Challenge details:

Gear boxes are installed to drive rolling mill stands and operate continuously under demanding production conditions. These gearboxes are vital to plant operations, and any unexpected failure can lead to significant production losses and extended downtime. Currently, gearbox health is assessed through monthly vibration monitoring/oil sampling, periodic inspections during planned shutdowns which include visual checks of gear teeth and internal videoscope. However, these periodic inspections do not provide real-time condition monitoring and thus create the risk of faults occurring before or after inspection intervals. The key faults include bearing failures, gear tooth damage, and lubricant deterioration. Bearings are often the first components to fail, and unless detected early, the resulting damage can progress to other internal gearbox components, increasing downtime. Since these gearboxes are designed for long operational life and are maintained primarily through condition-based maintenance practices, there is a need for a more proactive approach that can detect any emerging issue before a major breakdown occurs causing unplanned shutdown.

We are seeking solutions that monitor gearbox real-time and provide early warnings of potential failures. The solution should be capable of monitoring bearing health, condition of gear, and gearbox oil condition through online/inline monitoring and provide actionable insights to support predictive maintenance. Solutions that can combine multiple condition indicators and provide an overall gearbox health score are of particular interest.