Method for installing a device for monitoring a machine having a rotating machine component

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for installing a device for monitoring at least one machine having a rotating machine component, in particular a hydraulic pump, wherein the device comprises at least one gateway, at least one sensor unit for detecting machine operating data of the machine to be monitored, a transmitting unit having a transmitting antenna for transmitting the machine operating data detected by the sensor unit to the gateway in a radio-based manner, and at least one user terminal device for communicating with the gateway, wherein the position of the transmitting antenna can be variably selected relative to the sensor and / or the transmitting unit, characterized by the following steps: installing the gateway, establishing a communication connection between the at least one transmitting unit and the gateway, and positioning the at least one transmitting unit and the transmitting antenna at the machine to be monitored or in the region of the machine to be monitored, transmitting data packets between the transmitting unit and the gateway for determining at least one communication parameter influencing the transmission quality on the communication path section between the transmitting unit and the gateway; and generating a position change instruction for the transmitting unit or the transmitting antenna and / or an action recommendation for the user based on at least one determined and evaluated communication parameter, and displaying the instruction and / or the recommendation by means of the user terminal device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for installing an apparatus for monitoring at least one machine having a rotating machine component. Background Technology

[0002] Monitoring the various components of a hydraulic system is a crucial and central topic. A wide variety of sensors are placed on the hydraulic components to be monitored, such as hydraulic pumps and engines, valves, etc., and measure different operating parameters of these components. For evaluation and monitoring, the measurements must be transmitted to a central computer unit. Typically, a gateway is used, which communicates with the individual sensors wirelessly and then forwards the received measurement data to the central computer unit.

[0003] In the case of larger industrial equipment, long transmission distances between sensors and gateway / computer units often need to be overcome. Furthermore, radio transmission is susceptible to interference from other factors, such as obstacles (steel beams, walls, etc.) located between the transmitter and receiver. Therefore, the relative positioning of each transmitter to the receiver is crucial. However, neither experts nor laypeople can predict whether the desired transmitter installation location in the area of ​​the pump or other equipment to be monitored will guarantee reliable communication between the transmitter and receiver. In the worst-case scenario, with the current solution, it is only after the sensors and transmitter units are securely fastened and fixed at their installation locations that it is determined the chosen location is unsuitable for communication with the gateway.

[0004] Based on the aforementioned problems, a novel method for installing monitoring devices should be explained below, which effectively overcomes the problems described. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to the invention, this initial problem is solved by the method according to the features of claim 1. Advantageous designs of this method are the subject of the dependent claims. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system for performing the method according to the invention.

[0006] The machine to be monitored, which has rotating parts, is preferably a hydraulic machine, such as a hydraulic pump or a centrifugal pump.

[0007] To accommodate the method according to the invention, an apparatus is proposed comprising a gateway, a sensor unit for detecting machine operation data of a machine to be monitored, a transmitting unit with a transmitting antenna for wirelessly transmitting measurements detected by the sensor unit to the gateway, and a user terminal device for communicating with the gateway. The apparatus is characterized in that the sensor unit and the transmitting unit, or at least the transmitting antenna, are physically separate units, which can be placed independently of each other at the machine to be monitored or in an area of ​​the machine to be monitored. Here, the transmitting unit can be an indispensable component of the sensor unit. In this case, the transmitting antenna is implemented as a separate component, which can be connected to the transmitting unit / sensor unit via a cable connection. This provides a certain degree of flexibility in arranging the transmitting antenna. It is also conceivable that the transmitting unit is implemented as a structural unit external to the sensor unit. In this case, the transmitting unit is connected to the sensor unit via a cable or other connection (also wirelessly). The transmitting antenna is thus either implemented as an indispensable component of the transmitting unit or as an external component connected to the transmitting unit via a cable connection. Even though we are always talking about the transmitting unit and transmitting antenna above and below, it should be noted at this point that these components can be adapted and configured to establish two-way communication.

