Techenomics embraces IIoT to enhance fluid management

An ever-growing array of objects communicating, exchanging data and functioning autonomously is empowering the mining industry to improve, which means the efficiency and reliability of assets has never been more important.

Techenomics CEO Chris Adsett says the company is embracing the IIoT through its research and development (R&D) division, which is applying the latest digital technology through its real time oil condition monitoring (ROCM) project to complement its existing oil condition monitoring services, making optimal performance a reality.

He says this work, which is aimed at giving clients even more value from their oil and lubricants, includes the development of sensors to enable the provision of real time data as well as enhancing the analysis and interpretation of that data through greater software capabilities.

“This provides the potential for Techenomics to grow by enhancing our core business of total fluid management and condition monitoring, as well as giving our customers even greater ability to improve the operating performance of equipment thus boosting productivity while saving costs.”

The World Economic Forum predicts that in the period to 2025, digital transformation could impact the mining industry by between US$428 billion and US$784 billion and Techenomics is playing a part in this process.

R&D division industrial computer systems and instrumentation developer Brice Gower says being able to offer analytics which competitors cannot is a key advantage for Techenomics.

“It is, therefore, vital that our ROCM project can deliver benefits based on providing data in real time and analysing that data.

“For this purpose, we are developing appropriate software and systems to ensure that we can analyse the increased data to benefit our clients. It is all very well to provide equipment users with increased data, but this needs to be accurately sorted, analysed and interpreted.

“Even if mining companies and OEMs move towards collecting real time data on oil and lubricants, they will not be able to provide the depth of analytics that we can as a subject matter expert. We will always work with the client to provide individualised analytics that suit their unique operating circumstances.”

Brice Gower says the edge computing and processing is at the heart of the ROCM design. “A significant amount of operational data is analysed and summarised on the edge, which reduces the need to transmit large quantities of information to the cloud. It also circumvents issues with data transmission if there is a break in connectivity.”

Adsett says: “Our ROCM project will deliver a number of benefits, including improved performance and productivity and the avoidance of unplanned downtime. Increased data results in more powerful, in-depth insights that provide customers with meaningful information as to how they can improve their equipment, processes and plants.

“In this regard, Techenomics is part of a significant change in the mining industry and broader world, from a digital perspective, and that puts us in a very good position to build and grow.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/handling-processing/25092018/techenomics-embraces-iiot-to-enhance-fluid-management/