Equipment Troubleshooting

Sensing Systems has been involved in hundreds of projects to determine the causes of equipment malfunction, inefficiency or failure.  We install and monitor sensors to obtain real time measurements during equipment operation.  We have pinpointed fatigue failure, dynamic stresses, misalignment, vibration, thermal stresses, insufficient cross sections and other reasons as the root cause for failure of structures and equipment.  

We offer a full range of field testing services reaching all industry, government and educational sectors.  We specialize in acquiring measurements used to determine operating conditions of equipment and structures.  These measurements are used to diagnose problems, establish operating performance, determine compliance and recommend improvements.  Our measurements include:

  • Strain
  • Stress
  • Vibration
  • Temperature
  • Pressure
  • Displacement
  • Torque
  • Power
  • Force
  • Voltage, Current, Resistance

Excessive and erratic values of any of the measurements listed above may lead to malfunction and failure.  Short and extended time histories provide valuable insight into the actual operating conditions of the equipment and processes being tested.  These conditions are then analyzed to provide a course of action to solve the existing problem.

All sensors are installed in the field and connected to state of the art data acquisition systems.  Our systems can acquire data at extremely high sampling rates using high quality signal conditioning and with filtering and analysis capabilities.  The quantity of measurements may start at 1 and up to 500+ channels using all types of sensors.

Analysis of the measurements provides clues and answers to the causes of equipment malfunction, structural failure or degradation in performance.  Trending of critical parameters is used to schedule critical maintenance, modify processes and avoid catastrophic failures.

Experience

Sensing Systems’ engineers and technicians have conducted field tests and installed measurement systems in a wide range of locations, from hydroelectric plants in the jungles of Ecuador to oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, from nuclear plants in Taiwan to shipyards in Italy and steel mills in Ohio. 

Our field staff has operated in a wide range of industries including the following:

We have developed unique and innovative methods and procedures to install and operate all sensors under challenging conditions such as underwater, cryogenic and high temperature, high magnetic field and corrosive environments.  We have performed testing in temperatures ranging from -452 ˚F to +1,300 ˚F and in magnetic fields up to 7 Tesla.  Following is a sampling of Sensing Systems projects.

Data Acquisition Systems

Sensing Systems utilizes state of the art computer based data acquisition systems.  The equipment can sample at rates as low as once per day and up to 1,000,000 samples per second.  Data may be acquired and submitted in different formats for further review and analysis by our customers.  Filtering may be performed during acquisition or digitally following data acquisition.  Data analysis such as rainflow may be performed real time by our equipment. 

Signal conditioning equipment is used to convert low level signals to high level signals or, depending on the application, to convert analog data to digital data for transmission to a computer.  Field equipment configurations are optimized on the basis of number of measurements in the test program, distance between sensors and equipment, required sampling rates, available power and environmental considerations. 

Permanent Monitoring Systems

Sensing Systems also installs permanent monitoring systems in the field.  Installation, planning and implementation of permanent systems are similar to field testing projects.  The data acquisition equipment selected for permanent systems typically has communications capabilities using telephone connections or wireless systems for downloading data to computers at the customer facilities.

Our equipment has been left to operate unattended for years at a time while being able to download data to a remote computer using telephone connections.  This setup is especially desirable when the location of the monitoring equipment is in a remote or inaccessible location.

Portability

Many applications require that testing be performed on a moving platform such as automobiles, bicycles, park rides, etc.  Sensing Systems’ equipment and procedures support such testing.  The test planning and execution phases must pay special attention to power requirements, acceleration levels and test duration to ensure a successful outcome.

Accuracy

The accuracy of field measurements varies according to the sensors being used.  For most sensors that have been calibrated in the laboratory and installed in the field, accuracies in the range of 0.1 % to 1 % of full scale are typical.  Strain and stress measurements require sensors such as strain gages which depend on the installation material for their accuracy.  Field accuracies range from 3% to 5% of full scale.

Sensing Systems has pioneered the use of in-situ calibrations for strain gage measurements.  We design and manufacture the required fixtures and apparatus to apply a known load to the structure and measure the corresponding output.  Using this approach the accuracy may be improved to 0.5% to 1% of full scale.

Technical Assistance

Please contact our engineering department to discuss your specific testing and troubleshooting requirements. 

Contact Us now to discuss your application.