Emerson releases easy-to-deploy digital asset monitoring

Emerson has introduced the AMS Asset Monitor edge analytics device, which digitalises essential asset data and analytics for better operations performance and improved decision-making. The company says that AMS Asset Monitor provides actionable insights into essential assets that were previously monitored only with infrequent assessments. The new edge analytics device will connect with Emerson’s Plantweb Optics asset performance platform to provide key operations personnel with instant asset health details for operations and maintenance decision-making.

Plants typically monitor the condition of essential assets such as pumps, fans and heat exchangers only every 30 to 60 days. The longer the gap, the more likely that a defect goes undetected and results in an unexpected failure with significant impact on production, product quality and plant efficiency. According to the company, the AMS Asset Monitor combines easy deployment, embedded logic-based analytics and intuitive health scoring to make it easier for organisations to monitor and maintain essential assets. For instance, AMS Asset Monitor’s analytics and visualisation can help plant personnel effectively plan maintenance during scheduled shutdowns and turnarounds, and reduce or eliminate unplanned downtime.

Unlike typical analytics devices that send data to a historian or the cloud to be processed later, AMS Asset Monitor provides analytics at the edge, performing calculations at the device. This device-centred analytics capability reduces the time, complication, and expense of adding analytics to a plant’s assets. Each device collects data continuously and uses embedded logic to identify and diagnose common reliability issues. Individual issues such as imbalance, misalignment, bearing faults, lubrication issues or fouling are consolidated into an overall asset health score. AMS Asset Monitor then communicates these health scores via a web browser or – when integrated with Plantweb Optics – through real-time persona-based alerts on mobile devices. Plantweb Optics also enables enterprise-wide visibility and expands edge analytics and digital intelligence throughout the organisation, keeping personnel aware of essential asset health.

“Plants are always looking for more ways to improve profitability by increasing productivity. Just a percentage point or two in availability can equal millions of dollars per year or more,” said John Turner, Product Manager for Inline Prediction, Emerson. “The AMS Asset Monitor enables personnel across the plant to see the current health of essential assets along with suggested actions to improve asset health. This allows them to make informed decisions to maintain reliability, increase uptime and maximise productivity.”

Emerson says the AMS Asset Monitor’s small footprint, along with wired or wireless Ethernet connectivity, makes it simple to install. The edge device can support new applications by simply adding new logic-based analytics.