Data acquisition Connect me, do not forget me
The abacus has been around for roughly 4,500 years. Before the development of the calculator, it was relied upon for many mathematical calculations. Now, it is primarily used to teach young children how to count - although the tool is old, that does not mean it is entirely redundant. Here Jonathan Wilkins, director of industrial parts supplier EU Automation, gives his advice on how manufacturers can collect data from legacy equipment
old. In many facilities, this legacy equipment forms the backbone of the manufacturing plant. There is nothing wrong with this approach — if your line is running smoothly, there is no need to invest heavily in a new system. However, the amount of data that can be
B
collected from legacy equipment is limited. Typically, it will not have been designed to connect to the Internet of Things (IoT) so any data collected by the machine will not be communicated to a central system or any other machines in the facility. In addition, there may be parameters that the manufacturer will now want to measure, that were not a priority when the equipment was purchased. But without investing in a new system, how can manufacturers obtain the data they need?
CoNTiNUiNg THE lEgACy In this situation, there is no need to panic. Technology is now available that enables the acquisition of new data from legacy equipment and, even better, can communicate with the rest of the plant. One such example is the Data Station Plus, developed by Red Lion. The device is a protocol converter, which
connects the gap between disparate serial, Ethernet and fieldbus devices to unlock information from programmable logic controllers (PLCs), drives, motion controllers
and more. The device means that legacy equipment from different original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will become compatible and therefore able to communicate. Data acquired from all connected devices can be compiled into a single CSV file, which the manufacturer can store for later.
Work smArTEr Another piece of equipment that manufacturers can now connect are motors. As one of the most energy intensive pieces of equipment in a facility, it is important that manufacturers carefully monitor the condition of their motors to ensure they are running efficiently. To acquire data from legacy motors, pumps
and mounted bearings, manufacturers can purchase the ABB Ability Smart Sensor. Manufacturers can place the sensor on their equipment to convert a legacy device into a smart wireless connected device that reports on vibration, temperature and other parameters. Maintenance engineers can use this information to plan maintenance according to machine condition, rather than carrying it out at regular and unnecessary intervals. This can help by reducing downtime, maintenance costs and by extending the life of the equipment. Another technology that enables data
28
acquisition from legacy equipment is B&R’s Orange Box, which can read machine data from older equipment without changing any of its hardware or software. With this information, manufacturers can see the performance metrics of legacy equipment and identify the changes that need to be made to their maintenance programme. Manufacturers can also gather information on overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and take steps to improve efficiency across the production line. By collecting more information on machine
condition and efficiency, maintenance engineers can improve energy efficiency and their maintenance routine. It could even help them implement a predictive maintenance strategy, detecting any abnormalities in equipment performance and predicting a failure in advance. The manufacturer can then contact an obsolete parts supplier to source and replace legacy equipment before downtime occurs, saving time and money. While the abacus has been reduced to a
teaching tool, legacy equipment is here to stay. By adding data acquisition capabilities to existing equipment, legacy equipment can be connected, instead of forgotten.
EU Automation
www.euautomation.com March 2019 Instrumentation Monthly
ecause industrial equipment is built to last, manufacturers may find that they are using machines that are 20 to 30 years
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
