Measure, Monitor, Maintain: Monarch Instrument’s Roadmap to Proactive Maintenance

At Monarch Instrument, Measure • Monitor • Maintain is more than a tagline. It reflects how our products help customers understand, track, and improve the performance of their equipment and processes.

Each step builds on the one before it. Accurate measurements show you how a machine is running right now. Monitoring shows you how that changes over time. Maintenance uses that information to fix the right problem at the right time. From handheld tachometers and stroboscopes to fixed sensors, panel meters, recorders and data loggers, Monarch Instrument gives you the tools to keep industrial operations running smoothly, efficiently and reliably

Measure – Capture Accurate, Actionable Data

Every maintenance and reliability program starts with accurate measurement. If you do not know how fast a shaft is turning, how hard a bearing is vibrating or how hot a process is running, you cannot tell whether something is wrong. Monarch Instrument products measure speed, RPM, vibration, temperature, humidity, pressure and electrical signals, so you get a clear, reliable picture of what is happening with your equipment and processes.

Measuring RPM and Speed

Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) is the number of complete rotations an object makes around a fixed axis in one minute. A motor, fan, pump or conveyor running faster or slower than it should is often the first sign of a slipping belt, a failing drive, an overload or a setup error.

RPM can be measured in different ways.

• Non-contact optical or laser tachometers read a reflective tape mark on the rotating part. You stay at a safe distance, and nothing touches the moving equipment.
• Contact tachometers use a tip or wheel pressed against a shaft or surface. They are useful for measuring linear speeds such as belt or web speed.
• Stroboscopes flash at a controlled cycle (flash) rate. When the flash rate matches the speed of the part, the part appears to stand still, which shows both its speed and its condition as stop-motion inspection.
• Fixed sensors (optical, laser, infrared or magnetic) mount near the machine for continuous RPM/Speed measurement. These sensors are covered under Monitor.

Monarch Instrument’s Handheld Products for Measuring RPM and Speed

Product	What it offers
Pocket Tach 99 (PT99)	A compact, easy-to-use non-contact optical LED tachometer. It measures 5 to 99,999 RPM from 2 to 36 inches away, and you can see the target and the display at the same time. A good everyday tool for maintenance technicians.
Pocket Laser Tach 200 (PLT200)	A non-contact, laser tachometer that measures 5 to 200,000 RPM optically from up to 25 feet away. With the optional contact assembly, it also takes linear contact readings of RPM and surface speed. It stores max, min and last readings and has a pulse output.
Nova-Pro® LED Stroboscopes/Tachometers	LED stroboscopes with a flash range of 60 to 999,999 flashes per minute. They “freeze” motion so you can inspect fan blades, gears, belts and couplings while the machine is still running. The patented Laser tachometer capability is built-in or optional. Higher models add memory presets, phase delay and a virtual slow-motion mode.

Accurate speed measurement provides the foundation for identifying changes in machine performance, verifying operating conditions, and troubleshooting potential problems.

Measuring Vibration

Almost every rotating machine vibrates. What matters is how much it vibrates and whether the level is increasing. Rising vibration is one of the earliest warning signs of imbalance, misalignment, looseness and/or bearing friction and wear.

The EXAMINER 1000 Vibration Meter measures vibration as acceleration and velocity and uses acceleration enveloping to detect early bearing defects. A built-in ISO severity chart helps you judge readings on the spot. The meter can also be used as an electronic stethoscope so you can listen to the bearing while you troubleshoot. It is well suited to motors, pumps, fans and gearboxes.

Measuring Process and Environmental Conditions

Equipment and product quality also depend on the conditions around them. Monarch Instrument measures:

• Temperature and humidity: cold storage, ovens, warehouses, cleanrooms and in-transit shipments.
• Pressure: process lines, water/wastewater, oil/gas, vessels and barometric conditions.
• Voltage and current: electrical loads, process signals and power-related troubleshooting.

These measurements are captured using Track-It™ Data Loggers and the DataChart® 1250 Paperless Recorder. Continue reading for a better understanding.

Monitor – Track Data Over Time and Turn Measurements Into Insights

A single reading tells you how a machine is running right now. Monitoring tells you whether that is normal. When you track measurements continuously or at regular intervals, you can compare today’s readings with a known baseline, recognize trends and catch developing problems before they turn into failures.

How Monarch Instrument Devices Monitor:

Sense

A fixed Monarch Instrument sensor is mounted near the machine and aimed at a rotating target. It sends a pulse signal for every revolution or target pass. For vibration, readings are taken with the EXAMINER 1000 at set points on a regular route.

Display and Alert

An ACT Series Panel Tachometer turns the sensor signal into a live speed reading. It can trigger alarm relays and send analog or digital outputs to your control system if speed goes outside the limits you set.

Data Recording

The DataChart^® 1250 Paperless Recorder logs speed and process signals over time. Standalone Track-It™ Data Loggers record temperature, humidity, pressure, voltage or current wherever you place them, with no wiring needed.

Data Analysis

Download the data and compare it with normal operating conditions or earlier readings to identify changes, trends and potential issues. Track-It™ Data Logger Software is available as a free download.

