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TRANSDUCERS, TRANSMITTERS & SENSORS A SENSOR’S EYE VIEW OF MAINTENANCE


David Hannaby, market product manager for presence detection at SICK UK, explains the importance of data visualisation from sensors


energy price hikes. That means everyone from the maintenance technician to senior management is tightening their grip to protect and optimise their plant and machinery and get the most efficient operation. Manufacturers are told that signing up for so-


M


called “Maintenance 4.0” will deliver greater added value. But, when times are hard, the temptation is to stick with what you know. Seeing digitalisation through the eyes of sensors teaches us you really can squeeze every last drop out of your legacy assets while embracing new digital technologies. Smart sensors are combining with digital


services to open windows for operators to both ‘see’ and ‘understand’ what is going on inside their machines, providing new levels of transparency for operators to understand and interpret the data that sensors produce. We are now seeing the first examples


emerging of visualisation and augmented reality tools that can reveal surprising new insights just by presenting the data from sensors in an appropriate visual format. This new transparency could be enabled on a smart watch of an operative patrolling a shop floor, just as much as it allows for easier monitoring by a management team in the company headquarters on the other side of the world. Starting with a sensor’s eye view means you


anufacturers all over the UK are squaring up to higher operating costs as a result of inflationary pressures and


SICK’s SARA Augmented Reality Assistant in action


begin from the ground up. We can ‘plug in’ eyes and ears wherever they are needed to unlock previously-hidden data. We can then represent that data in ways that allow operating personnel at all levels to get health checks in real time and to see historic data in new ways. It could be as straightforward as managing


a digital twin of all your assets along their entire life cycles. For example, our customers use the SICK AssetHub to see a feature-rich and interactive view of all sensors, systems and other devices. In a completely different way, Augmented


Reality offers visualisation of data from sensors. New developments in the technology are enabling sensor data to be merged with a camera picture and the results displayed on a smart phone. SICK’s first development is SARA, the SICK


Augmented Reality Assistant. SARA has enabled simple troubleshooting and configuration of LiDAR sensors on Automated Mobile Robots. Diagnosis and correction of machine downtime, such as a field infringement, can be done ‘on the spot’ without the need to connect a PC. Getting visibility to the data from your


machines is just the first step to taking proactive, rather than reactive, service and maintenance decisions. You also need the connectivity, e.g. via an IoT gateway device, to deliver the data securely. Most importantly, you need the ability to integrate, visualise and analyse the data where and when you need it. New digital services platforms are enabling


plug-and-play condition monitoring to assist with preventative and predictive maintenance of sensors, machines, processes and plants. They can be adapted for all sorts of operating requirements to provide live status feedback and historical analysis supporting more effective maintenance. When enabled using pre-configured Apps


The SICK FTMg flow sensor can be positioned strategically to collect data on compressed air usage


running on SICK smart sensors, the SICK Monitoring Box provides transparent data monitoring through an intuitive, browser- based dashboard for desktop or mobile


devices. Depending on your requirements, information such as operating hours, wear, temperature, energy usage or level of contamination, is turned into a valuable resource. Crucially, users have the power to predict


e.g. to help to calculate, based on real measurement values, when a particular component or device is nearing the point of failure, so that it can be replaced before it leads to down time. We are already seeing how early adopters


are gaining unexpected insights. For example, using SICK’s monitoring app for its FTMg multifunctional flow sensor, one of our customers has identified energy cost savings from compressed air usage. By tracking consumption over time, compressed air energy losses are also easier to spot and correct. The visualised data makes it easy for the production team to identify ways of making start-up and shutdown processes more energy efficient, improving compressor control and managing peak loads. In another example, from the packaging


industry, data from SICK DT50/DT35 distance sensors is used to monitor the magazine stack height on a carton erecting machine. A sequence of fill-level warnings is then displayed on smart wristwatches worn by the shop floor operators. This has eliminated the need for regular checks and allowed personnel to be deployed to other tasks. Sensors and sensing systems are the


building blocks of Maintenance 4.0. By unlocking real-time and historical data, maintenance and production teams are afforded added flexibility, adaptability and responsiveness that saves routine service and reactive maintenance hours and maximises machine availability. As a result, intervals between service visits


can be optimised, machine stoppages avoided, and new efficiencies identified.


SICK (UK) www.sick.co.uk


NOVEMBER 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL 33

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