The train monitoring system provides operators with real-time data which improves reliability and safety, dramatically reduces operational and maintenance costs, reduces service disruption and improves asset utilisation as operating conditions are monitored while trains are still in service. Perpetuum powers the sensor system utilising the excellent source of vibration that a train provides, removing the problems of predicting battery life and the need for costly and logistically challenging battery replacement.
The initial symptom of rotating component degradation is vibration, followed by noise, temperature increase, smoke and finally failure. Therefore, the eRA connected Perpetuum Sensor System provides vibration data for long term failure prediction and temperature data for short term monitoring. The data is then displayed on a web-based platform with software to translate the temperature and complex vibration data into a simple indication of the health of each component being monitored. Email alerts can be provided to warn an operator of any out of tolerance conditions, providing an early identification of a potential failure.