What’s New in Predictive and Preventive Maintenance Technology?

Predictive and Preventive Maintenance Technology

The terms predictive and preventive maintenance refer to the concept of predicting and preventing premature wear on components, systems, machines, and other equipment. This concept is a very important topic, especially for key decision-makers who pay for the equipment in their facility or plant.

As technology becomes more affordable, manufacturers can spend more time determining when their products might fail and what can be done to increase life expectancy. The following are three different new products that are focusing on predictive and preventive maintenance.

 

igus i.Cee “I See A Head” 

igus manufacturers motion plastics, such as energy chains, cable tracks, and linear guides, to name a few. igus has now taken motion plastics a step further by adding the ability to monitor the wear on their components through smart plastics. The i.Cee:Local sensor coupled with igus’ smart plastics product line allows this component to predict failure and notify maintenance personnel. These sensors can make predictions by measuring force, abrasion, and intermittent overload. 

igus’ ​​i.Cee:plus module. Image courtesy of igus

 

The i.Cee:local consists of two parts. The first part is the open-source software, which houses all the parameters and algorithms to predict and plan when maintenance should be performed. The second part is the multi-technology connectivity. igus’ i.Cee can connect to various networks allowing for integration into different Industry 4.0 cases.  Engineers can then access this data through an HMI, cloud-based solution, or IoT dashboard, as JASON protocol, on the intranet, or even SMS and email.

 

Banner Engineering’s DEK Wireless Monitoring Kit

Banner Engineering specializes in manufacturing sensors, vision solutions, inspection systems, machine safety components, and more. Banner is now utilizing wireless technology for its latest preventative maintenance product, the DEK monitoring kit. The DEK is a stand-alone wireless device with pre-loaded cellular technology that measures vibrations, temperature, humidity, tank level, duty cycle, and pressure.  

The DEK Wireless Monitoring Kit. Image used courtesy of Banner Engineering

 

Engineers can plug all measurements into Banner’s controller to calculate when a system might start breaking down. This device has a solar panel and internal batteries for remote locations where a power source is not always accessible.  

Much like other monitoring kits on the market, this device can connect to various networks, including cellular and typical protocols like Modbus RTU and Banner’s own cloud-based solution. The DEK is designed for outdoor industrial environments, from agriculture and utilities to mining and oil & gas facilities. Banner Engineering has been developing products in predictive maintenance for quite a while now, but they’re not the only company in the race to develop this technology. 

 

GE SmartSignal Predictive Maintenance

SmartSignal is GE’s software solution designed to provide predictive and preventive maintenance analytics. Using the power of digital twin analytics, the SmartSignal can forecast and prevent equipment failures to drive an improved efficiency.

The latest update to the SmartSignal software aimed to improve the digital twin analytics catalog, now encompassing over 300 industrial equipment classes. The biggest improvement is the time-to-action analytics forecast. This forecasting style can predict equipment anomalies and inform maintenance and control engineers which areas of the machine to focus on when performing preventative maintenance.

 

GE’s latest SmartSignal component. Image used courtesy of GE Digital

 

The SmartSignal comes in two flavors─on-premises and cloud-based solutions. The on-premises software will now have an enhanced thin client, which will be on par with the cloud-based solution. Predictive and preventive maintenance technology is evolving faster than it ever has. Companies like igus, Banner Engineering, and GE Digital are just a few industry leaders adopting and improving this technology. Predictive and preventive maintenance may be more crucial in your facility or plant operations than you think. 

Do you use any of these predictive/preventive maintenance technologies?