PACKAGING EQUIPMENT FEATURE


KEEP PRODUCTION MOVING to meet customer demand


In order to reinforce the effectiveness of its thermal imaging solution one packaging machinery manufacturer uses it to build a heat signature record for all new equipment


B


ristol-based Kliklok International is benefiting from installing a thermal


imaging solution to ensure its equipment meets the high standards expected of it. The company supplies food packaging equipment to household names around the world. Its machines box, wrap or bag the food we see in our kitchen cupboards, fridges and freezers. We take packaging for granted but


there are serious consequences should the machinery used to manufacture it break down. Wear in moving parts is normal for any equipment and not least in bearings, rotational parts and chain rails of a food packaging line. Current demand in the food industry


means these machines are often working 24/7 so the consequence of a component failure bringing the production line to a halt is a headache that any line manager would rather not have. The ideal solution would be to predict


likely component failure so those parts could be replaced during routine maintenance before it fails and seriously impacts production. Complex equipment can hide worn machine parts and so a solution to pinpoint the component would be beneficial. The answer comes in the form of thermal imaging.


FINDING FAULT Thermal imaging isn’t new. Seeing how it fits in with your business however, may not be obvious. In 2009 Kliklok used a thermal imaging camera for the first time to identify a worn component. Using a borrowed camera it became obvious where the fault was and it underlined how effective thermography could be. All moving parts create heat but a worn component generates more. The component that had been troublesome to locate was found almost immediately by its heat signature, saving time and money. It wasn’t long before Kliklok started


evaluating thermal imaging cameras on the market as an indispensable tool for themselves. They needed something that could easily be transported by an engineer, show images clearly and with an ability to send these back electronically to headquarters if required.


camera, the testo 875-2 can take a true optical digital image that can be compared to a captured thermal image, very useful if used remotely to identify the part or area where a fault may be located. Kliklok now has a tool that can identify and overcome a mechanical problem before a costly breakdown. Furthermore, scanning electrical


installations clearly show unusually heavy loads, bad connections and arcing. Great news for the food industry and for the Kliklok service department as they can offer (and honour) quality maintenance and service agreements.


SAVING REPUTATION Preventative maintenance on-site may be the key advantage to Kliklok in using thermal imagery but to reinforce its effectiveness it is used routinely to build a thermal image or heat signature record for all new equipment being supplied. On average 20 images are taken but on


Advances in the technology and


production have also brought the price point down to a level that any company can easily afford – the cost savings made using it means it is also a piece of equipment these companies cannot afford to be without. After a full evaluation of thermal imaging cameras Kliklok chose the testo 875-2. “It was able to demonstrate all the


features that assist us in fault finding when servicing our customer’s equipment and all at a price that was well within budget,” explains service and installation manager Roger Mason. “It’s about having the right


specification at the right price, something which the testo 875-2 offered over other suppliers.” The camera has a good list of optional


extras but the standard equipment includes digital camera, USB connection and SD memory cards that permit the capture and transmission of images. Incorporating an integrated digital


/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT


Remote diagnosis ensures parts can be supplied and be on hand locally when they are needed


larger or more complex machines Kliklok can take up to 50 reference images of the various parts and components. This record can be supplied as part of the documentation shipped to the customer with Kliklok holding a master copy on file. This ‘fingerprinting’ allows the flexibility of either the customer’s own or a Kliklok engineer identifying a possible problem. The heat signature reference library held by Kliklok or the customer can be used for a comparison. If the customer has similar thermal


imaging equipment they could capture a thermal image and send this electronically back to Kliklok for comparison, in effect providing a remote diagnosis. With customers throughout the world remote diagnosis ensures parts can be supplied and be on hand locally when they needed. The testo 875-2 has proved to be an extremely cost effective piece of kit that protects Kliklok’s reputation in providing a quality product and ensures their customers keep the production lines running.


testo T: 01420 544 433 www.testolimited.com Enter 323


FACTORY EQUIPMENT | SEPTEMBER 2014 27


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