❱❱ Complex rotating equipment requires careful monitoring and vibration analysis to detect defects early, below; the portable FAG detector is easily connected to fixed position transducers or can be used with its own sensors, inset; industrial fan imbalance due to dirt build-up can be detected early with vibration due to imbalance, bottom
patrol
sensors do not need to be permanently fixed to the machines/equipment, the portable sensor allows the engineer to move from one asset to another, taking vibration measurements at the pre-planned positions on the assets,” he says. Alternatively, the factory may have
installed permanent sensors on some assets, particularly those that are difficult to access or dangerous to be around, such as the saw in a saw mill. “In this scenario, it is safer to install fixed
sensors on the saw and run cabling away from the sensor to a junction box in a safe area, where the maintenance engineer can plug-in the FAG Detector III to take vibration measurements,” continues Pledger. Generally, defining sensor positions does
require some careful consideration, some experience of vibration monitoring techniques and a good knowledge of the machine to be monitored. In particular, knowledge of how vibration is transmitted through the machine will help define sensor positions. “Placing vibration sensors in the correct
location on a motor, belt drive and fan arrangement, for example, can provide measurement data that can help determine whether the fault is likely to be a bearing defect, fan imbalance or belt misalignment,” explains Pledger.
SENSOR PLACEMENT With such a wide variety of industrial applications, the measuring device must have the flexibility to deal with different modes of usage. There will be times when different transducers are required for different measurement points as well as occasions when accelerometers are fixed in place as part of the installation. I asked Pledger if the preferred option is
for permanently fixed transducers, into which the technician plugs the instrument to ensure repeatability between measurements. He explained that the FAG Detector III is supplied with the full range of accessories required to carry out vibration monitoring, including a portable sensor and magnetic holder. “On a patrol monitoring route where
THE RIGHT SKILLS With so many options and the potential for making mistakes, the role of patrol monitoring requires some skill and an understanding of vibration analysis. I asked if the those skills generally exist in Schaeffler’s target industries. “Many of Schaeffler’s customers don’t
have the knowledge or the required maintenance resources in-house to do this type of vibration monitoring themselves,” he says. “Other customers do the patrol monitoring part and then send the vibration measurement data to an expert at Schaeffler, who can then analyse it.” Schaeffler also provides training and can
mentor maintenance engineers on site until they are confident about using the vibration monitoring hardware and software themselves. EE
❱❱ To read more on the EFW case study online, scan the QR code or visit
https://goo.gl/tbtqbk
March 2018 /// Environmental Engineering /// 39
PATROL MONITORING AT EFW FACILITY
Schaeffler is performing patrol monitoring and vibration analysis for an energy-from-waste (EFW) facility, where it is able to detect damage to components such as bearings and gears early and prolong the life of fan, conveyor and pump motors and gearboxes. Some 60-70 items of critical
equipment on separate furnace feed lines are analysed on each visit. Using the output from the Trendline software, Schaeffler recommends any repairs or remedial action that is required. The resulting action plan isn’t just the
replacement of bearings. An example cited by Schaeffler is recent advice it gave to the EFW to inspect, clean and rebalance some fan blades on a large primary air fan. Over a period of several months,
vibration data collected from the fan’s non-drive end motor showed a slowly increasing velocity trend, which suggested a minor issue was developing. The customer took the fan offline to
steam clean the blades in the workshop and after refitting it, the fan vibration and noise levels returned to their normal state.
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