Image
Bently Nevada logo

Bently Nevada has a rich history of machinery condition monitoring experience and has always placed a high priority on educating and helping customers manage & maintain their equipment better. Every quarter, you will see published content by Bently Nevada to be highlighted as the digital Orbit newsletter. Although the format may be different than previous newsletters from the past, the information is just as valid and informative as the original printed Orbit magazine.



In The News
 
Your words, your stories, your experiences shared here.

For over 60 years, Bently Nevada has been a leader in asset protection and condition monitoring, keeping your machines healthy, your business efficient, and your people safe. Serving 140 countries globally with the foremost software, hardware, and services.



SIBUR story
Baker Hughes and SIBUR Sign

a Memorandum of Understanding to Expand Asset Performance Management Capabilities and Reduce Carbon Footprint

orbit 60
Silver Award Winner

Orbit 60 earns the Silver Award for Oil & Gas Engineering: Machinery protection, condition monitoring system

ThermoelectricPlant PT900 Panametrics
Lending a Helping Hand

Baker Hughes helps Gulf Coast energy sites restart after “Big Chill”

People's Corner: Sales
Baker Hughes Secures Order

Baker Hughes Secures Order with Petrobras to Expand Digital Capabilities and Reduce Emissions



Recent Editions

September 2022
March 2022
March 2021
December 2021
December 2020
September 2021
September 2020
June 2021
June 2022
March 2023

September 2022

Welcome to our 11th article focused on Orbit 60 and Orbit 60 enabled enhancements.  In this edition, we'd like to highlight our first commercial installation, which was completed just about a year ago, in October 2021. It occurred at a petrochemical refinery just outside of Philadelphia, PA, and we have worked with the end user for more than a decade.

Our second article highlights Braskem, currently the largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas and the largest producer of polypropylene in the United States. Its production focuses on polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) resins, in addition to basic chemical inputs such as ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene, chlorine, soda, and solvents, among others, shared by the customer Vicente Frantz Ferreira.

We then will share with you the collaboration, open communication, trust and independence, efficiency, and continuous delivery are the foundation of Agile for long-term positive results in our training article. Our Skills Development Program is powerful; Bently Nevada experts build with you a tailored program to develop know-how, build lifelong skills and enhance employees' confidence and performance.

Founded as the first oil company in South Korea in 1962, SK energy has been producing various petroleum products at the Ulsan Complex, which has a refining capacity of 840,000 barrels of crude oil per day, selling them in both domestic and overseas markets. Here from our customers Sang Joo Lee and Sang Uk Lee how Bently Nevada is supporting them.

Finally, In January of 2022, Bently Nevada signed a strategic alliance agreement with Augury.  Augury is an innovative startup company focused on Machine Health.  Augury's solutions combine advanced sensors with powerful AI capabilities and collaboration tools to help customers understand when machines are at risk. Learn from Jerry Pritchard how the year has progressed and will continue going forward.

March 2022

Welcome to the Q1 2022 edition of the Orbit Newsletter Digital Publication. In this edition we will focus on Orbit 60 enabled enhancements discussing how the Orbit 60’s unique capabilities allow you more flexibility and ease of use for System 1; Rider bands being an important consumable component on horizontal reciprocating compressors; an Introduction to the Asset Strategy Management (ASM) Pillar with today’s reliability managers understanding the key elements of a sound reliability program; a case study describing how the remote diagnostic team resolved a vibration related issue on the NAP2 PAC Primary Air Compressor; along with vibration excursion in turbomachinery with another customer discussing how to diagnose rubs that typically occur in turbomachinery based on vibration data; and finally the industry-leading condition monitoring and diagnostics software, System 1, brings all assets and data types across a facility together in a single user interface with our People’s Corner interview.

March 2021

Welcome back for our first quarterly update for Q1 2021 of the Orbit Digital Magazine. During 2020, over 50 employees at the Minden location achieved major milestones in their Bently Nevada careers, reaching 10, 20, 30, and even 45 years of service. 45 years! Very few can claim such an incredible milestone and it should most certainly be celebrated. 

Orbit 60 is Bently Nevada’s latest state of the art condition monitoring, protection and data integration platform. In this update, we will discuss in greater detail, how we aXessTM System 1† with the Condition Monitoring Monitor Module, CMM, specifically emphasizing its inherent Cyber Security capabilities; how Orbit 60 also allows you to have multiple CMMs in one system, and how all of these expanded capabilities save you time and money in your deployments.

Digital Transformation is such a pervasive topic that there is a tendency for our eyes to glaze over as yet another company issues a statement about its essential role in the digital journey of its customers. For some, the words are merely platitudes. For others, the words are backed up with actions, but largely aspirational actions. 

