Schaeffler’s OPTIME wireless condition monitoring and automatic lubrication solution is helping prevent unplanned downtime of a critical centrifugal pump and motor at the WEIG Group’s cardboard production plant in Mayen, Germany. The site benefits from the early detection of failures, as the OPTIME app keeps the maintenance team informed on the condition of the pump at all times, as well as monitoring the lubrication of the motor.
WEIG, an accredited, owner-operated group of companies in the international paper and cardboard industry, employs 1,800 people at locations in Europe and South America. With a turnover of one billion euros, its portfolio comprises a closed value-added cycle, from wastepaper recycling to the production and marketing of paper as well as cardboard and cardboard products such as folding boxes and plasterboard. Its business model is based on an efficient recirculation system and a clear commitment to sustainability and resource conservation.
The challenge
The WEIG Group were looking for a predictive condition monitoring solution for the maintenance of a centrifugal pump at its cardboard plant in Mayen. An unplanned shutdown of this pump would bring the entire production line to a standstill. To prevent this, WEIG chose the OPTIME CM predictive condition monitoring solution from Schaeffler’s OPTIME Ecosystem.
OPTIME CM is a wireless condition monitoring solution that gives the maintenance team greater transparency due to the digital service provided by the OPTIME app. The OPTIME C1 lubricator from the Ecosystem was also used. After a few months in use, the solution prevented an unplanned shutdown of the centrifugal pump.
The machines in WEIG‘s cardboard division operate around the clock, seven days a week. Gypsum plasterboard and folding boxboard are produced mainly from waste paper. The machines in the line are exposed to high speeds, extreme humidity and high operating temperatures, including the centrifugal pump. In continuous operation, this pump mixes pulp with water to form a paper fibre pulp which it then conveys onwards. The pump rotates continuously so that a certain quantity can be constantly supplied. If it fails, the entire production process is stopped.
Oliver Schmitt, maintenance expert at WEIG explains why the maintenance team were looking for a predictive monitoring solution: “The pump is often at risk from cavitation. Due to the high flow velocity in the suction line, the pressure can fall below the vapour pressure and vapour bubbles form. When the liquid flow reaches the impeller of the pump, the negative pressure changes to positive pressure. In the worst case, the vapour bubbles can implode.”
As this streaming pump had not yet been monitored, the maintenance department was looking for a predictive condition monitoring solution.
Solution for pump and motor
Schaeffler’s OPTIME Ecosystem is a single solution that combines its OPTIME CMS (with the sensor variants OPTIME 3, OPTIME 5, and OPTIME 5 Ex) for wireless condition monitoring, and its intelligent, interconnected lubricator OPTIME C1 for automatic lubrication. This creates a cost-effective predictive maintenance solution, which effectively and sustainably minimises downtime and high maintenance costs.
With OPTIME C1, all users need to do to get the latest status of their lubrication points is to check the app from wherever they are located. The app tells them which lubrication points are insufficiently supplied with grease and which cartridges need to be refilled or replaced.
After around three months of using the OPTIME sensors, the maintenance team received warning messages. An increased level of background noise was recorded on the motor, bearing damage and cavitation was detected on the pump. The maintenance team confirmed the unusual behaviour of both units.
Insufficient lubrication turned out to be the cause of the motor noise. After installing an OPTIME C1 lubricator, the controlled lubrication significantly reduced the characteristic values of the motor bearing to normal values.
The increased characteristic values on the pump indicated bearing damage. An analysis of the measurement data showed damage to the inner ring of the A-side bearing. This damage could be confirmed on the dismantled bearing.
Since these corrective maintenance measures were performed, there have been no further rolling bearing defect frequencies and the characteristic values have remained below the alarm thresholds.
Cost of unplanned downtime
If the centrifugal pump fails unexpectedly, the entire production process comes to a standstill for six to eight hours. Production workers are then unable to carry out their work. Assuming that production stands still for six hours and the damage is serious, high costs can be incurred.
Savings in the five-digit range possible
Oliver Schmitt, Master Professional, Vibration Analyst, WEIG Karton states: “Within a very short period of time, OPTIME CM has become a reliable partner of our maintenance department. One look at the OPTIME app is enough to know how our machines are doing. I am delighted with the simple installation, easy handling and all-round service from Schaeffler. Our future plans: to install more sensors and lubrication systems from the OPTIME Ecosystem.”
How the ecosystem works
The OPTIME Ecosystem consists of many elements that work together to reduce downtime. It starts with the OPTIME user interface, which provides a complete overview of all machines and lubrication points. With the intuitive mobile app, the dashboard and the export viewer, access to the right information is easy, independent of location and always possible at the right time.
This is made possible by the OPTIME Cloud & Analytics. With unlimited processing power and capacity, huge amounts of data can be processed that are easy to understand and edit. This data comes from the OPTIME vibration sensors and intelligent lubricators via the OPTIME gateway: a standalone device that makes secure cloud connectivity and IT integration easy.
The automatic and self-healing OPTIME mesh network connects all OPTIME devices with each other. The easy-to-set-up mesh network requires little energy and enables large-scale installations. This means that machines can be monitored from any location with OPTIME CM Condition Monitoring and machine lubrication can be simplified with OPTIME C1.
The OPTIME Ecosystem also includes the OPTIME connector service and the OPTIME REST API. The OPTIME connector service makes it quick and easy to connect even more devices to the OPTIME Ecosystem. The OPTIME REST API makes it easy to connect the OPTIME Ecosystem with other existing systems.
OPTIME is part of the Schaeffler Lifetime Solutions portfolio, which offers a comprehensive range of products, services and solutions for industrial maintenance. It is designed to support maintenance engineers over the entire lifetime of a machine.
