INSTRUMENTATION
Dynamic QR codes simplify analysis
I
ncreasingly stringent environmental legislation around industrial emissions is putting the onus on plant operators to ensure that they measure their emissions as accurately as possible. Such plants are regulated under strict European and
national laws to protect the environment and human health. These regulations determine the ideal maximum
number of hours that the equipment can be offline for tasks such as maintenance and checking. If these limits are broken and a plant is not in conformance with the regulation it can have serious consequences including fines and even plant shutdown. As specialised pieces of equipment, air quality
emissions analysers can be complicated to operate and maintain, especially where there is a lack of specialist on-site support. In particular, the trend towards outsourcing equipment maintenance to third parties has placed an increased onus on fast problem resolution to meet the regulatory requirements around analyser uptime. Outsourcing incurs time while the fault is
diagnosed and possible solutions suggested. This is where the dynamic QR code assistance tool can help.
HOW DOES THE TOOL WORK? Traditional QR (quick response) codes are ubiquitous bar-code-like squares that can be scanned by mobile devices such as smartphones to instantly access information resources, such as text, a website or an electronic publication. Dynamic QR (DQR) codes take the advantages of
QR code technology one step further. Unlike QR codes which are static and can only display a limited amount of predefined, hard-coded information, DQR codes are able to reflect the real time status of the device in question. Every time a new DQR code is requested by the user, the DQR software pulls updated data and status information from a central source, which can be in control of several separate gas analyser modules. The DQR codes combine with the interactive
❱❱ The dynamic QR code tool helps industrial operators, above, with the operation and maintenance of process gas analysers; the dynamic QR code assistance tool, inset, can obtain diagnostic data that can then be relayed to service teams for analysis
David Lincoln of ABB Measurement & Analytics explains how a new tool is using dynamic QR codes to simplify the operation and maintenance of air quality analysers
display on the continuous gas analyser systems to provide a real time analysis and health check of performance history, together with direct and quick access to important device serial number information needed for service professionals to access a device’s history and ideal-state status. Using the tool is easy, with the operator simply
needing to scan the code on the analyser display with any QR code reader app now available on most new smart phones or using ABB’s myInstalledBase (myIB) app. If needed, the code can also be forwarded via e-mail for fast access to advice and guidance, including repair history and parts requirements.
FROM DATA TO INTELLIGENCE With the industrial world undergoing a digital transformation, the use of dynamic QR codes introduces a convenient means of increasing measurement data availability for customers who have analysers installed in remote locations, have strict remote connectivity policies, are looking to reduce the burden of operator knowledge needed to run advanced analytical systems or are seeking competitive advantage that speed can provide. As a relatively low-tech and well-established
technology that is reliable and easy to read under difficult conditions, dynamic QR codes provide an ideal method for the types of harsh environments typical of many continuous gas analyser installations.
PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS The future trajectory of dynamic QR code assistance will see it move from the enhanced troubleshooting and improved human-machine interactions available today to predictive maintenance. By coupling DQR code data with the cloud, analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), it will be possible to troubleshoot continuous gas analyser problems more effectively and prevent issues before they start, helping plant operators increase productivity, reduce downtime and improve resource utilisation. T&TH
March 2019 /// Testing & Test Houses /// 15
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