Machine Condition Monitoring Using Infrared Cameras

At the pace of modern business today, no one can afford unplanned downtime and costly outages. Cloud-based machine condition monitoring is helping facilities avert problems before they happen. By connecting various sensing technologies with the internet of things (IoT) and moving condition monitoring software to the cloud, maintenance professionals can easily and readily monitor machinery and rotating equipment in real time from any location.

In this article, we discuss how cloud-based condition monitoring using infrared thermography improves the situational awareness of asset health. Thus, making predictive maintenance more efficient and effective, saving companies time and money.

Preventative, Predictive, & Reactive Maintenance

The sweet spot for a maintenance program falls between the “degradation start” point and the “potential failure” point of a machine’s life (see chart below). Work performed on a mechanical piece of equipment during the “normal state” period might be effective for asset health and facility uptime, producing the desired outcome. However, it is less efficient because maintenance resources are deployed on equipment that may not necessarily require upkeep or repair. Any work or investment in healthy machines in the “normal state” produces a certain amount of waste.

Alternatively, maintenance efforts and costs become reactive if the machine asset condition is allowed to degrade beyond the “potential failure” point. In this stage, maintenance professionals find themselves chasing problems with machine performance severely compromised and facility downtime highly probable. Maintenance costs in this phase can accelerate rapidly with additional company losses due to lost output and production.

Identifying equipment degradation at the earliest stage beyond the “normal state” is optimal for predictive maintenance. Maintenance professionals can be alerted at the earliest signs of machine failure by monitoring asset conditions with real-time data from oil analysis, ultrasound, vibration, and thermal imaging sensing.

By predicting when machine failure may occur, condition based maintenance can be carried out with machine repairs made according to the priority of equipment needs. Maintenance and repair costs can be optimized by eliminating rush orders for parts and conducting services during planned outages and turnarounds.

Thermal Imaging

Thermal imaging is one of the four modalities used in condition based monitoring. Thermal imaging is a proven and effective way to monitor equipment health and detect potential failure points before a failure can occur. Critical in-service health and wear characteristics of electrical and mechanical equipment can be assessed using thermal imaging. Longitudinal temperature data is valuable to predictive maintenance programs.

Thermal imaging is perhaps the easiest non-contact temperature measurement method available. Monitoring mechanical components such as motors, bearings, heat exchangers, cooling fans, exhaust vents, pipes, and more for “hot spots” can alert of possible future fail points. In addition, thermal scans of electrical components, such as cables, wiring, terminals, and control panels, can quickly reveal problems. Examples of problems include load imbalance, current overload, loose wires, corroded terminals, or heat management issues.

Thermal imaging makes these otherwise invisible problems visible so corrective action can be taken before catastrophic failure. Deploying IR cameras to monitor critical equipment can be a very effective first line of defense against unexpected and unplanned downtime.

How do Infrared Cameras Work?

Infrared (IR) cameras operate on the heat transfer principle of radiation. The IR camera has a focal plane array of detector elements that sense infrared light from object surfaces. The radiation captured by the IR camera detector is digitized, converted to data, and displayed as a viewable image.

Calibrated IR cameras can report temperature measurements from specific spots, lines, and areas on live or recorded images. IR cameras are available in different wavebands, pixel resolutions, lens configurations, and communication protocols to meet various installation requirements.

IR cameras are available in fixed-mount and portable handheld configurations. Handheld IR cameras are battery powered with onboard recording capabilities. Inspectors will use handheld IR cameras to conduct routine mechanical and electrical equipment checks. The inspection results are uploaded to reporting software and compared over time. The inspector then looks for any changes in the thermal profile that could indicate a compromise in asset condition.

Fixed-mount IR cameras allow for real-time monitoring and are typically used for tracking critical assets. Camera imagery and data output are uploaded to a facility computer server or cloud-based condition monitoring software. Results are viewed in real-time with alarms and notifications available to inform key maintenance personnel when problems arise.

What is IoT (Internet of Things)?

