Samotics, a provider of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven industrial analytics for asset performance management, has been selected for a 12-month trial by United Utilities, a UK water and wastewater company, to improve the reliability and efficiency of its operations.
Samotics’ SAM4 system has a suite of features to optimise pump efficiency and reliability. SAM4 analyses current and voltage data from electric motors using a technique called electrical signature analysis (ESA). The system’s sensors install in the motor control cabinet, rather than on the machine being monitored, enabling the capture of detailed health data regardless of the machine’s location and exposure to hazards.
Equipped with a library of predictive models and fault signatures validated by Samotics’ installed asset base, SAM4 provides detection performance for both electrical and mechanical faults. The system also provides a suite of energy and performance metrics, including a pump performance curve. Together, these features will enable United Utilities to identify when equipment begins to operate below the optimum level, enabling repairs and replacements to be scheduled more effectively to improve energy efficiency and prevent unnecessary wear and tear.
Jasper Hoogeweegen, CEO at Samotics, said: “Pumps pose a major maintenance challenge in industries like water management. With SAM4, operators can access more insights than ever before and in near real time, empowering them to act instead of react to upcoming challenges and ensure pumps continue to run efficiently and effectively.”
Explaining why his team had identified Samotics’ technology as worthy of further testing, Nathanael Pattison, graduate team member, said: “Monitoring the health of powered assets was a key priority in our CEO Challenge project as our team of graduates was tasked to find ways to optimise asset health understanding and monitoring. Samotics’ capabilities intrigued us due to its non-invasive approach to asset condition and performance monitoring and the possibility of developing real-time pump curves.
“We are excited to see how the trial proceeds and the insights we could gain to ensure we continue providing customers with great service because of strong operational performance.”
The SAM4 system will be installed on 25 pumps at eight locations, testing a variety of pump types and processes, over 12 months before being evaluated.
