Predicting Equipment Failure Before It Happens: Banner Engineering's AMG

Mining is one of the most demanding industrial environments on the planet. The equipment that keeps operations running — conveyor systems, motors, pumps, gearboxes, fans — runs hard, runs hot, and runs continuously. When something fails unexpectedly, the consequences aren't just inconvenient. They're expensive. A single unplanned shutdown can cost tens of thousands of dollars per hour, and in remote mining locations, getting the right technician or replacement part on-site quickly isn't always straightforward.

That's why more mining operations are turning to condition-monitoring solutions — specifically Banner Engineering's Asset Monitoring Gateway (AMG).

What Is the AMG?

The Asset Monitoring Gateway is a hardware-and-software solution from Banner Engineering that provides maintenance and operations teams with real-time visibility into the health and performance of their most critical equipment. It works by connecting to an array of sensors that continuously measure parameters like vibration, temperature, humidity, pressure, and current. That data is then processed, displayed, and — when something looks wrong — it triggers an alert so teams can act before a small problem becomes a catastrophic failure.

Banner offers two AMG versions to suit different operational needs. The AMG with SNAP ID is a wired solution designed for situations where you need to monitor many points on a single asset. It supports up to 20 wired sensors connected via simple M12 cables and features an onboard touchscreen display for local monitoring. The AMG with CLOUD ID, on the other hand, is a wireless solution better suited to facilities or sites where you need to keep an eye on many different assets spread across a large area. It can support up to 40 wireless sensor nodes and feeds data directly into Banner's Cloud Data Services platform, accessible from anywhere via a web browser or mobile device.

Both versions share one standout feature: they require no coding, no special software expertise, and no lengthy commissioning process. The gateways automatically recognize compatible sensors the moment they're connected, enabling teams to go from unboxing to actively monitoring equipment in minutes rather than months.

Why Condition Monitoring Matters in Mining

In mining, the assets being monitored are often massive, mission-critical, and expensive to replace. A conveyor belt motor in an underground coal mine or a slurry pump at a processing facility doesn't get regular check-ups the way a car does. Traditionally, maintenance has been either reactive — fix it when it breaks — or scheduled at fixed intervals regardless of the equipment's actual condition. Both approaches have serious drawbacks. Reactive maintenance means unplanned downtime. Scheduled maintenance means spending money and labor on equipment that may not yet need attention.

Condition monitoring flips both of those models on their head. By continuously tracking real-time data from sensors on the equipment itself, maintenance teams can spot the early warning signs of a developing problem — a gradual rise in vibration levels, a bearing running hotter than usual, a subtle change in motor current — and intervene at exactly the right moment. Maintenance becomes proactive rather than reactive, and it's based on the actual condition of the equipment rather than a calendar.

Banner's AMG supports this approach with VIBE-IQ, a machine-learning algorithm built into the system. VIBE-IQ establishes a unique performance baseline for each piece of monitored equipment over time. Once that baseline is set, the system can detect deviations that might be invisible to the human eye and send an alert via email or text before a fault develops into a failure.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Picture a large-scale mining operation with kilometers of conveyor belts moving ore from the pit to the processing plant. Each conveyor has motors, drive pulleys, and idler rollers — all rotating assets that wear over time. With Banner AMG units deployed along the conveyor system, maintenance teams receive continuous data on vibration and temperature at every critical point. Instead of walking the line on a weekly inspection that may or may not catch a developing bearing failure, the system is watching constantly and will send an alert the moment something changes.

The result is fewer surprise failures, better-planned maintenance windows, longer equipment life, and significant cost savings — exactly the kind of operational gains that mining companies are looking for as they face increasing pressure to maximize productivity and control costs.

In an industry where the ground never stops moving, and the equipment can never afford to stop either, Banner Engineering's AMG and condition-monitoring approach gives mining operations something genuinely valuable: the ability to see trouble coming and get ahead of it.

Local Presence, Regional Power: Inside Process Technology’s Western U.S. Industrial Reach

Process Technology, Inc. has built a reputation in the Western United States as a process partner that understands both the big picture and the details that make industrial systems work reliably every day. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, the company operates across a broad geographic footprint, including the Mountain West, Colorado’s Front Range, and the Southwest. That reach, combined with a deep bench of experienced sales professionals and process engineers, allows Process Technology to deliver practical, technically sound solutions to some of the region’s most demanding industrial markets.

