Preventing Failures in Industrial Process Equipment
Accsense Automated Temperature Monitoring
CHESTERLAND OH - CAS DataLoggers recently provided the automated temperature monitoring solution for a customer producing plastic film in 5 plants across the US. Normally, at least one plant would burn out an electric motor (each costing about $120,000) every year due to gearbox seizures. Consequently the productivity of these processes also suffered. The customer required continuous real-time monitoring of their processes to spot potential breakdowns and failures in the components before they could fully develop, and also required real-time alarming when temperatures went above a given level so that mechanical distress with a component could be quickly maintenanced.
Management installed an Accsense B1-06 Wireless Data Logger Gateway in all five plants. The Accsense solution was to monitor and track the plant's motor temperature as the most effective parameter to detect developing problems. The motor temperature of each gearbox was monitored by connecting an A1-08 Wireless Wireless Temperature Pod to each gateway. Each A1-08 sensor pod was then connected to 6 high accuracy thermistor temperature sensors (with cable lengths up to 20 feet in length) to monitor the temperature of all 6 points. The thermistors were contact-mounted to the equipment components for accurate temperature measurements within -40°C to +112°C (-40°F to 233°F), made at a highly precise 0.1°C resolution. User-set sampling rate was flexible and could be set anywhere from 30 seconds to every 24 hours.
Each pod also featured 2 digital inputs to set up alarming devices. Using the online software, alarms were set for each thermistor at 160°F and configured to call a list of plant staff sequentially; each person would be called in order until one person accepted responsibility for the alarm.
Designed for measuring temperature at remote sites, the data logging pods had a wireless range of 250 feet (90 ft. indoors without obstructions) and could run on either battery or AC power. In the event of a power outage, each had a 250 sample emergency buffer per sensor. All of the pod measurements were updated in real-time and immediately available on the company's online Accsense Account. Users plotted measurement history, analysed tabular data, and viewed graphs in the online software showing the temperature data from every plant. For example, operators viewed a month of motor temperature data displayed at a measurement interval of just 30 seconds, allowing the viewing of multiple points on a single screen even though the facilities were thousands of miles apart. Data for the alarms could be viewed in the online software from any Web browser.
The customer's operations across its 5 plants nationwide greatly benefited long-term following installation of the Accsense wireless system. The productivity of these processes increased as the data logger pods continually monitored the temperature of each gearbox in real-time to identify the gradual wear of the components and triggered alarms whenever temperatures went above 160°F. Workers then used this data to perform regular and timely maintenance, avoiding costly equipment failures and down time: since installation, no motors have burned out. Using the company's online Accsense account, data from every plant was easily tracked online.
For more information on Accsense wireless temperature monitoring solutions, additional Accsense pods monitoring other parameters including vibration and power consumption, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit the website at www.DataLoggerInc.com.
Contact Information:
CAS DataLoggers, Inc.
12628 Chillicothe Road
Chesterland, Ohio 44026
(440) 729-2570
(800) 956-4437
sales@dataloggerinc.com
http://www.dataloggerinc.com
