Condition monitoring in automated manufacture

The experience gained through work with European and UK manufacturing companies has led to the following conclusions. Automation is creating a need and an expectation for condition monitoring. Integration of condition monitoring with machine operation in some scenarios is a necessity rather than a luxury. Integration is needed at two levels: the machine control level and the management control level. Integration should encompass people as well as computers. Condition monitoring works best if it is designed-in rather than retrofitted. Integrated condition monitoring can augment the machine level and production level control which makes the cost justification arguments clearer and stronger. It has been found that the software and hardware tools developed have proved to be capable of application not only to manufacturing systems but also other areas including gas turbine installations and even the quality assurance testing of large coal cutting machinery