Case Study: Preventing Slurry Pump Motor Failure Through Early Detection with DataMind AI™
August 25, 2025
Overview
Razor Labs DataMind AI™ was monitoring critical rotating equipment at a vanadium mining site, including one of the site’s main slurry pumps. This pump is a critical component in one of the site’s two parallel processing lines. A failure would have forced a shutdown of the entire line, resulting in the loss of 50% of the site’s production capacity.
From the moment of deployment, DataMind AI™ flagged the pump motor as ״Alarm״, due to abnormally high and consistent friction indicators. Despite no operational symptoms at that stage, such as temperature increase or pressure drop – the system identified irregular vibration and friction patterns not typical for this pump.
The site team verified that the lubrication system was functioning correctly, and when no improvement was observed, they reduced the pump load to 60% in an attempt to stabilize its condition and prolong its life. DataMind AI™, however, continued reporting abnormal friction. These AI-driven insights prompted the team to order spare parts in advance. Toward the end of the month, when the parts arrived, the team conducted a planned shutdown and replaced the motor. Upon removal, a visible crack was discovered in the motor shaft – validating the early warning and confirming that failure had been imminent.
DataMind AI Dashboard – Alarm trend
Detection & Diagnosis
DataMind AI™ monitored and classified the pump motor as high-risk based on:
- Persistently high-frequency vibration across all loads, indicative of friction
- Current and speed indicate that the motor was not operating under high load
Envelope Trend Before and After Motor Replacement
Action & Response
- Alarm Raised: DataMind AI™ flagged persistent mechanical deterioration in the motor.
- Lubrication Verified: The site confirmed the pump’s lubrication system was functioning properly and delivering the correct amount and frequency of lubrication
- Load Reduction Attempted: The pump was operated at 60% to reduce demand, but degradation continued.
- Proactive Replacement: The motor was replaced during scheduled maintenance based on DataMind AI™ diagnostics.
- Recovery Confirmed: Post-replacement vibration levels dropped sharply. AI confirmed restored mechanical stability.
Before vs. After Replacement – Friction Resolved
Before replacement: Persistent high vibration levels linked to friction, even under reduced load
After replacement: Vibration levels returned to nominal ranges expected for this pump type
Conclusion
This case demonstrates how DataMind AI™ empowers teams to stay ahead of failure by translating subtle machine behavior into clear, actionable insights.
Instead of reacting to an unexpected motor breakdown (an event that would have halted one of only two processing lines), the site was able to plan ahead. The team secured spare parts, scheduled a controlled shutdown, and executed the replacement without disrupting production, avoiding ~$120,000 in production losses.
