Among all mechanical fault diagnosis techniques, e.g., vibration signal analysis, oil analysis, acoustic emission and nose analysis, vibration signal analysis is widely used because of its good practicability, reliability and accuracy. One of the most interesting applications is using vibration analysis in diagnosing fault in rolling bearings [1]. To read the full article by Dr. Ali Albadri click here
When the world's leading gluten-free foods manufacturer needed to standardize maintenance operations across 12 production sites in 9 countries, it turned to cutting-edge enterprise asset management (EAM) technology. Dr. Schär successfully implemented Ultimo's cloud-based EAM solution to transform its maintenance workflows, reduce downtime, and drive operational excellence across its global manufacturing network - all while maintaining the highest quality standards that have made it a trusted international brand.
Dr. Schär stands as a remarkable success story in specialized nutrition. From its humble beginnings as a South Tyrolean family business, the company has evolved into the world's undisputed market leader for gluten-free products and foods for people with special dietary needs. Today, with over 1,800 employees across 12 countries and 18 sites worldwide, Dr. Schär has built its reputation on innovation through research, largely self-developed production techniques, and uncompromising quality standards.
But success at this scale brings unique challenges. Dr. Schär relies on highly complex, often proprietary production techniques. Each of its production facilities operates an average of 400 machines across multiple production lines, and all must adhere to uniform standards that reflect the company's commitment to excellence.
The maintenance management system that had served Dr. Schär in its earlier years no longer aligned with its global ambitions. The maintenance extension of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system it was using had limited functionality and a lack of detail that meant effective organization and planning were increasingly difficult. Without mobile access capabilities, field operations were constrained, and the growing complexity of the company’s international operations demanded a more sophisticated approach.
To maintain its position as industry leader, Dr. Schär acknowledged that it needed a maintenance management solution that could match its own best-in-class standards.
Enterprise Asset Management Excellence
Having conducted a thorough evaluation of multiple providers, Dr. Schär chose the enterprise asset management solution from Ultimo, an IFS company.
"We chose Ultimo as our maintenance management solution because its cloud-based EAM solution offers the most comprehensive capabilities and aligns perfectly with our own best-in-class standards," explains Martin Lorefice, Corporate Technical Project Manager at Dr. Schär.
The initial implementation at Dr. Schär's headquarters in Burgstall, South Tyrol, Germany, demonstrated the solution's potential. Completed successfully in just six months, this pilot implementation provided the foundation for the broader international rollout.
However, the project's complexity extended far beyond technical considerations. One of the key challenges was adapting the EAM software to fit Dr. Schär's well-established processes rather than forcing the company to change processes to accommodate the software. This approach preserved the operational excellence that had made Dr. Schär successful while enhancing it with modern digital capabilities.
Simultaneously, the project aimed to harmonize maintenance workflows across all production sites - a significant undertaking given the varying levels of maturity in maintenance management across different locations. With multiple stakeholders and departments involved, the rollout required careful orchestration and an implementation plan that assured employee acceptance.
A multi-phase implementation plan was developed to ensure employee acceptance and smooth transitions. This methodical approach has proven successful, with the international rollout continuing to progress according to plan.
The implementation strategy is as ambitious as it is necessary. Ultimo will be rolled out across 12 production sites in 9 countries for managing maintenance tasks. The project represents a fundamental transformation of how Dr. Schär approaches maintenance management on a global scale.
Data-Driven Optimization
Martin Lorefice, who leads the project at Dr. Schär, is highly satisfied with both the progress and initial results achieved. He explains, "Ultimo is a key part of our digitalization strategy. The more data we collect through the EAM solution, the more visible the benefits and improvements become."
“With the introduction of Ultimo, we have successfully transitioned from reactive to preventive maintenance,” says Lorefice. “This shift has already reduced equipment downtime by approximately 30 percent. We have also seen a noticeable improvement in our mean time to repair. Going forward, we’ll be tracking these metrics even more precisely - giving us a solid data foundation for further optimizing our maintenance operations.”
This data-centric approach is central to Dr. Schär's vision for the future. The information collected through Ultimo is positioned to play a crucial role in optimizing processes, reducing downtime, and simplifying compliance documentation - all critical factors in food production where quality and efficiency are paramount.
