HOERBIGER needed to implement a fully connected predictive maintenance solution for gas compressors that could also offer a web-based customer portal. To estimate the wear of critical components in the compressors, at least 50 kHz sampling is required, resulting in very high data rates. This data must be ingested and processed, requiring edge devices that can execute predictive maintenance algorithms instead of cloud systems. These edge devices must be rated for operation in hazardous areas.
For its predictive maintenance solution, HOERBIGER installed the Nerve edge computing platform on an industrial PC from MOXA, equipped with an Intel Core I7 processor. Nerve's Soft PLC module enables high-speed data acquisition, reading pressure and crank position values at 50 kHz. Data is processed through Nerve's Data Services module and sent to the Timescale Time-Series Database for post-processing to estimate compressor wear. The Grafana system integrated in Nerve allows for data visualization. Nerve is fully connected with a central Management System, enabling customers to access pre-processed data through a central web portal.
The Nerve edge computing platform provides high-speed data access with a short time-to-market, reducing development effort for demanding edge applications. In a proof-of-concept, the customer's solution was completed with only 150 lines of code and configuration, and an estimated 100 hours of development time in three weeks. Nerve is a proven commercial-off-the-shelf product, providing key functionalities for high-speed data ingestion, storage, visualization, and operation with or without cloud connectivity, with built-in security and user rights management. Nerve is modular and scalable, supporting predictive maintenance for production, providing reliable data access and online/offline operation modes that can be scaled according to customer needs.
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About our customer
HOERBIGER is a globally active technology company providing performance-critical products and safety solutions for the oil, gas, automotive, and process industries.
Further Reading
In our whitepaper, we show how HOERBIGER uses TTTech Industrial’s edge computing platform Nerve as the supporting infrastructure at the edge, providing data acquisition, processing, and visualization together with cybersecurity functions for their predictive maintenance solution for gas compressors.