[0008] A method according to the invention is proposed when using such a device:

[0009] In the first step, the gateway is installed at the desired location. After the gateway is installed, at least one transmitting unit is communicatively coupled to the gateway, and then the transmitting unit and / or transmitting antenna are positioned at the machine to be monitored or in the area of ​​the machine to be monitored. The establishment of the communication connection between the gateway and the transmitting unit is preferably carried out under optimal preconditions: that is, the transmitting unit is first brought to the vicinity of the gateway for this purpose, and is only moved to the area of ​​the machine to be monitored after the connection has been successfully established.

[0010] After establishing a communication connection between the transmitting unit and the gateway, data transmission begins, preferably from the transmitting unit to the gateway. The exchanged data is then analyzed at the receiver side to determine at least one communication parameter affecting the transmission quality of the communication path. The current reception quality can then be inferred by evaluating these communication parameters. Based on this, a command to change the location of the transmitter, i.e., the transmitting unit and / or transmitting antenna, can be generated. This command is then displayed to the user via a user terminal device and / or through the transmitting unit itself. This should prompt the user to change the current location of the transmitting unit or transmitting antenna, thereby optimizing the considered communication parameters and ultimately improving the transmission quality.

[0011] In other words, the transmitting unit or transmitting antenna is therefore not immediately and permanently installed, but rather temporarily positioned at the intended installation location. Preferably, the subsequent data transmission triggered by the test data is continuously monitored in order to optimize the transmission quality on the communication segment between the transmitting unit and the gateway by changing the position of the transmitting unit or transmitting antenna.

[0012] In its simplest case, the generated position change instruction may include a general invitation to change the position. However, depending on the possible design, such an instruction may also include further details regarding the position change, such as in which direction the transmitter should be moved or how its orientation should be changed. This provides the user with better support for the orientation and positioning of the transmitting unit or transmitting antenna.

[0013] Furthermore, it can be stipulated that the user be notified once a location with sufficient transmission quality is found. Only when such an installation location is found using this method will the transmitting unit or transmitting antenna be fixedly installed at or in the area of ​​the component to be monitored. Subsequently, or in parallel, the sensor unit can also be fixedly installed at the component to be monitored and coupled to the transmitting unit.

[0014] However, instead of location change commands, action recommendations can also be presented to the user. Such action recommendations are used to further improve transmission quality in the absence of a location change or in addition to a location change.

[0015] According to the present invention, a location change instruction and / or action recommendation is signaled to a user terminal device, and the location change instruction and / or action recommendation are displayed to the user by means of the device. Such a display is preferably visual, but can also be acoustic. Of course, purely acoustic and / or tactile displays are also possible. In addition to the location change instruction and / or action recommendation, it may also be specified that determined communication parameters or evaluation results are displayed.

[0016] Examples of communication parameters to consider are signal reception level and / or signal-to-noise ratio and / or bit error rate.

[0017] The user terminal device can be a component of a transmitter unit or gateway. However, it is preferred to implement the user terminal device as a separate device that communicates with the gateway and exchanges necessary data for display. Particularly preferred is the use of a mobile user terminal device in the form of, for example, a commercially available tablet, smartphone, or other mobile device. An application installed on the user terminal device interacts with the gateway. The communication connection between the user terminal device and the gateway is radio-based and preferably relies on WLAN and / or Bluetooth standards.

[0018] Preferably, at least one communication parameter can be evaluated by comparison with an assigned reference value or threshold. Thus, for example, if the threshold is not exceeded, insufficient communication conditions are assumed, i.e., the threshold represents the corresponding minimum requirement for the respective communication parameter. Here, it is conceivable to compare this with the minimum signal strength for the signal received at the gateway side and / or the minimum signal-to-noise ratio and / or the maximum bit error rate.

[0019] The graphical processing of position change commands can also be generated and displayed in the form of a so-called heatmap. Such a two-dimensional representation provides a good overview of the reception quality over a spatial range of the device area. It is also conceivable to use flashing codes, warning sounds, or applications in the augmented / virtual reality field to process commands and measurement data as clearly as possible for the user.

