Fluke shares the top three trends that are improving operational efficiency in today’s industrial environments.
The challenges faced by those responsible for industrial operations due to the pandemic have been replaced by the rising cost of energy and the need to achieve net zero emissions. The price of energy continues to increase, which is why the need to reduce costs and offer shared sustainability objectives is accentuated, both among small and medium-sized companies and large companies.
Reduce energy costs with more advanced technology and cloud-based data monitoring
Approximately 90% of all businesses use compressed air in some of their operations, to such an extent that it is often referred to as the four supply. Recent developments in industrial acoustic chamber technology have made it possible to rapidly identify leaks in compressed air systems used in industrial and manufacturing environments. The fluke ii900 industrial acoustic chamber incorporates a microphone array that displays a sound map over a wider field of view and up to 70 meters away, so maintenance teams can visually pinpoint air leaks very quickly and accurately in air systems compressed.
Along with the improvement of portable rugged instruments, monitoring methods are also evolving with the use of internet-connected instruments. Analysis and data is captured on a cloud platform, allowing operators to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) of compressed air systems such as power, electricity, flow, pressure, and leak rate. Fluke’s LeakQ™ Reporter creates detailed air compressor leak reports from images captured by the Fluke ii900 or ii910 Precision Acoustic Camera and calculates energy savings after leaks are repaired.
Using the data for predictive maintenance
Maintenance professionals use the Preventive Maintenance for several generations in order to avoid breakdowns in the equipment and have resorted to reactive maintenance when assets fail. With the rise of IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) technologies, maintenance professionals can now connect instruments, software, and sensors to collect, store, and analyze multiple data sources in one place. The pandemic accelerated investment in technologies that enable remote monitoring. Technology enables reliability and maintenance teams to meet deadlines regardless of available staff. The trend towards remote monitoring will continue and small-scale operations will turn to remote condition monitoring services.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning they keep their promise to quickly identify trends and also quickly adapt to changing operating conditions. Prescriptive analytics software is finally joining modern condition monitoring hardware to spark a revolution in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in maintenance operations.
Now there is a race for combine hardware and software with machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence. Companies like Fluke are working to bring these technologies together so that software can identify trends, recognize patterns in data, and make concrete recommendations for equipment maintenance.
Integration of Digital SI speeds in critical equipment measurements
Accelerated penetration of digital measurement solutions for industrial applications can save time and money, as well as facilitate a shift towards predictive maintenance of systems. Although modern digital measurement devices are not usually solutions that are installed and do not require more attention, the increased number of digital measurement solutions facilitates the implementation of verification technologieswhich can help simplify maintenance for staff without compromising accuracy or reliability.
Digital SI (International System of Units), an initiative created as part of the 4.0 industry revolution, consists of the creation of a globalized system to transmit calibration certification information electronically. This is essential as data exchange and data itself form the basis of highly automated industrial processes. The system guarantees the traceability of the measurements of all the calibrations carried out and allows information to be shared without resorting to paper. This streamlines the integration of measurements as it can be carried out using critical test equipment within an integrated factory, thereby improving maintenance efficiency and plant efficiency.