The company's main objectives with Ultimo implementation are ambitious yet achievable. By reducing maintenance efforts, Dr. Schär expects to lower production costs while increasing overall efficiency. The streamlined maintenance operations are anticipated to deliver multiple benefits: shorter training times for technicians, reduced spare parts consumption, lower inventory costs, and improved cost control.
Setting New Standards for Global Manufacturing
Dr. Schär's implementation of Ultimo represents more than a technology upgrade. It's a strategic transformation that positions the company for continued growth and excellence in the competitive global food industry. By choosing a solution that adapts to their processes rather than forcing process changes, Dr. Schär has maintained its operational DNA while gaining the digital capabilities necessary for future success.
As the international rollout continues, Dr. Schär is not just improving its own operations; the company is setting new standards for how global food manufacturers can leverage EAM technology to achieve operational excellence at scale. The project demonstrates that with the right approach and technology partner, even the most complex international manufacturing operations can be transformed while preserving the quality and standards that define market leadership.
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In a previous editorial we looked at the importance of balancing rotating machinery (motors, pumps, fans, mixing vessels etc.) To summarise, unbalanced machines require a lot more energy to run and at the same time cause damage to their bearings. Essentially, by running machines that are out of balance, not only are you unnecessarily wearing out your bearings faster, but you are also paying EXTRA to do that!
But how do you know when a machine is out of balance? Basically, you will see a high level of vibration at the machine’s running speed. But what constitutes a high level of vibration? Fortunately, the International Standards Organisation (ISO) has drawn up a set of guidelines for acceptable levels of machine vibration. Modern low-cost vibration analysers like the TPI 9075 Bluetooth Wireless Smart Vibration Sensor (pictured) are available, pre-programmed with the ISO levels, to give a traffic light system of colour coded vibration readings. Basically, if it’s in the red it needs balancing!
There are two techniques commonly employed in balancing. The no-phase balancing technique (a.k.a. the 4-run method) allows you to approximately balance a machine by using a series of four runs, three of them with a specified trial weight attached to the rotor. The sensor (e.g. TPI 9075) attached with a magnet, stays in the same place for each run. By positioning the trial weight around the rotor’s circumference in 120-degree increments and measuring the resulting vibration, The balancer software can automatically calculate the location and equivalent weight of the “heavy spot” around the rotor‘s circumference. It then calculates what weight, and at what position, will re-balance the motor, pump or fan. This is then done either by adding the weight to the rotor at a position opposite the heavy spot or sometimes easier still, by drilling holes to remove the equivalent weight adjacent to the heavy spot. The balancer software can also calculate how deep to drill for any given drill bit size.
For machines that require more precise balancing or for dual-plane balancing (e.g. for longer rotors that need to be simultaneously balanced at both ends) we require more precise measurement of the unbalance. This is done by providing a reference position on the rotor’s circumference, known as a “key-phasor” input. Often this can very easily be obtained from the machine’s tacho signal or alternatively, simply by affixing a piece of reflective tape to the rotor and using a low-cost laser tacho (e.g. TPI 505L) to give a reference pulse, once per revolution. This reference pulse is then used by the balancing software to more accurately determine the location of the heavy spot around the 360 degrees of rotor circumference and calculate precisely how to counterbalance it.
It doesn’t take very much to unbalance a machine, e.g. dirt build-up on fan blades or a chipped pump impeller. Thankfully, it also doesn’t take much to re-balance it either, provided you have the right instrument. These days that’s not a problem, as simple to use, low-cost, precision field balancers are now available that take you through the process on an easily followed step-by-step basis. For example, TPI’s Ultra App is now available for use on smartphones or tablet PC, with both no-phase and single/dual plane key-phasor balancing. For the latter, the 3-channel TPI 9043 Wireless Vibration Analyzer with included TPI 505L laser tacho (as pictured) can be used with the TPI Ultra App to precisely re-balance the motor, pump or fan.
For more information, please contact TPI Europe on +44 1293 530196 or www.tpieurope.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
As industrial operations continue to digitalize, maintenance strategies must evolve beyond traditional reactive and even predictive models. Smart Maintenance 5.0 represents the next step a fully integrated, human-centric approach that combines the power of artificial intelligence, real-time data, and digital technologies to transform maintenance into a strategic performance driver.
