UK firm cuts cost of condition monitoring

A young British company has launched a condition-based monitor which, it claims, will cut the cost of implementing this technology. Sheffield-based Drive Management Services (DMS) says that its MachineGuard system will provide continuous live monitoring of machine variables such as motor currents, vibration, temperatures, and oil condition, and relay critical information about any changes by email, text messages, or faxes - as well as local flashing lights.

The MachineGuard modules can operate either as a standalone remote monitors, alarm sensors and data-loggers, or as part of a larger network, using wired or wireless communications. Data gathered by the modules can be viewed remotely on a PC in real time. The monitoring devices can be distributed across networks or the Internet and connected into wireless networks of up to 255 clusters of 255 instruments.

The device can monitor: motor currents, via a PT100 thermistor or thermocouple; vibration via standard accelerometers; oil condition and temperature via Lubriguard sensors; temperature, via an RTD; and any 4-20mA signal.

DMS was set up in 2004 by Allan Findlow and Kevin Micklethwaite who had both previously worked for Sumitomo Cyclo Europe. Findlow, who is DMS` managing and sales director, was previously Sumitomo`s UK sales and operations manager and arlier worked for Wyko and Renold Gears. Micklethwaite, who is operations and engineering director at DMS, was previously European senior product manager for Sumitomo and had earlier spent 31 years with David Brown Transmissions.

DMS, which has secured £50,000 of backing from the South Yorkshire Investment Fund, is operating as a consultancy specialising in power transmission. It offers a range of asset management products and services designed to eliminate downtime and lost production as a result of machine failures.

MachineGuard is already being used by some UK organisations. DMS`s customers include Premier Foods, Anglian Water and Knauf.