London - Kittiwake, a global provider of asset control and protection technology, announced the launch of its MHC Bearing Checker, a small, hand-held device, designed to provide an instant indication of machinery condition. The acoustic emission-based instrument is a solution to monitoring an unlimited number of machines on a periodic basis.
Based on the detection of high frequency activity which is naturally generated by deterioration in rotating machinery, the MHC Bearing Checker is simple to use as its Distress® parameter removes the need for machine specific interpretations. If Distress® is greater than 10, the user knows there is a problem and can instigate further checks. A dB Level is also provided, giving an indication of the overall noise of the bearing; it increases with speed of rotation, but also with degradation of the bearing or inadequate lubrication.
Kittiwake Holroyd’s way of detecting and processing high frequency signals provides condition related information in the easiest possible form. As the mechanical condition of machinery deteriorates, energy loss processes, such as impacts, friction and crushing generate sound wave activity that spans a broad range of frequencies. By detecting only the high frequency part of this signal with special acoustic emission (AE) sensors, it is possible to detect miniscule amounts of activity, for example a slight rub, a brief impact or the crushing of a single particle in the lubricant.
Each measurement takes in the region of 10 seconds, requires no set-up, previous history or knowledge of machine design details, such as bearing type, number of balls or race diameters for example. The same Distress® interpretation is applied across all machine types so by ‘deskilling’ technology, all maintenance professionals are empowered to take a proactive approach to predictive maintenance, making informed decisions quickly and with confidence.
“The MHC Bearing Checker provides entry-level condition monitoring at a price that makes it a feasible addition to every engineer’s back pocket,” said Martin Lucas, managing director, Kittiwake Group. “This is a simple, cost effective means of spotting problems in bearings, gearboxes, motors and pumps at an early stage, ultimately saving the company money by avoiding downtime.”
The unit is powered by an internal rechargeable battery, offering up to 1000 measurements between charges. Recharging is accomplished through a micro USB port and the unit can be connected to any standard PC USB port for ease of recharging.
“The MHC Bearing Checker provides an instant indication of machinery health,” said Lucas. “However, the real value stems from collating historical data and trending. Devising routes and analyzing results over time enables a better understanding of machinery and creates real intelligence on how the bearings react to changes in operation, how issues develop and – critically - how long it will last until complete failure.”