Gain Efficiency With PdM

Data-logger equipped, cloud-based remote-monitoring systems provide several benefits, including scalability for multiple devices and mobile application support.

Remote monitoring systems, equipped with data loggers, enhance predictive-maintenance systems.

By Dave DeFusco, Sensaphone

Remote monitoring systems support Industry 4.0 by enhancing visibility, efficiency, and reliability across manufacturing processes. Regular monitoring of environmental conditions and equipment at manufacturing and processing plants is essential to predict and prevent potential issues from escalating. By detecting deviations from predefined parameters, remote monitoring also ensures consistent product quality. Additionally, it provides real-time insights and facilitates compliance with in-house or industry standards. The ability for personnel to access remote monitoring data from anywhere further contributes to time and cost savings by reducing the need for manual inspections.

Automation technology has streamlined the process of site management and condition assessments, eliminating the need for staff to be on site 24/7. Modern systems harness cloud-based technology, allowing operators to view the real-time status of monitored conditions using an app or a web-based interface. Moreover, they send instant alerts to mobile devices when sensor readings deviate from the established range, ensuring prompt response and intervention.

Cloud-Based Monitoring

Cloud-based systems, built upon IIoT technology, enable operators to access remote-monitoring data in real time from anywhere in the world. These systems rely on networks of remote servers that store vast amounts of data. To enhance data security, providers use private cloud services and prevent public access. Continuous monitoring of the cloud platform ensures system reliability, and multiple backup server sites guarantee uninterrupted service.

These systems automatically log data, allowing operators to analyze trends and improve system-wide performance. Cloud-based monitoring units continuously transmit signals to the cloud to confirm that the system is online. If the internet connection is disrupted or a cellular communications glitch occurs, the system promptly alerts designated users through phone, text, or email. Users will not lose data during such interruptions because all the information collected during these periods is securely stored within the monitoring device and uploaded to the cloud once the connection is restored.

PdM benefits

Predictive maintenance enhances the efficiency and reliability of equipment and contributes to significant cost reductions and improved safety standards. According to global professional services company Deloitte, predicting failures using advanced analytics can increase equipment uptime as much as 20% and provide material cost savings to 10%, while reducing overall maintenance costs by 10% and planning time by 20% to 50%. 

Sensors dedicated to predictive maintenance are fundamental because they are responsible for gathering the essential data for analysis. These sensors are constantly at work, tracking critical conditions such as temperature, vibration, pressure, and operational durations.

The sensors collect real-time and historical data that advanced software systems process to identify patterns, signal potential concerns, and/or forecast equipment failures. This predictive insight equips facility managers with the foresight needed to proactively address the future condition of their assets, allowing well-timed maintenance planning that averts unexpected downtime. The goal is to enhance productivity and maintain the seamless operation of equipment.

Modern data loggers interface with sensors to automatically capture and record data points, timestamps, and dates. Cloud-based monitoring systems store vast amounts of data, which is instrumental in detecting patterns that enhance equipment performance, streamline operations, and foresee potential issues. Additionally, these systems support regulatory compliance by providing detailed audit trails and reporting.

Housed within remote monitoring systems, data loggers acquire data from sensors and transmit it to a cloud-based platform. This capability provides authorized personnel with current and historical data, keeping all stakeholders informed about a variety of environmental and equipment conditions.

An external sensor is connected to the base unit of a remote monitoring system and placed at a strategic monitoring point. Unlike conventional data loggers that are limited to one or two sensors, cloud-enabled loggers can connect with numerous sensors to monitor a range of important conditions and parameters. The monitoring device collects the data and saves the readings to the cloud. Staff members can then retrieve this data using an online interface, making the data-acquisition process more straightforward and efficient than manual computer uploads.

When selecting a remote-monitoring system equipped with a data logger, it’s crucial to consider the scale of your operations and the specific data you need to track and record. Here are the essential aspects to keep in mind:

• Versatile connectivity options: Evaluate whether you need Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or cellular connection to transmit data and alerts. Modern systems offer extensive features and are easy to set up, without IT assistance. You should be able to connect the device to an active internet source and start using it immediately.

• Cloud-based data storage: Select cloud services that provide unlimited data and event logging for reliable and secure data preservation. Cloud servers allow you to manage your monitoring devices using an account, unlike non-cloud systems that store data internally and overwrite previous records, thereby limiting access to historical information.

• Autonomous monitoring: Choose cloud-enabled systems that perform self-checks and alert you to connection issues. If the communication link disconnects due to power failure or accidental shutdown, these systems will notify you about the lost internet or cellular connection.

• Scalability for multiple devices: If you foresee growth in your facility, ensure the system has the capacity to support additional monitoring/logging devices. The capability to oversee hundreds of devices under a single account, with all data accessible with a unified dashboard, is highly advantageous when scaling up operations.

• Mobile application support: Confirm that the system provides mobile app support, allowing you to oversee your monitoring setup and review data on a smartphone or tablet. This feature provides convenient access to trending reports, equipment status checks, and alarm history reviews.

• Customizable report generation: The ideal system should let you remotely monitor your entire facility’s performance at any time. It should also let you create tailor-made reports based on your predefined parameters and intervals, in PDF, CSV, or text formats.

With these tips in mind, you can select the best monitoring and data-logger system to help support predictive-maintenance practices by continuously monitoring equipment health, alerting operators when anomalies occur, and forecasting potential failures before they happen. EP

Dave DeFusco is Vice President of Engineering at Sensaphone, Aston, PA (sensaphone.com), a developer and manufacturer of remote monitoring and alerting systems. Reach him at ddefusco@sensaphone.com.