Predictive Maintenance: Taking Motors to the Next Level
Motors and drives may not always get the spotlight in manufacturing conversations, but they’re the backbone of food and beverage processing facilities. As the industry shifts from reactive to predictive maintenance, companies are seeing major gains in efficiency, safety, and cost savings.
In Food Processing’s recent article, “Predictive Maintenance: Taking Motors to the Next Level,” Mike Smith, Reliability Engineering Manager at Life Cycle Engineering, offers expert perspective on how predictive maintenance is revolutionizing motor management.
Mike explains that motors have long been treated as disposable components—replaced or rebuilt only after failure. But that mindset is changing fast.
Almost everything in a plant is run by a motor… but it’s probably one of the least-understood pieces of equipment. It was always treated as, if it quit turning, you removed it and got another one.” – Mike Smith, Life Cycle Engineering, Inc.
Today, advanced sensors and AI-powered analytics are giving maintenance teams real-time visibility into motor health. Vibration, temperature, and motor current analysis are helping operators detect issues early—sometimes months in advance—allowing for smarter planning and fewer disruptions.
These sensors help maintenance know sometimes months in advance that they have a problem developing, so they can plan and schedule the work.” – Mike Smith, Life Cycle Engineering, Inc.
Beyond operational efficiency, Mike emphasizes the safety and environmental benefits of predictive maintenance. When equipment fails unexpectedly, it often puts workers in risky situations. Predictive strategies reduce those risks by preventing breakdowns before they happen.
If the equipment is not breaking down, you’re not sending people out into abnormal situations to work on equipment unexpectedly.
Mike also points to the future of motor diagnostics, noting that while motor current analysis is still developing, it holds promise for even deeper insights. Combined with other data streams like vibration and ultrasonics, it could unlock a new level of confidence in maintenance decision-making.
One bit of information can steer you in the wrong direction; you want to have multiple indications an issue. The more evidence you have, the higher confidence level you have that your response plan is correct.
We’re proud to see Mike’s expertise featured in this important conversation. His insights reflect Life Cycle Engineering’s commitment to driving innovation and reliability in manufacturing.
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