Optimising industrial lubrication with NEON vibration sensors

Any rotating device with the potential for metal-on-metal contact can suffer a high rate of failure if not correctly maintained, highlighting the importance of effective lubrication management.

Historically, assets have been monitored at intervals, often monthly, with manual vibration measurement. While helpful in managing unexpected downtime, this traditional approach is highly labour-intensive and often fails to catch potential issues in time, risking catastrophic failure. The advent of advanced monitoring technologies promises to address these challenges, offering more reliable and continuous oversight of these critical assets.

A primary challenge in industrial maintenance is the correct choice and application of lubricants. This is said to account for around 40% of all machine failures. Thus, lubrication procedures are a critical factor in maximising equipment reliability. It’s widely accepted that monthly manual checks are largely inadequate for capturing all potential issues, posing risks of catastrophic failures.

For an engineer to deliver optimum lubrication, it is essential to use the right type and quality of lubricant, in the correct amounts, applied at the right place and time. The gap in traditional monitoring methods, such as periodic manual vibration measurements, leaves a significant window where lubrication faults can go undetected, leading to equipment damage or failure. This highlights the need for a more effective and continuous monitoring solution to promptly identify and prevent lubrication-related issues.

IMI’s NEON Vibration Sensors offer a revolutionary approach to monitoring lubrication in industrial equipment. These sensors are installed on bearing housings of critical machinery, transmitting RMS velocity values at frequent intervals for continuous monitoring.This method is a significant advancement over traditional monthly inspections, providing real-time insights into equipment condition. By transmitting bi-daily full FFT measurements, sensor data can be reviewed via TWTG’s SolidRed analytics platform, allowing for precise detection of lubrication faults.

NEON Vibration Sensors measure the condition of assets by continuously tracking RMS velocity and acceleration data. Anomalies, such as sudden drops in vibration levels post-lubrication, are flagged for immediate inspection. This approach contrasts with traditional methods by providing ongoing monitoring and detailed spectral analysis, enabling early detection of over-lubrication and other lubrication faults before they escalate.

Benefits of using NEON Vibration Sensors with SolidRed to detect and prevent lubrication faults:

The implementation of NEON Vibration Sensors marks a significant improvement in detecting and preventing lubrication faults in industrial machinery. This technology not only enhances the reliability and efficiency of equipment but also significantly reduces labour and downtime associated with traditional monitoring methods. NEON sensors combined with SolidRed makes continuous, automated monitoring possible and makes visible what was previously unseen.