Monitran and DMS announce Diagnostic System Integrator partnership

Monitran - a world-leader in the development and manufacture of transducers for the measurement of vibration, proximity and displacement – and specialist engineering consultancy Drive Management Services (DMS) have formed a Diagnostic System Integrator (DSI) partnership.

The partnership offers customers a complete cradle-to-grave service, under which a single supplier provides quality products, installation, system configuration and full diagnostic support; all covered by a two-year warranty.

 Andy Anthony, Managing Director of Monitran, comments: “It has become the norm, particularly in the UK, for end-users to purchase sensors and monitoring systems themselves, without always appreciating how, where and why to position sensors to give optimum results. DMS on the other hand has the expertise to install total solutions that make best use of the sensors - and get meaningful results in order to provide ideal machine protection. We’re therefore delighted to have formed the Diagnostic System Integrator partnership with DMS.”

DMS has a proven track-record of providing condition monitoring equipment and services that include vibration analysis, ultrasound, thermal imaging and static motor testing. For example, DMS’s MachineGuard – a condition-based monitoring system designed to protect critical plant machinery by looking for changes in temperature, vibration levels and oil condition – is, along with DMS’s services, recognised as a practical and cost-effective Total Asset Management solution.

  Allan Findlow, Managing Director of DMS, adds: “We have a long-standing and excellent relationship with Monitran, and believe our DSI partnership – which is something of a diversion from the traditional supply chain model - will greatly benefit end-users.”

Vibration Monitoring - a key tool for maintenance engineers

Automation has become an essential tool for industry, delivering benefits that include increased productivity, consistent quality and cost reduction.  Yet automation also brings a new set of challenges, as more and more companies become increasingly dependent on physical rather manual assets.  In particular, machinery has to be constantly available – downtime costs money – which in turn places ever greater emphasis on the importance of effective maintenance.

In the current economic climate, with the challenges faced by manufacturers in 2011 – especially the pressures on operating costs - looking set to continue for the coming year, an effective maintenance strategy is critical.

An article to appear in a future issue of Insight – Non-Destructive Testing & Condition Monitoring will look at vibration monitoring as one of the key tools for plant and equipment maintenance.  It will focus on the sensor and detection technologies available, explain how these can best be used, and provide a guide for maintenance engineers to help them understand how to maximise machine uptime.

For example, in some circumstances where vibration is carefully monitored it is possible to extend operating life beyond recommended maintenance intervals, while in others a rapid increase in vibration must be taken seriously if a catastrophic failure is to be avoided.  The article will explain how to tell the difference between these different conditions and provide a set of guidelines that engineers can use in different applications.

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Winland Electronics Announces Receipt of Extension to Regain Compliance with NYSE Amex Continued Listing Standards

Winland Electronics, Inc. has announced that it received a letter from NYSE Regulation informing Winland that it made a reasonable demonstration of its ability to regain compliance with Section 1003(a)(ii) of the NYSE Amex LLC’s (the “Exchange”) Company Guide by May 29, 2013. Winland is currently not in compliance with the continued listing standards of the Exchange, however, the Exchange has given Winland an extension until May 29, 2013 to regain compliance with the continued listing standards. Winland’s listing on NYSE Amex Exchange is being continued pursuant to this extension.

See more at: http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120207006375/en

Mullaperiyar dam to get water build-up monitoring system

In an attempt to allay public concerns over the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam, the Kerala government has asked the department of science and technology to implement a real-time monitoring system for water build-up in the reservoir.
The attempt is to present a “factual and emotion-free” picture of the dam’s condition, government officials associated with the project said.
The system will consist of a network of cameras and water pressure sensors to predict levels of water build-up in the dam and provide at least a half-hour leeway for evacuation in case of a threat.
“This is the first time that such a system is being set up in the country to monitor water-build-up in dams,” said Nivedita Haran, additional chief secretary, Kerala. “We are trying to develop a system that can factually estimate the danger levels in the dam. It will be a system to assess danger levels emotionlessly.”
The Mullaperiyar reservoir, over the Periyar river in Kerala, provides water to several parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Both states have been locked in fractious disputes over the dam. Kerala contends the dam is old, has structural problems, and needs to be replaced with a new, stronger reservoir. Tamil Nadu refutes this as a ruse by Kerala to gain legal rights over the dam and potentially deny it its share of water.
While several expert committees—including one appointed by the Supreme Court—have over the years analysed the risks posed by the dam, it continues to evoke strong reactions in both states.

