Currently and since quite some time, the maintenance of point machines has been performed on the bases of regular maintenance plans stipulated by the manufacturer. These plans mainly determine the frequency of the inspections and the tasks that should be performed during the different types of maintenance works.
However, in many cases, despite compliance with these specifications, the errors in the point machines continued to occur.
“It is known that MTBF of point machine or any mechanical/electrical element deteriorates along the time. Therefore frequency between maintenance can not be kept the same during the live of the point machines. This is one main reason why maintenance frequencies should be modified accordingly.
Understanding this, is it correct to think static maintenance standards that do not change with time and that are not adjusted to the environment, can reach their goal of avoiding breakdowns?
Or, should we take into account the characteristics of each point machine, the use intensity, the frequency of breakdowns, the location, the length of the blade, etc.? To take that into account implies several calculations and machine learning algorithms, but nowadays technology has advanced so much that it is time to switch from preventive calendars to condition-based maintenance calendars.
It is possible that, looking at the real maintenance needs, some point machines may receive too much maintenance, while others do not receive enough.
- What is the real cost of maintaining point machines that are not in need of an inspection?
- And the costs of not performing maintenance on point machines that show signs of wear and tear?
The resources of the maintenance teams of the operator are usually scarce, and in many cases, it is costly and complicated to comply with these static maintenance plans.
smart motors® Condition-based maintenance
smarts motors® has more than ten years of experience in providing condition monitoring systems for point machines that are able to show which point machines are most in need of maintenance and classify them according to the urgency of the next inspection. With this information, the algorithms of the system can create maintenance plans that combine this information with the available resources.
Not only do our DAEN BEE, DAEN LITE, and CDX sensors feed our CBM maintenance solution, but it is also possible to connect with the maintenance management system of the user and provide data that is more in tune with reality.
Information like the age of the point machine, the frequency and the intensity of breakdowns, the availability of the resources, etc. are data that can be included in the tool to create maintenance plans based on real situation.
Reduction of standstill time and saving resources
By using smart motors Diagnose and Condition monitoring, our users have been able to drastically reduce the standstill time during the service caused by breakdowns in point machines, by 80%.
At the same time, the average number of annual inspections of point machines has been reduced by 75%, including preventive and corrective inspections.
If you would like to get more information on all the functionalities we offer, contact us and we will inform you about the solution that fits your maintenance needs and resources.
