Date: 08-26-2022

Avoiding Chaos with Predictive Maintenance

What is Predictive Maintenance?

In order to lower the likelihood of a breakdown, predictive maintenance involves using software to continuously monitor the performance and condition of equipment throughout routine operations. The primary objective is to foresee equipment breakdowns based on particular parameters and variables. Once a breakdown is anticipated, manufacturers take the necessary corrective or planned maintenance measures to prevent the failure. The ideal of preventive maintenance is to keep the frequency of maintenance as low as possible, preventing unscheduled reactive maintenance.

Predictive vs Preventive Maintenance

People commonly mix up preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance. The data being examined is what distinguishes the two. Preventive maintenance uses historical data, averages, and life expectancy statistics to determine when maintenance tasks will be necessary, whereas predictive maintenance relies on monitoring and analyzing data from the real, present condition of the equipment in operation. Regardless of whether the equipment needed maintenance, preventive maintenance has involved examining and maintaining the equipment. While different methods are used to identify predictive maintenance based on the preset and predetermined circumstances of particular pieces of equipment.

How Does Predictive Maintenance Work?

Condition-monitoring equipment is used to evaluate asset performance. Once the data is collected, sensors are installed and capture a variety of information from a structure or piece of equipment's physical operations, including temperature, vibrations, conductivity, etc. The sensors trigger notifications when the equipment performs outside of normal parameters.

Types of Predictive Maintenance

Vibrational Analysis: A type of analysis inside manufacturing plants with high-rotating machinery. A technician can monitor a machine’s vibration by using the real-time sensors built into the equipment. The machine will start to vibrate in a distinct pattern when there is a misalignment, imbalance and as parts like bearings and shafts start to wear out and fail.

Infrared Analysis: This analysis is the most economical tool for preventive maintenance when temperature serves as a reliable indicator of future problems. It can be used to detect issues with airflow, cooling, and motor stress.

Ultrasonic Acoustic Analysis: An analysis utilized for both mechanical and electrical equipment that emits more subtle sounds and can recognize ultrasonic noises associated with machine friction and stress. It is more adept at predicting impending breakdowns than conventional analysis.

Sonic Acoustic Analysis: The analysis that focuses on preventive lubrication techniques for low and high-rotating machinery. Instead of focusing on identifying the cause of equipment failure, this analysis concentrates on preventive lubrication procedures.

Benefits

Predictive maintenance comes with a huge amount of benefits:

1. Lower Maintenance Operation Costs
2. Reduced Downtime
3. Improved Equipment Reliability
4. Decreased Unanticipated Failures

The Bottom Line

Insights from predictive maintenance can greatly enhance an operation's overall maintenance and reliability. It aims to identify the ideal time to perform work on an asset in order to reduce maintenance frequency and increase reliability without incurring excessive costs.

If you have some questions, we can certainly help you to choose the best solution. Please call our technical support team at (310) 517-9888 X102

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ICP DAS USA is a provider of Industrial Data Communication, Automation Control and Test and Measurement products. We specialize in PLC hardware, Ethernet controllers, distributed I/O modules, Industrial Ethernet Switches and protocol converters. We provide programming services, training classes and free technical support.