Predictive Maintenance in food production

Predictive Maintenance in food production:
Brüggen as a practical example

Unplanned shutdowns in food production can have a significant impact on a company's efficiency and profitability. Especially for a company like Brüggen, one of Europe's leading food manufacturers, it is crucial to continuously monitor production facilities in order to prevent downtime and make the production process as efficient as possible.
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For this reason, we use our AI-based Predictive Maintenance software for our customer Brüggen to make maintenance processes more predictable and precise. After the successful implementation on one machine, we have now integrated the second machine into the monitoring system. But before machines are selected for monitoring and connected to our software, a number of key questions must be clarified. These include not only the selection of machines, but also the right sensors and their integration into existing systems.

1st question: Which components are particularly critical?
‍Selecting the right components for monitoring is the first step to get the most out of a predictive maintenance solution. Not all parts of a machine are equally important. Some components are essential for the smooth operation of the entire plant, while others perform less critical functions. By specifically monitoring critical parts — such as motors, pumps or drives — potential failures can be identified and prevented at an early stage. This helps to avoid unforeseen downtimes and ensures that maintenance measures are carried out in a focused and effective manner.

2nd question: Which sensors provide the best data?
The quality of the data collected by sensors is crucial for the success of a Predictive Maintenance solution. It is not enough to install sensors randomly on machines. Sensors must be selected that provide accurate and reliable measurements which are mandatory for monitoring machine conditions and predicting failures.. In our case, Brüggen has selected sensors that measure vibration, temperature and machine performance — crucial parameters for the early detection of problems.

3rd question: Do sensors need to be retrofitted?
In some cases, existing machines are not yet equipped with the necessary sensors, which are mandatory for Predictive Maintenance. At Brüggen, we have therefore examined in detail whether additional sensors need to be installed to ensure seamless monitoring. Retrofitting sensors can result in a cost-effective solution to make machines fit for digital monitoring.

Practical analysis on site: integration into existing processes
During our visit at Brüggen, we clarified the above and all other questions directly on site and were able to get a good impression of the corresponding machine. The personal visit at Brüggen helped us to understand the specific requirements of the production environment even better. The aim is to continue to seamlessly integrate our solution into existing processes and IT systems.

The benefits of Predictive Maintenance for food production
The implementation of Predictive Maintenance software offers numerous advantages: In addition to avoid unplanned downtimes and reducing maintenance costs, the technology also enables more precise planning of maintenance measures. This results in better use of resources and higher production capacity.

Particularly in food production, where hygiene regulations and continuous production processes are a high priority, it is important that maintenance measures are carried out efficiently and at the right time without unnecessarily interrupting the production process.

Conclusion: The right preparation is crucial
The questions that we answered during our visit at Brüggen are not minor issues, but decisive for the successful use of our software. Reliable and efficient monitoring can only be achieved through a thorough analysis of the critical components, the selection of the correct sensors and, if necessary, the retrofitting of existing machines with additional sensors.

The visit at Brüggen shows how important it is to view Predictive Maintenance not just as a software solution, but as part of a comprehensive system that works in a real production environment and creates real added value.

Thanks to our customer Brüggen for the great cooperation and trust!
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