Turbomachinery is often the most-critical rotating equipment within an industrial process. As such, this machine class has been instrumented and monitored as part of Condition Monitoring Programs for decades. System 1 Evo, the next generation System 1 offering, has maintained the deep diagnostic capability-set that made System 1 Classic so essential to monitoring turbomachinery, while being greatly enhanced to meet the evolving digital transformation needs of our customers.

With System 1’s advanced toolset, it is often deployed on critical and highly critical machines. However, less critical reciprocating compressors assets still needing monitoring often do not get proper visibility due to their remote locations and budgetary concerns. Bently Nevada has introduced a new technology specifically for this application. We will explore the new reciprocating compression monitoring application for real-time and proactive machine monitoring.

Finally, Health, Safety, and Environment has always been critical to the way the Bently Nevada business operates.  With the pandemic, there has been additional focus on the importance of HSE, not just at our manufacturing locations, but also at our service/customer facing operations. Read more for how we are operating around the globe to support you.

Connect with us on LinkedIn @BentlyNevada to learn more about us.

December 2021

In this edition, we will share with you where we are with the Orbit 60 product, what Asset Performance Management means to us, a view point from a Field Application Engineer on Gearboxes, and finally, our lifecycle at this point in the Minden Facility after 20 years. 

We welcome to our 8th article focused on Orbit 60.  Even though, the real topic here is 3500 lifecycle, the question is only raised by the introduction of the Orbit 60 Product line.  A quick update on Orbit 60 before we start.  Customers have been receiving their Orbit 60 systems since August 13. Systems have shipped to sites around the world with over 100 more in the manufacturing que.  Our TSI and SIL 2 systems will be available to ship June 30, 2022.

To understand ‘why?’ one should consider an integrated approach to Asset Performance Management (APM), and what is it exactly, one must first appreciate the problem it aims to solve – so let’s start there, in a series of articles that should culminate with a comprehensive understanding of the overall subject.

Asset performance data is traditionally siloed and disconnected from the greater asset management ecosystem. This rich performance data lives in separate databases on the Plant Operations network, making it difficult to access. Bently Nevada delivers asset performance management (APM) solutions through our flagship System 1 Integrated APM software platform.

Gearboxes (GB) are used to change machine shaft speeds and torque or to change rotational axis direction. The condition and longevity of a GB is usually of interest to end users to provide continuous plant operation. Thus, condition monitoring of GB is very common practice.

As we continue to see growth in our economy, we’ve also noticed a significant change over the last twenty years in the Bently business as the world has significantly produced more to serve our customers in their growth and development. Today, I want to recognize the longevity of the Bently Nevada family and the milestone of being in our current building for the last 20 years.

December 2020

With one full year under our belt of the Orbit eNews all Digital Orbit Magazine, we will continue to share with you the updates of Orbit 60, Bently Nevada’s latest condition monitoring, protection and data integration platform as well as what some are not aware of; Bently’s flagship condition monitoring software, System 1, supporting not only our critical machinery protection systems, but the full portfolio, including portables. In addition to portables, the 3500/72M Recip Rod Position Monitor is a four-channel device that accepts input from Proximity probes. The 3500/72M Rod Position Monitor provides waveform data to System 1 via a 3500 Transient Data Interface Module (TDI).

Recently a customer shared with us a sudden change of the 1X vibration response of a steam turbine at steady state operating condition is assumed to be the result of damage, such as a liberated blade. Read more on how Bently helped correct the issue. Finally, Quality and Customer Peace of Mind. Here, we introduce you to the Bently team and what Quality means to the Bently Nevada family.

September 2021

For over 60 years, Bently Nevada has been the industry leader in asset condition monitoring and protection. Our portfolio of solutions has evolved through perpetual innovation, but our mission has remained the same: to help Industrial Operators achieve the highest level of asset reliability possible.

In the 7th article focused on Orbit 60, we approach the first full commercial release of the Orbit 60 platform. As we reach this milestone, we have already began delivering and installing several systems across many market segments, and in several different countries.  Our Minden, Nevada location has ramped up production and is currently busy fulfilling the dozens of pre-ordered systems in the queue.

In Part 1 of the accelerometers series we discussed the types of materials used as piezoelectric elements, the role of external charge amplifiers versus integral designs, 3-wire versus IEPE1 2-wire devices, and compression-mode versus shear-mode designs.  In Part 2 of this series, we turn our attention to high-level selection criteria in deciding whether to use a sensor with a native acceleration output versus a velocity output and, if velocity, whether to use a piezo-velocity sensor or a moving coil design.

