PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCEOnline Monitoring SystemsFrom the oil ? elds to the water, what can online monitoring systems do for an operators’ bottom line?BY RICH MERHIGEll operators, regardless of Technically speaking, “engine” diag- manner, engineering professionals, such line monitoring systems currently on the vessel type, size, location nostics, and performance monitoring go as Merhige, have started to apply this market, has its roots in oil and gas, so or function, are plagued by back to the 1700’s. These “primitive” technology to the maritime industry. His their technologies and capabilities tend Athe same worries: “When forms of monitoring where ahead of system of choice? The 6320/PA by Win- to be tried, tested and perfected to avoid will my next outage happen, and what their times and monitored cylinder pres- drock. Windrock’s portable analyzers the ? nancial blunders of an unplanned is it going to cost me?” In an effort to sure with steam engines, then diesel en- and ? xed systems have enjoyed much outage. This has given them, particularly ease these concerns, millions of dollars gines, and later critical compressors and success in the oil and gas industries Windrock with their portable and on-line are invested every year into commercial/ engines. Portable diagnostic monitoring worldwide. Engineers and maintenance systems, a reputation for being reliable, workboat maintenance programs. But really gained footing in the 1960s, when professionals use Windrock’s products, which has increased its popularity with how can maintenance be maximized oscilloscopes were used for data collec- both portable and stationary, to monitor, military ? eets, such as the U.S. Navy, without blowing budgets? What’s the tion and analysis in the ? eld. Over the analyze, and troubleshoot machinery. U.S. Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy most thorough way to monitor equip- next 30 years, these systems increased in Data can be collected from reciprocating and the Spanish Navy (Armada Espa-ment? How can all mechanical compo- popularity and became known for their and rotating machinery to trend stress, ñola). It’s only natural that the work-nents be watched for possible issues and successes. In the 1990s, amongst rap- vibration, proximity, cylinder pressure boat sector should, and will follow suite, failures? According to Rich Merhige, idly evolving technology, and, a boom- and temperature. In this capacity, the especially since this is proving to be a President of Advanced Mechanical En- ing economy, the oil and gas industry products have been utilized by big oil to perfect tool to enhance condition based terprises, a South Florida mechanical (primarily in gas compression) started track vital pieces of equipment like com- monitoring. engineering services ? rm, these answers utilizing online monitoring as an exten- pression trains, pumps, reciprocating “For years, I have been an advocate of can be found in the oil and gas indus- sion of the successful use of portable engines and even speci? c components online monitoring systems, namely the tries, in the form of online monitoring engine and compressor analyzers. Over like cylinders, injectors, liners, bearings, Windrock On-Guard family of products, systems. the last two decades, these systems have valves, rings, and crankshafts. By utiliz- which we often recommend to our com-What is online performance monitor- evolved rapidly as the hardware comput- ing systems such as these, remote engi- mercial and workboat clients.” said Mer-ing? Today, online performance moni- ing power and software capabilities have neering has become very real, allowing hige. “By collecting data over an extend-toring can be described as the process advanced. Data collection used to take for non-intrusive monitoring on a con- ed period of time, remotely, you can get of gathering data from machinery to days to collect and analyze on mechani- sistent basis with minimal supervision, a very accurate picture of what is going assess the overall operating capacity of cal systems using hand calculations. which translates to minimal expense. on mechanically. Because the data col-the system it is a part of. Data is com- This can now be done instantaneously What does the marine industry stand to lection is done from afar, minimal labor pared either against an existing database and presented in easily readable graph- gain from these systems? How can ship is needed, making it extremely afford-(trending), or a model (model-based), to ics and reports. operators facilitate an online monitoring able and attractive to maintenance pro-diagnose existing issues and show the With a need to provide ship operators program, and what will it mean for their fessionals. By way of gathering a con-beginnings of wear and tear on mechani- with better forms of maintenance to fore- budgets? stant stream of data, you’re in the best cal components. cast problems in an ef? cient and timely Windrock, like many of the other on- possible position to prevent catastrophic failures, which is always something of TMgreat interest to ship operators. When On-Guard Diesel Graphic their bottom line is better, it makes them look better.”An online monitoring system can be installed and setup on a vessel’s machin-ery in a short time frame with a mini-mal amount of downtime. The sensors would be placed on engines, gear boxes, frames, and cylinder heads. Once set it place data collection can begin imme-diately, and, within only 15 minutes, it could produce readings that can be ana-lyzed. Traditionally, scheduled mainte-nance programs have been the norm, whereas mechanical elements are peri-odically checked based on manufactur-ers’ recommendations, similarly to how we take our cars to get oil changes at 22 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MARCH 2014MR #3 (18-25).indd 22 MR #3 (18-25).indd 22 3/4/2014 2:21:11 PM3/4/2014 2:21:11 PM