From the outset, Process Technology structured its business around proximity and expertise. Rather than relying on a single central office to serve vast territories, the company maintains multiple locations staffed by engineers and technical specialists who understand local industries, site conditions, and regulatory expectations. This approach shortens response times, strengthens customer relationships, and ensures that equipment recommendations and system designs reflect real-world operating conditions rather than just catalog specifications. Customers see this difference immediately, whether they operate a remote mining site or a high-purity manufacturing facility with tight performance tolerances.

Across the Mountain West, Process Technology supports a diverse industrial base that demands versatility and technical rigor. Mining and mineral processing operations rely on robust, abrasion-resistant equipment that can perform in harsh environments and variable loads. Semiconductor manufacturers in the region require precision, cleanliness, and repeatability at every stage of production. Food and beverage producers focus on sanitary design, consistent quality, and efficient changeovers, while water and wastewater facilities prioritize reliability, regulatory compliance, and long-term lifecycle costs. Chemical processing plants often sit at the intersection of all these requirements, with added emphasis on safety and materials compatibility. Process Technology’s local presence allows its engineers to work directly with plant personnel to select equipment, design integrated systems, and provide ongoing support that keeps operations stable and compliant.

As the company moves east into Colorado’s Front Range, the industrial landscape becomes equally complex, with its own unique challenges. Oil and gas operations demand equipment that can withstand high pressure and extreme temperatures, and that meets evolving emissions standards. Pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers require validated systems, precise control, and documented performance. Aerospace and defense contractors expect uncompromising quality and traceability, while municipal water systems balance public accountability with aging infrastructure. The region’s rapidly growing craft brewing and beverage sector adds another layer, where consistency, scalability, and energy efficiency matter as much as product flavor. Process Technology’s engineers understand how altitude affects fluid behavior, heat transfer, and equipment performance, and they apply that knowledge to help customers avoid costly oversights while meeting strict regulatory requirements.

In the Southwest, Process Technology works in an environment defined by scale and scarcity. Semiconductor and microelectronics fabrication facilities push the limits of automation, purity, and uptime, often operating around the clock with minimal tolerance for disruption. Large-scale solar energy projects require durable components that perform reliably under intense heat and exposure. Copper mining and refining operations depend on heavy-duty process equipment that withstands corrosive conditions and continuous operation. Municipal infrastructure projects face growing populations and shrinking water resources, while agricultural processing facilities must maximize efficiency in water and energy use. Process Technology’s team understands how desert climates stress equipment and processes, and they design solutions that address water conservation, energy efficiency, and long-term sustainability without sacrificing performance.

What ties all these territories and industries together is Process Technology’s value proposition. The company delivers more than products; it delivers insight. Its process engineers bring deep technical knowledge to complex applications, helping customers navigate tradeoffs between performance, cost, and maintainability. A multi-location footprint enables rapid response, whether that means troubleshooting an unexpected issue or supporting a fast-moving project schedule. Strong relationships with leading equipment manufacturers give customers access to proven technologies and emerging innovations, backed by people who know how to apply them correctly.

Process Technology engineers take the time to understand process objectives, operating constraints, and future expansion plans before recommending equipment or system layouts. That same commitment continues after installation, with ongoing support and troubleshooting throughout the equipment lifecycle. Customers value working with a team that stays engaged long after startup and understands regional environmental standards and regulatory requirements well enough to anticipate changes before they create problems.

Looking ahead, Process Technology continues to evolve alongside the industries it serves. As automation increases, sustainability targets tighten, and supply chains grow more complex, the company invests in technical talent and regional presence to stay ahead of customer needs. By combining local knowledge with broad market experience, Process Technology positions itself not just as a supplier, but as a long-term partner for industrial operators across the Western United States who want solutions that work today and adapt confidently to what comes next.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Warm Holiday Wishes from PTI

Wishing our valued customers, trusted manufacturer partners, and dedicated team members a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and warm holiday season. We are sincerely grateful for your continued trust, collaboration, and support throughout the year. As we look ahead to the New Year, we wish you good health, success, and continued opportunity. Thank you for being an important part of the Process Technology, Inc. community.