Building on the foundations of Industry 4.0, Maintenance 5.0 brings humans and machines closer together, allowing teams to make smarter, faster, and safer decisions through enhanced connectivity and intelligent systems.
This approach doesn’t just focus on preventing breakdowns it focuses on optimising the entire lifecycle of industrial assets while aligning with broader goals such as sustainability, workforce efficiency, and digital integration.
AI tools now sift through terabytes of machine data to uncover hidden failure patterns. This allows teams to move from “fix it when it breaks” to “fix it before it fails with confidence.
A digital twin replicates a physical asset in a virtual environment, allowing engineers to simulate wear, test maintenance strategies, and assess performance risk-free.
User-friendly platforms, voice-enabled commands, and AR-assisted repair workflows reduce human error and support a new generation of maintenance professionals.
Smart Maintenance relies on seamless data sharing across the shop floor and cloud platforms ensuring decisions are informed by real-time data across locations.
Connected machines that communicate and react in real time to operational conditions form the backbone of a responsive maintenance environment.
Smart Maintenance 5.0 delivers measurable benefits across the board:
⏱ Reduced Downtime: Faster, smarter decisions cut unscheduled stoppages
💰 Cost Optimisation: Maintenance is scheduled based on actual asset condition, not guesswork
🌍 Sustainability Gains: Less waste, fewer emissions, and smarter energy use
🧑🔧 Workforce Empowerment: Simplified tools and actionable insights support faster training and better safety
A global manufacturer in the food & beverage sector implemented Smart Maintenance 5.0 across five plants. By integrating AI diagnostics and mobile maintenance dashboards, they reduced breakdown frequency by 37% and saw a 20% improvement in technician response times all within the first year.
Smart Maintenance 5.0 is not just a buzzword it’s a necessary response to the modern industrial challenge. With aging equipment, rising energy costs, and pressure to meet ESG goals, maintenance must be smarter, not harder.
At Engineering Maintenance Solutions, we’re committed to showcasing the latest innovations helping our readers unlock performance, reliability, and efficiency in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Want to explore Smart Maintenance 5.0 solutions or share your success story?
📩 Contact our editorial team or feature your technology at
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Landia, the leading pump and mixing manufacturer, has welcomed government moves to invest in tens of thousands of new apprenticeships and training opportunities.
At a time when around one million 16-to-24-year-olds are neither working, nor in full-time education or training, Landia believes that its consistent success in developing highly tailored opportunities creates huge benefits for a business and those young people keen to carve out a career.
Speaking for Landia, Tamas Rieder (Service and Aftersales Manager), who steers Landia apprentices through their journey from beginning to end, commented:
“To reap the rewards of seeing homegrown apprentices mature into skilled employees, companies must now take full responsibility and realise that your workforce is only going to be as good as you train them to be.
“Arm your apprentices with the proper tools to do the job, encourage them, give them time and proper hands-on experience.
“There’s no doubt that this is a long process, but it is very rewarding and totally worth all the effort. It is a big win-win; young new engineers who already have first-class skills and the right attitude towards serving our customers. In addition to our five fully qualified apprentices (three of whom have been Landia for over a decade) our current apprentice, Will Lewis, is soon to complete his first 12 months with us.”
He continued: “Gone are the days when smaller firms would just cash in for free on a flood of new apprentices that came out of the big businesses hungry for work. Those big industry names simply aren't there anymore.
“Anything the government can do, as they say, ‘to back the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and achieve and thrive’ should be welcomed.
“Successive governments decided that it was far cheaper to import skills than help train our own children, so no wonder we have so many unskilled, unmotivated young people in the UK because nobody has trained them. It is high time to put this right.”
Built on key design principles identified in collaboration with law enforcement and public safety professionals, Scout Pro II/III signals a new dawn in thermal imaging performance.
Thousand Oaks,— FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, today is introducing its Scout Pro II and III thermal monoculars: the latest Scout Pro models designed to help law enforcement and public safety professionals quickly survey vast urban or rural areas without losing focus on observed people or objects. Replacing the existing Scout II/III, LS and Scion series, the next-generation Scout Pro II and III simplify tasks that include surveillance, search and rescue, evidence gathering, and active pursuit and intervention. Exceptional situational awareness, wide coverage, and long detection ranges combine to provide the vital intelligence required to patrol areas safely or locate missing or injured people quickly.
