A new dimension
Published: 17 June, 2008
Plant Managers are under greater pressure than ever to get the most out of their assets. As this pressure has translated into increasing goals for Asset Effectiveness, condition monitoring has proved a powerful tool in the pursuit of improved availability, production rate, and quality.
The primary function of condition monitoring is to provide advance warning of faults, so that breakdowns can be avoided, and maintenance interventions can be carried out less frequently without increased risk. It also allows asset life to be extended, while reducing total cost of ownership by driving down maintenance costs.
Now the focus has shifted towards the need to improve Asset Efficiency, both to hold down energy costs and to minimise carbon footprints. In addition to replacing older equipment with new energy-efficient assets, companies are increasingly looking to monitor and manage the performance of the entire asset base. Artesis condition monitoring systems have an increasingly-critical role to play in this area, in addition to their traditional fault-diagnosis function.
The Artesis Motor Condition Monitor (MCM) makes use of mathematical modelling in order to carry out mechanical and electrical condition monitoring based only on measurements of voltage and current waveforms of motor-driven systems. This technique also provides the user with power information, allowing them to assess energy consumption and operating efficiency. In this way, a single inexpensive monitor is able to satisfy the requirements for monitoring and managing both condition and efficiency. For example, power and load factor can be compared online in order to optimise control strategy for pumping systems by adjusting the duty cycle.
Many users are also aware of the connection between deteriorating condition and reduced efficiency. Excessive misalignment or cavitation in pumps can have a serious impact, as can heating caused by bearing or electrical problems. The ability to proactively manage such problems allows condition monitoring to have a direct impact on operating efficiency.
As companies invest in new energy-efficient assets, their increasing CAPEX must often be balanced by a reduction in OPEX through the life of the equipment in order to achieve an attractive return on investment. Key performance indicators like Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) have now been joined by corporate metrics like Return on Net Assets (RONA), by means of which the ongoing value of investments in equipment can be judged.
In order to keep costs down, predictive maintenance implemented through condition monitoring becomes more essential than ever. The Artesis system is specifically designed to bring the benefits of predictive maintenance to as many organisations as possible, including many that may have found traditional approaches too complicated or expensive in the past. Its ability to provide information about energy management allows users to benefit from this functionality without having to make major investments in additional equipment.
Getting the most out of your assets involves parallel improvements in both efficiency and effectiveness. Artesis condition monitoring systems now provide benefits that go beyond traditional fault diagnosis to help users deliver in both these critical areas.
For more information about the Artesis system please visit: www.artesis.com
