Hydro’s Condition Monitoring system, Centaur, has aided many end-users in catching real-time faults in rotating machinery. In many instances, end users see the value of the system through a no-cost, on-site trial. This includes the hardware, installation support, commissioning, and monitoring starting from the date that the sensors are commissioned on-site. The purpose of the free trial is to allow a “proof-of-concept” evaluation period before a further commitment is made.
After an initial period of data acquisition, typically a few weeks to one month, Centaur’s Condition Monitoring Engineers hold a virtual meeting to walk the end-users through the data collected and the extensive software capabilities. A monthly report is provided with an overall equipment health assessment and alarm event analysis. The analysis often includes trend data, waveform analysis, spectrum analysis, and cross-phase analysis between multiple sensors on a given machine train. The report also includes predictive failure analysis and proactive steps to mitigate component failure in the future.
An end-user in the Rocky Mountain oil & gas industry recently completed a Centaur trial. The trial lasted approximately 3 months and monitored the health of two pump and motor machine trains. Several reports were issued as part of the trial. The reports documented vibration amplitude levels through their given observation periods and included trend plots for each sensor.
During the initial part of the trial, the end-user noticed that the vibration amplitude readings had steadily increased over the trial period. The initial assessment by the end-user was a bearing defect. Centaur’s Condition Monitoring engineering team was able to determine that the elevated readings were not caused by a bearing issue and would not result in an impending failure. This assessment helped the site avoid premature replacement of the component and saved the end-user the price of the replacement part and the labor to replace it.
The free trial gave the end-user hands-on experience with the Centaur hardware, software, and analysis provided through the Centaur Monitoring & Diagnostic center. By witnessing first-hand the quality and ease of use of the Centaur system, they were able to confidently assess that it would provide the information they needed to continue reliable operation of their equipment and move towards a predictive maintenance strategy. The end-user chose to purchase both the Centaur hardware and analytical support from Hydro after the trial period had ended.
Interested in starting a trial of Centaur? Contact us to see if you qualify.