Pyromation Achieves CSA Certification for Non-Incendive Temperature Sensors

    

Pyromation has secured CSA certification for multiple hazardous-location temperature sensor assemblies, including thermocouple and RTD configurations. The certification covers three key product groups: sensor assemblies with extension lead wire, remote mount assemblies, and heat tracing assemblies.

These CSA-certified assemblies are approved for use in hazardous locations designated as Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D; Class II, Division 2, Groups F, G; Class III, Division 2; Class I, Zone 2, Group IIC; Zone 22, Group IIIB; and Zone 22, Group IIIA with non-incendive field wiring. The assemblies are evaluated and certified to ensure they cannot become an ignition source during normal operation in both Class I hazardous gas environments and Class II/Zone 22 dust environments.

Non-incendive protection eliminates the possibility of ignition during normal operation rather than containing explosions after they occur. This approach provides industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and food production with reliable temperature monitoring solutions that meet stringent safety requirements for both the United States and Canada.

The certified assemblies are available in various designs with multiple options and terminations, meeting ingress protection standards with ratings that vary by assembly type. This certification demonstrates Pyromation's commitment to providing safe, compliant temperature sensing solutions for hazardous environments where flammable gases, vapors, or combustible dust may be present.

Process Technology, Inc. can provide additional information on sensor configurations and application-specific requirements.

How METTLER TOLEDO’s Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM™) Transforms Process Analytics with Predictive Maintenance

METTLER TOLEDO’s Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM™) is an advanced digital technology platform designed to enhance process analytics through intelligent data integration and predictive diagnostics. At its core, ISM converts traditional analog sensors into smart digital sensors that continuously monitor their own condition and performance. The result is greater measurement reliability, process consistency, and operational efficiency across manufacturing environments—from chemical and pharmaceutical production to food, beverage, and biotechnology applications.

ISM represents a significant step forward in digital transformation for process industries, providing the tools and insight needed to predict maintenance, reduce downtime, and optimize production quality.

How ISM Improves Measurement Reliability and Process Consistency

In industrial production, accurate process measurement is essential for maintaining quality, safety, and regulatory compliance. However, sensor drift, contamination, or aging can compromise measurement accuracy. ISM solves these challenges by embedding a microchip-based algorithm directly into each sensor. This onboard intelligence interprets calibration data, historical trends, and environmental conditions to deliver a real-time snapshot of sensor health.

The result is continuous diagnostic awareness—operators always know the condition of their sensors, when maintenance is due, and whether calibration remains valid. ISM’s smart alerts prevent unnecessary process interruptions and help ensure measurement uptime and process consistency across the plant.

The Core Value of ISM: Advanced Predictive Diagnostics

At the heart of METTLER TOLEDO’s ISM technology is its predictive diagnostic toolkit, a suite of algorithms that forecast when sensors will require calibration, cleaning, or replacement—expressed in clear, day-based timeframes. This predictive capability transforms maintenance from reactive to proactive, enabling predictive sensor maintenanceand significantly reducing labor and material costs.

Using digital signal processing and embedded analytics, ISM’s microchip continuously evaluates sensor aging, temperature history, process exposure, and calibration frequency. By predicting performance degradation before it happens, ISM prevents measurement failure and safeguards production integrity.

The Three Predictive Diagnostic Tools of ISM™

METTLER TOLEDO’s ISM platform includes three primary diagnostic indicators that form the foundation of its predictive maintenance capability:

1. Dynamic Lifetime Indicator (DLI)

The Dynamic Lifetime Indicator (DLI) provides a day-based prediction of a sensor’s remaining useful life. By analyzing cumulative stress factors such as temperature, process pressure, and exposure to harsh chemicals, DLI estimates exactly how many days remain before sensor replacement is required.

This allows maintenance teams to schedule replacements during planned downtime rather than responding to unexpected sensor failure. DLI improves asset utilization and avoids costly interruptions in production.

