Read-out Instrumentation Signpost

Software for energy industry predicts, diagnoses and prioritises impending equipment failure

Proficy® SmartSignal® Shield 4.0 software has been introduced by GEIP, for the Oil & Gas and Power industries. The Shield software helps large equipment operators detect equipment problems early and avoid surprise equipment failure, therefore increasing productivity, while minimising costs.

This advanced solution provides early warning of impending equipment problems, diagnostic guidance, and prioritised actionable intelligence. With Shield 4.0, users can move from reactive to proactive maintenance by working on the equipment that needs to be fixed, and on the most critical problems first. They can focus their efforts on action, not analysis—increasing reliability, availability, efficiency, and compliance.

The Shield 4.0 software, protected by more than 40 patents, was developed based on shared blind data from GE customers—the world’s largest base of predictive-diagnostic intelligence. From experience based on millions of machine hours and tens of thousands of failures from over 12,000 rotating and non-rotating assets, GE was able to identify fault patterns, in context of operating behavior, that are critical to the Power and Oil & Gas industries, and incorporate them into the software.

“Shield 4.0 was built entirely with the help of and input from our customers,” said David Farrell, Senior Solutions Manager for GE Intelligent Platforms. “Only GE has the customer base to make this level of advanced diagnostics possible, along with the expertise to develop a product that provides ease of implementation and incorporates user expertise. This is the next step in our constant innovation to provide the industry with total Intelligent Fleet Management.”

The Shield software’s diagnostic algorithms combine observations on multiple individual sensors to pinpoint failure effects. Beyond vibration and thermal analyses, the solution uniquely models all data on all critical rotating and non-rotating equipment. The solution monitors equipment automatically, continuously, and relentlessly, 24 hours/day—enabling users to take necessary mitigation needed to organize maintenance projects with confidence.

The newest release includes a suite of applications that enables quick design and implementation. Shield 4.0 allows for clear access to diagnostics and rules, so users can fully understand and adjust the software based on their own expertise. This means a more comprehensive embodiment of users’ subject-matter expertise on equipment operation and management can be deployed so the intelligence of both GE and the users is automated and constantly standing guard to shield all critical assets.