Maintenance of measurement equipment is vital to ensuring accurate transfers. With an ever-growing technological landscape, maintenance activities are constantly evolving. When gas meters were first invented, there was one standard type, the orifice meter, which has now evolved into multiple meter types. Additionally, performing maintenance was very mechanical until the 2000s, when electronics were introduced to the field. The current standard is prescriptive or preventive maintenance with scheduled maintenance activities (monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually) to keep the equipment running without costly repairs compared to run-to-failure or corrective maintenance, where a technician repairs equipment as it breaks. With the evolution of smart meters, the industry is starting to shift toward predictive maintenance procedures.
What is Predictive Maintenance?
Predictive maintenance utilizes monitoring technology tools to display real-time data on the current condition of meters. Rather than performing maintenance when it’s not yet needed or addressing issues after they occur, predictive maintenance seeks to monitor the current condition of the equipment and tackle repairs before they become a larger issue. Predictive maintenance enables the identification of issues and timely intervention before failures happen, therefore optimizing repair and maintenance processes.
Benefits of Predictive Maintenance
There are quite a few benefits to predictive maintenance, but one of the most impactful is the decreased costs and increased efficiencies for companies. By implementing predictive maintenance, the manpower needed to service equipment is reduced. Technicians are only needed when an issue is identified .This is very beneficial for technicians who may cover a large territory and would only need to travel to the meters that indicate an issue. This helps minimize expenses and disruptions for organizations by extending equipment lifespan and reducing unplanned downtime due to equipment failures.
Steps for Implementing Predictive Maintenance
While predictive maintenance is not a standard in the industry currently, companies may be aspiring to switch over in the future. To prepare for this, it’s valuable for technicians to continue learning through experiences and education.
The best place to start when learning predictive maintenance is by studying and understanding the fundamentals that go into predictive maintenance. By grasping the fundamentals, one can master data analysis methods used in working with condition monitoring technologies. As technology advances, organizations must be aware of new developments and practices that can offer both time and money savings. Since predictive maintenance utilizes smart meter technology, focusing on developing skills in electronics and instrumentation will be very beneficial.
Predictive maintenance can be a promising advancement to the maintenance of measurement equipment. From the early days of the orifice meters to today’s smart meter technology, the maintenance landscape has seen significant change. While it is not an industry standard, its potential for improving operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness is clear.
To best prepare, continuous learning and development for technicians will be important. GTA offers an array of comprehensive and standardized courses designed by subject-matter experts in the measurement field. Contact us to learn more.
