NRDI Fund

NKFI 2020-1.1.2-PIACI-KFI-2020-00108

National Research, Development and Innovation Office | Supported Projects under the “Market-Driven Research, Development, and Innovation Projects Support (2020-1.1.2-PIACI KFI)”

(gov.hu)

TRANS LEX WORK Kft. has been operating in Hungary for over 30 years, specialized in maintenance, installation, commissioning, repair, and condition monitoring of rotating machines. Decades of experience have shown that the development of maintenance practices often cannot keep pace with the rapid advancements in industrial research and information technology. As a result, it may lag the fast evolution of technological solutions.

We experience that during cost saving procurement processes, expensive rotating machines are equipped with only minimal instrumentation providing few direct operational data, and the technical condition assessment of the machines is performed on an irregular or periodic basis, but not real-time. Although ad-hoc diagnostic measurements evaluate the status of the machines, it does not allow the implementation of effective condition-based and risk-based maintenance strategies due to the lack of maintenance events information, historical operational and load data.

To develop solution, TLW Kft. launched a targeted research and development project, which was partially financed by state support under the call for proposals announced by the NRDI Office (2020-1.1.2-PIACI KFI).

During the RDI project, TLW created a predictive, condition-based maintenance support system backed by online monitoring data.

This maintenance approach aligns with the principles of Industry 4.0 as well as the National RDI Strategy, and the National Intelligent Specialization Strategy adopted by the Government of Hungary.

The main goal of the project was to create, implement, and widely apply a comprehensive industry “best practice” Rotating Machine Maintenance Knowledge Base and Maintenance Strategy Support System, known as SMART-UP^®. This is particularly relevant for facilities and technologies classified under the SEVESO III hazard category and bear significant national economic importance.

The SMART-UP^® system is an expert-based, IT-embedded technical real-time condition monitoring and supervisory software tool. It can be directly integrated with external CMMS systems, forming a complex maintenance management system. Through the integration of SMART-UP^®, operators and maintenance personnel can use the system daily to achieve corporate goals in production, operational safety, availability, and cost reduction. SMART-UP^® establishes a modern maintenance strategy adapted to the operation of industrial rotating machines, ensuring that the maintenance strategy recommended by experts and approved by management is transparently integrated into the company’s current maintenance program.

Establishment of a Rotating Machine Maintenance Knowledge Base and Maintenance Strategy Support System (SMART Uptime) according to the principles of INDUSTRY 4.0 and the objectives of the National RDI Strategy

2022. 06. 21.

The company was founded in 1992 by Hungarian private individuals with extensive experience in the oil and petrochemical industry, following post-war reconstruction work in Iran (at the Bandar Imam Petrochemical Company Ltd. with an LD polyethylene plant operating at 3500 bar). Currently, the company operates as a 100% family-owned (Hungarian) business.

For nearly 30 years, TRANS LEX WORK Commercial, Service, and Consulting Ltd. (TLW Ltd.) has been providing rotating machine maintenance, installation, commissioning, repair, and condition monitoring services in Hungary. Decades of experience have shown that ad-hoc diagnostic examinations can assess the current state of equipment, but without maintenance events and operational load data, they do not allow for the planning of effective condition-based and risk-based maintenance strategies. To address these issues, TLW Ltd. is launching a targeted research and development project.

The main goal of the R&D project is to create, implement, and widely apply a comprehensive industry “best practice” Rotating Machine Maintenance Knowledge Base and Maintenance Strategy Support System (SMART-UP). The fundamental aim during development is to create a specialized rotating machine maintenance philosophy and an IT system that primarily targets the key equipment of hazardous operations. The SMART-UP system is an expert-based, IT-embedded technical condition monitoring and supervisory software tool that can be directly integrated with external CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) systems. Thanks to the CMMS integration, SMART-UP forms a complex maintenance management system that operators and maintenance personnel can use daily to achieve corporate goals related to production, operational safety, availability, and cost reduction.

The project aims and implementation results will be presented to the public by TLW Ltd. through case studies taught by owner Lajos Magyar at Pannon University and the University of Miskolc. To promote the widespread dissemination of the project results, we plan to participate in and rent stands at four trade fairs.