From maintaining to maximising

INDUSTRIAL ELECTRIC motors lie at the heart of modern manufacturing, with over 300 million in operation worldwide. However, powering the world comes at a cost: electric motors alone account for 53% of global electricity consumption, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Energy efficiency has climbed the list of critical priorities, next to sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and reliability. Faced with these expectations from customers, regulators, and investors, it is becoming clearer to industry that traditional maintenance strategies are no longer enough.  

Far too many manufacturers still rely on practices such as reactive or time-based maintenance, which expose businesses to unnecessary risks: unexpected downtime, excessive costs, and wasted energy, to name a few. It’s time to rethink asset performance strategies. Condition-based maintenance is proving to be the smarter, more efficient way forward, empowering manufacturers to maximise both productivity and energy efficiency like never before.

Traditional strategy pitfalls

A survey commissioned by ABB highlights a concerning reality: 21% of businesses still follow a “run-to-fail” approach, only addressing maintenance issues upon breakdown. While this strategy might seem cheaper in the short term, cutting corners can lead to unplanned outages that can cost manufacturers millions. In fact, eight in ten companies relying on run-to-fail maintenance report at least one major failure per month.  

On the other hand, time-based maintenance follows a scheduled servicing approach, replacing parts at fixed intervals, whether they need it or not. This method often leads to unnecessary costs, both financial and environmental, because fully functional components are discarded when they don’t need to be.

Enter the condition-based approach: a smart alternative that works with an organisation’s objectives, not its servicing schedule. Instead of measuring success by the number of parts replaced or service tasks completed, this strategy ensures that assets meet key performance indicators such as uptime, efficiency, and energy savings. It proactively addresses issues before they lead to breakdowns, optimising maintenance efforts to replace only what's necessary and with targeted interventions to reduce waste.

For manufacturers without the in-house expertise or resources to optimise maintenance, partnering with a service provider offers a practical path to condition-based strategies – one that’s already proving its value.

Go green or go home

Enefit Green, the largest wind power producer in the Baltics, needed a way to ensure peak performance for their 24 wind turbines, which supply nearly a quarter of Estonia’s wind energy. By implementing ABB reconditioning and predictive maintenance solutions, they improved turbine reliability while simultaneously cutting carbon emissions by 80%.  

A key element of this success was Enefit Green’s adoption of lifecycle extension strategies. Instead of replacing parts on a fixed schedule, or not replacing them until they broke down, they embraced a condition-based approach and only replaced components when necessary.

The benefits went beyond operational efficiency. Smarter maintenance directly contributed to Enefit Green’s sustainability goals by reducing energy waste and lowering the carbon footprint of their operations. Well-maintained equipment runs more efficiently, consuming less power while guaranteeing reliability.

But many manufacturers fail to see the link. An ABB survey revealed that while 97% of industrial decision-makers aim to enhance energy efficiency, only 41% feel confident that they have the right knowledge to make it happen. Mistakes such as using oversized motors, running equipment at unnecessary speeds, or failing to detect early warning signs of inefficiency mean that manufacturers waste energy without even realising it.  

Let the data do the talking

But Enefit Green isn’t alone in proving the value of energy-conscious asset management. Across industries, organisations are uncovering new opportunities to both boost efficiency and reduce environmental impact — just as CERN did through a strategic collaboration with ABB.

Through a comprehensive energy efficiency audit, ABB identified a 17.4% energy-saving potential for CERN’s cooling and ventilation motors, exceeding the original 10-15% target. Using real-time data and performance analytics, ABB uncovered inefficiencies and pinpointed areas where upgrades could maximise energy use. These insights enabled informed, strategic recommendations tailored to CERN’s operational goals.

By implementing the recommended upgrades, CERN could save up to 31 GWh of energy per year, enough to power over 18,000 European households while preventing four kilotons of carbon emissions. Just as importantly, these changes had a rapid return on investment, with payback periods of under two years.  

A call to action for manufacturers  

The message is clear: outdated maintenance strategies are costing manufacturers more than they realise, and not just in downtime and expenses. Energy inefficiency and wastage mean missed opportunities for future generations. Condition-based maintenance provides a more efficient, more proactive approach that directly aligns with business goals and environmental stewardship.  

Those who adopt condition-based maintenance now won’t just see greater efficiency – they’ll create the enabling conditions to outrun, leaner and cleaner.

Oswald Deuchar is global head of modernisation services at ABB Motion Services

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