Schaeffer's new fixed online condition monitoring system, the FAG Wear Debris Check, can be set up to monitor both the condition of lubricating oil and the vibration of rotating parts, allowing for the early detection of damage to heavy duty, oil-lubricated industrial gears.
The system indicates damage or wear to bearings, cages and gears within a gearbox or other industrial gear unit.
It requires no calibration and is suitable for use in almost every industry sector, including wind turbine gearbox drive trains, providing plant operators with a reliable system for preventing unplanned downtime and
reducing MRO costs.
The system’s oil monitor works by utilising an inductive particle counter (sensor), which is able to distinguish between ferrous and non-ferrous metal particles that are present in the lubricating oil. On a typical gearbox application, the particle counter or sensor is installed in the oil flow, directly before the oil filter, or as a separate circuit.
The sensor operates on the principle that any wear to a component such as a bearing or gear tooth will result in small metal particles being rubbed off into the oil, often several months prior to an actual failure.
The sensor provides information on the number of particulates present in the oil, and then classifies these according to their physical size. Analysing the oil in this way enables damage and wear to the gears to be detected much earlier, even in planetary gearboxes used on wind turbines.
In addition to oil analysis, the FAG Wear Debris Check can be set up to operate in conjunction with online condition monitoring systems, including Schaeffler’s FAG WiPro s, a system dedicated to the condition monitoring of wind turbines. This means that companies can also monitor the vibration behaviour of the machine and its components, including rolling bearings and gear wheels.By using special interfaces, these systems can be easily integrated with online vibration monitoring systems, which can be adapted or retrofitted to suit customer requirements.
Also, by installing vibration sensors on the machine or gearbox that needs to be monitored, changes in the operating behaviour are detected, indicating early signs of damage.