Developed in partnership with industry professionals, FLIR’s Scout Pro II and III are built on a trio of key design principles: streamlined interaction, mission-critical reliability, and efficient human detection.
Different by design Streamlined interaction allows users to focus time and attention on law enforcement and public safety, rather than buttons and controls. Key here is the simplified, intuitive, and efficient live image interface for continuous focus on observed objects and areas. The flat menu of Scout Pro II/III with toggle function provides efficient zoom, mode selection, and brightness adjustment.
This monocular’ s robust, compact design is drop-rated to 2 meters (6.7 feet) and has the waterproof IP67 rating needed to withstand harsh operational environments and deliver mission-critical reliability. FLIR’s robust design is built around a rugged cast metal body, rubber front and rubber keypad. Support comes from six-hour battery life with USB Type-C connector and power bank charging options.. FLIR Scout Pro series thermal monoculars feature image optimisation for highly efficient human and 1/2 anomaly detection, thanks largely to FLIR’s Digital Detail Enhancement (DDE) and additional proprietary image-enhancing technologies. Professional performance Like the existing, flagship Scout Pro model, the new Scout Pro II and Scout Pro III offer 640 x 480 thermal resolution for clear, high-quality imaging. However, the focal length extends to 35mm for the Scout Pro II and 50mm for the Scout Pro III. Longer focal lengths are better for capturing details at distance. The Scout II Pro also offers a narrower 18° horizontal FOV, which narrows further to 12° in the Scout Pro III. In contrast, the Scout Pro features a wide 32° field of view optimized for urban operations. Narrow horizontal FOVs enhance details in precision tasks like facial identification, whereas wider FOVs deliver maximum coverage, enabling quicker sweeps across large areas. Notably, the Scout Pro II and III can detect human targets at distances of 1,000 m and 1,500 m respectively manual-focus (500 m for Scout Pro fixed-focus). Four colour palettes help users identify objects in different environments.
“While the Scout Pro II is ideal for long-range observation in a mix of urban, rural and water scenes, the Scout Pro III presents extended range for wide open spaces and remote operations,” said Peter Dekkers, Director of Business Development, First Responder Solutions at FLIR. “Both thermal monoculars present role-enhancing opportunities for patrol officers, border surveillance staff, SWAT teams, coastguards, maritime police, search and rescue teams, customs officers, and investigators/detectives. In fact, anyone who demands high-quality, reliable, simple-to-use thermal imaging tools when seconds matter is set to benefit.” Real-time collaboration The FLIR Scout Pro APP provides users with the advantages of wireless camera management and video streaming functionality, enabling teams to collaborate in real time. Users can seamlessly update and add features to their thermal monocular via a mobile device or tablet, avoiding the need to connect the thermal monocular to a PC. In addition, users can stream videos in real time from camera to device, making the app ideal for covert surveillance. FLIR Scout Pro II and III thermal monoculars come with tactical pouch, eyecups, USB cable and Quick Start Guide. Optionally available is the new Scout Pro charging and docking station. A two-year warranty is standard, with a subsequent three years available free-of- charge upon registration.
AirBench have released further upgrades to our market leading WB wet downdraught bench for flammable dusts.
These changes are focussed on efficiency.
A move to high power EC fansets improves power consumption, allowing precision control of airflows and reducing start-up currents meaning easier installation, easier control, and lower energy usage.
EC fans use AC power and in internal inverter system to drive a DC motor meaning they operate at near peak efficiency at all speeds. Startup currents are low so there is no longer a need for over-sized circuits and breakers.
Continuing the theme of improved efficiency, further improvements to filtration mean that all units can be supplied with H13 final filtration with an improved modular housing.
These efficiency improvements bring the added benefit of reduced noise levels with all units now operating below the Lower Noise Action Level in typical installations.
Visit www.airbench.com/products/airbench-downdraught-benches/airbench-wb for more information, contact our team on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an on-site assessment – or call 01206 791191.
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