Client Background
A large independently operated and managed, black empowered manganese ore producer finds themselves under constant pressure to meet production demands with a single line from crushing to load out for export. A machine failure on the line results in high repair costs as well as downtime, which imposes significant risk.
To ensure the deliverables are met in a safe and responsible manner, producer adopted effective maintenance management principles. This decision led to the journey of condition-based maintenance. An automated condition monitoring solution integrated to the existing Enterprise Asset Management System provides machine condition assessments and triggers workflow notifications with recommended corrective
actions.
Key Challenges
- Machine failures proved costly considering downtime and resource planning to maintain the status quo.
- Scheduled periodic assessments on the critical assets were not reaping the expected benefits, which resulted in more frequent assessments with a high cost.
- Poor analysis reporting with indecisive recommendations contributed to the performance of unconcise maintenance tasks.
- Defect notifications were not communicated effectively.
Martec Intervention
- Identified critical areas with the client to roll out a cost-effective condition monitoring system.
- Identified vibration, acoustic emission, speed and temperature as valuable measurables related to common failure modes experienced on the assets.
- Implemented in time condition monitoring systems with diagnosis capabilities on critical assets and basic trending of significant parameters other identified plant assets.
- Provides skilled resources to remotely assess and diagnose machine defects.
- Hosts history of machine defects, failures, alarms, diagnosis and repairs.
- Integrated the in time monitoring system with the existing Enterprise Asset Management System for maintenance planning.
Value add
- Machines are monitored in near real time.
- Warning and alarm levels are configured for triggered analysis activities to commence.
- Skilled analysis service is provided remotely, minimising call outs.
- Communication is provided via visualised dashboards accessible via any internet connection by authorisation logins.
- Notifications are raised to persons responsible for the plant area.
- Automated maintenance management systems prove reduced task planning required, with fewer resources and less time.
Tools and technology
- Machine Health Surveillance (vibration, acoustic emission, speed and temperature)
- Web Analysis application (diagnosis and trending)
- Communicator (online reporting)
- On Key Enterprise Asset Management System