Kittiwake Acquires Acoustic Emission Pioneer
Kittiwake Developments has acquired Holroyd Instruments. The newly named Kittiwake Holroyd supplies acoustic emission instruments for the early detection of problems in a wide range of applications, all relating to monitoring the condition of rotating machinery. Martin Lucas, managing director, Kittiwake Developments explained: “Holroyd’s acoustic emission technology places the power of condition monitoring directly into the hands of every offshore engineer.”
“Traditional vibration analysis has provided a trusted approach to condition monitoring for the past thirty years, but it is a complex science and requires sophisticated knowledge and understanding. Holroyd’s acoustic emission approach to vibration and stress offers a viable alternative, extending and simplifying the science, making it accessible to anyone”, according to Lucas.
Acoustic Emission
Providing real time information with early sensitivity to faults and applicability to a wide range of rotational speeds, the acoustic emission technique is based on the detection of the high frequency component of naturally occurring stress waves. Suitable for continuously running machinery as well as machinery operating intermittently or for short durations, acoustic emission allows the user to diagnose problems with machinery at an early stage, carry out maintenance procedures and then monitor the improvement.
Holroyd’s product range includes portable instruments, permanently installed remote sensors for areas of difficult access, as well as stand-alone programmable smart sensors for continuous surveillance. The company has pioneered autonomous signal processing algorithms – for example its proprietary ‘Distress’ parameter – which remove the need for machine specific interpretations.
Unrivalled
Trevor Holroyd, technical director, Kittiwake Holroyd commented: “We know – unequivocally – that Holroyd’s acoustic emission technology is unrivalled. The alliance with Kittiwake provides the infrastructure, global scale and market knowledge to unlock the growth potential that we know is possible, and we have no doubt that the offshore marketplace is hungry for this simple but effective addition to the condition monitoring weapons armoury.”
‘De-Skilling’
Lucas concluded: “As the importance of avoiding down time, generating efficiencies and increasing machinery life continues to escalate, Kittiwake is committed to developing technologies that empower the user to make better decisions, faster. By ‘de-skilling’ technology we enable informed maintenance decisions to be made quickly and with confidence.”
“This latest addition to the Kittiwake product portfolio ensures that we continue to provide our customers with market-leading asset control and protection solutions that directly impact the bottom line. We’re looking forward to working with this dedicated team of specialists, with years of experience in the design, manufacture and development of acoustic emission techniques to provide yet another form of cost effective asset protection for our customers.”