Maintenance Matters Problem Solver 18 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk June/July 2026 Solving efficiency challenges in PET bottle production 160 GMD projects worldwide, which is combined with secure cloud analytics and service workflows to allow users to view system conditions, access service records, submit service requests, and interact with ABB expert support through one platform. The service suite brings together digital solutions that ABB has introduced to the market over recent years, including Asset Health and Condition Monitoring analytics, Trendex diagnostics and troubleshooting as well as GMD Copilot, ABB’s AIpowered virtual support assistant. Within Grinding Connect, mining operators can access prescriptive maintenance recommendations, supported by more than 180 trend signals as well as alarms, events, transient recording integration and signal correlation. The platform is also designed to provide anomaly detection, frozen-signal detection and smart notifications, alongside recommended actions from ABB experts to support continued operation. By supporting remote diagnostics and expert collaboration, the suite reduces the need for reactive on-site intervention, helping service teams to prioritize actions more effectively. “Mining operators are looking for practical ways to improve availability, reduce response times and make better-informed decisions for the maintenance of production-critical assets,” said Mikel Torre, Global Business Unit Manager Grinding, ABB’s Process Industries division. “Grinding Connect brings ABB’s service and GMD system knowledge into one digital environment, meaning users can work with a complete view of asset condition, service history and expert support. Only with this level of visibility will operators make progress towards the industry transition to increasingly autonomous, more efficient mining operations.” Grinding Connect has been developed in line with ABB cybersecurity standards and IEC 62443-related product development practices, including penetration testing during verification. It is available globally for mining customers using ABB gearless mill drive systems. For further information please visit: www.abb.com 1: https://www.iea.org/topics/critical-minerals 2: https://new.abb.com/news/detail/129763/ industrial-downtime-costs-up-to-500000-perhour-and-can-happen-every-week ABB has announced the launch of Grinding Connect, a new digital service suite for mining companies operating gearless mill drive (GMD) systems. Available globally, the new suite is designed to improve visibility across critical grinding assets, reducing unplanned equipment downtime and supporting more efficient maintenance planning at a time when mines face growing pressure to maintain throughput and reliability. With demand for critical minerals expected to triple by 20301, according to the International Energy Agency, mining companies are under pressure to scale and stabilise the production of critical materials. Continuous performance and reliability of large grinding circuits are critical to plant output, with unplanned downtime estimated to cost up to US$500,000 an hour according to ABB research2. Grinding Connect is developed to address the need for more remote expert support, maintenance and continuous performance, through a single cloud-based service suite built specifically for ABB GMD systems. The suite leverages ABB’s knowledge from more than Addressing maintenance challenges through connected mining operations IMI’s Industrial Automation sector has developed a customised PET (polyethylene terephthalate) blowing block solution for Tech-Long, delivering a 10% increase in production capacity while reducing compressed air consumption in PET bottle manufacturing. The collaboration, focused on improving performance in high-speed bottling environments, saw IMI’s Industrial Automation team develop a configurable four-valve blowing block system incorporating a Px/AR single valve. The solution is designed for the efficient production of PET bottles and can operate in both aseptic and non-aseptic conditions. Tech-Long, a leading supplier to the global bottling industry, had been experiencing limitations with its legacy system, including high energy use and constraints on output. IMI’s Industrial Automation application engineering team in China worked closely with the OEM to redesign the blowing block architecture, addressing both efficiency and hygiene requirements. The new system has reduced compressed air demand - one of the most energy-intensive aspects of PET bottle production - while simultaneously increasing machine output by 10%. The new system also meets stringent requirements for sterile, aseptic environments, making it suitable for sensitive beverage applications such as dairy, juice and functional drinks. Tim Chen, Business Development Manager, Industrial Automation at IMI, said: “By working closely with Tech-Long, our application engineers developed a new concept for PET blowing block applications used across the bottling industry. The solution overcomes previous challenges around production capacity and energy consumption, while ensuring reliable operation in sterile environments. “The results have delivered measurable efficiency gains, supporting Tech-Long’s operational performance goals.” For more information on IMI’s Industrial Automation solutions available to OEMs in the PET bottling industry, visit: www.norgren.com/en/industries/food-andbeverage/pet-bottling
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=