Dynamic condition monitoring system with integrated web server

• US 20080079598A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Alford, Thomas Lee, Hofer, George F., Bibelhausen, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/683
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/045 Acoustic or vibration analysis

Abstract

A dynamic condition monitoring system is disclosed, such as for monitoring vibrations in complex machine systems. The system includes monitors on which server software is provided. The server software may access pre-defined graphical user interface pages that can be populated and served directly from the monitors. The data may be accessed via conventional networks for viewing and analyzing monitored data, as well as for configuration of the individual dynamic condition monitors.

Claims

1. A dynamic condition monitoring system comprising:

a dynamic condition monitor configured to be coupled to at least one sensor for detecting a dynamic condition of a machine system and to receive signals from the sensor representative of the dynamic condition; and

a server integral with the monitor and storing a plurality of web-accessible pages, the server being configured to populate the pages with data derived from the signals received from the sensor and to serve populated pages to a remote user via a network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic condition monitor is configured to be coupled to a plurality of sensors for detecting a plurality of dynamic conditions of the machine system, and wherein the monitor is further configured to calculate values based on signals from the plurality of sensors, and wherein the server is configured to populate the pages with the calculated values.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensors include an accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the monitor is configured to calculate vibration data based upon the signals from the sensors.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the monitor is configured to calculate a vibration profile based upon the signals from the sensors, and wherein the server is configured to populate at least one of the pages with a graphical representation of vibration data based upon the profile.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor is coupled to at least one other dynamic condition monitor via a communication link and is configured to derive composite data from signals from the at least one sensor and from data received from the at least one other dynamic condition monitor, and to populate a page with the derived composite data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor is a modular monitor configured to be disposed adjacent to a portion of a monitored machine system and to communicate with similar modular monitors disposed adjacent to other portions of the monitored machine system.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plant or enterprise level monitoring system configured to be coupled to the monitor and to other monitors in a plant or enterprise to receive the populated pages and to integrate data received from the monitor with data received from other monitors.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plant or enterprise level monitoring system is configured to combine data from the monitor with financial, purchasing, production or maintenance data at an enterprise level.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to automatically generate notification messages and to address the messages to designated recipients.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the messages include embedded populated pages or links to populated pages.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the messages are generated and transmitted by the server upon detection of an alarm condition by the monitor.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the messages include at least one of time waveforms, vibration profiles resulting from fast Fourier transforms), power spectra, overall, broadband, integrated, or averaged vibration readings, vibration data preprocessed g spike energy analysis, alarm signals, monitoring system status information, wavelet transforms, oil or fluid viscosity, oil or fluid total acid number, oil or fluid moisture content, oil or fluid contaminant level, raw or unprocessed data to be post-processed by remote software, system configuration information, event log or event storage data, or trend data.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein settings and parameters for operation of the monitor are alterable via the populated pages.

15. A dynamic condition monitoring system comprising:

a dynamic condition monitor configured to be coupled to a plurality of sensors including an accelerometer and to receive signals from the sensors representative of at least vibration in a monitored machine system, the monitor being further configured to calculate vibration data based upon the signals from the sensors; and

a server coupled to the monitor and storing a plurality of web-accessible pages, the server being configured to populate the pages with the vibration data derived from the signals received from the sensors and to serve populated pages to a remote user via a network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is integrated in the monitor.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitor is configured to calculate a vibration profile based upon the signals from the sensors, and wherein the server is configured to populate at least one of the pages with a graphical representation of vibration data based upon the profile.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitor is coupled to at least one other dynamic condition monitor via a network link and is configured to derive composite data from signals from the sensors and from data received from the at least one other dynamic condition monitor, and to populate a page with the derived composite data.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is configured to automatically generate notification messages and to address the messages to designated recipients.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the messages include embedded populated pages or links to populated pages.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the messages are generated and transmitted by the server upon detection of an alarm condition by the monitor.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the alarm condition is based upon a vibration level exceeding a predetermined level.

23. A dynamic condition monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of dynamic condition monitors, each monitor configured to be coupled to a plurality of sensors for detecting dynamic conditions of a machine system and to receive signals from the sensors representative of the dynamic conditions, the dynamic condition monitors being coupled to one another via a network; and

a server coupled to at least one of the monitors, the server storing a plurality of web-accessible pages, the server being configured to populate the pages with data derived from the signals received from the sensors of the plurality of monitors and to serve populated pages to a remote user via a network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the server is coupled directly to the respective dynamic condition monitor.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the server is configured to automatically generate notification messages and to address the messages to designated recipients.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the messages include embedded populated pages or links to populated pages.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the messages are generated and transmitted by the server upon detection of an alarm condition by the monitor.

28. A dynamic condition monitoring system comprising:

a dynamic condition monitor configured to be coupled to at least one sensor for detecting a dynamic condition of a machine system and to receive signals from the sensor representative of the dynamic condition; and

a server integral with the monitor and storing a plurality of web-accessible pages, the server being configured to populate the pages with data derived from the signals received from the sensor and to serve populated pages to a remote user via a network, the server being further configured to automatically generate a notification message and to address the message to a designated recipient.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the server is configured to generate and transmit the message upon occurrence of a predetermined event.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the predetermined event includes a monitored or a calculated parameter reaching a limit or alarm level.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the message includes a link to data or to a file indicative of a condition monitored by the monitor.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the message includes a link to a service provider.