Case Study: Automating Maintenance Notifications with iTrixx-Ultra 300 Hour Meter
A Step-by-Step Guide to Configuring Dual-Meter Tracking and Email Alerts for Automate Machine Maintenance Alerts
Summary
This case study demonstrates how to configure the iTrixx-Ultra 300 hour meter to send email notifications for automate machine maintenance alerts at preset hours. Since there are two meters built into the software, we will use hour meter #1 as a resettable meter that will be reset to 0, and an email will be sent automatically when the meter reaches 50 hours of operation, while hour meter #2 will be used as a non-resettable meter that simultaneously tracks total operational time.
In the case study, we activate the meter counter through the digital input by wiring it to the same switch that turns the equipment on and off, the device is connected to a network with Internet access in order to send email notifications.
Follow these step-by-step instructions to configure the email notifications and automatic reset.
Software Configuration
Step 1. Configure the email notifications.
To configure the iTrixx-Ultra 300 device to send automate machine maintenance alerts via email, you can use any email service. Configuration is done through the Configure – Email Setup page of your iTrixx-Ultra 300. To set up the email, you will need to gather your email server’s SMTP address and port number from your service provider. In this demonstration, we will use the Gmail email server to configure the email notification. To use Gmail for notifications on your iTrixx-Ultra 300 devices, you need to create an App Password for the device. Follow these steps:
- Go to your “Google Account Management Console.“
- In the “Search Google Account” field, type “App passwords.“
- Choose the “App passwords” option under “Security“.
- Add the device and create a password.
- Copy the generated password and paste it into Notepad so you won’t lose it.
- Click “Done” to activate the password.
Login to your iTrixx-Ultra 300 network hour meter software web interface, go to Configure > Email Setup page.
- Enter the SMTP server address and port number of the email server
- Check the Use SSL box if your email server using SSL.
- Enter the User Name (your Gmail email address), which is the address you want to send notifications FROM.
- Use the App Password as the Password as we generated in previous step.
- Add the email address you want to send the notifications TO in the “To Address” field (only one email address allowed.)
- You can send email notification to up to 3 users by entering the additional email address to the “To CC and To BCC” boxes.
- Set the Subject.
- Click Save/Test.
After clicking “Save/Test,” you should receive a test email in your email account. If you don’t see it in your inbox, please check your “Bulk,” “Other,” or “Spam” folders.
Step 2. Configure Hourmeter#1 and Hourmeter#2
As noted earlier, we use one of the digital inputs to trigger the hour counter (input 1).
To configure the hour meter, go to Services – Hours page,
Meter #1 configuration:
- Follow the instructions to set other parameters for the basic configuration of the meter setup.
- Check the “Set Email” box.
- Select the “On” box for Relay Control, which means when the hour readings reach 50 hours, turn relay 1 on. We use this setting as a trigger in the Task page for Step 3.
- For the Email Count and Relay Count, set the count to (3000) or [180000] (3000 minutes or 180000 seconds, equivalent to 50 hours).
Note: No need to set these settings for Meter 2 as we use it as non-resettable meter.
Step 3. Reset Meter# 1 Readings to 0 Once It Reaches 50 Hours
To reset the meter readings to “0” after it reaches 50 hours, it will take 2 steps to do so in the software.
3.1 Configure Relay 1:
- In previous step, we set Meter 1 to trigger Relay 1 ON when it reaches 50 hours.
- Now, configure the relay to reset Meter 1 when it reaches that point:
- Go to Services > In/Out page.
- Click the “Edit” icon for Relay 1.
- Set “Pulse width” and “Pulse width multiplier”.
- By default, it’s set to 0, meaning the Relay won’t automatically be deactivated (turned off).
- In our use case, we need to set the Pulse Width greater than 0 to make the relay automatically deactivated (e.g., 2 seconds in our example, which means the relay will be turned off after 2 seconds).
- Click Save to save the configuration.
3.2 Create a Task:
After saving Relay 1 configuration, go to the Tasks page. We need to create a task to reset Meter#1 when Relay 1 is turned on.
- Click the Edit icon on the task you want to use.
- On the Set Schedule page:
- Check the Use box on the task.
- Device A: Select Relay.
- Data A: Enter 01+ (which means relay 1 is ON)
- Device C: Select HOURMETER from the list.
- Data C: Enter 1 (meter#1)
- Action: Select RESET.
Click Save.
At this point, we have completed the settings to reset meter #1 to “0” once it reaches 50 hours. Meanwhile, Meter 2 continues to collect the total count.
Conclusion
This configuration of the iTrixx-Ultra 300 hour meter showcases its versatility in automating hour tracking for maintenance schedules. By setting up email notifications, utilizing dual meter functionality, and implementing an automatic reset setting, we’ve created a robust system for tracking both cyclic maintenance needs and total operational time.
Key benefits of this setup include:
- Timely maintenance alerts: Automated email notifications ensure that maintenance is performed at regular 50-hour intervals.
- Dual tracking: The use of two meters allows for both resettable maintenance cycles and continuous total hour tracking.
- Minimal manual intervention: The automatic reset feature streamlines the process, reducing the need for manual meter resets.
- Improved efficiency: This system helps prevent overlooked maintenance, potentially extending equipment life and reducing downtime.
By following this guide, technicians can implement a similar system for various types of equipment, adapting the hour thresholds and notification settings as needed for specific maintenance requirements. This approach to automated maintenance tracking can significantly enhance operational efficiency and equipment longevity across a wide range of industrial applications.
Download the case study here: Automating Maintenance Notifications with iTrixx-Ultra 300 Hour Meter