See more at: http://www.livemint.com/2012/02/06223757/Mullaperiyar-dam-to-get-water.html?atype=tp

Using Orbits for Condition Monitoring

Orbits have historically been used to measure relative shaft movement within a journal-type bearing. The shape of the orbit told the analyst how the shaft was behaving within the bearing as well as the probable cause of the movement. This was accomplished using proximity probes usually mounted through the bearings with a 90-degree separation and a tip clearance set to around 0.050 inches. With today’s modern analyzers, it is possible to also collect an orbit using case-mounted velocity probes or accelerometers to see how the machine housing is moving. Another way of putting it would be the orbit represents the absolute path in space that the machine housing moves through (see Figure 1).
 
Figure 1                                                             Figure 2
This is accomplished utilizing a two-channel instrument and collecting an orbit with the sensor of choice being a velocity probe or accelerometer. This is what’s referred to as a poor man’s operating deflection shape or ODS (see Figure 2).

See the rest of this article at: http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/28735/orbits-condition-monitoring

Oil-condition sensors can save miners money

Unexpected equipment failure and unplanned down-time significantly impacts on operational costs throughout the mining industry.

Over the last year Tan Delta has been working in partnership with a distributor and one of its [unnamed] customers to evaluate the benefits of fitting real time oil condition monitoring systems.

Tan Delta fitted its oil quality sensors to a variety of critical heavy mining equipment. The sensors monitored the real-time condition of the oil whilst the equipment was in operation and provided total clarity of the deterioration trend of the oil.

The system immediately alerted the operators to any oil wear or contamination and therefore enabled them to take action to prevent any consequential equipment failure, according to Chris Greenwood, managing director of Tan Delta.

“The operators were also provided with a constantly updated oil wear and condition trend line which enabled them to accurately predict the optimum time for servicing,” said Greenwood.

“The result was a measurable reduction in equipment failures, the associated costs and improved efficiency through the development of a dynamic servicing schedule,” the MD added.

Read more: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/channels/process-engineering/oil-condition-sensors-can-save-miners-money/1011606.article#ixzz1lJUBKr8F

Easylube System Integrates Radio Frequency Identification

Easylube has introduced an automatic lubrication system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to track and manage lube points throughout a plant. The computerized maintenance management system is designed to provide precision bearing lubrication and condition monitoring by recording each bearing specification, working condition, lubrication and maintenance history.
Exact regreasing volumes and intervals are calculated using minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) formulation. MQL software is included with each Easylube Patrol Management Kit and can be easily installed on a PC.


See more here: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28730/easylube-integrates-rfid

Condition Monitoring of Tactical Vehicle Engines

In 2004, a field trial was initiated over a four-year period with tactical and combat vehicles. The spectrum included armored reconnaissance vehicles (ARV) as well as main battle tanks (MBT). Oil samples removed from the monitoring well were taken every 90 days with an oil sampling kit normally used for aviation components. To avoid cross-contamination with other functional fluids taken from the vehicle, every sample was taken with a new sampling kit.
Among the monitored vehicles were 40 main battle tanks (Figure 1), 25 armored infantry fighting vehicles (AIFV), 16 armored howitzers, 25 armored reconnaissance vehicles (ARV) and 10 mechanized infantry combat vehicles (MICV).

                           

Figure 1

The evaluated oil parameters included:

• Kinematic viscosity (40 and 100 degrees C) and VI
• Water content
• Blotter spot test
• Oil dilution by fuel (GC)
• Soot content (IR)
• Nitration (IR)
• Oxidation
• Sulfation
• Organic contamination
• Wear and additive elements (AES)
• Particle quantifier index (PQI)

Many challenges were encountered, such as sampling by non-professionals, rotation in the staff, decreased availability of the vehicles, different oil service quality and engine oil compositions, non-documented oil refill quantities and long-term used vehicles with unknown current engine conditions. There was also a need for continuous evaluation and suitability testing of gained results, as well as strong varying vehicle mission profiles and sophisticated diagnostic research to gain reliable information concerning engines with suspected impending failures. In addition, the oil condition data could not be correlated with fuel consumption since the last oil service, as some vehicles had been operated for several hours without refueling before sampling.

Read the full article here: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28707/condition-monitoring-tactical-vehicles