One of the UK's largest producers of malted barley is Muntons. The company protects key parts of its production process from unplanned downtime by using Mitsubishi Electric's Smart Condition Monitoring (SCM) system.

As in many food industries, the principles of the barley malting process are still very traditional. Nevertheless, Muntons is moving with the times and relies heavily on modern automation, electromechanical equipment and sensors to ensure fine control of airflow, heat and humidity. This is because fans and motors are crucial to operation. At Muntons, large quantities of products are processed simultaneously, with key processes relying on a continuous supply of blown air. The chosen SCM installation provides condition monitoring for two large 315 kW fan units and one 90 kW fan. Sensors monitor the electric motor, power transmission clutch and main fan shaft bearing on each fan set.

Monitor hard-to-access warehouses

The SCM system from Mitsubishi Electric protects Muntons' systems from unplanned downtime. © Mitsubishi Electric Europe

Plant engineer Michael Plawecki says: "We now have a clear overview of the condition of the fans and receive an early warning when maintenance work is required. The remote monitoring and rapid diagnostics allow us to react quickly if the limits we have set are reached. As promised, the system was easy to install and commission."

The decision to use the SCM solution was prompted by difficulties previously experienced with hard-to-reach bearings in a large fan housing. A bearing failure in a fan assembly had caught the Muntons engineering team unawares and proved significant in terms of downtime. "We only noticed the problems far too late. As a result, we had to stop the line unscheduled to carry out the necessary repairs," says Plawecki.

He didn't want that to happen again, so Muntons was looking for a monitoring solution with predictive maintenance technology that could be integrated into the company's existing SCADA system. His requirement was for a system that offered maximum warning time and was quick and easy to install. "With the SCM system from Mitsubishi Electric, a brand we trust, we found the ideal solution," says Plawecki.

The SCM solution includes intelligent sensors that can be attached to bearing housings, gearboxes, pumps and motors. They detect when the equipment starts to operate outside its normal operating range due to wear. It provides a sophisticated early warning system for critical parts of rotating equipment. Vibration frequencies and temperature indicators are continuously monitored and transmitted to a Mitsubishi Electric L-series PLC via Industrial Ethernet.

Monitor changes in vibration patterns

The small and compact Melsec L series PLC offers easy integration with other hardware and software platforms and integrates seamlessly with Muntons Malt's SCADA system © Mitsubishi Electric Europe

The PLC allows easy integration with other network system hardware and software platforms and, in this case, integrates seamlessly with Muntons Malt's SCADA system. The sensors, developed by bearing expert Schaeffler FAG, monitor changes in the complex vibration patterns specific to the type of equipment to which they are connected. The software compares this data with sophisticated data models from thousands of previous installations, providing the user with an effective analysis and warning system.

Real-time information and all alarms are displayed on a Mitsubishi Electric GOT series HMI mounted on the control enclosure. The system can operate independently of any other automation, with multiple sensors located and recognized by unique IP addresses. At Muntons, the visual information and alarms generated could be easily integrated into the existing automation software platform.

With the SCM installed on the three fan sets, the Muntons engineering team is now investigating the potential for intelligent climate monitoring elsewhere in the plant. "We are now reviewing the whole plant to make a decision on which other parts of the plant to include, with the aim of speeding up maintenance and reducing planned maintenance times. We are aware that the investment in automation and predictive maintenance pays off very quickly by avoiding unplanned downtime. And this also increases operational effectiveness and productivity."

Silvia von Dahlen, Marketing Communications Officer, Mitsubishi Electric Europe