Saving energy, costs and downtime: HIKMICRO sets new predictive maintenance standards for the toughest manufacturing industries

Global industrial imaging leader, HIKMICRO, is ramping up its predictive maintenance (PdM) solutions to further boost reliability and efficiencies – especially across the challenging automotive and power-intensive manufacturing sectors.

With a recent report by McKinsey & Co showing PdM reducing overall maintenance costs by 18-25% and unplanned downtime by as much as 50%, HIKMICRO’s cutting-edge combination of functionally superior acoustic imagers and thermal cameras enables early detection of gas leaks and particle discharge, along with electrical and mechanical issues before they become mission critical.

Once employed on the factory floor, this powerful amalgamation gives manufacturers a smarter and more comprehensive approach to predictive maintenance, eliminating unplanned downtime, lowering energy consumption, enhancing worker safety and delivering long-term cost savings.

The new and highly affordable AI56L Acoustic Imager delivers unmatched levels of precision to cut energy waste and optimize pneumatic system performance. Its ultra-sensitive gas leak mode is highly accurate and pinpoints and filters noise in problematic environments with real-time visualization (on a large 4.3″ LCD touch screen) plus those that would be impossible to hear against the background of stamping, welding, and assembly operations. Ergonomic single-hand operation makes it lightweight and portable for seamless inspections along fast-moving production lines.

It supplements the work of the other more advanced models (AI56 and AI76) in the HIKMICRO AI Series, which also identify corona, floating, surface, or particle discharge on high voltage systems that can lead to equipment failure. This is instantly displayed onscreen and can be saved for documentation and reporting analysis.

This latest acoustic innovation follows hot on the heels of HIKMICRO’s super intelligent and AI-driven thermal imagers with SuperScene+, which effect automated risk detection and simplified workflows via built-in algorithms. Adaptive scene enhancement automatically optimizes thermal images in real time, ensuring quick and accurate temperature readings across a variety of complex industrial environments. What’s more, reliable hotspot exposure immediately highlights overheating cables, connectors, or components, for safer, more efficient and proactive maintenance before faults escalate.

Integrated into HIKMICRO’s M and SP Series thermal cameras (M31, M60, SP40, SP40H, SP60, SP60H, running firmware V5.5.96), SuperScene+ enables streamlined two-step panel inspections and one-click PCB assessments. With colour coded alerts and instant diagnostics, it brings simplified precision and consistency to tasks that once demanded extensive time and expertise.

“Operational reliability and efficiency are non-negotiable in today’s fast-paced and ever evolving manufacturing landscape. Undetected faults, such as compressed gas leaks or electrical hotspots, can literally bring a business to its knees,” says Stefan Li, Overseas Market Director of HIKMICRO.

“Automotive production relies on pneumatic systems, compressed air and robotics,  where even minor leaks can disrupt production and inflate energy costs, while in power-intensive facility inspection it’s all about identifying temperature measurement targets in specific scenarios and determining if anomalies exist. As a predictive maintenance duo they have no equal, so combining the AI56L for the former and SuperScene+ for the latter has never made more sense or been more timely.

“Intuitive and inclusive, they optimize detection like never before and also bridge the gap between complexity and simplicity, turning technologically advanced diagnostics into actionable insights for first time users and seasoned professionals alike.”

For more information visit hikmicrotech.com