News

Dec 06, 2023

KBL launches IoT

Pune-based Kirloskar Brothers (KBL), a world-class pump manufacturing company

Pune-based Kirloskar Brothers (KBL), a world-class pump manufacturing company with proficiency in engineering and fluid management systems, has introduced an advanced version of its signature IoT (Internet of Things) – based pump monitoring system- KirloSmart. Continuing its trend of setting a new benchmark in engineering excellence and using technology for customer convenience, the advanced version of KirloSmart is set to further strengthen the first mover advantage to the company. KBL claims to be the first company to commercially launch this solution in 2016 in India after using it in-house at the Kirloskarvadi factory since 2010.

KirloSmart is a unique hardware-software technology developed by KBL that enables the user to remotely monitor and troubleshoot the pump on a real-time basis without any manual intervention, predict and take corrective measures to prevent any breakdown, and ensure the pump gives optimal performance. This is achieved by transmitting the pump's analytical field parameters or operational behaviour on KBL's web-based portal and interactive mobile application. In terms of data security, the cloud services are SOC (System and Organisation Controls) compliant.

The KirloSmart technology with built-in analytics and spare management modules can generate alerts for the probable causes leading to the failure of the pump. Thus, a KirloSmart-enabled system helps the user in monitoring the pump health by appropriately sensing the critical health parameters of the pump. It also helps users in quick diagnostic and resolution of issues. KirloSmart can send alerts and notifications through SMS, email, and mobile push notifications.

Highlighting the new offerings, Alok Kirloskar, Member of the Board of Directors at Kirloskar Brothers and Managing Director-SPP Pumps said, "The advanced version of KirloSmart has new additional features like enhanced web application and mobile app with user-friendly next generation UI/UX and easy navigation. This is more interactive and has an enhanced speed. It comes with multiple screen options to show various parameter dials and mimic or process diagrams with sensor data. KirloSmart tracks the overall performance of the pump and notifies the user of any degradation in the efficiency or performance."

"Also, our team of experts at the back-end suggests to customers the correction measures to bring the performance on the track. This way, the solution helps save electricity cost, prevents pump shutdown, and helps increase the life of pumps," Kirloskar added.

Energy efficiency is a key concern in the Indian industrial sector as a quarter of the energy consumed by industrial motors is used by pumps. It is estimated that around 75 per cent of pump systems in India are oversized, many by more than 20 per cent. Further, electricity costs account for 40 per cent of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a pump.

The advanced KirloSmart allows the customer to see multiple trends on a single screen and provides interactive help in troubleshooting. It offers documentation of weekly reports with trends, observations, and recommendations, and gives the customer access to the pump installation and operating manual, catalogue, pump datasheet among other data.

In yet another benefit, the enhanced hardware used in KirloSmart is both 4G and 5G compatible. It offers excellent wireless solutions for hazardous areas and has battery-operated wireless sensors with ATEX/IECEx and PESO certifications. With its advanced features, reliability, and compliance to safety norms, the new version of KirloSmart is set to add more value to users.

KBL's KirloSmart is made to work satisfactorily in the Indian weather conditions and challenging scenarios like rural areas with low or limited bandwidth connectivity. This system also offers users the flexibility to use multiple units with a single SIM card.