Traditional vs. Predictive Maintenance
Preventive Electrical Maintenance (Traditional way)
vs Predictive Electrical Maintenance (GES System)
(By Moshe Cohen, CEO of ESP)
Introduction: In the modern world, electrical systems play a critical role in industry, infrastructure, and public institutions. Any unexpected fault or failure in an electrical system can cause severe damage, including production line shutdowns, damage to expensive equipment, and even safety hazards. Therefore, maintaining the reliability and efficiency of electrical systems is of utmost importance.
The quality and reliability of electrical infrastructures are influenced by four main factors:
1. Quality of Equipment - The use of high-quality and durable components directly affects the lifespan of the system.
2. Professional Installation - Non-standard installation can lead to recurring faults, overheating, and safety issues.
3. Professional Engineering Design - A well-designed electrical system can handle changing loads and prevent future failures.
4. Preventive Wear Maintenance - Proper maintenance reduces the risk of unexpected faults and extends the equipment's lifespan.
To maintain durable and reliable electrical systems over time, various maintenance approaches are adopted. The two main methods are Preventive Electrical Maintenance
and Predictive Electrical Maintenance.
Preventive Electrical Maintenance
is based on inspections and repairs performed according to a predetermined schedule, regardless of the actual condition of the equipment. This method helps prevent faults through periodic maintenance but might also include unnecessary maintenance or miss potential failures.
On the other hand, Predictive Electrical Maintenance relies on continuous monitoring of electrical parameters, data analysis, and algorithm application for anomaly detection.
The GES system is an example of an advanced solution in this field, operating 24/7 to cross-reference data to identify suspicious changes or anomalies that may indicate an impending fault. This system enables more focused and precise maintenance, reducing unplanned downtimes, and improving equipment reliability.
This article will explore the differences between the two maintenance approaches, examine the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and assess how the GES system is changing the way electrical systems are maintained, enhancing reliability and reducing maintenance costs.
Preventive Electrical Maintenance – Advantages and Disadvantages:
Preventive Maintenance (PM) is an approach where inspections, services, and component replacements are scheduled without regard to the actual condition of the equipment. The goal is to reduce unexpected failures and prevent malfunctions that might disrupt system operation.
Advantages of Preventive Electrical Maintenance:
⦁ Prevention of Sudden Failures: Regular maintenance reduces the risk of severe malfunctions.
⦁ Extension of Equipment Life: Routine care maintains equipment in good condition and prevents accelerated wear and tear.
⦁ Advance Maintenance Planning: Maintenance is conducted proactively, enabling easier preparation in terms of manpower, spare parts, and logistical planning.
Disadvantages of Preventive Electrical Maintenance:
⦁ Power Outages: During maintenance, equipment and electrical systems need to be shut down, leading to planned power outages.
⦁ Production Line Shutdowns: In industrial sectors, system shutdowns can harm production continuity and cause financial losses.
⦁ Server and Critical System Downtime: For organizations operating 24/7, shutting down servers for maintenance poses a significant challenge and can disrupt business activities.
⦁ Occasional Unnecessary Maintenance: Since maintenance is not based on the actual equipment condition but on fixed dates, sometimes equipment is serviced unnecessarily, wasting resources.
⦁ Inability to Address All Failure Points: Scheduled maintenance may not detect every possible failure due to areas that are difficult or impossible to check during regular maintenance, such as:
⦁ Vertical Busbars: Areas where connections are hidden within channels, complicating visual checks or thermographic measurements.
⦁ Connections in Inaccessible Locations: Junctions located at high altitudes, behind electrical panels, or in enclosed spaces that are hard to reach without disassembling components.
⦁ Inside Switchgear Equipment: Failures might develop inside cabinets and switchgear installations where overheating, oxidation of contacts, or loose connections occur – issues not always apparent in periodic checks.
Interim Summary:
Preventive electrical maintenance is a common method that helps maintain equipment health and prevent unexpected breakdowns. However, it involves high costs, planned shutdowns, and inefficiencies when maintenance is unnecessary or fails to identify hidden problems.
ESP has developed a system offering a technological solution to this issue – the GES system.
It is an advanced system for predictive electrical maintenance, utilizing innovative technologies to maintain complex and sensitive electrical infrastructures. The system includes unique sensors and controllers that perform continuous, distinctive measurements on electrical panels. Data is collected at high resolution and transmitted to cloud servers for processing and real-time analysis. The system uses advanced algorithms to identify and analyze anomalies at very early stages, allowing immediate and precise alerts to the client that include details like the type of fault, its location within the infrastructure, its severity, and action recommendations. The system's user interface is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, suitable for maintenance personnel and not just for engineers. The significant advantage of the system is its ability to identify potential problems before they develop into severe faults, saving costs and operational issues. The use of modern sensors, advanced data analysis, and user-friendly software makes it an efficient and reliable solution for predictive maintenance of electrical infrastructures.
Advantages of Predictive Maintenance with the GES System:
Thanks to the predictive maintenance capabilities of the GES system, preventive maintenance actions can be performed less frequently. This reduces the need for intrusive actions and decreases interference with electrical panels and infrastructures. Additionally, the system allows focusing on specific failure points found and provides a more targeted and efficient response, which maintains the stability of the infrastructure and extends the equipment's lifespan.
This not only improves operational efficiency but also reduces maintenance costs and helps maintain high availability and reliability of power systems.
No Disturbance to Routine Operations:
Unlike the traditional approach, GES minimizes the need for unplanned shutdowns, streamlining the maintenance and production process.
While the traditional approach requires power outages to perform preventive maintenance, the GES system offers a significant advantage by conducting inspections and failure detection without disrupting regular operations.
Thanks to the system's advanced technology, potential failures can be monitored and alerted while continuing normal work.
This means businesses can enjoy full operational continuity and reduced costs and faults associated with unplanned power outages. Thus, the GES system provides its users with peace of mind, as it delivers greater flexibility and efficiency in the maintenance of power
