[Tutorial] : Predictive Vehicle Maintenance Using Sensors and FAVORIOT

🎯 Objective

Implement a system that utilizes temperature and vibration sensors in vehicles. The collected data is uploaded to the FAVORIOT IoT platform, where it’s analyzed to detect damage patterns and schedule proactive maintenance.

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🧰 Hardware Components

1. ESP8266 NodeMCU (for WiFi connectivity and microcontroller functionality)
2. LM35 or DS18B20 Temperature Sensor
3. SW-420 or GY-521 (with MPU6050) Vibration Sensor
4. Jumper wires & Breadboard
5. USB Cable for programming

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🌐 FAVORIOT Platform Setup

1. Register/Login at https://platform.favoriot.com.
2. Navigate to Developer > IoT Devices.
3. Click on + Add Device and fill in the required details:
   • Device Name: e.g., VehicleSensorNode
   • Device Developer ID: e.g., vehicle_sensor_node
   • Description: e.g., Vehicle sensor node for predictive maintenance
   • Template: Select Custom
4. After creating the device, copy the Access Token provided. This token will be used for authenticating API requests from your hardware.

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🧪 Wiring Diagram

LM35 Temperature Sensor

• VCC → 3.3V
• GND → GND
• OUT → A0

SW-420 Vibration Sensor

• VCC → 3.3V
• GND → GND
• D0 → D1 (GPIO5)

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📟 Arduino Source Code

Ensure you have the necessary libraries installed in your Arduino IDE.

#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <ESP8266HTTPClient.h>

// Replace with your network credentials
const char* ssid = "Your_SSID";
const char* password = "Your_PASSWORD";

// FAVORIOT settings
const char* serverName = "https://apiv2.favoriot.com/v2/streams";
const char* accessToken = "Your_DEVICE_ACCESS_TOKEN"; // Use the Access Token from FAVORIOT

#define TEMP_SENSOR A0
#define VIBRATION_SENSOR D1

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  pinMode(VIBRATION_SENSOR, INPUT);
  
  // Connect to Wi-Fi
  WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {
    delay(1000);
    Serial.println("Connecting to WiFi...");
  }
  Serial.println("Connected to WiFi");
}

void loop() {
  // Read temperature from LM35
  int tempReading = analogRead(TEMP_SENSOR);
  float voltage = tempReading * (3.3 / 1024.0);
  float temperature = voltage * 100.0; // LM35 outputs 10mV per degree Celsius

  // Read vibration sensor state
  int vibrationState = digitalRead(VIBRATION_SENSOR); // 1 = no vibration, 0 = vibration detected

  // Prepare JSON payload
  String jsonPayload = "{";
  jsonPayload += "\"device_developer_id\": \"vehicle_sensor_node\",";
  jsonPayload += "\"data\": {";
  jsonPayload += "\"temperature\": \"" + String(temperature) + "\",";
  jsonPayload += "\"vibration\": \"" + String(vibrationState) + "\"";
  jsonPayload += "}}";

  // Send data to FAVORIOT
  if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) {
    HTTPClient http;
    http.begin(serverName);
    http.addHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
    http.addHeader("accessToken", accessToken); // Use 'accessToken' as the header key

    int httpResponseCode = http.POST(jsonPayload);
    if (httpResponseCode > 0) {
      String response = http.getString();
      Serial.println("Response: " + response);
    } else {
      Serial.println("Error in HTTP POST: " + String(httpResponseCode));
    }
    http.end();
  } else {
    Serial.println("WiFi Disconnected");
  }

  delay(15000); // Send data every 15 seconds
}

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📊 Visualizing Data on FAVORIOT Dashboard

1. Access Data Streams:
   • Navigate to Data Streams > My Data Stream to view incoming data from your device.
2. Create Dashboard:
   • Go to Dashboard > My Dashboard.
   • Click on + Create Dashboard and provide a name and description.
3. Add Widgets:
   • Within your dashboard, click on + Widget to add visual components:
     • Line Chart: Plot temperature over time.
     • Gauge: Display real-time temperature.
     • Indicator: Show vibration status (e.g., Normal or Alert).

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📈 Analyzing Data for Predictive Maintenance

• Vibration Analysis:
  • Continuous readings of vibration = 0 may indicate abnormal vibrations or potential mechanical issues.
• Temperature Monitoring:
  • Consistently high temperatures (e.g., above 80°C) can signal overheating components.

By setting up Rules in FAVORIOT, you can trigger alerts or notifications when certain thresholds are crossed, facilitating proactive maintenance.

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🚀 Further Enhancements

• GPS Integration: Add a GPS module to log the vehicle’s location alongside sensor data.
• Machine Learning: Utilize historical data to train models that predict failures before they occur.
• Notifications: Integrate with messaging services to send real-time alerts to maintenance teams.

References

• Favoriot Platform Registration (FREE and Paid)
• Favoriot Full Documentation (Official)
• Favoriot Github
• How-To Use Favoriot Platform Video Playlist

Disclaimer

This article provides a step-by-step guide and only serves as a guideline. The source code may need adjustments to fit the final project design.

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Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance setting up your predictive maintenance system using FAVORIOT.

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