Condition Monitoring of Smaller, Less Critical Equipment Provides Major Improvements in Reliability and Lower Maintenance Costs

“The current predictive maintenance program is really an extension  and improvement of a vibration analysis program that we have had  at the refinery for some time”, advised Tony Soby, a vibration specialist at the Shell Oil Company refinery located in Martinez, CA. “As we learned more from the vibration analysis of large and critical machines, it became obvious that there was a lot of money to be saved in monitoring less critical equipment as well. As a result, our mechanical inspectors started taking hand logged vibration data on smaller process pumps and motors on a regular basis”.

“Part of the problem with smaller pumps and process equipment is that by the time someone notices that something is wrong with it, the damage is considerable. At that point, we often have to make a new shaft, machine the fit of the bearing, and do all of this with an
ccelerated work ticket and sometimes overtime. For a 50 HP pump, that could mean a repair cost of as much as $4 000 to $6 000, not including process slow downs or disruptions”.

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