Fault diagnoses and early warning header

With the SPY, it has become possible to walk through the works and "sweep" for the earliest signs of wear, allowing timely defensive action. For example, to change the lubrication, or to plan a repair without interrupting production. Mechanical wear can be identified long before it could be detected by any other method. The maintenance team now has the ability to identify problems long before they impact operation, and so to order spare parts and plan repairs without costly interruption of production. Thanks to the SPY, you will not be surprised by machine break-downs. Hectic, unplanned repairs are replaced by controlled situations, good for the company's costs, and for the nerves of maintenance and production staff.

The maintenance mechanic who knows his machines instantly recognises the meaning of what the SPY allows him to hear. So it is often possible to take preventative action, before damage has even occurred. What an advantage, compared with a system which can only tell him that damage has occurred ! (With machines, which of themselves produce heavy vibration, is not even this always possible).

The "Ultrasonic SPY 101" opens up new possibilities: It really can "hear the grass growing". A few examples: From a distance of 5 meters, check that the bearings of a roof-mounted fan are working properly; or check that a compressed air system has no leaks; or that the bearings (or gears) of a CNC machine are still as new; nothing remains hidden. Minimal electrical short-circuits and lazy solenoids can be spotted, as can malfunctions in fluid and gas systems, previously requiring the whole system to be stripped to find the one defective valve.

In July 2001 came recognition for the wide-ranging capabilities of the SPY from "on high". NASA sent a SPY up to work in the International Space Station, where it monitors the condition of many systems. This decision followed an evaluation of all known devices on the world market, and of a development of NASA itself ($5 million), all of which were judged to be much inferior to the SPY. Up in the ISS, "early warning" is of particular significance, as spare parts deliveries can take 10 weeks. So far, UPS has not offered express delivery.

Rapid tests have also substituted for lengthy procedures as quality control in production situations. In this way, defects which would have got through to the customer are detected instantly. Manufacturers of electrical and electronic components, for example, identify inadequate insulation before their components are built into production units.

The list of applications is endless, and grows daily. And all are possible without dismantling units or shutting production down. Even the background noises in the works - however loud - makes no difference. Just a few examples.