Background
In this case study, the Eastway Safeguard® System successfully detected a sudden motor bearing fault in an Air Handling Unit (AHU), helping a global pharmaceutical company in Ireland to avoid an estimated €88,000 in potential downtime and repair costs.
Since 2024, the site has been using Eastway’s advanced online condition monitoring solutions to continuously track the performance of both medium- and high-criticality assets, including AHUs. The company also benefits from Eastway’s regular on-site vibration analysis and steam trap surveys as part of a wider asset reliability strategy.
The integration of the Eastway Safeguard® System on the AHUs represents a key step in the facility’s move toward world-class maintenance practices. With Eastway Safeguard® System in place, the plant has focused on minimizing unplanned downtime, boosting operational efficiency, and improving long-term asset reliability.
The plant’s maintenance team works in close partnership with Eastway, maintaining clear communication and sharing ongoing feedback to ensure reliable performance across critical assets.
Case description
In March 2025, the Eastway Safeguard® System detected a significant increase in vibration levels on the AHU motor. Both velocity (mm/s RMS) and acceleration (g’ RMS) values went above the warning and alarm limits. Figure 1 shows the acceleration trend at the motor non-drive end of the AHU from December 2024 to March 2025, where the increase can be clearly seen.
Figure 1. Acceleration (g’ RMS) trend from motor non-drive end test point.
Analysis & Recommended Action
Vibration analysis by the Eastway remote monitoring team revealed a clear increase in high-frequency content and overall amplitude, indicating progressive motor bearing deterioration. Figure 2 shows a comparison between March and April 2025 FFT spectra, with the April reading displaying significantly elevated broadband noise (1,000–5,000 Hz) and non-synchronous peaks related to bearing fault frequencies. Based on the analysis, it was recommended to plan for the replacement of the motor bearings as soon as possible.
Figure 2. Comparison of acceleration (g RMS) FFT spectra at the motor drive-end test point, showing a significant increase in the noise floor over time.
Action Taken
Following Eastway’s recommendation, the site maintenance team scheduled a downtime window to inspect and service the AHU motor. The motor bearings were replaced, and upon inspection, signs of advanced wear were confirmed. Upon RCA the damage was attributed to low lubrication, which had caused increased friction and accelerated bearing wear. Figure 3 shows the acceleration (g’ RMS) trend, clearly showing a significant drop in vibration levels following the bearing replacement, confirming the effectiveness of the corrective actions.
Figure 3. Acceleration (g’ RMS) trend from motor drive end test point.
Results
The implementation of the Eastway Safeguard® System allowed the plant to detect a sudden motor bearing fault in the AHU before it led to an unplanned failure. Although the issue was unexpected, the system provided enough warning to act quickly, helping reduce downtime, avoid additional maintenance costs, and keep production running smoothly. Effective collaboration between the maintenance team and Eastway ensured fast response and successful replacement of the AHU motor during a scheduled downtime.
Table 1 highlights the importance of having predictive maintenance in place, not only for early fault detection, but also for identifying sudden issues in time to prevent costly system failures and maintain operational continuity.
Table 1. Estimated cost savings
