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News Releases |
Trendmaster® Pro: Entry-level, Online Machinery Condition Monitoring
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Printable version (30KB)
Bently Nevada® Product Line Adds Enhanced Control System Interface Capabilities |
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For more information, contact: Tannis Causey Marketing Communications Manager Bently Nevada 1631 Bently Parkway South Minden, Nevada, USA 89423 Phone: 775-215-2226 Fax: 775-215-2864 E-mail: tannis.causey@bently.com |
ATLANTA, GA. (July 7, 2004) – GE Energy today announced an important enhancement to its Bently Nevada® condition monitoring product offerings with a new digital interface for direct communication between its Trendmaster® Pro hardware and plant control and automation systems. The Trendmaster® Pro system provides online machinery health monitoring for general-purpose equipment assets. It employs an innovative, distributed monitoring architecture designed to cost-effectively collect mechanical condition information from thousands of sensors and measurement points, connected via a special industrial "sensor bus" network. The collected data is concentrated in field-mounted devices called Dynamic Scanning Modules (DSMs). With the introduction of a Modbus* digital interface, it is now possible for DSMs to communicate directly with process control and automation systems, without the need for additional intervening hardware or software. The Trendmaster system's hardware has previously been compatible only with special-purpose software - GE’s System 1® platform - where detailed waveform analysis, trending and alarming is performed. While this solution is appropriate for the majority of applications and offers the highest level of diagnostic sophistication and capabilities, selected customers have indicated the desire for an entry-level solution that could instead use the basic trending/alarming functionality integral to their existing process control system, rather than the advanced capabilities of System 1. The new interface was developed specifically to meet this customer need, providing user-defined data sets to their existing process control system via Modbus, resulting in a very cost-effective solution. Other users may still require the diagnostic sophistication of System 1 software while simultaneously integrating selected Trendmaster data into their process control system. The new Modbus interface has also been designed to address this need. While customers have always been able to export this data from System 1 software, there are instances where exporting this data directly from DSM hardware can be more cost-effective and/or offer performance benefits. The ability to now interface with process control systems via hardware or software allows customers more flexibility in their integration strategies. Says Ricardo Artigas, president of energy services for GE Energy, "We're confident that this enhancement will make the benefits of online condition monitoring more easily accessible to a broader range of customers. These systems generally pay for themselves in well under a year by reducing asset failures, process interruptions and unnecessary maintenance. This digital interface makes it even easier and more affordable for customers to take that 'first step' towards managing their assets more effectively." GE Energy's Bently Nevada www.bently.com condition monitoring products and services help assess and ensure the mechanical and thermodynamic health of industrial machinery. With over 40 years of technical innovation and leadership, the Bently Nevada name is recognized globally for its quality and subject matter expertise. Sales, service, and support are conveniently provided through a network of over 100 offices in more than 40 countries worldwide to a broad base of more than 25,000 global customers in the power generation, petrochemical, and other industries. The Bently Nevada product line is headquartered in Minden, Nevada. About GE Energy GE Energy (www.gepower.com) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technology, with 2003 revenues of nearly $18.5 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy provides equipment, service and management solutions across the power generation, oil and gas, transmission and distribution, distributed power and energy rental industries. This news release is available for download at http://www.bently.com/news.htm |
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