As part of the Maintenance 4.0 trend that is shaking up the entire industrial sector, condition monitoring cannot be ignored. In the following article, we show what it is all about and what possibilities it opens up.
What is meant by condition monitoring and why is it so important?
The term condition monitoring describes condition monitoring during the ongoing operation of systems, machines and processes and includes regular, continuous condition recording. When recording the condition, relevant parameters relating to position, acceleration, oil level, acoustics, vibration, contamination or temperature are measured – all using advanced sensor technology. All measurement data is evaluated by tapped software and used as a basis for further strategic decisions.
Specific measured values are recorded at certain points on the machine or system using sensors. These values can then be transmitted to central computers via a cable or wireless connection – or to mobile devices via an app. The software analyzes the data according to previously defined patterns. Actual and reference values play an important role here. Only when the software and user know the normal state are they able to recognize anomalies and make appropriate decisions. The position and cause of an impending damage can thus be determined precisely and the maintenance process becomes even more efficient. However, sudden damage caused by force or material fatigue cannot be predicted using condition monitoring.
The primary aim of condition monitoring is to support plant operators and maintenance teams in detecting faults and impending failures or malfunctions at an early stage and initiating the necessary measures before major failures occur. This is intended to ensure the safety and integrity of personnel and equipment as well as to keep Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) at a consistently high level. Without condition monitoring, predictive maintenance is therefore not even possible in practice.
Condition monitoring as an enabler for predictive maintenance
As already mentioned at the beginning, damage can be detected, localized and resolved even before it occurs by constantly comparing the measured machine and system values. Decisions as to whether a system must be stopped immediately or can continue to run until the next planned shutdown can therefore be made on the basis of measurable data and are extremely important, especially for stakeholders. Unplanned downtimes can be minimized and productivity increased without having to replace accessories or spare parts unnecessarily. Comprehensive data evaluation also provides information about potential improvements to the system or machine and allows maintenance cycles to be determined more precisely.
Flexibility and adaptability play a major role in condition monitoring, especially when it comes to sensor technology. In most cases, plants are equipped with machines and components of different ages – including those from the first half of the 20th century. Retrofitting such systems can be an enormous challenge. Modern machines are usually equipped with the necessary sensor technology ex works by the manufacturer. However, the further development of retrofit options has gained enormous momentum in recent years. It is now even possible to equip systems with magnetically adhesive and energy self-sufficient sensors with a short radio range. There is therefore a wide range of technologies and solutions for both machine and process monitoring.
Conclusion
No maintenance strategy can be successfully implemented without in-depth system data. In many cases, important information is lost due to a lack of sensor technology, which makes predictive maintenance and servicing impossible. Condition monitoring lays the foundation for predictive maintenance and reveals details of systems and machines that reveal real optimization potential. With flexible technologies and equally adaptable software solutions, failures and damage can be detected and averted at an early stage.
KENEXOS® is ideally suited as condition monitoring software by bringing machines and their operators together in one place – flexibly via desktop PCs or as an app via smartphone and tablet. It centralizes all data, documentation and communication channels. Technical documentation is stored in one place and saved securely. Maintenance, tasks and other appointments can be derived, created, assigned and processed directly from the documentation via the ticket system. Subcontractors and teams can network and organize themselves effectively in one app. KENEXOS® can be tested free of charge for 14 days. A free, no-obligation consultation is also possible via KENEXOS® customer service.
About KENEXOS®
With Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH (KBS for short), Kreutzpointner is setting a significant milestone in the technical development of the entire group of companies. Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH focuses on the special requirements and digital needs of industrial customers with an independent business model. The operational launch took place in October 2020.
With KENEXOS®, KBS offers corporate customers an individually expandable application platform with its own software products and focuses on the implementation of industrial applications. KENEXOS® offers modern web technology for access via a wide range of end devices and enables integration with existing systems via an API interface. The standard modules include, for example, construction site documentation, task and ticket recording, plant management and maintenance and many more. The application platform is available for in-house installation (on-premise) or as a cloud solution (SaaS).
The ideas and the technical basis for Kreutzpointner Business Software GmbH have been successfully developed in recent years as part of the company-wide “Research & Development” process. In addition to the IT systems division, the new digital unit ideally rounds off Kreutzpointner’s large portfolio.