Achieving ROI on acoustic camera acquisition in manufacturing

Acoustic imaging is the ideal method for efficient air leak detection in many industrial environments.

Compressed air and gas leaks are common in manufacturing facilities and can cause substantial financial losses and reduce operational efficiency. Acoustic imaging is the ideal method for efficient air leak detection in many industrial environments, as it instantly reveals hidden leaks and delivers real-time estimates of their costs, leading to a speedy return on investment.

Companies unfamiliar with the power of acoustic imaging as a predictive maintenance method may have concerns about an acoustic camera’s ability to accurately detect and diagnose issues due to the sheer scale of their manufacturing facilities or the unique characteristics of their production processes. Or, at the very least, think twice about buying such a specialised piece of equipment in fear that the benefits of using it will not be able to match the money spent on its acquisition. This article introduces the results of inspections carried out at two different industrial environments, where an acoustic camera proved highly beneficial in delivering improved energy efficiency and reduced costs related to early detection of expensive speciality gasses, leading to the return on investment (ROI) achieved within a short period.

Reaping the benefits of pinpoint accuracy

Many industrial facilities are vast, covering an area of thousands of square meters and containing large amounts of heavy machinery. This often makes conducting predictive maintenance inspections inaccurate and inefficient, both problems the acoustic camera needs to be equipped to tackle. One manufacturing company was interested in utilising acoustic imaging but wanted to ensure that their large 6,500 m2 size would make accurate air leak detection challenging and purchasing the camera unprofitable. During the inspection visit, the acoustic camera immediately identified 155 leaks in the compressed air system, estimated to be causing losses of approximately 11,000 USD. The leaks occurred within just a 6-hour inspection period, which is equivalent to identifying a leak every 2.5 minutes. Given the results, the ROI on the acoustic camera acquisition was estimated to be achieved within two service rounds in approximately 4 to 6 months, making the acquisition of the acoustic camera worthwhile.

Significant savings through specialty gas leak detection

An acoustic camera was also used at an automotive plant to locate compressed air leaks that are common in the industry and speciality gasses, such as Argon and CO2. Speciality gas leaks tend to be incredibly costly, as their market price is determined by demand and amplified due to being purchased from a supplier. In an area where the speciality gasses were stored and mixed, the camera instantly detected a total of 5 leaks, and their exact locations were displayed on the screen. Snapshots were then taken and uploaded on-site to the accompanying cloud software, where the costs were estimated in real time. The inspection took only 10 minutes, but the annual savings calculated for just the five speciality gas leaks amounted to approximately 12,500 USD. Considering the size of the facility, the improved energy efficiency achieved through detecting and fixing air leaks, and the savings provided by the early detection of the speciality gas leaks, the ROI on the acoustic camera acquisition was estimated to be achieved within just two months.

For more information about acoustic imaging cameras, visit www.flir.in/ si124