Abstract: A process plant management system with asset health normalization and aggregation. Aspects of the system include asset monitoring components that sense operating parameters and determine the condition of assets using a number of disparate asset condition assessment methodologies based on those parameters. The system calculates normalized component health scores from the reported asset condition information and evaluates the normalized component health scores to produce an overall asset health score for each asset. The system maintains a hierarchical representation that organizes assets using physical and logical relationships. The system generates virtual health scores for parent objects in the hierarchy from the health scores of the children of each parent object.

Abstract: A span of responsibility access control system for use in plant process management and similar applications. The system leverages span-of-responsibility enabled user accounts and corresponding resource properties to assign, verify, and control access to assets and other resources in the plant process management system on a per user basis. Aspects of the system include configuration of properties for each monitored or controlled asset and association of a span of responsibility based on asset properties, such as asset type and location, with a user account. An access control module compares asset properties to the span of responsibility associated with the user account to determine whether the user is entitled to access any given asset, independent of determining permissions to act on such asset.

Abstract: An application software platform is provided for use in a process plant or other environment to enable various different applications to run, to obtain access to, and to use data from various different assets in the plant or other asset environment in a consistent and easily understood manner. The software platform includes a class-based object structure or model that is set up and used to organize and to efficiently provide access to data about, generated by, or obtained from the assets in the plant. This class-based object structure may be used to provide efficient and organized communications between the various monitoring or other applications and the plant assets or sources of data. The class-based object structure is extensible and includes or defines various hierarchies of class objects that, in turn, define various levels of the assets or other physical or logic entities being monitored (i.e.

Abstract: A method of messaging control is implemented in a plant wide monitoring apparatus. A computer based framework infrastructure communicates with monitoring applications throughout the plant that are implemented on computers, monitors and computer-based applications. Sensors are placed on machinery and monitors receive sensor signals and generate event signals in response to defined physical occurrences, such as when vibration in a machine is exceeding a defined limit or a sensor is failing. A messaging application in the framework infrastructure generates messages corresponding to the event signals. The messages are transmitted to users based on send rules and suppression rules, which are user configurable. The send rules identify messages to be sent or not sent to a particular user based on characteristics of event signals. The suppression rules prevent the transmission of a message based on both the content of a particular event signal plus an external factor, such as a prior event signal.

Abstract: An extensible computing system for integrating asset health data and user control of devices made by different manufacturers, using a computer and program structures including a common platform application structure and a common platform services structure. A services bus communicates device signals in a standardized format from the common platform services structure to a proprietary extension services structure. The proprietary extension services structure converts the device communication signals from the standardized format to a proprietary communication format that is understood by a proprietary device. A data highway bus communicates asset health and reliability data in a standardized data format from the proprietary extension services structure to the common extension services structure. The proprietary services structure converts asset health data from a proprietary data format as received from the proprietary device into the standardized data format.

Abstract: Automatically adjusting collection parameters for machines on a route in a collection device, based on states of the machines. For each machine on the route, the machine state is read into the collection device. The machine is included or excluded based on the machine state. The collection device is configured with first collection parameters that are configured based on the machine state. Data is collected from the machine based on the first collection parameters. The data is analyzed using parameters that are configured based on the machine, to determine alerts. Based on the alerts, data is selectively immediately collected from the machine based on second collection parameters that are configured based on the machine state and the alerts. Also based on the alerts, the technician is selectively prompted with the collection device to take a predetermined action and collect data from the machine.

Abstract: A system is described for time synchronizing digitized measurement signals, such as vibration signals. The digitized signals, which are acquired asynchronously by multiple distributed measurement units, indicate the operational condition of a machine or a process. To measure the phase of the digitized signals relative to a pulse tachometer input, the time between the leading edge of the tachometer pulse and the digitized samples is measured. To achieve phase-coherent synchronization across the distributed measurement units, a local synchronization signal is embedded into the data produced by the measurement units. The systems uses the synchronization signal to align the data in post processing, which phase aligns the data and aligns the data in absolute time. The synchronization signal may be encoded with a timestamp to provide additional timing information.

Abstract: A method of automatically adjusting data collection parameters for machines on a data collection route in a portable collection device used by a technician, based on states of the machines. For each machine on the data collection route, the state of the machine is read into the portable collection device. The machine is automatically included in or excluded from the data collection route based at least in part on the state of the machine. The portable collection device is automatically configured with a first predetermined set of data collection parameters that is automatically configured based at least in part on the state of the included machine. An initial set of data is collected from the included machine with the portable collection device, based on the first predetermined set of data collection parameters.

Abstract: A method for importing data from a first system into a second system includes receiving configuration information about data storage structures in the first and second systems and information about communicating with the first and second systems. Information to be used in creating an import configuration file is entered via a user interface. The import configuration file is for use in preparing the second system to receive data from the first system. Based on the information about data storage structures, the information about communicating with the first and second systems, and the information entered via the user interface, the import configuration file is created to prepare the second system to receive data from the first system. Based on the import configuration file, data is transferred from the first system into the second system.

