Listen to your machinery - all of it!
WIREPAS PARTNER CASE
SCHAEFFLER OPTIME
Optimization and digitalization of businesses are what our partner, Schaeffler, is focused on. They help end users along the entire value-added chain by providing digital solutions to track their businesses.
Unplanned downtime is the nightmare of any manufacturer. It sets off an avalanche of expenses, with worstcase scenarios reaching all the way to shutting down entire plants at staggering costs. And even smaller incidents can set you back thousands of Euros per hour. No small risk, so how do you reduce it? Leading global industrial and automotive supplier Schaeffler was working on a cloud based IoT solution for machine condition monitoring. But to make it scalable, cost effective and easy to apply, they needed a final piece to fit the puzzle. How do you add sensors to make all your machinery talk without cost getting out of hand?
CHALLENGE
Expensive installations and wires everywhere
Due to the high investment cost of sensors and the high installation costs when it comes to cables, production outage and manpower, an average of only 6% of all machines used in manufacturing today are on-line monitored. The need for mains power and cabled connectivity for sensors means they’re too expensive, too complex and too time consuming to deploy across an entire manufacturing site. And of course, limited installations lead to limited data and limited understanding of the machines and their performance. The weakest link in your system will always be whatever it is you’re not monitoring. That’s where the unplanned downtime and expensive failures occur. So how do you reduce cost and simplify things to afford sensor deployment on all your machines? Wirepas had the answer, and it was simple. Go wireless, and go battery powered. Then you can easily scale to whatever size you want!
SOLUTION
Wirepas simplicity turns the balance
Plug. Play. Predict – simple as that. Using Wirepas enabled wireless OPTIME sensors as part of the solution, the OPTIME cloud based IoT solution for machine condition monitoring was perfected. The data collected by the sensors is automatically analyzed and reported by machine learning algorithms to detect problematic trends or problems. Providing visual monitoring of machine condition through the mobile app for fast reaction to possible issues in their operation. Continuous development and innovation based on the machines’ analytics gives ample data for improvements in production and dramatic cuts in downtime.
Quickly enough, the OPTIME solution showed its power in the early pilots at an end user site. The platform proved itself able to identify failing machines and deviations in operational patterns compared to normal behavior. The findings led to maintenance employees having the benefit of early problem shooting, locating any source of a dysfunction fast and efficiently. The speed of the actions not only improved the situation but also helped the team to identify root causes and prevent similar issues happening again in the future.
The end user was given clear proof points of the solution as several failed machine components were detected by OPTIME and so far, not a single mechanical failure has been missed. The continuously analyzed data automatically tells you which machines are at risk, together with detailed information about any potential problem. All of which helps the maintenance team react to the right issues before they cause major downtimes.
RESULTS
Efficient and simple – big benefits without complexity
So OPTIME increases your machine knowledge. It lets you optimize the lifecycle of your machines without adding complexity, all to achieve the ultimate goal of less unplanned downtime. It comes with fast and easy installation without requiring specifically trained technicians or engineers. Several hundreds of measuring sensors can be installed in just a single day, and activation happens through a simple NFC app. Compared to monthly offline measuring with handheld readers, OPTIME can save up to 50% in expenses by offering data wirelessly without the need for frequent manual reading.
With the help of Wirepas and the members of their ecosystem, Schaeffler could create a total solution with a very fast time-to-market. The Wirepas technology enables multiple use cases beyond condition monitoring, making it flexible and future proof. And it is a field proven technology for scale, density and low-power in demanding environments. With Wirepas, Schaeffler can bring the price point per sensor to a level where you can afford to connect 100% of your machines. That’s 100% on your side fighting unplanned downtime.
- No wires.
- Long battery lifetime.
- 100% reliability and scalability.
- Total ease of installation.
- Ability to operate in harsh environments (lots of metal in factories).
- Strong partner ecosystem acting as one team to provide the needed parts to Schaeffler.
Learn more on the case
Wireless monitoring is a game changer
