SHREDDER FAILURE

During continuous monitoring of the shredder, a rapid increase in RMS levels was detected, indicating a developing equipment issue. We recommended inspecting the machine and paying attention to any unusual noise or vibration. Due to a high workload, corrective actions were initially postponed; however, the data continued to show fault progression, and ongoing communication was maintained regarding the growing issue.

In the first stage, the tool holder was suspected as a potential cause and was replaced. Despite this action, no significant improvement was observed in the vibration data, indicating that the tool holder was only one contributing factor.

In the second stage, a decision was made to replace the motor. After the motor replacement, RMS levels decreased only partially, and defect signals remained higher than normal. This confirmed that the motor replacement alone did not fully resolve the issue.

Continued monitoring and deeper analysis allowed the identification of a third, non-obvious fault: mechanical looseness at the tool holder–shaft interface. During a follow-up inspection, it was found that the tool holder locking screw had loosened, directly affecting vibration levels.

After eliminating the looseness, RMS levels decreased, harmonics disappeared from the data, and PCA analysis confirmed that the equipment condition had returned to a healthy state.