Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1103301
6 | March - April 2019 | www . machinerylubrication.com ML portable data collectors, or examined by skillful and investigative inspectors. Other non-lubricant-related tests and inspections at the machine help complete the picture and establish greater confidence in what's happening now (or not happening). e IIoT does not and cannot make all other forms of condition monitoring obsolete, but it is a powerful enabler. Data and infor- mation can reach the internet in a variety of different ways that don't involve imbedded sensors. is data can pass through modems or industrial gateways for analysis and storage. As mentioned previously, the response to this data can be autonomous (i.e., machine executed) and human executed. See Figure 6. The Dawn of IIoT-enabled Condition Control e foundational pieces of IIoT-enabled condition monitoring have been advancing rapidly for years. Recently, enough of the pieces have fallen into place that working systems are beginning to show solid results. Many compa- nies are waiting as others are taking the lead. e full potential of IIoT-enabled condi- tion control will evolve over the ensuing decades. While it is in its infancy when viewed in contrast to this full potential, some readers are young enough to see this poten- tial transition to reality. Promising careers will exploit this potential, as will new and emerging companies. e field of machine reliability has an exciting, technology-rich future. It should be a great ride. ML About the Author Jim Fitch has a wealth of "in the trenches" experience in lubrication, oil a na lysis, tribology and machinery failure investiga- tions. Over the past two decades, he has presented hundreds of courses on these subjects. Jim has also published more than 200 technical articles, papers and publica- tions. He serves as a U.S. delegate to the ISO tribology and oil analysis working group. Since 2002, he has been the director and a board member of the International Council for Machinery Lubrication. He is the CEO and a co-founder of Noria Corporation. Contact Jim at jfitch@noria.com. Condition Control IIoT Condition Monitoring Condition Analysis Figure 6. The expanded condition control model shows the IIoT as the primary source of data. Condition Response Tribology Data • Lube Data • Online Sensors • Portable Data Collectors • Inspection Data • Vibration • Acoustics • Thermography • Motor Current • Etc. Other Condition Monitoring Data Condition Control Means Machine Agility Agility is fundamentally important. The ground is always shifting (figuratively), and the machine must be agile and shift in response. It's like climate control. When it's hot outside, the air conditioner responds. When it's cold outside, the heater responds. Sustained machine reliability depends on agile responses to operating conditions and exposures to all things that present risk and impair reliability. Each machine is unique from the stand- point of what might be changing and how agility (human or machine induced) must respond. Below are some basic examples: What's Changing • Machine age (changing vibration, heat, acoustic emissions, displacement, alignment, balance, etc.) • Oil age • Filter age • Climate, weather, seasons • Duty cycle (load, pressure, speed, flow, etc.) • Operator handling • Exposures (heat, ingression, moisture, etc.) • Oil level, leakage • Grease charge • Looseness What's Adjusting to Change • Bleed-in-feed rate of new oil introduction • Oil flow rate • Sump make-up rate • Grease dosage rate and frequency • Filter use (flow, performance, auxiliary filter, etc.) • Oil temperature control • Viscosity correction • Additive replenishment • Base oil replenishment • Machine operation (derating, speed, load, cycle rate, pressure, flow, tempera- ture, etc.) • Maintenance requisitions • Inspection requisitions AS I SEE IT