Flottweg Motice - The Condition Monitoring System for decanter centrifuges

Wear and tear of components is a major challenge for many manufacturers. If done too early, the manufacturer loses the “life” left in the parts, but if done too late, catastrophic failures could occur. The monitoring of wear-intensive components on decanter centrifuges allows for optimal maintenance timing. Flottweg’s Condition Monitoring System, Motice, prevents bearing damage by monitoring and analyzing the condition of the drum bearings in the decanter centrifuges. It monitors the wear of the drum bearings and thus detects any bearing damage at an early stage. This reduces maintenance costs, ensures maximum productivity and extends the service life of the machine.

For peak decanter centrifuge performance, high drum speeds and loads are critical. To reach this level, a lot is asked of the drum bearings. The continuous loading of the bearings has potential to strain them, causing premature failures and unplanned downtimes. With Motice, the condition of the bearings is constantly monitored. Through vibration readings, the status of the bearings can be analyzed and any deterioration of the equipment can be addressed before damage occurs.

Protect decanter centrifuges from failure

The bearings of the decanter bowl are key for optimum centrifuge performance. Typically, operators are not completely aware of the wear-status, but Flottweg Motice allows for precise condition monitoring. Continuous monitoring through Siemens measurement electronics allows for instant recognition of any deviation. An immediate warning is given along with conceptualization of the issue. With customer approval, Flottweg can quickly access the bearing’s data via remote diagnostics and provide a bearing condition status report, allowing the operator to schedule preventative maintenance.

• Continuous monitoring of drum bearings
• Status changes of the bearing are detected, signaled and conceptualized
• Remote diagnosis possible via Flottweg
• Predictable maintenance and servicing of decanter centrifuges

Reduce maintenance costs

Evaluated and conceptualized signals simplify maintenance and service decisions. Motice condition monitoring evaluates important values, such as, speed, bearing type and limit values. These reports generate an exact analysis of any potential errors, such as lack of lubricant, bearing contaminant and bearing corrosion. If abnormalities are detected, the amount of time left for safe operation can quickly be determined. Maintenance requirements can also be set, with warnings for an upcoming need. This improves maintenance efficiency, inspections and reduces the risk of potential faults and failures, meaning an increase in machine availability.

• Increased cost-effectiveness of maintenance and inspection
• Minimized downtimes
• Exact fault diagnosis and warning messages
• Warning of upcoming maintenance work

Increased production output

If wear on the drum bearings is not detected and immediately addressed, bearing damage can occur and ultimately the decanter centrifuge can become compromised. This can halt an entire plant operation, resulting in lost production output, valuable time and can impact delivery schedules. Flottweg's Condition Monitoring System continuously monitors the bearings and immediately warn of any detected deviations. Operators can then remotely access the diagnostic report to assess the situation (Flottweg can only access the data with customer approval). Maintenance or repairs can be scheduled, unnecessary downtimes are avoided and machine availability and production outputs are increased.

• Risk of malfunctions and failures is minimized
• Safe production process: Increase in machine availability
• Predictive maintenance

Easy to retrofit

Whether installed in a new machine or retrofitted, Flottweg’s Condition Monitoring System immediately detects the current condition of the drum bearings. The data collected and trend charts are stored for up to ten years, with guaranteed security. Flottweg will only access data with customer approval. Motice does not need additional licensing or software and can be operated completely autonomously.

• Immediate analysis of bearing condition
• No additional license and software costs
• A high level of data security and data autonomy
• Easy integration into existing processes and machines

More efficiency in production thanks to Flottweg Motice

Flottweg’s Condition Monitoring System provides insights and real-time data on the condition of the drum bearings for both new and existing machines. Motice’s predictive maintenance capabilities results in increased efficiency and production.

Learn more about predictive maintenance with condition monitoring and its impact on machine efficiency in an interview with Frank Ebert, Mechatronic Systems  Development Engineer at Flottweg SE.