Mechanical & Electrical

Mechanical systems in manufacturing refer to the various machines and equipment that are used in the production process. These systems are responsible for performing tasks such as cutting, shaping and forming materials, assembling products and moving materials through the production line. Electrical systems in manufacturing refer to the various electrical equipment and components that are used to control and power the machines and equipment used in the production process. These systems are responsible for providing the necessary power and control signals to operate the mechanical systems and they also play a critical role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of the production process.

Mechanical & Electrical Articles

Five ways to improve machine maintenance with remote monitoring

Learn how mechanical and electrical contractors are turning to technologies such as mobile and the Internet of Things (IoT) to automate machine maintenance and provide care throughout the lifecycle of the equipment.

When it comes to building maintenance and facility services engineers, certain key trends are emerging as vital for business success in 2016.

  1. Service offerings will become key differentiators for many mechanical engineering firms.
  2. Mobile is a crucial tool to enable maintenance teams to get work orders completed and billed faster.
  3. Remote monitoring—through sensors, cloud, and the Internet of Things (IoT) – is taking off as an industry standard.

Even though many of these technologies have been around for years, 2016 is the year they become more realistic for building maintenance and facility service businesses of all sizes. As quality, reliable service becomes a must-have for most commercial equipment customers, service providers will need to get creative about how they apply the latest technology to improve product support.

This article reveals how mechanical and electrical contractors are turning to technologies, like mobile and the IoT, to automate machine maintenance and provide care throughout the lifecycle of the equipment.

1. Understand how equipment is being used

Monitoring equipment through the industrial Internet allows manufacturers to understand their end users’ needs and track how customers are actually using equipment (not just how they say they’re using it).

Gain visibility into equipment details like number of hours it runs per day and the number of work cycles it uses. Know what happens when a crane gets overloaded. Does it happen on 3rd shift when no one’s there? Or on 1st shift when the whole facility is running?

With detailed analysis of how equipment is being used, business leaders can make informed decisions to run more efficiently.

2. Improve operator behavior

Understanding how operators are using equipment, identifying issues to machine efficiency or project safety, and improving behavior through training is a key benefit to remote monitoring thanks to IoT sensors.

After analyzing operator behavior, businesses often discover their operators need more education. They structure operator training classes to overcome challenging areas. For example, if an operator is having a problem with frequent overloads, maybe it’s a situation where they’re not rigging the load correctly and the load is shifting when they’re lifting it. Equipped with that knowledge, organizations can train an operator how to properly load the equipment.

3. Develop better products

With remote monitoring capabilities, manufacturers have insight into how equipment is actually being used and are able to understand how operators are using the equipment day-to-day.

Mechanical contractors can use that information to better understand equipment use and, with that information, design a better machine to help the operator work more productively.

4. Decrease crane incidents and improve safety and convenience

According to a recent crane incident study conducted by Konecranes, 59% of crane incidents were caused by operator error. The study reveals that as a direct correlation to tracking and correcting improper operator behavior, project managers can cut crane incidents by more than half.

In addition to decreasing the number of crane incidents, equipment monitoring improves safety by preventing workers from putting themselves in dangerous situations. For example, workers can gauge machine temperature from their desks instead of having to climb up on the crane and measure the temperature by the control cabinet.

5. Provide proactive maintenance before the customer even knows anything’s wrong

One of the biggest financial benefits of remote monitoring is being able to use the Industrial IoT to sell more service contracts.

With connected equipment in the field, service organizations can set up parameters and trigger alerts based on specified equipment conditions. They can sell preventive maintenance contracts, and customers can hand over all machine care to the manufacturer or dealer. This sort of all-in-one service partnership offers reliable, consistent care for the customer and reliable, consistent revenue for the contractor.

Conclusion

The IoT holds huge possibilities for engineers, equipment manufacturers, and mechanical and electrical contractors, as it impacts each piece of the service management process. How will you use IIoT to take advantage of the opportunity in industrial service management?

– Joanna Rotter is the content marketing manager at MSI Data, a field service management software provider and creator of enterprise field service app, Service Pro. MSI Data is a CFE Media content partner.

Mechanical & Electrical FAQ

  • What are examples of mechanical systems?

    1. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems: These systems are responsible for maintaining a comfortable temperature and air quality within a building. They include systems such as boilers, chillers, air handlers, ductwork and thermostats.
    2. Plumbing systems: Plumbing systems are responsible for providing hot and cold water to a building and removing waste and sewage. They include pipes, valves, fixtures, water heaters and sewage pumps.
    3. Refrigeration systems: Refrigeration systems are used to cool and preserve food, medicine and other perishable items. They include refrigeration units, evaporators and condensers.
    4. Compressed air systems: This includes systems such as compressors, dryers, filters and piping used to generate compressed air for industrial processes
    5. Pneumatic systems: This includes systems such as actuators, valves and piping used to transmit and control compressed air for industrial processes
  • What are examples of electrical systems?

    1. Power generation: This includes systems such as coal-fired power plants, natural gas-fired power plants, hydroelectric power plants, wind turbines and solar panels.
    2. Lighting systems: This includes systems such as incandescent, fluorescent and LED lights, as well as lighting control systems that automatically adjust lighting levels based on occupancy and natural light.
    3. Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems: These systems provide backup power to critical systems in case of a power outage.
    4. Motor control systems: This includes systems that control the speed, torque and direction of motors in industrial and commercial settings.
    5. Renewable energy systems: This includes systems such as solar panels, wind turbines and geothermal systems that harness energy from natural sources.
  • What is the purpose of mechanical systems?

    The purpose of mechanical systems is to provide the necessary mechanical energy, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing and refrigeration, to a building or facility. These systems are responsible for maintaining comfortable temperatures and air quality, providing hot and cold water and removing waste and sewage.

  • What are the three main components of the electrical system?

    The three main components of an electrical system are:

    • Power Generation: The power generation component of an electrical system includes the equipment and facilities used to generate electricity, such as power plants, wind turbines or solar panels. This component is responsible for converting various forms of energy into electrical energy that can be distributed to consumers.
    • Transmission and Distribution: The transmission and distribution component of an electrical system is responsible for delivering the electricity generated by the power generation component to the end-users. This includes high-voltage transmission lines and substations that transport electricity over long distances, as well as the lower-voltage distribution lines and transformers that bring electricity closer to where it is needed.
    • End Use: The end use component of an electrical system includes the equipment and devices that consume electricity, such as lights, appliances and motors. This component is responsible for the final conversion of electrical energy into the desired form of energy, such as light, heat or mechanical motion.

Some FAQ content was compiled with the assistance of ChatGPT. Due to the limitations of AI tools, all content was edited and reviewed by our content team.

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