Five Tips for Selecting the Best Sensor Technology for Predictive Maintenance

Sensor technology provides a set of electronic “eyes” constantly keeping a watch on your most critical assets. Used properly, sensors can alert you to potential problems early, prevent product loss and downtime, and improve maintenance efficiency. To maximize your return on investment, consider these five tips for selecting the best sensors for your organization.

1. Select Critical Assets and Prioritize Goals

Not every facet of every asset can or should be monitored. Begin by selecting your most critical assets and then think about what’s most important to keep them operating optimally. For example, refrigeration temperature is critical to food safety and product preservation in the food and beverage industry. Implementing sensor technology that can immediately send alerts when temperatures fall out of range can prevent major product spoilage and loss.

2. Match Measurement Requirements with Sensor Features

Critical assets may benefit from monitoring things like temperature, vibration, pressure or humidity to determine pending issues, signal needed repairs, or flag suboptimal performance. Match the level of accuracy, precision, and reliability you require for the asset you want to monitor before selecting sensor technology. Understanding sensor features such as sampling rate, measurement range, resolution, durability, and compatibility with your existing systems will be important in your selection process.

3. Think About Connectivity to Assets and Maintenance System

Depending on where your assets are located, you may opt for either a wired or wireless connection between sensors and equipment. Examine your infrastructure for barriers such as concrete or metal walls that may affect the distance and effectiveness of wireless connections. Besides considering factors such as battery life, you’ll want to understand how sensors can securely communicate data to your computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) or cloud data storage so that appropriate actions can be taken and data can be analyzed to support future business decisions.

4. Consider Future Needs and Scalability of Selected Technology

Be sure to select sensors and technology that support scalability and potential expansion. Find out how many additional monitoring points are available and whether the system can integrate with other sensor technologies if your maintenance needs evolve over time. Consider things such as the expected lifespan of sensors and maintenance issues such as calibration schedules to determine the potential return on investment before making a final decision.

5. Work With a Proven Partner

While many companies sell sensor technology, you’ll want to work with a proven partner that can help you not only gather data on your critical assets but be able to rapidly support needed action. UpKeep Edge delivers sophisticated Internet of Things technology that can be seamlessly integrated into our asset operations management system, allowing work orders to be created as soon as critical measurements fall out of range. Our mobile-first solution means that key executives and members of your maintenance team have access to sensor alerts any time, any day, and anywhere, ensuring that needed action can be taken immediately. That capability is critical to minimizing downtime and maximizing returns.