industrial innovations. However, many industrial sectors have yet to embrace the technology. This guide outlines some of the main benefits that machine condition monitoring offers.
What Is Condition Monitoring?
Condition monitoring is a principle of predictive maintenance. In other words, it provides the necessary information to determine whether events such as vibrations will cause problems further down the line. Unseen damage can have harmful cumulative effects that can lead to major issues, costing the British manufacturing industry upwards of £180 billion annually. However, costs and wasted productivity can be easily avoided if the initial damage is identified, monitored, and rectified. As such, condition monitoring is a strategic planning initiative.
Lower Maintenance Costs And Increased Profit
The primary benefit of high-level condition monitoring is that it reduces maintenance costs. Until this technology was available, companies had two options. Firstly, the financially unpredictable method of waiting until a problem arose and then paying to fix it. Alternatively, instigating a rigorous schedule of servicing. Both strategies are expensive, particularly so in the case of the ‘fix when it breaks’ approach, as hidden faults can cause extensive damage throughout the system as a whole.
Furthermore, when condition monitoring is employed, problems are instantly identified. This means that they can often be resolved before permanent damage or escalation occurs. This also minimises downtime, improving productivity.
Optimising Efficiency And Productivity
Unscheduled downtime can be both wasteful and expensive. The primary effects are seen in reduced productivity and efficiency, although the secondary effects can be equally damaging. These include missed project deadlines, damage to reputation, workplace stress, and challenges regarding coherent planning.
The majority of downtime can, however, be avoided. Employing proactive maintenance strategies, such as installing a machine condition monitoring system, enables manufacturers to take control of emerging issues. Increased uptime also helps to increase cost savings.
Coherent Maintenance Scheduling
Maintenance is an on-going element of oil and gas, power generation, nuclear, mining, and marine performance. However, choosing what to do and when can often feel like gambling in the dark. This is neither cost-effective nor strategically helpful, and inevitably leads to prioritisation being allocated to the wrong areas.
When companies have real-time insight into the condition of machinery, maintenance scheduling can be conducted from an informed position. This is a valuable strategy for streamlining performance.
Repair Rather Than Replace
Industrial equipment is designed to last, even in hostile environments. However, if damaging vibrations are not detected, many companies find themselves having to replace parts ahead of schedule. Such costs are unpredictable, unnecessarily high, and can have a significant impact on financial performance. Condition monitoring sensors and systems extend the lifespan of parts by identifying problems at a stage when they can be repaired. This saves money and time.
Long-Term Planning
Establishing accurate KPIs is vital for all industries. For this, careful analysis of productivity output is crucial, as this steers investment in the correct strategic direction. Machine conditioning monitoring systems involve advanced data analytics. As such, they offer a panoramic view into equipment and performance, unlocking the potential for informed long-term and short-term planning and investment.
What Next?
Sensonics have over 40 years’ experience in the design and installation of bespoke solutions for demanding industries.
For more information about how condition monitoring can provide a range of benefits, please give us a call today.
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