Dutch cement producer Orcem implements HD Technologies to monitor the mechanical condition of a ball mill, which is a critical part of the milling process in cement manufacturing. In many cases, the entire process can be severely limited or completely stopped if the ball mill ceases to operate. Close observation of mill equipment condition is thus essential.

The combination of vibration and SPM HD shock pulse measurement is ideal for this type of application. The shock pulse technology is very suitable for the detection of bearing damages in “noisy” environments like the gearbox in this case study. Vibration technology is optimal for low frequency-related fault conditions like unbalance, loose gears and misalignment. This case study describes the condition monitoring setup and findings in a ball mill gearbox and exhaust fan.