Continuous process manufacture, such as oil refineries and breweries, all employ monitoring techniques, based on sensors measuring critical parameters. S.C.A.D.A. software (Supervisory Control And Data Aquisition), is used to analyse data and provide information.
This technique allows performance monitoring of equipment, both instantaneously and historically. Failure prediction, using known deterioration patterns, allow Maintenance to minimise production losses, by being able to forward plan corrective activities.
Batch-manufacturing industry has been slow to use S.C.A.D.A. monitoring systems because of various incompatible requirements. Systems will often not interface to numerical controls used on, for example, fastening machines. The relatively slow S.C.A.D.A. data scan rates and cyclic machinery has restricted their introduction.
A system is nearing completion, which developed the changes required to achieve machine-health monitoring of complex machinery, such as machine-tools, fastening machines, fluid presses.