Predictive maintenance uses sensor data and machine learning to predict when a machine is likely to fail, so it can be fixed first.
In plain words
Traditional maintenance fixes machines on a fixed timetable or after they break. Predictive maintenance watches them instead. Sensors track things like temperature and vibration, and models learn what normal looks like for each machine. When readings drift away from that baseline, the system warns the team before a breakdown.
A quick example
Imagine a factory that fits vibration sensors to its pumps. A model learns each pump's normal pattern. When one pump starts shaking differently, the system flags it, and engineers replace a worn part during a planned stop rather than after it fails.
Where you'll meet it
- Manufacturing lines.
- Energy, transport and mining equipment.
Related
Sources
- DocsWhat is Predictive Maintenance?, Amazon Web Services · read 29 Sept 2026
- DocsWhat is predictive maintenance?, IBM · read 29 Sept 2026
Checked by WhatIsAI against the sources above · 29 Sept 2026. Spotted an error? Report it.