Cases
Engineering startup increases safety with remote IoT monitoring
arrow_backTo the overview27 August 2024 | PCH Engineering A/S
IoT solutions are not just for large manufacturers or machine owners with comprehensive condition monitoring strategies for multiple factories.
A Danish startup was testing their machine, which feeds metal bars to industrial CNC lathe machines at very high rotational speeds.
During the prototype testing, the startup noted that the feeder vibrated violently if a bent metal bar was fed to the machine. They realized that it was necessary to monitor the highly automated bar feeder during testing as well as operation.
The startup contacted PCH Engineering about a vibration monitoring solution that would alert operators to the situation before it turned dangerous and enable the startup to monitor the prototype remotely.
Monitoring for troubleshooting
First, we rigged up a prototype with test equipment connected to our online PCH Cloud database to determine the root cause of the problem.
By collecting and analyzing the data remotely, we found that the slightest bend to the metal bar would cause dangerous vibrations in the bar feeder which could cause machine breakdowns and be a safety hazard to on-site personnel.
The solution: Remote IoT monitoring and shut-down functionality
We proposed a simple, cost-effective vibration monitoring solution with a shut-down trigger and IoT functionality for remote data analysis.
The solution consisted of:
- 1 vibration sensor with a relay that shuts down the machine in the event of excessive vibration
- 1 IoT EtherBridge module connected to the vibration sensor through RS485
- An online cloud setup, PCH Cloud, allowing the startup to monitor and analyze the vibration data of their prototypes and first products remotely.
With the vibration monitoring solution from PCH Engineering, the startup was able to provide greater local machine safety to their clients, as the monitoring equipment from PCH Engineering is SIL 2 rated.
The monitor's local alarms and shut-down relay protect the machine and the personnel on site from breakdowns when the machine is in operation.
The remote access to data in the PCH Cloud database helped the startup understand how their machine is being used by their clients and to adjust the vibration alarm levels accordingly.
This case is written by:
PCH Engineering A/S
Established in 1992, PCH Engineering A/S is an ISO 9001 certified engineering company developing SIL 2 vibration monitoring solutions for rotating machinery worldwide. PCH Engineering is part of KK Wind Solutions.
PCH Engineering produce all monitors at their factory in Denmark, which enables them to keep full control of the production and respond quickly to standard orders as well as customised solutions.
With 30 years of experience in the vibration monitoring industry, PCH Engineering have a keen sense of market needs. They were the first to launch a real-time monitoring solution with