Skip to main content

CASE STUDY Proactive Monitoring Averts Costly Agitator Gearbox Breakdown at Tobacco Plant

tobacco-close-up-of-belt
INDUSTRY

Tobacco Manufacturing 

EQUIPMENT TYPE
Pulper Agitator Gearbox
IMPACT
  • $600k in avoided downtime and repair costs
  • 60 hours of unplanned downtime prevented
  • Equipment reliability restored through early intervention
THE CHALLENGE

A leading global tobacco manufacturer relies on Waites to monitor critical rotating equipment across its production lines, blending operations, and utility systems. The goal: catch developing issues early to avoid unplanned downtime and costly repairs.

During routine monitoring, Waites’ AI detected abnormal Y-axis vibration on the gearbox for the #1 Pulper Agitator—signaling a potential mechanical issue that could escalate without intervention.

PROBLEM IDENTIFIED

Following the AI alert, Waites analysts conducted a deeper review and identified severe structural looseness in the gearbox pedestal. Their findings included:

  • Stretched and loose J-bolts
  • Visible cracks in the soul plate
  • Mounting bolts at risk of failure

Without intervention, the facility faced a likely breakdown—putting production and repair costs at serious risk.

QUICK RESOLUTION

Waites provided clear, actionable guidance that empowered the maintenance team to address the issue before it escalated. The following steps were recommended and executed:

EARLY DETECTION

Waites AI condition monitoring system flagged the abnormal vibration trends, and analysts quickly verified the issue, prompting timely inspection that enabled proactive maintenance planning. 

RECOMMENDED ACTION

1.  Fabricate and install a new reinforced soul plate

2.  Re-tap the mounting points to secure the gearbox pedestal

3.  Replace both the faulty gearbox and the agitator

4. Execute a precision alignment between the motor and gearbox

COST SAVINGS

$600,000 in cost savings and 60 hours of unplanned downtime avoided—while extending equipment life and preserving production uptime.

RESULTS OVERVIEW

Through early detection and rapid intervention guided by Waites AI and expert analysis, the tobacco facility prevented a major gearbox failure—saving an estimated $600k in cost savings from avoided downtime and maintenance hours.

Say Hello

GET STARTED TODAY

Waites makes getting started easy. No matter where you are in your maintenance journey, we can help you create a plan to move toward predictive maintenance and complete reliability for your assets and operation.