Skyler Brings Vibration Monitoring Back—After 20 Years of Silence
Case Study
The Challenge
At a remote peaker plant running four GE 7E gas turbines, starter motors had been operating sporadically and unpredictably for over 20 years. These powerful 800-horsepower motors rely on a Voith turbo torque converter to kickstart each turbine individually. Depending on demand, thestarters might run just once a month or multiple times a week, at any time, day or night.
Because of this irregular use and the quick cold-start to full-power ramp-up (in under 30 minutes), traditional route-based vibration checks simply weren‘t practical. No sensors meant no data and no way to detect early signs of failure.
The Solution
Skyler deployed wireless vibration sensors with auto-detect intermittent triggering, designed to activate only when the machines start. This innovation allowed for:
Continuous readiness, no wasted data collection
Dense, structured vibration data during every startup sequence
Real-time insights without requiring manual scheduling
Sensors were installed on both the motors and torque converters. From the very first start-up, the system began capturing high-quality vibration data—something the plant hadn’t seen in 20 years.
Irregular & intermittent turbine startup schedule reflected in vibration data collected.
The Result?
Sensors were installed on both the motors and torque converters.
From the very first start-up, the system began capturing
high-quality data—something the plant hadn’t seen in decades.
From the very first start-up, the system began capturing
high-quality data—something the plant hadn’t seen in decades.
These critical systems are now monitored with precision.
Skyler delivered actionable vibration data from day one,
detecting a major issue within a month. What was once invisible
is now fully monitored with Skyler.
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