Hydraulics & Pneumatics January/February 2023

www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS January/February 2023 25 without a human being involved.” Wright considers that digital transformation is a slow burn, but his gut feel is that more and more of what Thorite sells is less focused on purely mechanical solutions and is more electro- pneumatic or has some form of advanced monitoring in it. Jones points out that with the advent of smart technology, equipment performance monitoring is now an active part of many BCAS’s members’ service routines. “The monitoring systems are sophisticated enough to not only advise on when maintenance is due, but also to look at the usage of a compressor,” she explains. “For example, when these systems are operational, it is possible to measure the running time of a compressor vs the load time. At a recent member visit we were able to evidence that its compressors were running continuously, 24 hours a day, but with only 15% load. This presents another opportunity for the end user to work with its supplier to ensure that the equipment is not only functioning correctly, but that it is being used in the most efficient way. “With the current unprecedented cost of energy, this is yet another important benefit of system monitoring and of course, we are all aware that planned maintenance is far more efficient and less expensive that an unplanned outage. Speaking to equipment suppliers will enable customers to understand what features are available from their current compressor units and also what can be retrofitted.” Loeffler points out that Jubilee Clips continues to automate much of its production machinery so that the high quality of its products is standardised. “If a part is screwed together by a machine in an automated fashion and if the process is more controllable digitally, then the standardisation of quality and consistency is going to be better than if something is done semiautomatically,” he says. “Because of this, our machines are now largely computer-controlled using more sensor technology.” Monitoring Cuthbert reiterates that preventative and predictive maintenance has become increasingly important to customers. “To meet this demand, we introduced the CTA flow monitor, which focuses on cost of ownership, and you can draw parallels with other industries such as the automotive market. A few years ago, buying or leasing were the only options, now people are looking at subscribing to cars, just use it, service it, but not own it. Companies in the machine industry are also not only looking for the lowest possible cost to purchase but are looking at how much it will cost to run the machine, including maintenance and down time. “This links into people looking at more telematics and the idea that we shouldn’t just be measuring temperature and pressure but also the flow – as it is the flow makes it go - as they say in hydraulics. If you are not measuring that then you are making assumptions about it and that can be dangerous as they can be completely wrong so something like the CTA, that has been designed for heavy industry, but still has excellent repeatability and ruggedness, is part of the jigsaw puzzle to enable machine manufacturers and operators to improve productivity and upside by predicting that something will fail before it does by having additional information about how that machine works.” Sands believes UK training institutions are catching up with the investments that were seen on the continent in the pre- COVID period and there are more digitalisation pilot installations in operation. “We are nearing the planned mid-point for the formal digitalisation program laid out in the Industry 4.0 plan in 2010/11,” he says. “Awareness of the opportunity has certainly risen and in some cases people are disappointed at the lack of progress toward the utopian vision. However, solid progress is being made. Digital twins are one of the foundations of digitalisation and are planned to be used throughout the machinery lifecycle from design to operation and even repurposing, or recycling. At the recent SPS Drives fair in Nuremburg, Cadenas announced their commitment to supporting the roll-out of digital twin technology in the form of the Asset Administration Shell [AAS] alongside the likes of Festo, Bosch- Rexroth, Harting, Phoenix Contact, Sick, Siemens and Wago. This is a clear reflection that digitalisation cannot take place in isolation but is an industry-wide trend that needs to progress in concert.” Mander comments that Ingersoll Rand customers are looking increasingly to introduce smart technologies and analytics to their compressed air system, using products such as iConn smart compressor service, which provides comprehensive service data in real time. He adds that the Internet of Things and data analytics can help operators to understand how efficiently a compressor is running, and whether any improvements can be made. “These insights will not only help highlight any potential issues now, but also enable operators to forecast any potential future problems, based on deteriorating machine performance,” says Mander. “We are certainly seeing more customers invest in predictive maintenance models based on real-time data to help reduce energy consumption, improve process efficiencies and limit any risks. Connectivity continues to be a key focus in the CompAir portfolio, with the company’s iConn service offering intelligent insights that help operators monitor a system’s performance in both real-time and remotely. Accessible from smartphones and tablets, the browser- based system ensures users can proactively manage any potential issues that arise at all times, reducing associated downtime and guaranteeing the system is performing as required.” Reshoring What is the current status regarding reshoring? To add some context, Butcher