Continuous machine monitoring
April 2008
Sensors & Transducers
The Efector Octavis vibration monitor from ifm electronic, detects rolling element bearing failures and shaft unbalance conditions in four locations simultaneously. The bearing monitor is now available as a master control unit, bringing down the cost of preventative maintenance.
Rolling element bearings are one of the most commonly occurring components on the shop floor. As both a load-bearing and moving component, their condition determines the efficiency of the machines, yet monitoring their condition continuously has proved costly until now. Affordable sensors mean vibration monitoring is not restricted to only the most critical bearings, and eliminates the need for extensive training in vibration frequency analysis.
Efector Octavis detects rolling element bearing failures and shaft imbalances on critical equipment such as pumps, motors, mixers, compressors, fans and spindles. The unit is permanently mounted on plant equipment to continuously monitor a machine’s operating condition through vibration analysis. Vibration signatures are analysed and used to predict future failures. Alarm conditions are generated prior to failure, thus optimising machine availability and plant uptime.
Vibration monitoring has become more affordable
The monitor incorporates an accelerometer, analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, digital signal processor (DSP) and diagnostic electronics in 40 x 40 mm housing. These components provide the platform for gathering, processing and interpreting vibration data.
Configuration software is used to set-up application parameters such as bearing types, shaft speed and output conditions via an RS232 interface. These parameters allow the system to monitor only critical damage frequencies in the vibration spectrum and ignore all external noise. Up to five different rolling elements on a machine and 20 individual frequencies can be monitored from a single unit.
Functionality includes a teach button and an integrated alarm display. The alarm display provides two switching outputs that indicate early warning and critical alarms. The vibration pickups, which can be up to 30 m from the central diagnostic, are housed in stainless steel with an IP69K rating for industrial environments.
For more information contact Celia de Beer, ifm electronic SA, +27 (0)12 345 4449, www.ifm.com
Further reading:
Miniature inductive sensors
ifm - South Africa
Sensors & Transducers
The inductive IY/IZ type sensors from ifm are used in various industrial areas where space is limited.
Read more...
The expanding role of 3D cameras in industrial quality control
TANDM Technologies
Sensors & Transducers
Across factory floors, warehouses, mines and research centres worldwide, computer vision paired with 3D camera technology is revolutionising quality control.
Read more...
PDS implementation on mines
Sensors & Transducers
Level 9 vehicle intervention for collision avoidance has been mandatory on South African mines since 2022, yet the effective roll-out of proximity detection systems remains slower than expected. This is not due to the technical limitations of integration but to operational readiness on site.
Read more...
Monitoring analogue process values
ifm - South Africa
Sensors & Transducers
Everywhere in industry, electronic sensors are used to detect process values such as temperature, pressure or flow. Process value monitoring often takes place directly in the sensor.
Read more...
Protecting buildings’ embodied carbon with retrofitted systems
Schneider Electric South Africa
Sensors & Transducers
The World Economic Forum has said that around 80% of the buildings in existence will still be around in 2050; it is therefore essential that in order to combat climate change we retrofit them for energy efficiency.
Read more...
Listening for damage to wind turbines
Sensors & Transducers
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, working in concert with the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems, has developed a solution that can be used to identify cracks and breakage inside wind turbine blades remotely at an early stage.
Read more...
Enhancing gold leaching efficiency
Endress+Hauser South Africa
Sensors & Transducers
Endress+Hauser offers a range of advanced technologies designed to enhance the stability and accuracy of pH and dissolved oxygen measurements on gold processing plants.
Read more...
Powering safer mining with PDS
Sensors & Transducers
With the mining industry under increasing pressure to prioritise safety without compromising productivity, Booyco Electronics is pushing the boundaries of Proximity Detection System and Collision Avoidance System technology across both underground and surface operations.
Read more...
The car of the future listens
Sensors & Transducers
The perception of external sounds in cars has been lacking, even in automated driving. That is why Fraunhofer IDMT-HSA is researching the integration of acoustic sensor technology in its KI4BoardNet project with the Hearing Car.
Read more...
High-performance LineScan camera
Sensors & Transducers
Lynred, a global leader in infrared imaging technologies, has launched its next-generation SWIR LineScan camera and sensor, specifically designed for the inspection of silicon wafers, solar panels and waste management.
Read more...
printer friendly version