2. Adaptive Calibration Timer (ACT)

The Adaptive Calibration Timer (ACT) forecasts when the next calibration will be due, also expressed in days. Unlike fixed calendar-based calibration schedules, ACT adapts dynamically to real process conditions. If a sensor remains stable under mild conditions, calibration intervals may extend; if process stress increases, ACT shortens the time until calibration is needed.

This data-driven calibration prediction prevents both premature calibrations (which waste time and resources) and delayed calibrations (which risk measurement drift).

3. Time to Maintenance (TTM)

The Time to Maintenance (TTM) indicator predicts when cleaning or preventive maintenance will be necessary. ISM’s microchip algorithm evaluates the sensor’s current performance data, environmental exposure, and operating parameters to estimate the number of days before maintenance is required.

This allows maintenance activities to be optimized for actual need rather than arbitrary schedules, ensuring that sensors perform consistently while minimizing labor and process downtime.

Predictive Maintenance in Action: Optimizing Industrial Operations

By combining DLI, ACT, and TTM, ISM provides a comprehensive digital view of sensor lifecycle management. Operators can view diagnostic information in real time via METTLER TOLEDO’s transmitters or process control systems, giving them a clear picture of all connected sensors across multiple units or process lines.

These insights enable predictive sensor maintenance—a proactive strategy that enhances both measurement uptime and process safety. Maintenance teams can plan service intervals precisely, avoid emergency interventions, and ensure that only sensors approaching end-of-life are replaced.

Benefits and Value Proposition of Intelligent Sensor Management

1. Increased Measurement Uptime:
With ISM’s predictive capabilities, plants experience fewer unplanned shutdowns due to sensor failure. Operators can maintain continuous process measurement without compromise.

2. Enhanced Process Safety:
Real-time diagnostics alert users to sensor degradation before it impacts process integrity, ensuring safe operation and regulatory compliance in critical industries.

3. Accurate and Reliable Measurements:
ISM sensors maintain high accuracy through adaptive calibration and continuous self-evaluation, ensuring product quality and consistency.

4. Optimized Maintenance Scheduling:
By predicting maintenance needs in days, ISM eliminates the inefficiency of routine or premature maintenance, freeing personnel for higher-value activities and reducing lifecycle costs.

5. Simplified Sensor Management:
Digital data storage within the ISM sensor allows for plug-and-measure capability. Calibration can be performed in the lab, then installed in the process line without additional setup—simplifying workflow and improving traceability.

ISM as a Digital Transformation Enabler

Beyond predictive maintenance, ISM contributes directly to digital transformation strategies in manufacturing. The technology bridges the gap between field instrumentation and digital process control systems, enabling smarter data use and integration with plant asset management software.

By turning raw measurement data into actionable intelligence, ISM helps facilities evolve toward Industry 4.0 readiness, supporting goals such as real-time analytics, remote monitoring, and condition-based maintenance.

Conclusion

METTLER TOLEDO’s Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM™) is redefining how process industries manage their measurement assets. Through embedded microchip technology, real-time diagnostics, and predictive maintenance tools like DLI, ACT, and TTM, ISM ensures maximum measurement uptime, reliability, and process safety.

For production environments seeking to minimize downtime, extend sensor life, and embrace digital process analytics, ISM represents a proven and scalable solution. It’s more than a sensor platform—it’s a strategic step toward smart, data-driven industrial operations.

Process Weighing: The Foundation of Industrial Precision

Process weighing is one of the unsung heroes of modern industry. It sits at the heart of production processes in food and beverage plants, chemical and pharmaceutical facilities, mining operations, and countless other fields. Whether the goal is filling a package, batching ingredients, or tracking material flow, weighing technology provides the precision and reliability necessary to ensure quality, efficiency, and compliance.

At its core, process weighing is about transforming raw measurement into actionable data. Materials move through conveyors, silos, hoppers, and platforms, and each step requires accurate, real-time information on weight. Load cells convert physical force into electronic signals, providing the foundation for every weighing system. These signals are fed into belt scales for continuous monitoring of bulk material, or into silo and platform scales for storage and inventory management. Hopper scales provide the same precision for powders, liquids, and gases, ensuring that even dynamic processes remain tightly controlled.

