A major Brazilian sugar and ethanol plant achieved a 67% reduction in maintenance costs after implementing WEG's predictive monitoring and intelligent asset management solutions. The project delivered greater operational predictability, reduced unplanned failures, and increased equipment reliability during one of the most critical periods for the sugar-energy industry: the harvest season.
By adopting the WEGscan100 online monitoring system, combined with a more data-driven maintenance strategy, the plant began continuously monitoring the performance of electric motors and other rotating equipment, identifying operational deviations and signs of degradation before they evolved into critical failures. Sensors installed directly on the assets enable real-time monitoring of variables such as vibration and temperature, making maintenance interventions more accurate and based on the actual condition of the equipment.
The new approach replaced the traditional time-based preventive maintenance model, reducing unnecessary disassembly during scheduled shutdowns and significantly increasing maintenance efficiency. In addition, common failures associated with harsh industrial environments, such as overheating, internal contamination, and winding slot short circuits, can now be detected in advance, preventing motor burnouts and unplanned downtime.
Results became evident during the following harvest season. The reduction in the number of motors sent for external maintenance had a direct impact on operational reliability and cost control. The investment in predictive monitoring generated savings of more than BRL 318,000 in a single harvest season, reducing maintenance costs from BRL 478,000 to BRL 157,000.
In addition to the financial gains, the operation achieved greater stability during a critical production period, reducing the risk of equipment unavailability and improving maintenance predictability.
Operating in one of the most strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy, the plant produces sugar, ethanol, and energy generated from biomass. Its industrial environment presents severe operating conditions, including high levels of dust, sugarcane bagasse residues, humidity, and constant load variations, requiring maximum reliability from the electric motors that drive pumps, fans, and gearboxes.
Following the positive results achieved, the strategy is now being expanded to additional plant assets, including pumps, bearings, fans, and gearboxes, as well as the monitoring of electrical assets through solutions such as WEGscan200, designed to monitor temperature and electrical current in panels, drives, soft starters, and busbars.
By integrating different technologies into a single asset management platform, WEG reinforces its commitment to developing solutions that increase industrial efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness by combining technology, operational intelligence, and deep knowledge of shop-floor challenges.
