The machine breaks down. Completely unexpected and sudden, a nightmare for the entrepreneur. In the worst-case scenario, this leads to the shutdown of entire plants, deadlines are missed, and costs are escalating. Can this risk be minimised? A key lies in wireless sensor technology: Thanks to the Wirepas Massive Technology, there is a marketable solution for cost-efficient and highly scalable condition monitoring, which can be easily implemented.
Table of Contents: What awaits you in this article
Wireless Condition Monitoring: The future lies in smart concepts
Condition Monitoring is a concept with the aim to reduce the failure risk to an absolute minimum. It is already used in many companies. It is based on continuous monitoring of the machine status by measuring and analysing physical values such as, fluctuations and temperature, for instance, thereby helping to gain a much better understanding of the machine. As a result, maintenance can be coordinated better and, for example, signs of wear and tear can be detected early (predictive maintenance). As a whole, system efficiency as well as safety can be improved. Condition monitoring systems (CMS) are relevant to the entire industry, and their range of application is enormous. So far, there is no standard software, and interest in the optimisation and production of intelligent systems is high. After all, one thing is clear: The future is in intelligent, industrial IoT solutions.
Finnish innovations cluster reliably delivers data with a wireless solution
Finnish company Treon is an expert in the development of wireless hardware and software, including devices for industrial condition monitoring: wireless condition monitoring. Along with the start-up of Wirepas company, innovative synergy is created that benefits from each other. Treon develops wireless devices for monitoring, and with its scalable mesh network, Wirepas provides the connectivity software for the transmission of data between the sensors and the gateway. The data is then transmitted from the gateway to the cloud or the client’s server application via a secure network protocol.
Sulzer is striking it rich with the Finns
Sulzer, a leading manufacturer of pumps, was searching for a suitable condition monitoring service. Previously not equipped in this area, Sulzer has initially not been able to find anything suitable on the market. Ahead of its time, the company identified that wireless transmission is the only right way for it. by means of the contact with Wirepas, it was possible to develop an individually suitable product in cooperation with Treon. The Sulzer sense condition monitoring service emerged. At the core of the wireless IoT solution are the battery-operated, cost-efficient, as well as easy to install Treon sensors combined with the Wirepas short-distance mesh network paving the way to the gateway. This collaboration resulted in the Treon Industrial Node sensor – the company’s first product specifically for condition monitoring. Furthermore, the sensors Treon Industrial Node 6 with advanced features, as well as Treon Industrial Node 6 Ex, a version for explosive environments, have already been introduced this year.
The sensor Treon industrial node resulted from the Sulzer project and is Treon’s first product specifically for condition monitoring. (Photo: Treon)
Treon meets client requirements
Also convinced by the solutions of the Finnish collaboration of Treon and Wirepas are the German company ifm, which specialises in sensors, as well as Symphony Industrial Al, an innovator in industrial insight based in the USA. Just like Sulzer, they have used White Labelling and had the devices created with their own name. In doing so, they are able to offer wireless sensors to their clients, with Treon hardware and Wirepas connectivity.
What makes this Finnish collaboration special
Treon is focussing on the devices and the hardware platform, not on back-end solutions or services for end customers. No external cloud is forced on the client. With Treon, the client gets the captured data transmitted directly and securely to his own cloud or local server application. Access, control, as well as further use of the data is the sole responsibility of the client at all times. Upon request, the client even receives a data package optimised and filtered according to his wishes, clear of irrelevant information. This approach preserves the battery life. Treon attaches great importance to close collaboration, individually aligned to the respective needs of the companies. Last but not least, the hardware specialist with a Nokia background has extensive experience with the Wirepas mesh network, which is so valuable for demanding, industrial environments.
Wireless, battery-operated solution versus conventional methods
In the history of condition monitoring, traditionally, only two methods have been used to date. One used connected equipment. In doing so, a lot of data is delivered for analysis in a timely manner. Downside: This method is time-consuming during installation, difficult to maintain, as well as expensive. For this reason, only a small percentage and effectively only “critical” equipment was included in the maintenance schedule. As a result, limited installations lead to limited data. The entrepreneur who is content with this solution only receives a partial, incomplete picture without, in particular, an overview of the true performance. According to Murphy’s law, precisely the link that is not monitored will, of course, lead to downtime and costly errors. The second method uses portable equipment. An employee walks through the premises and measures the required data. This does, indeed, save time and costs for installation. However, a lot of time elapses between the individual readings, and the deployment of personnel is also expensive. As a sole method, both are no longer up-to-date.
More efficient condition monitoring with Wirepas and Treon
Treon and Wirepas are the ideal match when it comes to smart IoT solutions for appropriate condition monitoring. Janne Julkunen, Treon’s Chief Product Officer, comments: “Wirepas has an excellent team that is a pleasure to work with and an outstanding technology that simply works. Therefore, we can focus on what we do best: the development of highly-integrated, wireless, electronic devices.” The Wirepas mesh network comes with everything which optimally supplements the technology provided by Treon. As a result, the wireless, battery-operated CMS meets modern client requirements. It is cost-efficient, and instead of only a few, all relevant machines can be easily integrated into the monitoring system. Wirepas technology allows the system to scale automatically to any desired size. This means it is possible to integrate new equipment at short notice without prior planning. It can also be used in new installations within a short time. It is simple to use, and the company does not need expensive specialists for planning and installation but is autonomous. There is no single point of failure, and the data is continuously played into the company’s own cloud.
