Description/ Specification of RCM /PDM / CBM Service
Modern maintenance management has 4 distinct approaches. 1. Preventive maintenance: It involves routine activities like cleaning and lubrication to prevent a breakdown. 2. Corrective maintenance: Also called breakdown Maintenace, here a machinery is fixed after breakdown happens. 3. Predictive Maintenace: In this approach a variety of diagnostic tools and technologies are used to predict an impending breakdown, and the problem is set right. 4. Proactive Maintenance: Through engineering solutions, the cause of a breakdown is eliminated. In this article , we will elaborate on the predictive maintenance approach. As can be easily envisaged , that being predictive in nature this approach offers major benefits in terms of improved availability, lower downtime, lower maintenance cost and so on. Let us have a look at the tools that helps to achieve this wonderful benefits. Some of the more commonly used PDM tools are Vibration analysis, Infrared thermography, Wear debris analysis, Dissolved Gas analysis, Motor Current Signature analysis, Eddy current analysis, and Laser alignment. We now probe deeper into this tools. Vibration measurement and analysis is one of the most extensively used yet highly effective PDM tools. It needs a vibration meter to start with , which is a simple and inexpensive handheld tool. However , if one wants to take a more serious approach to it, then a FFT type vibration analyser is required , which are quite costly and sophisticated instruments. They come with preinstalled software, which helps in systematic storage of vibration data, various complicated analysis of vibration patterns, and can communicate with computers to store and retrieve data, generate reports and trends etc. The collection and analysis of vibration data helps in predicting impending breakdowns, and also in forecasting the cause of it such as misalignment of shafts, Bearing problem, Harmonics, Foundation looseness, or any other. Accordingly, the issue is fixed, and measurement is again taken to observe the trend. However successful use of this tool needs the employment or hiring of a trained professional vibration expert, preferably one with level2 certification. This tool is applicable to pumps, motors, compressors, fans, turbines, and any other rotating machinery. Infrared thermography is another extensively used technology in plant maintenance. In it a handheld infrared camera based thermal gun is is used to measure the temperature of any object. As most of the deteriorating health condition in machinery is reflected in and increased surface temperature, this helps in early detection of such problems. Moreover, this technology is applicable not only to rotating devices, but also to static devices like switchgears, Transmission lines equipment, and transformers as they to show higher temperature in case of small faults, looseness etc. Here also, while a handheld gun can help in the primary detection, more sophisticated and costly instruments like an infrared camera offers much higher diagnostic and presentation capabilities. Being a non-contact type technology, it can also be used to monitor relatively inaccessible parts of machinery. It is also great tool for prevention fire , as it can detect hotspots any where like fuel tanks, coal yards, electrical systems to name only a few. It can also help to detect passing of valves steam traps etc and thereby minimize the losses. Wear debris analysis is lab base technique, that is used to predict condition and impending breakdown of rotating machinery. In this Lubrication oil samples are collected from various points like bearings, and the wear particle found in the samples are analysed in lab for their size, composition, and texture. This gives vital clues regarding the source and nature of the impending breakdown. The concerned device may be taken under breakdown, inspected, and set right based on requirement. Dissolved gas analysis is a tool specifically used for PDM of oil filled transformer. It involves collection of gas sample from a transformer chamber and analysing it to detect the nature and extent of any fault. However, this cannot pinpoint the location of the fault. Other techniques are less employed but appropriately can help indicating and implementing problems. Apart from reducing the breakdowns, this also helps in reducing maintenance costs by eliminating unnecessary maintenance activities.
RCM /PDM / CBM Service
Modern maintenance management has 4 distinct approaches. 1. Preventive maintenance: It involves routine activities like cleaning and lubrication to prevent a breakdown. 2. Corrective maintenance: Also called breakdown Maintenace, here a machinery is fixed after breakdown happens. 3. Predictive Maintenace: In this approach a variety of diagnostic tools and technologies are used to predict an impending breakdown, and the problem is set right. 4. Proactive Maintenance: Through engineering solutions, the cause of a breakdown is eliminated. In this article , we will elaborate on the predictive maintenance approach. As can be easily envisaged , that being predictive in nature this approach offers major benefits in terms of improved availability, lower downtime, lower maintenance cost and so on. Let us have a look at the tools that helps to achieve this wonderful benefits. Some of the more commonly used PDM tools are Vibration analysis, Infrared thermography, Wear debris analysis, Dissolved Gas analysis, Motor Current Signature analysis, Eddy current analysis, and Laser alignment. We now probe deeper into this tools. Vibration measurement and analysis is one of the most extensively used yet highly effective PDM tools. It needs a vibration meter to start with , which is a simple and inexpensive handheld tool. However , if one wants to take a more serious approach to it, then a FFT type vibration analyser is required , which are quite costly and sophisticated instruments. They come with preinstalled software, which helps in systematic storage of vibration data, various complicated analysis of vibration patterns, and can communicate with computers to store and retrieve data, generate reports and trends etc. The collection and analysis of vibration data helps in predicting impending breakdowns, and also in forecasting the cause of it such as misalignment of shafts, Bearing problem, Harmonics, Foundation looseness, or any other. Accordingly, the issue is fixed, and measurement is again taken to observe the trend. However successful use of this tool needs the employment or hiring of a trained professional vibration expert, preferably one with level2 certification. This tool is applicable to pumps, motors, compressors, fans, turbines, and any other rotating machinery. Infrared thermography is another extensively used technology in plant maintenance. In it a handheld infrared camera based thermal gun is is used to measure the temperature of any object. As most of the deteriorating health condition in machinery is reflected in and increased surface temperature, this helps in early detection of such problems. Moreover, this technology is applicable not only to rotating devices, but also to static devices like switchgears, Transmission lines equipment, and transformers as they to show higher temperature in case of small faults, looseness etc. Here also, while a handheld gun can help in the primary detection, more sophisticated and costly instruments like an infrared camera offers much higher diagnostic and presentation capabilities. Being a non-contact type technology, it can also be used to monitor relatively inaccessible parts of machinery. It is also great tool for prevention fire , as it can detect hotspots any where like fuel tanks, coal yards, electrical systems to name only a few. It can also help to detect passing of valves steam traps etc and thereby minimize the losses. Wear debris analysis is lab base technique, that is used to predict condition and impending breakdown of rotating machinery. In this Lubrication oil samples are collected from various points like bearings, and the wear particle found in the samples are analysed in lab for their size, composition, and texture. This gives vital clues regarding the source and nature of the impending breakdown. The concerned device may be taken under breakdown, inspected, and set right based on requirement. Dissolved gas analysis is a tool specifically used for PDM of oil filled transformer. It involves collection of gas sample from a transformer chamber and analysing it to detect the nature and extent of any fault. However, this cannot pinpoint the location of the fault. Other techniques are less employed but appropriately can help indicating and implementing problems. Apart from reducing the breakdowns, this also helps in reducing maintenance costs by eliminating unnecessary maintenance activities.
