Continuous Vibration Monitoring with BoB ASSISTANT

Unexpected failures of motors, pumps and fans can quickly affect production and maintenance schedules. The Watteco BoB ASSISTANT provides a compact approach to continuous condition monitoring by combining vibration and temperature measurement, onboard machine learning and LoRaWAN communication in a battery-powered wireless sensor.

At a glance

Moving from periodic checks to continuous condition monitoring

Vibration analysis is widely used to assess the mechanical condition of rotating equipment. However, when measurements are performed periodically with handheld instruments, changes occurring between inspection intervals may not be immediately visible. The BoB ASSISTANT provides a way to add continuous monitoring to selected assets while keeping the installation compact and wireless.

• Continuous monitoring of vibration and temperature.
• Suitable for equipment such as motors, pumps and fans.
• Wireless communication through LoRaWAN.
• Designed to complement condition-based and predictive maintenance strategies.

Learning the normal behaviour of each machine

Once installed, the BoB ASSISTANT uses an initial seven-day learning period to establish the normal vibration behaviour of the monitored equipment. The sensor can then identify changes in the vibration signature and generate an alert when the configured threshold is exceeded.

This approach focuses monitoring on changes relative to the machine's established operating behaviour rather than relying only on occasional measurements. Maintenance teams can therefore follow equipment condition over time and investigate deviations as they appear.

More than vibration measurement

In addition to vibration monitoring, the BoB ASSISTANT provides several parameters that can support equipment condition assessment. According to the available product information, these include:

• Vibration data
• Temperature
• Machine run-time
• Predictive failure probability

These measurements provide maintenance teams with additional information for tracking changes in equipment condition and determining when further inspection may be required.

A compact retrofit solution for existing equipment

At approximately 75 g, the BoB ASSISTANT is designed for straightforward installation on existing rotating equipment. Magnetic mounting means the sensor can be installed without wiring it into the machine or adding a dedicated control cabinet.

The sensor is battery powered, with a specified battery life of more than four years and a replaceable battery. Its IP68 enclosure is intended for demanding environments, while an ATEX Zone 1 version is available where classified-area requirements apply.

Integrating machine condition data through LoRaWAN

LoRaWAN allows condition-monitoring sensors to communicate without installing dedicated wired data connections to each machine. This makes the BoB ASSISTANT particularly relevant when multiple distributed assets need to be monitored through a common wireless infrastructure.

The sensor itself is only one part of the deployment. Gateway positioning, radio coverage, payload decoding and integration must also be considered when building an operational LoRaWAN monitoring system.

ES Canada support for the complete LoRaWAN deployment

ES Canada is now distributing Watteco solutions in Canada and combines the sensors with experience in LoRaWAN network deployment. Our team can support projects beyond sensor selection, including coverage assessment, gateways, payload decoding and system integration.

For maintenance teams evaluating continuous monitoring on motors, pumps or fans, the BoB ASSISTANT provides a practical way to test condition monitoring directly on existing equipment. ES Canada is also offering a three-week demonstration: seven days for the sensor to learn the machine behaviour, followed by two weeks of live monitoring data.

Learn more about the BoB ASSISTANT