Remote Speed Sensors

Monarch Instrument’s remote sensors provide continuous, non-contact pulse/speed measurement for panel meters, recorders, PLCs and other control equipment.

Sensor	Speed range	Best for
ROS Remote Optical LED Sensor	1–250,000 RPM	General-purpose applications in relatively clean environments. Reads reflective tape on the target up to 36” distances. Stainless steel housing with a green “on target” indicator.
ROLS Remote Optical Laser Sensor	1–250,000 RPM	Hard-to-reach targets. Works from up to 25 feet away and up to 70° off-angle, using a visible red laser.
IRS Infrared Sensor	1–999,999 RPM	High-speed applications. Senses light/dark contrast or beam interruption with no reflective tape, from 0.5 to 1 inch away.
SLS Smart Laser Sensor	1–500,000 RPM	Portable and temporary setups. Battery powered, it works up to 65 feet away with reflective tape or up to about 3 feet from contrasting targets.

Magnetic, inductive proximity and engine ignition sensors are also available for applications where optical sensing is not practical.

Panel Tachometers, Data Recorders and Data Loggers

• ACT Series Panel Tachometers (ACT-3X, ACT-1B): Programmable panel-mount and DIN-rail meters that show rate, totals and elapsed time. Options include alarm relays, 4–20 mA or 0–5 VDC analog outputs and RS232, USB or Ethernet communications. They work with all Monarch Instrument speed sensors.
• DataChart® 1250 Paperless Recorder: A two-channel recorder that accepts frequency/pulse, DC voltage and current, thermocouple and RTD inputs. It provides four alarm setpoints, two alarm relays and removable memory, plus optional Ethernet for remote access.
• Track-It™ Data Loggers: Compact, battery-powered loggers for temperature, temperature/humidity, pressure, and voltage/current. Display, USB and wireless RFID models are available.

Key Metrics to Monitor

Metric	What it can tell you	Monarch tools
Speed / RPM	Belt slip, drive or motor problems, overloads, and process rates that drift from setpoint.	Remote sensors, ACT tachometers, DataChart 1250
Vibration	Imbalance, misalignment, looseness, rubbing and bearing wear, often well before failure.	EXAMINER 1000
Temperature	Overheating bearings, motors and enclosures. Process and storage conditions are out of range.	Track-It loggers, DataChart 1250
Pressure, humidity and electrical signals	Process upsets, leaks, environmental changes and load or power issues.	Track-It loggers, DataChart 1250
Run time, counts and cycle rate	When machines run and stop, how much they produce, and whether they are keeping pace with target.	ACT tachometers (totalize and elapsed-time modes), DataChart 1250

Maintain – Measurement and Monitoring Exist For One Purpose and That is to Keep Your Equipment Running Reliably

Monarch Instrument products support two complementary maintenance strategies:

• Preventive maintenance follows a set schedule, such as inspecting, lubricating, adjusting or replacing parts at fixed intervals. Measurements taken during each visit confirm that the work was done correctly and the machine is running within specification.
• Predictive (condition-based) maintenance uses actual readings to decide when to act. Rather than replacing a part because the calendar says so, you repair it when speed, vibration or temperature data shows it is starting to fail.

Both strategies depend on accurate, repeatable data. With it, maintenance teams can spot developing problems, investigate unusual conditions and fix issues before they cause costly unplanned downtime.

The benefits of proactive maintenance:

• Prevent breakdowns: Find changes in equipment performance early, so problems can be investigated and fixed before they lead to failure.
• Reduce downtime: Knowing when and why performance changes lets teams plan repairs around production instead of reacting to stoppages.
• Extend equipment life: Regular measurements show excessive wear and harmful operating conditions before they cause lasting damage.
• Control maintenance costs: Planned maintenance is usually easier to manage and less expensive than emergency repairs, rush parts and lost production.
• Improve safety: Non-contact tools and fixed sensors let technicians take readings from a safe distance, without stopping equipment or reaching near moving parts.
• Improve reliability and quality: Decisions based on real equipment conditions, not assumptions, lead to steadier operation and more consistent products.

Example: A conveyor drive. A technician uses a PLT200 to confirm the conveyor drive is running at its rated speed (Measure). A ROS sensor and ACT-3X panel tachometer are then installed to display speed continuously and trigger an alarm if it drops below setpoint (Monitor). Weeks later, the alarm flags a gradual slowdown. A Nova-Pro stroboscope PdM inspection shows a glazed, slipping belt, which is replaced during a scheduled stop instead of failing mid-shift (Maintain).

A Continuous Cycle

Measure to understand what is happening.

Monitor to recognize changes and trends.

Maintain to keep equipment performing reliably.

Since 1977, Monarch Instrument has designed and built precision measurement instruments in Amherst, NH. Today, maintenance, reliability, quality and engineering professionals around the world use Monarch tachometers, stroboscopes, sensors, panel meters, recorders, vibration meters and data loggers to make better decisions about their equipment and processes.

With Monarch Instrument, you can measure what matters, monitor performance and maintain reliability.

Ready to put Measure • Monitor • Maintain to work in your facility? Browse our products or contact our applications team for help choosing the right tools for your equipment.