A worn friction clutch doesn’t fail overnight.
It gives warning signs first—if you know where to look.
During routine condition monitoring of LO Purifier No.1 and its electric motor, our analysts detected elevated vibration levels. While the overall RMS values were already high, the decisive evidence came from the frequency spectrum.
A dominant 1× rotational frequency with multiple harmonics clearly indicated friction clutch wear.
This vibration pattern is typical of a clutch that is no longer transmitting torque evenly, placing additional stress on the entire purifier drive train.
Based on the analysis, we recommended:
🔧 Inspect the friction clutch
🔧 Check and retighten the mounting bolts
The inspection confirmed our diagnosis.
✔️ The clutch coupling was damaged
✔️ The friction clutch was replaced
✔️ Follow-up measurements showed a significant reduction in vibration levels
✔️ The characteristic 1× frequency and harmonics almost disappeared
The outcome?
✅ A major machinery failure was prevented.
✅ Estimated avoided repair costs exceeded USD 34,000.
For Technical Superintendents, this is exactly where condition monitoring creates value.
It isn’t about collecting vibration data.
It’s about turning vibration signatures into maintenance decisions before a minor component failure develops into a major operational problem.
Because every catastrophic failure starts as a small defect.
The earlier you identify it, the less it costs.