AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS E
ach shutdown triggered emergency service calls and brought production to a standstill. The culprit: a motor bearing showing early wear that traditional time-based maintenance schedules had
completely missed. This scenario plays out worldwide as warehouses adopt sophisticated robotics to meet surging demand. Downtime costs can exceed $96,000 per hour. At facilities processing 100,000 shipments daily, a single conveyor failure can halt operations for days.
FROM REACTIVE FIREFIGHTING TO PROACTIVE PREVENTION The fundamental challenge is visibility. Maintenance teams often lack insight into equipment performance until something breaks. Real-time condition monitoring makes equipment health visible before failures occur. Most equipment failures develop gradually. These ‘gray failures’ include motors drawing incrementally more power, vibration patterns becoming pronounced. These patterns signal problems that can be addressed during scheduled maintenance rather than emergency response. Sensors track vibration, temperature, current
draw and battery health across conveyors, deployments depend on the system, but commonly include current meters, watt meters, temperature monitors, vibration sensors and continuously, comparing current performance against baselines to identify emerging issues.
BUILDING THE CONNECTIVITY FOUNDATION Successful condition monitoring relies on network infrastructure connecting sensors to analytics systems. Many facilities already have sensors for automation and control. The key is enabling dual purposes without disrupting operations. Industrial network infrastructure carries
information through edge gateways that bridge operational technology protocols like PROFINET and EtherNet/IP with IT systems. These edge devices connect to existing sensors, harmonise data from disparate sources and publish information to application software. For new equipment, a single network handles both automation and monitoring. For existing systems operating reliably for 10-20 years, small network additions enable monitoring without modifying established automation networks. Network reliability matters critically
for mobile assets. Wireless connectivity requires careful planning; access points must communicate with antennas mounted 6-8 inches from ground level. In facilities with 25-40 foot ceilings, proper channel allocation and signal strength become essential. Wireless site assessments should precede automation deployment.
REAL-WORLD IMPACT A building automation system monitoring 29 rooftop HVAC units demonstrates real-time
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HOW REAL-TIME MONITORING TRANSFORMS AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE RELIABILITY
By Vikram Kolluru, Digital Automation Consultant, Belden
monitoring value. When one unit’s vibration sensor showed abnormal patterns while others operated normally, maintenance teams proactively shut down the unit and discovered a failing bearing. Replacing the component during scheduled maintenance avoided thousands in emergency repairs and prevented operational disruption. Industry implementations report up to 40-50
per cent reductions in unplanned downtime after comprehensive condition monitoring. Emergency repair costs decrease 25-30 per cent through timely interventions during planned windows rather than peak hours. The difference between discovering motor
issues through daily analysis versus immediate alerts determines whether you schedule repair tonight or halt production tomorrow. Equipment lifespan extends 2-3 years when components receive attention based on actual condition. Spare parts inventory decreases 15-20 per cent through accurate forecasting.
SETTING REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS Condition monitoring functions like insurance: you hope you never need it, but when failures occur at scale, protection becomes invaluable. Facilities can operate without it, but the question becomes: at what scale does risk become unacceptable? Integration complexity is commonly
underestimated. ‘Plug and play’ promises implementations require 6-12 months, condition monitoring demands careful planning around existing infrastructure and cross- functional coordination. Only fully digitalised facilities with converged networks approach simple installation, and most facilities don’t yet
FEBRUARY 2026 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
operate at that maturity level. Warehouse automation faces predictable
failure modes monitoring can catch early: conveyor belt breaks, motor bearing failures, temperature control deviations. Each has characteristic signatures manifesting before catastrophic breakdown. A bearing showing increased friction draws more current over time. Conveyor belt wear generates different vibration patterns. Identifying these patterns enables scheduled intervention rather than emergency response.
THE PATH FORWARD Market forces make predictive maintenance essential. E-commerce growth drives automation while labour shortages make equipment reliability critical. Facilities gaining advantage treat connectivity infrastructure as strategic enablers. The question has shifted from “Should we
implement condition monitoring?” to “How quickly can we scale these capabilities?” Success requires assessing current infrastructure, identifying high-value monitoring opportunities based on equipment criticality and selecting partners with material handling expertise. Condition monitoring isn’t standalone
technology. It’s part of a broader ecosystem connecting sensors, networks, edge computing and application software into cohesive systems that transform how facilities maintain operations.
Belden
www.belden.com
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