Abstract: Methods for displaying machine data are described including a method for displaying machine data as a virtual three-dimensional image showing a three-dimensional graph having three axes such that the data in the graph may be rotated about one or more of the axes to give a data analyst a better perspective of the behavior of an item being monitored. In a related embodiment, a method for displaying machine data in a virtual three-dimensional image such that the data may be rotated one or more of the axes is described which further includes one or more cursor images representing substantially planar cursors on the display for analyzing data.

Abstract: A method for importing data from a first system into a second system includes receiving configuration information about data storage structures in the first and second systems and information about communicating with the first and second systems. Information to be used in creating an import configuration file is entered via a user interface. The import configuration file is for use in preparing the second system to receive data from the first system. Based on the information about data storage structures, the information about communicating with the first and second systems, and the information entered via the user interface, the import configuration file is created to prepare the second system to receive data from the first system. Based on the import configuration file, data is transferred from the first system into the second system.

Abstract: A method performed by one or more computer processors imports data from a machinery monitoring system into a control system. The machinery monitoring system is a system that measures machine measurement parameters of a machine, and the control system is a system that controls processes in which the machine performs a function. The method includes accessing a first knowledge base containing information about communicating with the machinery monitoring system, and accessing a second knowledge base containing information about communicating with the control system. The method also includes extracting configuration information from the machinery monitoring system via a communication bus. Information is entered by a user for use in creating an import configuration file, which file is used in preparing the control system to receive data from the machinery monitoring system. The entering of information is performed via a user interface operatively connected to the one or more computer processors.

Abstract: A method performed by one or more computer processors imports data from a machinery monitoring system into a control system. The machinery monitoring system is a system that measures machine measurement parameters of a machine, and the control system is a system that controls processes in which the machine performs a function. The method includes accessing a first knowledge base containing information about communicating with the machinery monitoring system, and accessing a second knowledge base containing information about communicating with the control system. The method also includes extracting configuration information from the machinery monitoring system via a communication bus. Information is entered by a user for use in creating an import configuration file, which file is used in preparing the control system to receive data from the machinery monitoring system. The entering of information is performed via a user interface operatively connected to the one or more computer processors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting equipment using focal plane array imaging sensor data and dynamic sensor data. Methods involve capturing focal plane array imaging sensor data using a focal plane array imaging sensor such as an infrared camera or a visible camera, or acquiring imaging sensor data from an electronic data storage source, and involve capturing dynamic sensor data, such as vibration or ultrasonic data using a dynamic sensor such as an accelerometer or ultrasound system. Methods also provide for analyzing imaging and dynamic sensor data using such techniques as thermography and fast fourier transformation. Apparatuses include a portable instrument with sensor interfaces for collecting imaging sensor data and dynamic sensor data. A sensor suite is provided that includes vibration sensor, sonic sensors, ultrasonic sensors, oil sensors, flux sensors and current sensors. A base station is included to collect and analyze data from one or more portable instruments.

Abstract: Methods for displaying machine data are described including a method for displaying machine data as a virtual three-dimensional image showing a three-dimensional graph having three axes such that the data in the graph may be rotated about one or more of the axes to give a data analyst a better perspective of the behavior of an item being monitored. In a related embodiment, a method for displaying machine data in a virtual three-dimensional image such that the data may be rotated one or more of the axes is described which further includes one or more cursor images representing substantially planar cursors on the display for analyzing data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a concentration of water in an oil mixture using both the Karl Fischer test method and spectrochemical analysis. The invention allows for chemical species that masquerade as water in an oil mixture to be identified and accounted for in determining a more accurate water concentration measurement than by using the Karl Fischer test method alone.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for acquisition and analysis of condition monitoring data. Alarm and alert limits are set to proper levels and information regarding the frequency and cause for alerts is collected. Analysis of the information may then be performed to provide a user with easily understandable representations of the system errors and suggested actions.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for acquisition and analysis of condition monitoring data. Alarm and alert levels are set to proper levels and information regarding the frequency and cause for alerts is collected. Analysis of the information may then be performed to provide a user with easily understandable representations of the system errors and suggested actions.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for acquisition and analysis of condition monitoring data. Alarm and alert limits are set to proper levels and information regarding the frequency and cause for alerts is collected. Analysis of the information may then be performed to provide a user with easily understandable representations of the system errors and suggested actions.

Abstract: An integrated lubricant analyzer apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing having a first fluid inlet port in flow communication with a chemical analysis device. A second fluid inlet port is included in the housing in flow communication with a particle analyzer. The housing also includes a third fluid inlet port in flow communication with an optical particle counting device. A syringe degassing port is attached to the housing for inverting and degassing a syringe containing a fluid sample for a particle count analysis before the fluid sample is injected into the third fluid inlet port. The apparatus includes a sample analysis sequencing procedure and a microprocessor for collection and manipulation of data from the chemical analysis device, the particle analyzer and the particle counting device. Features of the invention enable a trivector analysis of a fluid for maintaining machinery containing the fluid.