Condition data and analyses can be visualised in real time to help support more effective preventative maintenance and optimised efficiency using a new Monitoring Box launched by sensors specialist SICK.
The Monitoring Box promises ‘plug in and play’ remote condition monitoring and live status feedback of sensors, machines, processes and plants through a browser based dashboard for desktop or mobile devices.
The product can be adapted for a range of operating requirements across various industrial sectors, from manufacturing and logistics to ports, transport systems or waste management facilities, helping companies to digitalise their processes on the road to Industry 4.0.
“The SICK Monitoring Box is so simple and adaptable that the opportunities for condition monitoring are limited only by your imagination,” said the firm’s UK product manager for measurement and systems Neil Sandhu. “Transparent information about the health of your machines is just a few short steps away.”
He added: “Depending on your requirements, information such as operating hours, wear, temperature, energy usage or level of contamination, turns into a valuable resource.
“As a result, your machines and systems become more available and efficient. Unplanned maintenance time is reduced and operating staff can be deployed more efficiently to respond to any issues that occur. You will extend the operating life of machines through a better understanding of historical trends and patterns.”
Data from both SICK sensors and third party devices can be processed via powerful IoT gateways to enable local data storage on a customer premises or via secure connection to the SICK cloud.
Through the dashboard, users can then view all their devices with the ‘AssetBrowser’, search by device status using the ‘AssetFilter’ and view incidents and graphical representations to identify historical patterns and trends.
Email alerts can also be set up, such as to notify operators when monitoring values go under or over pre-determined limits to help enable a faster response to maintenance and servicing needs.