Recently our customers asked and Bently Nevada has responded! Two new capabilities were recently added to the Bently Nevada 2300 monitor. This enhancement applies to both the 2300/20 and 2300/25 versions of the monitor.

Finally, from a single engineer in 1972, our MDS capabilities have grown to encompass a team of ~150 dedicated professionals today, many with decades of experience. We have completed more than 18,000 machinery diagnostic projects and the results are maintained in an extensive archive so that lessons learned on one project benefit other projects where similar machinery problems are encountered. Our sophisticated IT capabilities allow MDS colleagues from around the world to easily collaborate in real time using this archive and their collective areas of expertise. This ensures that our extensive knowledge and broad experience can be brought to bear on each problem, regardless of where the machinery is located.

September 2020

Welcome back for the 3rd quarter update of Orbit 60, Bently Nevada’s latest condition monitoring, protection and data integration platform where we are now working with hundreds of customers globally to develop proposals for new projects, retrofits and to apply Orbit 60 to unique applications.

Process-intensive Industrial Operators are increasingly wading into the Digital Transformation revolution to streamline production in the face of globalization, a shifting workforce, and heightened cyber security threats.

Trendmaster has had a long history of making it easy and cost-effective to cover more of your assets with online condition monitoring. This new inclusion into the suite of products supported by System 1 Evo will allow Trendmaster to continue doing so for decades to come.

Online condition monitoring system brings huge returns in terms of reduced maintenance costs and production losses due to unscheduled failures (and shutdowns). The Ranger Pro Wireless monitoring system used in a project proved to be an excellent option for one of our customers.

Finally, the Bently Nevada services organization is a key enabler to the transformation that the business is undergoing through many of the products listed above. Learn more from our new Service leader.

June 2021

Digital Transformation is a key topic amongst hydro and other power generation operators as they seek to reduce maintenance and repair costs and optimize asset availability. Bently Nevada is developing an ecosystem of solutions and toolsets for operators of large fleets of assets that provide data and analytic insights to enable a high level of industrial asset management.

In this update for the Orbit 60 series, we will focus on the configuration aspects.  This article comes at a very important milestone in the Orbit 60 project, our product release in Q2 2021!  As we reach this milestone, we have dozens of system pre-orders across many market segments and our Minden, Nevada location is ready to start delivery this cutting-edge platform.

There are numerous types of lab and industrial accelerometers, including purely mechanical devices, fiber optic, strain gage, piezoelectric, piezoresistive, capacitive, MEMS, and others. MEMS designs are increasing in popularity where high accuracy is not required. However, piezoelectric designs are by far the most prevalent in machinery monitoring applications.

Proximitor® probe systems based on Eddy current technology have become common place in industrial plants these days. Everywhere a medium or high criticality machine is running, chances are that non-contacting eddy current systems are installed and are used for condition monitoring measurements and/or automatic machine trip or shutdown. Often, Bently Nevada Proximitor® probe system is used to protect and monitor these machines.

Finally, it is said that one of the rules that Einstein’s work revolved around was “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”  As we reflect on the past year, we are certain it’s quite difficult for some of us to see the opportunity in the middle of all that surrounds us.  It might not be comfortable sometimes, but at Bently Nevada and in the Sales & Commercial function we can see the opportunity.  The opportunity to provide our customers not only the solutions they need today, but the solutions our customers will need tomorrow. This takes partnership, willingness to listen and commitment to move towards the opportunity. For Bently Nevada, this is how we want to move forward.

Connect with us on LinkedIn @BentlyNevada to learn more about us.

June 2022

Most organizations want to drive ongoing improvements to reliability, but the challenge for many is knowing where to focus their efforts for maximum impact. The reality is that a myriad of factors influence reliability. These range from the selection, procurement, storage, and installation of assets to how they are operated, monitored, and maintained, The Value of a Reliability Program Assessment.

In our 10th article for the Orbit 60 Series, we focus on Orbit 60 and enabled enhancements; we are very pleased with our new product.  Similar to all of our major monitoring line products, 7200, 3300 & 3500, we are only able to introduce certain functionality initially, and then build on that foundation.  Our first release, which has been successfully installed in multiple locations was what we call our API 670 release.  Orbit 60 Series Update: New Features with Our Latest Release due this month.

In this edition, we also will share a success story that describes structural tests performed on the gas pipe and piping supporting system installed along a bridge. These tests were part of an investigation that was done as a preparation for the monitoring system installation. The objective was to obtain the information regarding the vibrational responses, the natural frequencies, and the related modal shapes, to optimize the distribution of permanent sensors. These sensors will form part of the condition monitoring system - to be installed in the immediate future - which will allow early detection of system degradation and overall prevent catastrophic failure, Gas Piping Condition Monitoring Deployment, a real life scenario.

