Turning “Emergency Repairs” into “Planned Maintenance” with Real-Time Data

Unplanned downtime is the silent killer of bakery margins: costing thousands per hour in lost product and labor. The solution isn’t working faster; it’s knowing the future.

ByMaite Carricaburu

In high-speed industrial baking, catastrophic failures rarely happen overnight.

They are almost always preceded by subtle “drifts”: deviations so minute that human senses miss them entirely.

MECATHERM’s M-Care solution (developed in partnership with French predictive analytics firm MaMaTa) acts as a 24/7 digital stethoscope for your line.

Instead of waiting for a chain to snap or a motor to burn out, the system monitors critical variables in real-time:

  • Motor Amperage: Detecting slight increases in load that suggest friction or wear.
  • Chain Tension: Identifying “drift” in oven bands before they affect product quality or jam the system.
  • Burner Temperatures: Spotting inconsistencies that signal potential combustion issues.

By analyzing these variables against a baseline of “healthy” operation, M-Care can flag a potential issue weeks in advance.

Empowering the Operator (Reducing MTTR)

The most significant bottleneck in maintenance isn’t always the repair itself; it’s the diagnosis and the wait time for a specialist.

M-Care tackles this by democratizing technical expertise.

When a drift is detected, the system doesn’t just flash a red light; it provides actionable intelligence directly to the operator’s tablet or HMI (Human-Machine Interface).

  • Step-by-Step Guidance: The interface displays specific troubleshooting tutorials.
  • Autonomy: Operators can perform “first-level” checks and repairs without waiting for an external expert.
  • Direct Support: If the issue persists, the data is shared instantly with MECATHERM’s support team for a precise remote diagnosis.

This capability significantly reduces the Mean Time To Repair (MTTR), ensuring that minor glitches don’t spiral into shift-ending shutdowns.

The MyMecatherm Ecosystem

M-Care is not a standalone app; it is the heartbeat of the broader MyMecatherm digital platform.

This ecosystem integrates predictive maintenance with operational performance monitoring, energy consumption tracking, and traceability.

By centralizing this data, the platform allows bakery managers to see the correlation between machine health and sustainability goals.

For instance, a drifting burner doesn’t just risk a breakdown. it wastes gas and alters product browning. Correcting it early saves energy and ensures consistent product quality.

😊 Thanks for reading!

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