Is Continuous Monitoring the Right Choice for Your Operations?

Continuous monitoring involves deploying dedicated sensors to gather predictive‑maintenance data that supports a robust condition‑monitoring program. As sensor costs decline, the appetite for more sophisticated, real‑time monitoring grows—yet the technology has not yet fully aligned with end‑user needs. However, the trend is unmistakably toward greater benefit for operators.

Is continuous monitoring a fit for every piece of equipment? Imagine a future where every vibration, ultrasonic, temperature, and oil‑sample readout is streamed live to your plant intranet. That vision is enticing, but the real decision hinges on the specific failure modes you aim to detect. The critical questions are:

1. Is the pull‑failure (P‑F) interval so short that a periodic human inspection cannot catch an impending failure?
2. Does the cost of unplanned downtime make permanent monitoring a “no‑brainer” from a business standpoint?
3. Is the failure frequency high enough that only continuous data can capture the full context and root cause?

A “yes” to any of these points suggests continuous monitoring could be the optimal solution.

Here’s a snapshot of the leading predictive‑maintenance technologies, along with their strengths and limitations:

Vibration Analysis

Vibration sensors—typically accelerometers—are permanently mounted on critical components such as bearing housings. They are hard‑wired to a central computer that collects, stores, and analyzes data. Despite common misconceptions, most systems do not perform full analysis automatically; advanced narrow‑band alarms and filtering improve relevance, but skilled analysts are still essential to interpret results and assess asset health.

Limitations include:

• Channel capacity trade‑offs: Systems offering 12, 24, or 36 channels often sacrifice bandwidth per channel, potentially degrading data quality.
• Wireless sensors: While they eliminate wiring costs, limited bandwidth can impede data transfer—critical for high‑frequency failure modes.

When chosen wisely, vibration monitoring can provide early warning for many failure modes. Understand each system’s capabilities before implementation.

Infrared Thermography

Continuous temperature monitoring via infrared cameras is ideal for high‑temperature equipment like kilns and rotary dryers. Single‑point detectors can be installed inside electrical panels to watch the temperature of a specific connection. This method offers non‑contact, real‑time insight into thermal anomalies.

Lubricant Condition Monitoring

Automated systems can continuously measure viscosity, water content, ferrous particle count, and overall particle concentration in lubricants, alerting operators before lubricant degradation triggers equipment failure.

Before deploying any continuous‑monitoring solution, conduct a solid business case analysis. Factor in installation costs, ongoing maintenance, and the initial purchase price. Equipping every point on every machine isn’t always worthwhile.

Andy Page is the director of Allied Reliability’s training group, which provides education in reliability engineering topics such as root cause analysis, Reliability‑Centered Maintenance, and integrated condition monitoring. He has 15 years of experience in maintenance and reliability, having held key positions at Noranda Aluminum (maintenance engineer) and Martin Marietta Aggregates (asset reliability manager). Andy earned an engineering degree from Tennessee Tech and is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP) through the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP). Contact him at pagea@alliedreliability.com.