Shigeo Shingo, an industrial engineer who pioneered the Toyota Production System (TPS) said, “The most dangerous kind of waste is the waste we do not recognize.” Manufacturers are on a never-ending quest to identify and eliminate waste. The more efficiently a factory runs, the more profitable it will be. The key is identifying the waste and turning it into an improvement.
This is exactly why we have created an entire line of wireless Leap Sensors for manufacturing.
If you’ve seen our video, “The Story Behind Leap Sensors,” you know that our experience designing custom wireless sensors for customers is what led to the development of readily available wireless Leap Sensors. In honor of National Manufacturing Day, here are the top 5 sensors we recommend for use in manufacturing and predictive maintenance:
1. Motor Monitoring Sensors
A Motor monitoring sensor is one of our most popular sensors and with good reason. It combines three different sensors in one multi-sensor node: temperature, vibration, and electrical current. Monitoring these top three predictors of motor failure gives you sophisticated and comprehensive motor monitoring. With this multi-sensor, you can receive notification before a motor breaks down. Plus, with continuous remote monitoring, you can begin to accrue data on how your machines operate, so that you can make adjustments to prevent an issue ahead of time.
2. Production Counter & Downtime Monitoring Sensor
Production counter and downtime monitoring sensors utilize a breakthrough design to provide crucial data for production and manufacturing at an affordable price. This innovative sensor uses proximity sensors that will count products as they come off the production line. This is then combined with edge computing, which allows the sensor to calculate the time between each product’s pass to identify when downtime occurs and its duration. This data can provide valuable insight into wasted time and where opportunities for improvement exist. allowing the manufacturing process to become far more efficient. Read more about this cutting-edge sensor and its benefits here.
3. Vibration/Accelerometer Sensor
Vibration and accelerometer sensors are key sensors for predictive maintenance. A change in vibration is an excellent predictor of an impending issue in manufacturing equipment. The Leap Sensors vibration sensor takes measurements on all three axes, every 15 minutes, and data logs it. This highly accurate vibration data can then be used for various analysis and diagnostics. Read more about how bulk vibration data can be utilized.
4. Pressurized Dew Point (PDP) sensors
Pressurized Dew Point sensors (or PDP sensors) provide critical insights about air lines in industrial settings, making them a game changer for manufacturing operations managers. Factories often face the challenge of keeping air lines clean and free from condensation because of pressurized air’s higher dew point. This water in the air lines can cause damage to machinery and create unplanned downtime. The PDP sensor fixes this problem by monitoring the air lines so maintenance can be performed before it shuts down production. Learn more about this game-changing sensor.
5. Analog Input Sensor
Analog input sensors easily turn almost any standard analog sensor into a wireless sensor powered by the battery in the transceiver node. This makes it a straightforward process to add specialized remote monitoring to critical factory equipment. This sensor is particularly helpful in niche manufacturing that may have specialized equipment. Read more about just how convenient the analog input sensor is.
Sensors for every application
Regular, consistent monitoring helps you catch small problems before they become big ones and plan maintenance more effectively. Because there’s such a wide range of equipment to monitor and different factors to watch for, we’ve developed a broad range of sensors.
This Top 5 is just a start. The Leap Sensor system has so many options that are easy to integrate, and can all be combined to expand your system to give you more clarity on all of your processes. You might want to start small, with a pilot project, but soon enough you’ll want several of our Leap Sensors for manufacturing.
Learn more about how Leap’s wireless sensor system can work for your manufacturing needs: Talk to one of our wireless sensor experts today.