The equipment monitoring system collects status data of furnaces, generators, quenching tanks and public auxiliary equipment in real time, promptly prompts abnormalities through hierarchical alarms, and uses trend analysis to find early signs such as oxygen probe attenuation, generator carbon deposits, thermocouple drift, and heating element aging, turning "repairing if it breaks" into preventive maintenance. The key lies in reasonable alarm design, clear data visualization, and closed loop with the maintenance process.
- Collection objects: furnaces, generators, quenching tanks, public auxiliaries, and safety facilities
- Alarm classification: prompt, warning, interlock shutdown
- Trend warning: probe mV, CH₄, pressure difference, current, etc. slowly change
- Mobile terminal/remote notification, support unattended
- Alarming must be closed loop with disposal process and records
What to monitor
| Equipment | Key data |
|---|---|
| heat treatment furnace | Temperature of each zone, carbon potential/nitriding potential, probe mV, furnace pressure, gas flow, fan status |
| generator | Reaction tank temperature, dew point/carbon potential, gas production, outlet pressure, CH₄ |
| Quenching tank | Oil temperature, stirring, liquid level |
| Gongfu | Gas pressure, nitrogen storage, cooling water, compressed air |
| Safety | Combustible gas/CO alarm, flame detection, emergency stop |
| Energy consumption | Current, electricity, gas consumption |
Alarm classification
Too many alarms will be ignored, too few and problems will be missed. Recommended rating:
- hint: The parameter is close to the boundary and requires attention (such as the probe mV slowly decreasing);
- warn: The parameters are beyond the process range and the impact on the product needs to be processed and recorded;
- Interlock: Endanger safety or equipment, automatically perform protective actions (cut off gas, nitrogen purge, etc.).
Each alarm should be defined: trigger conditions, delay, responsible person, processing steps, and whether work in progress needs to be evaluated.
Trend warning: watch for “slow change”
Many failures are not sudden, but worsen slowly:
| Trend | Possible problem |
|---|---|
| Under the same carbon potential, the amount of enriched gas gradually increases | Furnace leaks and carrier gas quality deteriorates |
| Oxygen probe recovers slowly after burning charcoal | Probe aging |
| Generator CH₄ gradually increases | Catalyst carbon deposits or aging |
| Generator outlet pressure drops | Carbon deposits blockage and pump wear |
| The heating power of a certain area increases | Furnace lining damage, heating element aging |
| Increased deviation between thermocouple and reference | Thermocouple drift |
By setting these trends as early warnings, maintenance can be scheduled before quality is affected.
Remote and unattended
Modern monitoring systems support mobile phone viewing and push alarms, making it possible to operate night shifts and weekends with few or no people on duty. Gauss Control's ENDOMATE™ generator network introduces unattended operation mode, energy consumption monitoring and a full set of data record traceability; GS2025 equipment monitoring software is designed for centralized monitoring of equipment data.
Closed loop with maintenance process
The value of monitoring lies in action:
Alarm → Notify responsible person → Disposal → Record causes and measures → Analyze repeated alarms → Improve maintenance plan
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if there are too many police calls and no one reads them?
Carry out alarm management: count the frequency of various alarms, delete meaningless alarms, adjust thresholds and delays, and find the root causes of repeated alarms.
Does the monitoring system require an independent network?
It is recommended that the industrial control network be isolated from the office network and accessed through a security gateway, taking into account both security and convenience.
Can monitoring data serve as quality records?
Yes, provided the data is complete, time accurate, tamper-proof, and incorporated into quality system document management.