Condition-Based Monitoring (CBM): Complete Guide

Published on

June 10, 2025

This technology leverages advanced sensors and monitoring devices to collect real-time data on equipment performance. By employing algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, it identifies patterns and anomalies that indicate potential maintenance needs.

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This innovative approach eliminates the inefficiencies of traditional fixed-schedule maintenance and the high costs associated with reactive, breakdown-triggered repairs.

What is condition-based maintenance?

Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) is a maintenance strategy that uses information about the condition of equipment to determine when maintenance is needed.

The goal of condition-based maintenance is to prevent functional failures or a significant decrease in performance by detecting deviations from normal operating conditions, diagnosing developing failures, and predicting the future condition of equipment. Condition-based maintenance is considered a type of preventative maintenance.

Key aspects of Condition-Based Monitoring

It revolves around monitoring real-time data to ensure equipment reliability and performance. By focusing on the actual condition of assets, condition-based maintenance allows for targeted maintenance actions, avoiding unnecessary interventions and extending equipment lifespan.

Monitoring Equipment Condition

Condition-based maintenance involves regularly checking the condition of machines and looking for changes in collected data. This can include various types of data, not just vibration.

Data Collection and Analysis

Relevant data is collected and analysed to make informed maintenance decisions. This can involve a variety of techniques and technologies.

Maintenance Decisions

Condition-based maintenance recommends maintenance decisions based on the information gathered from condition monitoring. This includes deciding whether to inspect, repair, or replace equipment.

Prognostics and Diagnostics

condition-based maintenance uses diagnostics to detect, isolate and identify failures, and prognostics to predict failures before they occur. This helps in scheduling interventions in advance.

Understanding these key aspects is essential for leveraging condition-based maintenance effectively, helping businesses achieve optimal operational efficiency and reduced maintenance costs.

Condition-Based Maintenance vs Other Maintenance Strategies

Comparing condition-based maintenance with traditional strategies like reactive and preventive maintenance reveals how condition-based maintenance offers a more precise, data-driven approach.

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Each method has its strengths, but condition-based maintenance bridges the gap between cost-efficiency and reliability:

Reactive Maintenance: Condition-based maintenance aims to prevent unexpected failures, unlike reactive maintenance, which only addresses problems after they occur.
Preventive Maintenance: Unlike preventative maintenance which is time-based, condition-based maintenance is based on the actual condition of the equipment. This means maintenance is only performed when a defect is detected.
Predictive Maintenance: Condition-based maintenance is often used synonymously with predictive maintenance, which focuses on using data to predict when maintenance will be required.
Proactive Maintenance: Condition-based maintenance can be part of a broader proactive maintenance approach where experience is used to improve maintenance activities.

Benefits of condition-based maintenance

Condition-Based Maintenance delivers numerous benefits, from reducing downtime and extending equipment life to optimising maintenance costs and improving safety. Its proactive nature helps businesses stay ahead of potential failures.

Cost Savings

By preventing breakdowns, condition-based maintenance helps in keeping downtime to a minimum and maximising uptime, which translates to cost savings. It also allows for better planning of repairs, ensuring the correct tools and materials are available, and helps in planning for personnel.

Improved Planning and Scheduling

Condition-based maintenance enables better planning and scheduling by identifying defects early, allowing the maintenance process to proceed smoothly without the need for rushed interventions.

Better Root Cause Analysis

Condition-based maintenance provides detailed information about the nature and cause of defects, enhancing the effectiveness of the root cause analysis process:

Reduced Downtime: Condition-based maintenance helps avoid unexpected production stops and reduces downtime by allowing for planned maintenance.
Increased Efficiency: Machines run more efficiently and can extend their useful life through condition-based maintenance.
Optimised Spare Parts: Condition-based maintenance allows for optimisation of spare parts inventory.
Reduced Unnecessary Maintenance: Condition-based maintenance avoids unnecessary maintenance by only performing it when a defect is detected, saving resources.

Condition-Based Maintenance Process

The condition-based maintenance process is a systematic approach that begins with data collection and ends with actionable insights to prevent equipment failures. It integrates condition monitoring, data analysis, and maintenance planning into a cohesive framework.

