Maintenance and reliability
What is Condition monitoring?
Condition monitoring measures machine parameters such as vibration, temperature and oil condition to detect developing faults. Techniques, examples and how to start.
Quick answer
Condition monitoring is the practice of measuring parameters that reflect a machine’s health, such as vibration, temperature, motor current, oil condition or acoustic emission, and watching for significant changes that indicate a developing fault. It is the data foundation of condition based and predictive maintenance.
Updated 30 October 2026. Written by the Ajinkya Technologies engineering team, reviewed by Amey Kadle.
Condition monitoring explained
The general guidance is set out in ISO 17359, which describes how to choose what to measure based on the failure modes of each machine, how to set baselines and alert limits, and how to move from detection to diagnosis and prognosis.
The main techniques are vibration analysis, which finds imbalance, misalignment, looseness and bearing faults; thermography and temperature trending for electrical and friction faults; motor current signature analysis for motor and load problems; oil analysis for wear particles and contamination; and ultrasound for leaks and early bearing damage. Measurements can be periodic, with a technician and a handheld instrument on a route, or continuous, with sensors wired or wireless to an edge gateway.
Continuous monitoring makes sense on critical machines where failures develop quickly or are expensive; periodic routes are often enough elsewhere. Either way, the data only pays off when alerts are trusted and acted on, so limits are tuned per machine and every alert ends in a work order or a recorded decision.
Key concepts
- Measure parameters linked to failure modes
- Vibration, thermal, current, oil, ultrasound
- Periodic routes or continuous sensors
- Baselines and alert limits per machine
- Foundation of predictive maintenance
Questions
What is the difference between condition monitoring and predictive maintenance?
Condition monitoring is the measurement. Predictive maintenance is the maintenance strategy that uses those measurements to schedule work before failure.
Which machines should be monitored continuously?
Critical assets where a failure stops production, develops quickly or is expensive to repair, such as main drives, compressors, pumps and gearboxes.
Can existing PLC data be used for condition monitoring?
Often yes. Motor current, temperatures, pressures and run hours already in the PLC are useful signals, and can be combined with added vibration sensors.
References
How we help with condition monitoring
We combine added vibration and temperature sensors with signals already in your PLCs, stream them through an edge gateway, and alert on deviations from each machine’s own baseline.
Interactive 3D demo with simulated data: vibration rises, the alert fires, you decide.
Related terms
Want this measured on your own line?
Tell us your process, machines and ERP. An engineer, not a salesperson, replies within 24 hours with what we would measure first.