Monitoring automatic valves allows utilities to optimise their maintenance, but to truly prevent unexpected shutdowns it’s vital that you take this approach with all your assets.
While industries continue to digitise their automatic valves and processes to streamline data collection, improve maintenance, and reduce costs, manual valves often remain unmonitored with little to no data.
These assets are frequently overlooked, despite their large numbers and involvement in critical processes. So why focus only on monitoring automatic valves and not manual ones?
A compelling case
By monitoring manual valve performance and condition, maintenance and repairs can be carried out and planned according to actual needs, rather than by assumption or routine schedules.
This avoids unnecessary parts replacements and interventions, reduces costs and improves overall process control, ensuring smooth and efficient equipment operation without unexpected disruptions.
In addition to reducing unexpected shutdowns, this approach also helps extend equipment lifespan.
Through non-intrusive installations, valves can be regularly monitored without disrupting operations, allowing early detection of the first signs of wear. By addressing issues before they worsen, equipment can be maintained more efficiently, extending its lifespan and avoiding costly breakdowns or premature replacements.
When valve operation data is stored, it also becomes easier to share information with your team, facilitating performance verification and problem identification.
This not only speeds up troubleshooting but also improves collaboration and makes training new staff more effective.
By collecting that data today, you lay the groundwork for future technologies, such as AI, which are already entering the industrial sector. The more data you collect now, the more insightful future analyses will be, enabling smarter decision-making and predictive maintenance.
Preparing for tomorrow
For decades, Modec has collaborated across industries to offer versatile portable actuators. By understanding market demands, the company have pioneered a monitoring solution aligned with Industry 4.0 and IoT technologies.
This solution is designed for seamless integration, and smart sensors connect to Modec actuators without any modifications to your installation.
The LTN67 Sensor in Modec Connect measures torque and speed, transmitting real-time data to the mobile app via Bluetooth. Lightweight and compatible with all Modec actuators, it empowers efficient monitoring of manual valve networks.
Modec’s goal is to make data management simple. This solution transmits torque, speed and rotation data via Bluetooth to a secure mobile and web application for effortless analysis – which means crews can input and access critical valve data anywhere, anytime.
It also allows utilities to assign user roles with varying access levels to streamline operations and ensure the security of your data.
Modec Connect has two modes: Free Mode, which enables real-time measurement of torque, speed and revolutions, and Guided Mode, which provides steps for comparative analysis of valve conditions over time.
The useability of this system takes the effort out data collection and analysis, while still providing advanced reporting. This means utilities can export professional PDF reports to share insights and maintain operation records and analyse performance curves with simplified visualisations for clear trends.
Field Machine Tools is the Australian distributor partner of Modec Pneumatic Motors & Portable Valve Actuators, and the expert team work closely with asset owners to adapt a solution to the needs of their facility, not the other way around.
For more information, visit sales@fmt.com.au or call 1300 368 368
