Vibration Monitoring and Shock Monitoring

Transporting special cargoes can be an extremely delicate procedure. Vibrations and shocks are near impossible to avoid, be it by land, air, or sea. More often than not, cargos transported can be extremely sensitive to vibrations and shock. Bumpy roads drop from forklifts and cranes, and such can cause goods to experience shock or impact. The rumble of a ship’s engine, the humming of a truck, and such situations can cause vibrations that may match the frequency of the components within a piece of equipment. Some equipment can be severely damaged if it is tilted too much.

So how does one make sure that cargo is transported with proper care? By Vibration Monitoring and Shock Monitoring. Monitoring these is extremely important as they can show if the cargo that transported adequately. Improper handling can lead to much damage and ultimately lead to a loss. Improper handling can lead to a compromise in the quality of the goods.

How can Vibration and Shock Affect the Lifespan and Performance of Equipment?

Transportation tends to cause vibration and shock in some capacity. Impacts cannot be avoided entirely, and all cargo can withstand this up to a certain threshold. When this threshold is crossed, goods can get damaged. For machinery, this can affect its lifespan, its performance and even cause risks to safety.

Monitoring Shock and Vibration during Transit

It is vital to measure the amount of shock and vibrations that a piece of equipment goes through. It can be an indicator of whether or not the equipment is damaged. This can cause several problems. High shock levels can be generated on the supply chain, and it is due to this, supply chain impact monitoring is essential.

High shock levels can cause internal displacement of parts and damaged equipment. High levels of vibrations can cause the same. The difference, however, is that vibrations are way harder to prevent than shocks. There are many reasons for this, primarily as it is a natural occurrence because of how vehicles operate. Terrain variability and the transport environment are also factors that affect the vibration levels.

Factors that induce vibrations will always exist due to vehicular and environmental conditions. In industrial devices, vibrations alone can cause imbalance, wear and tear, looseness, or misalignment. Hence, the vibrations and shocks must constantly be monitored so that damage and losses can be avoided. These can be measured using Impact Data Recorders.

Shock and Vibration Recorders or Sensors

The possibility of damage exists at every step of the supply chain. Shock sensors help to remove and avoid this damage and help processes run smoothly. Shock sensors are necessary tools that provide immediate warnings when a given load has been affected by a sudden wave of force. During shipping, transit, or even storage, there can be substantial damage inflicted on goods, and these tools can help figure out if that is the case. This information can make a huge difference. The data can help companies figure out where in their supply chain the damage is happening. It can also help consumers immediately find out if their product has some damage. It can reduce the time taken for troubleshooting. They also motivate the agents handling the cargo to be more careful. Shock sensors can tell the manufacturer, shipper, customer, and even the operator when and how there may be damage.

Why Are They Important?

Firstly, they act as deterrents for abuse. Packages and containers with visible impact sensors are more likely to be treated better than those lacking the same. They can give data to a company on what part of the supply chain is causing the damage. This information can be very useful in avoiding losses and improving with a better system that reduces damages. Sometimes, a device cannot be allowed to tilt beyond a certain level, and, using precise impact sensors that offer tilt indication, one can know if the product has been tilted beyond its threshold.

How Do They Work?

Impact sensors use electronic circuits or mechanical systems to monitor, measure and respond to outside forces. Electric circuits are configured such that forces cause a variance in signal level voltages which can be monitored over time to give more accurate data. Mechanical systems can be designed with a threshold that will cause a change in the system, which will be evident to an outside observer.

There are a variety of commercially available products, such as:

• Shocklog 248 – this monitors and records impact and environmental conditions subjected to any equipment throughout shipping, transit, or storage. It is available in several impact scales. The data stored on it can be set up, accessed, and downloaded by USB or through its interface. It is a tamper-proof system.
• Shocklog 298 – this is a similar device that features a user-programmable impact scale and frequency filter that provides users with flexibility. It can have optional sensors that would enhance its capabilities.
• Shocklog Cellular – combines features of the Shocklog 298 with a cellular communication system, thus providing real-time alerts. It has over 90 days of battery life and provides updates when any change occurs.
• Shocklog Satellite – combines the Shocklog 298’s features with a satellite communication module that provides real-time reports and asset location. Users can receive reports every four hours and receive details on where mishandling occurs.
• Shocklog g-View – it accurately logs data for 100 over threshold events per axis, with time and date stamps. It can send alerts when potentially damaging impacts have occurred to allow handlers to respond promptly.
• SpotBot Cellular – this is an impact and temperature data logger that records tri-axial impact, temperature monitoring, and tracking through cellular connectivity, allowing it to communicate even in the absence of line of sight to a satellite. It is a real-time damage monitoring system. OpsWatch– This is a Wi-Fi-enabled vibration and impact monitoring system. By regularly and consistently collecting vibration and impact data, it can identify changes outside its normal range and then send alerts to the user via an online web-hosted platform via Wi-Fi communication.

In conclusion, monitoring vibration and shock during the transportation is vital, considering how too much can cause severe damage to the products being transported. Using impact recorders is the ideal way to do this. Using these methods can boost the trust individuals place in companies.

Watch these videos about our Impact Labels & ShockWatch Labels.