“Everything went extremely well. We received a comprehensive service from under the same roof and, in my opinion, information reached all of the areas of excellence required in the project remarkably well. We have also been very happy with the product itself”, says Technical Director Saku Kähkönen from SKM Service Oy.
The new innovative product developed by Huld and SKM Service Oy measures potential thinning of various wall materials in real time. The patented, wireless measuring gauge designed for industrial use has been tested in production plants and has received excellent feedback.
WearTracker facilitates anticipatory pipe maintenance and increases the efficiency of production, among other features. The non-destructive measuring gauge wirelessly transmits data about changes in the wall thickness of various structures.
“The system is ideally suited for monitoring the condition of various piping solutions. The sensor detects thinning in wall thickness and alerts users in good time of any risk of rupture”, says Technical Director Saku Kähkönen from SKM Service Oy.
SKM was in charge of directing the project. The mechanical planning, design and advertising materials were created together with Huld. Huld also realised WearTracker’s analytical software to measure structure thickness.
“The sensor to measure metal thickness (< 0.1 mm accuracy) and the related analytical software were developed together with Huld from the outset. That was the most demanding part of the project — of course, the independently built MESH network, the mechanics and fastening of the equipment and the cloud software are all important parts of the package”, says Kähkönen.
According to Kähkönen, collaborating with Huld speeded up the whole project and brought about cost savings.
“Everything went extremely well. We received a comprehensive service from under the same roof and, in my opinion, information reached all of the areas of excellence required in the project remarkably well. We have also been very happy with the product itself.”
The patented WearTracker is a system without equal. The benefit of the system is that it measures wear in different production stages. The device has been tested in production plants over six months and has received excellent feedback.
“For example, the leading Scandinavian steel manufacturing company SSAB has been testing the WearTracker system for more than six months already. The product is a great solution for industrial plants with problems with production ruptures caused by wear”, says Kähkönen.
WearTracker can be installed in different locations at the customer’s facilities, making wear tracking possible in different areas of the production line.
“The system is leased and calibrated individually for each customer. The measuring gauge is also suitable for difficult locations and the system can be tailored to any specific needs on a case-by-case basis.”
The wireless measuring data sent by WearTracker can be read on all mobile and computer screens and the system can be integrated with the customer’s existing maintenance systems.
“The system is set with alarm limits that detect wear in critical places and alert the customer in advance, preventing unexpected damage. Cost management and production become more effective when there is no need to stop the production line. In addition, the measurements give valuable information about the suitability of different materials to the different parts of production.”