The process can be generally described as follows:

Data Acquisition: Collecting data using various monitoring technologies.
Data Processing: Analysing the collected data to extract useful information.
Maintenance Decision-Making: Deciding on the appropriate maintenance action based on the processed data.
Detection: Identifying trends or changes in data that indicate a potential issue.
Analysis: Analysing the problem to determine its nature and cause.
Correction: Carrying out the necessary repair or maintenance action.
Verification: Confirming that the repair has fixed the problem.

Condition Monitoring Technologies

Condition monitoring technologies are the backbone of condition-based maintenance, encompassing tools like vibration analysis, infrared thermography, and ultrasonic testing. These technologies enable real-time data collection to assess equipment health accurately.

Condition-based maintenance uses various technologies to monitor equipment condition, including:

Vibration Analysis: This is the most powerful method for detecting defects in rotating equipment. It involves analysing the vibration signature of machinery. Vibration analysis is useful for identifying issues such as unbalance, misalignment and bearing faults.
Infrared Thermography: This technique detects changes in temperature and is useful for identifying electrical and mechanical issues.
Oil Analysis: Oil analysis checks for contamination levels or how additives are reacting. It looks for wear particles, contaminants, and other indicators of machine health.
Ultrasound and Acoustic Emission: These technologies listen to the noise levels of equipment to detect anomalies. It can be used to detect leaks, friction, and electrical discharges.
Motor Current Analysis (MCA): Used to analyse electrical signals in motors to identify electrical faults, or mechanical problems caused by electrical issues.
Electrical Signature Analysis (ESA): An online method of analysing electrical signals while the machine is operating to identify developing faults.
Visual Inspections: Simple observations using human senses to detect obvious issues like leaks, worn parts or unusual noises.
Process parameter monitoring: Measuring parameters such as pressure, temperature and flow to detect equipment issues.

Implementation of condition-based maintenance

Implementing Condition-Based Maintenance (condition-based maintenance) requires a well-planned strategy, including selecting appropriate technologies, training personnel, and integrating condition-based maintenance systems into existing workflows:

Selecting components, failure modes and parameters to be monitored
Identifying the causes and symptoms of the failure modes
Linking monitored parameters to failure modes
Installing the appropriate measuring techniques and technologies for data acquisition and transmission
Defining the data collection frequency
Selecting methods and software for data analysis
Setting warning limits for monitored parameters
Defining methods and tools to support maintenance
Consider both technical and financial issues.
Ensure proper communication between all departments involved.
Establish clear roles and responsibilities.
Provide adequate training and qualifications for personnel.
Use a structured approach for selecting condition-based maintenance techniques.
Utilise a database for collating data.
Review and adjust alarm levels regularly.
Record all failures.
Compare vibration data on similar machines.
Use historical data to set alarms.

Challenges of condition-based maintenance

While condition-based maintenance offers significant advantages, it also comes with challenges such as high upfront costs, the complexity of data integration, and the need for specialised expertise to interpret results effectively:

Cost: Implementing condition-based maintenance can be expensive, as it involves purchasing monitoring equipment and software.
Complexity: Condition-based maintenance can be complex to manage due to the large amounts of data involved.
Culture and Management Buy-In: Some organisations may face resistance to adopting condition-based maintenance due to existing practices.
Data Interpretation: Condition-based maintenance requires careful and accurate interpretation of the data.
Information Overload: Selecting the right data to use for decision making is crucial to avoid information overload.

Software for condition-based maintenance

Software solutions play a vital role in Condition-Based Maintenance, providing platforms for data analysis, visualisation, and predictive insights. Advanced condition-based maintenance software integrates seamlessly with sensors and monitoring devices to deliver actionable intelligence:

Database systems are used to record and organise data.
Trend software is used for recording data and setting alarms.
Some software can automatically wrap spectrum data in alarms.

By choosing the right software for condition-based maintenance, businesses can enhance their maintenance strategies, leveraging data-driven insights to achieve improved asset reliability and operational efficiency.

To Sum It All Up

In conclusion, Condition-Based Maintenance is a proactive approach that uses various technologies to monitor equipment condition, enabling timely maintenance actions, reducing downtime, and lowering costs. It is a valuable addition to any comprehensive maintenance program for critical equipment.

With thermal imaging playing a vital role, partnering with a trusted supplier is essential. Inframatrix offers advanced thermal imaging solutions in Malaysia, helping businesses enhance their condition-based maintenance strategies for better efficiency and reliability. Reach out to them for expert guidance and tailored solutions.