Is condition monitoring synonymous with condition-based maintenance?

Condition monitoring is the practice of continuously or periodically monitoring the health and performance of machinery to detect any changes that may indicate deterioration or potential failure. It involves the use of various techniques and technologies to gather data about the condition of equipment, such as vibration analysis, thermography, and lubricant analysis, among others.

On the other hand, condition-based maintenance (CBM) is a maintenance strategy that utilizes the information gained from condition monitoring to determine when maintenance should be performed. In this approach, maintenance activities are not scheduled at fixed intervals but are instead conducted based on the actual condition of the equipment. This helps in optimizing maintenance efforts and reducing downtime by preventing unnecessary maintenance activities.

While condition monitoring provides the data and insights necessary for effective condition-based maintenance, they are not synonymous. Condition monitoring focuses on the measurement and analysis of machinery conditions, whereas condition-based maintenance utilizes that data to make informed decisions regarding maintenance actions. Thus, the distinction between the two emphasizes that while related, they serve different purposes in the maintenance strategy.