Case Study: MSO Technologies and a utilities provider save $400M with NI-based condition monitoring

Saving $400M Through Condition-Based Maintenance​

The utility provider MSO Technologies faced the challenge of moving from a reactive to a proactive maintenance model for its thousands of circuit breakers. They required a robust, cost-effective monitoring solution to capture critical performance data, reduce unexpected failures, and manage regulatory compliance without excessive on-site crew visits.

National Instruments, in collaboration with Cyth Systems, implemented a solution using NI Single-Board RIO hardware and LabVIEW FPGA. This provided two form factors for monitoring: portable analyzers for maintenance crews and permanently installed online monitors that automatically log and report breaker events. The implementation is on track to save the utility over $400 million in maintenance costs over 20 years, extend circuit breaker life by up to three years, and dramatically reduce compliance management costs.