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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