Which maintenance measure will provide the greatest benefit for my equipment? Is it worth carrying out the repair now, or would it be better to wait? How many additional operating hours can be gained as a result? Our experts will answer questions like these at the »maintenance« trade fair for industrial maintenance on October 14 and 15, 2026, in Munich.
Operating individual systems more efficiently through predictive condition monitoring – that is what our researchers are working on. In their projects, they develop customized solutions together with industry partners that are tailored to specific requirements. »Reliable monitoring of critical equipment enables necessary maintenance measures to be planned in a targeted and timely manner. This significantly reduces the workload of maintenance departments,« says Dr. Benjamin Adrian. »Mathematics is the key to obtaining precise insights from just a small amount of data.«
The researchers have developed mathematical solutions that take into account the often limited amount of data available within companies while still providing reliable insights into existing equipment. This also enables older systems to be digitized, even though they were not originally designed for digital monitoring.
The focus of the trade fair presentation is on hybrid methods that combine existing data with the knowledge and expertise of maintenance professionals, as well as innovative sensor technology. At the trade fair booth, the researchers will demonstrate how »Remaining Useful Life« (RUL) models can be used to estimate the remaining useful life of individual components. This provides valuable insights into how maintenance measures can be planned according to actual needs and resources can be used as efficiently as possible.
»We want to help companies identify and initiate necessary measures in good time. We show them how many more products they can manufacture with a system or how many operating hours can be gained through predictive maintenance. Because maintenance is primarily about delivering value rather than generating costs,« says Adrian.
In addition, the researchers will present a non-contact sensor system for monitoring rotating drive shafts. Torsional vibrations, which can be caused, for example, by grid disturbances, interactions within the power grid, or operating errors, can lead to fatigue in shaft components and, in the worst case, cause severe mechanical damage. The algorithms developed at Fraunhofer ITWM detect such loads at an early stage and enable reliable condition monitoring of drive systems, as they capture not only torsional vibrations but also rotational speed, rotation angle, and the distance at the measurement track.
Dr. Benjamin Adrian will provide a concise overview of the mathematical perspective on industrial maintenance in his presentation as part of the trade fair’s supporting program. On October 15, 2026, from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m., he will speak at the »SolutionCenter« in Hall 2 on the topic »The Mathematics of Maintenance – What Benefits Does a Maintenance Measure Provide?«
Digitalization in production leads to greater flexibility, higher performance, and increased reliability. This applies equally to internal company processes and cross-company value creation. However, in Western Europe, digitalization generally has to be implemented within existing systems, often involving equipment that is 20 years old or more. This presents a challenge for maintenance professionals, who are often the only ones with the expertise needed to implement digitalization within their companies.
The Smart Maintenance Community of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (SMC) is a network currently comprising 17 Fraunhofer institutes. The network can support companies in integrating new technologies and processes. Fraunhofer ITWM is part of this network.
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM