Case Study | Zhongyun Technology’s Intelligent O&M Early Warning System Detects Bearing Wear in the Kiln Feeder, Ensuring Stable Production of the Kiln System

The kiln‑infeed elevator in a cement production line is a core conveying device of the kiln system. Should its bearings fail and cause an unexpected shutdown, the entire clinker production line would be forced to halt, resulting in substantial losses in production capacity and significant maintenance costs.

Recently, a large cement enterprise served by Zhongyun Technology’s intelligent operations and maintenance platform leveraged online equipment vibration monitoring to detect early signs of bearing wear in the kiln‑feed elevator motor. By fully executing the end-to-end closed-loop process—“platform alerting → spectral diagnosis → planned maintenance → performance verification”—the company successfully averted an unplanned shutdown.

1. Abnormal vibration data triggers platform alerts, exposing latent faults in advance.

On May 17, 2026, during the Zhongyun Intelligent O&M platform’s 24/7 continuous vibration monitoring of kiln‑infeed elevator No. 5209, the acceleration readings at the loaded‑end sensor of the equipment motor showed a sustained upward trend, triggering both an acceleration‑trend alarm and a bearing‑fault‑mechanism alarm simultaneously.

Alarm notifications are automatically routed to the enterprise’s equipment maintenance team, clearly indicating the faulty equipment’s serial number, production line affiliation, alarm severity level, and the time period during which the anomaly occurred. This eliminates the need for manual inspections and continuous monitoring, enabling early detection of subtle internal wear‑and‑tear issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, thereby providing ample time for on‑site preparation and corrective maintenance.

II. Dual analysis of waveform and spectrum to precisely identify the root cause of bearing wear.

Upon receiving the alarm work order, the Zhongyun professional diagnostics team retrieved the hoist’s rated speed and transmission‑system parameters to conduct an in-depth data analysis. The equipment’s vibration waveform exhibited regular, periodic impact pulses, and the spectrum clearly revealed modulation sidebands at the rotational frequency. These two hallmark bearing‑fault signatures corroborated one another, leading to a precise diagnosis: wear of the motor’s loaded‑end bearing. In parallel, the team issued a diagnostic recommendation to the enterprise: schedule a shutdown during the monthly kiln‑stop window for disassembly and inspection.

Under the traditional operations and maintenance model, slight bearing wear often goes undetected due to the absence of noticeable abnormal noises and minimal temperature fluctuations, making it easy for manual inspections to miss early signs. By leveraging real-time spectral and waveform data, however, precise fault localization can be achieved at the very onset of a problem, significantly reducing unnecessary disassembly and ineffective troubleshooting.

III. Planned Shutdown for Disassembly and Verification: Bearing Wear Confirmed

Following the platform’s diagnostic recommendations, the enterprise scheduled a planned kiln shutdown for maintenance on June 15. After dismantling the motor end cover, the operations and maintenance team visually confirmed extensive wear and rust‑induced spalling on the bearing raceways—findings that fully aligned with the platform’s analytical conclusions. The on-site repair crew promptly replaced the bearings with new units and simultaneously performed shaft alignment and lubrication maintenance.

IV. Post-maintenance data re-measurement: Vibration parameters have returned to the safe operating range.

Following the completion of bearing replacement and the equipment’s restart and commissioning, the platform continued to monitor the long-term vibration trend: the peak vibration acceleration at the loaded end of the motor dropped significantly from 20 m/s² prior to maintenance to around 3 m/s². The vibration waveform remained smooth, with no abnormal spikes; spectral and impact‑related features had completely disappeared, effectively eliminating any potential wear‑related risks, and the kiln system resumed stable, continuous operation.

V. Case Review | The Three Core Values of Intelligent Operations and Maintenance, Empowering Stable Cement Production

This comprehensive case of handling a bearing failure on the kiln‑in hoist vividly demonstrates the Zhongyun Technology Intelligent Online O&M Platform’s capability to ensure the reliable operation of heavy‑duty core equipment in the cement industry:

1. Early warning to prevent unexpected shutdowns

Faults can be detected at an early stage of mild wear, providing enterprises with ample time for maintenance and avoiding the multiple losses associated with emergency production line shutdowns—such as reduced clinker output,窑temperature fluctuations, and costly manual emergency repairs.

2. Data diagnostics for precise fault localization

By leveraging multi-dimensional data—vibration acceleration, waveforms, and spectra—we can distinguish between various types of faults, such as those in bearings, gears, couplings, and impellers, eliminating the need for repeated disassembly and trial-and-error troubleshooting, thereby reducing maintenance man-hours and labor costs.

3. End-to-end closed-loop operations and maintenance management

Establish a standardized operations and maintenance closed-loop encompassing “real-time monitoring – automated alerting – expert diagnostics – planned maintenance – performance validation,” thereby overcoming the shortcomings of traditional manual inspections—such as delays and oversight—and ensuring the stable, long-term operation of critical equipment including kilns, elevators, fans, and roller presses.

In the cement and building materials industries, kilns, conveying systems, and grinding equipment operate continuously under heavy loads and dusty conditions, resulting in persistently high risks of wear‑induced failure for components such as bearings, impellers, and roll surfaces.

Zhongyun Technology has established a strong foothold in the industrial intelligent operations and maintenance sector. Leveraging an integrated online monitoring system for vibration, temperature, and rotational speed, and centering on equipment operating data, the company provides building-materials enterprises with end-to-end predictive maintenance services throughout the equipment lifecycle. This approach helps minimize unplanned downtime at the source, enabling factories to reduce costs, boost efficiency, and ensure safe production.

Do your plant’s hoists and fans frequently experience sudden bearing failures? Feel free to leave a comment to share your equipment‑operation challenges and receive a tailored equipment‑monitoring solution.