Success story on condition based maintenance

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC) is the largest chemicals manufacturer in Japan. MCC's product range includes solvents, petrochemicals, industrial chemicals, methyl methacrylate, and acrylonitrile.

The Engineering Department at an MCC plant near Okayama was not satisfied with the performance of their pH sensors and they did not have predictive sensor maintenance. The probes were failing in less than three months and had to be exchanged regularly to minimize chances of failure.

The plant needed a solution for condition based maintenance and discovered METTLER TOLEDO's Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM™) sensors, which monitor sensor “health”, predict remaining probe lifetime, and clearly show when maintenance should be performed.

ISM combines the advantages of in-line analytical measurements with modern digital technology. ISM sensors offer improved performance over analog probes for a number of reasons. They have an on-board microchip that converts the analog signal from the sensor into the actual measurement of the parameter. This information is sent digitally to the connected ISM transmitter and process control system. Being digital, the signal is immune to interference from surrounding equipment, moisture in the environment, and signal loss due to long cable runs.

ISM's various predictive diagnostic features include the Adaptive Calibration Timer and Time to Maintenance tools, which recommend when to perform sensor calibration and cleaning. These tools ensure that sensors are always performing at their best and prevent calibration or maintenance being performed either too early or too late. The Dynamic Lifetime Indicator informs operators when sensor replacement will be required, therefore preventing the possibility of a sensor failing in the process.

MCC describes condition-based maintenance with ISM as ""indispensable"".

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