The internet of things (IoT) refers to interconnected sensors, instruments, and other devices networked into software applications that use predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). These connected networks create systems that monitor, collect, exchange, analyze, and deliver valuable insights into a system or process. IoT revolutionizes condition monitoring by using cloud computing to simplify integration, enhance system control, expand situational awareness, and improve end-user decision making.

IoT and Condition Monitoring

Condition monitoring of machines and rotating equipment is an area that realizes the benefits of thermal imaging when combined with IoT and a condition monitoring software. By connecting infrared cameras and other sensors, machine health can more readily be monitored and failures prevented. Using cloud-based software makes for easy set-up, configuring, and remote monitoring.

MoviTHERM iCM for Machine Condition Monitoring

MoviTHERM iCM is a cloud-based intelligent machine condition monitoring solution. The solution uses thermal imaging and other condition monitoring sensors to provide a holistic understanding of machine asset health. By leveraging IoT connectivity with cloud computing, iCM more efficiently monitors and alerts for potential machine and rotating equipment failure. Because the iCM condition monitoring software resides in the cloud, it has low installation and reduces maintenance costs.

Customized Reports and Notifications

MoviTHERM iCM incorporates a customized asset health reporting tool to keep key personnel automatically and routinely informed. Automated reports can include imagery, measurement trends, alarm status, and more. Report frequency and recipients are easily configured for delivery to the personnel responsible for machine maintenance.

The iCM condition notifications are programable and sent when measurement thresholds are breached, or the monitoring system’s health is compromised. Communication options for notifications include voice calls, texts, and emails to establish quick and effective awareness. Notifications can be sent to select groups or individuals with links to dashboards, maps, and custom views.

Dashboards and Views

MoviTHERM iCM dashboards are an effective tool for quick condition evaluation of all monitored assets. Dashboards are customizable to display imagery and sensor measurements for any connected imager and sensor. Sensor alarm and system health status are readily visible with sensor measurement trend charts. All dashboard data is exportable and easily integrated into popular CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) software platforms.

MoviTHERM iCM views are custom displays that show facility schematics, maps, or overhead photos with sensor location, output, and real time condition. A green check or red cross quickly identifies an alarm condition for the shown sensor. Recorded visible or infrared images can be scrolled through to access historical conditions.

All dashboards and views are accessed with any internet connected smart device or computer. Additionally, all dashboards and views are readily shared by forwarding the associated web link. The access and sharing of dashboards and views is a significant advantage of the iCM cloud-based condition monitoring system.

Expandability and Scalability

Another critical advantage of MoviTHERM iCM is how easily it can be expanded and scaled. Once the cloud-based infrastructure is in place, additional sensors are added to the condition monitoring system with just a few clicks of the software application. Remote access via an internet connected device allows sensors to be added in the field at the sensor location.

MoviTHERM iCM can quickly scale to connect and monitor multiple plants and locations. This functionality allows facility managers to monitor multiple locations from a central monitoring and alarming dashboard. Understanding the situation at all facilities allows for the efficient overall management of various systems from a single control point.

Lower Maintenance and Cost

Cloud-based condition monitoring systems are less expensive to install and maintain compared to traditional monitoring systems. Because the condition monitoring software application resides in the cloud, there is no need for a dedicated facility computer server.

Any potential for operating system software conflicts is eliminated as access to the software application only requires an internet connection. Users access the condition monitoring system anywhere and anytime with any internet connected device. And with the appropriate credentials, control and alarm settings can be modified remotely to optimize performance.

Conclusion

The power of IoT combined with cloud technology makes for efficient data gathering and transmission, which leads to faster predictive maintenance strategies.

Infrared cameras are a good way to monitor machine conditions because they provide both temperature and thermal imaging information on the same screen. The data gathered from thermal imaging can be quickly evaluated and manually archived for later analysis by a technician.

MoviTHERM iCM is a powerful and affordable condition monitoring solution. Regardless of your equipment type or level of complexity, keeping an eye on all the threats to machine health is vital to extending the life of your equipment and monitoring degradation in real time. With access to thermal imaging, you’ve got one more layer of protection in your pocket for staying on top of any potential issues.