ITT i-ALERT2, Application Manual

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i-ALERT2 Application Guide 17 of 64
II. Machinery that is dangerous or difficult to access for inspections . We’ve all seen these poor pumps or
motors in the darkened corner of the plant basement. Often leaking, corroded, and installed in poorly lit
process areas. Regular inspection routes miss them as their hidden by piping or other equipment.
Installing i-ALERT2 devices on these neglected machines helps give them a voice and allows them to
communicate potential failures that otherwise would have gone undetected. The same is true of
machinery with particularly hazardous operating environments. Collecting data on equipment installed on
platforms or in pits can be difficult if not impossible while the equipment is running. Modern machinery
guarding can also obscure typical measuring points, and removing it to take a vibration reading typically
won’t be allowed. The i-ALERT2 wireless communication enables data collection at a safe proximity from
the equipment hazards.
III. Equipment that doesn’t run often . It is difficult and sometimes nearly impossible to try and collect data
on a machine that only runs intermittently or at odd hours a hand-held data collector. Batch processes
run at all hours of the day or night. Unless someone is assigned to be in front of the machine ready to
collect data 24/7, it’s likely you won’t have a great deal of data to analyze should a problem arise.
IV. Equipment that has no permanent machinery protection/monitoring system . Critical assets are
sometimes “protected” by permanently installed systems that have the ability to shut down the
machinery if it exhibits signs of failure. However these systems are generally very expensive and cannot
be applied to all assets in a plant. The low cost and ease of installation of the i-ALERT2 monitor make it a
perfect device to bridge the gap between machinery protection systems and periodic inspections. In fact,
the i-ALERT2 monitor can completely supplant the use of portable data collectors for monthly inspections.
The exception report and alarm / trend information generated by the i-ALERT2 monitor will show a user
which machines should be prioritized for further vibration analysis. If a machine generates an alarm or
alert, the reliability practitioner can initiate a work order for the in house team or bring in a consultant to
perform a diagnostic of the equipment using powerful multichannel vibration analyzers and other
advanced instrumentation to investigate the root cause.
V. New or Recently Repaired Equipment . As mentioned earlier in the user guide, the risk of equipment
failure due to some defective component or faulty repairs is much more likely to manifest as a failure
right at start-up. By installing i-ALERT2 devices on new equipment and recently repaired equipment being
commissioned, start-up failures can be reduced, and faulty equipment can be diagnosed right away,
protecting the plant from low quality equipment repairs or parts.