Regularly monitoring the condition of equipment at your workplace helps ensure precise maintenance practices. Pressure sensors play a key role in any condition-based maintenance (CBM) program, reducing downtime and helping equipment perform better.
Organizations use pressure sensors to gather data in real-time and track equipment performance so that issues can be identified and resolved early. This guide will cover all the important details of using pressure sensors including the different kinds available, how they work, and how they can help make the most of your CBM program.
What is a pressure sensor?
A pressure sensor is a device with a set of transmitters engineered to detect and quantify the force exerted on a surface area. It also includes a sensing component that adjusts characteristics in response to pressure fluctuations. This dynamic process allows an ongoing measurement of force that can either be monitored and aggregated for data reporting and analysis or used to trigger responses to pressure fluctuations—or both.
Components within a pressure sensor
There are a number of technological components within these sensors that identify pressure changes. Each serves its own purpose. Three common technologies used in pressure sensors are:
- Strain gauge sensors: Detect variations in resistance when the sensor deforms under pressure.
- Piezoelectric sensors: Produce a charge corresponding to the applied pressure.
- Capacitive sensors: Monitor alterations in the capacity to retain a charge between two plates as pressure changes.
Pressure sensors’ dependability in relaying information makes them essential in many industries. In automotive, aerospace, and oil and gas, for example, teams depend on these tools to safeguard the health of critical machinery like pumps, compressors, and high-pressure hydraulic systems. When sensors detect pressure changes, they help alert your maintenance team so they can spot issues early and prevent failure or downtime.
Types of pressure sensors
If you want to use pressure-sensing devices and transducers in your CBM program, team members must know the difference between the various types of sensors out there. Each one has its own advantages and suitable applications. Let’s take a look at seven common types of pressure transmitters and transducers:
1. Vacuum sensors
Vacuum sensors measure very low pressures – lower than the air pressure around us. These tools are useful in situations where you want to remove air from a space such as vacuum sealing a food product, or keeping a delicate semiconductor production line clear of dust so that it doesn’t interfere with the process of making chips.
2. Sealed sensors
These are sometimes called absolute pressure sensors. They calculate pressure relative to a perfect vacuum. These work well where atmospheric pressure fluctuations can affect measurements, such as in altitude sensing or barometric pressure monitoring. You might find one at a weather station where it can give an accurate measurement of atmospheric pressure without being affected by the surrounding environment.
3. Vented sensors
Vented pressure sensors, or gauge pressure sensors, compare the air they’re measuring to the air that’s around them. There’s usually a tiny hole in the sensor that lets outside air in, helping it adjust to pressure changes resulting from altitude or weather. These sensors are great for measuring the air in your tires or for pressure levels in pneumatic machinery and other equipment that uses fluids.
4. Diaphragm sensors
These sensors work like a drum with a thin, often stainless steel surface stretched over a frame. When there is pressure on one side, the surface bends inward like a drum. The sensor measures how much it bends, turning that information into an electrical signal that can be measured. This type of gauge is also used for low-pressure measurements, such as atmospheric pressure or pressure within a gas canister.
5. Strain gauge sensors
Strain gauge pressure transducers use the piezoresistive effect; measuring the energy generated by resistance to applied. When there is pressure, the sensor measures the change with high accuracy, sending it through an amplifier, and turning it into electrical signals that inform your team how much pressure there is. These sensors are typically applied to machines that have components that exert torque, such as fans, motors, and generators.
6. Solid-state sensors
Solid-state pressure sensors, or MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) sensors, integrate the sensing elements onto a single silicon chip. Since they’re smaller, they don’t usually take much power to run, making them perfect for portable and embedded applications.
7. Thin-film sensors
Thin-film pressure sensors use a slim layer of piezoresistive material on a substrate. When pressure is applied, the film’s resistance changes. This change is measured and converted to an electrical signal. These sensors excel at quick responses and detecting dynamic pressure fluctuations.
Types of pressure measurement
Understanding types of pressure measurements is essential for selecting pressure sensors and interpreting the data they provide to support your CBM program. Each kind of measurement offers different insights into equipment performance and health.
1. Gauge pressure
Gauge pressure compares force against the surrounding air pressure. This is a common measurement and can be seen when measuring tire pressure (often in PSI), hydraulic systems, or air-powered tools. In condition-based maintenance, this type of pressure reveals leaks, blockages, or any other unusual circumstance that might indicate a problem.
2. Absolute pressure
Absolute pressure measures force compared to a perfect vacuum. Imagine a container with nothing in it – not even air. When you measure absolute pressure, you’re counting how much pressure there is compared to that empty container. It doesn’t matter what the air pressure is like outside – whether you’re on a mountain or at the beach – absolute pressure stays the same. Scientists use this when they set up sensitive equipment and drugmakers use this in situations where pressure must be controlled perfectly to get formulas right.
