Wireless online monitoring sensors have changed how machine data is collected, transported, and analyzed.
They have been used by companies that want to have more effective control of the situation and performance of their machines since it is possible to obtain data collected with high frequency and precision by being done remotely.
This type of sensor is especially interesting for large industrial parks, which have continuous or intermittent production, or those located in difficult access points or far from large centers, thus avoiding installing large and wired networks.
In this article, we will show the benefits of using wireless sensors for online monitoring and why it has been the best choice for those who want to maintain high performance in industrial plants.
Technology in predictive maintenance: software’s help has changed how we do the monitoring.
Predictive maintenance began in the 1940s in the US air force. In the 1970s, the use of offline data collectors increased, but today we know that they demand much manpower.
Traditional predictive maintenance consisted of making collections with data collectors, also called datalogs, through a single sensor attached to the end of the equipment from a cable. It was a portable instrument that required the presence of a person to collect data at the factory, usually on a monthly basis.
With Industry 4.0, as of mid-2015, the wireless sensor system for online monitoring began to emerge; at that time, the installation involved investments in infrastructure, with large cable networks to transmit the information.
The quality of remote monitoring of the machines has improved significantly since the cadence of collection, which was monthly, can now be 700 times greater.
In this way, online inspection became much more accessible. It began to be carried out in bulk, always with the same objective: to guarantee the proper functioning and availability of the machines.
Nowadays, remote monitoring with wireless sensors has virtually no limitation in its expansion, changing the amount of monitored equipment from hundreds to thousands. One of Semeq’s customers will install around 50,000 sensors in the next few years in its manufacturing plants.
Benefits of using wireless sensors for online monitoring
Wireless networks dramatically reduce the costs of installing, maintaining, and performing asset monitoring systems.
Check out some benefits of using wireless sensors for online monitoring.
Association of vibration sensors with analysis of electrical circuits.
Vibration analysis and electric motor circuit analysis sensors cover 100% of faults; 67% of failures are covered by vibration analysis, and 33% by circuit analysis of electric motors.
Prescriptive insights
The most modern approaches to preventive maintenance use machine learning and AI to discover valuable insights from data. With these capabilities, sensor solutions identify potential failures and predict how long a machine or process may have before it fails.
It is important to note that artificial intelligence and machine learning systems need much historical data to learn.
Thus, unlike other predictive monitoring companies, Semeq has the largest database on the market, around 70TB, allowing the application of AI and ML to be more accurate and application development to be faster.
Companies that do not have a robust database will have to wait for machines to break down numerous times before they can “train” their AI systems, exposing their equipment to failure.
Spectral Analysis
When capturing frequencies, they are transmitted in grouped (mixed) form. In Semeq’s algorithms, they are classified mathematically, which allows interpretation of the various failure modes leading to accurate determination of potential failures.
Our algorithms also rely on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning based on our extensive databases, as mentioned above.
Prescriptive analytics report
MySemeq, our report delivery platform, allows viewing the diagnoses of all predictive techniques and performing results management in a single place.
Integration with the ERP allows for automatic service orders with fast and consistent feedback. It also improves the follow-up of work orders and ensures the execution of reports.
Wireless sensors for online monitoring: online vibration and temperature analysis.
Due to technologies such as Bluetooth, many more wireless sensors can now be connected to machines. These wireless sensors for predictive monitoring service capture critical data online that is transmitted to a central cloud server via a wireless gateway.
Our online vibration sensors detect numerous potential failure modes in equipment. By associating vibration and temperature analysis, they broaden the detection possibilities, significantly increasing system reliability.
Learn about some advantages of our wireless sensors for online monitoring.
Early-stage failure detection
When a limit determined by our algorithms is reached, an alert is generated, and analysts have access to the machines’ condition data. In addition, SEMEQ’s algorithms allow forecasts leading to the estimation of the time available for the execution of the maintenance.
Quick Setup
Wireless sensors for online monitoring can be installed very quickly, without wires, compared to traditional wired monitoring. After all, the energy for its operation comes from replaceable batteries.
Some companies offer sensors with non-replaceable batteries, leading to the need to completely replace the sensors, which ends up being financially unsustainable. For example, imagine a plant with thousands of sensors discarded every time the batteries run out; ultimately, the budget becomes impractical for many companies.
With a configurable and scalable system, you can add hundreds of wireless sensors and configure each individually.
Flexibility in applications
The most diverse equipment benefits from online monitoring. The predictive maintenance service can be applied to engines, power systems, boilers, steam system components, gearboxes, bearings, etc.
Find out how we carry out online monitoring of machines in industrial plants.
SEMEQ cares about machine health, while other companies care about disease. SEMEQ’s significant role is to bring this predictive and preventive culture, allowing potential machine breakdowns to be identified early enough for interventions to be more effective.
Installation of sensors for data collection
With the online system, sending a person to collect data is unnecessary, as it is done automatically. With these remote monitoring features, around 720 data collections are made monthly, a much more significant number than the offline collection, usually done only once or twice a month. In this way, the chances of a failure occurring are drastically reduced.
Results Management
Semeq’s wireless sensors for predictive service and our team collect data, and our labs analyze these algorithms. Then, our engineers manage the results, presenting the best machine maintenance solutions.
Diagnosis
Our predictive service and remote monitoring of plants identify gaps in industrial parks, suggesting actions and corrections that should be prioritized.
Choosing the most suitable technique depends on the type of machine and the needs of each company. Our team of professionals with expertise in predictive maintenance performs this analysis.
We are a reference in online predictive maintenance monitoring.
SEMEQ has 300 employees and over 500 monitored factories, with a presence in 40 countries. To meet customer needs, our predictive monitoring company has teams to advise on installing and improving maintenance models distributed worldwide. In contrast, the analysis team is concentrated in our control rooms.
Talk to our consultants and avoid surprises at your industrial plant!