Historically, frame vibration has been used as a safeguard measurement on reciprocating compressors to save assets from potential catastrophic failures. Until the late 1980s, seismic switches (aka earthquake triggers) were used to automatically trip machines in case vibration exceeded pre-defined setting. Due to the binary nature of switches, it was not an effective way of tracking the changes in vibration that could be attributed to developing issues in the machine. Hence, the industry started shifting towards transducers and transmitters to enable online continuous monitoring, Reciprocating Compressor Condition Monitoring.

This article is about condition monitoring alarm setting, not about setting the protection alarms. Condition monitoring of rotating machinery is very much about detecting changes. Some changes are natural and acceptable, like changes due to the machine load or RPM, but most of the changes are making us wonder how long we can operate the machine safely. The most popular way to detect changes is to apply alarm levels to the vibration data that is collected. However some do it by manually browsing through all the data that has been collected and comparing the latest readings to the ones collected earlier. Surely both ways can lead to a good or bad end result, but in today industry where resources are limited, we should be leaning more towards the use of alarm functionalities, Condition Monitoring Alarm Levels.

Finally, a customer shares their real time story; S-Oil produces lube base oil, petro-chemical products, and operates crude oil refining facilities of 669,000 barrels a day in the Onsan Industrial Complex of Ulsan, Korea, which is the world's largest paraxylene (PX) production facility, and bunker-c cracking center of worldwide standard. In 2021, a Bently Nevada reciprocating compressor condition monitoring system, including on-line dynamic cylinder pressure, was implemented for this compressor to detect earlier indication of machine problems and provide better diagnostics capability, the Value of Cylinder Pressure Measurement for Reciprocating Compressor.

March 2023

After a short one quarter delay, we are pleased to deliver the first Orbit e-magazine of 2023.

We used our time off from publication production to gather feedback from our readers to discover what types of articles you find most compelling and useful.

Based on the feedback we received, you will find that future editions will contain the technical content that Bently Nevada's Orbit eMagazine has historically been famous for.

The focus in this first edition will be around an asset type that many of our readers who work as reliability and maintenance engineers know too well...industrial pumps. As one plant engineer we spoke to called them, the "most troublesome of machine types."

Bently Nevada has a long history, as you will see from the inclusion of a "throwback" piece from 1999 in this edition, of analyzing pump behavior and putting those analyses into machine health management strategies that help discover looming asset condition changes before they can negatively impact production.

Thanks for your continued support of Orbit and we hope you enjoy this first edition of 2023.

Fritz Schweigert

Orbit e-magazine editor



Featured Blogs

Technical publications of product features for continued advancement of operating asset condition monitoring, diagnostics, and performance optimization.



3500 Rack
Our commitment to the 3500 monitoring system

Asset Protection and Condition Monitoring System

Bently Nevada training, Bently Nevada support, Bently Nevada services, orbit magazine, condition monitoring, preventative maintenance
The Most Important Upgrade

Your Entire Enterprise – PEOPLE

Remote Monitoring Center_Dubai
Unification and Optimization

Through Remote Monitoring & Diagnostics

Orbit 60
Why Orbit 60? Why Now?

An overview of Bently Nevada's innovative new monitoring system



Vibration Signatures Roller Element Bearings: Before & After an Overhaul
Vibration Signatures Roller Element Bearings: Before & After an Overhaul

By: Syed Hussain

Bearing Wear Due To Improper Installation
Bearing Wear Due To Improper Installation

By: Syed Hussain

Thrust Position Trend Increase on LP Compressor resolved with the Help of System 1
Thrust Position Trend Increase on LP Compressor resolved with the Help of System 1

By: Abdullah Zaman Al-Merza

oilandgas_image
Customer Success Stories

Sharing their experiences with you.



Bently Nevada Webinar Series

Register to learn, share and experience the latest asset performance management technology developments.



Remote Monitoring Diagnostics
Plantwide Asset Reliability

Getting Easier?

Orbit 60 _digital asset transformation
Bently Nevada's Orbit 60

Digital Asset Management Transformation

Pulp and Paper
Condition Monitoring

Condition Monitoring for Pulp & Paper: How to Reduce Downtime and Increase Productivity

Connectivity Cybersecurity Threats
System 1 Turbomachinery International

System 1 Turbomachinery International OnDemand



Take 5 Podcast Logo

Bently Nevada Take 5 Podcasts

Hear the difference digital can make!

Quick enough to squeeze in any time through your day – and deep enough to make a real impact on your knowledge



See More Orbit Articles and Editions

Subscribe to quarterly summaries of the latest Orbit Articles or update subscription preferences, as well as finding older editions of the Orbit Magazine and historical articles.