Preventing Trim Fan Bearing Failure and Protecting $189K in Production Continuity

A high-output packaging and containers manufacturer used
Industrial Matrix condition monitoring within the AI Suite ecosystem
to detect early bearing wear on a mission-critical trim fan. 
Rising radial velocity alerted the maintenance team weeks before
failure, allowing bearing replacement during planned downtime. 
The outcome was full uptime protection and $184,000–$189,000 in
verified cost avoidance.

The Challenge

Trim fans support material trimming, dust control, and continuous airflow across packaging lines. Failure is immediate and costly. This facility faced:

Downtime valued at $16,000 per hour
A minimum 10-hour unplanned outage if the fan failed
Bearing replacement costs of $25,000–$30,000
High risk of secondary equipment damage from vibration escalation

Standard inspections could not identify bearing deterioration early enough to prevent disruption.  The plant required a predictive layer capable of catching faults long before vibration or temperature crossed critical thresholds.

The Solution

Temperature and vibration sensors were installed on the trim fan’s pulley-side and fan-side pillow block bearings and connected into the Industrial Matrix AI Suite ecosystem.
This enabled:

Continuous trending of radial velocity and acceleration
Automated detection of rising vibration signatures
Rapid expert validation from Industrial Matrix reliability specialists
Targeted inspection and scheduling of corrective maintenance during planned downtime

The facility moved from reactive response to precise, data-driven reliability control.

Findings & Action Plan

Phase	Insight	Action	Result
Detection	AI Suite captured a steady rise in radial velocity on the pulley-side bearing.	Alert verified by Industrial Matrix specialists.	Early bearing degradation confirmed.
Diagnosis	Inspection revealed dried grease, lubrication failure, and visible wear.	Both pulley and fan-side bearings were prioritized for replacement.	Root cause identified with high accuracy.
Intervention	Bearings replaced during the next scheduled downtime.	Corrective work executed without production impact.	Avoided unplanned outage and component damage.
Verification	Post-replacement vibration levels returned to nominal range.	Continuous monitoring resumed.	Failure mode eliminated; airflow stability restored.

Total ROI

Metric	Before Monitoring	After Implementation	Impact
Downtime Risk	10 hours unplanned	Prevented	100 percent uptime maintained
Downtime Cost	$16,000 hour x 10 hours	$0	$160,000+ protected
Equipment Replacement Cost	$25,000–$30,000 potential loss	Avoided	Full replacement savings
Total Cost Avoidance	N/A	$184,000–$189,000	Verified savings
Predictive Accuracy	Visual inspection only	AI Suite + human validation	100 percent correlation

Strategic Insights

Predictive monitoring detected bearing wear long before audible noise or heat rise.

AI friction analytics validated by Industrial Matrix specialists ensured accuracy and reliability.

AI analytics validated by expert engineers allowed action with confidence and precision.

Maintenance was executed during planned downtime, eliminating emergency repair cost and overtime.

Insights from this event now guide reliability strategy across other high-speed rotating assets.

Long-Term Impact

Following this success, the facility expanded Industrial Matrix
monitoring to:

Additional airflow systems

Conveyors

Extrusion motors

High-speed rotating equipment

Long-term benefits include:

Reduced spare-parts consumption

Standardized reliability processes

Higher operational continuity

Improved energy efficiency through stable mechanical performance

Predictive maintenance is now recognized as a strategic lever 
for production optimization and financial performance.

Conclusion

AI LubeMatrix™ transformed lubrication into an autonomous, data-driven reliability function. By continuously monitoring bearing friction through ultrasound and adjusting lubrication in real time, the system prevented failures, protected production continuity, and unlocked substantial financial savings. This case demonstrates how modern manufacturing achieves reliability: through intelligence, automation, and continuous insight.

See issues before they stop your
line. Build reliability that pays 
for itself.

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Preventing Trim Fan Bearing Failure and Protecting $189K in Production Continuity