HOW TO SAVE 500K LITERS OF WATER PER DAY WITH PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE

Robco

Robco is a century-old company offering sealing solutions for all industrial applications involving piping, valves, pumps, mixers, boilers, tanks, furnaces, crucibles and parts that require customized gaskets.

Robco

Industry

Manufacturing

Services

MAINTENANCE
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

Dans l’industrie lourde (pâtes et papiers, mines de lithium, fer et autres métaux, etc.), l’eau est utilisée en grande quantité pour refroidir et lubrifier les équipements rotatifs tels que les pompes, agitateurs, mélangeurs, raffineurs, pulpeurs, et autres. Cette grande quantité d'eau est répartie de manière aléatoire dans le processus, rendant sa gestion complexe et nécessitant une importante quantité d'énergie pour son extraction ultérieure. Les garnitures d’étanchéité qui scellent ces équipements industriels sont souvent exposées à des environnements agressifs qui favorisent leur détérioration, et leur état est difficile à contrôler. Un mauvais fonctionnement de ces garnitures mène à une utilisation inefficace de l’eau et de l’énergie, ainsi qu’à un remplacement hâtif des pièces usées.

CHALLENGES

Robco's challenge was to minimize cooling water usage while optimizing gasket life and maintenance. The goal was economic, ecological, and regulatory: to use less water and reduce maintenance and failure costs.

SOLUTION

In collaboration with Robco, Vooban has developed a predictive and prescriptive maintenance solution. This project enables the company to create a new product that complements its existing sales.

The first model provides real-time information about the state of each gasket and the water pressure injected, which are two crucial pieces of information for predicting and achieving the optimal balance between the amount of cooling water required and the operating temperature of the gasket. A measurement box is installed on the rotating equipment to report the machine's performance to employees in real-time, and various sensors are connected to it. This information can be viewed on a dashboard and accessed anytime via a wireless network. Furthermore, all the accumulated data will improve the gaskets' performance, making them more competitive against their primary American competitors.

The second model is centered around prescriptive maintenance. Apart from predicting the working condition of the gasket, this technology can direct maintenance actions to prevent leaks or failures and prolong the lifespan of the equipment. Essentially, the system instructs operators to adjust water pressure, tighten a gasket that may cause leakage, or loosen it to prevent excessive friction.

Results

30%

By deploying this solution at its customers' sites, Robco can reduce water loss from gaskets by up to 30%. This represents more than 500K liters of water saved per plant daily. Robco's tool enables proper maintenance and timely gasket decisions, extends equipment life, and reduces replacement costs. By increasing the efficiency and reliability of its gasket products, Robco has positioned itself as a leader in its industry.