The advent of unattended sensor technologies has placed a particular challenge on data communication for machine surveillance monitoring. This challenge is magnified when mobile equipment and large geographic territories are involved. The use of satellite communications has recently been applied in an extensive condition-based maintenance program for a large fleet of railroad maintenance equipment. The satellite communications. are a part of an integrated system of sensor, software and communications technologies.

This paper describes the selection and application of sensors for the real-time monitoring of contamination in hydraulic fluid and engine oil. Also discussed will be onboard data collection electronics, onboard satellite transmission hardware and knowledge-based data analysis and exception reporting. The paper will be presented as a case study, and is believed to be the first of its kind for condition-based maintenance employing satellite communications technology.

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