Getting operational expenses under control and reducing efforts in maintenance of compressor systems has become a major focus in the industry. The “old” oil & gas Economy and the “new” Hydrogen Economy are giving increasingly demanding tasks to OEMs like NEUMAN & ESSER to take measures for securing system uptime and making machine performance even more reliable. To address this challenge, NEUMAN & ESSER has established a digital asset performance management solution, which combines digital platforms with stringent service concepts.
In times that provide a considerable challenge for all types of industries to adapt to ever-accelerating changes in how organizations communicate and collaborate, consistent strategies are required to establish a sustainable and strong relationship between suppliers and customers.
According to McKinsey & Company ‘s October 2020 survey, digitalization of customer interactions has taken a quantum leap by several years during the recent months.
Therefore, digital initiatives at NEUMAN & ESSER are one key element in shaping customer proximity and to evolve from a traditional machine, parts and service supplier to an integrated solution provider.
NEA|XPLORE, NEUMAN & ESSER’s digital platform solution for various applications, consisting of hardware, software and services, has been a major step into this direction, allowing for direct interaction between OEM and customer on machine data level. As a result, customers experience quicker processes and improved machine performance – from the first to the last stroke of a compressor.
Machine data analysis is not only a matter of asset monitoring in operation. It starts prior to machine delivery.
„I get to see more than if I stand right next to the machine“ - the over-the-web observation of mechanical test runs or FATs (Factory Acceptance Test) after assembly provides a unique immersive machine experience to customers – if required in line with API 618 / API 11P (ISO 13631) standards. Real-time data streams and multi-angle videos plus online parts inspection live from testbenches of our production sites are the features that give a complete impression of the performance of the customer’s asset in operation.
During phases of severe, global travel restrictions NEUMAN & ESSER successfully accomplished more than 30 remote test runs prior to delivery for customers that could not witness in person. Additionally, the generated machine data (downloadable together with the videos shot) serves as further reference point for expected future machine behavior during commissioning onsite and further on.
If customers can supervise FATs of their equipment remotely prior to shipment, then the logical consequence is to also get assistance in assessing the performance of the equipment in operation.
Based on targets to detect unusual machine behavior before damage occurs and to allow for optimized OEM-Service-intervention securing precious uptime, NEUMAN & ESSER has developed NEA|XPLOREcompressors to work like an electrocardiogram for compressor system's permanent health assessment. The solution can be installed easily: NEA|XPLORE hardware that was specifically designed for heavy duty data acquisition and tailored to state-of-the-art security aspects is simply plugged to a machines PLCs or connected straight to sensors.
It immediately starts sending signals to the cloud via LTE, WIFI or through a company network where the NEA|XPLORE platform applies analytical capabilities and visualizes the relevant parameters. The solution is designed to work on new equipment and can also be retrofitted to older equipment that is probably not even connected to any monitoring devices or does not have any sensors yet.
Once machines are connected to the platform, data experts can permanently assess the health of connected assets and progress of wear from anywhere. Machine performance is under control at any time through (virtual) measuring sensors, analyzing data trends and by applying adaptable notification rules.
In case of an in-system alarm, analysts immediately start investigating machine data while on-site actions are arranged in parallel. This straightforward application of Exception-Based Surveillance reduces operators’ risk of unplanned operating expenses and ideally improves cash flows from performance optimized assets.
But: „60% of operators cite dealing with outcomes of data gathered as a major challenge." Thus, NEUMAN & ESSER has developed Condition Management Service Levels that include data monitoring, machine performance reporting and Service intervention in case of failures, up to even outsourcing parts supply chain management. The combination of NEA|XPLORE and a practice-oriented service strategy provides real added value from a digital lifecycle solution.
Specifically in applications where high-resolution data is required to closely supervise machine conditions, such as diaphragm compressors in hydrogen refueling stations (HRS), slow data trending is not sufficient. Therefore, NEUMAN & ESSER has extended system functionalities to intelligently collect, transmit and digest data in kHz range.
This gets engineers into a position to include pv-analysis in their regular diagnostics work. Avoiding expensive diaphragm-breaks has become an easy exercise. A well appreciated benefit for customers of our NEA|HOFER MKZ diaphragm compressors.
At this moment, NEA|XPLOREcompressorsHD is used as a portable solution together with NEUMAN & ESSER service and can be operated next to a compressor due to its rugged and explosion-proof design. In temporary measurement and diagnostics projects, the NEUMAN & ESSER aftermarket service captures data from up to 8 analog sensors and draws conclusions on potential maintenance requirements.
Successful projects – mostly on troublemaking machines – proved the power of the application since its availability at the beginning of this year. The outcomes of these projects have made NEUMAN & ESSER put the development of a high frequency software module for the stationary NEA|XPLOREcompressors version on the roadmap for further system extensions.
NEA|XPLOREcompressors is currently applied to machines and plants mainly in biomethane and hydrogen filling systems and is not limited to compressors only: The more adjacent plant components are integrated the more detailed the overall performance can be analyzed and the higher is the operational security. Smart valves and further sensors are a useful addition in thorough asset performance management processes.
NEUMAN & ESSER’s experience in the field showed that the solution provides real value to improving the performance of machines and to protecting customers from unplanned downtimes and severe plant damages. The NEA|XPLORE digital platform solution is designed to accompany compressors for life.
1 McKinsey & Company: „How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point—and transformed business forever“, October 2020.
2 GE Oil & Gas: „The Impact of Digital on Unplanned Downtime“, 2016.