The availability of machines and plants is a basic prerequisite for productivity in the glass industry. In order to avoid unscheduled downtimes, possible sources of error must be detected at an early stage. Mechanical wear in gearboxes or motors, especially in the bearings they contain, is often the cause of failure.   
There are different strategies to prevent a failure. In the case of pre-determined maintenance, a repair is carried out at periodic intervals, irrespective of the wear condition of the components. In the case of conditionbased maintenance, an inspection is first carried out and, if necessary, components are replaced or repaired. However, this leads to increased costs due to inspections, some of which are costly. 
An alternative is predictive maintenance using a condition monitoring system. Mechanical condition data is recorded via sensors and the next maintenance date is determined on the basis of this data.

The Condition Monitoring System SIPLUS CMS permanently records and analyses mechanical parameters of machines, integrates them into the automation and provides decision support for maintenance personnel, operators and management. The open system architecture and the efficient interaction of all automation components through Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) enables plant-wide condition monitoring of mechanical components across all levels.  
In this way, control stations always have the current states of the individual components at their disposal. In the event of anomalies, for example, it is possible to estimate how long safe operation will still be possible. Conversely, anomalies in a glass system can be directly compared with the condition of the components. From this it can be concluded whether a changed vibration behavior indicates a defective bearing. 
Using the integrated web browser, damage type and course can be traced by means of frequency-selective analysis. The connection to the cloud-based MindSphere solution makes it possible to monitor globally distributed systems for service purposes and to reduce their downtimes.