www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS March 2024 23 Cuthbert highlights that Webtec’s newly developed CTA series turbine-type flow monitor with CAN bus interface fulfils this exact purpose. Developed in close collaboration with customers, the CTA series monitors both flow rate and temperature at high operating pressures, transmitting data via an SAE J1939 CAN bus found commonly on many vehicles. IP69K-rated for use in harsh operating conditions and fully EMC compliant, this compact, rugged flow monitor is an invaluable instrument that enables maintenance engineers to monitor system performance and schedule remedial service only when necessary rather than at estimated intervals. Importantly, the new CTA is easy to integrate with IoT solutions and is currently in use at over 10 customers in sectors that include mining, municipal, agriculture and screening/crushing, deploying many different CAN buses and controllers. 2. Track cycle time to indicate machine health With the CTA flow meter permanently installed, Cuthbert says that a number of further benefits arrive from the continuous monitoring of machine health and operational parameters. Monitoring cycle times, in particular, can highlight a gradual loss of productivity long before this becomes an issue or leads to a catastrophic failure. Cuthbert says that assuming an overall machine cost of £300 per hour, a 5-hour job will cost £1500 at 100% efficiency. However, a machine that is only 80% efficient means the same 5-hour jobs now needs 6.25 hours, suddenly costing £1875. A machine operating 5-10% slower is hard to see without monitoring the pump’s power output. For OEMs, this tactic supports the provision of a ‘health monitoring’ subscription service and provides extra detail and confidence around scheduling future maintenance. 3. Reduce warranty costs Combining flow and pressure data, says Cuthbert, permits the calculation of hydraulic power, which in turn can indicate how ‘hard’ a machine is working – whether due to operator behaviour or the ‘hardness’ of the earth or rock. These usage patterns relate directly to wear and can feed into a ‘power by the hour’ business subscription model. This type of data can also prove invaluable when deciding warranty claims. 4. Monitor drive motor efficiency to save fuel Cuthbert also explains that for actuators that operate continuously over long periods, such as those found on conveyor or mixer drives, comparing the actuator Fig 2: Remote monitoring is especially useful for autonomous vehicles Fig 3: Predictive maintenance continuously monitors performance Fig 4: Auto Flow Monitor principle of operation flow rate to the actuator speed will establish its volumetric efficiency. He adds that any deterioration in efficiency will therefore signal the need for remedial action. In addition, this approach takes into account any leakage from the inlet port to the outlet port that would not be obvious simply by monitoring the case drain flow. Such a strategy is also applicable to the overall machine. If the engine is only driving hydraulics, then measuring the hydraulic power output will reveal the power output of the entire machine, which indicates how long the fuel/battery will last.
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