Electricity and Control August 2023

PLANT MAINTENANCE, TEST + MEASUREMENT

preset schedule – to a predictive maintenance approach built on a picture of actual performance using real-time data. Unlike pre ventive maintenance, where there is no way of knowing the true con dition of a field instrument or its parts until an intervention is made, predictive maintenance using in strument data enables operators to identify and rectify potential problems before they manifest. Using a smart asset manage ment system as the basis for a predictive maintenance strategy presents several benefits. In com parison to anecdotal evidence, assumptions, or abstract observa tions that can influence preventive maintenance efforts, the ability to gather and check instrument data

Smart asset management systems offer organisations the potential to shift from preventive maintenance strategies to a predictive maintenance approach.

in real time provides evidence of what is actually happen ing, significantly reducing the risk of misdiagnoses or incor rect conclusions, which can waste engineering resources in incorrect or unnecessary maintenance. Being able to access the data from field devices also helps to equip engineers with the knowledge they need to fix a problem before arriving on site. Countries worldwide are facing a shortage of engineers as many approach or reach retirement age (in the US, 30 to 50% of water indus try workers will be eligible to retire in the next decade [4] ) and this means technologies that enable engineers to work more smartly will become increasingly important in ensur ing the efficient deployment of engineering resources to carry out essential maintenance tasks. Another benefit is in supporting regulatory compliance. In key areas such as potable water quality and effluent dis charge, where stringent regulations apply, smart asset man agement systems help ensure that instruments are properly calibrated and maintained to achieve the measurement ac curacy needed to meet compliance requirements. Making smart asset management work Like any system, a smart asset management system is only as good as the sum of all its parts. A good smart asset management system should consider how data will be col lected, and how it can be shared to deliver maximum value. As an example, ABB’s SmartMaster verification and condition monitoring platform draws together operation al, engineering and information technology platforms and data to connect the physical and digital worlds in industrial applications. Using the platform, the status of entire fleets of devices can be monitored continuously from anywhere at any time. This provides for the early detection of poten tial failures, the ability to verify performance of instruments against their calibrated settings, and the ability to check and predict lifecycle performance, among other benefits.

Managing such a diverse mix of devices, which can number into the hundreds or even thousands on very large sites, can be very challenging for industrial operators. This is where smart asset management systems can help. In terms of measurement accuracy, regulatory compli ance, operational status, and failure diagnosis and pre diction, each field device is required to perform optimally. This is critical for all industrial processes, including many of those in the water industry, especially where a mistake could impact on the safety or quality of treated water. Many devices will have a wealth of data that could be used to help optimise plant and process performance, if the data could be unlocked and made available. Howev er, the proliferation of different technologies used for com municating instrument performance, including Profibus, Modbus, Foundation Fieldbus, HART, 4-20 mA and most recently Ethernet, has traditionally made it difficult for op erators to gain an overall picture of what’s happening in the processes or to make use of the full value of instrument data in helping to guide maintenance. Smart asset management can help With the ability to collect and monitor data in a unified en vironment, smart asset management systems have the po tential to transform plant and process performance through enhanced instrument performance. Developments in integrating field devices mean that data from different devices using different protocols can be brought into a single environment where key indicators, such as calibration, can be checked and verified against the device’s original settings to ensure accuracy is being maintained, and any deviations or faults are flagged for at tention. Hence, smart asset management systems offer organ isations the potential to shift from preventive maintenance strategies – where equipment is maintained according to a

24 Electricity + Control AUGUST 2023