[0020] According to advantageous implementations, the possibility of expressing action recommendations involves modifications to the transmitting and / or receiving units. It is conceivable to suggest to the user the use of an alternative transmitting antenna with higher antenna gain. Similarly, in cases where the sensor unit and the transmitting unit / antenna are spatially separated, it is also possible to propose using a longer connecting cable between the sensor unit and the transmitting unit or antenna to allow for greater flexibility in positioning the transmitting unit or antenna.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment, communication between the gateway and one or more transmitting units is conducted using mesh networking technology. For example, a suitable communication protocol is THREAD. By establishing a mesh network consisting of multiple transmitting units, repeaters, and multiple gateways, network stability can be improved, and the operational distance can be extended, as alternative communication paths can be established via multi-hop communication through the repeaters located within it. In this regard, it is conceivable to determine and evaluate communication parameters both for the entire transmission distance and for individual segments.

[0022] According to another preferred embodiment of the method, the method is repeated for all possible sensors and mounting points of the industrial equipment to be monitored before the transmitting unit / transmitting antenna is fixedly installed. Using a single transmitting unit is sufficient for the repeated implementation of the method, with the single transmitting antenna being positioned sequentially in the area of ​​the component to be monitored. Once a suitable mounting location is found for the component, the designated location is either manually marked on the component or the corresponding location data is stored electronically in memory, particularly in conjunction with metadata describing the mounting location. In the latter case, after the method is completed, an installation plan or sketch can be automatically generated, for example, clearly showing all mounting locations for all components. Such an installation plan can then visually assist the user electronically in combination with augmented / virtual reality during the final positioning and fixing of the transmitting unit / transmitting antenna / sensor unit.

[0023] In addition to implementing the sensor and transmitter unit separately, there is also the possibility of transferring the sensor's power supply to the transmitter unit.

[0024] Possible implementations of the sensor are used to detect temperature or vibration values.

[0025] The transmitting unit and / or transmitting antenna, as well as individual sensor units if necessary, can be fixed to the component to be monitored, for example, by form-fit, force-fit, or material-determined means. Possible mounting locations for the sensor units in the case of pumps are bearing mounts or drive spacers.

[0026] In addition to the method according to the invention, the invention also relates to a system comprising at least one gateway, at least one sensor unit, a transmitting unit with a transmitting antenna, and a user terminal device, particularly a mobile user terminal device, wherein the system components are configured to implement the method according to the invention. The corresponding evaluation and assessment steps are preferably performed within the gateway or within the transmitting unit. The gateway or transmitting unit also includes a corresponding memory for storing predefined thresholds and for storing the determined installation location in conjunction with corresponding metadata.

[0027] The transmitting unit can be an indispensable component of the sensor unit as a whole. In this case, the device includes an external transmitting antenna connected to the transmitting unit via a cable. Ideally, the cable connection can be replaced based on the appropriate interface to the antenna and the transmitting unit, allowing for the use of a longer cable if necessary. It is also conceivable that the sensor unit and the transmitting unit constitute separate components that can be detachably connected to each other by means of laying cables or via radio, especially for signal exchange. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the necessary power module for powering the sensor unit or the transmitting unit is designed as an external component. Preferably, the power module is integrated into the transmitting unit. In embodiments with an external transmitting unit, the external transmitting unit can either include a transmitting antenna that is indispensable to the whole, or be connectable to or connected via a cable to the external transmitting antenna.

[0028] Sensors that can detect temperature and / or mechanical vibration and / or sound signals are suitable for pump monitoring. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Other advantages and features of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the figures. Detailed Implementation

[0030] A single figure illustrates a schematic overview of an apparatus according to the invention for monitoring one or more hydraulic pumps 60. The apparatus includes a central gateway 10, which is communicatively connected to one or more transmitting units 20. The transmitting units 20 are shown in the figure only as an example; however, any number of transmitting units 20 can be integrated into a network. Communication between the gateway 10 and the transmitting units 20 can be based on a known threading protocol for establishing a mesh network, wherein the transmitting units 20 can communicate not only with each other but also with the gateway unit 10.

[0031] Gateway 10 can be accessed externally via a commercially available tablet or other mobile terminal device 30 (user terminal device). For communication, radio standards supported by most commercially available terminal devices, such as WLAN or Bluetooth, are utilized. Furthermore, gateway 10 can be connected to the Internet or cloud 50 via other interfaces. For this purpose, the gateway ideally has a mobile radio module or a wired Ethernet interface, the mobile radio module supporting at least one of the known mobile radio standards such as 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, or higher.

