Precision acoustic lubrication coupled with continuous condition monitoring is a tool that Reliability Teams can utilize to maintain their critical rotating machinery at optimal conditions for longer, extending their service life, and reducing the amount of time and resources they require to maintain.
Not to mention, by continuously monitoring friction levels and asset condition, reliability teams can plan and schedule maintenance interventions with more warning.
The following case study looks at an ON-GUARD System installed on a large motor powering a critical industrial fan at a 24-Hour Biomass facility. This ON-GUARD System has two channels in use, covering the Drive End & Non-Drive End of the motor at the time of this study.
In Figure 1, the ON-GUARD Configuration on the NDE of the Motor can be seen with the Single-Point Auto-Lubricator affixed above the motor and a grease line running to the bearing’s zerk fitting.
The Magnetized CONMONSENSE Ultrasound Sensor is permanently installed on the left side of the bearing housing for accurate and repeatable data collection, trending & analysis.
In Figure 2, a 2-week trend of DE of this motor can be observed. Every time it surpasses its designated alarm threshold measured in overall RMS, a greasing event is triggered returning the overall friction to below alarm levels.
It should be noted that this bearing is being monitored by the ON-GUARD System as well as by the Plants Online Vibration Analysis Software, which collects data 24/7 due to the asset’s criticality. Peaks in the asset’s RMS (measured by the On-GUARD) that triggered a lubrication event also coincided with overall increases seen in the asset’s vibration levels.
This bearing is operating in a functionally failed state, and the safest way to extend its life until the next planned shutdown is by providing it with lubrication while monitoring real time parameters like overall friction, impacting, and vibration.
Within ON-GUARD’s Embedded software, lubrication technicians and analysts can view lubrication data in real time as greasing events are occurring.
In Figure 3, a greasing event can be observed on the Motor’s Drive End. When RMS Levels surpassed the alarm threshold and stayed there for an extended period, a greasing event was triggered, as seen above.
With both Online Vibration & Lubrication Reliability Monitoring Solutions in place monitoring this critical asset, the organization feels confident & comfortable heading into their next scheduled shutdown with a better picture of what’s going on with this asset.
