Vital assetsElectricity consumption as an indicator for condition-based maintenance

Advantages of condition-based maintenance

Is it really new?Improved agreements and contracts

By monitoring the condition of installations more precisely, we are able to extend the maintenance interval and identify maintenance requirements at an early stage.

It is not yet standard practice on the installations of Rijkswaterstaat to store the information from systems for use in real time analyses.

The data provided by sensors is valuable for us, for suppliers and for maintenance contractors.

Electricity consumption as an indicator

Pilot: The smart lock

Big Data

Using simple energy sensors, in the future, we will be able to carry out maintenance at precisely the right moment.

The moving installations in the Bernhardsluizen lock complex in Tiel themselves tell us when maintenance is needed.

Big Data: the name says enough. The more the better! Ever growing volumes of data are becoming available.

Electricity consumption as an useful indicator

We maintain our installations at fixed intervals. Maintenance work is often carried out too early, and sometimes just too late. Electricity consumption can provide valuable information. How can we use consumption information as an indicator for the health of our installations? By fitting simple energy sensors, in the future we will be able to carry out maintenance at precisely the right moment.

We use body temperature as an indicator of our own health. However, a deviation in temperature does not tell us everything. After taking part in sport, or in the summer, for example, a higher temperature value is normal. It is not a signal that we have to take action. At other moments, with a raised temperature, we go to the doctor.

The same applies to installations. Normal use results in a known level of electricity consumption. In a lock complex, for example, the number of passages, the temperature, the time of day and the water level all determine consumption. If we note deviations from normal consumption, we can focus our search for what is wrong. In this way we can prevent damage and even greater consequential damage.

To measure is to know. By measuring power consumption, it is possible to decide whether a deviating measurement is an indication of a possible disruption.

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Big Data Condition-based maintenance is not only about electricity consumption. The combination of electricity consumption data with other information makes it possible to identify non-conformities. Big Data. The name says it all. The more the better! More and more companies are making their data available. Information about temperature, wind speeds, water levels and traffic movements, for example, can be very valuable for Rijkswaterstaat.

Every installation has a normal pattern that depends on a number of factors, including temperature, the day of the week and traffic levels. New analysis techniques make it possible to identify deviating patterns, in this Big Data.

By analysing this data, we are able to ‘see’ deviations from a normal pattern. We can then notify the system manager and contractor, so they can focus their efforts on investigating what is wrong, and can intervene in good time. In other words, analysis plays an important role.

Big data is turned into readable information that helps us carry out the right maintenance at the right time.

Because discrepancies in power consumption stand out clearly, we recognise deviations immediately. As a result, we are able to carry out repairs in good time. This is known as Early Warning or predictive maintenance.

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Pilot:The smart lock

The moving installations at the Bernhardsluizen lock complex in Tiel indicate themselves when maintenance is required. What exactly have we done?

At the Bernhardsluizen lock complex in Tiel, we have installed energy sensors on the most at-risk installations. Instead of major alterations to the installations, all we needed was a clip around the electricity cable. From this clip, we can read out the various power data. These data are then transmitted securely to the servers at Rijkswaterstaat.

In analysing the data, we combine the sensor data with other data sources such as weather, wind and current. We also compare the data from the individual motors. Lock gates are powered by motors. If one of those motors shows deviations in its power consumption, we visit the site to investigate. The Bernhardsluizen locks are a pilot for Rijkswaterstaat to see whether this method can also be employed at other locations.

The different users such as contractors, suppliers and asset managers at Rijkswaterstaat all have different information needs. In this and future pilots, we will be testing the required level of detail, frequency and reporting method.

This pilot project also provides us with insight into the benefits for the various stakeholders. Those benefits are considerable, making a continuation of the pilot programme more than worthwhile!

By combining various sets of data, it is possible to identify deviations in power consumption. This enables us to carry out repairs in good time, and prevent damage. The Bernardsluizen lock complex in Tiel is the first location where this approach has been followed.

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Advantages of condition-based maintenance

“ Limited maintenance at the ideal moment and fewer unexpected breakdowns!”

By monitoring the condition of installations more precisely, we can extend and more accurately tailor the necessary maintenance interval. With minor interventions, we can keep the installations vital, for longer periods. This not only makes maintenance cheaper, but also extends the service life.

At the same time, the reliability of our network is improved. We can limit unexpected breakdowns through early intervention. Objective, real-time data mean that the maintenance engineers are on site at the right time, to correct any annoying disruptions. This increases availability.

The suppliers use the data to design new installations and improved maintenance and inspection programmes. This situation is also appealing for the maintenance contractor. As well as lower maintenance costs, they can for example carry out better inspections, in less time.

Maintenance is made more sustainable. We use less material since the useful life of components is extended. We can also deploy the installations more effectively, since we have a greater understanding of their consumption rates. This helps us limit energy consumption.

“ The right maintenance just in time. Cheaper, more sustainable and less bothersome!”

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Better agreements and contracts

The switch to condition-based maintenance calls for a new form of cooperation. What is set to change in the contracts with our contractors?

The power consumption data from the sensors is valuable for us and for our suppliers and subcontractors. Using this information, they can develop new services and products. With that in mind, we have taken responsibility for obtaining the necessary information, and passing it on to other parties.

We ensure uniformity in the use of sensors. In this way we continue to make sure the information remains truly comparable so that our insights are based on securely obtained data. Based on these insights, contractors can then improve the quality of the maintenance they carry out.

Together with the contractors, we need constant access to objective information about the condition of the installations. If the condition information is based on solid data, we can provide detailed descriptions in the tendering procedures for new maintenance contracts, so contractors know exactly what we expect from them and what level of quality they have to deliver.

“ Correct commissioning starts with sharing information and limiting risks”

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Is it really new?

Rijkswaterstaat already uses sensors, for example for periodically measuring the roughness of asphalt. In respect of installations it is not yet standard practice to store the information from the systems, for use in real-time analyses.

Storing and analysing data has recently become far more cost-effective. The cost price for sensors has fallen and their quality has risen. In this pilot project, we have made use of high-quality standard sensors. All in all, it has finally become attractive for Rijkswaterstaat and its partners to make broader use of this technology across its entire field of activities.

“ It is already common practice in industry. Why not for us, too?”

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A publication of Rijkswaterstaat

Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment Coördinatiebureau Energie, Corporate Dienst www.rijkswaterstaat.nl0800-8002 October 2016 | cd1016mc09