[0032] The following is a brief description of a typical process for setting up such a monitoring device for location verification. In a specific example, an industrial device with multiple individual hydraulic pumps to be monitored should be equipped with the monitoring device. The aim is to place one or more sensors 21 for each pump 60, which can, for example, measure the temperature of the conveyed medium and the presence of mechanical vibration in the bearing housing area. The sensors 21 are each connected to an assigned individual transmitting unit 20 via a detachable cable connection 23. In addition to the transmitting module along with an antenna 22 for communication with the gateway 10, the transmitting unit also has an energy source for powering the transmitting unit 20 and the sensors 21 themselves.

[0033] The sensor 21 can be magnetically secured to the bearing housing of the hydraulic pump 60, via a spiral connection, or by means of industrial adhesive. The same applies to mounting the transmitter 20 at or near the pump 60. Precisely because of the material-dependent connection, careful selection of a suitable mounting location beforehand is obviously important. For this reason, the method according to the invention is implemented before finally securing the sensor 21 and the transmitter 20 to determine the optimal mounting location.

[0034] In the first step, gateway 10 is first put into operation, and access to gateway 10 is established using mobile terminal device 30. To do this, an application installed on terminal device 30 is first launched, which establishes a logical connection with gateway 10. Using the implemented application, the mobile radio reception of gateway 10 can then be tested, thereby determining the optimal gateway location for mobile radio reception, which should also be near the transmitter unit 20 where it is to be installed, and finally, the gateway 10 is securely installed in the optimal location.

[0035] Next, at least one transmitting unit 20 is connected to the gateway 10 via communication. For this purpose, the transmitting unit is placed near the gateway 10 and activated there. A setup process is run using a terminal device and an application implemented therein to establish communication between the gateway 10 and the transmitting unit 20. The application on the mobile terminal 30 now displays the current signal strength, i.e., the signal quality of the communication signal transmitted from the transmitting unit 20 to the gateway 10. By comparing this signal strength with a defined minimum signal strength stored as a threshold in the memory of the gateway 10, the user is notified by signal on the terminal device 30 whether the current signal quality is sufficient for successful communication between the transmitting unit 20 and the gateway 10.

[0036] The user first assigns a name to the desired installation location or the pump to be monitored (e.g., pump 1) in the application. Then, the transmitter 20 is placed in the area of ​​pump 1 and temporarily held or positioned at a possible installation point. After verifying the received values ​​in the application on the terminal device, the user can now determine whether the desired installation location is suitable for achieving reliable communication between the transmitter 20 and the gateway 10. Reception quality is assessed graphically using corresponding status colors: red, yellow, and green. If a suitable installation location is found, it can be physically marked at the pump or at another suitable location nearby in the building, or also marked in the application on the terminal device.

[0037] If the required minimum signal quality cannot be achieved near the pump 60 to be monitored, either the installation location must be ruled out, or the installer must be given recommendations for possible actions. For example, the transmitter 20 can be moved to a location further away from the pump 60 by means of an extension cable for connection 23, where sufficient signal quality is provided. Alternatively, the characteristics of the location or gateway antenna may also be modified.

[0038] The method is then repeated for the next pump or the next installation location, where the same or other transmitter units 20 may be used. As before, the transmitter unit 20 is then placed in the area of ​​the second pump and the installation location there is determined in the same manner.

[0039] If all installation locations have been determined according to the method of the present invention, the gateway 10 can create an installation plan based on the separately stored installation locations and display it to the user.

[0040] To securely mount the respective transmitter units 20 and sensor units 21, each transmitter unit 20 is connected to its assigned sensor unit 21 via cable 23, and the respective transmitter unit 20 is confirmed via feedback in an application on the terminal device 30. The sensor 21 can then be installed. This can be done using stored location data and other image data of the industrial equipment, if necessary, in conjunction with an augmented / virtual reality application, by comparing the respective pumps with a database and displaying the installation location to the user via the augmented / virtual reality application.

