PROCESS AUTOMATION FEATURE CONDITION MONITORING SPRINGS INTO ACTION


AVT Reliability is helping Highland Spring with its condition monitoring journey, increasing plant reliability and protecting assets


H


ighland Spring Group is the largest producer of naturally sourced bottled


water in the UK. They operate with highly critical assets throughout their manufacturing plants, including blow moulders, rinsers, fillers and labellers. If one of these assets goes down,


production comes to a halt. Therefore, it is key that the health and condition of these assets is continuously monitored and maintained to the highest standard, to ensure that assets run to their optimum, and unexpected shutdowns are prevented. Highland Spring Group selected AVT


Reliability to assist them with their condition monitoring (CM) journey on line 4 at the Blackford site in Perthshire, Scotland. The line produces a total 119,000 plastic bottles of water per hour, in sizes ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 litres. Highland Spring wanted AVT Reliability to help increase plant reliability and protect these critical assets. The project aims were to: • Increase productivity • Extend machinery lifespan • Optimise the periodic maintenance


programme • Reduce machinery maintenance


expenditures Following a site survey, AVT Reliability


engineers advised that the best suited CM technique to increase plant reliability was to carry out vibration analysis using Machine Sentry Online (MSO-1), on the line’s main drive motor and gearbox, as well as the rinser, filler and capper carousels. MSO-1 is ideal for vibration monitoring


FUNCTION BLOCK FACTORY SAVES TIME, COST AND DELAYS


An open software service that creates ready-made IO-Link function blocks to integrate data from any IO- Link device into a wide range of common PLC control systems has been launched by SICK. The SICK Function Block Factory is said to be the first web-based service of its type that enables users to


create function blocks automatically from any IO-link device with an I/O device description (IODD), no matter what the device type or its manufacturer. Creating function blocks from scratch can be a laborious task and errors can easily creep in and be


repeated. Using the SICK Function Block Factory service, users without specialist IO-Link knowledge can configure and create their own function block libraries and reuse them in their PLC programs as often as needed. The new 24/7 service offers to save time and cost for example when setting up an IO-Link device for the first time, replacing a device, or adjusting parameters during operation. To create a function block, users simply sign in to the SICK 24/7 web service, select the IODD file for the


IO-link device and the chosen PLC system. The name of the function block can be edited to suit naming conventions. Then, the IO-Link parameters and key features of the function block are selected. With a click to finish, and an easy e-cart payment, the function block is ready to go. The function block created can be used to read and write parameters and service data for any IO-Link device. “In a typical factory or logistics operation, dozens of sensors could be performing the same function,”


said Charlie Walker, smart sensor specialist with SICK UK. “So, the ability to create function blocks quickly and easily, at any time, will save time, cost and prevent delays in production.” SICK


www.sick.co.uk / PROCESS&CONTROL


security. As the platform is cloud based, engineers are able to analyse and report on data within minutes, wherever they are in the world. All asset health and analytics are completed in the system, meaning all data remains in one location. In January this year, the MSO-1 system


on continuously running, highly critical assets. The data being recorded is trended in real time, which allows remedial works to be carried out during a planned outage. Readings are automatically uploaded to the cloud-based platform, Machine Sentry, and secured to ISO27001, one of the most widely recognised international standards for industrial supply chain


An example of Machine Sentry Online data


Damage to the raceway highlighted by MSO-1 (top pic)


Damage to the bearing landing area on the shaft (bottom pic)


at Highland Spring Group generated an email alert which identified increasing vibration levels on the outfeed start wheelbearing. This email alert allowed engineers to take action and investigate as soon as possible before the situation got out of hand. Following analysis from expert engineers at AVT Reliability and discussion with the client, the conclusion was reached that the vibration increase was due to a possible bearing issue. Bearings had not been replaced since 2003. As the fault was found early, further damage to the asset was prevented. If the fault had gone undetected, there could have been catastrophic damage, resulting in a more expensive repair and extended plant downtime. MSO-1 allowed engineers to analyse the


data collected, and predict when a failure was going to happen. The engineers at Highland Spring Group were then able to plan scheduled downtime and complete the planned work scope within three days, saving 48 hours of repair time, amounting to a total of £16,800. When the cost of the Machine Sentry system is removed, the actual saving is £10,300 after this one incident alone. The production line has operated without problem since. Following the work completed by AVT


Reliability, David Simpson, site engineering manager at Highland Spring Group said: “To assist our goal in achieving a world class engineering department, the biggest area to improve was to reduce reactive maintenance and supply our operation customers a reliable preventive maintenance schedule, ensuring machine up time is increased to meet our growing marketplace demand. “AVT Reliability came onsite and


presented the products they could supply to help us achieve this. Machine Sentry Online was chosen and installed with almost no disruption to our production line. “The benefits are huge, with the early


warning reports identifying potential issues and reporting recommended actions, which we add to our weekly maintenance plan and rectify. Machine Sentry Online will be my option as we roll this excellent analysis tool out to other production lines.”


AVT Reliability www.avtreliability.com


PROCESS & CONTROL | NOVEMBER 2020 19


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