Filter Monitoring for piFLOW®p and piFLOW®t – now fully integrated in the configurator

By combining real time condition monitoring with multifilter management, the new Filter Monitoring function helps production plants increase uptime, stabilize capacity and reduce energy consumption associated with clogged or poorly performing filters.

Intelligent monitoring for higher process reliability

The Filter Monitoring function continuously measures the differential pressure over the filter and learns a clean filter baseline during the first conveying cycles. Based on this, the system tracks performance over time and indicates when filters start to clog and need attention.

A clear, color-coded status indication on the ECU15 HMI guides operators:

• Black – baseline analysis for newly installed filters 
• Green – optimal performance and full production capacity 
• Orange – plan cleaning or filter change to avoid performance loss 
• Red – immediate cleaning or replacement required to prevent unplanned stops

This provides early, actionable warnings instead of late, reactive interventions when capacity has already dropped or a filter has cracked.

Designed for demanding, multi-material applications

The system can manage up to eight different filter presets in ECU‑15, each with its own baseline and threshold. This enables:

• Dedicated filter sets per material to avoid cross-contamination 
• Special handling of “troublesome” materials that clog more quickly 
• Tracking of conveying cycles, filter shocks and cleaning events per filter set

Filter baselines and warning levels are easy to adapt to process needs, helping users finetune performance for different products, recipes or lines.

Clear benefits for production, maintenance and energy use

By making filter behavior visible and predictable, the new function helps users to:

• Increase production stability and capacity by ensuring filters perform optimally throughout their service life 
• Reduce energy consumption, since clean filters require less energy than clogged ones to achieve the same performance
• Minimize unplanned downtime by replacing emergency filter-related stops with scheduled maintenance 
  Strengthen operator awareness of filter condition and its impact on the process

In short, Filter Monitoring turns filters from a “hidden” wear part into a monitored, managed asset in the conveying system, enabling preventive maintenance. 

Seamless configuration in piFLOW®p and piFLOW®t

Filter Monitoring is initially available for core product lines in the piFLOW®p (3, 7, 14, 33 and 56 L) and piFLOW®t families, including versions with and without piGENTLE®. It supports both ejector pumps and – for piFLOW®p – electromechanical pumps.

When configuring a conveyor, users can simply:

1. Select the desired piFLOW®p or piFLOW®t model and size.
2. Choose Filter Monitoring in the configurator under the pre-settings.
3. Complete the configuration as usual; ECU15 with the appropriate software is included automatically when Filter Monitoring is selected.

The launch is supported by updated control hardware and software, as well as an intuitive HMI design on ECU15, ensuring that the advanced monitoring remains easy to use for operators and maintenance personnel.

For more information about Filter Monitoring, piFLOW® vacuum conveyors and ECU15, please contact your local Piab representative. Configure your piFLOW® with filter monitoring today!