[0041] After the pump is added to gateway 10 or the application, an association between sensor 21 and the pump can be created in cloud 50. Subsequently, the similarly installed transmitter 20 is then put into operation along with the connected sensor head 21, and the application provides feedback if the transmitter 20 and sensor 21 have been successfully identified. For testing, a first measurement is automatically triggered, and the determined measurement value is displayed in the application.

Claims

1. A method for installing a device for monitoring at least one machine having a rotating machine component, wherein the device comprises at least one gateway, at least one sensor unit for detecting machine operating data of the machine to be monitored, a transmitting unit having a transmitting antenna for transmitting the machine operating data detected by the sensor unit to the gateway in a radio-based manner, and at least one user terminal device for communicating with the gateway, wherein the position of the transmitting antenna can be variably selected relative to the sensor and / or the transmitting unit. characterized by the following steps: a. installing the gateway, b. establishing a communication connection between at least one transmitting unit and the gateway and positioning the at least one transmitting unit at the machine to be monitored or in the area of the machine to be monitored, c. transmitting data packets between the transmitting unit and the gateway for determining at least one communication parameter influencing the transmission quality on the communication path between the transmitting unit and the gateway; and d. generating a position change instruction for the transmitting unit or the transmitting antenna and / or an action recommendation for the user based on at least one determined and evaluated communication parameter and displaying the instruction and / or the recommendation by means of the user terminal device, wherein steps b-d of the method are repeatedly implemented by means of at least one transmitting unit for different installation sites and / or machines to be monitored.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The rotating machine component is a hydraulic pump.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The at least one communication parameter and / or the display of the position change instruction is transmitted from the gateway onto a mobile user terminal device and displayed there, wherein a data communication with the gateway takes place via WLAN and / or Bluetooth standard.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The at least one communication parameter is evaluated by comparison with a threshold value assigned and stored in a memory.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, As a position change instruction, optical and / or acoustic user guidance is generated and displayed in order to assist the user when repositioning the transmitting unit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The optical and / or acoustic user guidance is displayed in the form of a so-called heat map, a blinking code, a warning tone, an augmented / virtual reality application.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, As an action recommendation, a modification of the transmitting unit is proposed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, As an action recommendation, a replacement of the transmitting / receiving antenna by an antenna with a higher antenna gain and / or the use of an extension cable between the transmitting unit and the sensor unit and / or between the transmitting unit and the transmitting antenna is proposed.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The communication between the gateway and the one or more transmitting units takes place based on mesh network technology, wherein the at least one communication parameter is then also evaluated for the communication between the transmitting unit to the gateway by at least one other transmitting unit or a repeater.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The communication between the gateway and the one or more transmitting units takes place by means of a thread protocol.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, For each installation site, the position with the highest reception quality is stored.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, A visual representation of the installation plan is finally generated.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit is positioned and fixed at a bearing bracket or a drive spacer of a hydraulic pump to be monitored, while the transmitting unit and / or the transmitting antenna is arranged at a suitable arbitrary installation site at or in the immediate vicinity of the pump, wherein the sensor unit and / or the transmitting unit or the transmitting antenna can be fastened.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The sensor unit and / or the transmitting unit or the transmitting antenna can be fastened in a form-fit, force-fit or material-determined manner.

15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, As a communication parameter, a signal reception level and / or a signal-to-noise ratio and / or a bit error rate is determined.

16. A system for monitoring at least one machine having a rotating machine component, the system comprising at least one gateway, at least one transmitting unit having a transmitting antenna and a user terminal device and being configured for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, The user terminal device comprises at least one mobile user terminal device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein, The position of the transmitting antenna can be variably changed relative to the orientation of the sensor unit.

19. The system of any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein, The transmitting unit is an integral component of the sensor unit, and the transmitting antenna is connected to the transmitting unit by a cable, and / or the transmitting unit forms a component outside the sensor unit, which is connected to the sensor unit by a cable, wherein the transmitting antenna is integrated into the transmitting unit or connected to the transmitting unit by a cable connection as an external transmitting antenna.

20. The system of any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein, At least one sensor of the sensor unit is a vibration sensor, an acoustic sensor or a temperature sensor.

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