SKF Enlight platform combines new mobile app with vibration sensor to enable collection of machinery data by non-experts

June 15, 2015
New SKF Enlight combines a powerful new mobile app with a special Bluetooth-enabled vibration sensor to allow non-expert staff to gather critical machinery data, effectively turning a standard mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet into a data-collection device.

New SKF Enlight combines a powerful new mobile app with a special Bluetooth-enabled vibration sensor to allow non-expert staff to gather critical machinery data, effectively turning a standard mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet into a data-collection device. In the event of a parameter warning or alert, the user can then request an "On Demand Diagnostic," whereby the data is sent wirelessly with the single push of a button to the SKF Remote Diagnostic Center (RDC) network for expert analysis and reporting.

Unlike route-based systems or dedicated high-end vibration analyzers – requiring high levels of staff competence and especially costly for one-off data measurements – SKF Enlight provides low-cost, fast, and easy-to-use instrumentation with instant connection to SKF expertise. For data collection in hazardous areas, specially built and intrinsically safe ATEX Zone 1-compliant smartphones and tablets have been developed for the job.

SKF Enlight consists of Data Collect (the app) and the SKF Wireless Machine Condition Detector (WMCD), a sensor that mounts magnetically to a machine and measures vibration data. The data is relayed to Data Collect via Bluetooth for visualization and vibration levels are benchmarked against ISO standards. The user sees the assessment as a simple "traffic light" (red, amber, or green) indicator. If an "On Demand Diagnostic" is warranted, an SKF RDC expert then would analyze the data and send a report on the cause of any fault with recommended remedial actions to the user’s email account.

The WMCD sensor additionally takes a simultaneous measurement of bearing condition using patented SKF algorithms to assess severity of any damage or wear. These results, too, are displayed in traffic-light format and can be sent for on-demand SKF analysis and recommendations.