How condition monitoring and Machine Monitoring can help you reduce downtime and ensure quality welds?

Welding competitiveness is the major objective of any Fabrication plant, and hence lowering costs without sacrificing quality is the aim of every welding company. It becomes evident that a lot depends on the effectiveness of any given welding equipment when you consider the requirement to be able to respond to customer requests with a short lead time.

Manual methodologies have reached their limits in achieving this saturation, so it's time to consider new solutions that go beyond the individual's capabilities and instead rely on machine and operator data to achieve maximum welding quality. With how Industry 4.0 has evolved has impacted the methods of assuring equipment and final output quality has emerged: condition monitoring and machine monitoring.

Both are essential to monitoring the welding process to get the best quality welds. While condition monitoring ensures the quality and the welding process are top-notch, machine monitoring reduces the risk of failure and downtime.

What is condition monitoring?

Condition monitoring is continuously monitoring a specific condition in machinery (such as vibration, temperature, and so on) to detect changes that could indicate the onset of a malfunction. It's an essential aspect of predictive maintenance since it allows for maintenance to be scheduled and preventive steps to be done to avoid additional failure and unscheduled downtime.

Traditional condition monitoring relied primarily on vibration analysis, while more recent, inventive systems are using sensors for condition monitoring to continuously evaluate several parameters and provide alerts when a change is detected.

Condition Monitoring before Industry 4.0

Before industrial IoT, determining the status of any specific machine took a lot of manual effort. In terms of downtime, the expense of locating a problem was considerable. Because there was no method to foresee the need for maintenance or repairs other than by looking at historical patterns, the danger of unplanned downtime was also high.

Because it was purely reactive, the lack of real-time data was highly wasteful. Furthermore, each machine was essentially self-contained. Because there was no connectivity between machines, no operator could observe a slowdown or obstruction and alter their segment of the production line accordingly.

Condition Monitoring with Industry 4.0

The evolution of IIoT, resulted in the welding industry becoming smarter and more efficient. Monitoring the condition of a machine has become smarter. The use of intelligent sensors and actuators to improve manufacturing and industrial processes is known as the industrial internet of things (IIoT). IIoT, sometimes referred to as industry 4.0 or the industrial internet, makes use of real-time analytics and smart machines to make the most of the data that "dumb machines" have been producing in industrial settings for years. The underlying tenet of IIoT is that smart machines are superior to people in both data collection and real-time analysis, as well as in conveying critical information that can be used to make business choices more quickly and correctly. IIoT is the most important factor in an efficient welding industry today, without it, the welding process will be significantly slower, and weld qualities will downgrade. The most important element of IIoT in the welding industry is maintenance and monitoring.

This is how Industry 4.0 has changed Conditioning Monitoring -

Condition monitoring in the Drilling Laser Line

This highly automated and integrated line includes a materials handling process, a laser process, a flow test, and a test station. Many measurement data values are often recorded by the DLL along with the external metering apparatus. The DLL is maintained in accordance with a schedule or when control or tolerance thresholds are reached.

Condition monitoring of electrical boxes

To avoid fires, insurance companies require plant operators to inspect electrical boxes. These tests are frequently performed manually. These electric boxes can also be used to monitor the condition of equipment with the help of temperature rise. If the temperature of a machine rises significantly while working, it may need repair or even change.

Condition monitoring when working with spindles

Spindles are used in a variety of production-related ways to process substances. But getting data from this part can be difficult, especially if the system is older. As a result, servicing frequently follows pre-determined cycles. Using smart spindles can help you understand the condition of the spindles prior to it going too bad. It predicts maintenance with the help of real-time sensors.

Benefits of Condition Monitoring

Numerous advantages of condition monitoring with IIoT include lower maintenance expenses, less downtime, longer asset life, and cost savings on resources that are changed too soon. The status monitoring system, for instance, gauges a component's noise output. Over time, users start seeing a machine breakdown pattern occurring soon after a certain threshold of element disturbance is reached. Welders can now put an alert on that component when it reaches that noise level since they have a condition monitoring system installed, informing maintenance staff that they might want to consider replacing the component.

Condition monitoring is now done online thanks to modern technology, which connects innovative technology to the internet and wirelessly delivers continuous real-time measurements. These measures are transmitted to integrated software for analysis and archiving of historical datasets.

Using condition monitoring, your facility can transition from a reactive to a more proactive maintenance strategy. Once set up, condition monitoring gives you continuous measures that, without adding more work, show you how well your equipment is doing.

What is machine monitoring?

Machine monitoring entails connecting machines to the internet to collect data continuously. This information is subsequently used by operators and managers, who are in a better position to tap into that intelligence and make decisions that will boost overall efficiency. Machines may also efficiently self-monitor across the factory floor and on every line, alerting operators when a problem, such as a mechanical fault, is imminent.

Wireless monitors linked to user-friendly software allow for data collection, analysis, and translation into actionable information quickly and easily. All machine types, including Precision CNC, SWISS, Stamping, and Molding machines, can easily connect to some displays.

Machine Monitoring with Industry 4.0

The OEE and profitability will increase significantly with an Industry 4.0-based machine monitoring system that provides data from your factory floor 24/7. On the mobile phone, tab, or PC, it monitors the actions of the equipment and sends reports whenever and wherever the user is. It can transport data back and forth while interacting with ERP.

For a number of Industry 4.0 applications, including planning, service, purchasing, quality, tracking revenue loss and gain, tracking consumables usage and costs, and component tracing.

Benefits of Machine Monitoring

Multiple networked assets or gadgets make up the Internet of Things. How useful IIoT in large industries is? It installs web-enabled sensors on these machines or devices to gather valuable data. The platform hub receives this data, which is processed and analyzed in real-time. It aids in making important choices that boost a machine's or factory's productivity. There are various advantages to employing a machine monitoring service in the industry. Here is a list of a few of them.

Conclusion

The Internet of Things is made up of numerous networked devices or assets. To collect relevant data, web-enabled sensors are installed on this equipment or devices as part of IoT in significant industries. This data is delivered to the platform hub, which is immediately processed and analyzed. It assists in making crucial decisions that increase a machine's or welding productivity. Employing a machine monitoring service has a number of benefits in the sector.