Availability, quality and performance are essential indicators of manufacturing performance, and all can be enhanced with industrial remote monitoring. This blog explains what the term means and introduces the technology involved. After covering some of the many applications, it wraps up by detailing the biggest benefits of remote monitoring systems. On completion, readers will have the information they need to move forward with a remote monitoring project.
What is industrial remote monitoring?
“Remote” in this context refers to the person acquiring or using data from a machine not being physically present at the machine. Instead, data is gathered by sensors and communicated to where it is viewed, analyzed and stored.
Remote monitoring systems are set up to:
- Determine if machinery is running
- Count machine output
- Assess if a process is in control
- Identify if attention will be needed soon
- Monitor emissions
Recent years have seen rapid advances in the sensing, communications and analysis technologies used for remote machine monitoring.
Sensors have become smaller and faster and have gained the ability to process, send and, in some cases, receive data. This is done using wired and wireless protocols ranging from USB and Ethernet to Wi-Fi and cellular networks. The result is “smart” or “Internet of Things” (IoT) sensors.
Additionally, sensor data can now be stored and shared at minimal cost in the cloud. These cloud storage solutions let authorized users view and analyze the IoT sensor data from any location. This enables rapid problem identification, along with benchmarking comparisons that help businesses find and implement improvements in machinery and process operation and maintenance.
Whereas analysis was once the domain of engineers with spreadsheets, today it is being taken over by real-time data analytics tools. These receive data from remote sensors (which may already have been filtered and analyzed by “edge” devices at the machine) and process it into information yielding valuable insights into the equipment, the process and the product. Going forward, much of this processing will be done by or aided by AI.
Applications of remote monitoring in manufacturing
Remote monitoring is used in many industries, from water treatment to power generation. Within manufacturing, the most widely used applications relate to machine condition monitoring, energy consumption and emissions. More specifically, possible applications include:
- Equipment maintenance: Real-time monitoring of parameters indicating equipment health. This includes oil levels, pressures and conditions, bearing and spindle vibration and temperature logging. This data is used to schedule maintenance activities based on actual equipment conditions rather than a calendar or operating hours basis.
- Predictive maintenance: An emerging application for machine health monitoring is using data analytics to predict potential equipment failures. This allows maintenance to be postponed until shortly before a breakdown is expected to occur.
- Production line monitoring: Real-time tracking of production rates and process conditions, plus the results of quality control checks carried out by automated tests and measurement equipment.
- Energy management: Industrial IoT devices are effective in sustainability and cost-reduction efforts allowing the ability to monitor and optimize energy usage.
- Supply chain management: Remote monitoring can go beyond watching machine output and health to cover inventories of raw materials, consumables and MRO items. Using technologies like bar code reading and RFID tags, particularly in conjunction with machine and process monitoring, supports real-time tracking of inventory levels and logistics, along with streamlined MRO procurement.
- Environmental monitoring: With remote monitored systems like waste treatment and furnace/smokestacks, it’s easier to ensure and demonstrate compliance with environmental regulations and sustainability goals.
Key benefits of remote monitoring in manufacturing
Remote process and equipment monitoring impacts:
- Operational efficiency
- Asset care
- Productivity
- Quality
- Costs
- Safety
Here’s a closer look at each.
Operational efficiency
Changes and trends that, if not addressed in a timely manner, would lead to nonconforming product, other forms of waste or uncontrolled chemical releases, are detected promptly. This enables quick responses that reduce unplanned downtime and improve OEE.
Asset care
Predictive maintenance based on data insights from reliability monitoring enhances the effectiveness with which equipment maintenance is carried out. This reduces maintenance costs and extends equipment lifespans.
Productivity
Improvements in availability and quality reduce the impact of bottlenecks on output. This reduces idle time at non-bottleneck operations and allows more productive use of assets throughout manufacturing.
Quality
Continuous monitoring of processes enables immediate identification of trends that would otherwise result in conditions outside of required limits. Likewise, monitoring product quality parameters enables prompt reaction to problems, reducing levels of defects, rework and scrap.
Costs
Material consumption drops as quality improves, energy efficiency is higher as processes are better optimized, and costs resulting from unplanned machine downtime are avoided. Maintenance expenses are lower because machines can go longer between servicing, and there’s less need for breakdown maintenance. In many cases, it’s even possible to reduce maintenance spares inventories as replacement parts can be ordered just before they are needed.
Safety
Remote monitoring improves safety in many ways. Potentially unsafe operating conditions are identified quickly, with alerts being issued automatically, so they can be addressed before they lead to more serious problems. Compliance with safety regulations is higher, and the frequency with which workers need to enter potentially hazardous areas is reduced.
Get more from your assets
IoT sensors, coupled with cloud storage and real-time data analytics have made remote monitoring an essential tool for industrial manufacturers. By providing new insights into machinery operation and condition it enables more effective maintenance and process control, leading to less downtime, better quality and higher OEE.
ATS helps manufacturers improve equipment reliability and availability and better manage their maintenance costs. Our services range from short term support to predictive maintenance solutions that harness the potential of remote monitoring. Contact us to learn more.
