The Advantages of Portable Vibration Monitoring Equipment for On-the-Go Maintenance

Since its debut, portable vibration monitoring has captured the interest of practically every industry leader. From food/beverage to refining to manufacturing facilities, gut feel vibration monitoring was imprecise at best and could be destructive at worst.

Portable vibration monitoring has introduced monitoring on the go, ensuring that operators, technicians, and plant managers alike can get the data they need to make smarter, more informed decisions. Below, we’ll look at how portable vibration monitoring improves predictive maintenance capabilities and how accurate vibration analyses contribute to a better bottom line.

Portable Vibration Monitoring for Modern Maintenance
Portable vibration monitoring equipment is required for modern maintenance practices. When sites are more complex than ever before and configurations vary based on everything from terrain to production methods, portable vibration monitoring makes it easy to set up sensors that can identify when machines take a turn for the worse. Whether it’s because the machine needs regular maintenance or because it requires an immediate shutdown, modern facilities can’t afford to leave anything to chance, and portable data collection provides the early warning they need to assess machine condition.

Basic Training Requirements
At Metrix, our portable vibration meters measure the vibrations both within and between machines. Since portable vibration meters can be carried by technicians in the field, whenever there’s a suspected machine that may have excessive vibration, the technician can easily measure the vibration. If the vibration is above certain specifications, for example, 0.3 ips (7.5 mm/s), the technician can take action to perform a diagnostic level analysis on the machine.

Our vibration meters are simple to operate and excellent for spot measurements. The acceleration, velocity, and displacement readings are accurate in even the narrowest of spaces or uneven configurations. Plus, the sensor cable allows flexibility between the sensor and the screen, making readings as convenient as practically possible.

Key Advantages of Portable Data Collection
There are a few key advantages of portable data collection:

● Mobility: Cumbersome equipment is difficult to move and properly implement on the go. With portable monitoring equipment, it’s easy to transport the components wherever they need to be without having to worry about whether there will be enough room.
● Versatility: Portable monitoring equipment has advanced to the point where technicians can successfully monitor multiple machines with a single device. This flexibility allows for more applications and use cases in even the busiest facilities.
● Portable monitoring: A single loose bearing can have a ripple effect that might astound even the most experienced site operators. Portable monitoring ensures that issues are caught as soon as they develop to drastically limit or even eliminate potential damage.
● Better predictive maintenance: While all equipment has general servicing guidelines, those guidelines don’t always match real-life scenarios. Portable vibration monitoring provides data to identify machinery glitches that signal the need for maintenance.
● Periodic vibration monitoring: Many machines at a production plant do not have permanent vibration monitoring sensors installed, or they do not have a full complement of vibration sensors that could pick up all the possible failure modes for a rotating or reciprocating machine. Portable vibration monitoring allows a plant to fill in the gaps where they do not have permanent vibration monitoring. A portable data collector is a great way to ensure that machines that are not fully monitored do not have serious issues that are going undetected.

Improve Equipment Reliability
For those machines that don’t have permanent vibration monitoring that includes XY vibration monitoring at each bearing, thrust monitoring, and a phase trigger, portable vibration monitoring improves equipment reliability by providing accurate details about how any given piece of equipment functions over time. So, if the plant ramps up production, it’s easier to predict how well the plant’s components will keep up with the additional demand. When you have the right analysis and maintenance, it’s easier to go full steam ahead with fewer doubts.

Reducing Downtime
Electrical power generation and supply is one of the most important commodities known to man. When power generation is interrupted and people don’t have electricity, sometimes it’s more than an inconvenience, it can become a life-threatening situation. While portable vibration monitoring equipment can’t prevent all downtime, it can help plant operators step in as quickly as possible. Better prevention and intervention can be the key to reducing unexpected failures and emergency repairs. Proactive maintenance can fortify machines to handle increased load, especially in the event of high winds or frigid temperatures.

Reducing Costs
The more efficient a plant is with its maintenance and equipment repairs/replacements, the more profitable it will be. Too many leaders cut costs in the short term only to be hit with high-ticket items in the future. Portable vibration equipment may be an investment, but it can reap strong returns after only a short time. When you can allocate resources based on precise data, it’s far easier to save money in the long run.

Integrating Into Fixed-Monitoring Systems
Fixed-monitoring systems can undoubtedly spot an array of anomalies across a plant as long as the sensor suite is comprehensive enough to provide true asset condition. This is difficult to do with all the rotating and reciprocating machinery assets at the plant due to cost. Most plant operators want continuous monitoring of their assets, so a compromise is reached by providing a vibration transmitter solution that delivers early warning and can be supplemented by a portable data collection program. This provides a thorough machine condition assessment.

When it’s difficult to justify a full monitoring suite on a machine, a tremendous amount of value can be obtained by combining the continuous vibration data from a vibration transmitter located on the bearing between the coupling and the load, and the data gathered from a portable data collector. By using both continuous monitoring of the most important bearing on the machine and portable data collection, the plant will not be surprised by vibration changes between portable data collection events and will have the data to perform analysis if necessary. This combination of continuous monitoring and portable data collection provides operators, and technicians, a better idea of how to fix the equipment in real-time or whether to shut down the machine and protect the plant and its personnel. It’s also easier to operate than many other types of equipment, making it possible for more personnel to step in when it matters most.

Rapid Deployment
Most machines at a plant are not connected to a Condition Monitoring System (CMS) where one can view plots and data on a continuous basis. In most cases when a machine has a problem, a portable data collector can provide the data needed for diagnosis. In emergencies, portable monitoring can be the key to avoiding machine failure or unnecessary shutdowns. Equipment mobility for vibration monitoring ensures that a plant can collect all necessary data and accurately interpret the data to drastically cut down unscheduled downtime. When people get alerts, whether they’re at the plant or not, they’ll spend less time assessing the situation and more time acting on it.

Metrix Portable Vibration Meters in Action
With decades of experience behind us, the team at Metrix offers a wide range of industrial monitoring systems. We’ve embraced the most promising technology in our fields, and we’ve watched that technology improve over the years. Our high-profile clients trust us to provide equipment that keeps their facilities up and running. To learn more about condition-based maintenance and real-time monitoring to help oil, gas, petrochemical, pipeline, power generation and water and wastewater companies reduce costs across the board, contact us today.