Asset type
Archimedes screw monitoring
SAM4 monitors Archimedes screw pumps from the motor control cabinet — detecting bearing degradation, trough wear indicators, drive chain faults, and efficiency loss. Critical for preventing pollution events at wastewater inlet works.
At a glance
- Monitoring method
- Electrical Signature Analysis (ESA)
- Sensor location
- Motor control cabinet (MCC)
- Voltage
- Low voltage
- Drive type
- DOL, soft starter
- Equipment types
- Open and enclosed Archimedes screws
- Faults detected
- 5 fault types
- Typical lead time
- 2–10 weeks before failure
Why monitor Archimedes screws
"A screw failure at an inlet works means a pollution event"
Archimedes screws at wastewater inlet works are the first line of defence against overflow and pollution. When they fail, raw sewage bypasses screening and enters the river or coastal waters. These assets are hard to inspect — submerged, slow-turning, and often inaccessible. Continuous monitoring is the only reliable approach.
potential pollution fine per event — plus reputational damage and regulatory action.
continuous monitoring, no manual inspection needed — critical for safety-critical assets.
typical detection lead time — sufficient to plan replacement before failure.
What SAM4 detects on Archimedes screws
Five fault types from one sensor location
| Fault type | What's happening | How SAM4 detects it | Typical lead time | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearing degradation | Upper and lower bearing wear, raceway damage, lubrication breakdown | Characteristic bearing fault frequencies appear in the motor current spectrum | 4–10 weeks | Full |
| Trough wear | Screw-to-trough clearance increase from wear, affecting load path | Progressive load pattern changes as contact area shifts — deviation from baseline load signature | Weeks–months | Partial |
| Drive chain faults | Chain stretch, sprocket wear, misalignment, link failure | Characteristic chain frequencies in the current spectrum as teeth engagement changes | 2–8 weeks | Full |
| Efficiency loss | Wear-driven flow reduction, bearing friction increase, misalignment losses | Power consumption tracking relative to lift height and flow rate — continuous deviation analysis | Continuous | Full |
| Overload | Debris, sediment, or rags causing sustained load increase and motor strain | Motor current rise above baseline for the given head and flow conditions | Hours–days | Full |
Detection capability depends on drive topology, sampling rate, load variation, and operating conditions. See ESA detection constraints.
Installation on Archimedes screws
30 minutes. No screw access required.
Open the motor control cabinet
SAM4 installs at the MCC — the same panel your electricians already access. No confined space entry, no process disruption.
Clip sensor onto motor supply cables
Current and voltage sensors clip directly onto the existing cabling. No wiring changes. No interruption to the screw's operation.
Connect and commission
The SAM4 gateway connects via cellular (4G/LTE) — no dependency on your IT network. Monitoring starts immediately. First diagnostic results within 48 hours.
Energy monitoring
Not just fault detection. Energy optimisation too.
Worn screws and incorrect operating speeds waste significant energy at wastewater treatment works. SAM4 continuously tracks power consumption relative to lift height and flow, identifying efficiency losses from wear, misalignment, or operational changes.
Power vs. flow tracking
SAM4 continuously measures power draw relative to observed flow and lift height — enabling detection of wear-driven efficiency losses.
Efficiency deviation alerts
Automatic alerts when power consumption rises above baseline for the given operating conditions — indicating bearing friction or wear.
Speed optimisation
Data to support optimal operating speed decisions — backed by months of continuous power and flow data.
Where Archimedes screws are monitored
Industries using SAM4 on Archimedes screws
See SAM4 monitoring Archimedes screws
A 30-minute demo shows SAM4 running on inlet screws like yours — with real fault data and real early warning before failure.