Identifying the earliest warning signs of an impending breakdown is one of the most effective methods for manufacturers to reduce downtime, improve maintenance efficacy and boost overall productivity. How can facilities detect these signs early enough to make a difference? They can accomplish this with electric motor condition sensors, which can closely track equipment performance and provide real-time alerts for even the smallest fluctuations in component functionality—early indicators that maintenance may be required soon. With this equipment, manufacturers can receive timely maintenance alerts, achieve lower failure rates and gain higher productivity.
How motor condition monitoring sensors work
Strategically placing sensors within and around machinery can provide operators and maintenance teams with a wealth of data. Motor condition monitoring sensors measure variables such as vibration, temperature, electrical current and speed. This data can be used to determine whether equipment is functioning normally or has fallen out of spec and may require servicing.
With the advent of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), these sensors are now capable of transmitting machine health data in real-time to centralized analysis platforms or maintenance dashboards. This provides manufacturers with up-to-the-minute information about the condition of their assets, and feeding that information into CMMS and other analytics tools makes it easier to plan predictive maintenance actions.
Here’s a quick rundown of a typical motor monitoring workflow and what happens at each stage:
Monitoring step | What happens |
Sensors collect data | Vibration, temperature, current, speed, or other motor signals are measured |
Baselines are established | Normal operating ranges are defined for the asset |
Data is transmitted | Sensor readings move to a dashboard, platform or analytics system |
Trends are analyzed | Abnormal changes are identified over time |
Alerts are generated | Maintenance teams are notified when risk increases |
Action is planned | Teams inspect, schedule repairs, verify parts or create work orders |
Results are documented | Findings help refine future thresholds and maintenance plans |
Applications across rotating equipment
Motor condition monitoring sensors are used for all types of rotating equipment, implementing detection practices such as motor vibration monitoring, temperature monitoring, current monitoring and more. A sensor-equipped motor health monitoring system can then help technicians investigate and address maintenance issues at low-impact times for the facility. Even the smallest fluctuations in the performance of motors can be a sign of defects, inefficiencies or even failures that would otherwise be difficult to notice. This enables teams to plan for condition-based maintenance interventions rather than waiting for regularly scheduled tasks.
Motor condition monitoring tools can be used for any type of equipment that uses motors, including:
- Pumps
- Compressors
- Fans
- Blowers
- Turbines
- Gearboxes
- Generators
- And more
Operational benefits of motor condition monitoring
Extended machinery life
By addressing maintenance issues before they lead to breakdowns, a motor condition monitoring system can help reduce or eliminate catastrophic failures—the type that produce massive and unplanned wear and tear on your equipment investments. By taking action when problems are just beginning, you can help extend equipment service life, prevent emergency replacements and lower your maintenance costs.
Reduced maintenance workload
Predictive maintenance is an effective supplement to scheduled preventive maintenance, but it also solves one of the primary inefficiencies of that tactic—namely, that with a preventive approach, maintenance issues are addressed only when they occur. In addition, predictive maintenance with motor condition monitoring facilitates early maintenance to solve potentially big problems, rather than the all-hands-on-deck scenarios that unplanned breakdowns often entail. Technicians’ work can be scheduled based on predictive alerts, streamlining their activities and improving efficiency.
Streamlined inventory management
Motor condition monitoring with sensors provides a wealth of data that, over time, can give you a deep level of insight into your actual maintenance needs. With this data on hand, you can forecast inventory needs more accurately and efficiently. This can help reduce the number of “just in case” parts collecting dust on your shelves while ensuring that the spares you need are there when you need them.
Consistent product quality
Sensors for motor condition monitoring are designed to detect even the smallest fluctuations in equipment performance—fluctuations that, even if they don’t lead to maintenance events, could lead to variance in part consistency and quality. By drawing on real-time and historical sensor data, your facility can fine-tune operations to increase quality levels, streamline QC and add value for customers.
Types of motor condition sensors
Some of the most common types of sensors used for motor condition monitoring include:
- Vibration sensors for detecting imbalance, misalignment and wear
- Temperature sensors to monitor heat from friction and poor lubrication
- Current sensors for tracking overloads or electrical inefficiencies
- Speed/rotation sensors that monitor performance consistency
Modern sensors of all types often come with wireless capabilities to enable remote access and integrate with IIoT systems.
Need help turning motor sensor data into predictive maintenance action? Talk to ATS about machine health monitoring and reliability support.
Industries served
Focused, yet flexible across multiple industries
Our MRO and outsourced industrial maintenance services focus on eight key industries across manufacturing. With this expertise on hand, we are ready to adapt to new industries, production assets and manufacturing environments. With over three decades of experience, we are uniquely equipped to address your manufacturing and maintenance challenges to improve operational productivity.
The ATS advantage with Reliability 360® Machine Health Monitoring
At ATS, we draw on our decades of experience in data- and technology-driven solutions to make every implementation as seamless and effective as possible for you. Our R360® Machine Health Monitoring was carefully designed to provide the biggest and fastest impact and return on your investment. Our team of condition monitoring experts will analyze the data collected from your machines and provide recommendations to the maintenance team, addressing potential motor failure before it occurs. This level of service can lead to fast improvements in uptime through our Reliability 360® Technology Center and a positive ROI.
Not all motor condition monitoring solutions are created equal. Learn more about the value Reliability 360® Machine Health Monitoring can bring to your operations below.
What's included? | Reliability 360® Machine Health Monitoring | Alternatives |
Custom Installation & Plant Assessment |  | |
Real-Time Continuous Equipment Monitoring | | |
Onboarding Program & Knowledge Base | | |
Analytics Dashboards & KPIs | | |
Customizable CMMS/ERP Integration | | |
US-Made Hardware & US Managed | | |
20+ Sensor Types | | |
Optional Maintenance & Parts Services | | |
Guaranteed ROI | | |
Protect against downtime
With motor condition monitoring sensors, manufacturers gain earlier visibility into potential equipment issues that can disrupt production. Tracking vibration, temperature, current draw, speed and other motor health indicators, maintenance teams can identify developing problems, plan corrective work and protect their critical assets. When paired with expert analysis and clear maintenance workflows, motor monitoring reduces downtime and enhances reliability.
Are you looking for a data-driven predictive maintenance program that gives you the insight and analytics to proactively reduce unplanned downtime? ATS can help. Contact us today.