But weighing is not just about capturing numbers. It is about integrating those numbers into the automated workflow. Siemens SIWAREX modules, for example, bring weighing directly into SIMATIC PLC environments. This seamless connection means scales become a natural part of the control architecture, with HMIs offering clear visualization, intuitive operation, and easy multilingual support. Operators can monitor, adjust, and troubleshoot from a single interface, eliminating guesswork and ensuring that weighing contributes to the overall transparency of plant operations.

Conveyors equipped with belt scales measure and regulate throughput, keeping processes efficient and repeatable. Silo and hopper scales ensure accurate stock levels, while platform scales support a range of applications, from truck weighing to precise batching. At every level, load cells remain the backbone, designed to withstand harsh conditions while maintaining accuracy across applications. Combined with distributed digital modules and intelligent electronics, they enable each component—from a single weigh feeder to an entire process line—to function as part of a fully integrated system.

The importance of process weighing extends beyond production efficiency. It safeguards compliance with legal-for-trade standards, minimizes waste, and improves resource management. Industries that depend on exact mixtures or reliable throughput—whether they’re filling coffee capsules, producing detergents, or moving bulk ore—cannot operate without it. The integration of PLCs and HMIs elevates these systems from measurement tools to central drivers of productivity and quality assurance.

For companies in the Mountain West, Southwest, and Front Range, Process Technology, Inc. stands out as the knowledgeable partner for Siemens process weighing solutions. With their expertise and Siemens’ proven technology, businesses can ensure their weighing systems not only measure but also maximize performance.

The Role of Industrial Flare Stacks and the Need for Advanced Flare Management

Industrial plants that process oil, gas, and chemicals depend on flare stacks as essential safety devices. When excess hydrocarbons build up in a process, facilities need a reliable way to dispose of them. The flare stack provides that safeguard. By burning off gases under controlled conditions, flare stacks prevent dangerous pressure buildups and uncontrolled releases that could lead to explosions, fires, or toxic leaks. In short, flares protect workers, equipment, and surrounding communities.

The operating principle is straightforward yet crucial. Excess gases travel through a flare system to a tall stack where a continuous pilot flame ignites them. The combustion process breaks down volatile organic compounds into less harmful byproducts such as carbon dioxide and water vapor. Steam or air assist systems often mix with the gas stream to ensure complete combustion and minimize smoke. While flaring is never the first choice, it remains a necessary last line of defense in industrial operations.

That said, flaring carries environmental concerns. Even when properly managed, flare stacks emit greenhouse gases and, if not optimized, can produce soot and unburned hydrocarbons. Regulators, investors, and communities demand that operators minimize flaring, prove high combustion efficiency, and show commitment to sustainability. For plants, the challenge lies in achieving both safety and environmental compliance while keeping operating costs in check.

This is where technology has begun to transform flare management. Baker Hughes, through its Panametrics division, has developed the flare.IQ flare management control system, a solution designed specifically to address inefficiencies in traditional flare operations. Historically, operators had little real-time visibility into flare combustion efficiency. Adjustments to steam or air assist often relied on manual estimates, leading to wasted energy and suboptimal destruction efficiency.

Flare.IQ closes that gap with advanced monitoring and automated control. The system continuously measures flow, temperature, and gas composition, then applies real-time algorithms to calculate combustion efficiency. With those insights, flare.IQ automatically adjusts steam or air assist to maintain ideal conditions. This not only ensures regulatory compliance and higher destruction efficiency but also reduces unnecessary steam consumption, delivering significant energy and cost savings.

Plants that implement flare.IQ reports greater confidence in meeting environmental requirements, improved reliability, and lower operating costs. Instead of treating flare systems as a compliance burden, operators can now view them as optimized, intelligent assets that support both safety and sustainability.

For companies in the Mountain West, Front Range, and Southwest regions, having a local partner to implement and support this advanced technology makes all the difference. Process Technology, Inc. of Salt Lake City stands as the trusted resource in the region for Baker Hughes Panametrics solutions, including flare.IQ. With deep technical expertise, hands-on support, and a commitment to customer success, Process Technology, Inc. helps industrial operators integrate smarter flare management into their facilities. By partnering with Process Technology, Inc., plants not only meet safety and environmental demands but also unlock new levels of efficiency and performance.