A busy August for the AVT Reliability Ireland team
Machine Sentry Condition Monitoring in Ireland: Building a Scalable Monitoring Programme
A condition monitoring programme does not always need the same monitoring method on every asset.
For one customer supported by AVT Reliability Ireland, expanding its reliability programme meant selecting different Machine Sentry monitoring options according to the requirements of the equipment being monitored.
The installation included:
Together, these created a broader monitoring network capable of bringing condition data from different asset types into the same Machine Sentry environment.
This type of deployment demonstrates how Machine Sentry condition monitoring in Ireland can be scaled around asset criticality, accessibility and the level of monitoring required rather than applying a single approach across an entire site.
Matching the monitoring method to the asset
Different machines create different reliability risks.
Some critical assets justify continuous monitoring because changes in condition need to be identified as quickly as possible. Others can be effectively monitored using fixed wireless sensors collecting data at configured intervals.
For this customer, the combination of Machine Sentry Online and Machine Sentry Fixed allowed the monitoring strategy to reflect those different requirements.
Machine Sentry Online provides continuous monitoring for assets where a higher level of data availability is required. Hardwired sensors can capture vibration and other condition parameters and make that information available remotely for analysis.
Machine Sentry Fixed provides a wireless monitoring option for assets where permanently installed sensors are valuable but continuous acquisition is not required.
The Machine Sentry Gateway supports automated collection from compatible fixed sensors, reducing the need for engineers to manually visit each measurement point simply to retrieve routine condition data.
The result is a monitoring architecture that can be designed around the plant rather than forcing the plant around the technology.
Bringing condition data into one environment
Collecting more data is only useful if that information can be interpreted and acted upon.
Data from the installed monitoring systems feeds into the Machine Sentry software platform, allowing asset condition to be reviewed through configurable dashboards.
This creates a common environment in which reliability teams can monitor asset information, review developing trends and record actions arising from condition data.
Dashboards can also be configured around the information most relevant to the user, helping different teams focus on the assets, measurements and actions that matter to them.
For organisations expanding an existing monitoring programme, this becomes increasingly important. As the number of monitored assets grows, the ability to organise and prioritise information becomes just as valuable as the sensors collecting it.
Scaling condition monitoring without monitoring everything the same way
A common challenge when developing a condition monitoring programme is deciding how much monitoring each asset actually needs.
Putting continuous online monitoring on every machine is rarely necessary or economically sensible. Equally, relying entirely on periodic manual measurements may not provide enough visibility for highly critical or difficult-to-access equipment.
A tiered monitoring strategy can combine several approaches:
Route-based monitoring for equipment that can be inspected periodically.
Fixed wireless monitoring where regular automated measurements improve visibility or reduce manual collection requirements.
Continuous online monitoring where asset criticality, operating behaviour or failure consequences justify a higher level of surveillance.
Using these methods together allows investment to be directed towards the assets where it can provide the greatest reliability value.
Building a stronger reliability programme
The installation of seven online monitoring systems, 32 fixed sensors and a gateway represents more than an increase in the number of monitored points.
It creates the foundation for a more structured condition monitoring programme.
As asset history develops, reliability teams can begin to distinguish normal operating variation from meaningful changes in condition. Trends can be reviewed over time, developing faults investigated and maintenance decisions supported by measured evidence.
The programme can then continue to evolve. Additional assets can be brought into the monitoring strategy as priorities change, while the appropriate collection method can be selected according to each application.
That flexibility is one of the strengths of the wider Machine Sentry approach.
From individual sensors to a connected monitoring strategy
Effective condition monitoring is not simply about installing sensors.
The greater value comes from connecting appropriate data collection with analysis, engineering judgement and a clear maintenance response.
For this customer, combining Machine Sentry Online, Machine Sentry Fixed and gateway-enabled collection created a monitoring infrastructure capable of supporting different asset requirements through a common software environment.
For organisations considering a similar approach, AVT Reliability can help establish which assets should be monitored, what level of monitoring is appropriate and how the resulting data can support a wider reliability strategy.
