Remote monitoring – a ‘powerful’ tool for rental

Ewon Netbiter and Argos enable Express Engineering to monitor its equipment, wherever it is situated. Photo: HMS Networks

In Dubai, Express Engineering supplies the power construction businesses need and is working with industrial communication technology firm HMS, to ensure that its on-site generators are operating at optimal health at all times.

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Register now to attend the free upcoming KHL webinar on IIOT and the remote monitoring of equipment

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To do this, the company has adopted Netbiter communications gateways from HMS to remotely monitor and control its diesel generators, negating the need for daily physical inspections.

The Netbiter system, installed and programmed to meet each client’s specific needs, enables the monitoring of critical parameters such as fuel levels, cooling water temperatures and energy consumption. Through secure data exchange over Ethernet, Netbiters provide real-time status updates and performance metrics for the monitored equipment.

Covering all the bases

Express Engineering utilises Netbiter to monitor a maximum of 50 parameters, including fuel level, cooling water and energy consumption.

Industrial connectivity means sending technicians on site is no longer always necessary. Photo: HMS Networks

The company’s Anand Raghavan says of the system, “If a parameter goes out of range, we can immediately stop the equipment running. A good example would be a high water temperature, which might cause an engine to seize up. By triggering an alarm, we can ensure that the equipment is stopped.”

Express Engineering is now looking to expand its remote monitoring capabilities and adapt to changes in machinery technology. The utilisation of HMS Argos IIoT [Industrial Internet of Things] data cloud platform is designed to facilitate seamless data communication and storage, enhancing operational efficiency and enabling predictive maintenance measures.

The future is sustainable

Looking further ahead, Express Engineering acknowledges the evolving landscape of energy resources, and Raghavan anticipates a transition from diesel to alternative fuels like natural gas and renewables, driven by factors such as regulatory changes and environmental considerations.

The company is already exploring partnerships and prototypes in line with this vision, preparing for a future where sustainable energy solutions play a more significant role in powering machinery.

Davor Toncic, business development manager at HMS Industrial Networks, says, “I also think that we will see a bigger usage of natural gas than diesel for in the bigger size of generators.

“Gas generators are more environmentally friendly in regard to emissions than diesel, and more customers want to be more sustainable in their business moving forward.

“On the mobile market, especially on the rental market, we see the rise in the utilisation of and larger focus for battery storage in combination with mobile diesel generators.

“The market of power generators market is expected to grow about 6 % CAGR until 2030. I am convinced that the requirement for remote connectivity on the power generators will increase in demand moving forward.”

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Davor Toncic of HMS Industrial Networks will be on the panel of the upcoming KHL webinar on IIOT and the remote monitoring of rental equipment, taking place on May 30, at 14:30 (BST); 10:30 (EDT)

Click here to register for free. All registrants will receive a post-event recording of the webinar.