EU-funded remote monitoring scheme unveiled
monitoring system for production machinery claims that the
technology is ready to be put into practice.
The scheme, entitled Minimum Cost, Minimum Size, Maximum Benefit Condition Monitoring System, (MINICON) will hopefully lead to greater automation and should facilitate the maintenance of machines located far apart from each other.
Those behind the scheme such as Finnish research centre VTT believe that such advances could boost the international competitiveness of firms that rely heavily on automation.
"We demonstrated the prototype in March from our Machine Diagnostics Centre," said Aino Helle, senior research scientist at VTT Industrial Systems. "Now it's ready for development into a product. There's still a lot to be done to turn it into a functional commercial system, such as ensuring the security of data transfer."
The idea was to create a light system that works at a minimum size and cost, so that small and medium-sized enterprises can also use it.
The designers predict that when the new remote monitoring system is adopted, machines and equipment will malfunction or be knocked out of service less often. Companies will no longer need to make expensive, often needless, trips to check up on facilities.
Instead, corporations will be able to concentrate on pre-emptive monitoring of machines at a greater distance that show signs of potential upcoming problems.
Thanks to the new electronic surveillance, demanding maintenance jobs can be carried out in a timely fashion with minimal disruption of machine operation. Based on wireless M2M (Machine-to-Machine) technology, the system constantly transmits key figures back to a central base.
The monitoring system works independently from the machines' own control systems. It can be attached to individual machines, but is particularly well suited to maintaining and troubleshooting large sets of machinery.
"It's best suited for monitoring series of machines that exist in great number, such as pumps and valves," said Helle.
Pre-emptive monitoring is increasing being used in the food processing industry. Buhler for example developed software capable of performing an automatic check on a production line's sorting capabilities, enabling trouble to be prevented before it can cause downtime.
The software, called Z Anyware, registers certain data of the sorter at regular intervals and transmits it to a centralised database. This allows malfunctions or poor performance to be detected immediately so that Sortex can correct a fault on site or remotely. In fact the data of the sorter can be accessed from anywhere in the world. All the authorised engineer needs is a PC and an Internet link.
