Background
In this case study, Eastway’s online condition monitoring Safeguard® System detected motor bearing deterioration in an AHU, saving €360–540k at a sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing site in Ireland. The plant adopted the Eastway Safeguard® System in 2023 to enhance equipment reliability and ensure continuous monitoring of both high and medium-criticality assets, including Air Handling Units (AHUs). By implementing this cutting-edge technology, the facility aims to minimize downtime, optimize production, and prevent unexpected failures.
Early detection allowed for repair planning during a scheduled shutdown, ensuring maintenance was carried out during planned downtime rather than causing unexpected disruptions. The advance notice provided by the system enabled the plant to arrange necessary parts, components, and resources in advance, further improving efficiency and reducing operational risks.
Beyond technology adoption, the plant maintains a proactive maintenance strategy, with a dedicated team working closely with Eastway. This collaboration ensures seamless communication, timely interventions, and regular asset condition feedback, reinforcing the plant’s commitment to best-in-class maintenance standards.
Case description
In January 2025, high vibration values, both in velocity (mm/s RMS) and acceleration (g’ RMS), were detected above warning and alarm levels across the air handling unit motor test points through the Eastway Safeguard® System. Refer to Figure 1 and 2 for the acceleration and velocity trends of AHU motor non-drive end, from December 2024 to February 2025, showing this increasing trend.
Figure 1. Acceleration (g’ RMS) trend from motor non-drive end test point.
Figure 2. Velocity (mm/s RMS) trend from motor non-drive end test point.
Analysis & Recommended Action
The Eastway remote monitoring team conducted a detailed analysis of the motor’s vibration data, examining FFT spectra (Fast Fourier Transform) and time waveform signatures. The findings indicated early signs of bearing deterioration, including non-synchronous frequencies and an increased noise floor as shown in Figure 4. Based on this analysis, it was recommended to replace the motor bearings during the next downtime.
Figure 3. Acceleration (g’ RMS) FFT spectra at the Motor non-drive end test point showing frequencies related to bearings deterioration
Action Taken
Following Eastway’s recommendation, the site maintenance team scheduled a downtime window for the AHU motor. They installed a spare motor while the original was sent to the workshop for inspection and repair. As a result, the vibration trend dropped significantly, and the unit’s condition is now satisfactory, see Figure 4.
Figure 4. Acceleration (g’ RMS) trend from motor drive end test point.
Results
Using online condition monitoring to detect motor bearing deterioration in AHUs has reduced downtime and maintenance costs while improving production efficiency, by addressing potential issues early. Close collaboration between the maintenance team and Eastway ensured effective monitoring and timely interventions, allowing for the successful replacement of the AHU motor within a scheduled downtime window.
The importance of predictive maintenance is highlighted in Table 1, as it enabled the early detection of motor bearing deterioration before it reached a critical level. This proactive approach allowed for necessary corrections before costly system failures occurred, eliminated distressed inventory costs, avoided the need for specialized lifting equipment and scaffolding, and facilitated effective planning during shutdowns, thus maintaining seamless operations.
Table 1. Estimated cost savings
