Rising energy costs and stricter legislation on sustainable practices are prompting companies to re-evaluate their processes and look for new tools and technologies to reduce waste and meet the challenges of today's industrial environments.
Fluke, the global technology leader in compact, professional electronic test and measurement tools and software, today presents the three key trends that can improve operational efficiency in today's industrial environments.
The challenges posed by the pandemic to industrial operations managers are now superseded by the rising cost of energy and the need to achieve "net zero" emissions targets. As energy prices continue to rise, the need to reduce costs and meet planned sustainability targets is intensifying for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as large ones.
Paul Feenstra, Vice President of Fluke EMEA, says: " We work with our customers to implement new initiatives to improve their operations, increase productivity, and take reliability to a new level in the 21st century. "
1- Reduce energy costs with improved technology and cloud-based data monitoring
Around 90 % of companies use compressed air for their operations, so much so that it is often referred to as the fourth networked energy. Recent developments in industrial acoustic imaging technology enable the rapid detection and location of leaks in compressed air systems found in industrial and manufacturing environments. Fluke's ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager is equipped with a microphone array enabling sound field visualization in a wide field of view, over a distance of up to 70 meters, enabling maintenance teams to visually locate air leaks in compressed air systems, very quickly and accurately.
As well as improvements to some rugged handheld tools, monitoring practices are also evolving thanks to the use of Internet-connected instruments. Analysis and data are stored on a cloud platform enabling operators to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for compressed air systems, including energy consumption, electrical power, flow rate, pressure and leakage rate. Fluke's LeakQ™ Report Generator generates detailed reports on air compressor leaks from images captured by the Fluke ii900 or ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager and calculates achievable energy savings once leaks are repaired.
2- Using data for predictive maintenance
For generations, maintenance professionals have relied on preventive maintenance to avoid equipment breakdowns, and turned to corrective maintenance when assets failed. With the emergence of IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) technologies, maintenance professionals can now connect tools, software and sensors, to collect, store and analyze multiple sources of data in one place. The pandemic has accelerated investment in remote monitoring technologies. This technology enables teams in charge of maintenance and reliability to meet operational time requirements, regardless of the availability of on-site personnel. The trend towards remote monitoring will continue, with smaller operations turning to remote condition monitoring services.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have delivered on their promise to quickly identify trends and adapt to changing operational conditions. Software armed with prescriptive analysis tools can now be combined with modern condition monitoring devices to initiate a revolution in the use of AI/ML for maintenance operations.
Today, a new race is on to combine this hardware and software with AI and ML algorithms. Some companies, like Fluke, are working to combine technologies that enable software to identify trends, recognize data patterns and make specific recommendations for equipment maintenance.
3- Digital SI accelerates the integration of critical equipment measurements
The accelerated adoption of digital measurement solutions for industrial applications saves time and money, while facilitating the transition to predictive system maintenance. Although today's digital measurement devices are generally not ready for use, the widespread adoption of digital measurement solutions is paving the way for verification technologies that reduce the maintenance burden on personnel, without compromising accuracy or reliability.
Digital SI, an initiative created as part of the Industry 4.0 revolution, focuses on the creation of a global system for the electronic transmission of calibration certification information. This is an essential element, as data exchange and the data itself are the basis of highly automated industrial processes. The system guarantees measurement traceability for all calibrations carried out, and also enables information to be shared dematerially. This speeds up the integration of measurements that can be carried out using critical test equipment within an integrated plant, improving maintenance efficiency and plant productivity.
" The challenges we have faced over the past 24 to 36 months have made management realize that fundamental changes in maintenance best practices must take place to preserve the bottom line.said Paul Feenstra.
" It's music to the ears of visionary industrial managers, who advocate investments to improve productivity and system reliability. Now is the time to argue for the adoption of innovative technologies, tools and processes, so that your company retains a competitive edge, and can thrive in this new environment. "