Equipment breakdowns (e.g. pumps, motors, fans etc.) can be many times more bothersome if they occur in hazardous locations, e.g. potentially explosive atmospheres. This is because the entire process usually needs to be shut down to avoid the possibility of an ATEX (explosive atmosphere) existing during the repair/replacement. Particularly if power tools are likely to be required. This is why it is often essential to use a system of condition-based maintenance (CBM) to avoid unplanned shutdowns.

Given the obvious benefits, the adoption of CBM should be something of a no-brainer. Historically though, the high cost and complexity of Ex certified CBM equipment was often seen as something of a hurdle, with it typically costing over £20,000 for a complex Ex vibration analyser.

But not anymore! These days, as little as £4,250 gets you a simple-to-use instrument, such as the TPI 9085Ex, capable of simultaneous vibration and temperature analysis and certified worldwide for Zone 0 usage with any gas type.

The significant benefit of Zone 0 certification is that you simply don’t have to think! That’s because Zone 0 devices can literally be used in any hazardous location. Usually there is a price to pay for this flexibility however, as Zone 0 devices are typically more expensive due to increased manufacturing costs (e.g. additional safety components and higher levels of redundancy). However, building on its reputation for high quality but affordable instruments, Test Products International (TPI) has achieved a significant Zone 0 cost breakthrough with the very affordable TPI 9085Ex vibration analyser.

The TPI 9085Ex combines on-meter diagnostics with the all-important ability to TREND readings over time to simplify condition-based maintenance (CBM). Certified for Zone 0 with IECEx, ATEX and North American approval, the TPI 9085Ex can be used in ANY hazardous location anywhere in the world.

The TPI 9085Ex offers on-meter analysis for the detection of machine faults such as unbalance, misalignment, looseness and bearing wear. With full colour OLED display and Bluetooth communications, the TPI 9085Ex features colour coded (e.g. traffic light) alarms and zoomable on-screen vibration frequency plots with cursor readout. It can store lists (routes) of up to 1000 machines, each with up to 10 measurement points, with full waveform and frequency spectrum (FFT) capture and transfer to the included PC-based software.

Additionally, the TPI 9085Ex with its uniquely designed sensor, SIMULTANEOUSLY and virtually INSTANTANEOUSLY captures both VIBRATION and TEMPERATURE readings. So, if the indicated level of bearing wear is high and it’s hot, then you can be sure that what you have is a worn bearing and not for example something like pump cavitation.

The TPI 9085Ex comes complete with the included C-Trend II PC-based trending and reporting software featuring all the high-end benefits to implement a full CBM strategy, including automatic email notification of alarms and report generation.  Routes and readings can also be transferred to/from the TPI 9085Ex via Bluetooth using a smart phone or tablet running the free TPI Cloud Bridge App. This allows service personnel to be sent routes and return readings over the Internet, no matter where they are in the world. 

For more information please contact TPI Europe’s head office on +44 1293 530196 or take a look on the website at www.tpieurope.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.