Condition monitoring is the foundation of predictive maintenance, giving organizations the ability to anticipate equipment failures before they happen. Instead of reacting to breakdowns, condition monitoring allows maintenance teams to track the ongoing health of critical assets and act only when needed. The result? Less downtime, lower costs, and longer asset lifespans.
At the core of condition monitoring are sensors and data collection techniques that capture key indicators of machine health. By combining this information with an Industrial IoT (IIoT) platform, manufacturers and industrial organizations can scale monitoring across plants, facilities, or even global operations.
In this post, we’ll explore the most common types of condition monitoring sensors and techniques used today, how they work, and the value they deliver.
Industrial equipment is constantly under stress—rotating at high speeds, exposed to extreme heat, pressure, and vibration, or running continuously for thousands of hours. Even the most well-designed machines eventually degrade. The challenge is knowing when that degradation is approaching failure.
Condition monitoring solves this by:
The types of sensors and techniques you use depend on your equipment and environment. Below are the most widely used approaches.
Electrical sensors measure signals such as current, voltage, and power quality. They help identify imbalances, overloads, or faults that could indicate problems with motors, drives, or wiring.
By catching electrical anomalies early, organizations can prevent failures that could damage both equipment and safety.
Acoustic condition monitoring listens for sound waves and vibrations outside the range of human hearing.
Ultrasonic monitoring is particularly valuable for identifying compressed air leaks—one of the most common sources of wasted energy in manufacturing facilities.
Excess heat is one of the most universal signs of equipment trouble.
Continuous temperature monitoring ensures hot spots don’t go unnoticed and helps protect both equipment and personnel.
Vibration analysis is one of the most well-established condition monitoring techniques, especially for rotating machinery.
Because so many machine faults show up first as vibration, this technique is a cornerstone of predictive maintenance strategies.
Lubricants don’t just keep machines running smoothly—they also carry valuable information about equipment health.
By analyzing oil and lubricants, companies can catch issues like bearing wear long before they become catastrophic failures.
Fluid and pneumatic systems rely on consistent pressure and flow. Deviations are often the first sign of trouble.
Monitoring pressure and flow not only prevents downtime but also optimizes energy efficiency and system performance.
Sometimes the simplest inspection methods provide the biggest insights, especially when enhanced with modern tools.
Infrared imaging is fast, non-invasive, and can often be performed while equipment is still running—making it an efficient tool for preventive inspections.
Many machines already generate valuable performance data that can be tapped for condition monitoring.
Leveraging existing data reduces the need for additional hardware and creates a more complete picture when combined with dedicated sensor inputs.
While each of these techniques provides value, the real power of condition monitoring comes from combining them in a centralized platform. This is where an Industrial IoT platform like Exosite’s delivers benefits in scale, robustness, and security.
By bringing together data from electrical, acoustic, temperature, vibration, oil, pressure, flow, and visual techniques, organizations can move beyond reactive maintenance into a proactive, predictive strategy that drives measurable ROI.
Learn More: Condition Monitoring Solutions with Exosite
Condition monitoring is no longer optional—it’s a necessity for organizations looking to stay competitive in modern industry. By deploying the right combination of sensors and monitoring techniques, and centralizing that data on a secure, scalable IIoT platform, businesses can:
The future of industrial maintenance is predictive—and it starts with condition monitoring.
Learn More: Condition Monitoring Solutions with Exosite
What are the most common condition monitoring sensors?
The most common condition monitoring sensors include vibration, temperature, acoustic/ultrasonic, oil and lubricant analysis, electrical, pressure and flow, and visual/infrared sensors. These measure different aspects of machine health to detect early signs of failure.
Why is vibration monitoring important in condition monitoring?
Vibration monitoring is important because most mechanical issues—such as imbalance, misalignment, or bearing wear—show up first as abnormal vibrations. Tracking vibration patterns helps identify problems early and prevent costly breakdowns.
How does acoustic condition monitoring work?
Acoustic condition monitoring uses ultrasonic sensors to detect high-frequency sounds outside the range of human hearing. This technique is effective for spotting air leaks, steam trap failures, electrical arcing, or early bearing wear.
What role does oil analysis play in predictive maintenance?
Oil and lubricant analysis tracks fluid quality and contamination. Detecting particles, moisture, or chemical changes helps identify wear and prevent major equipment damage, especially in engines, gearboxes, and hydraulic systems.
What are the benefits of using an Industrial IoT platform for condition monitoring?
An Industrial IoT (IIoT) platform makes condition monitoring scalable, robust, and secure. It unifies data from multiple sensors, provides real-time alerts, ensures data integrity, and enables predictive analytics across entire operations.