Condition monitoring
Condition monitoring provides continuous insight into the health of industrial machinery, improving machine reliability and availability by detecting developing faults early. Through regular or continuous measurement of key machine parameters, potential issues can be identified before they escalate, reducing operational risk and supporting proactive maintenance.
What is condition monitoring?
Condition monitoring is a maintenance strategy based on the regular or continuous measurement and analysis of machine parameters to detect signs of deterioration or impending failure. Typical parameters include vibration, shock pulses, temperature, and process data.
Instead of relying on fixed-interval or purely reactive maintenance, condition monitoring enables the scheduling of maintenance activities when the actual machine condition necessitates it. Identifying developing faults at an early stage enables:
Prevent sudden failures and production losses.
Extend the useful life of critical assets.
Reduce maintenance costs and spare parts consumption.
Improve safety and environmental performance.
In practice, condition monitoring is a continuous “health check” on your machines, which is particularly effective for rotating equipment, such as pumps, motors, fans, compressors, gearboxes, as well as many other production-critical assets.
Benefits of a modern condition monitoring program
A well-designed, well-implemented condition monitoring program is a key element of a proactive maintenance strategy. With condition monitoring solutions, you can:
Increase asset availability and production reliability.
Avoid unplanned downtime and secondary damage.
Plan and coordinate maintenance stops based on the actual condition of the machine.
Optimize spare parts inventories and maintenance resources.
Improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Support safety and regulatory compliance.
By combining early fault detection with clear, evaluated data and actionable insights, condition monitoring becomes a practical everyday tool for maintenance, production, and management.
The value of proactive and predictive maintenance
Modern industrial operations generate vast amounts of data, yet only a small fraction is used to support critical decisions. Condition-based and predictive maintenance unlock this untapped potential by connecting machine data, process insights, and analytical models across the plant. With comprehensive analysis, diagnostics, and troubleshooting software, condition monitoring data can serve as a central hub for advanced evaluation and integration with other systems. Through seamless integration possibilities and data interoperability, including REST API capabilities, plants can expand the value of their measurement data and perform extended analysis for deeper insight.
Condition monitoring software with AI-based decision support enables the assessment of machine health and the detection of damage, thereby strengthening maintenance planning by identifying issues before they lead to downtime. This approach enhances production continuity, promotes safer working conditions by reducing manual inspections in hazardous areas, and reduces both direct and indirect maintenance costs across large populations of assets. As industries progress toward digitalized and interconnected operations, condition monitoring plays a key role in enabling the transition from reactive to proactive and predictive maintenance strategies, forming an essential foundation for Industry 4.0 initiatives.
HD condition monitoring technologies
The foundation of SPM solutions is our patented HD Technologies, developed specifically for accurate, early fault detection even in demanding applications and at very low rotational speeds. Together, HD ENV and SPM HD provide exceptional insight into bearing and gear health, delivering the early warnings needed for effective maintenance planning.
HD ENV – high-definition vibration monitoring
HD ENV is an advanced vibration enveloping technology for early detection of bearing and gear faults. It enhances vibration data using engineered digital algorithms, providing exceptionally clear time signals and spectrums while revealing signals normally buried in machine noise. Key capabilities include:
Very early detection of bearing and gear damage.
Enhanced extraction of relevant signals.
High-definition order tracking for variable speed machines.
Support for a very broad RPM range.
SPM HD – high-definition shock pulse method
SPM HD is a patented further development of the shock pulse method for rolling element bearing monitoring. It combines crystal-clear time signals and spectrums with an intuitive green-yellow-red condition code. Key capabilities include:
Reliable monitoring from 0.1 RPM and upwards.
Clear separation of bearing condition from lubrication and load effects.
High immunity to interference.
Straightforward trending and alert evaluation.
Condition monitoring across industries
SPM condition monitoring solutions are used in a wide range of industries, including:
Why condition monitoring with SPM Instrument?
SPM Instrument offers a comprehensive and integrated approach to machine condition monitoring, founded on over fifty years of innovation and specialized expertise. Our patented HD Technologies, advanced algorithms, and modern software platform enable accurate, early, and reliable detection of developing faults, even in demanding industrial environments.
Our portfolio encompasses solutions for applications across the entire 0.1 to 20,000 RPM range, utilizing continuous monitoring systems, portable instruments, and wired or wireless sensors. All measurement technologies are supported by comprehensive analysis, diagnostics, and troubleshooting software, including AI-powered decision support that automates and streamlines data interpretation.
Complete solution provider
We develop and market the full range of technology required to measure, analyze, and present condition data from complex industrial machinery. Because each component is engineered in-house, customers benefit from a unified and highly efficient condition monitoring ecosystem that delivers consistent, reliable results.
Equipment for every monitoring need
Our product line includes transducers and transmitters, wireless sensors, portable instruments, and continuous monitoring systems, as well as tools for corrective maintenance, such as laser shaft alignment and balancing, which enables organizations to build scalable, application-specific monitoring programs that align with asset criticality and production requirements.
Clear insights and decision support
Evaluated condition information is presented in intuitive green-yellow-red codes, enabling fast identification of potential issues. Advanced diagnostics and AI-supported interpretation tools streamline analysis, making condition monitoring a practical, everyday tool for maintenance and production teams.
Unmatched forewarning times with HD Technologies
HD ENV and SPM HD offer exceptional resolution and early fault detection, revealing low-energy signals that are normally hidden in machine noise, delivering unprecedented forewarning times, giving maintenance teams the ability to plan interventions with minimal impact on production.
Training and knowledge development
We offer standardized and customized training programs, including ISO CAT vibration analysis certification through SPM Academy and SPM-certified Condition Monitoring Analyst courses, ensuring that personnel possess the necessary competence to operate and effectively interpret the system.
Global support network
With headquarters, R&D, production, and training facilities located in Strängnäs, Sweden, and a global network of trained representatives in more than fifty countries, SPM Instrument provides long-term support throughout the lifecycle of your condition monitoring program.
SPM condition monitoring solutions
As a full-range supplier, SPM develops and markets all the technology required to measure, analyze, and present condition data from complex industrial machinery. Our portfolio covers every aspect of machine condition monitoring:
Portable instruments for route-based data collection and diagnostics.
Permanently installed continuous monitoring systems.
Wireless vibration sensors for flexible and scalable monitoring.
Sensors combining vibration and shock pulse monitoring.
Comprehensive diagnostic and analysis software for trending, evaluation, and reporting.
This comprehensive toolbox enables you to design a condition monitoring program tailored to your asset's criticality and production and maintenance strategy. From a single machine to full-scale plant-wide implementation, SPM has a solution for almost every monitoring need.
Your partner in condition monitoring
SPM Instrument is your partner for building and developing a successful condition monitoring program. With global experience, patented HD Technologies, and a comprehensive range of instruments, systems, sensors, software, and services, we help you achieve reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable production.
Contact us to discuss your condition monitoring needs and discover how SPM solutions can support your maintenance and reliability strategy.