Regular monitoring and maintenance of machines to ensure optimum machine availability is key to achieving maximum production and overall plant efficiency. However, manual monitoring with the use of portable devices can be inefficient, and harsh conditions can hamper maintenance work and compromise worker safety.

SKF recommends that operators switch from a manual to an automated machine monitoring system that includes a data collection process that enables operators to increase the availability of rotating equipment. The company’s Enlight Collect IMx-1 vibration and temperature sensors allow operators to collect critical data on the health of machines and equipment more often and from locations that were previously inaccessible, requiring fewer technicians and increasing worker safety.

By collecting data more frequently, operators can detect problems more quickly and predict machine failures in advance, allowing for proactive, preventative maintenance. In addition to reducing expensive unplanned downtime and maintenance costs by avoiding premature failures, machine life cycles can be increased, and asset reliability can be optimised.

The compact, battery-powered IMx-1 sensor is designed to be easy to install and allows operators to build an automated machine monitoring system powered by Cloud-based Internet of Things solutions and artificial intelligence-driven analytics. Mounted to a bearing housing, the sensor automatically monitors the condition of rotating parts on heavy industrial machinery and forms a scalable network to collect a range of critical health data from the rotating assets. It can detect and process a range of commonly experienced problems such as unbalance, misalignment, high temperatures, looseness, electrically-induced vibration and early-stage damage to bearings and gears.

Large volumes of wirelessly-collected data are sent to a host computer network which is then uploaded to the SKF Cloud and connected to SKF Rotating Equipment Performance (REP) centres where SKF application experts conduct analyses. Automated data interpretation and expert fault verification systems allow operators to interpret large volumes of machine data, giving invaluable insights into REPs.

The IMx-1 system relies on a ‘mesh network’ which allows sensors to relay data between each other, enabling data to be routed around radio obstacles such as pipework.  The mesh network is self-forming, allowing the system to be quicker and easier to deploy compared to other wireless systems such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In addition, the system is designed to optimise bandwidth usage and power consumption, leading to longer battery life.

The system has been designed to be robust and to achieve a tough ingress protection rating of IP69K, which ensures reliable operation in harsh conditions with high exposure to dust, dirt, oil, grease, contaminants, flying debris, temperature changes, wind, rain, high-pressure hot water wash-downs and more.

The SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 can be initiated on a fee-based contract, which aims to help operators to access automated predictive maintenance on an existing operating budget.