SPECIAL SECTION

faults,” Bernet continues. “Even a

healthy machine is going to have vibra-
tion, so it’s easy to identify what is nor-
mal for a good rotating machine and
then to be able to look for patterns in
the change in the vibration.”

Why condition monitoring pairs well

with the P-F curve
Condition monitoring is the use of
continual screening technologies to
detect changes in the operation of
assets, which means you are alerted to
potential issues well before failure or
downtime occur. It gives you real-time
situational awareness of your opera-
tion and enables you and your team
to schedule maintenance and correc-
tive actions in advance. Furthermore,
condition monitoring can provide a
longer P-F interval than other mainte-
nance methods.
that the further away from the failed P-F curve on is equipment with rotat- “Reactive maintenance is all based
state you detect potential failure, the ing assets, which makes vibration a on failures that have already occurred.
more sophisticated (and thus expen- perfect technology to use. Rotation Planned or calendar-based mainte-
sive, considering both equipment and is something that is fairly consistent. nance is based on taking some kind of
training) the detection technology. When you have a consistently behav- corrective action globally but not hav-
ing piece of equipment, using the P-F ing any indication of which machines
Importance of timing curve makes a lot of sense. actually need it,” Bernet said. “Condi-
Sometimes taking corrective action too tion monitoring is based on knowing
soon can have bigger consequences, P-F curve and vibration monitoring that a fault is coming—but has not
such as higher costs or more downtime, All machinery vibrates, but excess occurred yet—and gives you some
than not acting. If you are repairing vibration in rotating equipment can prewarning and the ability to schedule
things too quickly, you are going to be make potential issues known early on. corrective repairs before the efficiency
spending money on changing out com- Vibration monitoring can measure or capability of a machine is reduced.”
ponents more often than necessary. In changes in the amplitude, frequency, Identifying anomalies before they
such cases, you either have inaccurate- and intensity of forces that can cause result in damage, downtime, or dis-
ly identified the actual point of failure damage to rotating equipment. ruptive repairs decreases costs, un-
or have your parameters set incorrectly. “Compared to other technologies— expected downtime, and production
By detecting failures when they are like ultrasound, oil analysis, and loss. Other benefits include extended
actionable but still early, you are able thermography—vibration is kind equipment life and smaller spare parts
to plan the most advantageous time to of like Goldilocks,” says Bernet. inventories. And, when you have suffi-
take corrective action. When used in “Thermography can be too late, while cient lead time to order parts on an “as
conjunction with condition monitor- ultrasound and oil analysis can be too needed” basis, you can even eliminate
ing, the P-F curve improves mainte- early, but vibration is just right. With expedited costs.
nance by allowing you to do more than vibration, we can see indications of Other maintenance methods, such as
just react. faults 12 to 18 months in advance— calendar-based maintenance, simply
Oil analysis is one of the first indi- when there is still life left in the do not fit as well with the P-F curve. The
cators of potential failure. It tells you components—and not react too soon.” real-time data provided by condition
a lot about what is going on with a The four most common vibration monitoring lets you stay on top of where
piece of equipment by indicating what faults are imbalance, looseness, mis- each critical asset is on the P-F curve.
kind of particles are in the oil. But not alignment, and bearing wear. Rare
all assets have oil, so you cannot use machine faults do happen, but almost Tools to optimize
oil analysis for everything. Vibration all vibration faults fall into these four Maintenance is neither about fixing
is typically the next earliest indicator. categories. “Vibration is especially everything the moment potential fail-
The most common thing to use the effective in diagnosing mechanical ure is detected nor about waiting until

36 INTECH MARCH/APRIL 2019 WWW.ISA.ORG