Operating parameters are key figures that are essential for the safe and efficient operation of systems and machines. As a rule, these are measurable parameters that must be adhered to in order to ensure smooth operation. Why it is so important to comply with operating parameters and what role digital solutions play in this is explained below.
What are operating parameters for systems?
Complex systems and machines are made up of numerous components. Certain conditions must be met to ensure that they work together smoothly. These are also referred to as operating parameters. Typical operating parameters can relate to temperature, pressure, media, voltage, speed or flow rate, for example. The systems and machines can only work safely and efficiently if these parameters are adhered to. This is why operating parameters must be monitored continuously.
What happens if operating parameters are not adhered to?
If operating parameters are inadvertently or deliberately not adhered to or ignored, this can have serious consequences for the system, production processes and safety. If a system permanently operates outside the intended operating parameters, this can lead to increased wear, defects or total failure. This in turn results in high maintenance and repair costs and, in the worst case scenario, threatens to bring production to a standstill. All of this causes unnecessary costs.
In addition, the quality of work is not guaranteed for systems and machines that do not work within the intended operating parameters. This can result in wasted resources and materials, additional costs due to reworking and increased energy costs. Depending on the system in question, non-compliance with operating parameters can also pose an enormous safety risk - for example when operating electrical systems or in the chemical industry.
How are operating parameters monitored?
In the early days of industrial production using systems and machines, operating parameters had to be monitored manually. This manual monitoring was not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also prone to errors. Nowadays, modern measuring instruments take over this task. Today's systems and machines are equipped with sensitive sensors that monitor all important parameters in real time. For this to succeed, however, it is crucial that the measuring instruments function properly and are set correctly.
How do digital solutions support the monitoring of operating parameters?
Smart technologies and data analytics applications are forward-looking tools for monitoring operating parameters in real time, thereby ensuring maximum safety, quality and efficiency of production processes. State-of-the-art sensor technology is used to collect and process data on the most important operating parameters of industrial systems in real time. Depending on the situation, the necessary processes are then started in order to rectify potential problems at an early stage or prevent them from arising in the first place.
However, the monitoring of operating parameters using smart technologies and the use of data analytics applications offers even more possibilities. For example, the collection and evaluation of data can also help to identify optimization potential in production processes or optimize maintenance tasks. This can minimize repair and downtimes, reduce energy costs and material consumption, speed up production processes or improve quality features, for example.