A Note from Bryan
As most of you know by now, our ProBalance System fills a huge gap in the marketplace. The idea is simple. We constantly measure and log the internal firing pressures of all of the combustion cylinders, on every cycle. From there we can calculate a mean peak firing pressure for each cylinder, then the entire engine and graphically display, on the Balance Control Module (BCM – typically mounted on or near the unit control panel), on the operators’ PLC, and also on our ruggedized, Haz-Loc hand-held tablet that the technician carries up on the engine.
It is not an automatic balancing system, although it is easily upgradable to one in the form of ProBalance Plus, but rather a tool that allows Operators and Technicians to easily check the balance of an engine – in real time – from their PLC and quickly balance an engine that needs it. Perhaps more importantly, balancing is no longer done on a schedule, it is done when it needs to be done. ProBalance allows the operator to walk by the unit daily (or hourly if operating parameters warrant it), visually check the balance on the BCM graphic display, push “As Found” on the BCM touch screen, and then either balance the unit, or if it is OK, press “As Left” on the touch screen, and move on. Of course, the balance can be checked from the PLC as well.
Installation
Simple, yes. Expensive and difficult to install, no. Essentially all of the components are magnetically mounted. The BCM has four rare earth magnets, the Engine Mounted Junction Box (EMJB) has two, and it usually mounts one the face of the block closest to the BCM. The Engine Control Modules (ECM’s) have two. There is one ECM per cylinder, and they usually mount on the catwalk or in some other “out of the way” place. Everything is connected by daisy-chained armored cable and held in place by magnetic cable clips. No more conduit to run. Not only is this easy and inexpensive to install (~1/2 day), but it is easy to move (or remove) for maintenance.
Customer Service - The MMS Way
Many years ago, I used to work with one of the best salesmen Ingersoll-Rand had. He said that the key to his success was listening to his customers and giving them what they wanted at a fair price. One time I heard him tell one of his better customers, “If we ain’t got it or can’t get it, you’re better off without it!”. I’ve never forgotten that saying or his attitude, and that’s essentially what we’ve tried to do over the past few years. To be specific, the whole idea of ProBalance came from one of our customers. We were showing him the predecessor of our Sentinel-CPM System when he stopped us, saying, “I don’t have problems with my compressors, figure out a way to keep my engines running”, and ProBalance was born.
ProBalance 2.0
So, here’s what’s coming. We’re introducing ProBalance 2.0, which will include a much more streamlined software and firmware package. The Peak Firing Pressure (PFP) algorithms have run very well on our existing unit so those have not been changed, but some of the graphics and user interfaces have been modified and the program runs much faster now. We are currently testing this package and expect to upgrade our existing customers – at no charge – with the new package very soon. There’s nothing wrong with the original software, this one is simply more elegant, better, and faster.
Pressure Ratio Balancing
Another feature that we are working on is the option to balance utilizing Pressure Ratio Balancing. This is not a new concept and many “Engine People” feel that this method is actually a more accurate system for balancing an engine, as it considers the actual trapped air mass in the cylinder, allowing the admission of the appropriate amount of fuel to meet the desired Equivalency Ratio for each cylinder. As you know, with each overhaul, head or liner change, the trapped air mass can change as well. By measuring the pre-fired compression ratio of each of the cylinders, the fuel can be adjusted accordingly. Research shows that this manner of balancing significantly reduces the internal stresses on the crankshaft.
ProBalance Integration with MachineryRx
This is another instance of fulfilling our customers’ requests. For those not aware, MachineryRx is currently part of our Snapshot Balancer software suite and creates a report each time an engine is balanced. Properly credentialed employees can peruse the reports across their fleet of engines allowing them to compare similar engines to other locations, etc. As we integrate ProBalance with MachineryRx, the same features will be available, across multiple units at a station, multiple stations, or divisions, depending on the user defined credentialing.
As always, if you have questions or ideas for improvement let us know.
Bryan
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