Electrical System Reliability
Ultrasound Condition Monitoring for High Voltage Systems.
High-voltage electrical systems are the backbone of modern industry. They power critical infrastructure, production lines, and facilities where uptime isn’t just important — it’s essential.
Ultrasound’s Role in NFPA70B Compliance
Ultrasound supports safe, condition-based electrical inspections across single facilities and multi-site substations. It enables:
- Energized inspections without removing covers
- Smarter maintenance decisions based on real fault signals
- Proactive intervention to extend asset life
- Compliance with NFPA 70B’s condition-based maintenance standards
When Electrical Faults Go Undetected, Everyone Pays the Price
Critical Failures
Escalating faults and irreversible asset damage.
Operational Disruptions
Unplanned downtime and production losses.
Regulatory Threats
Safety hazards and lost compliance.
Modern Electrical Reliability Starts with Ultrasound
- Modern Electrical Reliability Starts with Ultrasound Electrical faults don’t begin with smoke and fire — they begin with sound.
Corona, tracking, and arcing all generate high-frequency ultrasound long before there’s a flash, a smell, or an outage. Ultrasound makes these early warning signs easy to detect — even from outside closed panels and at a safe distance from energized equipment. With ultrasound, you can:- Inspect energized equipment safely — no need to open panels
- Catch real faults early — using measurable, actionable signals
- Prevent asset failure — through timely, proactive intervention
- Align with NFPA 70B — by supporting condition-based maintenance programs
Early detection isn’t optional.
Ultrasound gives you a clear, safe path to better decisions and fewer surprises.
Stay Ahead of Electrical System Failures with Ultrasound
Partial discharge is a small, silent warning sign of a big problem. It happens when electrical insulation begins to break down — but not enough to cause a full short or flashover. These tiny electrical breakdowns produce high-frequency signals long before smoke, heat, or damage appears.
Know your electrical faults
Our Solutions for Electrical System Inspection
Our route-based data collection solutions combine airborne and contact ultrasound sensors with precision vibration analysis into versatile, multi-purpose reliability data collectors. Fully integrated with the world's most powerful predictive maintenance software, these intuitive tools streamline asset inspections, simplify workflows, and deliver superior reliability outcomes.
Learn MoreOur ultrasound and vibration permanent monitoring solutions offer industry-leading sensitivity for the earliest possible fault detection. Engineered for durability and ease-of-use, these solutions provide remote, automated diagnostics—reducing maintenance costs and delivering a comprehensive, facility-wide view of asset health.
Learn MoreImaging technologies enhance visibility into hidden problems—revealing heat, sound, and motion that the eye can’t see. From thermal and acoustic imaging to motion amplification, reliability teams can use these vision enhancing technologies to detect failures. Our imaging solutions are a powerful way to see more, understand faster, and act with confidence.
Learn MoreUltrasound-guided lubrication empowers maintenance teams to grease bearings with precision by monitoring friction in real time during greasing tasks. By comparing live decibel readings to historical baseline data, technicians can identify when lubrication is truly needed, and when enough has been applied; preventing both under- and over-lubrication.
Learn MoreThe Inspection Process
01
Plan
Select the right device, sensor, and method based on the asset. Review procedures and PPE requirements before starting.
02
Inspect
Scan assets using the method suited to the failure mode. Airborne for corona, tracking, arcing. Contact for internal faults.
03
Analyze
Review decibel levels, listen to sound files, and compare them against baseline data to help confirm fault type and severity.
04
Act
Report findings, prioritize repairs, and take corrective action. Support NFPA 70B compliance with documented results.
Get Started in Three Simple Steps
Electrical Inspection Frequently Asked Questions
Ultrasound allows safe, non-intrusive inspections from outside closed cabinets. With airborne sensors or ports, you can detect faults like arcing, tracking, and corona — without exposing your team to live voltage.
Infrared detects heat. Ultrasound detects ionization. Many faults produce sound well before they generate heat, making ultrasound a powerful early warning tool that complements your infrared program.
Catching faults early prevents equipment damage, unplanned downtime, and costly repairs. It also reduces the risk of arc flashes and helps meet NFPA 70B maintenance standards.
Ultrasound helps prevent costly failures, reduce downtime, and extend asset life. It’s a low-cost tool with a fast, measurable return.
Yes. From switchgear and transformers to MCCs and relays, ultrasound adapts to nearly any high-voltage or low-voltage asset.
With airborne sensors, you can detect faults like corona and arcing from several feet away — even through cabinet seams or IR windows.
Not at all. Ultrasound tools are intuitive, require minimal training, and integrate easily into existing reliability programs.
You can capture decibel levels, time waveforms, FFTs, and sound recordings — giving you clear fault evidence and trendable data over time.
Yes. Many systems include built-in software for analysis, reporting, and recordkeeping — helping you stay aligned with NFPA 70B and internal audit requirements.