Successful Collaboration Enables Condition-Based Maintenance

For Gomero, condition-based maintenance is about solving concrete problems in the everyday operations of the energy sector. The goal is to provide grid companies with better decision-making support and reduce dependence on scheduled and often resource-intensive field operations. In this work, the collaboration with Trafag and their Swedish representative Regal plays an important role.

Gomero's solutions are based on collecting and analyzing data from substations and other critical infrastructure. With the help of sensors, analysis, and AI, deviations can be detected early, such as micro-leakage of insulating gases like SF6. The information is collected and analyzed in Gomero's platform SIPP, where data is transformed into practically useful decision-making support for operations and maintenance.

For customers, this means fewer emergency interventions, lower maintenance costs, and increased reliability.

"Our starting point is always how the solution will work in customers' daily operations. Good technology alone is not enough; the complete solution must work," says Malin Giselsson, CTO at Gomero.

When Gomero selected sensors for monitoring SF6 and other gases, the requirements were clear. The measurements must be stable over time and function in demanding environments, often without the possibility of frequent service or calibration. The choice fell on Trafag, which was already an established name among several of Gomero's customers.

"That Trafag was recommended by our customers gave us strong confidence from the start. They have extensive experience and sensors that maintain the quality we need," says Malin Giselsson.

For Gomero, reliability is crucial. Small changes in gas density can be early signs of leakage, but only if the measurement values are truly reliable.

"If a deviating value is due to sensor drift instead of an actual leakage, the entire solution loses its value. Stability is a prerequisite for being able to work data-driven," she says.

An important part of the collaboration is Regal, which represents Trafag in Sweden. Their role has been to contribute technical expertise and practical understanding of how installations work in reality.

"Through Regal, we have received a lot of support, both technically and in the dialogue around installations. They have helped us understand the conditions for different makes and models, which has been crucial for making the solution work in practice," continues Malin Giselsson.

In our retrofit projects, where monitoring sensors are installed in existing facilities with varying technical and physical conditions, the local knowledge has made it possible to adapt the solutions without increasing complexity for the customer.

Gomero's role in the collaboration is to analyze and transform sensor data into decision-making support. Gas pressure is affected by many factors, such as temperature, weather conditions, and how often the equipment is used. To distinguish actual leakage from natural variations, analysis that takes the whole picture into account is required.

"Sensor values alone don't tell the whole story. We filter out natural variations and use algorithms to identify the deviations that are actually relevant," says Malin Giselsson.

Since Trafag's sensors measure both temperature and density, Gomero can adapt the calculations centrally in its platform, depending on which gas or gas mixture is used. This makes the solution flexible and scalable, while installations in the field can be kept simple.

The collaboration between Gomero, Trafag, and Regal is built on clear roles. Trafag provides the sensor technology, Regal provides local expertise and installation support, and Gomero provides analysis, system support, and decision-making support.

"It's the combination that makes the solution work over time. When all parts come together, we can deliver something that is actually used and creates real value for the customer," says Malin Giselsson.

As requirements for operational reliability, cost control, and reduced environmental impact increase, not least related to the use and emissions of SF6, condition-based maintenance becomes increasingly important. Gomero's experience is that it is in the interplay between technology, analysis, and practical application that value is created.