Why It Matters:
Rod position analysis is more than just an indication of wear. The most effective monitoring systems incorporate rod position measurement in conjunction with analyses of other parameters to identify impending failures in drive train integrity. Rod position is a valuable analysis that provides alarms and warnings about two major concerns.
First, as a dynamic signal for safety protection tasks, it identifies problems with the mechanical machine integrity -such as drive train status, loose connections, overload conditions, and more.
Second, rod position analysis serves as an indicator of wear, especially of piston rider rings. The machine may then be shut down to ensure safety and to perform maintenance before serious damage occurs to the rod, piston, or cylinder.
The Best Approach:
Monitoring is accomplished using an eddy current sensor to continuously measure rider ring wear. While the dynamic component of the signal can be used to determine loosened or cracked piston rods, the static component of the piston rod drop can identify wear of piston rider rings only if the right analyses are applied and configured correctly. Many studies have shown significant, safety-critical problems that remained invisible with vibration measurements alone, but were detected through rod position analysis (e.g. piston rod cracks).
