Predictive Maintenance Technologies

Predictive maintenance surrounded by predictive maintenance technology terms.

According to Deloitte, predictive maintenance lowers maintenance costs by 25%. It further reduces breakdowns by 70% and increases productivity by 25%. So, it’s unsurprising that predictive maintenance technologies are revolutionizing the maintenance management industry.

Predictive maintenance is more than just a technology—it’s an entirely new approach to maintenance management. By using machine-level data and predictive analytics, organizations identify potential problems before they occur. Predictive maintenance empowers organizations to engage in proactive maintenance strategies and preventative measures.

There are two primary components to predictive maintenance technologies

  • Hardware and sensors used to collect machine-level data.
  • Software – Solutions used to analyze that data.

Let’s explore physical predictive maintenance technologies and the software needed to leverage them to their fullest extent.

What Are Predictive Maintenance Technologies?

Predictive maintenance relies on accurate, machine-level data. Smart sensors can capture machine-level data relevant to the machine. And for each type of installed sensor, there is a necessary form of data analysis to match.

Technology Description Key Benefits
Vibration Analysis Monitors vibration signatures to detect misalignments, looseness, and bearing failures. Early detection of mechanical problems.
Thermography Uses infrared imaging to identify overheating bearings and electrical problems, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Non-invasive detection of thermal anomalies.
Tribology Analyzes friction, lubrication, and wear through sensors measuring vibration, temperature, and pressure, helping optimize machine performance. Prevents untimely failures and enhances performance.
Ultrasound/Ultrasonics Utilizes ultrasonic sensors to detect issues like air leaks, loose bolts, and cracked gearboxes that may not be visible to the human eye. Identifies hidden problems early on.
Motor Circuit Analysis Measures voltage, current, and resistance to identify potential issues such as loose connections and overloaded circuits, enhancing safety for maintenance technicians. Reduces safety risks and improves maintenance.
Laser Shaft Analysis Measures voltage, current, and resistance in rotating equipment like motors and pumps without turning them off, ensuring continuous operation. Non-disruptive analysis for ongoing maintenance.

Vibration Analysis

An expert maintenance technician can listen to a machine and know it “isn’t right.” You can too, with the power of historical analysis and vibration sensors.

Vibration analysis monitors a machine’s vibration signatures. By analyzing changes in these signatures over time, you can detect problems such as misalignments, looseness, and bearing failures before they cause extensive damage.

Thermography

Is your machine “running hot?” Technicians frequently miss thermal signatures because they aren’t visible, especially in machines that are difficult to access. Thermography changes that.

Thermography uses infrared imaging to identify potential problems. Thermal images can reveal issues such as overheating bearings and electrical problems.

Tribology

Tribology is the study of friction, lubrication, and wear. Understanding how these three forces interact allows you to optimize your machines for peak performance and prevent untimely failure.

The tribological analysis uses sensors to measure vibration, temperature, and pressure. Use this data to identify potential hazards before they become disruptive or dangerous.

Ultrasound/Ultrasonics

Sometimes, an asset may fail seemingly with no warning. But it could also be that the warning signs weren’t visible to you.

Ultrasound refers to sound waves with a frequency above normal human hearing. Ultrasonic sensors can identify issues such as air leaks, loose bolts, and cracked gearboxes—things a person can’t perceive.

Motor Circuit Analysis (MCA)

Take some of the guesswork out of maintenance—and improve the safety of your maintenance management. MCA measures voltage, current, and resistance.

MCA identifies potential problems such as loose connections and overloaded circuits. These are issues that could be potentially dangerous to a maintenance technician. So when your facility maintenance tech heads out to fix an asset, they’ll be cautious and prepared.

Laser Shaft Analysis (LSA)

Diagnose a machine without turning it off. Like MCA, LSA measures voltage, current, and resistance. But LSA is used on rotating equipment such as motors and pumps.

Because LSA doesn’t require contact, you can analyze the equipment without turning it off. Another advantage to sensor-based, predictive maintenance—it’s always on and keeps you up and running.

Build a Better Brain With Computerized Maintenance Management

Vibration, heat, movement: your body senses it—but your brain processes it.

Predictive maintenance technologies extract an extraordinary volume of real-time data. But this data must be analyzed to make sense. Your organization needs a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to aggregate, normalize, and analyze data.

A CMMS can draw in data from hundreds or thousands of sensors at once to manage a scalable inventory of assets. Once the CMMS aggregates the data, it uses predictive algorithms, contextual data, and historical information to glean actionable insights. And those insights are sent to you within a single, consolidated dashboard.

But not all CMMS solutions are the same. The right CMMS will have the following features:

  • Adaptability and customization – You need a CMMS that you can configure to your company’s needs. LLumin provides rule-based, adaptable customization to automate your responses based on what actions are best for your organization when any given incident occurs or the trigger rule is met.
  • Automatic, scheduled reporting – Increase visibility across your systems. Automatic, scheduled reporting keeps everyone on the same page and reduces your administrative burden.
  • Personnel management – Schedule more effectively. LLumin’s personnel management features track the time it takes to complete tasks, generating reports that can help optimize your workforce management and improve your mean time to repair (MTTR).
  • Machine uptime optimization – As a company, your goal is more uptime. LLumin applies predictive maintenance algorithms to determine the best maintenance schedules to maximize operations.
  • Full maintenance and asset management integration – LLumin isn’t just a CMMS. It’s a CMMS+. LLumin provides end-to-end maintenance and asset management, from sensor-based alerting to supply chain management.

When you work with LLumin, you don’t just receive a software suite. We provide everything your company needs to develop an intelligent infrastructure. That includes:

  • A guided implementation path – Our implementation path takes you from the initial kick-off and planning to maintenance and collaboration.
  • Employee training – Establish employee buy-in early and ensure employees have the knowledge and tools they need to transition.
  • Over-the-top support – We pride ourselves on providing excessive levels of support. Take advantage of unlimited remote and phone support, complete version upgrades, and service packs.

At LLumin, we’re more than a technology—we’re partners. 

Your Journey Toward Intelligent Predictive Maintenance Begins Today

Take advantage of the next generation of predictive maintenance technologies. Predictive maintenance reduces downtime, improves ROI, increases productivity, and keeps people safe.

Getting Started With LLumin

LLumin develops innovative CMMS software to manage and track assets for industrial plants, municipalities, utilities, fleets, and facilities. If you’d like to learn more about the total effective equipment performance KPI, we encourage you to schedule a free demo or contact the experts at LLumin to see how our CMMS+ software can help you reach maximum productivity and efficiency goals.

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