IoT Busbar Monitoring: 4-Year Battery Life, 110kV Coverage (Leading Building Materials Company)

@Faclon Team

November 14, 2025

2min read

About the Company

A leading building materials company with $40 billion market cap as of 2024, operating over 65 plant locations and managing 3,952 USBs across multiple regions. The organization specializes in scientifically engineered products tailored for modern construction and holds a leading market position in cement manufacturing output with 35%+ contribution to regional cement sales. With over 22,000+ actively employed personnel, the company focuses on implementing cutting-edge technologies to enhance operational reliability and safety while maintaining its leadership position in the construction materials industry.

Problem Statement

Critical operational challenges threatening manufacturing efficiency

Manual inspection hazards Personnel conducting thermography inspections face safety risks from electrical shock especially in high voltage areas up to 110kV requiring specialized safety protocols
Incomplete coverage limitations Time-consuming manual inspections covering extensive plant areas leading to incomplete assessments and delayed identification of critical thermal issues
Environmental degradation risks Busbars prone to corrosion and degradation in harsh cement plant environments with dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures affecting operational reliability
Costly failure consequences Busbar failures can lead to fire hazards, unplanned downtimes, and expensive emergency repairs disrupting critical power distribution systems
Limited monitoring frequency Intermittent manual thermography unable to detect thermal anomalies occurring between scheduled inspection periods missing critical failure indicators
Asset reliability challenges Need for continuous monitoring of critical RYB busbar joints across multiple voltage levels from 415V to 33kV for proactive maintenance planning

How Faclon Solved the Problem

I/O Sense Platform: Comprehensive Industry 4.0 deployment for energy management and process optimization

Continuous Monitoring

Deployed real-time temperature monitoring solution across 47 critical RYB busbar joints spanning 6 equipment types including coal mill drives, main incomers, and distribution transformers

Flameproof Sensor Design

Implemented flameproof silicon sensor straps housing temperature sensors and non-explosive Lithium-Magnesium batteries capable of handling up to 110kV busbar voltages

Extended Battery Life

Engineered sensors with replaceable battery life up to 4 years in harsh environments (70°C to 100°C) and 7 years at room temperature ensuring minimal maintenance requirements

Scalable Wireless Architecture

Established network where each receiver connects up to 27 sensor straps monitoring 9 RYB joints via radio signals with up to 10 receivers per IoT gateway

Multi-Voltage Coverage

Configured monitoring across complete voltage range from 415V-690V (cooler fans, silo elevators) to 11kV-33kV (coal mill drives, main incomers) ensuring comprehensive protection

Platform Integration

Connected all monitoring points through I/O Sense platform with dynamic SLDs, temperature trending, alert systems, and direct Excel/CSV data export capabilities

The Outcome

Comprehensive results across operational efficiency

110kV voltage capability

Successfully implemented monitoring solution capable of handling extreme high-voltage busbar applications ensuring comprehensive electrical system coverage

4-year battery operational life

Achieved extended sensor operation in harsh cement plant environments (up to 100°C) with minimal maintenance intervention requirements

47 critical joints monitored

Complete coverage across 2 plants monitoring all critical RYB busbar connections for coal mill drives, main incomers, distribution transformers, and crushing equipment

Proactive fault detection success

Real-time identification of R-phase distribution transformer busbar overheating enabling timely repairs before catastrophic failure occurrence

Enhanced safety achievement

Eliminated need for personnel exposure to high-voltage electrical hazards during manual thermography inspections reducing workplace safety risks

Operational efficiency improvement

Continuous 24/7 monitoring replacing intermittent manual inspections with instant temperature alerts and comprehensive historical trend analysis

Behind the Scenes

Advanced technical implementation and strategic deployment considerations

Sensor technology specification

Flameproof silicon sensor straps with aluminum plate temperature sensors and non-explosive Lithium-Magnesium batteries designed for extreme industrial environments

Wireless network topology

Radio frequency communication enabling each base receiver to connect up to 27 sensor straps with scalable architecture supporting up to 10 receivers per ST-series IoT gateway

Multi-connectivity options

IoT gateways transmitting data via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or 4G connectivity with local data storage capability during network outages ensuring continuous operation

Equipment coverage strategy

Strategic deployment across critical assets including coal mill main drives (11kV-33kV), distribution transformers (6.6kV-11kV), crusher HT motors (3.3kV-6.6kV), and auxiliary equipment

Platform analytics capabilities

Dynamic SLD visualization with temperature trending, customizable alert thresholds, historical data analysis, and direct Excel/CSV export functionality for maintenance planning

Modbus integration architecture

RS485 loop connectivity enabling seamless integration with existing plant control systems and enterprise maintenance management platforms for comprehensive asset monitoring

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