Plant Services - January 2008 - (Page 26) TECHNOLOGY TOOLBOX Tiny, wireless and self-energized A new generation of sensors is poised to revolutionize predictive maintenance As vehicles vibrate the bridge, the generator produces elecpredictive maintenance program can be constrained trical power for the wireless sensor. Each bridge uses several if it relies on indirect or imprecise measurements, sensors to monitor structural integrity and other variables, if instrument batteries fail, or if data communicaand report changes that could indicate a potential failure. tions are limited. Gradually such constraints are being overUsing self-powered sensors can eliminate communication come by software and technologies that simplify condition gaps caused by dead batteries. The concept also can be levermonitoring and streamline predictive maintenance. aged for monitoring and maintenance of vibrating applicaMiniature sensors cozy up to bearings: Purdue University tions, including lift trucks and rotating machinery. researchers, working with the U.S. Air Force, are using microKCF Technologies is developing vibration-harvesting deelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to detect if jet vices to power wireless sensors on industrial production lines, engine bearings are close to failing. The miniaturized wireless power generation systems, vehicles and buildsensors monitor bearing temperature, which inings. The company anticipates this will expand dicates bearing condition and how long it will The the use of wireless sensors, thus reducing pollulast. The sensors detect bearing failure much tion, energy consumption and battery issues. earlier than sensors that monitor bearings via hermeticallyData aggregation and analysis: Equipengine oil temperature. The wireless sensors are sealed wireless ment data is most useful if it can be aggrepowered through inductive coupling and handle sensor gated, analyzed and logged. The InFusion temperatures to 300°C (572°F). eliminates Condition Manager from Invensys displays MEMS combine microscopic electronic equipment condition and maintenance inforand mechanical components. “The MEMS the need for mation on HMI workstations as well as the technology is critical because it needs to batteries. Invensys Avantis.PRO enterprise asset manbe small enough so it doesn’t interfere with agement system. InFusion v. 2.2 feeds data to the performance of the bearing itself,” says plant historian packages, making the data and actions availFarshid Sadeghi, Purdue professor of mechanical engiable to other plant and enterprise systems. neering. “And the other issue is that it needs to be able The system collects and analyzes real-time diagnostics to withstand extreme heat.” Although the application is from intelligent instrumentation, fluid and vibration analaircraft, any engine could benefit. It has potential for use ysis, advanced process control and loop tuning software in harsh manufacturing environments as well as transpormounted on any plant asset. It then triggers maintenance, tation, distribution and warehouse fleet management. operations or engineering actions based on rules, conditions Self-powered sensors are battery-free: Battery mainand customer-defined algorithms and models. tenance can be costly and difficult when condition-moniWeb Services technology allows InFusion Condition toring sensors are installed in confined spaces or at remote Manager to communicate with enterprise systems such locations. Clarkson University researchers have developed a as ERP, EAM and MES. Microsoft .NET technology is sensor technology that generates its own power from vibraleveraged to provide the asset and business intelligence tions. The hermetically-sealed wireless sensor eliminates the information. need for batteries and can conceivably remain in service for decades maintenance-free. New York State Route 11 Bridge was the test platform. E-mail Contributing Editor Sheila Kennedy, managing director of An electromagnetic generator on a girder harvests energy. Additive Communications, at Sheila@addcomm.com. For more information, see: www.purdue.edu www.clarkson.edu 26 A www.kcftech.com www.infusionecs.com www.PLANTSERVICES.com www.techbriefs.com www.ewh.ieee.org/tc/sensors January 2008 http://www.purdue.edu http://www.kcftech.com http://www.techbriefs.com http://www.clarkson.edu http://www.infusionecs.com http://www.ewh.ieee.org/tc/sensors http://www.PLANTSERVICES.com
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