Turning Downtime into Uptime.
Case Study: ORBIS
At a Glance:
Industry:
Plastic Packaging Manufacturing
Use Case:
Predictive Maintenance & Efficiency Optimization
Technologies Used:
- iPID
- Wave Field Analysis
- Multi-Modal Diagnostics
Impact:
7,000+ hours of downtime eliminated
50% reduction in scrap rates
18,000 kWh saved per machine annually
Up to 2 months advance warning on pump failure
The Challenge
ORBIS needed to reduce unplanned downtime and optimize machine performance—without overburdening their technicians or introducing complex systems. Legacy equipment, variable wear, and a lack of predictive capabilities were slowing operations and increasing costs.
Our Approach
Partnering with ORBIS, Spur Insights applied a suite of diagnostic solutions—including iPID analytics and Wave Field Analysis—across 22 injection molding machines. These systems worked quietly in the background, surfacing anomalies early and empowering ORBIS to act before problems escalated.
What we uncovered
Heater Band Failures
By analyzing control signal lag, we identified heater bands likely to fail before they caused downtime—enabling early replacement with zero guesswork.
Hydraulic Pump Health
Using wave field sensors, we monitored pump vibrations and detected subtle shifts in health, predicting failures up to two months in advance.
Plasticizing Screw Wear
A multi-modal analysis revealed rising energy usage linked to screw wear. ORBIS was able to proactively order replacements and tune performance for better efficiency.
The Results
Eliminated over 7,000 hours of unplanned downtime
Reduced scrap rates by half, from 2% to 1%, improving product quality
Saved 18,000 kWh per machine annually
Prevented major failures and minimized service response times
At this point, we trust the data. If the dashboard says a heater band is going bad—we replace it. We’ve gotten to that level of maturity.”
— Lynn Hediger, VP Manufacturing & Production Engineering, ORBIS
What’s Next?
ORBIS is scaling predictive algorithms across more machines and components, integrating systems to automate work orders and expand real-time insights. With Spur Insights, they’re building smarter operations, one insight at a time.