3. Differential pressure
Clogging, leaks, and other issues can harm the longevity of equipment, so it can be beneficial to use differential pressure sensors to detect these issues. Differential pressure compares pressure at two different points in the same system, like at two ends of a pipe. This measurement can help organizations monitor how well fluid or gases move through pipes, cooling systems, and filters within your equipment.
4. Vacuum pressure
Vacuum pressure involves measuring “negative” pressure or suction when there is less pressure than in the air around you. This type of pressure is important for machines that need a vacuum in order to function such as vacuum packaging machines or special chambers for making computer chips. Checking this type of pressure regularly as part of your maintenance program ensures your machines are performing their vacuum function properly, and do not have a leak.
5. Compound pressure
Compound pressure measures both pushing and pulling forces compared to normal air pressure. If you have a machine or a pump that uses pressure to both push and pull fluids or air, compound pressure gauges can measure both of these actions. Machines that need to switch between pressure and suction to do their job benefit from regular compound pressure measurements.
How to use pressure sensors in your CBM program
Now that we’ve looked at the different pressure sensors and how they work, let’s dive into using them in your CBM program. Here’s how these tools can transform your maintenance strategy.
Monitor pressure data and perform corrective action early
If you want to know about the inner workings of your equipment without damaging it, pressure sensors are a great non-destructive testing option. Even subtle changes in pressure could indicate wear and tear or worse for your machinery.
It can be helpful for maintenance teams to set thresholds and alerts from pressure sensors so that corrective action can be taken immediately if pressure moves too far away from an optimal level.
Integrate sensors with CBM tools to make better decisions
In order to make the most of pressure measurement data, connect sensors with your Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). IoT technology allows your sensors to communicate instantly to a centralized system like a CMMS, which then automates triggers for corrective action, and aggregates data to look for trends that help improve overall asset management.
Building pressure sensor data into a CBM program that also includes vibration analysis, thermography, and oil analysis helps maintenance teams get a better idea of true equipment health. Identifying patterns and seeing the causes of possible failures enables accurate diagnosis of issues and more effective maintenance actions.
Benefits of pressure sensors in CBM
Using pressure sensors in your CBM program offers advantages beyond the obvious:
- Resource optimization: By more accurately pinpointing when maintenance is needed, staff time and skills are used more efficiently.
- Energy savings: Well-maintained equipment often runs more efficiently, potentially reducing energy consumption and operating costs.
- Data-driven decision-making: A continuous stream of pressure data allows for trend analysis and automation, helping organizations make more informed choices about equipment replacement or upgrades.
- Customized maintenance schedules: Instead of relying on generic timetables, teams can tailor maintenance intervals to each piece of equipment’s actual performance.
- Environmental impact: By preventing catastrophic failures and enabling more efficient productivity, you minimize waste and the risk of harmful leaks or emissions, supporting sustainability goals.
These benefits compound over time, potentially transforming your maintenance approach from a loss leader to a value-adding operation, through advanced maintenance strategies such as predictive maintenance.
Implementing pressure sensors in your CBM program
Integrating pressure sensors into your CBM is like adding a new set of eyes to the team. But to get the most out of them, you need a good plan.
Pick the right sensor for the job
What kinds of temperatures and pressure ranges will the equipment face? Will there be environmental challenges like vibration or corrosive materials? Consider the measurement range needed for your specific application and environment. It is smart to pick the most accurate sensors or those recommended by the OEM, but they may not provide stable readings over time if they don’t work well with your existing systems.
Install them correctly
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines exactly. Make sure sensors are mounted securely to avoid false readings from vibration. Pay special attention to connectors, as faulty connections can lead to inaccurate readings.
Regular check-ups and calibration
Sensors need maintenance too. Keeping them in good condition according to manufacturer recommendations will pay dividends in the long run, keeping your sensors in top form.
Invest in staff training
Even the best sensors are only as good as the team using them. Employees should not only know how to operate sensors but also how to interpret the data they provide. Incorporate these concepts into your maintenance training plan. This enables team members to take appropriate and effective corrective action when abnormal readings are found.
Develop clear procedures for data collection and analysis
Procedures for how to collect, analyze, and use pressure measurements are an important part of the process. Determine how standard ranges will be established, and areas of accountability for regularly monitoring pressure data. Don’t be afraid to update your methods as you learn more about your equipment’s behavior.
The Future of Pressure Sensors in CBM
The technology involved in most pressure sensors is only getting more advanced and revolutionary with research and time. Self-calibrating sensors, smaller devices that fit in tight spots, and multi-function sensors that measure more than just pressure are all on the horizon.
By embracing these advances, you’ll turn pressure readings into powerful insights that can supercharge your maintenance and asset management programs. Stay ahead of the curve, and you’ll boost your maintenance operations, cut costs, and keep your equipment running like clockwork.
