May 2020

32 n MOTORS May 2020 www.drivesncontrols.com Solutions Industrial S Your Partn ervice er for service & parts s leading The UK’ e centr authorised mail@baumuller.c www.baumueller- +44 (0)161 432 7824 ā 24 HOUR SUPPORTLIN Ŵ Č E services.co.uk o.uk performance can increase productivity and reduce downtime – provided that we act on it. The market for smart motors and smart sensors is growing, both geographically and as the result of more suppliers entering the market. Alongside major manufacturers, such as ABB, Schneider, Siemens and WEG, there are a host of start-ups, including endiio, iQunet, MachineSense and PetaSense, that are developing wireless smart sensors to help modernise old equipment. PetaSense’s equipment can also be used on steam traps, electrical panels and valves, while iQunet offers a battery-powered wireless technology with sophisticated dashboards for interpreting data. The market for these start-ups is expanding because they offer similar technologies to the larger players at more affordable prices. This can be great for SMEs on limited budgets. Of course, they may face more obsolescence issues than products from larger suppliers. Smart sensors Smart motors cost more than traditional motors, but can deliver a much better return on investment. However, replacing an entire motor can be expensive and can slow down production, which is one reason why a smart sensor might be a better choice. According to Interact Analysis, there are already 30 manufacturers of smart sensors – an impressive number when you remember that they are sharing a market worth a little over $1bn. ABB’s Ability smart sensor and B&R’s Orange Box both convert traditional motors into smart, wirelessly connected devices. They can cut risks related to maintenance costs and extend equipment lifetimes by sending information about a motor’s health and operation to a secure server via a Bluetooth gateway. Implementing these smart sensors does not require changes to existing hardware and software. Siemens’ Simotics Connect and WEG’s Motor Scan can both capture vibrations or temperature-related data from motors and transmit it to a secure cloud server where users can evaluate KPIs to determine the status of the motor and assess whether imminent action is needed. It is not only the motor that can benefit from being fitted with a smart sensor. Bearings can also provide information using technologies such as Schaeffler’s SmartCheck and SKF’s Machine Condition Indicator, which can both be used to detect faults early. Most industrial applications don’t need a smart motor. But imagine if you could retrofit your vintage Nokia 3310 phone with all the technology a smartphone can provide, but at a fraction of the cost. That’s where smart sensors come into their own. As a first step towards industry 4.0, nothing could be cheaper or more effective to implement. n Fitting a smart sensor such as a ABB’s Ability Smart Sensor (shown in the main photo on page 30) or Siemens’Simotics Connect device (shown above) to an existing motor offers an alternative to buying a new smart motor