Glossary · IIoT, data and AI
Condition monitoring
Also known as: CM, Machine condition monitoring
German: Zustandsüberwachung
In maintenance, condition monitoring is the acquisition and evaluation of data that indicates the state of a machine or component over time, such as vibration, temperature, oil condition or current, in order to detect degradation and faults early. ISO 17359 gives general guidelines for condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines.
- IIoT
- Standards
In one sentence
Condition monitoring tracks vibration, temperature and similar indicators of a machine's state to detect degradation and faults early.
Example
Vibration sensors on a cooling tower fan report velocity levels every ten minutes; a rising trend triggers a work order to inspect the gearbox.
How it applies
- Engineering: Select the measured quantities from the failure modes that matter; a failure mode analysis tells you whether vibration, temperature or current is the right indicator. Define alert and alarm levels and who reacts to them.
- Maintenance: Condition monitoring is the data basis for Predictive maintenance. Trends are usually more informative than single values.
- Documentation: Document sensor positions, measurement settings, limit values and the response procedure. Maintenance manuals should explain what an alert means and which checks follow.
Condition monitoring vs. safety monitoring
Condition monitoring observes wear and faults to plan maintenance. It is normally not a safety function: a vibration alert does not replace a safety-related monitoring function that has been designed and validated for a required SIL or PL. If condition data is used for safety decisions, it must be treated like any other safety-related input.