Data Collection Our machinery diagnostic services involve the collection and analysis of vibration and other relevant machinery data, correlation with other pertinent data such as process conditions, reduction of the data into meaningful information, and provision of a written report with our findings, recommendations, and conclusions. We identify potential changes in machinery condition or behavior and if any machine faults are observed, the severity is assessed and additional review is performed to determine the root cause. Our recommendations will include required maintenance, changes to operating procedures, and other actions that can be taken to eliminate or reduce the severity of a malfunction condition. While we are able to address any size or type of machine, we are often called to assist with the most critical turbomachinery in the plant, typically involving multiple machine cases and multiple bearings.
KenMar has multiple data collectors, including Commtest vb7, Commtest vb8, Bently Nevada® ADRE®, and Alta Solutions AS-410 and AS-1250. We reduce machine vibration data into usable plot formats. Explain which plot formats are best to use in the different stages of machine diagnostics. This data helps find the causes, effects and indicators of the typical machine malfunctions; including recognition of problems such as unbalance, misalignment, rubs, shaft cracks and fluid induced instabilities. If underlying malfunctions are found to exist, we can recommend action to correct the malfunction
Baseline Data Collection and Report. The baseline data report provides detailed analysis of rotor dynamic behavior plus recommended actions for the outage, includes comprehensive evaluation of current technical conditions, provides insight into general mechanical health, helps detect malfunctions to eliminate surprises when machine is disassembled during outage, and documents baseline condition for future audits.
Machine Shutdown Data Collection and Report. The shutdown data report provides detailed machine shutdown data analysis report, transient data which provides information that is difficult to detect in steady state conditions, especially when historical data is unavailable, transient data used to evaluate the static forces acting on shaft, helps evaluate bearing conditions such as rotor bow, unbalance, shaft crack, misalignment and rubs.
Machinery Startup Data Collection and Report. Whether commissioning a brand new machine on-site or restarting after a maintenance outage, collection of startup data and comparison with baseline data is highly beneficial. In addition to collecting startup data for future reference, we are also able to assess the data in real time to advise whether conditions are normal or if any anomalies observed would warrant adjustments to start-up procedures or aborting a start-up attempt altogether.
o Examples of recommendations would include the need for rotor balancing, machinery alignment, bearing replacement/repair, additional lubrication, repairing loose foundation, placement of transducer probes/sensors, etc.
o Examples of remediation options would include correcting conditions such as rotor bow, unbalance, shaft crack, preload and misalignment, lose parts, instability, thermal unbalance, and rubs. For the example of unbalance, before balancing is carried out, we confirm that unbalance is the underlying machinery problem. Attempting to balance a machine when a different malfunction is present can exacerbate the situation. We can rule out misalignment, resonance, structural failures, loose foundation, and other developing problems.
o Example of design advice would be determining what to measure, how to measure it and establishing and documenting a baseline. We have also designed multi-event wheels, transmitters, brackets, and other items.
Balance of Plant Data Collection and Report. For balance-of-plant machinery with no permanently mounted vibration monitoring system, we offer Predictive Maintenance Programs. To help prevent unscheduled machinery downtime, we collect data using one or more of the above data collection units to collect and analyze data on equipment conditions on a regularly scheduled basis. The resulting report is then used to plan maintenance and restore machinery to good operating condition. Predictive maintenance systems typically measure parameters on machine operations, such as vibration, heat, pressure, noise, and lubricant condition. Predictive maintenance enables repair-work orders to be released, repair-parts to be ordered, inventories checked, and routine and/or non-routine maintenance to be scheduled.