Portable condition monitoring options for routine rounds, periodic inspections, and equipment troubleshooting are not what they used to be. Today’s tools are smarter, more efficient, and more effective at detecting the subtle patterns and problems that put asset health in jeopardy, enabling predictive maintenance to boost reliability and uptime. Recent innovations span mechanical, electrical, oil, material surface, and instrumentation condition monitoring.
Targeted approaches
Irregular or abnormal condition findings provide clues to underlying asset and system problems. The new VibWorks LT entry-level vibration data collector announced by LUDECA is BETAVIB’s latest portable solution. The user- and budget-friendly condition monitoring solution enables high-quality vibration data acquisition and AI-powered analysis. It also generates reports with a single click, facilitating documentation and regulatory compliance.
The device leverages “advanced AI technology for real-time data collection and analysis, significantly enhancing maintenance decision-making," explains Mario Rostran, product manager for VibWorks LT at LUDECA. “Our system's intelligent anomaly detection predicts potential issues before they escalate, offering actionable solutions to streamline troubleshooting.”
The novel P7MiX AcouTherm camera from FOTRIC integrates professional thermal and acoustic imaging, enabling multi-angle inspection and increased efficiency. During electrical or industrial inspections, current-induced heating equipment such as bus bars and clamps emit significant heat when malfunctioning, making them suitable for thermal cameras, says Application Engineer William Tsai. Conversely, voltage-induced heating equipment like insulators and couplers emit partial discharges detectable by acoustic imagers.
“Additionally, simultaneous thermal and acoustic imaging cross-validates fault identification. Acoustic imagers are often used in industrial sites to detect gas leaks, but background noise can cause distractions. Thermal imaging helps confirm findings,” Tsai adds.
For electrical inspections, the IM75-2 insulation tester and digital multimeter with METERLiNK from Teledyne FLIR combines a high-quality, CAT IV-600V multimeter and a high-quality, up-to-1-kV insulation resistance tester within a single package. It is built for demanding conditions with premium features like VFD mode and a 10-ft drop test rating.
“The FLIR IM75-2 saves weight and space on the professional’s toolbelt and on the overall cost of equipment. Meanwhile, the FLIR METERLiNK functionality enables users to capture readings over time and send them to their smartphone, which provides the ability to document findings and send reports while on the move,” observes Rob Milner, global business development director at Teledyne FLIR.
FluidInspectIR Portable from Spectrolytic is a battery powered measurement system for oil and fluid condition monitoring. “It uses a novel mid-infrared (MIR) technology platform, with no moving parts, embedded in a small and robust shell. This, coupled with the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the device, allows lab-quality measurements in the field for all types of fluids, fuels, and base oils,” says Neil Conway, applications manager at Spectrolytic.
Using advanced algorithms, the system extracts chemical data on degradation, additive depletion and contamination, displaying these in the same parameters, units, and accuracy as conventional oil laboratories, notes Conway. The MIR platform is also leveraged in FluidInspectIR Inline-mini, the company’s compact, real-time oil condition monitoring system.
Distinctive applications
On-site monitoring of corrosion in piping and other assets requires a compact and easy-to-operate solution. The optimized redesign of the HydroFORM scanner from Evident provides a comprehensive 2D corrosion mapping solution operable even by solo inspectors.
“HydroFORM’s water coupling system is highly efficient and the ScanDeck module’s warning lights alert you if the coupling needs attention or if you’re scanning too fast for the data acquisition rate,” says Simon Alain, director of global product management for scanners and inspection solutions at Evident. “These features, along with its two-axis encoders, enable you to perform precise and reliable corrosion mapping, achieving high-quality phased array imaging that can be recorded and analyzed to properly measure the size, shape, and location of the damage.”
Managing large fleets of legacy field instrumentation and modern measurement sensors is uniquely challenging. ABB Ability Field Information Manager 3.0 software from ABB, accessible from tablets in the field or from remote workstations, simplifies the configuring, commissioning, monitoring, diagnostics, and maintenance of fieldbus devices.
Designed to meet current and future requirements on operational efficiency and sustainability, the software “empowers businesses to embrace digital transformation, ensuring flexibility and efficiency across their ever-increasing fleets of field devices,” says Christian Johansson, global product manager at ABB. “With embedded device diagnostic dashboards and OPC UA with PA-DIM interface, it provides the efficient tools required for successful implementation of predictive maintenance.”
