For industrial operators, reducing equipment failures and avoiding costly unplanned downtime remain central to any maintenance strategy. Achieving the right balance of performance, risk and long-term cost can be supported by modern operational technologies (OT).
As technology has advanced, barriers to adopting OT have fallen significantly. Many solutions are now affordable, practical to implement and capable of delivering a clear return on investment. This enables organisations, especially small and medium-sized, to begin their shift from reactive to proactive maintenance with minimal complexity and low initial outlay.
However, a major challenge for maintenance teams is understanding the wide range of available technologies and selecting the most suitable tools for their organisation.
Moving from Reactive to Condition-Based Maintenance
Before embracing predictive strategies, plants must ensure the fundamentals are in place. This includes standardising equipment parameters, implementing consistent cleaning and lubrication routines, and applying precision maintenance practices to ensure correct installation and adjustment. The move into predictive and data-driven maintenance strategies will then be more successful.
Condition monitoring is a key enabler for early fault detection. It not only helps prevent major equipment failures, but also allows maintenance tasks to be scheduled ‘on condition’, reducing unnecessary interventions, saving spare parts, and freeing skilled labour. Vibration sensors – whether portable, fixed, or wireless – are among the most widely used tools. The cost of these has fallen sharply, allowing more facilities to monitor asset health continuously.
The 2024 Performance in Focus[i] maintenance engineering report from RS and the IMechE found that 48 per cent of surveyed organisations use vibration monitoring, while 38 per cent use thermography. Thermal imaging cameras now integrate easily with smartphones, and help detect hotspots in electrical systems and machinery, offering another low-cost way to identify emerging issues.
Exploring the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
Plants beginning their Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) journey can start small with low-cost sensors that track parameters such as temperature, pressure, or vibration. Retrofit sensors enable older equipment to be monitored and connected with minimal investment, often supported by programmable logic controllers.
For organisations aiming for predictive maintenance, subscription-based platforms and cloud analytics provide affordable decision-support tools. Energy monitoring technologies are also increasing in adoption as companies strive to reduce consumption and operational costs.
Technologies like robotics and augmented reality (AR) are also becoming more accessible. Simple robotic systems or cobots can automate repetitive inspection or cleaning tasks, freeing engineers to focus on higher-value work. AR-enabled mobile tools or wearable devices help guide technicians through complex procedures. This can be a great aid at times of skills shortages, which was another issue highlighted in the Performance in Focus report.
While maintenance remains a critical factor in plant performance, success comes from starting small, leveraging scalable technologies, investing in staff development and partnering with trusted service providers. With clear KPIs and data-driven decision-making, organisations can significantly enhance equipment reliability and operational efficiency.
Further information about RS’ maintenance solutions can be found on its website.
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