Common Faults and Solutions of Industrial Automation Instruments

Types of Industrial Automation Instruments

Currently, industrial automation instruments mainly include flow instruments, pressure instruments, level instruments, temperature instruments, and online process analyzers. Flow instruments are further divided into velocity method and volumetric flow meters based on their measurement principles, as well as direct and derived mass flow meters, and various types such as rotor type, velocity type, throttling type, and volumetric type. Pressure instruments are mainly used for measuring the pressure of powders, high-temperature, and easily crystallizing media. Conventional pressure regulation systems utilize pressure transmitters to transmit signals for on-site measurement and control. Level instruments are primarily used for monitoring the levels of raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products in industrial settings. Depending on the measurement method, they include various types such as matrix vortex type, buoyancy type, magnetostrictive type, and radar type. Temperature instruments are mainly used for measuring and controlling the temperature in production sites or within pipelines, often using non-contact measurement methods. The application of fieldbus technology has automated temperature control. Online process analyzers are important tools for automated management and control of chemical production and analysis processes, and they need to be used in conjunction with precision analytical instruments such as mass spectrometers and liquid chromatographs.

Current Development Status of Industrial Automation Instruments in China

Automation instruments connect with controlled equipment and analyze data such as surface temperature, output flow, and pressure through computers. They automatically judge data that exceed limits and implement real-time control. In mechanical automation control, automation instruments are important components for displaying indicator data. They display changes in indicators during mechanical operations and automatically record these changes in the control system for manual inspection. Due to the late development of industrial automation instruments in China, the industry is still in the early stages of development and lags behind foreign counterparts. The lack of technical expertise in domestic industrial automation instruments is a fundamental reason for their market competitiveness issues. Core technologies are still imported from abroad, and the ability to fully convert these imported technologies into domestic technologies is lacking. Additionally, the government does not prioritize the development of these industries, leading some large enterprises to opt for foreign operational technologies due to their own limitations. In recent years, with the continuous economic development of the country, China has begun to adjust its industrial development policies to actively promote the development of industrial automation instruments. The manufacturing model of these instruments is changing, and some achievements have been made. Currently, China has mastered some core technologies in the manufacture of commonly used instruments such as temperature measuring instruments, display instruments, traditional flow instruments, and pressure measuring instruments. However, the technical content of these products is still low, and high-end technologies still need to be developed, with corresponding products needing to be imported from abroad.

Fault Handling Methods for Industrial Automation Instruments

Establishing a Scientific Inspection System

During the process of troubleshooting automation instrument faults, a comprehensive and systematic inspection is required. This necessitates the establishment of a scientific inspection system to ensure that inspectors strictly adhere to relevant norms and standards when inspecting automation instruments. Typically, the development of the inspection system should be based on the equipment attributes and operational standards. Inspections should not only be conducted during the usage phase but should also include regular preventive maintenance checks. Additionally, automation instrument management personnel should clearly define roles and responsibilities, considering various aspects when choosing inspection routes, and ensure that inspections occur more than twice daily. During inspections, management personnel should keep detailed records of the operational parameters of the automation instrument equipment, and promptly address any identified faults to ensure timely resolution and normal operation of the automation instruments.

Daily Maintenance

In daily operations, strengthening the maintenance management of automation instruments can effectively prevent the occurrence of faults. To avoid issues such as aging and loosening of structural components, regular checks of the equipment structure are necessary. Since different components have varying lifespans, timely replacement according to technical specifications is essential, along with maintaining detailed records of equipment components. When managing electrical equipment, proper ventilation should be ensured, and waste should be minimized around the equipment. Furthermore, prior to each use, checks on power connections should be conducted, and cleanliness of the automation instruments should be maintained through regular cleaning.

Maintaining Circuit Boards and Chips

During the maintenance phase of automation instruments, issues often arise due to improper maintenance measures for circuit boards and chips, which are critical components of automation instruments. When a chip or circuit board malfunctions, it can prevent the entire automation instrument from operating correctly, sometimes leading to serious consequences. If circuit board issues are detected, repair personnel should replace or repair them based on the specific situation. Typically, circuit boards are primarily connected through wiring, necessitating regular checks and repairs by maintenance personnel to quickly resolve and rectify any faults, ensuring the normal operation of automation instruments. If a chip is damaged, it can cause problems for the entire instrument. For frequently malfunctioning chips, replacement is necessary to prevent further losses. Therefore, during the maintenance of automation instruments, comprehensive inspections should be conducted, and any damaged instruments should be reported to maintenance personnel for immediate testing, ensuring that losses are minimized and economic efficiency is improved.

Maintenance of Key Equipment

Strengthening the maintenance management of key equipment in automation instruments is a crucial measure for maintaining these devices. A key component of automation instruments is the closed-loop automatic adjustment system, which should be switched to manual mode during maintenance, and adjustments to the position of control valves must be based on process specifications. Additionally, careful observation of the measurement changes reported by the equipment is necessary to effectively resolve system faults. When adjusting complex systems within the equipment, maintenance personnel should set the zero-adjustment spring of the instrument to the appropriate position to ensure uniform output of instrument signals. Furthermore, when maintaining electric transformers, the positions of aluminum plates and flat coils must be accurately aligned.

Conclusion

In summary, the development of the economy and the continuous advancement of science and technology have driven the application of automation instruments across various industries, effectively improving work efficiency and ensuring the safe and efficient operation of machinery. Therefore, related workers must enhance fault detection of automation instruments during their application, and adopt effective maintenance measures based on the types of faults encountered. Only in this way can the lifespan of equipment be fundamentally guaranteed, and unnecessary economic expenditures for enterprises be reduced.

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