For instrumentation engineers and technicians, the worst nightmare is a call due to an unexpected shutdown.

Most plants are complex systems of highly technical machinery and equipment intertwined to accomplish their production function. Regardless of whichever problem occurs, the goal for the day is to get back to business as soon as possible, which includes having all necessary information easy to access. People are waiting for your quick response. The company depends on you… and the world just stopped!

Traditional mechanical temperature or pressure switches are outdated. UE’s ONE Series smart switch comes with many features to support instrumentation in the field. Not only does it bring a cost-effective configurable solution, but it also offers a great set of tools for the field warrior. Our electronic switches provide a higher reliability and higher MBTF than any other mechanical counterpart.

The most powerful tool for any technician in the field is information.

Everything that preceded the event will provide highlights of what needs to be addressed. Usually, it is not about the final equipment upstream or downstream. Did a water hammer happen? Was there a vacuum in the line? Any sudden temperature rise? Or temperature drop? The minimum and maximum in the process can tell you the story! Is it about how many times the pressure or temperature switch tripped? This can reveal instabilities in the process or cavitation nearby. Gathering all the necessary information is a huge benefit to keeping things running smoothly.

Many processes need to operate at peak efficiency to maximize plant productivity. Oftentimes, worn piping, a leaking gasket, a plugged line or an intermittent pump will deteriorate the rest of the processes. This needs to be identified in order to extend the production cycle. To troubleshoot any pump, it is important to look for abnormal readings. Most of the time, it is helpful to vary set points and set up latches in place to isolate a tricky issue.

The ONE series offers multiple features to help field operators troubleshoot their plants. The bypass line is helpful to service big equipment, it can also be a source of mistakes when they are not properly set up. Plug port mode has helped many service teams remember to restore the relief valve into the right position.

The ONE series is also the only pressure/temperature switch in the market with the innovative IAW (“I am working”) monitor, which provides information as to the status of the switch. An output that can be taken to the PLC to monitor the correct operation in the field of our products. This is a key feature to monitor the correct operation of your smart pressure/temperature switch.

Next time a temperature or pressure switch is needed, ask your vendor: what can those switches do for your process?

About the Author:
David Bonyuet, Design Engineer
David has over 20 years of experience in engineering.
Email: DBonyuet@ueonline.com