Current progress and boundaries
Vibration analysis and predictive maintenance are in use, but general-purpose models across equipment are uncommon, and many factories still rely on experience and scheduled servicing.
Why it remains difficult
Actual failures are limited in number and maintenance records are inconsistent. Alerts too far in advance are hard to schedule, while late alerts are of little value.
Paths worth exploring
Standardize failure codes for one critical type of equipment and define alert lead time with maintenance engineers. Initially provide prioritized recommendations without automatically stopping machines or changing controls.
How to evaluate success
Assess useful warning lead time, maintenance costs caused by false alarms, unplanned downtime, and why engineers accept or reject recommendations.