UE SYSTEMS manufactures handheld ultrasonic devices used for condition monitoring and energy savings purposes. The company also provides handheld devices for lubrication practices, and online monitoring solutions for mechanical and electrical applications, along with in-depth training and support to help ensure users get the best out of the technology.

Generally, humans can detect sounds in a frequency range from about 20Hz to 20kHz. Ultrasound, which is in the 20 to 100kHz bandwidth, is generated in two ways: turbulent flow, and friction. “Think about compressed gasses creating turbulence via leaks or in valves and steam traps with leaks,” says Hallum. “That generates the ultrasound by turbulence. And rotating assets create friction which also generates the ultrasound.”

With any type of asset, the earliest changes in the condition of the asset can be identified by its high-frequency emissions, the sound characteristics. This means ultrasound can be used to detect a potential change or problem in the earliest onset, helping to improve maintenance scheduling and parts ordering. And the technology can also be used for a more proactive approach.

The applications for ultrasound technology are wide and varied. Hallum cites leak detection in compressed air and gas systems, vacuum systems and the like. The technology can also be used to ascertain the condition of valves and steam traps; turbulent flow can be heard if there is a leak. When it comes to mechanical inspection, ultrasound can be used with rotating equipment such as bears, gearboxes, pumps etc. In lubrication, the technology can be used to help improve the way grease is applied to bearings. It can also be used alongside other technologies such as thermal imaging to help with electrical inspection to detect things such as corona, arcing, and tracking.

Continuous monitoring

In today's industrial environment, ultrasound is used via networks for remote monitoring, with the latest technology being used to continuously monitor assets such as bears, motors and gearboxes remotely from outside the facility. It also provides the ability to remotely lubricate from anywhere at any time.

When looking at ultrasound for mechanical inspection, it is important to take into consideration the reasons behind premature bearing failure. Hallum asserts that over 80% of such is down to poor lubrication practices.

Traditionally, using portable ultrasound devices, the engineer used the device to build routes in the software, upload it to the probe, and then used the probe to collate the route-based data, setting base levels and making sound recordings. This was then uploaded back to the software to trend over a period of time. This data was then used to aid the development of a condition-based lubrication programme using portable greasers.

The next evolution in UE’s ultrasound technology was the 4Cast online monitoring system. This can be used with a permanently mounted monitoring device and remote access sensors to monitor decibel readings, record sound levels, and trigger an alarm once a preset level is reached. The sound file can then be listened to remotely from the engineer’s desktop. This enables closer monitoring of critical assets, around the clock.

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Friction is always the key area to identify when carrying out mechanical inspection using an ultrasound device. “Typically, facilities can have hundreds of thousands of bearings, each with different lubrication needs,” says Hallum. “We know what required, but the issue is having the time to care for the bearings in the right way, making sure that we can do what is required to avoid any potential failures.

“With that in mind, EU Systems looked very deeply into ways that we can improve the monitoring of our bearings, but also improving the lubrication practices.”

This resulted in the introduction of the OnTrack with SmartLube add-on, which represents the latest incarnation of ultrasound technology for UE Systems.

Lubrication programmes

When it comes to implementing a lubrication programme there are a number of pitfalls that Hallum identifies. Traditionally, they would have been implemented on a time-based approach, using a simple grease gun to apply a given amount of grease in a given frequency. This presents the potential for human error when it comes to, for example, cleaning of the grease nipple or storing the equipment in a suitable clean environment. In situations where more than one type of grease is used, is the correct one being applied to each asset, in the appropriate quantities, and is this being carried out at the right time?

Auto-lubers will help with issues such as lubricant contamination, and also ensure the lubricant applied is the correct one. However, grease levels within the auto-lubricator need to be monitored, as does whether the right amount is being used.

The next step, condition-based lubrication, uses a portable grease caddy attached to a grease gun to help the user understand how they are lubricating at that point in time. Even here, there is the potential for human error, says Hallum. Contamination can occur, and there is still the risk that incorrect type of grease may be used. Here, using ultrasound technology will indicate when is the right time to apply the grease, and the grease caddy will indicate when the correct amount has been applied.

Taking things further, the OnTrack with SmartLube add-on has remote single point lubricators permanently mounted to the bargains, along with an ultrasound monitoring system trending the friction on the bearing.

“By applying this technology, we get around a lot of the key failures modes with regards to lubrication,” says Hallum. “We have a permanently mounted lubricator, so we are avoiding contamination. We have the correct grease in the single point lubricator, and because we are monitoring 24/7 we know exactly when to apply the grease and we can trend it so that we know when a sufficient amount of grease has been applied.”

Ontrak smartlube is a 16 channel edge analytics device. This trends the decibel emission from the rotating assets. The 16 channels provide the ability to monitor up to 16 points per system alongside 16 single point lubrication devices. All of this hardware then feeds into the UE InSights cloud-based dashboard and alerting platform. There is also the ability to run the system via CMMS systems, OSO Pye, Modbus, etc., making UE InSights optional.

Modular system

The system works with the OnTrack hub, which houses 16 points and can be connected via ethernet or wifi to your local network, or as is becoming more common, via a data sim card in the actual hub which can then connect to the internet and the cloud-based dashboards without having to go through IT infrastructure on-site. As it is a modular system, if more points are required, another hub can simply be added, which will feed into the same dashboard providing visibility of everything that is being monitored.

The onTrack system utilises the Ultra-Trak 750 sensor, mounted via a stud mount and wired to the OnTrack hub.

Using Smartlube, the single point lubricators precisely dispense the lubricant only when needed. The alarm notification facility enables configurable built-in events, and has the ability to then display, text or email alerts should these be triggered. Since the dashboard is cloud-based, it can be accessed from any device with a web browser capability. The dashboard is also fully configurable.

A further benefit it that the system also monitors the condition of the single point lubricators, so the user can be ready to change the grease pouches when necessary.

Where they system is already in use across industry UE systems has had positive feedback, for example in some cases a 30% reduction in grease consumption has been reported, along with a 95% reduction in the time required to achieve optimal bearing lubrication, and a 65% decrease in premature bearing failure caused by lubrication issues.

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Bearing lubrication certainty is assured – it is possible to know precisely when lubrication is required, exactly how much lubrication is needed, and ensure that the correct grease is used every time, while eliminating the potential for a foreign material to introduced during the lubrication process.

“So as you can see, ultrasound as a technology started the early 70s, with a simple analogue hand-held device used in troubleshooting assets, and is now able to fully monitor, autonomously, from anywhere at any time, and provide that lubrication remotely,” says Hallum. “There has been a significant evolution in ultrasound, and hopefully we will help industry in lubrication practices and avoid premature or unscheduled outages due to lubrication related issues.”

To view the complete webinar on demand, visit: https://events.streamgo.live/Ultrasound-in-iiot/live