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MENSHEN, a global leader in innovative plastic-packaging solutions, has been using AiSight’s predictive maintenance solution to prevent unplanned downtime on cooling pumps—with plans to expand the automated machine diagnostics system’s role in their production facilities.
MENSHEN specializes in manufacturing injection-molded plastic closures. Growing demand over the last several years had stressed their injection molding machines’ cooling system. The pumps circulating cool, production-saving water were pushing the limits of their power supply and taking impeller damage from cavitation.
This was a threat to the performance and quality of MENSHEN production. Cooling pumps on injection molding machines remain in constant service, reducing the length of the cooling cycle and ensuring high-quality output.
Pump breakdowns were also a threat to the availability of MENSHEN’s assets. Impeller damage is normally hidden from view, and would only become apparent when it was too late to prevent unplanned production downtime.
To monitor the condition of their cooling pumps, and receive early warning of breakdowns, MENSHEN turned to the latest technology. They found what they needed at AiSight.
AiSight provides a complete predictive maintenance solution for industry, including plug-and-play Aion sensor nodes and the software that interprets those sensors’ readings and delivers actionable insights through their Machine Insight Center user interface. For MENSHEN, that meant around-the-clock, automated monitoring, predicting malfunctions, identifying performance issues, and protecting overall machine health.
In all, AiSight and MENSHEN deployed 21 sensors on seven cooling pumps, monitoring one motor and two bearings a piece.
The results came in quickly. Three of the seven pumps were exhibiting signs of cavitation damage—one was in particularly bad shape. The AiSight solution also provided information on how critical this damage was, and when MENSHEN’s maintenance team would need to act. Two months later, they were able to perform maintenance during a scheduled maintenance interval, avoiding unplanned downtime.
Upon dismantling the pump, they confirmed the impeller damage that AiSight’s solution had detected.
“We’re very happy with our decision. The AiSight solution secures reliable productivity, while our maintenance team can also better plan necessary maintenance. And our pump supplier attests that we’ve taken a cross-industry, pioneering role in pump monitoring by using the Aion sensors from AiSight.” -Sebastian Pütter, process optimization expert, MENSHEN
AiSight and MENSHEN have provided a detailed report on this case in their case study, Predictive maintenance in the plastic and packaging industry, available for download here.
Based on the success of AiSight’s solution in preventing downtime on injection molding machine cooling pumps, MENSHEN in now planning the future of AiSight’s solution in their facilities, exploring options for monitoring hydraulic cooling systems, compressors, and other production assets. It’s an exciting future: not only is MENSHEN a first mover in AI adoption in the packaging industry, they’re securing the early benefit of future developments in AiSight’s solution.
Download case study here.
AiSight GmbH
Email: demo@aisight.de
